The story deals with Tom Brown's efforts to save his fiance's "black sheep" brother Wilfred Kenyon from disgrace.

An unfortunate state of affairs exists between Wilfred and Marion Thorne, the sister of Gerald, who is stroking the varsity crew.

Matters reach a climax on the day the big boat race between Harvard and a champion English crew.

Thorne as he is about to enter the boat is given an anonymous note to the effect that Marion is about to leave town with one of the college men.

He throws the race and rashes to his sister, whom he finds in possession of Tom's check for an amount to cover her expenses.