A youth, the only survivor of a shipwreck, is rescued by two old fishermen. One of the fishermen, who has a little girl the boy's age, decides to adopt him. Ten years later a New York lawyer comes to the fishing town and wants to adopt the child who is heir to a fortune, but the boy is old enough to decide for himself and chooses to stay. His money is entrusted to a banker, who faced with bankruptcy embezzles the cash while making the lad think it was lost in a bad investment. The banker also falls for the fisherman’s daughter, and they elope. He is a cad, and she soon returns home. The banker’s plans for a robbery go awry and he flees to the seaside pursued by his gang. After several struggles all is resolved happily.