Charles E. Banks

A shy and sensitive young man is disregarded by his parents and his older brother. Bill becomes jealous and schemes to send his brother away when Ben wins the affections of pretty neighbor Adeline. Ben wins out when the trip on which Bill has sent him becomes a great success.

In the rural village of Mosville, inventor and fire chief Lem Blossom, the son of a pumpkin farmer, falls in love with unsophisticated country girl Mary Griggs. His rival is the worldly Tom Perkins, who is conspiring with her father, Joshua, to corner the pumpkin market. Unable to sell his pumpkins, Pa Blossom turns bootlegger in desperation. Lem learns that the pumpkin crop up north has been destroyed by frost and attempts to corner the market himself by offering a $1,000 prize for the largest pumpkin. When the Griggs home catches fire, Lem saves Mary and Joshua with the aid of his water pump and folding ladder, both of which he invented. Joshua then partners with Lem and approves the young man's betrothal to Mary.