Chaplin and Sterling play two young men, Masher and Rival Masher, who fight over the chance to help a young woman (Clifton) cross a muddy street. Sterling first sees the woman trying to cross and offers her an umbrella he stole from a policeman, and asked her to wait for him as he goes to get something to help her. Then Chaplin comes along and offers the woman to help her cross as well and wait for his return. While Sterling and Chaplin go to get the logs, a policeman (Conklin) lifts the woman across the street. When Sterling returns with the log, he was indignant that the woman did not wait for him to come back to help her cross the muddy street, and demands the umbrella back. When the woman refused, they engage in a fight which eventually involves Chaplin.