Financially embarrassed, Jerry attempts to avoid paying for the sumptuous meal he has just had, and for his troubles he is thrown out. Much to his surprise, a large bundle follows him, the waiter believing that it belonged to Jerry, when it was really the property of the celebrated detective, Padlock Bones. Jerry opens the bundle and finds a book, "How to Become a Detective," and also a collection of disguises, including the attire of a Chinaman. There is also a note telling of a band of Mongolian smugglers, and after reading this with much interest, Jerry decides to dress up like one of the natives of the Orient and try his hand at running down the smugglers. In the meantime the detective discovers the loss of his bundle, and after a heated argument with the waiter, starts off to find Jerry. Impersonating a Chinaman, Jerry walks along a roadway when he is struck by an automobile, but instead of being knocked to the ground, he is lifted up on the hood of the machine and he rides for some distance before the occupants of the car take any particular notice of him. Jerry recognizes them as some of the conspirators of the smugglers and interests them by saying he is a cook out of a job. They take him to their mansion and employ him as cook. He at once starts in by making love to the maid, and when the gardener sees this he starts a fight, in which the whole household takes part and which ends up in an uproar. When things arc quieted, Jerry persists in his lovemaking. He is making good headway with the maid when the landlady appears. The maid rushes away and Jerry continues on his course with the woman of the house without knowing what he is doing. The husband arrives and another mix-up puts things in an uproar. Jerry is ordered to get to work in the kitchen, and his inexperience with a gas stove results in an explosion. A fire follows and Jerry plays a prominent part with the hose. Jerry manages to get a line on the smugglers at about the same time that Padlock Bones learns of Jerry's whereabouts, but before the would-be detective arrives, Jerry, in the attire of the maid, starts out with the chauffeur and for the water where he has information the smugglers, a band of Chinamen, are about to do their work. He arrives in time to see them in a rowboat, but all the time Padlock Bones and a lot of police are on the trail of Jerry. When the police arrive, Jerry surprises them by pointing out the smugglers, who are captured, and the gardener, believing Jerry to be the maid, starts making love. He learns that it is Jerry and starts a chase after him, while the smugglers are arrested and all start for the police station but Hank, the gardener, and Jerry, who are still doing a marathon.