An old tramp, begging from door to door, is refused by one woman and given an old loaf of bread by another. He retires to his hut on an island to eat and rest. In the meantime the children of the two women go for a walk along the seashore with their pets, a cat and a dog. They are cut off by the rising tide and meander around disconsolate. The tramp, hearing their cries, goes out to see what is the matter. He brings them back to his hut, feeds them on the loaf given him by one of the mothers. They sleep on his cot while he goes out to get wood. Meanwhile, the children are missed by their parents, and calling the sheriff, they organize a search party. The first clue is the dog that swims across the tideway. The cat is next found on the island near the hut. The fathers of the children take them home, while the sheriff and his assistant search the woods for the tramp. He is captured, recognized by the women and incarcerated. The children later tell of his kindness, which brings about his release. The happy men, who have recovered their babies, give him work with themselves at the forge.