A hero in the Great War, Slag has become a hobo, living by his wits and a little theft. Together with two partners in crime, Slag returns to his hometown and finds that his wife has died, leaving no one to care for his son, Tad. Slag takes pity on the boy and steals enough to send him to military school. Slag himself finds work there as a stable boy and teaches Tad to ride and to blow the bugle. Slag's former partners in crime show up and force him to help them rob the academy. Tad walks in on the three as they are dividing the spoils, and Slag is killed by a bullet meant for the boy. Tad plays taps over his grave, never having known that Slag was his own father.