Deacon Winkle reads of frequent hold-ups in his neighborhood, arms himself and goes out to a deacon’s meeting. A stranger on the street asks directions of him. As he leaves, Winkle finds that his watch and fob are missing. He orders the stranger to bait, holds him up, and, as be supposes, gets back his watch and fob. He vaingloriously recounts his adventure to his brother deacons and his wife at home. She produces his own watch and fob, which he left at home. Consternation. Winkle reads that the town is aroused over this fresh outrage, and proceeds to try to return the watch to his victim, a Mr. Shivers. After the deacon tries the registered mail, a messenger boy, and the plan of concealing the watch in a loaf of bread, he gives up in despair. Shiver is now thoroughly frightened, believing that someone is trying to kill him with an infernal machine. Winkle decides to force his way into Shiver’s house. He does so and is about to leave the watch, when he collides with and smashes a piece of statuary. He hurriedly and hopelessly leaves. The following night he disguises as a night watchman, and goes to the Shiver’s home. Shivers, his wife and his friends are sitting up, variously armed, waiting for a highwayman, a bomb or a burglar. The supposed watchman is welcomed, and when they are all asleep in their chairs, he rigs an ingenious arrangement of pans in the kitchen so that they will fall when filled with running water. When the racket arouses the sleepers, Winkle volunteers to investigate alone. He does so, and creates a terrible combat with a chair that through the closed door appeals to their imagination. As they finally rush in, he points to the shattered window, and holds forth Shiver’s watch and fob; his man has escaped but he has captured the lost booty. Tableau and gratitude of all.