A man loses a leg but makes himself a success in the lumber business with extraordinary enthusiasm and determination.
Commander Tisdale (Henry O'Neill) takes a U. S. Navy blimp into a storm, but it crashes in the ocean. Bill Austin (George Brent) has one leg amputated. Tisdale visits him in the hospital and gives him a watch that is engraved, "It shall be done." Bill looks for a job and gets business cards printed. Lloyd Skinner (John Eldredge) complains to Margaret Ricks (Anita Louise) about her father trying to run the lumber company and tells intruding Bill to get out. Cappy Ricks (Charles Winninger) blames Skinner and Peasely (Willard Robertson) for Henderson absconding in Shanghai. Bill waits to see Ricks and talks with Margaret, inviting her to the movies. She urges her father to hire Bill, and Ricks tells Skinner to take on Bill. Skinner plans to have Bill sell skunk spruce.
Bill calls for Margaret at the service entrance and is suspected as a kidnapper. Ricks tells Bill about his life and skunk spruce. Bill and Margaret eat shrimp and like each other. Bill travels and sells lumber. Ricks tells Skinner to raise Bill's salary. Ricks calls Bill to fly to Seattle to buy timber, and Bill makes a contract for ten years. Ricks plans to test Bill with the blue vase and threatens to fire him if he marries Margaret, who says yes. Margaret shows her father the diamond ring, but he says he is going out with a blue lady. Bill calls on ill Skinner to work, and Ricks calls Bill to get a blue vase before he leaves that night. Bill searches for the vase and tries to call the owner. A policeman prevents him from breaking the window, but Bill arranges to meet the assistant, who asks for $1000 cash. Bill gives him his watch and goes to get the ring from jealous Margaret. Bill gets a friend to fly him to Santa Barbara, and he stops the train with a torch to give Ricks the vase. Ricks says how hard they made their test of a go-getter. Bill is upset, but Ricks makes him manager of the Shanghai office. Bill insists that Margaret go with him and argues over her with Ricks. Bill and Margaret get married but learn that Ricks reserved all the staterooms on the ship. Bill and Margaret sneak aboard in a car and wave good-bye to Ricks and Skinner.
Ricks tries to stop the ship, but the owner laughs at him. Ricks goes to his lawyer and learns of a strike that needs Bill to negotiate. Margaret gives Bill his watch, and he gets a radiogram to return to San Francisco. Ricks bets on Bill, who jumps in to swim. Ricks goes out in a boat and picks up Bill and Margaret on a raft. After Bill settles the strike, Ricks sends Skinner to Shanghai and makes Bill general manager. In the final scene Bill throws the blue vase out the window.
This inspiring comedy shows a man with a positive attitude overcoming numerous difficulties to accomplish his goals, winning the respect of his father-in-law, who placed so many obstacles in his way.