The domestic peace of the Hallowells, a young couple living in a small town, is disturbed by a poorly cooked breakfast and Dick, the husband, leaves the house angrily after his wife has threatened to return to her mother. She starts packing her trunks and he proceeds to the quarries of which he is the manager. Rowdy, the family bulldog, follows his master. Reaching the quarry, Hallowell is told by his foreman that the supply of dynamite is in the hut where the explosives are kept. Rowdy seizes a stick of the highly dangerous dynamite in his mouth and startles Dick and the foreman by appearing before them with it. Fearing every moment that the dog will cause it to explode by biting or dropping it, the two men scatter in terror. At his wits' end Dick hurries home followed by the dog, who scatters fear on every side. Rowdy, unable to understand the excitement he is causing, reaches the house only to find it locked and the family barricaded inside. He gains entrance, however, through an open window and rushes into the sitting room with the dynamite still in his mouth. The Hallowells' child calls the dog and but for the sudden entrance of the nurse might have seized the stick. But, upon seeing the the dog and hearing the shouts of the Hallowells, the nurse flees from the house pursued by Rowdy. Dick calls upon the police who hurry to the house. Tired of pursuing the nurse, the dog has returned to his kennel, and when the police and Dick find him, is sitting comfortably before it with the stick before him. They surround the kennel but he routs them and drives them over the back fence, grabbing up the stick and following his master who now flies wildly down the street. Dick attempts to board a street car but Rowdy follows and empties it of all its passengers, even the motorman deserting his post. Into the country Dick flies with the dog behind him, stumbling over a camp of tramps and almost ruffling the happiness of a pair of young lovers. In attempting to cross a stone wall, the dynamite explodes, and all danger now over, Dick hurries to the nearest telephone and informs his agonized wife that he is safe. As he turns from the phone, Rowdy, covered with dust, etc., comes in. Like a cat he seems to have nine lives, and as Dick sinks thunderstruck and weak upon a box, the dog covers his face with kisses.
