jack powell (charles "buddy" rogers) and david armstrong (richard arlen) are rivals in the same small american town, both vying for the attentions of pretty sylvia lewis (jobyna ralston). jack fails to realize that "the girl next door", mary preston (clara bow), is desperately in love with him. the two young men both enlist to become combat pilots in the air service. when they leave for training camp, jack mistakenly believes sylvia prefers him; she actually prefers david and lets him know about her feelings, but is too kindhearted to turn down jack's affection.