Buster Keaton and Virginia Fox play young lovers who live in tenements, the rear of which face each other, with backyards separated by a wooden fence and with their families constantly feuding over the lovers' relationship. Each morning Buster and Virginia exchange love letters through the holes in the fence much to the disdain of their families who insist they stay away from one another. Buster sneaks into Virginia's bedroom window as the parents are arguing but he is caught by Virginia's father who ties him to the washing lines and slowly sends him back over to his family's house. After much arguing and fighting the two families eventually go to court to settle their differences. Buster demands the right to marry Virginia, and the judge insists that the two families not interfere in their plans.