Enredo

Hawke, Jr., son of a famous New York detective, is challenged by his father to capture "The Blackbirds," a gang of smugglers, finds himself stranded in Algiers. Aware of Hawke's presence, Bechel, the Blackbirds' leader, instructs his accomplice, Leonie Sobatsky, to become friendly with the Crockers, a nouveau riche couple, and later in America, exchange a fake Oriental rug for a $10,000 genuine one which they recently purchased from one of Bechel's contacts. On the steamer returning to the United States, Leonie meets Nevil Trask, an English jewel thief posing as a nobleman. After Hawke secures a position in the Crocker home in New York as a guard for their jewels, Leonie, who now loves Trask without knowing that he is a thief, decides not to switch the rugs, but Hawke, eager to capture Bechel, tricks Leonie into taking the antique. When she sees Trask stealing the Crockers' jewels, they both confess their crimes and plan to reform. Hawke overhears, and follows them to Bechel's headquarters, where he captures the leader. After Trask and Leonie promise to marry, Hawke sets them free.—Pamela Short

Young Hawke, son of a famous New York detective, is stranded in Algiers. In reply to his cablegram for money his father tells him that the famous Bechel-Isaacs gang, who for years have been smuggling jewelry into the United States, is operating again. He challenges the youth to apprehend them. To Bechel, head of their gang, the crooks turn over jewels they have stolen in the bazaar of Abdullah Isaks, who is Abie Isaacs on Second Avenue, New York. They are turned over to Leonie, a young and charming smuggler, who has slipped fortunes in jewels past the customs officers. The gang learns that Hawke is on the trail. So Leonie is ordered to smuggle nothing, but to follow the Crockers, a wealthy American family, and substitute an imitation for a $10,000 prayer rug which they have bought. She meets and falls in love with an adventurer, Trask, posing as a titled Englishman but really trying to steal some of the Crocker jewels. Young Hawke trails Bechel, knowing of the change in plans. The gang trails the Crockers to their Detroit home and Hawke gets a job as sleuth to watch their diamonds. Leonie has so fallen in love with Trask that she cannot do the rug trick and takes the imitation, as she thinks to Bechel. It is the genuine, however, that has been substituted by Hawke. Stealing toward her pal at midnight, Leonie discovers Trask opening the Crocker jewel safe. Realizing that they are both crooks, both declare their love and resolve to turn straight. Hawke, from a place of concealment, has heard the love scene and, in sympathy with them, lets them go. However, he follows them to see the eventuation of their plans. Leonie and Trask go to the headquarters of the gang. Leonie hands over what she believes to be the imitation rug, really the genuine. As the lovers are trying to get away, the place is raided by the police. Hawke gets Bechel and the gang with the goods on them, but allows Leonie and Trask to go, free to love each other and to be honest.—Moving Picture World synopsis