Plot

Billy gets permission, with considerable difficulty, to go ashore to see Vera, but he arrives at a particularly inopportune moment. Vera's papa, inventor of a rocket that is to be shot to the moon, has just been disappointed. He has just received the news that a condemned convict who had volunteered to be shot up in the rocket instead of going to the chair, had committed suicide in his cell instead. Vera, also disappointed, explains to Billy that a man has just refused father a little favor, so Billy says she shouldn't feel bad because he would be tickled to death to do him a favor. Before Billy can realize just what is happening to him they strap a radio set on his manly chest and shove him into the rocket, which is shot off with a roar and an explosion that sounds like the World War. Billy goes up and up, out of sight of papa and Vera and the cheering professors who have come to watch the venture. The rocket soon changes direction, however, and goes parallel to the earth's surface, finally landing in a neighboring town. When Billy extricates himself from the wreck he feels like a conqueror, having reached the moon, although he is actually in a Turkish bath. After first taking possession of the moon in the name of the United States, he radios back to Vera and her papa the thrilling news that he has arrived and that it is as hot as hell up there. He sticks his head in another room and sees a number of tired business men reposing in square cabinets, he tells the waiting crowd on earth that he has seen people and that they have square bodies. Later he sees a number of pretty girls and radios back the one magic word "WOMEN." The large lady attendants finally spy him and call the police. A merry chase results which just about wrecks things for Billy. He finally gets away and runs out on a road marked "Danger, Blasting." The blast goes off and blows him back to the town where he started. The astonished professors go mad cheering him and confer upon him every sort of honorary degree and medal. For all of this he cares nothing, however, preferring to sneak away with Vera to find a minister. Outside two cops spy him and recognize him, as he places them. Leaving the astonished Vera to puzzle over his strange conduct he dashes away, hotly pursued by the minions of the law as we fade out.—Press Sheet from Library of Congress