Egbert Souse, "accent grave over the e", henpecked by his whole family, is recruited to replace a drunken film director, then seems to have captured a bank robber and is hired as guard in the Lompoc Bank, where Og Oggilby, his daughter's fiancée, is teller. Souse persuades Og to embezzle $500 to buy phony stock; then the bank examiner shows up. Can Souse keep him occupied for four days? The climax is an extended chase sequence.