Ben Bolt on his way to school one day comes across little Alice, the little waif. He takes her to his home and the little orphan is taken to the hearts of Ben's kind father and mother. The years pass and the two young people grow fonder and fonder of each other, until at last Ben proposes and is accepted. That same day, he is impressed upon a British man-of-war by the notorious press gang and Alice waits for him to return. She goes in search of him, and while in a boat is struck by its jib boom and knocked senseless. She is picked up by a French man-of-war, but when she recovers consciousness, the Captain finds her memory has gone. He takes her ashore to some friends of his, and leaves her in their care. Meanwhile war has been declared and Ben has become more used to his surroundings. Off the coast of France, the British captain orders Ben and some sailors ashore for water and while returning to the ship they are attacked by a French skirmishing party. Ben is injured and drags himself by chance to the house in which Alice is being befriended. She fails to recognize him, but after a great deal of persuasion, the old people consent to Ben taking his former sweetheart back to England. When they arrive there, Ben shows Alice the places she knew so well in her childhood days, and the sight of the old mill, where they were betrothed, brings back memory to Alice.
—Moving Picture World synopsis