Pudney is a man who has chosen to resolve himself to the humble lifestyle of a hobo. He works where he can and saves his money, hoping to make it to Flordia one day. One night, Pudney is arrested, and after giving the cops sarcasm, they decide to charge him with breaking and entering, despite his only crime being homelessness. Regardless, he feels sure that the court will find justice for him. As he awaits trial, he spends a few days in jail, talking with the other inmates and learning that they, like him, are simply outcasts from society who have been designated as scapegoats for social fears. In Pudney's case, the factory he was found near has been getting stolen from, and since the police can't figure out who really did it, they pin it on him. When he meets with his lawyer, Pudney is told that he should definitely plead guilty, because one way or the other, they will charge him for something, and if he pleads guilty he may get a reduced sentence. The lawyer even tries to tempt him, asking if he'll plead guilty if the prosecution agrees to reduce the charges to theft, with a 30-day sentence at most, rather than the year he could be facing. Pudney is disgusted at this prospect, believing that if a man is innocent, he should confess to a crime he didn't commit just because society needs to find a criminal to pin it on. Regardless, Pudney is sentenced to six months in jail. Once he is free, Pudney decides to rejoin society, taking up a more permanent job, finally beaten into submission by jail and what he learned of society and its scapegoats.