The story
“They were the model engaged couple at the summer resort until—well, until they quarreled. They were members of a crabbing party, and May caught the biggest one that had ever been seen at Cape May, but Jack foozled [sic] with a landing net and fell overboard. Worse than that, he didn’t land May’s prize. They argued, and finally the ring was given back by the girl. Both believed that life would never be the same to them again, and perhaps it would not have been if ‘Little Brother’ had not wanted a velocipede. ‘Little Brother’ was regarded by his sister as a dear, and by sister’s sweetheart as a nuisance. But he offered to square things if Jack would give him funds to buy the velocipede, and Jack eagerly accepted. If you saw the man you love rush wildly into the foaming sea would you or would you not call him back? May did, for she called Jack back, and they were happy ever afterward. He did not deceive her at that—even though he had no intention of committing suicide. Jack later rewarded ‘Little Brother,’ who bought his bicycle and proudly rode it. Jack’s reason for paying up was not entirely gratitude. He figured that a boy who could make one suffer so exceedingly while doing a favor was a person who might rise to remarkable heights if he tried to be an avenger. So ‘Little Brother’ got his velocipede, and May and Jack got married.”
Summary from The Moving Picture World · 8 November 1913
Another synopsis, from Reel Life · 1 November 19131 min
“Every man who ever fell in love with a girl and spent much of his time at her house will remember how he felt toward her little brother when that young person devoted his entire attention to them both. There were times, of course, when the boy wasn’t quite so objectionable—when it seemed as though one could manage to live in the same house with him. But, taken altogether, he was a person to be reckoned with in fair weather or foul. This play of Mr. Lonergan’s shows up Little Brother at his best—and worst. The young man was out boating with the girl—crabbing, to be strictly accurate—and she hauled up the record-breaking grandfather crab of that locality. But the young man foozled with the landing net—lost the grandpa crab—and tumbled overboard. Being wet, he was irritable. Losing her crab, the girl was likewise. The remarks became pointed. She returned his ring. And life was never going to be the same again for either. Then—Little Brother got into the game. He happened to want a velocipede. Told the young man he’d square things up for the price of one. Later—he told Sis that Young Man was going to commit suicide—and in a moment, she saw her former lover rush across the beach and plunge into the breakers. She wildly screamed to him to come back and all would be forgiven—and he came. Not entirely because he repented, however. In starting to take a nap, he had found his bed full of crabs that nipped him and wouldn’t let him go until he jumped into salt water—hence, his frenzied rush across the beach. And in the case of a boy who earns his Machiavellian reward in such a Machiavellian way, he didn’t care to stir up his inventive faculties by refusing to pay for the velocipede. So everyone was happy—eventually.”
