Bertie is called to Westcombe-on-Sea by Aunt Agatha, delaying a vacation in the south of France. There he meets a girl by the name of Aline Hemmingway whom she wishes him to marry. She and her brother leave pearls as security for a hundred pound loan from Bertie. But when both the Hemmingways’ pearls and Aunt Agatha’s pearls disappear, trouble arises. Meanwhile, Bertie runs into Biffy Biffen, who has lost his fiancĂ© in the most remarkable manner. Unfortunately, he is unable to remember her last name – in fact he is unable to remember almost anything.