Fisherman Hannes Högermann and his nephew Klaus have "salvaged" seventeen sacks of coffee from a stranded ship at night and stowed them in his cellar. Hermann Achner, who works for a coffee broker, is called in to get rid of the loot at a reasonable price. Instead of Hermann Achner, however, the owner of the ship appears first, who is mistaken by Hannes Högermann for the accomplice and learns to his astonishment about the hidden loot. But because the owner of the "Söbenteihn Sack Kaffee" has his eye on the fisherman's daughter, he puts on a good face and lets the beach bailiff believe that the coffee has been properly recovered, so that Hannes Högermann is at least left with the salvage wages. But he has to pay a penalty..