Ephraim Deacon is a poor man who peddles the pies his wife bakes for ten cents each. Although he's tired, more interested in eating pies than selling them and in no mood for conflict, his wife sends him off to sell the daily pies and to confront their business competitor Phineas Doolittle. After reading a pamphlet named "Brain Power" which promotes power, success and overcoming business problems by the power of the convincing argument, Ephraim approaches Phineas about merging their two tiny pie vending businesses into "The Great American Pie Company". While Ephraim samples his competitors pies, he bamboozles Phineas by discussing their company as if it were already a major corporation poised to buy the farms, mills and railroads it needs to monopolize the pie industry.