Jack Wilkins is a news writer who prefers to go by his pen name, Ernest Milton. He receives a mysterious invitation to the Cheshire Cat Hotel and takes a week off in order to go check it out. The hotel is a lively if somewhat strange place with curious staff members, and at first Ernest is wary about staying. The hotel manager eventually persuades him, though, offering Ernest free services if he does a favor for another patron. They want him to help break up the engagement of a certain couple, Mary and Charles.