Pixley's Sheriff Crandall is going on a fishing vacation. Uncle Joe makes an arrangement with Sam, the valley's justice of the peace, to house kleptomaniac shoplifter Eustace Pockle at the hotel. Kate doesn't like the idea, but allows Eustace to stay. Unfortunately for Kate and the hotel guests, Uncle Joe treats the hotel more like a jail than a hotel. Kate and the girls treat Eustace more like a hotel guest than a prisoner. Eustace, on the other hand, treats the hotel like any other place: somewhere to snatch trinkets. Just as Sheriff Crandall announces his early return to pick-up Eustace, Eustace escapes from the Shady Rest. They hope to be able to find him before Sheriff Crandall makes it back.

Jeff Powers is looking for a big story in his final week working as a reporter for the Hooterville World Guardian. He misses what may be the biggest story to hit Hooterville when Sam and Joe are held up by an armed masked bandit at the store. Joe is certain that he could identify the bandit if he saw him again. What Uncle Joe and the rest of the family are unaware of is that newly checked-in hotel guest Mr. Lawson is the bandit. Joe bad mouths Pixley's Sheriff Crandall for not doing enough to stop the bandit. The bank in Pixley is next to be robbed. Sheriff Crandall decides to deputize Joe. Uncle Joe's newest labor saving device at the hotel, a rubber life raft and a hat pin may be just what he needs to catch the crook.