The local bully, Lumpy Rutherford, has been picking on Beaver and Wally and, thanks to a story Ward tells them, they decide to play a joke on Lumpy. However, their ploy catches the wrong person—Lumpy's father and Ward's co-worker Fred Rutherford, is caught in the trap.

After a weekend spent at the movies goes awry for Ward, he decides the boys should spend their weekends outside and plans a camping trip. However, when Ward's called into work, Wally and Beaver decide to camp out in the backyard.