Sam's cousin, Vince, is coming to visit. He used to be a jockey but now he trains horses. The next day Vince arrives with a horse named Gingersnap. Vince says that the horse has not lived up to its potential as a race horse. He's looking to sell the horse to finance a restaurant he wants to partner in and was hoping Sam could find a buyer. Aunt Bee thinks it's a shame to turn Gingersnap into a saddle horse. Emmett tells Sam that Mr. Bowers might be interested in the horse. But Aunt Bee manages to intentionally ruin the deal. She tells Sam her intuition tells her to put the horse in a race. Sam reluctantly agrees. Aunt Bee sets things up and gets the horse into a race at Morgan Downs. The day of the race, Aunt Bee gives the Jockey a pep talk. After the race starts, Gingersnap is in last position. The horse comes from behind to win. When Vince hears the good news, he decides to keep Gingersnap.

The corn crop is coming in and Sam needs to hire someone to help him. Andy suggests using ex-prisoners from the county prison. Sam talks to Aunt Bee and she reluctantly agrees. Andy introduces Sam to Harry Davis and Charley Wilson. The men start picking corn and after a while, Sam gives them some money to run a few errands in his truck. They stop at Goober's gas station. Millie tells them that Goober's not there and they should just help themselves. They stop at Emmett's fix-it shop to pick something up for Sam. Emmett has to leave and he asks the men to watch his store. Meanwhile, Millie drops off a little more than $500 to Aunt Bee. Later, Sam and Aunt Bee find the money and car gone. Harry and Charley go to play cards with Big Louie. Andy and Sam show up and Harry and Charley say they were just trying to win the rest of the money for the pool. Big Louie gives Andy an additional $500 for the pool.

The town is excited about the Baseball Class "A" Excursion. While buying his ticket, Goober complains to Sam and Andy about the contents of the box lunch that will be included. Mike is excited to be going to the game. Sam becomes upset with Mike for losing a second jacket in less then 10 days. Mike has also lost several other items lately. Sam tells him that if he loses one more thing, he can't go to the game. Mike is playing baseball with some friends and he loses his watch. Mike tells Sam what happened and Mike knows he can't go to the game. Sam feels bad about enforcing his rule. It doesn't help that many townspeople are giving him a hard time about it. Andy gives Sam an idea of how he might be able to let Mike go to the game. Sam buys a similar watch and then sets it up so Mike can find it. While watching the game, Mike finds his original watch in his baseball glove. Mike realizes what his father did for him.

Mailman Felton delivers a bunch of birthday cards to Emmett. Emmett tells Goober and Howard that he's going to be 50. The men tease Emmett a little bit about his age. Martha wants to throw a birthday party for him, but Emmett is against it. Realizing that Emmett is getting sensitive about his age, Goober and Howard try to cheer him up. After getting directions from Emmett, a guy on a motorcycle says "Thanks Gramps". Emmett then gets a blank card from a fortune machine. Emmett now feels worse. While looking through a movie magazine, Millie mentions to Emmett that Cary Grant is in his 60s. Now Emmett doesn't feel so bad about his age. He has a spring in his step and tells Martha he now wants a party. Emmett goes wild at his party. The next morning, he is all worn out. Sam comes by and the two have a talk that puts things in perspective.

Sam tells Goober and Emmett that the high school journalism class has been assigned to interview the office holders in Mayberry. Sam meets Nancy Hughes, who is instantly attracted to him. The next day, Nancy finds Sam at the bakery and asks to interview him some more. Millie tells Sam that Nancy has a huge crush on him. Sam now tries to avoid Nancy. Goober and Emmett tease Sam about Nancy. Sam wants to tell her off but Millie and Howard think that will effect her psychologically. Howard suggests finding a younger version of Sam for her to fall for. Sam asks Emmett's nephew Pete to join him, Millie, Nancy, Howard, and Emmett at a barbecue at Myers Lake. Nancy has no interest in Pete. Howard has a direct talk with Nancy about Sam. The next day, Nancy goes to the bakery and apologizes to Sam for throwing herself at him. Nancy is now attracted to Howard. Howard tells Sam and Emmett that he told Nancy right off that he wasn't interested. It appears she is now hooking up with Pete.

Aunt Bee is about to deposit some money in her savings account. Aunt Bee considers the Caribbean cruise she's always wanted to take. Goober, Emmett and Howard tease Aunt Bee about shipboard romances. Aunt Bee invites them to a bon voyage party on the boat. On the boat, Aunt Bee's friends point out some of the men on board. Aunt Bee mistakes Captain Charles Wolford or a steward. Aunt Bee befriends two other older ladies, Blanche Wilkins and Amelia Turner. Aunt Bee runs into Charles and accepts his invitation for coffee in the officers lounge. They wind up spending a lot of time together on the trip. Aunt Bee writes back home about Charles. Charles tells Aunt Bee that he is going to retire after this trip and hopes to settle down on a farm somewhere. Her two week trip is over and Aunt Bee returns home. She tells her friends that Charles proposed and she accepted. Aunt Bee receives a telegram from Charles saying he'll be arriving in Mayberry in a week.

Aunt Bee's friend Ella comes by and wants to hear all about Charles. Aunt Bee is planning an engagement reception. Meanwhile, Howard, Goober and Emmett are concerned that Aunt Bee may have rushed into the engagement. They don't trust Charles and will keep an eye on him at the party. It's the night of the reception and the towns people get to meet Charles. He claims he'll take good care of Aunt Bee. The next day Charles and Aunt Bee look at a farm and set the date for the wedding. Aunt Bee sees a TV show about a sea captain talking to his girlfriend. The captain says that the sea will always be a part of him. Aunt Bee starts to wonder whether Charles will some day want to return to the sea. Little things that Charles does makes Aunt Bee even more concerned. At the wedding rehearsal, Aunt Bee says she wants to postpone the wedding.

Howard's been dating a woman named Grace and they are really getting along. But Howard tells Sam that there seems to be something missing. Grace tells Millie the same thing. The next day, Howard decides there should be common interests between him and Grace. He tells Sam that during their date that night, he will ask her about her hobbies. When asked, Grace tells Howard her hobby is skydiving. At the Mt. Pilot Airport, Howard gets a lesson in skydiving from Chuck. Grace is thrilled that Howard is taking the lessons. Sam can tell that Howard is nervous about his first jump and tells him he doesn't have to go through with it. It's the day of the jump and Goober and Emmett are not helping to ease Howard's nerves. Howard makes the jump and all his friends congratulate him. The next day, Howard tells Sam that he should be in good with Grace now. Grace then pulls up on a motorcycle she just bought. She tells Howard that he'll love riding and should get one of his own.

Sam, Howard, Emmett and Goober are making plans for their camping trip. Meanwhile, Mike and his friend Harold have a major argument. It's been several days and the boys are still not speaking. Howard suggests that they take the boys on the trip so they can see the meaning of friendship. The boys agree to go, as long as they don't have to speak to each other. They arrive at the camp site and the men immediately try to show what doing things together as friends is like. It's not long before the men start bickering with each other. That night, it's starts to storm and everyone is confined to the camper. The men continue to snap at one another, while Sam tries to keep the peace. The boys are watching all this and ask Sam why they are fighting. Sam tries to down play what's going on and sends the boys off to bed. The boys are starting have fun watching the men annoy each other and they become friends again. Sam has had enough and wants to drive home, but the camper is stuck in the mud.

Emmett has Sam, Howard and Goober at his shop and has them watch him burn his paid mortgage contract. Emmett also tells them that he is retiring. Martha is surprised when Emmett tells her the news. He also says that they'll take a trip to Washington, D.C. But they no sooner get to D.C. when Emmett says it's time to go home. Back in Mayberry, Emmett tries to fill his time with fishing and other activities. Martha runs into Sam and tells him that Emmett can't seem to find enough things to do. Sam says it might just take time to adjust. Goober loses his patience with Emmett when Emmett hangs around the gas station and tells Goober how to do things. Sam, Howard and Goober find a way to get Emmett back in the fix-it business and still save face.

Millie is talking on the phone with her friend Renee Miller. Millie has to work, so she asks Sam to show Renee around town so she won't be lonely. When Sam and Renee get back to Millie's house, Millie is coming down with a cold. Millie now asks Sam to take Renee to the movies that evening. Millie is a little surprised at how excited Renee is about going out with Sam. Renee asks Sam to stay a while and they talk into the evening. Millie starts to get a little jealous and comes downstairs. After Sam leaves, Renee asks Millie if her and Sam are engaged, to which Millie says no. The next day, Renee comes out to Sam's farm. Later, Renee tells Millie how nice country life is. Millie tells Aunt Bee that she regrets asking Renee to come for the visit and she can tell Renee likes Sam. Aunt Bee has a plan and tells Millie to invite Renee over to Sam's for dinner. Aunt Bee exaggerates how hard farm life is to Renee. Renee tells everyone that she's going back to New York.

Goober is upset over his bill from the Mt. Pilot telephone company for calls he didn't make. Sam drives Goober to Mt. Pilot and Goober speaks with Violet Henderson from the company. It's Saturday and Sam and Millie double date with Goober and Violet. A man makes a pass at Violet and Goober goes to intercede. The man punches Goober in the stomach and Violet uses her judo skills to throw the man to the floor. An embarrassed Goober asks Sam to take Violet home and leaves. Word gets around and Goober thinks the whole town is laughing at him. Violet comes by to talk to Sam and Millie shows up saying Goober is selling his gas station. Sam talks to Goober and says to show people he's not afraid, he should take Violet to Morelli's again. At Morelli's, Goober starts an argument at the jukebox with a man named Jim.

Mike is planning on having a birthday party with no girls invited. Sally, a new girl in town, is having a birthday party on the same day as Mike and she is inviting the boys. Many of the boys tell Sally they can't make it to her party as they are going to Mike's. As a way to entice the boys to come to her party, Sally mentions all the sports related prizes she will have. Harold finds out that Mike's prizes are nowhere near as nice. Boys start to cancel out on Mike. Mike suggests to Sam that they get better prizes, but Sam says that would just be buying friendship. Mike decides to call off his party. Goober and Howard think Mike should have entertainment at his party. Goober could do magic tricks and Howard will show travel movies. But the boys are not impressed. Sally tells Mike that she is cancelling her party because her father says that giving away those expensive prizes is just buying friendship. Mike suggests that they combine their parties.

Aunt Bee's friend Selma Plunkett is coming for a visit. Selma invites Aunt Bee, Sam, and Mike to stay at their Palm Springs home for a couple weeks while they're in Europe. At first they decline the offer, but Selma talks them into it. Goober, Howard, Emmett and Millie come by to say hello to Selma. Selma says it's a 5 bedroom house, so they all should go. Everyone makes arrangements to go and Sam just has to go to school to get Mike out of class. Mike informs Sam that he's flunking arithmetic because of his problem with fractions. Mike's teacher tells Sam that there will be another test in one week and if Mike can get a better grade, she wouldn't mind if he went on the trip. Everyone tries working with Mike, but things don't go that well. It's the day of the test and Mike isn't very confident. Everyone is thrilled when they learn Mike did well on the test. They plan to leave the next morning.

The group arrive in Palm Springs and then head to Selma's house. The home is large and beautiful. Howard and Goober wind up having to share a room. Millie comes back from town saying she saw Rock Hudson. By the pool, Howard gets upset when Goober gets him wet. Their bickering continues that night while they're in their bedroom trying to sleep. The next morning Goober and Howard are still getting on each other's nerves. The others notice this and hope it won't ruin the vacation. Sam rents a Dune buggy and he, Millie, Howard and Goober go riding in the desert. Goober and Howard are still not getting along. They run out of gas and fortunately another driver comes by. Sam and Millie go with the driver to get gas after Goober and Howard insist on staying behind. The two start to worry when it seems that Sam has been gone longer than it should've taken. The men start to confess things to each other and become friends again.

Sam runs into an old war buddy named Charlie Harris. Charlie is a golf pro at one of the local clubs. He invites Sam and Millie over to the driving range for some lessons. After some time on the range, Sam remembers that they have to pick up Goober and Mike from the movies. Millie would like to stay, so Charlie offers to drive her back. Later, when Charlie brings Millie home, he tells her she's beautiful and kisses her. Goobers at the door and happens to see this, but he doesn't see her slap Charlie. Millie tells Goober not to say anything to Sam. Millie finally tells Sam what happened and he just laughs it off saying that's the same old Charlie. This makes Millie furious and she feels she's being taken for granted. Wanting to show Sam, Millie goes to ask Charlie for a date. He says that she's "Sam's girl" and he's apologizes for what he did. Millie decides to make it look to Sam as though she's going out on a date. She spends the night at a malt shop.

Howard meets Walter Michaels, a neighbor and realizes he's a big Hollywood producer. Howard, Emmett, Goober, Sam and Mike then head off to a cowboy breakfast horse ride. A cowboy then sings a song for entertainment and Emmett recognizes him as former singing cowboy movie actor King Beaumont. King comes by with a movie script he wrote for a Western that he would like Howard to give to Walter. Howard reads the script to the others and decides to set up a meeting with King and Walter. Sam thinks Howard might be getting in over his head. The next day, Howard talks to Walter and he reluctantly agrees to have a meeting later that day. That afternoon, King comes by with his partners Jennie Mae Swanson (Jeanne Bates) and Shorty Williams and they meet Walter. The three perform a scene from the film. Walter doesn't seem impressed and he says the time might not be right for a film like that. Walter leaves and King thanks the guys for trying. King then sings Red River Valley.

Goober is at the bus stop waiting for his niece Beverly to arrive. Beverly is at Goober's gas station when she meets Tommy and they both seem to like each other. Tommy talks to Millie about Beverly. He would like to ask her to the Siler City high school dance but he's never asked a girl for a date. Tommy calls and Goober answers the phone. When Goober finds out what Tommy wants, he rudely tells him Beverly can't go out with him and hangs up. Millie and Beverly overhear the conversation and Beverly gets upset. Millie and Sam talk Goober into letting Beverly go with Tommy. It's the night of the dance and Goober gives Tommy a specific time to have Beverly home. On the way back from the dance, Tommy runs out of gas. Tommy calls but Goober doesn't believe that's what happened. When the kids get home, Goober loses his cool and chases Tommy away. Beverly stops talking to Goober. Goober finds a way to make things right.

J.P. Judson, a haggard old man, arrives at the farm. He tells Aunt Bea that he's a Dowser and can find water with a divining rod. She offers him a room in the barn until Sam comes home the next day. Sam comes home and tells Aunt Bea that he hired a company and their geologist will be there in the morning. She talks Sam into letting Judson stay to watch the geologist. Mr. Harris arrives and finds a spot were he'd like to start drilling. Judson checks the spot out and says they won't get any water there. Harris drills anyway, but comes up dry. Later, Judson claims to have found a spot and only wants $50 to show Sam where it's at. Sam says he's going to stick with Mr. Harris. The next day Sam tries using a diving rod and Aunt Bea sees him. But he's still going with Mr. Harris. Harris drills another hole and comes up dry again. Harris bets Judson that he can't find water and Judson tells Harris to keep drilling where they are. Harris drills another 20 feet and they hit water.

Millie tells Aunt Bee that she would like to go stay at a fancy hotel in Charlotte with Sam. Sam comes home and tells Millie they're going camping with Howard and Barbara Evans. Sam doesn't know that Millie hates camping. After she hears how Barbara loves fishing, hiking and camping, Millie decides she better go. Howard falls and tears a ligament in his foot while gathering firewood. Millie begins to feel out of place seeing Barbara's outdoor know-how. And it doesn't help that Sam and Barbara get along so well. No matter how hard Millie tries, she's just can't compete with Barbara. The next morning, Sam and Barbara go off fishing before Millie wakes up. Millie gets upset and tells Howard she's taking Sam's truck and going home. Back at home, Millie tells Aunt Bee how she ruined the trip. Because she's a better "indoors" person, Aunt Bee thinks Millie should host a dinner party for Sam, Howard and Barbara and show off her talents.

Everybody thinks Goober is going to Hawaii

Mike loses Howard's prized mynah bird. Final appearance of Frances Bavier as Aunt Bee.

Emmett's wife joins a women's lib group.

An encounter group comes to Mayberry

Sam gets a new housekeeper, a former Army officer

Emmett tries to look young by buying a Toupee

Alice buys a harp, and gets lessons. Her teacher makes her very nervous and she almost gives up on the instrument.

Sam's help on Mike's Project goes overboard when he gets into a dispuit with another boy's father.

Millie opens up and Egg Farm and finds it very hard work.

Sam gets his friend at NASA to bring the moon rock to Mayberry so Howard can have a private showing.

Emmett designs a cheap European tour for his wife.

Goober is elected a church elder, only to be caught in a scandal in which he used the church money for gambling.

Howard moves into a swinging singles apartment

Sam lets Mike buy Goober's old car.