In this touching episode, Betty Jo finds what she thinks is the perfect wedding dress. Kate was hoping that Betty Jo would wear her old dress. When Kate sees that her daughter has bought a dress she doesn't mention hers. Uncle Joe has also bought a wedding dress. Kate's cousin Mae comes bearing yet another wedding dress for Betty Jo. Neither Uncle Joe or Mae are aware that Betty Jo has bought her own dress. As much as she loves both Uncle Joe and Mae, neither of the dresses they got for her are her style. But she doesn't have the heart to tell them that she has a dress for fear of hurting their feelings. Billie Jo thinks she has the solution to all of Betty Jo's wedding gown problems. It's one that will make Kate very happy.

In this second half of a two-part story, Homer Bedloe has controlling interest in the Pixley Bank and has fired its President, Mr. Guerney. He has decided not only to foreclose on Kate's mortgage, but foreclose on all the bad mortgages in the valley. That will make the Cannonball's services useless. The Shady Rest is going to host a Monte Carlo night as a modest fundraiser. Whoever wins the most fake money by the end of the evening wins the secret grand prize. Betty Jo's friend Willie gets vibrations off of the roulette wheel and can guess the number every spin. Uncle Joe wants send Willie to Vegas to win enough money to solve all their problems. With Willie's help, Kate comes up with a plan to save the valley and get rid of Bedloe.

Uncle Joe tells Kate that he believes that Steve and Betty Jo will get married sooner rather than later. Steve implies to Kate that he does intend to marry Betty Jo. Kate doesn't know what to think as she still sees Betty Jo as her little girl. After a chat with Sam, Kate decides to give Steve her blessing to propose. Steve, who is pretty sure that Betty Jo will say yes, still has a small part of him that is afraid she'll say no. Steve may have to hurry because Uncle Joe learns what's going on and the news could soon be all over the valley. One thing or another keeps preventing Steve from asking the question. But just before the news breaks wide open, Steve asks Betty Jo and she says yes.

The Cannonball arrives at the Shady Rest with a "For Sale" sign and Homer Bedloe. The train will go to the highest bidder. One bid has already come in from a junk dealer who wants it for scrap. Bedloe also tells them that the sale is out of his hands because the C & FW Railroad has been sold to the H. Greene Company. The people of the valley decide to try and raise the money to outbid the junk dealer. They find out that bid is higher than what they can possibly raise. Uncle Joe and Sam decide to go to Chicago and meet with H. Greene. They discover that H. Greene is Henrietta Greene. Once Henrietta realizes how much the Cannonball means to the valley, she calls off the sale.

Norman Curtis, who has fallen in love with life at the Shady Rest, is still staying there for free without Kate yet knowing his true identity. He accidentally breaks the throttle handle of the Hooterville Cannonball and folks can't get to Kate's annual Shady Rest Jamboree. Norman decides to come clean about his identity. The problem is no one believes him. In fact, they all believe he's crazy. But the executive tries to make amends with a determined effort to obtain the nearly-nonexistent replacement part. Norman brings three of his friends in to help, who everyone also think are hobos. Thanks to Norman, the Jamboree is a success.

Kate has a lot of outstanding debts, plus she hasn't made a mortgage payment in six months. Mr. Guerney, the President of the Pixley Bank, informs her that there is a new majority shareholder of the bank. Because of this, she has two weeks to pay $138 on her mortgage or the bank will have to foreclose. Mr. Guerney didn't tell Kate that the majority shareholder is Homer Bedloe, who hopes to ruin Kate. The girls say they will get part time jobs to help raise the money. Kate gets a job as a short order cook, but she doesn't last long at it. Kate and the girls do come up with the amount needed, but some of it's in I.O.U.s. Bedloe says that isn't good enough and still wants to foreclose. Mr. Guerney comes up with a way to give Kate a little more time.

It's the first day of school and Kate is having trouble getting a couple of her daughters motivated to go. Betty Jo has a new friend, a little dog that follows her back from school. Kate refuses to let Betty Jo keep the dog, despite it being cute and well trained. Kate believes that he must belong to someone. Betty Jo brings him back to school, but he stills follows her home. Kate decides to let the dog stay until the owner claims him or until the dog starts to cause problems for the family. The dog does end up causing some problems, but Kate has a change of heart and let's him stay.

Billie Jo wants to move out of the hotel and into her own apartment in Pixley. Kate repeatedly says no. Kate finally gives in, but she has to approve of the place and the landlord. She only agreed because she believes there is not an apartment to be found in Pixley. However, Billie Jo finds a place that meets Kate's standards. After a few days, Billie Jo says she loves her independence, even though all the comforts of home are not quite there. But not long after she becomes homesick and finds a way to come back.

Kate's first boyfriend, Walter O'Connor, who is now a major league baseball manager, is coming to stay at the Shady Rest. While Kate is excited to see Walter, she is still just as anxious and nervous about him actually asking her to marry him. Regardless of Walter's intentions, his being there makes Sam come to the realization that he too has feelings for Kate. Walter proposes to Kate, but she turns him down.

Jealousy will permeate the Shady Rest Hotel. After he agrees to go to the turnabout dance with Bobbie Jo, Tommy Johnson has to back out due to another commitment. As Billie Jo and Steve recently had a fight and Billie Jo isn't speaking to him anymore, Bobbie Jo feels that Steve is fair game. Steve accepts Bobbie Jo's invitation. Tommy tells Bobbie Jo that he now can make it to the dance since the other commitment is no more. Since she already has a date with Steve, she now refuses Tommy. Feeling Tommy is now fair game, Betty Jo wants to ask him to the dance. Tommy says yes to Betty Jo's invitation. The problem with these pairings is that the girls are now jealous about each others boyfriends. Add to the mix Jerry Massett, a mechanic friend of Steve's from his air force days, who is visiting Hooterville. Jerry ends up asking a free Billie Jo to the dance, which makes Steve jealous. A storm helps the girls get together with their proper boyfriends.

Kate receives a surprisingly sweet letter from Homer Bedloe saying he will be coming to the Shady Rest for a few days. Kate is suspicious. Upon his arrival, Bedloe is as sweet as his letter. He tells Kate that the reason for his visit is that a valuable race horse is being transported from Hooterville to Pixley on the Cannonball. He wants to be around to make sure all goes smoothly. Ray Rogers, the race horse owner, tells Kate that the horse is being transported to a county fair. But when Kate sees the broken down nag that they are calling a race horse, Kate knows that Bedloe and Rogers are working together. Kate figures out Bedloes and Rogers' scheme and also figures out a way to foil his plan.

Betty Jo's due date is fast approaching. Everyone is excited that another baby will being born in the valley and be delivered by Doc Stuart. Steve throws everyone for a loop when he announces that he wants the baby to be born in a fancy hospital that's far away. While Betty Jo would rather stay in Hooterville, she knows that Steve only wants what's best for her. The townsfolk see Betty Jo leaving as a slight on the valley and as such they decide to snub Betty Jo and Steve. Steve reconsiders when he sees Doc Stuart in action. Meanwhile, Wendell Gibbs, the new engineer of the Cannonball, is hoping people will start calling him "Cannonball".

Homer Bedloe, trouble-shooter for the C&F W Railroad, is sent by railroad president Norman P. Curtis to the little community of Hooterville to find out why a branch line doesn't connect with the main line. The branch line carries the "Cannonball" train, and is vital to the Shady Rest Hotel, run by Kate Bradley, her three grown daughters and "Uncle Joe" Carson. If Bedloe succeeds in shutting down the Cannonball, Kate faces ruin. John Ashley appears as passenger Fred.

C&F W Railroad President Norman P. Curtis is incensed that ace troubleshooter Homer Bedloe utterly failed to scrap the Hooterville Cannonball. Taking matters into his own hands, he decides to do it himself, incognito. Although Curtis doesn't intend on appearing as such, he comes across to Kate and others in the valley as a hobo after he takes a tumble in a field, ripping and dirtying his suit and losing his wallet in the process. But, he has a change of heart when he experiences Kate's hospitality and kindness.

The Bradleys, Sam Drucker, Herby, Charlie and Floyd are decorating the Cannonball for its annual Christmas Eve trip of caroling, gift-giving and merriment around the valley. But, Homer Bedloe is determined to be a Scrooge and take possession of the train on Christmas Eve. Railroad President Norman Curtis finds out what Bedloe is up to and goes to Hooterville to stop him.

Norman Curtis, President of the C&FW Railroad, is currently on vacation in Europe. He left instructions not to do anything to the Cannonball while he's gone. However, Homer Bedloe has a scheme to shut down the Cannonball for good. He hopes to do it without disobeying Curtis' orders. The plan entails Bedloe being appointed Superintendent of the Cannonball. He would then enforce an efficiency program with an impossible to meet new schedule. He expects Charley and Floyd will eventually just give up. Kate and the gang go to the stockholders meeting where she believes they've got a secret weapon to ruin Bedloe's plans.

Billie Jo is upset that the Cannonball is late and she believes it has outlived its usefulness. Meanwhile, Homer Bedloe, the Hooterville Cannonball's arch-enemy, has been having terrible nightmares about the train. To get rid of them, his psychiatrist Dr. Leonard suggests that he "learn to love" the Cannonball. The Cannonball has been encountering some broken tracks. Kate decides to let the C&FW Railroad know. Bedloe writes back that he will fix the tracks. When Bedloe visits the Shadyrest Hotel, he is surprised how friendly everyone is being to him. Everyone except Uncle Joe. But Kate was just gas-lighting Bedloe and didn't really believe the change in him when he said he loved the train. She finds out Bedloe is planning to remove the old damaged tracks instead of replacing them to shut down the Cannonball. Kate comes up with a plan to stop him.

In this valentine to Kate Bradley the citizens of Hooterville pull out all the stops to welcome Kate home, including a parade with floats, songs and fireworks. But first, arguments begin about where her official welcoming celebration will take place and who will preside over such an event. Mayor Potts wants to preside over it at a downtown location. Sam wants to preside over it outside his store. Selma wants to preside over it in her garden. And Joe wants to preside over it at the Shady Rest. They all wait for Kate's three o'clock arrival in front of Sam's store. Then they read her message to Uncle Joe and realize that Joe didn't read the part that said she will be arriving in Pixley. Amid the chaotic festivities, Kate muses "There's no doubt about it, I'm home.

Betty Jo and Steve's baby is due anytime now. Steve thinks it's a good idea if they move back to the Shady Rest until the baby comes. Wendell has been on around the clock watch for the last week keeping the train engine stoked. But it's taking a toll on his body. Betty Jo is trying to hold off the baby's arrival as Billie Jo and Kate are out of town. When Betty Jo finally goes into labor, they can't wake Wendell up, so Betty Jo must work the Cannonball herself. Betty Jo has a baby girl and Billie Jo and Kate do make it back in time.

Kate uses a combination of charm, subterfuge, and wiles to prevent Homer Bedloe from catching the Hooterville Cannonball and getting to Pixley in order to initiate proceedings that would permanently terminate the train's operation. She has to keep him at the Shady Rest long enough to convince him that the Cannonball is an integral part of the valley's life. When all else fails, Kate gets Sam, the Hooterville Jack of all professions, to scare Bedloe into changing his mind.

The Cannonball and its primary passenger, Uncle Joe, are pelted with eggs after the Hooterville Hornets, coached by Uncle Joe, are drubbed in what may be their worst game ever. Another unexpected passenger on that run is Homer Bedloe, who is surprisingly cordial and pleasant. Uncle Joe doesn't see anything wrong with Bedloe being cordial and taking it like a man in defeat in his efforts to scrap the Cannonball. Kate on the other hand believes Bedloe is up to no good. News gets to Sam that John Fisher and Max Thornton, two bigwigs from the railroad, are coming for a surprise inspection the following day. When Kate learns this news, they have to go clean-up the Cannonball. Plus, they have to keep Bedloe preoccupied so that he won't know what they're up to. And third, they have to railroad the visiting bigwigs about how deluxe the service on the Cannonball is. Fisher and Thornton are very impressed with the service.

The Cannonball has temporarily ceased operations. The reason is a bird has built a nest on top of the smokestack and has laid five eggs. Charley and Floyd refuse to move the train until the eggs have hatched. They figure it will be two weeks before they hatch. When Homer Bedloe hears of this news, he is all in support of what Charley and Floyd are doing, he even puts an article in the paper about it. But he has a reason why he wants to help the birds: If the train doesn't run for two weeks, he can shut it down permanently. Homer shows up at the hotel and Kate is suspicious of his motives. Billie Jo and Betty Jo overhear Homer's plan and tell Kate. Kate comes up with a plan to save both the Cannonball and the birds.

Kate's spring cleaning coincides with the US Air Force doing maneuvers over the valley. Part of those maneuvers includes testing out a new high powered camera. It looks like an ordinary black box with wires coming out of it and is set to explode twelve hours after any unauthorized removal from the plane. Colonel Millbank, who is flying the aircraft, accidentally loses the camera. It winds up landing on the Shady Rest property. Joe finds it and thinking it might be valuable, brings to the hotel. But as often as Kate and the girls try to get rid of it, Dog keeps bringing it back. General Elmer Loomis and Millbank make it to Hooterville. With little time to spare, they get to the hotel and start searching for the box. Dog brings them the box with no time left. However, the box winds up being a dud and doesn't explode

The Shady Rest is full with guests, while the Pixley Hotel is just about empty. The Pixley Hotel's unscrupulous owner, Murdock Sneep, suggests to Kate that they merge their businesses. Kate declines as she knows how empty the Pixley Hotel is. An angry Sneep threatens to ruin Kate. He starts with an aggressive advertising campaign. Sneep and Kate then both try to one up the other. But soon both realize this no-holds-barred "hotel war" is costing each of them money and someone else is capitalizing on their feud.

There's a dance on Saturday. Billie Jo and Bobbie Jo will only accept a date from either Steve or Don, the new young doctor in the valley. Neither Steve or Don have asked anyone to the dance yet. Billie Jo believes she has the right of first choice being the oldest. Left out is Betty Jo, who feels she has the right to be included in the dating discussion. Not wanting to take it anymore, Betty Jo decides to strike out on her own by moving out and getting a job. Through a series of misunderstandings, Billie Jo and Bobbie Jo wind up going to the dance with Eb and Betty Jo shows up with Steve and Don. It's not long before the girls are paired off with the boys they should've been with all along.