Volunteer fire chief Uncle Joe has designed a new nighttime alarm system. When a valley resident sets off a skyrocket in the event of a fire, a volunteer will fire off a cannon. Joe has done this to compete with the Crabwell Corners Volunteer Fire Department. But there soon is opposition to Joe's plan because, even though the canon fires blanks, things still get damaged. A fire breaks out on the Cannonball. Because Joe has all the fire equipment at the Shady Rest, Sam has to call Crabwell Corners. Joe challenges Bink Sharfells, Crabwell Corners Fire Chief, to see which volunteer fire department is the best. When none of Hooterville's firefighters want to accept the challenge, it looks like Joe will lose by default. Joe goes to sell his wooden Indian to pay off Bink. Kate and the girls offer to stand in for the firefighters. Despite Hooterville not starting out too well, the contest winds up a tie. Joe suggests a game of checkers to break the tie. Bink loses the game to Dog.