To keep their husbands from judging a beauty contest, Lucy and Ethel scheme to have their pleasure boat run out of gas at sea so the guys miss the pageant.
When a lipstick print is found on the forehead of a murder victim, Mason's client is charged with the crime, even though she and her roommate were poisoned and unconscious at the time.
Pearl gets a letter from two old flames who used to fight over her hand, Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs. After reading some of the letter, Jed figures that the engagement they talk about in the letter is for Pearl to choose which one she wants to marry.
Betty Jo encourages Steve to become an apple polisher to secure a lucrative crop-dusting contract.
The local emporium is hosting a contest for customers to name a mystery shopper.