Buddy Watson, the youngest of three brothers, and just getting accustomed to long pants, meets Elsie Forster at a church social and is smitten by the young lady's charms. He writes, addressing the letter simply, "Miss Forster," asking permission to call. Elsie gets the note and joyously answers "yes," but Grace, her sister, sees the letter and is quite sure he means her.

Jabez Morton goes to a nearby field to drive some cows to an upper pasture. He pulls down part of Carson Belfield's pasture fence so as to drive the cows through. Belfield, who is sitting on a stump smoking his pipe watching his two children, Walton and Hulda, rises angrily and, rifle in hand, goes toward Jabez.

Initially, Hughie finds his new cook Jane unsatisfactory, until he tries several others.