In the mining community of Pineville, Judge Bradley Sheldon is running for Congress and is on Main Street giving a speech to the townspeople. Bradley is talking about the safety of mining conditions when he's interrupted when men ride into gun firing guns. They mock Bradley and their leader, mine owner Dirk Keyes, says that if Bradley passes his condition they'll all be out of work. Bradley's son Carlton jumps up and defends his father, and Bradley has him sit down. He then says that Glenn can afford the safety conditions. Dirk and his men pelt Bradley with rotting food and when Bradley tries to leave with Carlton, Dirk' attacks him.
Tim, Joey, Corky, and Pete arrive in town by wagon and spots Dirk draw a gun. They ride forward and Tim jumps Dirk before he can shoot. They fight and Tim takes Dirk down. Dirk's father Glenn tells Tim to hand over Dirk's gun, and warns him to mind his own business. When Dirk asks Glenn for his gun back, Glenn slaps him and says that he bought off more than he can chew. Bradley comes over and greets his old friend Tim, and Tim introduces the others. Carlton is impressed that Corky is with the circus, and asks Bradley to take him there. He offers to help put the circus posters up, and Bradley hesitantly agrees.
As the boys go through town, Carlton tells Corky that his father will be too busy to take him to the circus. Corky says that he's the general manager of the circus, and Carlton wants to join the circus and do the same. The boy says that he's rich but busy, and his father is trying to be a Congressman. Corky downplays how exciting is it to be in the circus, but Carlton thinks that it sounds fun. Bradley and Tim come by in Bradley's carriage, and Bradley orders his son into the carriage because they're going home.
As the carriage heads out into the country, Bradley starts to talk about the incident. Carlton interrupts and Bradley tells him to stop, and then warns Carlton that Glenn can' control Dirk as well as he thinks. The boy says that Glenn and his men won't fool with the circus, and Bradly tells him again to stop interrupting. Glenn and his men watch from a distance then head off.
At the Sheldon estate, Carlton tells his mother Grace about the fight. She wants Bradley to stop campaigning, but Carlton insists that Tim can handle it. Tim doesn't think the situation is as serious as it appears. Bradley agrees with Tim, and tells Carlton to go to his room and stop interrupting. As Carlton goes, he tells Bradley that he was awful brave.
At the Keyes mine, Glenn tells Kirk to stay away from Bradley. He explains that Bradley's safety law could knock a whole in their profits, but he'll fight his politics in the open. Disgusted, Glenn tells Dirk that he has a lot of growing up to do before he's anywhere close to the man Bradley is. Once Glenn walks away, Dirk tells his men that they're going to throw a scare into Bradley and deal with Tim.
At the Sheldon estate, Carlton prepares to ride off and join the circus. Meanwhile, Grace tells Bradley that Carlton has been punished long enough. Dirk and his men ride up, shooting through the window, and the Sheldons take cover. Once the men ride off, the couple go to Carlton's room and discover that he's gone. Grace assumes that the Keyes took Carlton, but Bradley figures Glenn wouldn't do it. They find a note from Carlton saying that he's leaving so he won't be in their way anymore, Bradley figures that he went to join the circus and goes to get him.
Carlton arrives at the circus and tells Corky that he's going to join the circus. He asks what job Corky will give him, and Corky tells him that things are slow and he's not hiring. Corky takes Carlton to Tim to see if he can think of something. When they go to Tim's wagon, Carlton tells Tim that he thought Corky could get him a job. He says that his parents don't need him and he's in their way, and Tim assures him that they need him. Tim says that they'll work something out and has Corky show Tim around the circus. Once the two boys leave, Tim tells Joey that Bradley will be on his way.
Later, Corky and Carlton pretend to go on a safari. Pete comes over and Corky tells him that they're going to the hills and back. Bimbo roars in complaint until Corky takes him as well.
Dirk and his men ride up to the circus and Dirk tells them that he'll handle it himself. He walks in and starts a fire by the tent, and Tim and Pete spot the flames and send out the alarm. Dirk runs back to his horse, and Tim and Pete go after them and fight the men. They run off, and Pete and Tim go back to help fight the fire.
Once they put the fire out, Bradley rides up Tim tells him that Carlton is all right. Tim asks to go with him into town and file damages against Dirk. He says that it's not always the son's fault and tells Bradley that he wants to talk about his boy. As they head into town, Bradley admits that he failed Carlton. Tim tells him that Dirk is an example of a son being short-changed by a father. Bradley promises that he's going to work at being a father, and wants Carlton to stay at the circus until he decides to come home.
Corky and Carlton head into the hills with Bimbo and Bimbo Jr.
Dirk tells his men that they have to stop Tim and Bradley before they get into town and identify him to the sheriff. He figures that then he'll show Glenn that he's a man. The boys spot dirk and his men, and then spot the carriage coming. Corky sends Bimbo to scare off the men, and Dirk fires at him. He misses and he and his men climb a nearby tree, and Tim and Bradley run up. Tim agrees to call Bimbo a hero.
Later back at the circus, Corky tells Carlton that he should go home to look after Bradley. Carlton agrees and tells his father that he needs him so he's going back. Bradley gladly agrees and they hug.
Written by Gadfly on Sep 25, 2017