The circus is trying to get into Springfield but a sign reads bridge out. They detour but the sign was a fake. Their competitors, the Garson Circus, have tried to trick Big Tim out of a booking. But Joey has a plan. Big Tim goes in to distract Al Garson and Flash while Joey and Pete detach Al Garson's horses from the wagons. Corky just believes Big Tim and Al, who may be great friends, are acting foolishly as adults. Still, this should give Big Tim a chance to get into town and get a contract; but too late. Jethro Ames, chairman of the Fair Board, is giving the contract to Garson because of their new "attractive" attraction: a pretty girl aerialist willing to flirt with Jethro.
But Big Tim has a new attraction he doesn't even know about. Captain Jack has sent them a hippopotamus. Big Tim will get the contract, Jethro has never seen anything like Hortense. But Flash comes up with an idea. Flash is going to make it appear that Hortense the hippo ate him. The sheriff will be out of town, and his stupid brother-in-law deputy will be left in charge. Flash just wanted to cheat Big Tim out of a contract, but things take a dark turn when the deputy plans on killing Hortense.
Al sends Punk, a rather "lightheaded" fellow to tell Flash to get to the sheriff to save Hortense. But Flash "engages" Punk in a shell game figuring he will take the rube for every cent. Instead the rube takes Flash. Al tries to stop the execution but the deputy doesn't care; he is going to get to get his picture in the paper shooting the hippo.
The deputy pulls the trigger but he forgot to load his gun. Flash arrives but it was a close call. Al and Flash are arrested for fooling with a law man. With Al their ringmaster in jail, the Garson Circus can't play. Jethro givers the contract to Big Tim.
But Big Tim has a new attraction he doesn't even know about. Captain Jack has sent them a hippopotamus. Big Tim will get the contract, Jethro has never seen anything like Hortense. But Flash comes up with an idea. Flash is going to make it appear that Hortense the hippo ate him. The sheriff will be out of town, and his stupid brother-in-law deputy will be left in charge. Flash just wanted to cheat Big Tim out of a contract, but things take a dark turn when the deputy plans on killing Hortense.
Al sends Punk, a rather "lightheaded" fellow to tell Flash to get to the sheriff to save Hortense. But Flash "engages" Punk in a shell game figuring he will take the rube for every cent. Instead the rube takes Flash. Al tries to stop the execution but the deputy doesn't care; he is going to get to get his picture in the paper shooting the hippo.
The deputy pulls the trigger but he forgot to load his gun. Flash arrives but it was a close call. Al and Flash are arrested for fooling with a law man. With Al their ringmaster in jail, the Garson Circus can't play. Jethro givers the contract to Big Tim.
