Eddie Brooke, an escaped prisoner, is in Mayberry when he spots a State Trooper car nearby. When the troopers spot the prisoner, he makes a run for it and inadvertently trips over Barney. As Brooke and Barney are tangled up on the ground, the troopers capture Brooke. As Barney is being honored at a party for his bravery, the troopers come back to inform everyone that Brooke has escaped. Barney's actions make Andy suspect that something was strange about the capture. As they are searching the woods outside of town for Brooke, Andy suspects that the prisoner is inside an old barn. Rather than capture him, Andy sets things up so that Barney can do it and restore his confidence.