 Although he has a farmer s draft deferrment, Jeff enlists in the Navy during WWII. He sends his young sister Nella to live with relatives, but she is unhappy there and returns home. She hooks up with Jenny, whom Jeff is in love with, and an old man whose claim to fame is the building of a sloop in his back yard. Jeff is eventually listed as Missing, and while sleeping on the boat a storm comes up and blows the boat (on wheels) away. A traveling dentist helps them out and they eventually launch the boat into a river, and begin a trip that Nella is sure will end up in rescuing her brother.