The Hardy family goes to Santa Catalina Island, California for a two-week vacation, where Judge Hardy (Lewis Stone) tries to catch a swordfish, Marian (Cecilia Parker) falls in love with a married lawyer/lifeguard, and Andy goes around with a "sophisticated" girl. They return home to Carvel to find that by having endorsed a note for Frank Redmond (Frank Craven), Judge Hardy might lose all their property to Hoyt Wells (Selmer Jackson). Luckily, through an old law that Judge Hardy learned about while fishing with Capt. Swenson (Charles Judels), their home is saved and Hoyt Wells is run out of town.