Although June thinks the boys are too young, Ward encourages and eventually gives the boys a helping hand when they show interest in building a small motorized car, the motor from an old lawn mower. Ward does lay down some strict ground rules for the car's use. Egged on by Larry, Beaver quickly breaks many of those rules, the most important in the eyes of the law being taking the car out onto the street. Caught by a policeman, Beaver is given a citation to appear in court for operating a motor vehicle without a license. Beaver is scared about the entire situation, including telling his parents. Believing that Ward will take the car away from them if he finds out what Beaver has done, Beaver convinces Wally to act as his guardian in court. Being in court and seeing what wrongs others have committed, Beaver gets a good lesson in what is considered right and wrong, and how he needs to make amends for the wrongs he has committed.
—Huggo