Charles is preparing for a business trip to Mankato, and he wants to turn it into a romantic getaway for him and Caroline. They leave the girls in Mr. Edwards' care, but things don't go quite as planned for everyone involved.

Feeling guilty for accidentally breaking Laura's beloved china doll, Mary brings home a baby raccoon to smooth things over with her sister. Charles is hesitant to allow Laura to keep the animal, but he decides that it would be all right to make a temporary adoption – a choice that he later regrets.