When Eliza Jane and Almanzo's irresponsible younger brother Perley Day, arrives in Walnut Grove, looking for some quick money, Charles tries to get Laura to move her affection of Almanzo to the younger Wilder man. However, after Perley Day injures Almanzo's horse, Charles realizes the mistake he made while they tend to the horse in the Ingalls barn.

When a teacher in a neighboring town gets injured, Laura is able to earn her teaching certificate a few weeks before her 16th birthday. As a result, Almanzo starts to see her as a mature adult, However, that causes a misunderstanding when, one day Almanzo surprises Laura with a visit at the schoolhouse and he suspects a student is making romantic advances toward her. Things get straightened out on her birthday when Charles helps explain what happened.