Hi’–Neighbor! 1934

On a sunny afternoon, Wally and his best pal Spanky push a toy tugboat around a puddle outside their house and spy a moving van hauling a riding toy fire engine rolling through the neighborhood. Curious and eager for adventure, they rally the rest of the gang and trail the van to its destination. The van’s owner, a snobbish rich kid named Jerry, steps out and shoos the kids away, refusing to trade any collateral—be it a pocket knife or a word of thanks—for even a ride. Wally’s girlfriend Jane arrives, and Jerry is quick to offer her a ride first. Wally tries to dissuade Jane from trusting Jerry by bragging that the gang has a fire engine of their own, big enough for everyone to ride in. Jane agrees to ride with Wally after she finishes her turn with Jerry.

Undaunted, Wally, Stymie, and the rest of the gang set to work on a plan, assembling a makeshift fire engine by borrowing wheels, hoses, plywood, and other odds and ends from around the neighborhood. As the older kids toil, little Spanky and Scotty stand to the side, trading quips about the progress and keeping an eye on the proceedings. Unbeknownst to them, Jerry quietly returns to the barn with Jane, hoping to prove that the gang doesn’t actually have a fire engine. He’s promptly embarrassed when a drill from the other side of the barn door strips him of his pants, providing a humiliating setback to his boastful plan.

The gang presses on, and Jane’s lingering curiosity about their creation remains, while Jerry successfully woos her into another ride. The race down a long, steep hill becomes the showdown they all anticipated. Halfway down, the improvised engine’s brake fails—the infamous 2x4 nailed between the wheels—causing Jerry to bail out into a lawn below. Jane continues the ride, but in retaliation for being abandoned, she activates a water sprinkler that drenches Jerry and spurs the crowd to cheer. The makeshift fire engine careens toward the sidewalk, knocks over a few pedestrians, and barrels through a hedge, tearing their clothes to shreds and sending the gang scrambling. Out on the other side, they emerge in their underwear, with Spanky causing a final bit of chaos by shedding his own clothes as the gag climaxes.