 Harley Eaton s watermelon patch is raided and vandalized by Cowboy Habersham, Donnie Cole and their rowdy friends. At Brewer s Pond the men engage in a swimming contest with a greased watermelon. After the game is over, the couples pair up and leave the pond. The next day Donnie is missing. Rumor says that Donnie has been romancing Cowboy s wife, Marlene, and that Cowboy is indifferent to the situation. Marlene is a waitress at a cafe owned by Cal Sims, who has offered a generous amount to buy Cowboy s sporting goods store. Sheriff Bill Gillespie and Chief Hampton Forbes cooperate in the investigation.