After he is falsely accused of embezzling at the bank where he works, a widower, his seven children, and their maid find themselves on the lam.

Henry Dimsdale, a widowed bank teller with seven children and a large dog to support, finds ten $1,000 bills in a money clip outside a supermarket. Though his combination babysitter and housekeeper, Golda, argues that the money is now his, Henry insists upon waiting 2 weeks to see whether anyone will advertise for the missing money. When no one does so, he goes on a whirlwind spending spree that includes buying an engagement ring for his fiancée, Ellie Barton. He then learns that a $50,000 shortage has been discovered at his bank, and he is the prime suspect. Quick to panic, he packs his brood into his new station wagon and heads for an Arizona hideout, while Golda tries to divert her bumbling police detective boyfriend, Jasper Lynch. While Henry and Ellie are holed up in a motel, they discover that Henry's boss, Mr. Pomeroy, is staying nearby with gold digger Monica Day. Henry begins playing detective but is interrupted by the arrival of Jasper and Golda. A mad chase on horseback and in golf carts ends with Henry being arrested just as he, Golda, and Jasper plunge into a dude ranch swimming pool. But all ends happily when two of Henry's sons place a miniature tape recorder in Mr. Pomeroy's pocket and thereby obtain enough evidence to prove the bank president guilty of embezzlement. All seven children attend the double ceremony in which their father marries Ellie and Jasper marries Golda.