At the end of World War II, a U.S. Army soldier, Harry Roberts, returns home with ambitions of becoming a professional photographer. A burro, belonging to his animal-loving kid brother, Davey , smashes all of Harry's photographic equipment, and the angry Harry strikes Davey. Heartbroken, Davey takes his burro and runs away, but is brought back home when a photograph of the burro, which Harry had taken and which two of the younger brothers had secretly entered in a contest, wins first prize.