After hearing the news that there are no prisoners to eat six geese donated to the town jail, Felix the bum (after several failed attempts) manages to get himself arrested and enjoys the free room and board over the holidays. Meanwhile, a councilman wants to fire the police chief, so the chief and the bum strike a bargain: Felix commits a string of harmless, fake crimes, so the chief can keep his job. But then disaster looms, when someone robs the chief's dinner guests and Felix looks set to take the fall for it.