The Rummage Sale

Mr. Dithers suspects his wife Cora is a kleptomaniac after finding a box in the hall closet that contained valuable items that doesn't belong to them. Unknown to him they are for Cora's women's club rummage sale. Since Mr. Dithers wanted her to stay out of those events she has been hiding them. Cora runs out of room to store the items and asks Blondie to secretly keep them until the sale. She instructs the kids not to tell Dagwood. When Mr. Dithers finds the box missing he thinks she has hidden it with Blondie. Dagwood agrees to spy on them and overhears a conversation that he misinterprets to feel they are selling to a fence. Mr. Dithers and Dagwood find the valuable items in the basement and fear for the jail sentence that awaits their wives. They conspire with Herb to return the items in his station wagon. When the wives and kids find the items missing they think they've been burglarized and call the police. When the men are spotted the police begin looking for "The Station Wagon Gang" and become deeper involved than they'd ever imagine.

The initial plot concept is taken from the "I Love Lucy" episode "The Kleptomaniac".

Mrs. Dithers is rounding up things to sell for her club's rummage sale. However, when Mr. Dithers finds her stash, he makes the crazy assumption that she is a kleptomaniac--especially since he recognizes some things that belonged to their friends. Can Dagwood possibly help? And, what will Dagwood do when he thinks Blondie is Mrs. Dithers' fence?!

While I will readily admit that the plot for "The Rummage Sale" is silly, it IS funny and well worth your time. Overall, one of the better episodes of the series.