Minnie Mouse has to choose between two dance partners, as clumsy Mickey competes with the more experienced Pete for the pleasure of her company.
Mickey Mouse is working as a hot dog vendor at a carnival when he meets and quickly falls for Minnie the "Shimmy Dancer". That night, Mickey and a pair of alley cats serenade her by performing the song "Sweet Adeline", much to the dismay of Kat Nipp, who is trying to sleep. The short marks Mickey's first speaking appearance.
Mickey's on African safari, riding on an elephant, but his shotgun disintegrates the first time he tries to use it. To sooth the vicious beasts, he plays tunes, sings, and dances, using the various animals and objects around him as instruments.
The clock strikes midnight, the bats fly from the belfry, a dog howls at the full moon, and two black cats fight in the cemetery: a perfect time for four skeletons to come out and dance a bit.