When the kids fail to show up for Al's birthday on Earth, Harold gets the brilliant idea to take them camping. Despite the logistical problems this poses (namely, the part where they have to camp), the plan works pretty well until the interplanetary doorway system that Al helps to maintain begins to break down. A surprising number of alien children end up stranded on Earth... with Harold as their primary caretaker while Al tries to fix the doorway.

Al is celebrating his birthday on Earth when things start to go wrong. No one seems to know what's going on except for the kids, who aren't talking. Harold suggests splitting them up: divide and conquer.

This is when the adults realize that the kids have no idea what's happening, the kids realize that the adults are clueless, and the interplanetary doorway system begins to malfunction.

Stranded on Earth with five kids, two cats, and a couple of alien hermits, Harold and Al go into hiding when Harold's sister informs them that people are looking for them. Which of them is unclear, but it seems safer not to take any chances.

With Al spending most of his time trying to fix the doorway, it falls to Harold and his family to entertain the kids. They're helped by the alien hermits, Harold's sometimes successful efforts to telecommute, and hurricane Penelope. There's nothing like being stuck indoors to inspire creativity... especially when "indoors" includes three separate houses connected by a stationary teleportation system.

The pirates don't hurt either.