When grocers's son Daantje Pieters is drafted, he falls for a girl in a blue hat he spots aboard the train to the garrison. At the barracks in The Hague, crafty conman Toontje takes Daantje under his wing. Toontje decides to help him look for his dream girl, but draws the line at them planning an engagement — for such things are not for soldiers.
Merijntje Gijzen is a small boy growing up in Brabant, in the south of the Netherlands. One day, out on one of his walks, he meets infamous poacher 'De Kruik,' and the two become friends. De Kruik is in love with Janekee but she is more interested in the new village policeman.
Daantje Peters, a grocer's son from Schoonhoven, meets Betsy, the girl with the blue hat, during his military service in The Hague. Despite the warnings of Toontje, his "slapie," he quickly becomes engaged to Betsy. Soon it becomes apparent that Betsy is too frivolous for the respectable Daan, and she ends the engagement. She prefers to remain the friend of the entire company.
