MISCHIEF
Mitch Cartwright was an attempting lad who drove everyone to despair. One
afternoon he played in the sandbox which he enjoyed very much. Especially
when it began to rain.
Adam Cartwright came home at that time on his horse Sport.
“Mitch, inside the house and the bathroom in”, he said to his five year
old son.
The boy looked up and asked amazed, “Why?”
“Firstly: it’s raining, secondly: I say so and thirdly: you look dirty,”,
Adam answered.
“You look dirty too”, the boy reacted.
Adam sighted deeply and didn’t know what to say for a moment. He dismounted
and brought Sport to the stable.
Mitch followed his father into the stable.
Adam lookd at his boy and said, “We are gonna have a bath together
later. Then I know for sure that you get clean.”
“May I not play outside of you?”, the boy asked.
“Yes, you may but not when it rains and then certainly not in the sandbox.
You know that Hop Sing has more than enough to do in the house”, Adam replied
while he took care of his horse.
Mitch knew that better than anyone. The Chinese cook took care of their
meals and the household at the ranch.
Adam was ready with taking care of Sport and picked up his son. Mitch put
his left arm around Adam’s neck. Together they walked up to the big ranch
house. In the meantime Mitch took teasing the black hat of his father and
pt it on his own head.
“Is it now really necessary that I get more wet?”, Adam asked complaining.
“You must have a bath with me do now you got another reason to go”, Mitch
answered.
Adam let go another sigh. He decided to keep silent and to put his son
into the bathtub as soon as possible.
After the extensive washparty father and son Cartwright were clean again.
“Daddy?”, Mitch asked when he was dry again.
“Yes son?”, Adam asked then.
“May I play in thew sandbox?”, the boy asked.
“Do you really think that you get permission from me to play in the sandbox
when it rains now you are clean? No way. You are gonna play inside.Put on
your pyjamas and your bathing warp”, Adam replied.
Mitch left grumbling the bathroom being watched by his father. Adam shook
his head and got dressed himself.
In the meantime the others had come home as well. Mitch came hobbling downstairs.
He saw his grandpa and grabbed his chance with both hands. He walked straight
to the ranhcer.
“Grandpa, I may not play outside anymore of daddy. Can’t you say anything
about it to him?”, the young Cartwright asked.
“I will try but as your father has the last word about you my vote won’t
count very much”, Ben said.
“Where do you want to play then”, Hoss asked.
“In the sandbox”, was the answer of his nephew.
“You may play outside but not in the rain and then certainly not in the
sandbox”, Adam reacted who had just come downstairs and heard the whole conversation.
“Adam, grant your son a little pleasure”, Little Joe said sarcasticly.
“I grant him that for sure but I came home when it just started to rain
and Mitch played nicely in the sandbox. If it was up to him he would just
kept on playing outside”, Adam replied.
“Cody must be taken out for a walk before supper”, Ben said looking at
the shepherd dog.
“Shall I do it?”, Mitch offered spontaneous and with laughing eyes.
“Nice try but I will go”, Adam said.
He grabbed his coat and went ouside with Cody. Ben picked up Mitch and
carried him to the settee.They went to sit.
“Now daddy and Cody get wet together and they can have a bath then”, Mitch
said.
“Then Adam can be busy cleaning the bathroom after he has washed Cody”,
Hoss said teasing.
“And then we will have some peace and quiet”, Little Joe reacted.
Everybody laughed.
After the walk Cody shook himself out so that Adam became wet again.
“Thank you very much Cody”, his master said shaking his head.
“Woof”, the dog said while he wagged his tail.
“You are just as bad as your little master”, Adam said.
They went inside where the others were.
“Didn’t you get wet?”, Little Joe asked surprised.
“Not at first. I was so wise to remain at the porch but Cody shook himself
out so that I became wet”, Adam answered.
He knew that he would be teased by his brothers as long as he had to take
care of Mitch and they lived at the Ponderosa.