THE FAMILY VISIT

One afternoon Mitch Cartwright was with his friend Chipper Franklin pitching over to each other when they saw a carriage coming. Chipper threw the ball to his friend who caught him just in time. Mitch threw him right back, just pass by the head of the eldest woman who got a heavy shock. The horses stopped at once.

“Will you never do such a thing young man?” she asked strict.

“It will never happen again. I am sorry. Can I help you Mrs........?”, Mitch asked

“Cartwright, Patricia Cartwright. Do you know where I can find my brother-in-law

Ben Cartwright?”, asked Patricia.

The boy reacted dry with,“In his skin. Where else? He is inside.”

He pointed at the ranchhouse.

“What is your name for Heaven’s sake?”, she asked.

“Mitch Cartwright, the grandson of your brother-in-law. That is my best friend Chipper Franklin”, the youngest Cartwright offspring replied.

Patricia and her daugther Peggy got out of the carriage and walked to the frontdoor of the ranchhouse.

Chipper came to Mitch and said,“I really cannot imagine that they are related to you and Mr Cartwright.”

“Me neither. It can become very cozy if those two are staying”, Mitch replied sarcastic.

Meanwhile Patricia and Peggy were already in the ranchouse. Ben, who was at work in his office, stopped with working at once when Hop Sing answered the door.

The rancher was amazed and surprised when he saw his sister-in-law and niece coming in.

“Welcome to the Ponderosa”, said Ben directly.

“I don’t know if we should feel welcome at your ranch. Your grandson threw a ball just passed my head. It was a matter of a millimetre and I was hit”, replied Patricia.

“Mitch is now a bit wild. He is still young but I am sure that he didn’t do it on purpose”, said Ben said who thought it was amusing.

“He did make his apology but I don’t think he meant anything of it”, said Peggy.

“If he makes his apology for something then he means it”, Ben reacted directly.

Outside Chipper gave the righthanded glove back to Mitch and he went home.

Mitch himself went into the ranchhouse where Peggy said to him,“I will tame you during our vacation here.”

“Why? Are you a tamer of wild beasts?”, the boy asked amazed.

“No, I mean with it that I will learn you how you must treat other people and then especailly elder relatives with respect. You shall keep that big mouth of yours very soon shut”, said Peggy.

Mitch looked amazed at his grandpa but said nothing. The boy felt that something was going on.

Ben took him aside and said,“Mitch, these ladies are here on vacation. So try to behave yourself as much as possible. Besides I have to go away for three weeks for business.”

“So it is again super cozy here at the ranch”, said Mitch said moody.

He couldn’t stand sudden changes in his direct surrounding and reacted pretty fierce to that. The Cartwrights knew that and tried to keep it in mind as much as possible. Mitch grabbed his baseballstuff and went silent to his room.

“Where for heaven’s sake did you get him from?”, Patricia asked Ben.

“He is the son of Adam”, replied the rancher.

“He looks more like strayboy”, Patricia thought.

“He just loves to be outside and if it was up to him all night as well”, said Ben.

Meanwhile Peggy wemnt to bring the suitcases upstairs. Hereby she walked allover Mitch so he fell down the stairs and hurt his right wrist. It still wasn’t healed quite well after Mitch had broken it.

“Mitch, are you alright?”, Ben asked directly.

“My wrist hurts again”, the boy said.

“Keep it under the pump and let Hop Sing take a look at it”, the rancher said.

Mitch did that at once. While Hop Sing treated the wrist of Mitch the other Cartwrights came home. They also were very amazed to see Patricia and Peggy. Peggy was two years younger than Hoss but had totally no sense of humour. She looked more like a strict schoolteacher and behaved herself like that as well. Patricia looked her three nephews but said nothing. Then they heard a loud yawn. Cody had woken up and his habit was to let that known with a loud yawn. Mitch came running out of the kitchen and ended up so near his dog. The animal gave the boy a lick in his face of recognition. Mitch took Cody outside to walk with him.

“What a filfthy beast”, Patricia said disdainfull.

“He belongs to Mitch and they are crazy about each other”, said Ben.

He noticed that his sister-in-law wasn’t charmed from his children, grandson and dog. The rancher went to get his suitcase from his bedroom to go to San Francisco.

“How long are you staying here?”, Little Joe asked his Aunt.

“Our plan is stay here for six weeks”, was the answer of Patricia.

This news was no fun for any of the brothers. They knew that women never stayed long at the ranch and hoped that their Aunt and cousin would leave very soon.

Ben came downstairs and asked,“Adam, are you coming?”

This one nodded and went to prepare the wagon.

Outside Mitch saw that Adam was busy with preparing the wagon and walked with Cody to him.

“Are you gonna bring grandpa to the station?”, asked the boy.

“Yes, are you coming along with Cody?”, asked Adam.

Mitch nodded and went to fetch the lesash of his dog. Cody sat neat near Adam. The dog was mad at everyone but at Mitch the most.

Mitch came in to get the leash when Ben just said goodbye to everyone.

“Mitch, are you coming with us?”, asked zijn grandpa.

“Yes and Cody too. That’s why I came to get his leash”, replied the boy.

They walked outside where Adam had put Cody already into the wagon. He lifted his son too into the wagon.

Mitch put Cody the leash on and said,“Down Cody.”

The dog did that at once. Ben and Adam climbed upon the box after the suitcase was alo put into the wagon. Hereafter they left the ranch.

Arrived at the station of Virginia City the Cartwrights climbed form the wagon. Mitch held the leash of Cody short. The dog looked curiously around him. Adam kept an eye on Mitch as it was pretty busy at the platform. Ben bought his trainticket and joined then his son and grandson. Cody sat near them.

“Grandpa, do you really have to go away now?”, Mitch asked when the train was coming in sight.

“Yes lad. I really have to. But daddy will look after you as long as I am away. He is now in charge at home”, said Ben.

“What about Aunt Patricia?”, his grandson asked with tears in his eyes.

“She is only staying at the ranch with her daughter. You let Cody sleep at your room like every night”, the rancher explained.

Mitch nodded and made his eyes dry.

“Watch your brothers and especailly this rascal”, Ben said before he took the train.

Adam nodded and grabbed the hand of his son. They watched the train leaving and went then back home.

At the ranch Hoss and Little Joe tried to entertain Patricia and Peggy with sometimes very tall stories about the ranch. Though the ladies couldn’t appreciate it. There was pressure enough in the house without the presence of Mitch. And that would become much worse if the person in question would come home with Adam and Cody.

The pressure in the Cartwright household rose to the top when Hop Sing had put the eveningmeal at the table. The boys attacked at the delicious food but Patricia and Peggy didn’t. Patricia grabbed the plate of Mitch and served out for him.

Though it was so less that the boy made the remark, “This is so less that even a mouse will be hungry when he has eaten this.”

Adam, Hoss and Little Joe started to laugh but Patricia gave her grand-nephew a hard smack around the ears. The boys stopped laughing at once.

“Aunt Patricia, Mitch always serves for himself. He knows when he has enough”, said Adam.

“He is still too little to do that”, his Aunt thought.

“I am already nine years old”, the boy protested.

He put some more on his plate and began then to make it empty. Cody sat like always next to him waiting for the last piece of meat of the boy.

The ladies found the food so awful dirty that Peggy said at determined tone, “From tomorrow on I cook. My cooking arts are famous everywhere.”

“Notorious, you mean”, Little Joe reacted sarcastic.

“Shut your face Joe”, Peggy snarled snappy.

“Let’s enjoy this delicious food before we all get poisoned by Peggy”, said Mitch.

His familymembers could appreciate the remark but his great-Aunt and greatcousin didn’t. It was a close thing or Mitch had gotten another smack around the ears.

“Mitch, tomorrow you are gonna do your schoolwork the whole day under my supervision”, said Peggy.

The boy looked at his father and Uncles but said nothing.

“Mitchy has very much difficulty with reading and writing. Besides he turns the letters and numbers around”, said Hoss.

“I will unlearn him that”, his cousin replied.

“Tomorrowmorning on my bike”, said Mitch.

“You don’t even have a bike”, said Adam.

“You neither”, his son reacted.

“First the cook shall have to go so that the kitchen will become the domain of my daugther”, Patricia said determined.

This announcement didn’t only fall wrong by the Cartwrights but also by Hop Sing. This one went like a madman against her in his own language. Nobody understood it but even Mitch knew from it that it wasn’t really nice what Hop Sing said. There wasn’t asked for a translation.

After the forced departure of Hop Sing the sphere at home was totally different. The boys said nothing anymore to their guests. They feared for their lives and welfare as long as they were there.

After supper Mitch was playing outside with Cody when his father came to get a breath of fresh air.

“Daddy, I dare to place a bet on White Star and Caramel that Peggy can’t cook at all. Now we must die of starvation I guess?”, Mitch asked a bit upset.

“I hope not but grandpa has given me enough money for emergencies.Like always I look after you and not Aunt Patricia. The only problem is that we have reached our majority and you not. If there is something tell us that right away”, said Adam.

Mitch nodded. He knew that he could count on his father and Uncles and they were there for him.

When the clock stroke half past six Patricia said, “Mitch, it is time for bed for you. Goodnight. I see you tomorrowmorning.”

“Must I go now already? Daddy always lets me go later”, the boy protested.

“Mitch always goes to bed at eight o’clock so today also”, Adam said calm.

“Nothing to do with that. You are still little and little children need their sleep very hard. I am now the eldest in the house so you must listen to me. Go on now”, his great-Aunt said very strict.

“It is still light so it’s impossible to fall asleep”, said Mitch said as a reason for staying up a bit longer.

Adam knew this excuse all along and said, “Then you read some time in bed.”

“No, that may not because he must sleep in bed and not read”, said Patricia.

Peggy grabbed him by the arm and dragged him to the stairs. Cody ran to her and began to groan. Adam stepped in and turned her left arm around. Peggy began to scream hysterically so that she had to let Mitch go.

Little Joe whispered to Hoss,“She screams like one of our pigs.”

“Now you insult the pigs”, Hoss whispered.

Little Joe agreed with that. Adam let her loose and cared about his son. Peggy had given Mitch a few black and blue spots on his arm. Adam took Mitch along to the kitchen where a steak from the colling place got put on the black and blue spots. Cody had followed them and looked smacking his lips at the piece of meat. Father and son thought it was an amusing look. Cody thought of course that the meat was for him.

In the livingroom Peggy said,“That child is way to spoiled. You are also guilty about that.”

“Go and take a long nice ride on your bike. You don’t know Mitch like he usual is. We don’t even know you”, was the reaction of Little Joe.

“It is never too late to get to know each other”, Patricia thought.

The boys clearly disagreed with it and kept silent. They did go to bed very early. They did that for not having to keep their Aunt and cousin company.

The next morning there another disaster took place. Peggy had prepared breakfast. Like always the boys had expected to get a great breakfast. But that wasn’t the case. Peggy had counted for Adam, Hoss and Little Joe three sandwiches and for Mitch two. As sneaky as she was she had made for her mother and herself a fried egg with bacon.

When the boys sat at the table Mitch said, “I have a few questions.”

“Go ahead”, said Patricia.

“Why don’t they get fried egg with bacon and you do?”, he asked.

“We deserve it”, said Peggy.

“I don’t understand why I suddenly get bread for breakfast and no oatmeal”, the boy said then.

“Bread is very good for little boys like you. I am not gonna make oatmeal especially for you. Who do you think I am? Crazy Peggy?”, she asked snappy.

Adam put just in time his hand on the mouth of Mitch because he felt a sharp remark hanging in the air.

“Mitch doesn’t like bread in the morning. Hop Sing always makes a bowl of oatmeal for him”, said Little Joe.

Hoss made it even worse by saying very dry to his cousin,

“I find it very mean of you to first fry your own kind and then to eat him.”

“You keep your mouth shut”, Adam said directly to his son.

“I didn’t want to say anything at all”, Mitch said with laughing eyes.

He left his bread there on purpose and only drank his milk.

“I am gonna walk Cody”, said Mitch.

He got up from the table and went with the dog outside of the ranchhouse.

“That child still has to learn a lot of manners”, Patricia said insulted.

“Yes, he has but not from you. I am now in charge and I still decide how Mitch will behave and to whom he listens”, reacted Adam.

He looked at his Aunt with an untrustful look in his eyes.

She hadn’t expected this and she said very strict,“Adam Cartwright, remember that I am older than you. I don’t care how old you are but must show great respect for me!”

Adam said nothing anymore and left the breakfasttable too. Hoss and Little Joe followed him not much later.

Mitch went with Cody his after his father and Uncles to the herd. He didn’t feel like staying at home. They didn’t like him anyway.

Because all four of them hadn’t had anything to eat Adam gave Mitch some money and

said,“Kid, ride to town and get some made sandwiches for this money.”

“Good. I am on my way”, said the boy.

He turned Caramel and rode to Virginia City to get the rolls.

After a long time Mitch came back again. The Cartwrights took a long lunchbreak to get the sandwiches inside their stomaches.

“This tastes much better than the breakfast of that tea-cosy”, said Hoss.

“Don’t praise her like that. You insult the tea-cosies”, Mitch reacted dry.

Everybody laughed.

After the meal Adam said, “Kid, bring Cody home. We are gonna round up the herd and we cannot use him with that. We wait for you.”

Mitch did that at once. To his great relief Patricia and Peggy were away. The boy let the dog sleep by the open fire because Cody always slept ther during the day. Here after Mitch returned to the herd.

At her arrival at home Patricia saw that Cody was sleeping near the open fire. She decided that the dog should be sleeping outside. She grabbe dhim by the collar and woke him up. Cody thought she wanted to play with him so he wagged his tail against her leg.

“Stop it rotten dog. Dogs belong outside and not inside!”, she said strict.

A moment later Patricia put Cody outside the door. The boys were away anyway so she could do it easily. The consequenece was that she had to listen to his howling for the rest of the afternoon.

The Cartwright boys did everything to annoy their Aunt. That it was a succes noticed Peggy that evening.

Everybody sat at the table when Patricia said, “first we are gonna thank my daugther Peggy who has prepraed a great meal for us all. Peggy, our thanks is great and I am sure that we all shall feast of your cookingtalents.”

“I am sure of not”, Mitch said out loud.

Then he got another smack around the ears.

Peggy said, “We are gonna eat very healthy as long as I cook.”

“That is no healthy food. That is rabbit stuff”, reacted Little Joe dry.

Hoss said,“I am sorry but I ain’t hungry anymore. Besides, I got a few things to do outside.”

“I will help you”, said Little Joe.

“Mitch, shall we go and make a long nice walk with Cody?”, Adam asked who understood the hint.

Mitch was always ready for that. The boys got up and left the ranchhouse. Thus the ladies were stuck with the burned food.

Each evening Patricia did close reguarly before she went to bed the door of the bedroom of Mitch so that the boy was lying in the dark. Hereby he couldn’t get to sleep. His father, grandpa and Uncles knew that and kept for that reason always the door open.

One night Hoss woke up because he had gotten a message thet his stomach needed stuffing. Of course he gave a reply to it at once. With an empty stomach the second son of Ben Cartwright really couldn’t sleep. Hoss got up and left his bedroom. At the hallway he came passed the bedroom of Mitch and he saw that the door was closed. This was not allowed of Adam so Hoss opened the door.

The boy looked up and asked with a sleepy voice“Is that you Uncle Hoss?”

“How did you guess so?”, his Uncle asked while he came into the room and went to sit on the bed.

“Because you are the only one who eats at night. I hear you so often sneaking off to the kitchen”, replied the boy.

Mitch went to lie a bit deeper under the blankets and asked,“Do you leave the door open?”

“Of course I do that. Aunt Patricia losed your door on purpose”, said Hoss.

He tucked the boy in and went to the kitchen to finally stuff his stomach. Mitch fell asleep for a while. But his stomach was also empty so the youngest Cartwright got up and followed his big Uncle to the kitchen. Hoss sat at the kitchentable eating when his nephew came in.

“Are you gonna keep me company?”, Hoss asked inviting.

Mitch nodded and buttered a few sandwiches.

“I hope that grandpa comes back soon”, the boy said after four sandwiches.

“I hope so too. But we will make it together with daddy and Uncle Joe”, said Hoss.

He noticed that Mitch missed Ben enormously. After half an hour Uncle and nephew went back to their bedrooms after they had cleaned up the mess.

On Sundaymorning Patricia said to everyone,“We are gonna go all together to church later on.”

“Why?”, Little Joe asked amazed.

“Because church doesn’t come to us”, Mitch replied dry.

This delivered him another smack around the ears. He got up and left the ranchhouse right away.

Adam reacted with,“Nobody will hit my son. Not even my own flesh and blood Aunt!”

“I don’t care”, said his Aunt.

“You happen to do. We never hit him. Mitch knows that and now you do that. You never should have come Peggy!”, Adam groaned.

He went after his son. He found Mitch in the bunkhouse with the hands.

“Adam, it is totally wrong with Mitch. He sits still in a corner and looks at nobody”, said Mike.

The eldest Cartwright boy went along with the hand.

Adam kneeled down near his son and asked,“Alright kid?”

“No, let that awful woman get lost. You never hit me and she does. It’s her fault that I can’t sleep at night”, the boy replied upset.

Adam looked at Mike and forman Candy Canaday.

“Let him sleep here while you are away. We babysit him”,Candy said.

Mitch went to lie down on an empty bed and had left for dreamland right away.

“The child hasn’t slept a wink since the arrival of Aunt Patricia and Peggy. That human being just keeps on closing his bedroomdoor. Then he really can’t sleep”, Adam said to Candy.

“You know that he is here a lot on Sunday. The boys help him with pitching and catching again”, the foreman said.

Adam left the bunkhouse and walked to the stable to saddle his sorrel because he didn’t feel like going to church. His younger brothers soon followed his example.

“Where is Mitchy?”, Hoss asked whispering.

“In the bunkhouse. He is deadtired. Mike and Candy babysit him”, replied Adam.

Quickly and silently the brothers led their horses out of the stable and they mounted on. Hereafter they gave their riding-animals quickly the spurs. In a few seconds there was no single track of a Cartwright brother to see.

Inside the ranchhouse Peggy said,“I am gonna look where the boys stay.”

She went outside and asked Jake,“Have you seen Mitch and/or Adam?”

“No, I haven’t seen both of them since yesterday”, the hand lied to her.

She didn’t believe him and went into the bunkhouse. At once she saw Mitch lying and she flew to him.

Peggy shook her greatcousin awake and said very snappy,“You go to church with mother and me!”

The boy was hardly awake.

Candy said,“Leave the boy alone. He needs his sleep very hard.”

“Nonsense. It is just an excuse for not having to go to church. He will hear from it”, Peggy snapped.

“Mitch never goes to church. Remember that he is very much loved at the Ponderosa”, reacted Mike.

“I have nothing to do with that”, said Peggy said and she went away angry.

She understood that even the hands were protecting Mitch. But she would get hold of Mitch anyway.

By this commotion Patricia had no good word over about her nephews and grand-nephew. That’s why she went alone with her daugther to church.

Peggy said underway,“Mitch listens far too much to Adam and his brothers than to you. That is not good.”

“No, indeed not. Mitch is far too much spoiled by my brother-in-law. Something must be done about it. As soon as we are home again I will give that brat a treatment”, Patricia said determined.

At the herd Adam said“I know for sure that Aunt Patricia will be very angry with us when we come home.”

“She is every time after Mitchy”, Hoss reacted.

“He counts on our support so what is there for us to do?”, his elder brothrer asked.

“Rescue him from this tiranny”, replied Little Joe.

He was sick and tired of listening to the orders of his Aunt. Not that he obed them as he wayward enough for it. The brothers went back home. To their great relief and joy their “beloved” Aunt and cousin were still away.

Adam went into the bunkhouse and asked Candy, “How is it with Mitch?”

“Peggy came this morning to take him along to church. She will return to take him in hand. He still sleeps”, the foreman replied.

Adam went to his son and woke him up.

“Mitch, first you go and walk Cody and then you are gonna finish your homework for tomorrow”, his father said.

The boy got up and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes.

After walking his dog Mitch began to do his homework. He always did that in the office of his grandpa. By twelve o’clock his great-Aunt and great cousin came home. Cody began to bark loudly at them.

“Shut your mouth rotten bitch”, Peggy said.

The following moment she gave him such a hard kick that Cody ended up near the fire place and broke his left front leg. Mitch saw that and fled to his dog. Cody moaned due to the pain.

“You are a filfthy rotten bitch yourself!”, he groaned furious.

He got up and ran to the cupboard where the revolvers were. In the following second he shot Peggy in her left arm.

Patricia hit her grand-nephew in the face and said,“You stay here until we are back!”

She took her daugther to Paul Martin. Mitch went to sit by his dog and tried to comfort him as much as possible by stroking him. Some time later his father and Uncles came in and they went straight to him. Adam took Mitch into his arms and slowly the boy began to cry.

“We let his leg set in plaster just like you had done when you broke your wrist recently”, the eldest Cartwright boy said.

When Mitch had calmed down the boy told how it had happened and what he had done to Peggy. Meanwhile Hoss and Little Joe prepared the wagon for use. By this event the brothers could drink the blood of Patricia and Peggy.

In Virginia City Peggy let treat herself by Paul at once while Patricia brought the deputy a visit.

“I demand that you arrest my grand-nephew Mitch Cartwright for trying to kill my daugther Peggy. He shot at her while she had done nothing to him at all”, she said to Clem.

The deputy knew the boy much longer and knew also how he really was.

“If Mitch has shot down your daugther, why didn’t you take him along then? I may assumme that he is still at the Ponderosa”, said Clem.

“The health of my daughter goes above that spoiled brat”, Patricia said insulted.

“Mitch never shoots at anyone without a good reason. I come alomng with you to the ranch”, the deputy replied.

At the moment that they wanted to go away the other Cartwrights came riding into the street. Adam was the first one to see Patricia and Peggy talking to Clem and he knew enough.

“Aunt Patricia must have said that Mitch must be placed behind bars. Clem knows the boy much longer”, said Little Joe.

Adam first stopped at the practise of the doctor.

“Hoss, Mitch, you stay by Cody”, said Adam.

Hoss jumped from the wagon and first he lifted his nephew from it and the he grabbed the dog.

“Come Mitchy, then we are gonna let Cody help”, said Hoss.

They walked to the door and Mitch held it open.

“Paul, we havea patient here for you”, Hoss said lighthearted.

The doctor looked up from the visitors but more from the patient.

Hoss put Cody on the examinetable and said,“Peggy has given him a broken leg.”

Paul examined him and said,“I will set it and he may not walk too much on it.”

“Cody will get better, won’t he?”, Mitch asked worriedt.

“Of course he will get better but he needs a lot of rest and he may not walk the stairs in any case”, the doctor replied.

Meanwhile Adam and Little Joe went to face the confrontation with Patricia and Peggy.

“Adam, Joe, where are Hoss and Mitch?”, the deputy asked directly.

“At the doctor’s with Cody. It is about the fact that he has shot at Peggy? Have you been told then also that she has given his dog a broken leg?”, Adam asked on his turn.

Clem looked up amazed and said,“That hasn’t happen. I just let it rest. At least what Mitch has done bit not what Peggy has on her concious.”

“Why do I have to pay for something I haven’t done?”, Peggy asked hysterical.

“Mitch just defended his dog. Who does kick a dog whereby he breaks his leg?”, the deputy asked.

“She does”, replied Little Joe.

“I make a record of it and then you will hear from it. Wish Cody good luck from me”, Clem said to the male Cartwrights.

Then there was the devil to pay because Patricia and Peggy went home silently. Their blood had reached the well known boiling point. On the way to the ranch Peggy made up a plan to get revenge at the youngest Cartwright.

When Hoss and Mitch were with Cody at Adam and Little Joe the youngest of the troop, “Daddy, I ain’t going back home anymore as long as they are still there. Soon she breaks something else besides the leg of Cody.”

“I understand it. but Cody may not stay in a hotel like we may. Besides that he needs now rest with his broken leg. That can only be at home for huis best. Maybe he may stay at the bunkhouse”, said Adam.

Reluctantly Mitch gave in.

They came home too late for lunch but nobody cared about that. Adam was the first one to open the frontdoor. Hoss put Cody on his blanket near the fireplace to let him rest.

“What is that ragpicker doing here in the house?”, Peggy asked snappy.

“You mean yourself?”, Mitch asked dry.

“Cody lives here too so he has as much right to be here inside as we do. By you he has now a broken leg and tyou two leave him alone. I am not responsible for any consequences”, Adam replied.

“Let him rest here then anyway. Peggy did it by accident”, Patricia said.

“So true”, said Mitch.

“Mitch, you are gonna finish your homework. We are at the herd”, said Adam.

The boy nodded. When Adam, Hoss and Little Joe were away and Cody fast asleep Peggy gave Mitch a treatment.

“Give your homework here. Then I will check it”, she said strict.

“You don’t have to because daddy always checks it. If he is away then grandpa does it”, said Mitch.

“They are none of both here so I do it. Give it here”, his great cousin said strict.

She just took it from him and looked at it. Mitch looked at her and suspected what she thought.

She said to him,“You must pay better attention about how something must be written.”

“I already do that but I just have difficulty with it. If you don’t believe me ask daddy. He always help me”, the boy reacted.

“Leave your father out. It is about you. I will have to punish you for it”, said Peggy.

She took him down the the barn where the shirt of Mitch got torn out. Hereafter Peggy got the whip. She hit his back black and blue. He wanted to scream but Peggy stopped his mouth. Finally she stopped and went away laughing. Mitch laid on the ground and thought, ‘What are you a big mean bitch. They will never believe me! I runaway.’ He put on his torned shirt and sneaked out of the barn. He grabbed Caramel and mounted on. The following moment he ran away.

By suppertime Adam, Hoss and Little Joe came home. They thought it was strangre already that Mitch wasn’t there.

“Sit down boys. My daugther had preprared another delicious meal for us”, said Patricia.

The brothers looked at each other and Hoss said whispering to Adam and Little Joe, “That food will be too disgusting to be eaten again.”

Since Hop Sing was fired the male Cartwrights were suffering from starvation. As delicious as Hop Sing cooked, so bad did Peggy it. Even Hoss didn’t eat almost anything.

To lead away the attention of the bad brew Little Joe asked,“Where is Mitch anyway?”

“Well, he has gone to eat somewhere else. He is wiser than we are”, Adam reacted laughing.

“Adam, your little son is just very stupid. He cannot even write the numbers and letters good. I have punished him for that with the whip”, Peggy said triumphant.

The brothers looked at each other being shocked.

Adam groaned at his cousin,“Are you right in the mind? Nobody hits my child with a whip!”

His brothers had gone outside already.

Adam wanted to go outside as well but Peggy said,“The food is ready to be eaten.”

“Hell with your food. Give it to the animals. Or better said, don’t or they will die by your brewings!”, her cousin reacted furious.

He slammed the frontdoor behind him after he had grabbed the jacket of Mitch along.

Silently Adam, Hoss and Little Joe went to search for the youngest Cartwright. They knew that he was injured and so upset.

“Joe, you go to Virginia City to see if Mitch is there. Send also a telegramm to pa and put oin it “Come back due to family circumstances.” Hoss and I are gonna look for the kid here”, said Adam.

Little Joe nodded and left his his brothers to go to Virginia City. The youngest Cartwright brother knew almost for sure that his father would take the first train home at once as soon as he got that telegramm.

Meanwhile Mitch had gone further away from his elderly home. At a certain moment Caramel got stopped and the boy dismounted. He sat down and started to cry again softly. Not only the pain began tog et worse but to make the disaster worse Mitch began to get pretty cold as well.

Suddenly he heard two familiar voices. He looked up and he saw Adam and Hoss.

“Mitchy, what has happened to you for Heaven’s sake?”, Hoss asked who was the first at his nephew.

A stammering story told Adam and Hoss what had happened. Then Mitch showed his back. Both brothers cursed mumbling.

“Come along with us. As long as Aunt Patricia and cousin Peggy are there we won’t come at the Ponderosa”, said Adam.

“I am so cold”, Mitch said while he dried his eyes.

“First put on your jacket”, his father said.

The boy did that. Herafter they mounted on their horses and they rode to Virginia City.

By his arrival Little Joe had send the telegramm and then searched for his nephew. But nobody had seen Mitch. Little Joe began to get very worried. He hoped that his brothers had more success.

After a short while Adam, Hoss and Mitch rode into Virginia City. They saw Cochise standing near the International House.

“I go with Mitch to Doc. You are gonna look for Little Joe”, Adam suggested.

Hoss nodded. Adam and Mitch dismounted and went to see the healmaster of Virginia City who knew Mitch and his family very well.

Paul Martin took care of the youngest Cartwright with oitment and said,“Adam, let your son rest”.

“That will happen Paul. Come on kid”, said Adam.

Slowly Mitch came along with his father. Outside the boy started to cry again because now Mitch realised very well what had happened to him. Adam took him into his arms and let him cry out. Then Hoss and Little Joe came towards them. The brothers looked at Adam and knew enough.

“We are gonna eat first and then sleep”, said Adam said when Mitch had calmed down.

They walked to a good restaurant to eat.

At the ranch Patricia and Peggy were having together their eveningmeal. Both weren’t satisfied about Mitch and how the others treasured him.

“My brother-in-law spoils him way too much. Besides that his sons and grandson cannot appreciate your excellent art of cooking”, said Patricia.

“Well, they just don’t know what they are missing. Nobody can cook as good as I can”, said Peggy said cocky.

She didn’t like her cousins and grand-nephew at all and the feeling was mutual.

By coincidence Ben Cartwright happened to be in the area of the telegrafoffice in San Francisco. When the rancher read the telegramm he didn’t hesitate for another moment and he went to his hotleroom. Quickly Ben packed his suitcase and he went with the first train to Virginia City. He had become deadly worried. Especailly because the word “family circumstances ” was mentioned in the telegramm.

After their eveningmeal Mitch went to sleep and Adam babysat him. Hoss and Little Joe went to wait for Ben at the station.

“How will pa react when he sees and hears what Peggy has done to Mitch?”, asked Little Joe.

“Furious. You know that Mitchy is his apple of his eye. Who touches him.…..you know”, said Hoss.

His younger brother nodded. It was already getting darker and colder.

The brothers were half asleep at the statoion when the train arrived.

Little Joe gave Hoss a push and said,“Hoss, wake up. The train is coming worden.”

Now they were both wide awake. They got up and walked to the train. Quite soon they saw their father coming.

Ben asked his sons,“What is going on around here?”

“Cousin Peggy has given Cody a broken leg and treated the back of Mitch with a whip. He ranaway but we found him. Hop Sing is fired by Aunt Patricia. Peggy is now cooking but that is uneatable. Not even the pigs like it. We sleep at the International House. Adam and Mitch are there already”, Little Joe explained.

Ben sighted deep and asked,“How is it with Mitch?”

“Pretty upset. We hardly got him to bed”, said Hoss.

“The last thing is normal for him”, his father reacted while they walked to the hotel.

In their hotelroom Mitch said,“My back hurts. I can’t sleep by it.”

“Grandpa can come any moment now. Then everything will come alright”, said Adam.

“I hope so”, his son said without courage.

Then the door went open and the other Cartwrights came in.

Ben went straight away to his grandson and asked,“How are you feeling lad?”

“My back hurts because of the whipslashes”, Mitch said softly.

The rancher checked the injured back and couldn’t believe that his niece was up to something like that. He was also shocked because she had injurded Cody.

“Try to get some sleep. You need it badly”, said Ben.

“Are you and daddy stay here sleeping in the room with me?”, asked the boy.

The rancher nodded. He tucked Mitch carefully in.

Ben said to his sons, “We are gonna sleep as well. Tomorrow we settle everything our own way.”

Soon all Cartwrights were sleeping.

The following morning the Cartwrights went back to the ranch. For the first time in days the boys had gotten a heavy breakfast.

Underway Adam asked curious,“What are you gonna say to Aunt Patricia?”

“I am gonna give her a big piece of my mind. Then she can shoot the moon and Peggy too”, replied Ben.

Mitch said dry,“You can’t let them do that because it is unfair for the moon. It doesn’t deserve to get shot by Aunt Patricia and Peggy.”

The rancher sighted and wanted to say something back but couldn’t think of anything.

After a while the five rode upon the familiar yard.

Nobody said a word until Peggy came outside and said surprised, “Welcome Uncle Ben. Welcome home. The breakfast is ready.”

“You and your mother pack your suitcases at once to go away”, the rancher said right away.

He almost her over to go inside.

Adam grabbed Peggy tight and groaned, “Now we are gonna treat you. How dare you to mistrreat my beloved son? You are just completely disturbed in your mind.”

Hereafter Peggy got a hard push so she fell upon the porch.

“You haven’t damaged the porch, have you? Then you will hear pa”, Hoss said without turning a hair.

Adam, Little Joe and Mitch thought it was a funny remark. But Peggy could really drink their blood.

In the livingroom Patricia asked amazed,“What are you doing back so soon? I thought that you would stay away for another two weeks or so. That was the meaning, wasn’t it? Nothing serious has happened, has there?”

Ben said furious,“How dare you to get it into your thick head to fire Hop Sing, to let get Cody injured and to let your daugther mistreat my grandson? I demand that your pack your suitcases now and get lost with your daughther for good!”

“Mitch made on purpose mistakes in his schoolwork. Peggy punished him for that.

Your sons took care of it that we didn’t feel welcome here. I remember Adam as a little nice boy but there is nothing left of anymore either”, said Patricia said also furious.

“The last time you saw Adam was when he was three years old. Just get lost now so the peace can return again”, the rancher groaned.

That helped because in less than an hour Patricia and Peggy had left for good.

After the Cartwright ladies had left they still had no cook at the Ponderosa.

“I am gonna convince Hop Sing to come back. My suitcase is still in the International House”, Ben said after the bad made coffee.

“May I come along grandpa?”, Mitch asked directly.

Ben looked at Adam and this one nodded. They got up and went away.

Ben hoped that his faithfull cook wanted to return. Because he had to deal with a big problem. No one of the Cartwright men could cook and the appetite of the Cartwrights was always very great. Especially that of Hoss.

“Grandpa, what do we do if Hop Sing doesn’t want to come back?”, Mitch asked halfway.

“I haven’t thought about that yet. But I think that he will return when he sees you”, replied the rancher.

In Virginia City Ben and Mitch rode into the Chinese neighborhood to look for their faithfull cook. Soon they had found him.

“Good luck grandpa”, Mitch whispered to Ben.

“You go and play with those children”, said Ben.

“Another hint, tell that Uncle Hoss is only skin and bone by missing his delicious meals. Then he surely will come back”, advised the boy .

Then he went to a group of Chinese children who knew and sometimes played with him.

“Mitch play with us?”, asked Lee Sing.

The young Cartwright nodded and caught a ball in a nice way.

Ben asked Hop Sing,“Would you please like to come back to the Ponderosa?”

“Not as long as sister-in-law and niece are there”, the cook replied.

“I have sent them away this morning because Peggy had mistreated Mitch and Cody. The boys are very skinny and even Hoss is only skin and bone. They miss your very delicious meals”, said the rancher said with a poker face.

This done it because Hop Sing said,“Hop Sing ready within half an hour to go to ranch.”

“Good. I wait here for you in half an hour”, Ben said relieved.

He went to pick up his suitcase from the hotel and to pay the bill.

When Ben picked up Hop Sing Mitch stayed behind.

“I send your father later on to pick you up so you are home before dark”, said the rancher to his grandson.

Mitch thought it was okay. The boy was now reassured because everything was now like it should be at the Ponderosa.

THE END

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