THE CHRISTMAS CAT

Since a few weeks the Ponderosa had a new inhabitant in the form of a white cat. The twins Mitch and Pam Cartwright had found him on the way home from school. The little animal was in bag which Brian Keller had with him. He sat near a little river with the bag when the twins came by with their dog Cody.

“Sir, what are you doing?”, Mitch asked coming straight to the point.

Brian looked up and saw the children and dog looking at him.

“Er nothing special. Just walk on by”, he said nervous.

Cody sniffed in it and got with his beak the cat out of it.

Pam got it and said, “An innocent cat.”

“It is an rotten beast but if you want him it is fine by me. That saves me energy from drowning that cat”, said Brian.

The twins looked at each other meaningful.

“Tormentor of animals”, Mitch said fierce.

Brian wanted to hit him but Cody attacked him. Hereby Brian fell into the water. The children and Cody quickly ran away before the man came out of the water.

When the twins with their animals were safe asked Mitch, “How shall we call him?”

“No idea. It is a male though but he is helped. Just like Sport”, answered his sister.

“What did you think of Lucky? He had gotten he luck that we passed by and rescued him from that creep”, Mitch suggested.

Pam nodded. They quickly walked home.

At the yard Adam Cartwright was still busy when he saw his children and dog coming.

“You are a bit later than usual. What has happened?”, he asked worried.

“Near that little river a mean man wanted to drown Lucky. But Cody pushed him into the water after he had rescued out of a bag with stones”, said Pam.

“Who is Lucky?”, asked her father amazed.

Pam showed the white cat.

“We got him of that tormentor of animals because he wanted to drown him. That’s why we called him Lucky. May we keep him?”, Mitch asked begging.

Adam got the cat and stroke it. Lucky began to purr right away.

“Of me yes but grandpa must allow it too. First give him something to eat and drink”,

Adam said while he gave the cat back to his daughter.

The twins walked ahead to the kitchen where the Chinese cook Hop Sing was already busy with supper.

“Hop Sing, do you have something to eat for this lovely cat please?”, asked Mitch.

The cook turned around and saw the white ball of wool and was mollified right away.

“Hop Sing give cat some water and meat”, he said directly.

While that happened Pam asked sneaky, “Hop Sing, we may keep him of daddy. Can you help us by saying to grandpa that Lucky is here welcome?”

“Hop Sing helps twins if they help Hop Sing with supper for a week”, said the cook.

The twins looked at each other and both thought the same thing.

“Deal”, they said at the same time.

Lucky ate his stomach full and got then brought by Mitch into the living room where at that moment no one was yet. Cody went to lie down at his place and the twins went to do their homework. Lucky went to inspect the living room and found especailly the chair of Ben Cartwright interesting. First he turned around and went then to lie down in at a s a prince. A moment later had also Lucky arrived in dreamland.

By supper time all Cartwrights had come home.

Mitch looked at the cat and said dry, “Geesh grandpa, I didn’t know that you had changed into a cat.”

Adam and his younger brothers Hoss and Little Joe were rolling on the floor laughing but Ben hardly could laugh about it.

“How do you mean?”, the rancher asked amzed.

“Well, normally you sit in the red chair but now Lucky lies there”, his grandson explained.

Ben walked to his chair and looked at the cat. Lucky woke up and yawned exstanded.

“What do we have here? Who are you and how did you get here?”, he asked while he picked up tha cat and stroke him.

The twins told the story again,.

“Let him stay then”, said the rancher.

Hoss and Little Joe too got introduced to their new pet.

Now it was nearly Christmas everything that was sparkling was interesting for Lucky and Cody too. The grown up Cartwrights had to do a lot to keep them away from the tree. Of course this was very funny to see for the twins. Especailly because the animals were faster than their hunters.

One night Hoss heard a strange sound coming from the living room. Because his stomach was empty anyway and had to be filled he got up. What he saw arrived in the living room was indescribable. Lucky had climbed intot he tree and had thrown all Christmas balls on the floor.

Hoss plucked the cat out of the tree and said, “Dadburnit. You are just a naughty cat. As punishment no sausage.”

“Meow”, said Lucky.

He began to give Hoss loveable movings where by Hoss took him along to the kitchen to give the cat food. Cody followed them right away. The others came at the noise and saw what had happened.

“Adam, tomorrow I want to see your twins in my office”, said Ben.

Adam nodded. Hop Sing cleaned up everything while he grumbled in the Chinese language.

The next morning Mitch and Pam had to come at roll-call by Ben in his office. The rancher looked strict at his grandchildren.

“You have taken Lucky home and you are taking care of him yourselves. Is that so?”, Ben asked semi-strict.

The twins nodded.

“But Uncle Hoss would have taken him home as well”, Mitch said careful.

“That is so but now you did it. Your cat broke all Christmas balls. I give you each ten dollars to buy new Christmas balls in Virginia City. We go to town by wagon”, said Ben.

“Is that all?”, Pam asked amazed.

“Is that all?”, Ben asked also amazed.

“If that is all, then that is all”, Mitch said dry.

Ben wanted to say somethig but couldn’t think of anything.

“We are leaving”, said the rancher.

Adam had made the wagon ready for leaving. The twins climbed on board and Ben on the box. Quickly they rode to town where the twinsbought up all Christmas balls.

“Grandpa, we have all Christmasballs”, said Mitch.

“Have Hoss and Joe thrown all the balls out of the Christmastree?”, asked deputy Clem Foster.

“No, the cat of this twosome has it on his concious”, Ben answered sighing.

“Dep, do you must have balls? Fifty cents each”, said Pam.

“Thanks but I have to sell you no. Those balls cost at the General Store half of what you are asking for it”, said Clem.

“We must earn something from it too”, reacted Mitch.

“Ben, take your grandchildren along before I arrest them for swindle”, said the deputy.

“How much do you offer for that no?”, asked Pam asked before she climbed upon the wagon.

“A month on water and bread”, said Clem.

Ben helped his grandchildren on the wagon and climbed himself on it too. Here after they rode back to the ranch.

To make sure that Lucky didn’t break the Christmas balls again held Pam the cat during the night in her room while Mitch let Cody sleep in his room.

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