Five year old Mitch Cartwright looked up very much to his father Adam Cartwright. That was not only noticed at their ranch the Ponderosa. But also in Virginia City.
One morning Adam and Mitch were mending and checking the fences. At a certain moment they had come to by a rock where Mitch couldn’t control his horse Whitey anymore.
He almost yelled, “Daddy, help me. I can’t hold him anymore.”
In one look Adam saw that his son was in danger of life and stepped in harsh. He grabbed Mitch from the riding animal and they fell on the ground. Mitch got another smack because his left ankle came against a rock. The white pony of the young Cartwright slipped away and died that way.
Adam asked, “Are you alright kid?”
Mitch blinked a few times with his eyes and said, “Yes. Thanks for being there.”
“Mitch, I am your father so I always will be there for you”, answered Adam.
They got up and continued with their work. Though Adam kept an eye on his son but the boy said to be alright.
By evening time they returned to the ranch again. Mitch was very silent when they went inside. Ponderosa owner Ben Cartwright was very amazed when he saw that his grandson was so silent and kept to himself.
“Pa, Mitch almost got killed. We were at a rock when Whitey became wild. I could get the boy just in time before the horse fell and died. Since then Mitch walks very crippled”, said Adam.
“Mitch, come over here for a second”, said the rancher.
Mitch got up and dragged very notable with his left ankle to him and Adam.
Ben asked seriously, “Your father said that you have had an accident today. According to me you are walking around very lame. Are you in pain anywhere?”
“My left ankle hurts when I walk on it”, the boy said with a painful face.
He went to sit on the settee. Carefully Adam removed the brace and boot.
Ben checked the ankle and said, “It is no wonder that you have pain with walking because it is broken. We go to the doctor to have your ankle set in plaster.”
Mitch nodded. The rancher walked to outside. There he saw his two youngest sons Hoss and Little Joe.
“Boys, prepare the wagon. Mitch needs to see the doctor”, said Ben.
The boys prepared the wagon for departure. Adam picked up the boy and carried him to the wagon. Mitch had indescribably pain but didn’t let it show.
Doctor Paul Martin set the ankle in plaster and gave Mitch crutches to lean on. Ben waited outside for Adam and Mitch when deputy Clem Foster came by.
“Ben, what are you doing here?”, he asked amazed.
“I wait for Adam and Mitch. Mitch has broken his ankle when he got an accident with his horse. He didn’t even say that he was in great pain until we asked about it”, answered Ben.
Clem smiled and said, “Mitch is a different of lad here in Virginia City. That comes because he is a Cartwright is, I suppose.”
“That shall be the case for sure”, said Ben.
A moment later Adam and Mitch came outside. Mitch went limping on his crutches to his grandpa and the deputy, followed by Adam.
“Hello Mitch. You look nice with your white and black boot”, said Clem.
“Hello deputy. I guess I am the only one in town with 2 colored boots, aren’t I?”, Mitch asked quick-witted.
“Indeed. I believe that your grandpa wants to take you and your father home”, answered the deputy.
Ben nodded and Adam helped his son on the wagon.
During supper there came not much words out of the mouth of Mitch, which nobody amazed. The open air had not made him only very hungry but also very tired.
“That one will sleep soon very nicely and long”, said Hoss.
“It was a bit too long day for him. I suggest that he gets left alone tomorrow so he can recover a bit”, said Adam.
That was promised by his father and brothers.
The morning after the accident at the rocks Mitch didn’t appear at breakfast.
Ben said, “After breakfast I go and have a look how he is. You just go working.”
“Mitch had made quite a smack when he came with his ankle against the rocks. He didn’t even realize yet that his horse is dead. He was the only one in the area with a white pony”, said Adam.
After breakfast the rancher went to see his grandson. Mitch was still very sleepy when Ben came in.
“Hello boy. You weren’t there with breakfast. I was worried so I just come to check how you are”, said the rancher.
Meanwhile he went to sit on the bed.
“It is alright. Must I get up?”, was the question of Mitch who despite a long night of sleeping was still a bit exhausted.
“No, not if you still feel a bit tired. You know what? Just keep on sleeping for a while. I am outside and Hop Sing is in the kitchen when you need something”, Ben said calm.
The following moment the young Cartwright was already far away in dreamland. Ben tucked him in and closed the door. Here after the rancher went to the kitchen.
He said to the Chinese cook Hop Sing, “Mitch is still sleeping. Just let him.”
“Hop Sing look now and then at little Mitch”, said the cook.
A few hours it was very quiet on the sleeping floor of the ranch house of the Ponderosa. By lunch time Mitch came downstairs on his crutches. He went straight outside. He saw his his grandpa working and walked to him.
“Finally awake lad?”, Ben asked teasing.
“No, I am still sleeping”, Mitch answered directly.
“Are you hungry?”, Ben asked then.
Mitch looked grinning aside and answered, “That is the second dumbest question in a row. I will say nothing to daddy, uncle Hoss and uncle Joe.”
“Mitchell Jonathan Cartwright! This stays between us. Understood?”, asked Ben.
Mitch looked at the ground and nodded. Together they walked to the ranch house to have lunch. Hop Sing had set the table for two persons already.
During the meal Mitch suddenly asked, “Grandpa, I see your horse standing but not mine. Where is Whitey?”
Ben kept silent for a second.
Then he began to tell, “When you were with your father at the rocks you couldn’t keep Whitey under control anymore. Your father grabbed you tight whereby your horse fell into a ravine and died that way. You broke your ankle with it.”
Mitch blinked a few times with his eyes and began then to cry enormously. Ben pulled his grandson to him and let him cry out for a while. At that moment Adam came home. He saw his father and son and knew enough. He walked towards them and took the boy over. Together they went to sit on the settee.
“Kid, I know that you shall miss Whitey but I promise you that you will get a new pony from me”, Adam said in an attempt to comfort his son.
“I don’t want a new pony. I want Whitey”, Mitch reacted still crying.
“Darling, he is dead and you can never ride him again. I wish it was different but it is just this way”, answered Adam.
Cody, the shepherd dog of the Cartwrights, came nearer and put his head near Mitch. The boy stroked his friend and got clam by this.
“Mitch, first eat on now”, said Adam.
Mitch nodded and got carried by his father to the table. Silently they ate on.
After lunch Mitch stayed indoors and he got put on the settee. Cody remained by his little boss. Outside Ben and Adam saw the other Cartwrights coming.
“Adam, if your brothers play for babysitters this afternoon, then we can go to Virginia City for a few bank businesses”, said the rancher.
Adam said smiling, “Mitch will like that because when my little brothers must babysit him my dear son make a burden to them a much as possible.”
“From whom would he have that?”, Ben asked teasing.
“His mother probably because I am not like that”, answered Adam.
Ben looked at his eldest son frowning.
“Hello pa, Adam”, Hoss said cheerful.
Joe too was in a good mood.
“Do you have anything to do this afternoon?”, asked Ben.
Hoss and Joe looked at each other amazed.
“No, why? Must we babysit Adam?”, Little Joe asked joking.
“Not Adam but Mitch. We have to go to Virginia City this afternoon and the boy is very upset by the loss of his pony”, answered Ben.
“Of course we babysit him”, Hoss said understanding.
Adam went inside and went to sit by his son.
“Kid, grandpa and I are going to Virginia City the whole afternoon. Your uncles will babysit you”, Adam said seriously.
“In other words, I may make a burden to them?”, asked Mitch.
Adam nodded smiling. He got up and went outside.
“Gentlemen, Mitch is ready to be busy with you”, Adam said sarcastic to his younger brothers.
Hoss and Joe looked very sour right away. Ben and Adam mounted on their horses and rode away. Hoss and Joe went inside to keep their nephew busy.
“Well Mitchy, this afternoon our time is for you”, said Hoss.
Mitch looked up and reacted dry, “How nice.”
“Mitch, shall we show you how you build a house of cards?”, Joe suggested then.
“Just show me”, said Mitch.
Cody came to lie down near his injured master and got stroked by him.. Hoss got a pack of cards and took them out of it. With great careful the brothers built a house of cards. They were so intensive busy with it that they didn’t even notice that Mitch and Cody had fallen asleep.
“Well Mitch, what do you think of our house?”, Joe asked when the house of cards was ready.
Of course there came no reaction but when the brothers looked at the settee they understood why.
“Dadburnit! We do our very best to build a beautiful house of cards for our nephew and what does his mastership? He falls asleep!”, Hoss said indignant.
He grabbed a blanket and put it over the boy. Joe went to ride a while with Cody.
By evening time Ben and Adam returned home again.
“I am afraid that Mitch has worn my brothers out”, Adam said worried.
“Your brothers are used to quite a lot, said Ben.
“Yes, but babysitting a five year old who is also very busy shall be very heavy for them for sure”, his son answered.
At home Hoss, Joe and Mitch were waiting for the others. Because Mitch had pushed against the table the house of cards had crumbled down so that Hoss and Joe cleared up the cards. Of course their mood was not all too good.
“When Adam asks us one more time to babysit his son we just say no!”, Hoss said looking glum.
“Even if he pays us enough for it. Then we still won’t do it”, was the answer of Joe.
“And when grandpa says it has to?”, asked Mitch.
“Then not even”, answered Joe.
“Besides, your father decides over you and not grandpa”, said Hoss.
Then the door went open and the other Cartwrights came in.
“You are not going to tell about our failed babysit afternoon”, Joe warned.
“No, you may do that”, answered his nephew.
Ben and Adam happened to hear that so they became more curious than they already were.
“Tell us boys, are you ready for kids now?”, Ben asked teasing.
“Well, if they all will became like Mitchy then not”, answered Hoss.
“I have been good all afternoon”, said Mitch.
“I hadn’t expect anything else from my dearest son”, Adam said while he went to sit by him.
“Good! We let show how to build a house of cards and that little one falls asleep.
And while Joe was away with Cody Mitchy pushed against the table so that the house of cards crushed into each other”, said Hoss.
Ben and Adam began to laugh hard whereby Hoss and Joe became even more indignant.
“Hoss and Joe, Mitch is only 5”, said Ben.
The brothers decided to forgive their nephew but they wouldn’t forget this for a long time to come.
A few weeks later.
The Cartwright brothers worked outside on the yard, being watched by Mitch. Like each day he played near the porch. It was lovely weather and Mitch could walk a bit better now his broken ankle was healing.
At a certain moment Adam gave his son a hint to come to him. Mitch rocked on his crutches to him.
Adam whispered to him, “Come on to the barn. Uncle Hoss is busy there with the hay. Shall we tease him?”
He got the approval. Together they walked to the barn where Hoss was busy.
“Hoss, I have to be upstairs for a moment. But Mitch said that the stairs is quite mess-tin. What do you think? Perhaps Joe can do that instead”, said Adam.
“Just let Joe do it then”, said Hoss.
His brother went to Joe and explained him their plan. Of course Joe played it along. He went upstairs and threw by accident some hay upon his brother.
“Look there is the hay man”, Mitch said laughing.
“Did you really had to do that Joe?”, Hoss asked while he took off the hay.
“That was an accident Hoss”, Joe apologized.
Mitch thought the situation was somehow funny and let that notice clearly too. Since the accident on the rocks the boy was laughing again. But he wasn’t the only one. Adam began to laugh too when he saw his brother.
Adam said to Mitch:“Uncle Hoss shall be mad with us for sure.”
“Sure do. Let’s make sure that we get away while it still is possible”, was the answer of Mitch.
They just did that.
Hoss said indignant, “I will get those two yet. They won’t be able to celebrate their birthday when I lay my hands on them!”
“I hope so for you”, Joe said laughing.
In the meantime Adam and Mitch were already inside the ranch house.
Ben heard them laughing out loud asked amazed, “What is there so funny?”
“Well pa, Hoss was busy in the shed when Joe went upstairs and threw some hay upon him. Mitch said then, “Look there is the hay man.” Joe and I thought it was funny but Hoss of course didn’t”, Adam said laughing.
Now Mitch really couldn’t stop laughing anymore. Ben thought it was amusing too.
“Say Mitch, what would you say if we would go and look for a new horse for you tomorrow?”, Ben asked then.
“Alright. I want a white horse again”, said Mitch.
“Why?”, Adam wanted to know.
“Then I name him White Star”, said the boy.
“If there is a white stallion you may have him”, said Ben.
“But you still have Caramel too to ride on”, said Adam.
Mitch thought for a moment and answered then, “Actually I don’t need a new horse when Caramel is still good enough.”
“We still have to go to town tomorrow anyway to remove the plaster from your ankle. After that we can go riding again”, said Adam.
So said, so done.
Paul cut the plaster from the ankle of Mitch and examined it.
“Your ankle has healed well so your boot and walking brace can be worn again”, the doctor said.
Home again Adam saddled Sport and Caramel and Cody too got taken along for a long ride. Mitch hadn’t come over the loss of Whitey yet but now he knew too that animals could die too.