For a long time Adam Cartwright sat waiting. Because he knew that Abigail Jones was teaching he stayed at safe distance. The teacher still was madly in love with the eldest Cartwright boy but he already had given his heart away to the (step)mother Sally of his children, Mitch, Pam and Rose.
From the rock Adam had a good view at the school which was built just outside of Virginia City. He knew when the school went but now it already had been that time and still the school was closed.
In the class asked Abigail, “Our school is chosen to join in a baseball tournament. Anyone fancy to join in?”
Mitch Cartwright said direct, “Miss Jones, I am in.”
“Me too”, his twin sister Pam said.
“Girls are not going to play baseball. That is only for boys”, snapped Trudy Willis.
“That doesn’t matter because it is about the school and not if the team exists out of only boys or girls”, answered Abigail.
“Well Trudy, you and your brother can enter that tournament anyway”, said Mitch.
“How then? I am not going to play baseball”, Trudy said stately.
“A ball player must hit the ball away with a bat. And there we need you and your brother for”, answered the young Cartwright.
The whole class except the Willis children and Abigail laughed.
“That is enough, Mitchell Jonathan Cartwright! It is voluntary to join. Just think about it and ask at home if you may join. Then I hear it tomorrow. See you tomorrow”, said the teacher.
The children rushed out of the school.
Walking to their horses Mitch said, “Sis, I know for sure that daddy will help us training with the team.”
“Missy Ab surely would like that”, reacted Pam.
“But not mom”, answered Mitch.
They mounted on and rode to the rock where their father was still sat waiting.
“Why are you so late?”, Adam asked while he mounted on his horse.
“Missy Ab came with the announcement that our school may enter a baseball tournament. We already have signed up for it”, told Mitch.
“Will you train us?”, Pam asked hopeful.
“I would like to do it but I am afraid that your mother won’t like it very much. Especially because Miss Jones shall be there too”, reacted Adam.
“She is counting on it for sure that you will become the coach”, Mitch said laughing.
“That is something that I shall have to discuss with your mother”, said Adam.
“You would make the teacher very happy anyway with it”, his daughter reacted.
“And your mother utterly miserable”, was the answer of Adam where by the twins knew for sure that their father wouldn’t help them.
“At least you can discuss it with her?”, Mitch asked begging.
His sister too looked begging at her father.
“Alright then. You win”, Adam said finally.
Satisfied they rode home.
Meanwhile Abigail walked home and she got a marvelous idea. ‘Why don’t I persuade Adam Cartwright to coach the children for the baseball team? His children are thrilled with him and baseball. Besides they are very good at it too.’ The idea gave Abigail a good feeling. She knew though that Adam was very happily married but she couldn’t care less.
At the Ponderosa Sally stood waiting for her husband and children.
“Sorry darling that we are so late but Missy Ab kept the class up by starting about that her school enters a baseball tournament. And two of her students want that I am going to coach the team”, Adam said while he dismounted.
“It is alright because I love to wait for you eagerly”, answered Sally.
Adam kissed his wife passionately.
“You just go and coach that team because I do know that you stay by me. What that Abigail Jones tries to”, said Sally.
“Don’t you worry because I really won’t leave you and the kids for her. In case she might think that”, Adam assured her.
“If you try it then you just take the children along. Then she is bored with you right away”, warned Sally.
Adam knew enough.
That evening the Cartwrights got a visit. The children were all sleeping so only the adults were in the living room.
Abigail Jones came straight to the point by saying to Ponderosa ranch owner Ben Cartwright, “I come for Adam Cartwright!”
“Come in, Miss Jones”, said the rancher.
Abigail came inside and saw not only Adam and his wife but also their relatives Hoss and Little Joe and Betsy who belonged to Hoss.
“Adam, I came to ask if you want to train the youth baseball team for that tournament”, said Abigail.
“I want to but at 1 condition”, said Adam.
“And dat is?”, the teacher wanted to know.
“That the kids train at my way. Eventually with the help of my brothers”, the eldest Cartwright boy answered.
Abigail swallowed because she hadn’t expected this. Though she gave in.
“That is alright”, she said.
“Have a pleasant evening Miss Jones”, said Adam.
Abigail left heavily insulted the ranch house and went back home. Hoss, Joe and Candy wanted to help eagerly with the training of the kids.
Adam said, “I can use your help very well. Especially when Missy Ab stays around.”
“Because you train the team she will fall in love more with you”, Hoss said laughing.
“Can that be more then?”, Joe asked teasing.
“Tomorrow after school we are going to handle the kids”, said Adam.
The brothers and Candy stood near the school waiting for the children.
“Children, I have good news about our baseball team. There has been found a coach in the person of Adam Cartwright”, said Abigail.
Mitch and Pam looked at each other amazed.
“Gees, then he may do it of mom”, said Mitch.
“Than you get favorite to us anyway”, said George.
“That really won’t happen”, reacted Pam.
“We now go outside to train”, said the teacher.
In a jiffy everyone was outside.
“Sis, our uncles are there too”, said Mitch.
“Then we surely have enough bats”, Pam remarked.
“Kids, come over here”, called Adam.
The children came and sat down by him.
“We are going to train seriously. First you go running two rounds around the school yard”, said Adam.
The children ran around the school yard.
After the warming-up Adam said, “Everyone gets a chance to play himself into the team. One by one you pitch a few balls to Hoss. He is the catcher.”
Hoss took in his position and got each student in front of him. Adam noticed quite soon who wanted to play and who didn’t. Abigail was watching and saw that too. To her big relief Cartwright twins wanted to play so that Abigail had no bother of them.
Soon Adam had the team together.
“We only need a catcher. Chipper, come here”, he said to a friend of Mitch.
The boy came and looked at the coach questionable.
“Mitch, you pitch a ball to Chipper. Chipper, you catch the ball”, said Adam.
The friends did that and it was the perfect combination. George saw that and became white-hot. He rushed to Adam.
“Mr Cartwright, why may that lad catch and I don’t? I am much better anyway”, said George.
“Chipper shows interest to play and you don’t so the choice isn’t so difficult”, answered Adam.
George went into the school building and got lessons, just like his sister and their friends.
Each day there was training and Adam had a lot of faith in the team. So everyone was looking forward to the tournament. Satisfied Adam sat watching how the children were playing baseball. Without any trouble he could pick out the two most talented players.
On an afternoon midday sat Abigail was thinking at home. Although it was her plan to start with the baseball team and snare Adam Cartwright as coach but it went totally different that she had expected and thought. She hoped that he would be more with her. But his wife Sally was there all the time. She stood their happiness in the way. Though the guilty feeling became bigger by Abigail. She plucked up the courage and went to the ranch.
At the yard the Cartwrights were talking about the upcoming tournament.
“We are going to win anyway because we just are the best”, said Mitch.
“You certainly are. But there could be teams which can be even better”, said Hoss.
“Would you think?”, asked Pam.
Her big uncle nodded. Then they saw Abigail coming.
“Is she coming for us or for our coach?”, asked Mitch.
“Knowing her she will come to see your father”, answered Joe.
Abigail stopped her carriage and got out.
“Hello everyone. Is Adam there too?”, she asked.
“He is inside”, said Hoss.
The teacher went straight inside.
“Adam, can I see you for a moment? It is very important”, she said coming straight to the point.
“Of course. What is the matter?”, he asked.
“I have lied to you”, Abigail confessed right away.
“How do you mean?”, Adam asked amazed.
“There is no baseball tournament organized at all. I just made it up to be more with you. But I hadn’t counted on that your wife would be there. There is already another teacher and I leave after I have explained it to the children tomorrow. I am sorry”, said Abigail.
“So you not only have cheated to me but also lied to the children? They trusted you and you have abused that. Don’t think that the kids will forgive you. Mine won’t anyway. If they like I keep on coaching them because they like it and so do I. Now get lost before Sally comes home”, reacted Adam.
Abigail disappeared and it was for good right away.
Although the tournament didn’t go through Adam remained playing baseball with the kids and they soon got over the disappointment.