It was almost time again for Ben Cartwright to get new cattle from Arizona. His 2 oldest grandchildren, the twins Mitch and Pam, knew this and had hatched in the deepest secretly a plan to come too this time. The 2 were 14 and worked along at the Ponderosa ranch where they lived too with their family.
One evening Pam asked, “Grandpa, may Mitch and I come too with the upcoming cattle drive?”
Ben looked up because he hadn’t expected this question.
“It is quite heavy for 2 children of 14 years old”, said the rancher.
Mitch supported his sister by saying, “We work here hard too and a lot. Sometimes even more than the hands. When they are playing cards at the sleep house Pam and I are still working.”
His father, Adam Cartwright, answered, “When we are away your help is needed here.”
“To do all the rotten chores which the hands left behind for sure?”, asked Mitch.
“Mitch!”, Adam said on a strict tone.
“It is so, isn’t it?”, Mitch asked a bit fiercer than he actually meant.
“That is so indeed but I don’t want to take a risk with you. Cattle drivers are rough men who often don’t like 14 year olds”, answered Ben.
“We do may try it, don’t we? Then everyone knows if we can handle it or not”, Pam suggested.
Ben got up and walked to his office to get the map of America. He put it down on his desk and called the twins to him.
“This is the border of Nevada and Arizona. I suggest that you travel to here with your father as soon as we are there with the herd. From then you may come with us”, Ben said pointing at the map.
The twins didn’t trust it so that Mitch asked, “Have you cocked up this from before?”
Ben looked at Adam and the latter said, “Pa, it was your idea.”
“Okay. We already had noticed that you wanted to come along. But the trip to and back is too heavy and long for 2 14 year old children. That’s why I decided that from the border between of Nevada and Arizona may come. Deal?”, asked the rancher.
“Deal”, the twins said at the same time.
Adam said, “Time for bed for 2 young cattle drivers. Good night.”
“Goodnight”, the 2 said where after they went upstairs.
The next day George Franklin came to Ben and he asked, “Candy said that with the upcoming cattle drive 2 little ones are coming too. Is that so?”
Candy was Ponderosa ranch foreman Candy Canaday.
The rancher looked at the hand and answered, “The twins are coming to the border between Nevada and Arizona. There they wait for us until we are back with the new cattle.”
“They are far too young for it. If I was you I wouldn’t even take them along”, said George.
“I know Mitch and Pam better than you and that’s why it’s my decision that they are coming. I’m the boss here and the twins are under my responsibility”, reacted the rancher.
He noticed that George didn’t agree with it but wasn’t planned to leave his 2 oldest grandchildren at home. The hand noticed that too and that’s why he went working again.
A bit later on George found the twins at the barn.
“How cozy. May I come and play with you?”, he asked hatefully.
Mitch and Pam didn’t trust the hand.
The oldest of the 2, Mitch, answered, “You just go and play. At least we work.”
George became angry because of this answer, pulled his revolver and shot down the twins. Mitch got hit in his right shoulder and Pam in her left shoulder.
“So, now you have to stay at home”, said the hand.
He walked away laughing and left the 2 to fend for themselves.
After the twins had come over the sudden attack the couple went to the ranch house where the grownups Cartwrights were. That were Ben and his 3 sons Adam, Hoss and Joe. As usual they were discussing the route in the office. All stopped with talking when the twins came inside.
Adam received his children and asked, “What has happened?”
“Hoss, Joe, warn Hop Sing”, Ben said right away.
His 2 youngest sons ran to the kitchen to warn their loyal Chinese cook Hop Sing. He always took care of the wounded at the ranch too.
“We were just at work near the shed when that George Franklin came near. He thought that we were playing. I said that we worked. Then he became angry and shot us down. Before he left he said laughing that we had to stay at home now”, Mitch told while and Pam went to sit down on the settee.
Ben told about his talk with George.
“One of us has to stay at home to look after them. Our wives are staying away for at least 2”, said Adam.
With the wives Adam meant his wife Sally and the wife of Hoss, Betsy who were on vacation to the parents of Betsy in Denver. They had their daughters Lisa and Rose (of Adam and Sally) and Inger and Petra (the daughters of Hoss and Betsy) taken along.
“We draw straws. The one who draws the shortest stays at home”, said Ben.
“Pa, you don’t mind that we deal with George Franklin on behalf of the twins, do you?”, asked Adam.
“No, be my guest. But wait for a second for your brothers. I don’t think that they want to miss the fun”, answered Ben.
Adam nodded and looked how badly injured his children were.
“It’s alright because you only have some graze wounds. Hop Sing will take care of it”, Adam said after the examination.
The cook came already with cloths and water to help the twins.
“Mr Adam, get aside for treatment of Hop Sing”, said the cook.
Adam let Hop Sing go his way and broken up meeting continued.
After he had treated the twins Hop Sing said, “Twins to bed. Chop, chop!”
The 2 ran to their room. Adam and Hoss looked at each other amazed.
“They never go so quickly by me”, said Adam.
“Now you know what you must say”, Hoss advised now laughing.
“Does not work with Mr Adam. Only with Hop Sing”, reacted the cook.
He went to the kitchen chuckling.
The Cartwrights drew straws outside and of course Ben drew the shortest straw.
“Look, pa got the worst of it”, Joe said teasing.
He and his brothers laughed but then their father said, “Now I can spend a lot of time with my grandchildren because they get occupied by you.”
“You mean: now I can spoil them really”, said Hoss.
Ben knew that Hoss was right and asked then, “Didn’t you have to deal with a hand on behalf of the twins, did you?”
“That is true. Hoss, Joe, come on. We have permission to deal with George Franklin”, said Adam.
Adam didn’t have to say this twice of course.
George walked across the yard until he saw the brothers Cartwright Cartwrights. By co-incidence he looked into their direction and he became scared.
“Damn! Now I’m a goner”, he said to himself.
He began to ran fast but made the fatal mistake by looking behind him so that George ran against a big tree and fell on the ground. First the brothers laughed and Candy too but a moment later they ran to it anyway.
Hoss examined him and said, “He is dead.”
“I will go and tell pa”, said Joe.
He ran to the ranch house to tell Ben everything. The rancher didn’t really feel sorry for it. George was not a hard worker but one who caused problems.
Before the brothers went away they said goodbye to the twins.
“You behave yourselves”, Adam said semi-strict.
“Yes daddy. But we always do that”, said Mitch.
Adam sighed because he knew that it was true.
“And that is because you are such a great father for us”, said Pam.
Now Adam didn’t know where he had to look or what to say.
“Boys, you mustn’t praise your father because then he will be too big for his boots”, warned Hoss.
“He doesn’t do that because he already wears his own boots”, his nephew remarked.
Everybody laughed.
Adam kissed the twins and said, “We see you as soon as possible. Rest well, get well and make sure that grandpa isn’t too tired when we are back again.”
“We will. Much fun daddy and good luck with our sweet but often troublesome uncles”, Mitch said on behalf of his sister.
The brothers went downstairs to leave.
“Pa, good luck with the children and don’t spoil them too much. They have us for that”, said Hoss.
“I have the right to spoil them because I’m their grandpa. Have a good trip and behave yourselves. All 3!”, reacted Ben.
The brothers went away laughing.
A bit later on the rancher went to take a look at the twins. By coincidence they were awake. They sat playing cards in bed but stopped with it when Ben came in.
“You have drawn the shortest straw, haven’t you?”, asked Pam.
They knew the method of drawing straws.
“That’s why daddy, uncle Hoss and uncle Joe said goodbye to us. Now grandpa is only bothered by us”, said Mitch.
“But we also by him”, reacted his sister.
They laughed.
“I drew the shortest straw indeed so now I must look after you. And you are really no bother for me. Even though your father and uncles often think about that differently. Shall we ask Hop Sing if he makes delicious meals for us?”, Ben suggested.
“He does that already. But you may try it anyway”, Mitch answered dry.
“I come to take a look later on”, said the rancher.
He left the bedroom and went to the kitchen where Hop Sing was busy.
“Mr Cartwright, how is it with the little ones?”, the cook asked.
“They are quite recovered because they were playing cards in bed when I came in. Would you like to make delicious meals for us as long as my sons and Candy are away?”, was the counter-question of the rancher.
“Of course Hop Sing make delicious things for Mr Cartwright and little Cartwrights”, said the cook.
Satisfied Ben left the kitchen and went ahead with the administration. Now it was silent in the house he had to make good profit of that. Even the shepherd dog Cody at his spot near the open fire place.
By supper time Ben came to look at his apples of his eye again.
“Do you feel good enough to come downstairs to eat?”, asked the rancher.
“If you help us with getting dressed yes”, answered Mitch.
“Of course I help you with it”, said Ben.
A bit later on the Cartwrights went downstairs of which the 2 youngest both had an arm in a sling.
Despite the wound in the shoulders of the twins they had an excellent appetite.
“After supper you go to sleep. If there is anything I will hear it”, said Ben.
“Okay. That means that you have to walk Cody tonight”, said Mitch.
“I know that. But I don’t mind it either”, reacted the rancher.
After supper Mitch and Pam fell fast asleep right away. At least until it began to rain.
“Mitch, do you hear what I hear?”, asked Pam.
Mitch listened and answered, “Rain. And our poor Cody gets walked by a soaked grandpa.”
They both laughed.
Mitch was right because when Ben was walking Cody for the last time that day it began to rain. And quite hard too. Ben and Cody became very wet.
When arriving home Hop Sing asked teasing, “Made a nice walk Mr Cartwright?”
Ben didn’t see the humor of it and groaned something non-hearable. Hop Sing gave 2 towels of which 1 was for Cody.
The rest of the evening and night went quietly at the ranch.
The next morning Ben looked at the twins and he saw that they were still asleep. He closed the door softly and went downstairs.
“Hop Sing, the children are still sleeping. Let them sleep because they need it”, Ben said to the cook.
Hop Sing nodded and brought coffee.
After breakfast the rancher went to work outside. Because he knew that his grandchildren were still sleeping Ben did that in the barn.
By the good caring of Hop Sing and Ben the twins recovered quickly and after a week they were up and about.
“Children are better but still have to take it easy. Order of Hop Sing”, said the cook.
“That will happen Hop Sing”, said Mitch.
He and Pam went downstairs and then outside. They walked to the stables where Ben was working.
“Sis, shall we go fishing?”, Mitch asked out loud on purpose.
“That is alright. Hop Sing probably will prepare a delicious and well filled picnic basket”, answered Pam.
“Shall we ask if that old man there wants to come with us?”, Mitch asked pointing at Ben.
Now Ben looked into their direction and he said, “Of course I go fishing with you. I have promised your father to look good after you and spend a lot of time with you. So….”
Although there was more than plenty of work to be done Ben spent notable much time with the twins. Mitch and Pam didn’t mind that at all of course. That was until the others came home again.