For two weeks Ponderosa owner Ben Cartwright was appointed again as judge of Virginia City. He had done this before but that was a long time ago.
A week after his appointing as judge the eldest son of Ben, Adam, came home from vacation. Of course the eleven year old twins Mitch and Pam were with him. It was quiet at the ranch because only the Chinese cook Hop Sing was there.
“Hop Sing, where are pa, Hoss and Joe?”, asked Adam.
“Mr Cartwright being judge in Virginia City and your brothers deputy”, said the cook.
The twins heard that and couldn’t stop laughing anymore.
“Our uncles are deputy? Then they surely come quickly in the nick”, laughed Mitch.
“For what then?”, Adam wanted to know.
“For just pretending like they controlling the law”, his daughter answered laughing.
“Kids, we go to town”, Adam said smiling.
They went outside and grabbed the wagon so that their dog Cody could come along as well.
“Mitch, keep Cody on the leash in town because it is very busy there”, said Adam.
Mitch nodded and leash along. Cody got put on the wagon and the twins climbed on it themselves. Adam climbed on the box and they went to Virginia City.
Adam stopped by the court hall and said, “Mitch and Pam, from now on Cody stays on the leash.”
“Understood daddy”, Mitch said on behalf of his sister.
He put on the leash and jumped off the wagon, followed by Pam and Cody. Adam came off the wagon and hitched the horses. The foursome wanted go into the court hall but got stopped by Hoss.
“No one may go in”, said Hoss.
“Hoss, it’s me your brother Adam with the twins”, Adam answered amazed.
“Nothing to do with that because I have order to leave nobody in as long as the court case is busy”, Hoss said determined.
“Which court case?”, Adam asked seriously.
“Guess the one against uncle Joe because he pretended to be a deputy?”, Mitch asked dry.
He, his father and sister laughed by his uncle couldn’t leave a smile.
“Certainly not Mitchy! It is against that drunk of a Greg Miller. He was bothering the ladies of the ladies society during their walk through town”, answered Hoss.
“And so now grandpa must give him punishment like daddy tries to do with us?”, asked Pam.
“Indeed”, said Adam.
The brothers noticed that the twins found it interesting.
“Say guys, how was the vacation?”, Hoss asked to change the subject.
“Great. Daddy has shown us a lot of San Francisco”, answered Pam.
“We even have been toe notorious area where grandpa one was caught to go to Hong Kong. Cousin 3 told us that”, Mitch told outspoken.
Hoss looked at is brother astonished.
“Adam, I wouldn’t tell pa this if he asks you what you have done with them”, he said.
“If I keep silent about it they will tell it”, Adam reacted looking at the twins.
Hoss looked at the children and thought the same thing as his brother did.
“Kids, why don’t you go eat an ice cream with Cody in the coffeehouse?”, asked Adam.
“Alright. Come Cody”, said Mitch.
Adam gave the twins some money.
“Was that Miller chasing Vera Stone?”, he asked out of curiosity.
“Well, actually she was chasing him. Miller had nicked her parasol. He pinched with the point in her backside and he did that too by the other ladies”, Hoss said laughing.
Adam found it also laughable. He didn’t like Vera stone very much either.
In the coffeehouse the twins and Cody were eating their ice cream when Joe came in.
“Hi uncle Joe. Have you finally found your calling?”, Mitch asked when the deputy had come to them.
“I just do his as long as grandpa is judge. Your father is in town for sure, isn’t he?”, Joe asked on is turn.
“He is with uncle Hoss at the court hall. We weren’t even allowed to go in to see grandpa”, said Pam.
“You may only be in the court hall if you are involved with the case which gets treated then. When the case is over grandpa surely will tell you everything about what happens inside”, answered her uncle.
The twins at each other and they wanted that. Quickly they ate their ice cream and they went to the court hall.
Meanwhile in the court hall.
Ben said, “As first Mr Miller gets the word.”
The suspect took place on the seat of the witness.
“Mr Miller, why have you stolen the parasol of Mrs Stone?”, asked the judge.
“I haven’t nicked that thing at all. She had left it somewhere and I just wanted to return it.
But because I rather love a lot of alcohol madam didn’t want to do anything with me. But despite my love for booze still a gentleman and wanted to give back the parasol. The ladies though ran away when I came with the parasol. To attract their attention anyway I pinched them with the parasol in their backside. Then the sheriff arrested me”, answered Gary.
“You may step down”, said Ben.
Gary got up and went back to his seat.
“I now call up Vera Stone”, said Ben.
Stately Vera walked to the witness place and sat down.
“I find it a big disgrace to be here. I have a good name and statue in Virginia City”, she said.
“We know that but now I want to hear your version”, said Ben.
“The Ladies Society made a nice stroll through town when Mr Miller came after us with my parasol. Of course he had stolen it when I had left it behind. He also hurt our tender behinds”, said Vera.
She tried to look as sad as possible but that failed. After all Vera was a snob of the top level. All present except the ladies had to do a lot of trouble not to state laughing. That went for Ben too.
He recovered himself quickly and said, “I know enough to give a convict about this case. Mrs Stone , you may step down.”
Vera stood up humiliated and went back to her place.
Ben spoke, “Hereby I declare Mr Gary Miller innocent form bothering Mrs Vera Stone and her ladies. But I give him the warning to stay away from the ladies for good. This case is closed.”
He knocked with the hammer on his desk.
Gary called, “From now I only keep myself bus with saloon girls because at least they have sense of humor. The first round is on me.”
The men followed Gary to the Silver Dollar Saloon. Vera and her friends quickly rushed out of the court hall. Adam and Hoss had to keep the twins and Cody firmly tight when the doors of the court house went open.
“Well Adam, I think the court case is over”, said Hoss.
The children heard this and sneaked inside with their dog. Ben just wanted to go into his office when he saw his grandchildren and dog coming.
“Grandpa! We are home again”, called Mitch.
The rancher received them with open arms. Cody too got a greeting.
“Uncle Hoss said that you had become judge. Do you know that uncle Hoss and uncle Joe have become deputies?”, asked Pam.
“I that indeed because I have appointed them myself. Roy and Clem are away and that’s why your uncles must control the law”, answered the rancher.
“You mean: trying to control”, his grandson reacted laughing.
Ben nodded.
Then Pam wanted to know, “Grandpa, why are you actually wearing a dress?”
“Well Pam and Mitch, this is not a dress but a toga. All judges in the world wear this when they have to be in the court hall”, answered Ben.
He gave the children a grand tour through the court house and noticed that they found it interesting.
“Grandpa, you do come home again, don’t you?”, asked Pam.
“Of course I come home. But I must do this job for another week and then it is over. Then I return again to the ranch and we go fishing again”, said Ben.
“That will take so long yet”, reacted Mitch.
Ben knew that his grandson had no sense of time and said, “Mitchell, Because you have been away to San Francisco and haven’t told me about it I want that you together make a book about your vacation. You get a week the time to make it. When I am home again I want to read it.”
“Deal”, Mitch said on behalf of his sister.
Though Ben didn’t know yet what his eldest son had told them. Then Adam and Hoss came in.
“Hello pa. Have you found a new job?”, asked Adam.
“Yes, and we are now the boss at the Ponderosa”, said Mitch.
The brothers looked worried at each other and feared the worst.
“Kids, you go home with your father and Cody and make the assignment which I have given you”, said the rancher.
The twins nodded. They walked along with Adam and Cody to go home again.
“Adam, in a week’s time I am home again with your brothers so enjoy the peace and quiet at the ranch”, Ben said to Adam.
“I will remember that”, his son said smiling.
They left the court hall.
Although the twins didn’t see their beloved grandpa for a whole week they still were proud as a peacock that their grandpa was a judge in Virginia City was. But Ben hoped too that the week would gone by quickly so that he could spoil his grandchildren again. The rancher had resolved himself one thing: he wouldn’t accept this job again as long as he had grandchildren who needed him and he them.