While their father Adam Cartwright and grandpa Ben Cartwright were at the bank for business Mitch Cartwright (11) and his sister Pam (also 11) played at the market square with their friends. Suddenly there sounded a shot whereby Mitch got hit in his left ankle. His dog Cody ran at once to the bank. He barked so hard that Ben and Adam came into action.
“There is something with the twins”, said Ben.
They ran to the market square where Mitch was sitting with Pam by him.
Adam kneeled down by his children and asked, “Cody came to get us. What has happened?”
“We were just playing when I got hit in my ankle”, answered Mitch.
“I saw Trevor Franklin with a pistol in his hands”, said Pam.
“Trevor Franklin? He is 11, just as old as you are”, Ben said amazed.
“I go with Mitch to the doctor. Pam, you stay with grandpa”, said Adam.
His daughter nodded and helped her brother up. Adam supported Mitch to the doctor. Cody went along.
Meanwhile Sheriff Roy Coffee had heard about the shooting too and came to put the affairs in order. Pam told what had happened.
“Trevor Franklin shot at your brother? He is the son of the president of the school board”, Roy said when he heard who had shot at Mitch.
“His father has made that the twins aren’t welcome anymore at school”, said Ben.
“They are not welcome anymore at school indeed. Not now and not never”, spoke then Dean Franklin.
He was the father of Trevor and had a great hate towards the Cartwrights.
“Is the reason that your son show down my grandson?”, was the question of Ben.
“Your grandchildren may not play on the market square here in Virginia City at all”, answered Dean.
He got many amazed and questionable looks so he was forced to give an explanation, “You Cartwrights don’t live in Virginia City. So those children of yours may not play here either. Trevor lives here so he is allowed to.”
“How ridiculous”, reacted Ben.
Dean went ahead with his argument, “Ben, your grandson reads even worse than a 6 year old child. He keeps the whole class up.”
Then Pam defended her brother by saying, “He can’t help that. Trevor always pesters him with that while he always cribs by another.”
Now Dean looked at her.
“He doesn’t do that. He is not like you Cartwrights”, he said fierce.
“Dean, where is your son?”, Roy asked before it would get out of hand.
“I sent him home”, answered Dean.
He knew how the Cartwrights were and also that his son was in trouble.
That’s why Dean changed his tactic by saying, “Mitch was just pestering Trevor. He bragged about how well he can throw a ball. Trevor wanted to teach him a lesson.”
“Mitch didn’t pester him at all. It was just the other way around and only because Mitch is lame”, reacted Pam.
“That is another reason why especially he may not come in Virginia City anymore”, answered Dean.
He walked away, convinced of his victory on the Cartwrights. Pam looked worried from Ben to Roy and back.
“Pam, don’t worry. You may come here for sure”, said de sheriff.
Meanwhile Adam and Mitch had arrived at doctor Paul Martin. Cody waited outside. The boy had told everything what had happened.
Doc said, “I will have to remove the bullet.”
Adam took off the boot and walking brace. Mitch didn’t let notice that he was in pain whereby the operation was quickly over.
“Mitch, try not to walk on your injured ankle”, said Doc.
The youngest Cartwright nodded. He and Adam picked up Cody op and went to Ben and Pam. They told about the confrontation with Dean Franklin. Or course Adam was not pleased with this either. He didn’t like Dean either but never let that show.
“You stay here waiting for us. We have to handle a few business at the bank. It will last no more than an hour”, said Ben.
The twins nodded. Ben and Adam went again to the bank. Mitch sat down and looked at Pam.
“I hate that Trevor Franklin”, he said.
“Me too”, said Pam.
Cody barked like he wanted to say, “I hate that Trevor Franklin too.”
The twins stroke him laughing.
Dean said to Trevor in the living room, “You should have shot dead that lad of Cartwright, not injured lightly.”
“He was too far away from me. It was a dummy”, answered Trevor.
“Nonsense. You go back to the market square and deal with those miserable Cartwrights!”, Dean said stern.
“You do it yourself”, said his son.
Dean looked stern at his son and the boy gave in. Trevor went back to the market square where the Cartwright twins and Cody still were.
“What have I heard now?”, asked Trevor.
“What have you heard?”, Mitch asked on his turn.
“You have gotten a ban to be here in Virginia City. Your ranch is bigger than the market square so go play there. And take that flea beast along”, answered Trevor.
Pam gave Cody unnoticed a sign where after the dog walked up to Trevor and sniffed at him. Trevor shook very and wanted to run away but tripped over Cody. The twins laughed and the other children who were there saw it too.
“Cody, you finally have got rid of all your fleas because Trevor has them now”, said Mitch.
Their enemy ran away quickly.
“Cody never has have fleas, hasn’t he?”, asked Jenny Wilkins.
She was a friend of the twins.
“No, but it is funny to tease that Trevor though”, answered Pam.
Jenny thought that too. Cody was the hero and got pampered by everyone. The dog liked it that he got all the attention now.
“Soon he doesn’t want to go back to the ranch”, whispered Pam.
“In that case uncle Hoss has more to eat. Then he can get the food of Cody too”, answered her brother.
They laughed. Hoss was their big uncle with a great love for food.
Trevor ran to the office of the sheriff to complain about the Cartwright twins. The boy hoped to find Roy Coffee but only deputy Clem Foster was present.
“Deputy, you must shoot that dog of the Cartwrights. I stood talking when eh suddenly attacked me. I just could escape from my very untimely death”, said Trevor.
Clem looked at him and asked, “Cody just attacked you?”
“Yes, he did that indeed”, answered Trevor.
“He just attacked you?”, asked Clem.
The boy nodded.
“How come then that your clothes are completely in 1 piece? Cody only bites through clothes. Do you happen to know how Mitch Cartwright is now walking on crutches?”, asked Clem.
Trevor shrugged carelessly his shoulders and gave as answer, “That lad always has been crippled. Maybe he must use them for good.”
Clem said, “I ran into the twins earlier this afternoon and then there was nothing wrong with Mitch yet. Now there is. There are witnesses that you shot him. I have a nice resting spot where you are safe for little dogs.”
Trevor walked along and got locked up in a cell.
Dean began to wonder where his son remained. Finally he went back to the market square. There it had become a bit more quiet because most children had gone home. He didn’t see his son anywhere and went then to the office of the sheriff.
“Deputy, is my son here?”, asked Dean.
“Yes, and he stays here. He shot down Mitch Cartwright”, answered Clem.
“Trevor had to shoot him dead but didn’t so that. So now I will have to do that”, said Dean.
He wanted to go away but then Trevor escaped out of the cell. Dean knocked out Clem and with his son he ran outside. At that moment Ben and Adam came outside.
“Adam, go to the twins. I look how it is with Clem”, said Ben.
His son nodded. He ran to his children and saw that they were being held under gunshot by father and son Franklin. Cody barked fierce.
“Cartwright, call your beast back. Otherwise you can give your children a funeral”, called Dean.
He had just called this or Cody attacked Trevor. Hereby Pam could get away. Trevor began to scream like a sucking pig. Mitch grabbed a crutch and hit Dean with it. Hereby Dean left Mitch alone. By the commotion Dean took Trevor for Pam and he shot him dead. Pam and Cody looked for cover and Mitch crawled to his father. Adam pulled his son near him and protected him. Dean shot now at Adam and Mitch but missed. Adam saw chance to shoot him dead and did that too. Pam and Cody ran to him.
“It’s over. We do have to tell the sheriff what has happened. After that we go home”, said Adam.
Pam got the crutches for Mitch so that they could give their testimony to the sheriff.
An hour later the Cartwrights finally could go again to their loyal ranch.