Because it was the turn of foreman Candy Canaday to babysit Mitch, the son of Adam Cartwright, the others could get to work at ease. That were Ponderosa owner Ben Cartwright and his three sons Adam, Hoss and Little Joe. Ben had said to Candy where they would be in case the foreman needed him.
Mitch was five years old and the sweetheart of the Cartwright ranch. Because Candy knew the boy since his birth they had build up a good bond. The foreman had then no objections to babysit Mitch.
At a certain moment Mitch came to Candy with a very urgent question.
“Candy, what is a contract?”, he asked.
“Well, a contract is an appointment on paper between two people who promise each other something. Like: I have promised your grandpa to work for him and he promised me to pay for there for”, Candy explained.
“Would grandpa make a contract with me which says that he will stay my grandpa forever and I am his grandson?”, asked Mitch.
“He has already done that when you were born. But you know what we do? We take the carriage and go to Virginia City. There we visit the lawyer of grandpa and we let make up that that contract”, Candy suggested.
So said, so done.
Candy made the carriage ready and helped the young Cartwright in it. He climbed also in it and together they rode to town.
Candy stopped the carriage in front of the office of attorney Hiram Wood. He got out and lifted Mitch out of it. The horses got hitched where after Candy and Mitch went inside.
“Hello Candy, Mitch. What can I do for you?”, asked Hiram.
“Can you make up a contract for a certain Benjamin Cartwright which says that he is for life the grandpa of the young man and Mitch his grandson?”, asked Candy.
“That is a total different contract than the ones I normally make. But I will do it right away”, said Hiram.
An hour later the contract was ready.
“Mitch, just put your name on the contract”, said Hiram.
With the support of Candy Mitch put his name on the contract.
“Now your grandpa must sign. Then it is legal”, said Hiram.
“We bring it straight away to Mr Cartwright”, said the foreman.
In the meantime the Cartwrights were working hard.
“Pa, do you know for sure that it is a good idea to let Candy babysit Mitch?”, asked Hoss.
“Why? Are you doubting the safety of your nephew?”, asked the rancher.
“More the safety of the house”, reacted Little Joe.
“Candy won’t let my son do stupid things anyway. Like playing bull in the house like some do”, Adam remarked.
Hoss and Little Joe didn’t react to it but watched with angry looks at their brother.
“Candy doesn’t mind to babysit Mitch. And Mitch is fond of Candy”, said Ben.
At that moment Candy and Mitch came riding to them.
“Look Mitch, they call that now working hard”, the foreman said teasing.
“Then is your work today much funnier”, Mitch reacted out loud on purpose.
They laughed which attracted the attention of the others. Candy stopped the carriage and helped Mitch out of it. The little boy ran straight to his father who received him laughing.
“Have you been good?”, he asked.
“Yes, we have been to town to make a contract for grandpa. I have already signed”, said Mitch.
Now everyone looked at Candy and Mitch.
“What sort of contract?”, Ben asked worried.
“Maybe that Candy is now the boss of the Ponderosa”, Hoss suggested.
“If that is so then you must work much harder than you can”, Candy replied quick-witted.
He gave the contract to Ben who read it right away. Adam, Hoss and Little Joe read along and couldn’t stop laughing anymore. But Ben too saw the humorous side of it.
“Candy, give me a pencil. Then I will sign it”, said the rancher.
He signed and gave the contract and pencil back to Candy.
“Mitch, now we have a contract for life. I am forever your grandpa and you are my grandson”, said Ben.
“Fine. It is only a pity that I have two of those trouble-some uncles”, said Mitch.
He kept silent for a moment and continued then, “But I do have a marvelous daddy!”
Of course Hoss and Little Joe were not pleased with this but Adam naturally was.
By the contract for life the family bond between Ben and Mitch became even closer than it already was.