Like each day Mitch Cartwright played at the yard of the Ponderosa where he and his family lived. Near him was playing and guarding the young shepherd dog Cody.
Suddenly a cowboy came towards the twosome.
“Sir, you may not come here”, Mitch said directly.
“I do. Does a certain Candy Canaday work here?”, asked the cowboy.
“Yes, but he is away. Who are you?”, the young Cartwright asked on his turn.
“Walter Jones”, said the cowboy.
He didn’t like it that Mitch asked so many questions. Cody didn’t trust the visitor and stayed for that reason near his little master.
“What are you doing here?”, Mitch wanted to know.
“That’s none of your business”, snapped Walter.
“This is of the Cartwrights and not of you. What do you want from Candy?”, was the next question of the boy.
Walter began to get bored with Mitch that he grabbed his rifle and shot the boy down. Mitch got hit in his left underarm. Walter made sure that he got away but Cody came after him.
“Cody!”, called Mitch.
The shepherd dog returned at once to his little master.
“Go and get uncle Hoss. He is inside”, said Mitch.
He got up but fell down again. Cody ran to the ranch house and scratched heavily at the front door.
In the ranch house Hoss Cartwright was reading the newspaper when he heard the scratching at the door.
“Dadburnit”, he said.
The newspaper got folded up and Hoss went to the front door.
“What is it this time?”, he asked when he opened the door.
Cody barked hard and fierce and jumped up to the second son of Ben Cartwright.
“Easy Cody. Down”, said Hoss.
Then he saw his nephew of three lying. He ran to him directly and looked at him.
“Mitchy, what has happened?”, Hoss asked while he lifted him up.
“A cowboy wanted to see Candy and suddenly he shot me down. He is called Walter Jones”, answered Mitch.
Hoss carried him to the kitchen where Hop Sing, the cook of the Cartwright family, was busy. Hoss put Mitch on the kitchen table and looked then keen at the pile sandwiches.
Hop Sing said directly, “Mr. Hoss, no sandwiches before little Mitch is treated!”
Hoss was disappointed but did remain by his nephew. Hop Sing took care of the wound where by the young Cartwright set up a good cry. Now Mitch happened to have a clear voice but at that moment everyone in Nevada could enjoy the screaming of the young Cartwright. After the treatment Hoss put Mitch on the settee where after they waited for the arrival of the others.
After a while Ponderosa owner Ben Cartwright and his youngest son Little Joe came home. They noticed directly that there was a whole lot at the matter was. Father and son dismounted and ran inside.
The rancher saw the bandage around the arm of Mitch and asked, “Hoss, what has happened to Mitch?”
“An unknown cowboy named Walter Jones came here and shot down Mitchy a moment later. Where is Adam?”, asked Hoss.
“He is on his way home. As soon as he is we go after that man”, answered Ben.
He went to sit by his grandson.
“Grandpa, Hop Sing has made a big pile of bread. But uncle Hoss didn’t may pick one of it”, said Mitch.
“I think that you might do that. Especially now you are injured”, said Ben.
At that moment Hop Sing came in with a big dish with sandwiches.
He put the dish on the little table and said, “Enjoy meal.”
“Thank you Hop Sing”, Ben said where after the cook went back to the kitchen.
In a little time the dish was completely empty.
“Hoss and Joseph, you prepare the horses for leaving. I stay by Mitch until Adam comes”, said the rancher.
So said, so done.
Adam came riding and saw everyone standing near the porch.
“What is going on? Has the Easter Bunny changed into Santa?”, he asked cheerful.
“Wish that was. Mitch got shot down by a cowboy at the yard. The sniper escaped. We go after him but had to wait for your arrival”, Little Joe said seriously.
“Why?”, Adam asked amazed but shocked too at the same time.
“Because Mitchy is your son and he needs you the hardest”, answered Hoss.
Adam dismounted and hitched Sport. Here after Adam went inside the ranch house where Ben was busy with Mitch.
“Grandpa goes away to find that cowboy. Daddy will babysit you while we are away”, the rancher said to Mitch who laid on the settee.
“Alright”, the toddler just said.
“Are you taking Cody along or not?”, Adam asked when entering.
“Yes. Maybe he can smell or find the track better than we can”, said Ben.
Adam agreed reluctantly.
“I had rather kept Cody here to keep Mitch company but I shall do it myself then”, he said.
Mitch got another kiss of Ben where after he and Adam got left behind.
“Mitch, my horse needs to be taken care of. Would you like to help me with that?”, asked Adam.
Mitch nodded. They got up and walked outside. For the security Adam put on his belt so he had his revolver by hand. Adam put his son on Sport and together they walked to the stable.
“Daddy, may I a horse too?”, the boy asked.
“When you are four. So that is next year”, said Adam.
Mitch nodded and stroke Sport.
What nobody knew was that Walter had hid himself in the stable. He quickly hid when he heard two voices. Adam noticed that there was danger lying on the look-out. He signed to Mitch to be deadly silent. Adam drew his revolver and his son made himself small on the back of Sport.
By entering the Cartwrights felt the pressure hanging. Adam brought his horse to his spot and lifted his son from it. Exactly at that Walter appeared.
“Now I have two Cartwrights for the price of 1”, Walter laughed.
“He shot at me”, said Mitch.
“I did that indeed. But I didn’t do it good enough because you are still alive”, answered the outlaw.
“If you kill him I do the same to you”, Adam said cool.
“Don’t make me laugh. You Cartwrights all have a big mouth and think that you may do everything. And only because the ranch”, snapped Walter.
“You happen to have a big mouth too”, Mitch remarked.
Adam could appreciate the remark but Walter didn’t. He grabbed his rifle and gave a smack with it to the youngest Cartwright. Adam didn’t think any further and blew Walter away to the other world. Adam put his revolver back in the holster and picked up his son. Together they walked back to the ranch house where Hop Sing was already looking for them.
“Mr. Adam, what has happened to little Mitch?”, the cook asked worried.
“That outlaw who shot down him earlier on the day had hid himself in the stable. He confronted us and after a remark of this one here he hit him. I gave him a portion of blue beans”, answered Adam.
They went inside where Mitch woke up.
“Kid, you can be at ease because that cowboy is dead”, said Adam.
“I was so scared that he would shot me down again”, Mitch said slowly.
“Boy, we will do everything to protect you. This is your home and none of us want that you grow up in fear”, answered his father.
A while later the others came home because Cody had found the track of Walter and that had led to the stable. That way the other Cartwrights had found the body of Walter.
Ben asked, “That must be that cowboy who took Mitch in. But where are Adam and Mitch?”
“The horse of Adam stands here so maybe they are inside”, Hoss suggested.
They went to the ranch house where Adam and Mitch already were.
Adam told everything that had happened where after Hoss and Little Joe brought the body of Walter to Virginia City. Adam noticed that the whole happening had a great effect on his young son because the boy looked constantly at the front door. But Mitch now also knew that his family would always be there for him. No matter what would happen.