THE ATTACK

It was the night of October 12 1871. Somewhere at the de Ponderosa in the area of the ranch house. Buck Taylor was the gang leader who filled his days with killing wives and children of rich men. His accomplices were his younger brothers Clark and Jim.

“There live the Cartwrights. They have a female housekeeper and two small children. We are going to keep them hostage and just before the Cartwrights come home we kill all three of them”, Buck laughed mean.

“Then they will kill us. You know how merciless they are”, Jim said sultry.

“Are you a Taylor or a sissy?”, Buck asked mocking.

“You know that I am your brother and a Taylor as well”, Jim snapped.

“So”, Buck said.

They gave their horses the spurs and rode towards the big ranch house.

The Cartwrights, Candy and Griff King, the ranch hand , were in Virginia City for an important meeting of cattle owners. Mary Cartwright, the wife of Adam and mother of Mitch and Lisa, the youngest Cartwrights, was alone at home with the children and the shepherd dog called Cody. Because Hop Sing had gone to San Francisco for urgent family business was Mary forced to take over the household tasks. This was no objection for her as she did it already.

Mary was busy when she happen to look out of the kitchen window and saw that they were getting some visitors. The young woman didn’t recognize the cowboys and suspected trouble. Quickly she walked to the living room where Mitch played with Cody. Lisa was sleeping upstairs.

“Mitch, I warn you already from before because we get unwanted company of three cowboys. As soon as it gets serious you send Cody away for support”, Mary said.

Mitch nodded and played on quietly but alert. Mary went back to the kitchen.

The Taylor brothers stopped their horses and dismounted. Buck walked to the kitchen door and went inside, followed by Jim. Clark stayed outside for a moment to see if no one was coming.

“So, you are a pretty thing to me”, Buck said smiling when he saw Mary.

“Go away creep”, Mary said fierce.

She tried to resist him but that failed. Buck kissed her on her mouth and pushed her then against the stove. She got rescued because Cody came into the kitchen and attacked the man. Mary knocked him dead. Jim knocked her out. Cody kept on groaning against him. This one ignored him and entered the dining room where nobody was. Mitch kept himself quiet but the outlaw saw him anyway. Cody followed the outlaw.

“Well, we have eliminated him at once. A crippled lad”, Jim laughed.

“You may not come here”, Mitch said directly.

“Bullshit. I come wherever I want and you have nothing to say about me. I live here now and you must get lost with that dog”, Jim said.

“Get lost yourself. You ain’t no Cartwright and we are”, Mitch replied sturdy.

Jim hit him in the face where after Cody bit at the outlaw and groaned at him. The front door went open and Clark came in. Cody ran away at once to get help.

“Everything is quiet outside”, Clark said.

“Here inside too. That lad has a far too big mouth for his age. But we will unlearn him that”, Jim laughed.

He kicked on purpose to the right ankle of Mitch. The boy grabbed it at once and moaned of the pain. He knocked the boy unconscious with the barrel of his rifle.

“Boys, our job is done for today. Let’s get out of here”, Clark said.

They made sure that they got away.

Suddenly Cody ran into Griff and Candy. The shepherd dog began to bark loud.

“That is Cody. Where are the kids?”, Griff asked.

“Home with Mary. Where else?”, Candy asked on his turn.

Cody kept on barking and wanted to go back home. The two friends understood the dog.

“You go home with Cody. I warn the others”, the foreman said.

Griff took Cody to the ranch and suspected trouble when they entered the yard. Griff dismounted and walked with the dog to the front door. He opened it and went inside.

Slowly Mitch woke up but he couldn’t get up. He could sit and that is what he did. Again the boy felt his injured ankle. He looked at Griff. This one helped Mitch up.

“Mitch, is everything alright?”, the ranch hand asked.

“No, nothing is alright. A few outlaws just came in here dropping in”, Mitch said upset.

Griff went after his intuition and visited the kitchen. Near the stove he found Mary lying and also the body of Buck. Mitch had come nearer limping and saw Mary lying as well.

Candy reached soon Virginia City and went to look for the Cartwrights. He found Hoss and Little Joe in the Silver Dollar Saloon.

“Hoss, Joe, go home because something is very well wrong there. Griff and I ran into Cody without the kids and/or Mary. Griff and Cody are home and I came here. Where are Adam and Mr Cartwright?”, the foreman asked.

“They may absolutely not to be disturbed during that meeting”, Little Joe said.

“I thought that Adam was disturbed sometimes”, Candy remarked dry.

All three laughed.

“I warn them. You better go home now”, Hoss said.

Each went their own way.

Hoss knocked at the door of the meeting room of the International House. A man answered and was very amazed to see Hoss.

“Are my Pa and brother in there?”, Hoss asked.

“Yes, but I won’t deliver any messages. It is a very close meeting”, the man said.

“I have nothing to do with that”, Hoss said while he pushed the man roughly aside.

Everybody looked at the visitor. Ben and Adam looked at each other with amazing. The eldest got up and walked towards Hoss, followed by Adam.

“Hoss Cartwright, I thought that I had been clear. Apparently not. What is it that you come to disturb the meeting now?”, Ben asked strict.

“There is something at the ranch. Candy and Griff ran into Cody but without Mitchy”, Hoss said within one breath.

Adam grabbed his hat quickly and ran away. He jumped on Sport and rode with the speed of light to the ranch. Ben and Hoss followed him on at his heels.

Meanwhile Griff had tried to receive Mitch but their bond was not yet really good. Mitch sat in a corner of the dining room and refused to leave it.

“Griff, where is Mitch?”, Little Joe asked when he and the foreman had come home.

“He sits in a corner in the dining room. Mary is in the kitchen near the stove”, the ranch hand answered.

“Griff, you warn the sheriff and the doctor”, Little Joe said.

The ranch hand went away. Little Joe went to sit next to his nephew and embraced him with love.

“How do you feel?”, he asked calm.

“Rotten. I know that daddy will be very angry with me when he hears and sees this”, Mitch said slowly.

“I am not so sure about that. Of course, he will be shocked by what has happened”, Little Joe said

“Daddy has ordered me to watch mamma”, the boy said.

Then the front door went open. Ben, Adam and Hoss came in. Little Joe and Mitch got up. Adam walked straight to the kitchen, saw his wife lying and flew to her.

“Honey, who has killed you?”, he asked with tears in his eyes and throat.

Slowly Mary woke up again. He picked her up and held her tight. Mitch saw his father and mother but didn’t dare to come closer. Ben came to his grandson and went to sit at the table with him.

“Mitch, tell everything that has happened”, the rancher said calm.

Hesitating told the boy everything.

Adam reacted fierce with, “Mitch, it was your job to watch it all. I will never forgive you for this.”

“They were much bigger and stronger than me”, Mitch said upset.

“To your bed!”, Adam said strict and furious at the same time.

Mitch tried to walk to the stairs but then he twisted his injured ankle and fell on the ground.

Ben ran directly to the boy and watched the ankle after he had removed the boot carefully.

“I am afraid that your ankle is damaged badly. How did it happen?”, the rancher asked.

“The gang leader kicked against my ankle and then he knocked me out”, Mitch replied.

“Adam, Mitch was unconscious. For the same thing they had killed him as well”, Candy said calm.

“Poor excuses”, Adam said.

The defense of the foreman in the mercy of Mitch didn’t help because Adam refused to believe him. Mitch went to bed without saying anything to the others.

After a long time Griff came back with the doctor and the sheriff. Roy took a look at the damage and had come quite soon to a clear conclusion.

“Ben, Mary and the boy are attacked by the Taylor gang. They are in the area and fill their days with killing the wives and children of rich men like you. Is Mitch alright?”, the sheriff asked.

“One of the gang members kicked him against his health ankle but the boy is asleep now”, the rancher said.

Roy took the body of Buck along. Adam looked up and noticed that he had drawn a too early conclusion in view of his son. The boys took care of the other bodies.

The days after the disaster at the Ponderosa were a straight hell for Adam and Mitch. Adam because he was so desperate with his fear and Mitch because he didn’t get any support from his father.

During breakfast Mitch avoided everyone by not appearing at the breakfast table.

“Is Mitch still asleep?”, Ben asked amazed at a certain moment.

“It wouldn’t surprise me”, Adam said uninterested.

He got up and walked to the bedroom of his son. He knocked at the door and went then inside.

“Wouldn’t you come like hell downstairs and have breakfast?”, Adam asked strict.

“I couldn’t do anything to them. Honest!”, Mitch replied.

“I know that. Hurry up!”, Adam said.

“I am afraid that those murderers will come back if I go to school. May I stay at home with Cody?”, Mitch asked.

“You may but then you have to come down and eat”, Adam said.

Mitch nodded and got up. After that he went with his father downstairs.

By the recent happenings Mitch estranged more and more of his family. He didn’t play with Cody either.

One morning Mitch disappeared without a trace. The Taylor gang was still out free and the young Cartwright was an too easy target for them or anyone else.

Adam took a determined decision. He packed his saddlebags and those of his son. Hoss saw what he was doing and he wanted to know of course.

“What are you going to do? Look for Mitchy?”, he asked.

“Yes. That gang is still out there walking around free and that lad is an easy target”, Adam said.

“If you don’t mind I come along searching”, Hoss said.

Because Ben and Little Joe were away the brothers could get away easily.

After riding for a long time Adam, Cody and Hoss found the boy at the lake of Tahoe. Cody ran straight to his little boss and licked his face. The brothers came nearer and dismounted. Mitch was lying impassive near the water. Adam examined his son but couldn’t find anything unusual. Cody barked loud and that helped. Slowly Mitch woke up and looked into the eyes of his father and Uncle.

“Kid, why did you disappear so suddenly?”, Adam asked.

“Because you blame me of everything”, Mitch replied.

“That is not true at all. I do find it very hard of what has happened but that doesn’t mean that we don’t want to lose you also. You and your sister mean everything to us. If you fall off, who must support me to tease your Uncles?”, Adam asked.

“They tease you as well?”, Mitch asked on his turn.

Adam nodded and sighted deeply.

“Unfortunately yes. But that is because they have no respect for their older brother at all”, was his answer.

Now Hoss went to interfere against it.

“Shut up Adam! As you are only 6 years older than me and the age difference with Joe is only twelve years”, he said indignant.

“Daddy, are we going home because I feel so cold?”, Mitch asked then.

“We take you home. I am sure that a medicine of Hop Sing will cure you”, Adam said.

He and Hoss picked up the boy carefully and wanted to carry him to the sorrel when they heard someone coming closer. Adam had Mitch tight when Cody began to bark again.

“Be careful and stay by me”, Adam whispered.

They went to the shepherd dog and looked into the eyes of the Taylor gang.

“Daddy, they tried to kill mamma and me”, Mitch said directly.

“Indeed. We only forgot to kill you”, Jim said.

“And that’s why we do it now”, Clark laughed.

Adam, Hoss and Mitch held their breath and looked at the outlaws.

Mitch whispered Cody something in his ear. Cody went to walk around in circles way passed the outlaws who were holding Adam and Mitch under gunshot.

Adam and Hoss understood what the dog did and made sure that they could draw their revolvers very quickly.

Jim began to get nervous and said, “Get that dog and kill him.”

Clark went after Cody. The shepherd dog ran away where after the two brothers followed him.

Adam grabbed the chance with both hands, drew his revolver and shot Clark dead.

“Come kid. After Cody”, Adam said.

Father and son Cartwright did that.

“Cody, come to your little master”, Mitch called at a certain moment.

The dog saw Mitch and ran happily to him. Hereby Adam could help the other outlaw to the other world. Mitch did pet with Cody for a moment while Adam looked at the outlaws.

“Are we going home? I am hungry”, Mitch said.

“We bring this scum to Virginia City, there we will eat and then we go home”, Adam said.

So said, so done.

Deputy Clem Foster saw the Cartwrights and Cody coming and walked towards them.

“Have you done something that Hop Sing doesn’t cook for you anymore?”, the deputy asked teasing.

Cody ran to him and got a greeting.

“Very funny Clem. Mitch had disappeared without a trace so Hoss, Cody and I went looking for him. We ran into the Taylor gang and blew them away. Here they are. Is the testimony of Mitch still needed?”, Adam asked on his turn.

“Not, not really but I will add it to the record”, Clem said.

Adam, Hoss and Mitch dismounted and went inside with the deputy followed by Cody. Clem gave them coffee while Mitch told everything.

After an hour Hoss said, “Shall we finally have a bite to eat? Or otherwise I will fall down from the hunger.”

“Alright. I don’t want to be responsible for the damage you cause when you fall down of the hunger”, Adam reacted dry.

Hoss gave his brother an angry look.

“Let’s go home because Cody may not even enter a restaurant. Besides that Hop Sing cooks much better than here”, Mitch remarked.

“Alright. We go home”, Adam said.

Back home again they could sit at the table. Ben noticed that Mitch needed him, Adam and Mary very hard. Mitch became like before very attached and asked a lot of attention which he got.