The whole day it had been raining quite a lot but finally it had became dry. Hereby the Cartwrights decided to go to the fair. They would meet each other at a certain point.
Ben Cartwright, owner of the Ponderosa ranch, had some business to deal with so that his sons (Adam, Hoss and Joe) went to the fair. As a matter of course Mitch went along too. The little lad was 3 and the apple of the eye of Ben. Adam was the father of Mitch and had his hands full with raising the child.
It was quite busy and for not top lose his son Adam carried Mitch.
“Hoss and Joe, hopefully you behave yourselves well because your nephew is there”, said Adam.
“Adam, we always behaves ourselves. Even when Mitch is not around”, Joe reacted indignant.
“He is now copying your behavior”, answered Adam.
They walked on but their ways soon separated. Hoss and Joe looked at every stall and had the biggest fun.
“It’s just as good that Adam left us because sometimes he is more strict for us than pa”, said Hoss.
“Surely we can take care of ourselves”, said Joe.
He hadn’t said it yet or a stall holder made that the roof of his stall was water free. Joe got everything over him to big hilarity of his elder brother. Joe became angry and pushed him against the next stall. Hoss got a shower too, now to big hilarity of Joe.
“You keep your mouth shut about this against pa and/or Adam! Mitchy too doesn’t get to hear this. You what he’s like”, Hoss said warning.
“Then you must do it as well against them”, reacted Joe.
“Alright, I keep silent about it”, promised Hoss.
His brother did the same promise. Soaked the brothers walked on, laughed at by all bystanders.
At a certain moment Joe said, “I have had enough of it. I go home!”
“Finally you have a good idea. We go home and no human being of our family ever gets to know this”, answered Hoss.
So said, so done.
After Ben had dealt with his business he went to look for his offspring. The rancher only found Adam and Mitch though.
“Adam, where are your brothers?”, Ben asked amazed and worried at the same time.
“I said to them that they had to behave because now Mitch is copying their behavior. The gentlemen disagreed so they went their own way”, answered Adam.
Ben sighed deep and took over his grandson.
“Then we will see them yet. Are you coming to watch?”, asked the de rancher.
Adam nodded.
Suddenly they ran into sheriff Roy Coffee.
“Hello Ben, Adam and Mitch. Have you heard it about Hoss and Little Joe?”, Roy asked laughing.
The Cartwrights looked at each other amazed. Roy told what had happened to the boys. Now Ben and Adam understood why they didn’t see them anywhere anymore.
“Daddy, don’t they know how they must take a bath?”, asked Mitch.
“I am afraid not son. But you are not going to tell that we know it”, answered Adam.
Mitch nodded.
Hoss and Joe came home wet where they caught the anger of their Chinese cook Hop Sing. He was busy waxing the floor when the brothers came in. Hop Sing began in the Cantonese language raving out against Hoss and Joe.
“Hop Sing, it’s alright. We both got an unexpected shower in town. But pa, Adam and especially that little thing of a Mitchy may not know that”, said Hoss.
“Brothers quickly put on dry clothes”, said the cook.
They ran to their rooms.
That evening Mitch asked, “Daddy, are we going again to that market?”
“When it is again we surely go. But then we only take grandpa along. Because your uncles don’t like something like that”, answered Adam.
He gave Ben a wink and got one in return. Hoss and Joe looked at each other worried.
Then Mitch asked a for his uncles very embarrassing question, “Daddy, do I have to take a bath later on?”
“Of course you have to. But without wearing your clothes”, answered Adam.
“Alright! Who has told you what had happened to us at the fair?”, Joe wanted to know.
For a second it was silent at the table.
Then Ben said, “Roy Coffee told us.”
“Now you can’t even trust the sheriff anymore”, Hoss said indignant.
This made Hoss and Joe decided to look out better on a market or fair.