It was for deputy Clem Foster a normal working day. For a change it was quiet in Virginia City. The deputy enjoyed his coffee even more relaxed of the quiet and his coffee. Suddenly the door went open and the Cartwright family came in.
“Gentlemen, I am busy”, said Clem.
“Yeah, with drinking coffee”, Hoss said laughing.
His brothers, Adam and Little Joe laughed too.
Their father Ben said teasing, “Boys, this is the vision of a officer in function.”
“Very funny. What can I do you?”, asked the deputy.
“On the way to town we ran into a strange person. It seems that he is looking for you”, said Ben.
Clem looked amazed at the rancher.
“How did that person look like?”, asked the deputy.
“Very small, brown and black hairy with a tail and a head”, said Adam.
“That looks more like the description of a dog than of a person. You are not making a fool out of me, are you?”, Clem asked worried.
He knew the Cartwrights very well and knew that they were up to everything.
“Clem, what do you think of us?”, asked Hoss.
“Do you have a couple of hours to get an answer for that question?”, Clem asked on his turn.
Hoss shook of no.
“I have spoken”, said Clem.
He wrote it all down and said then, “I will take some action.”
The Cartwrights went away.
Clem thought:’ Now have all four Cartwrights gone brain cracked. I knew it for sure about Hoss and Joe. But now Ben and Adam have gone it too.’ He drunk up his coffee, put on his belt with holster and left the office. Outside he mounted on his horse and he rode directly to the spot which the Cartwrights had described.
Arrived there Clem saw a young shepherd dog lying. The deputy dismounted and kneeled down near the dog.
“How did you get here?”, asked the deputy.
“Woof”, said the dog.
Clem stroke him and the dog licked his hand.
“I take you along and you live with me. I name you Toby”, said the deputy.
They got up and walked to the horse of Clem. The deputy mounted on and rode with the dog back to town.
The Cartwrights saw the threesome coming. Clem stopped his horse and dismounted. The dog sniffed straight away at the Cartwrights.
“This is the person whom you let me get. If I was you I would keep quiet because he guards from now on the prisoners in the cell. And for you there is always a nice place reserved. Bye gentlemen. Come Toby”, said Clem.
Toby walked along, leaving the Cartwrights amazed behind.
“Pa, I thought that Clem would fall for it but it just happened to us exactly”, Hoss said indignant.
“He happens to be smarter than we thought”, reacted Little Joe.
“Any idea what we are going to do about it?”, asked Adam.
“When we must choose a new deputy and sheriff, don’t vote for him!”, Ben said determined.
They mounted on their horses and rode as fast as possible out of Virginia City.