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The following program

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All right, they finally got you working, brother.

You don't look overworked yourself.

Well, I'll tell you one thing. I could eat a horse.

Hey, thanks, Dusty.

Hey, Hoss, this roundup's sure gonna beat all, ain't it?

Yeah, yeah, it is, Jamie.

Hey, Jamie, why don't you just take these rifles in the house?

- Keep the muzzles up. - All right.

Boy, he's sure gonna be disappointed if Pa don't let him go, ain't he?

Oh, he sure is. It's all he's talking about.

- Oh, Jamie. - Huh?

Oh.

- You sound tired. - Oh, no, sir, not a bit.

But I could eat a horse.

Well, let's hope Hop Sing comes up with something

more civilized than that.

I rode over to Willow Branch school today.

Yes, sir?

And Mrs. Hagen says you can start tomorrow.

- You mean school? - Mm-hmm.

Mr. Cartwright, I can't do it.

I mean, the roundup starts in a couple of days,

and I'll be working here with Joe and Hoss and everybody, won't I?

No, I'm afraid not, Jamie.

I don't want to go to school. I don't want to!

Jamie.

Change your mind about going to school?

No, sir.

That's what I came to talk to you about.

I don't want to go.

I mean, it's awful hard riding back and forth

to Virginia City every day...

Well, that's been changed.

All the children in this area

will be going to the Willow Branch school.

Same difference.

Mm, not quite.

Willow Branch is two miles closer.

And what you've told us, you didn't get too much schooling

when you were traveling around the country with your father.

Well, I got enough, Mr. Cartwright.

I mean, I looked after myself after my pa died,

and I was doing all right.

Jamie, sit down.

Have you decided what you want to be when you grow up?

Well, I was...

kind of hoping to be a cattleman.

Oh, good.

And I got all the learning I need for that.

Oh.

Well, if you're going to run a place of your own,

you're going to have to be able to handle all this and much more.

Well, I could read real good.

And I can add all the sums I'd ever have to know.

Want to take a minute to find out?

I mean, just to be sure.

Sure! You'll see.

All right.

Here.

Now, add these up.

Uh, 67, 41, and 18.

Is that all?

Yeah.

126.

That's very good. In your head too.

Yeah, and I can do harder ones than that.

Now, can you multiply and divide?

- Yeah, I can, but not as fast. - Mm.

All right, here.

Can you make it out?

I don't know. They're mostly big words.

A Mr. Gifford is offering to sell me a piece of his property.

One mile by two miles.

Now, the fair price for that kind of property

would be about $8 an acre.

He's asking $11,500.

You think I ought to buy it?

Hey, Pa, look this over, will ya?

Shh, shh, shh.

Hey, we've got an awful lot of things to take care of.

Just take a look at it?

Not too sure about this part here.

I can't do it.

But I could pick it up in no time, Mr. Cartwright,

working here with you. You could teach me.

Well, I... I can't promise

I'll always be available when you need me, Jamie.

Like now.

You know, we got roundup business to do.

And Mrs. Hagen will teach you,

oh, history and spelling and a lot of things you ought to know.

Why tomorrow? Why?

I mean, why can't I go after the roundup?

Because school's already started.

It took some persuading to get Mrs. Hagen and the board

to let you start this late.

And I want you to go.

Jamie.

There will be other roundups.

Come on!

Take your hat off.

Go on.

Oh, good morning, Mr. Cartwright.

Morning, Mrs. Hagen.

This is the young man I was talking to you about.

This is Jamie Hunter.

- Morning, ma'am. - Oh, yes.

Would you please go back to your work, class.

We'll get him started, Mr. Cartwright.

Thank you. If there's anything he needs...

Oh, I'll let you know.

I'd appreciate that. Thank you. Morning.

I'll see you this afternoon, then.

Yes, sir.

If you make it your business to get along with me, young man,

you'll find I'm fair.

Firm, but fair.

Yes, ma'am.

Now, you were tardy this morning.

Well, yes, but Mr. Cartwright had to show me...

Oh, I don't believe Mr. Cartwright is a student in this school.

However, I'm willing to overlook it this time,

but you bear that in mind now if it should happen again.

Yes, ma'am.

Now, take a seat in the fifth grade.

Jamie...

your lunch pail belongs in the cloakroom.

You should know that.

All right, that's enough.

- Hi. - Hi.

I'm Frank Snyder.

You can't do that.

Sure I can.

Who's your folks?

The Cartwrights.

But your name's Hunter.

I mean, your ma and pa.

They're dead.

You're an orphan?

Yeah, the Cartwrights are my folks now.

Naw, they just taken you in.

They take in strays all the time.

That's not true. It's my home. I have my own room and everything.

That old Ponderosa's so big, they could put a dog in every room.

Don't make no difference to them.

It's like charity.

No, it's not.

I'll trade you rocks.

What?

Boy, he don't know nothing.

We'll show him.

- Trade me. - Unh-unh.

Come on. Trade me.

Now we'll do it.

Me first.

Nothing but a little ol' tap.

You want me to whip ya?

Recess is over.

I don't know what you're talking about.

I can whip anybody in the whole school.

Come on, Jamie.

Just let me know when you want it.

I'll do that.

Hi, Dusty.

- Howdy, Jamie. - Hi, Hoss.

How'd school go today, boy?

- Oh, just awful, I tell you... - Hey, Tartel, you boys

put those bedrolls over there on another wagon.

Dusty, this teacher's just not fair.

And then there's this kid that's always trying to fight me right off.

Oh, that's rough.

And then there's this spelling bee.

Oh, hey, Joe!

Hey, Jamie.

Hey, Joe.

Our school is having a spelling bee.

Now, what does Hillier want this time?

He wants to know how we're gonna work out

the split-up on the unbranded cattle.

Ah, for Pete's sake.

Hello, Jamie.

Well, how was school today?

It... well, it was terrible. That's all Mrs. Hagen...

And I want to hear all about it in just a minute.

- When will he be here? - I'd say in about five minutes.

He's coming in a buggy with another man.

Do we have to have this argument every fall?

Well, he's hoppin' mad.

- Mr. Cartwright? - Mm?

Oh, I... I think I'll go hunting.

Yeah. Oh, sure, sure. Be careful.

He's talking lawsuit if we don't change the operation from last year.

Well, why don't we let him brand all the calves?

Well, I think that's what Hillier has in mind.

Mr. Cartwright?

What?

Is it all right if I take this gun?

No, no, not that one. That one's special.

We're gonna get it in writing, this one.

I'll tell you, if you don't have everything in writing,

well, that Hillier will just take everything.

What are you doing, Jamie?

Oh, I'm doing my spelling.

Oh, yeah? How's it coming?

I don't know, Hoss.

Some of these words are...

Think I get 'em, and doggone,

they slip right away from me again.

Here, let me take a look. Maybe I can help you with 'em.

Oh, thanks. I sure could use it.

You got some tough ones.

Ah, "conscious."

Oh, that's one of those words

that has a letter and you can't hear, right?

Right.

Uh...

c-o-n, con...

s...

Oh, will you cut that out? Let him do it himself, all right?

No, no, no, that's all right.

He maybe will help me remember it.

C-o-n-s-c...

Oh...

s-c-i-o-u-s. Conscious.

Yeah.

Gives you a lot of other words too, like unconscious...

Unconscious. That's a good word for you.

Sorry to interrupt.

Take a look at that.

Mr. Cartwright, will you be able to come to the spelling bee?

Yeah, I'll try my best, Jamie.

Oh, that's the bid they gave you?

That's right, cattle delivered at the railhead.

Boy, they really went down, didn't they?

Went down? The bottom will drop out when everybody gets their stock in.

I want to start roundup first thing in the morning.

- What, tomorrow? - Yeah.

I figure if we can beat the rush, at least we'll get some kind of price.

Well, we better get after it. We have a lot to do.

Yeah, did real good on that, Jamie.

All right, move 'em out.

Oh, Hop Sing?

Hop Sing?

Hop Sing?

Ah, Hop Sing.

Hop Sing, I don't feel good.

Where it hurt?

All over.

You stick out tongue.

You put it back.

You go to school.

- Hop... - No play hooky.

- Go! Go ahead! Go! - I don't feel...

- Get out! - All right!

I'm going. I'm going.

Silly boy.

Well...

you ready to fight?

What for?

- I can whip you. - Well, then, why fight?

I bet he can't fight a lick.

Naw. He can't do nothing but sit there and scratch in the dirt.

Yeah, I can.

I can ride, and I can rope, and I can brand.

I do it with Hoss and Joe all the time.

If you're so good,

how come you ain't on the roundup with them?

Because I got to go to school, that's why.

They just sent you to school to get you out from underfoot.

Well, then, what are you doing here?

That's my point.

My ma has got four more at home.

But she's gonna be here for the spelling bee.

- So is mine and my pa. - And mine.

Who you got coming?

I don't know.

I bet there won't be one of them

high and mighty Cartwrights here for you.

Maybe, maybe not!

They're awful busy.

Too busy for a no-account orphan.

Now, you listen here!

Mr. Cartwright's got this very special gun.

It's gold-plated.

It's got a gold flower design all over it.

Real gold.

It's real artistic.

- Yeah? - Yeah.

And he lets me use it anytime I want to.

- No. - Yeah.

I can take it anytime I want to.

There ain't no gun like that.

Yeah, there is.

And if there is, he sure wouldn't let you use it.

I use it all the time.

Well, when I see it...

then I'll believe it.

It's the truth.

Hey, what do they feed you at that Ponderosa?

Give me my lunch.

Just keep it. I'm not hungry anyway.

They probably don't give him nothing but table scraps.

Food no good?

Oh, it's real good, Hop Sing.

Hop Sing, do you think Mr. Cartwright will be able

to come to the spelling bee?

Mr. Cartwright is a very busy man,

but he'll be thinking about you.

You yell when plate empty.

And to conduct the spelling bee, Sheriff Roy Coffee.

Well, thank you, ma'am.

I don't see no Cartwrights here.

I get to do this every year mostly because I don't think

that Mrs. Hagen can find another honest man in town.

Vote for Roy Coffee.

All right, let's get on with it, folks.

The first round is three syllables, and starts from the left.

First word is skepticism.

S-k-e-p, skep,

t-i... c-i-s-m, cism.

- Skepticism. - Right.

Next word, cinnamon.

C-i-n, cin,

n-a, na, m-o-n. Cinnamon.

Right.

Unconscious.

U-n, un, c-o-n, con,

s-c-i-o-u-s. Unconscious.

Very good, Frankie. Apprehend.

A-p, ap,

p-r-a, pra...

Oh, no.

Continue.

H-a-n-d, hand.

I'm sorry, son, you're gonna have to sit down.

Hop Sing?

Hop Sing?

Hop Sing, are you in there?

- Hey, Frank. - Hi.

Hey, now...

Oh, I just got that one swamp rabbit.

Oh, I mean the gun.

Oh, yeah?

Oh, yeah, I told you about it, didn't I?

Yeah, it's kind of pretty, ain't it?

Handles real sweet too.

Ah-ah!

Mr. Cartwright made me promise I wouldn't let anybody else touch it.

But you can look at it.

Ah, I wouldn't want no gun like that for every day.

Well, I like it real fine.

Well, I'll see you in school, Frank.

You can't spell for sour apples.

Hop Sing?

Hey, Hop Sing, I'm home.

- Hop Sing. - Hello, Jaime.

Hello. Can you use this?

Oh, yes!

It's nice, big, fat, tender.

Sure. Sure.

How spelling bee go?

Oh, just awful. I couldn't have done any worse.

Oh, that's too bad.

Hop Sing skin him, make a nice stew.

Onion, potato. Make a nice apple pie.

You like?

Oh, yeah. That'll be fine, Hop Sing.

- Good. - Hop Sing?

I guess Mr. Cartwright

puts a lot of store in that gun, don't he?

Oh, honorable governor and important people

gave Mr. Cartwright that gun.

It's very special.

Never touch. Mr. Cartwright get very mad.

Shake up the whole house. The roof fall in.

Skin alive.

Hop Sing.

I... suppose Mr. Cartwright will be coming home soon.

Could be tomorrow.

Yeah.

- Hi, Mr. Cartwright, Hoss. - Hi, Jamie.

How's everything? Here, I'll put your gun away.

- No, I'm okay. - No, I don't mind...

I got it, bud. I got it.

Jamie, how'd the spelling bee go, huh?

Oh, not like I figured. Elsie Hanes won.

Oh, yeah, that's too bad.

Well, tried to get back for it. I just couldn't make it.

I understand.

Well, did the roundup go all right?

Yeah, it went fine.

We got the south part done.

Now we got to ride up north and get that finished.

How you getting along with Mrs. Hagen?

All right, I guess.

No problems?

Nothing I can't handle.

Good.

Where's Joe?

Oh, he rode off into town, going to get the cattle quotations.

- Oh. - Hey, Pa.

Here's something you might ought to take a look at.

Hey, how's the spelling going, Jamie?

C-o-n-s-c-i-o-u-s. Conscious.

Hey, very good, buddy.

I'll tell you, no rest for the weary.

Oh, uh, Jamie, Dusty's outside.

Oh, thanks.

Hi, Dusty.

Hey, there, Jamie!

Tell me about school.

I hate it.

Oh, what's wrong?

Oh, everything.

The reading, the spelling, the teacher.

I'm in with a bunch of little kids.

Dusty...

what if I was to tell you I was in a lot of trouble?

A lot of trouble?

Joe, what's the market?

Ah, it's down.

Ah, Joe...

Is it that kid still wants to fight you?

Yeah, but I don't think he'll bother me anymore.

Joe!

Joe!

Hop Sing!

Oh, good glory.

I don't know.

Do you know if anybody took it?

No. No.

Just put my gun in the rack, and the piece fell right off.

Jamie, do you know anything about this?

No, sir.

You sure?

Yes, sir.

As far as I'm concerned, Pa,

it'd be a big mistake to sell in a declining market.

I don't think we have any choice.

What do you think, Pa?

- Hey, Pa? - Hmm?

Oh, sorry.

What, is it Jamie?

Yeah.

I just don't know what to do about it.

I sure don't like to think he lied to me.

Well, when was the last time you handled that rifle?

Couple of months ago.

Well, there was nothing wrong with the gun then.

None of us have touched it since.

Just... just hit him up with it.

Well, you just can't accuse him and punish him.

Anyway, there's no proof.

No. Sometimes the way you...

You handle something is so important, I...

I just don't know how to handle this.

I can't just let it pass. That wouldn't be right.

Sure wouldn't do Jamie any good.

Well, for my money, there ain't that much

wrong with him nohow.

Well, let's get back to this.

- Hi, Jamie. - Good morning, Joe.

Just thought I'd take this in to the gunsmith,

see if he could fix it.

Mmm, it's... it's too bad.

Yeah, Pa's pretty upset about it.

Here, you see this?

"To Benjamin Cartwright, with esteemed appreciation."

Yeah, he got the rifle

from the State Cattleman's Association.

Helped found it... he was president of it for two years.

It's not really the rifle that means anything to him, it's...

It's the thought behind it... The men, what they thought of him.

Sure like to find out how it happened.

Joe, I...

Yeah?

I gotta get to school.

Have a good day.

I say you just up and took it!

- No, I didn't! - Hey, knock it out!

- I did not! - Stands a reason

nobody's gonna let you trace around with no fancy gun like that.

Well, he does.

Hey, why don't I ride home with you

and tell Mr. Cartwright about it, huh?

No, you won't.

Yeah, that's what I'm gonna do, see what he says.

No!

Why not?

Are you gonna stop me?

If I have to.

You haven't got the spunk.

You don't even have the spunk... to step over that line.

Don't mean nothing.

Let's see you knock that off.

You're yellow!

I dare you!

Jamie!

Say "uncle!"

No!

- Say it! - I won't say it!

Jamie!

- Say it! - I never will!

Frank, Frank, let him go.

You get into a fight?

Yeah, but I never said "uncle."

Well, good for you.

And I'm not going back to school anymore.

Well, now, wait a minute, young man...

I can't!

And I broke your gun, too.

I didn't mean to.

I never thought you did.

It was a fool thing to do.

I just up and took it.

Well, you knew that you shouldn't.

Yes, sir.

Then you lied to me.

Yes, sir, I did.

Well, you... you owned up to it, and that's right and proper.

And I suppose I could just forget about it.

But this is too important a matter just to...

Just to forget about.

Jamie... winter's coming on.

In addition to your other chores, you'll start sawing wood.

About, uh, four cords ought to do it.

Now, about that fight...

Now, you wait a minute!

I owned up to that darn old gun of yours,

and that's all you're gonna get!

I haven't any idea where he'd go.

He never said a word to me.

We looked all around outside, we couldn't find him.

Well...

He took some shirts and some socks,

and his speller, and he was gone.

Left this note... "Mr. Cartwright, this will help

pay for everything. Thank you, Jamie Hunter."

And this watch chain.

Well, that was his father's.

About the only thing he left the boy.

We're just gonna have to find him.

Ben!

Whoa.

Ben?

- Well? - I telegraphed around,

and the marshal in Mill City wired me back

that as of yesterday, Jamie was there

working at Timmons' livery stable.

You want me to go fetch him back?

If he doesn't wanna come back?

Ah, that wouldn't be such a good idea.

Probably not. He'd more than likely just go away again anyway.

You know, it should be one of us.

Yeah, I think this is something I have to do.

We'll take care of the roundup till you get back.

Yeah, I'll join you as soon as I can.

Jamie?

Good afternoon.

Good afternoon, sir.

I'd like to talk to you.

I don't know what we got to talk about.

Well, why do you think I rode all the way over here?

Get your horse back, I expect.

No, no, no.

No, you can keep him.

Well, then, you're gonna try to talk me into coming back.

Well, you're wasting your time.

Jamie, what's wrong?

- Didn't we treat you well? - Oh, sure.

You fed me, put a roof over me, took care of me.

You'd do the same for a dog you'd pick up.

- Where'd you get that idea? - It's the truth!

You never paid me any more mind than you had to.

Well, Jamie, I've been busy.

Maybe I didn't pay enough attention to you, I admit that...

Yeah, well, from now on, you don't have to worry

anything about me at all.

Well, did it ever occur to you that I might want to bother?

Now, look, I... I know you've been having some problems...

You're darned right!

Sitting with a bunch of little kids, that old teacher picking on me.

Darn Frank Snyder just pushing and itching to fight me.

Well, all that was your idea, not mine.

Jamie, it was for your good.

I can decide what's for my own good, and from now on, I'm going to!

I can talk this way now because you don't have a hold on me,

not one particle.

And I'm not gonna cut your darn wood!

Now, look, you don't have to yell...

You don't have to yell about anything, just take it easy.

Did you ever tell me you had any problems?

- I tried! - Not hard enough.

Are you afraid of me?

I was, kinda, but not anymore.

Jamie, I want you to come back. We all do.

- You'll have a... - You said that once before.

"You'll have a nice home with us, Jamie.

"We'll be like a family to you," you said.

Well, I tried it, and I don't like it.

You don't have anything there I want.

I think we do.

These things take time, Jamie.

Now, come on back, we'll work things out...

I'm not going back, and you can't make me!

Now, that's all I gotta say!

I'm gonna give this one more try.

I said, I'm not going back!

You be quiet and listen!

Now, first off, let me say this.

Being on your own has a certain advantage.

You don't have to worry about anybody else,

just yourself and your own problems.

And as long as you do it, that's all you'll ever worry about,

and believe me, you're well on the way to that.

Now, I didn't pick my sons, they were born to me.

But I did pick you. I didn't have to, but I did.

You might consider that a point in your favor.

Hoss and Joe and I want you to be a part of our family.

Now, if you are a part of our family,

you're gonna have to give up something...

Worrying about yourself.

You and your problems won't always be the center of attention

because we have our problems too.

- Yeah... - And you may have to worry

about them!

Oh, and if you do have a problem,

don't whine and mumble, and then start feeling sorry for yourself

because nobody's turned around.

I may be busy, or just plumb tired, so speak up!

To my certain knowledge, we don't have

a single mind reader on the Ponderosa.

But we do have a wealth of affection to give you...

and respect and understanding.

But you have to give 'em back.

They're all there, but they're on a two-way street.

Now, if you come back...

And I sure hope you do, because I want you to...

I'm going to treat you exactly as I treat one of my own sons.

Which means that sometimes I'll tell you to do things

that you won't like, because I know more than you do.

I'm older. It's as simple as that.

I try to be fair, but sometimes I make mistakes,

so you might as well expect them, because I'm also human.

Now, so far, I don't think I've been unfair.

So, if you decide to come back...

the woodcutting stands.

You'll just have to accept that discipline involuntarily...

along with everything else we have to give you.

You think about it, Jamie.

The door will be wide open.

Jamie?

Only me, Mr. Cartwright.

What are you doing up this late?

Wait for Jamie.

He not come any more tonight.

Oh.

I suppose you're right.

Hmm.

I guess what worked for Hoss and Joe...

Well, we tried.

I'll, uh...

I'll join the roundup in the morning.

I thought I'd just as well get started.

Yeah, fine.

Uh, Hop Sing's got your supper in the warming oven.

Whenever you're ready.

Hey, Jamie.

Oh, hello, Mr. Cartwright.

- How you doing? - Fine.

Pa, you all done with the roundup?

- Yeah. - Thank goodness.

- Pulled my back though. - Oh, boy.

Oh, I see you got quite a bit of wood cut, huh?

Yeah.

Hey.

- Frank Snyder? - Yeah, yesterday.

Hmm, I think I better have a talk with him and his father.

No, sir, don't do that.

You sure?

Yeah, I think I loosened one of his teeth today.

What do we have here?

And I'm pretty sure that another day oughta do it.

- Blisters? - Well, just a couple.

But they were better yesterday.

- Hard work'll do it every time. - What you got?

Hey, a certificate.

- Hey, congratulations, Jamie! - Hey, yeah!

For excellence in arithmetic. Very good!

Yeah, I got it for adding up sums

faster than anybody else... A whole lot faster.

- Well, that's marvelous. - That's great.

Just great. Well, how do you like school now, huh?

I hate it.

Come on.

I hate it!

I heard you, I heard you. Get used to it!

Ah, I never did.