In this story Daisy is 11, the boys are 6. Daisy is in the 6th grade along with Dewey Hogg. I have the ages that way because of what Jesse had said in two episodes; Farewell Hazzard and A Baby for The Dukes. I have their Aunt Martha alive in this story. In the show it never mentioned at what age the cousins were when she died. This story takes place in 1962.
Martha Duke met the Duke kids at the bus stop that was at the end of their road.
"Daisy, why don't you go run ahead? I want to talk to the boys. Ok?"
"Yes ma'am." Daisy ran ahead and left Aunt Martha with Bo and Luke.
"Auntie, are we in trouble?" Bo quietly asked Martha.
"No honey. Your Uncle just wants to talk to Daisy."
"Is she in trouble?" Luke asked.
"I hope not, honey."
^^In the farm house^^
"Daisy, I just got off the phone with Mrs. Thompson. She told me that Lou-Ann said, that she thinks that you took her favorite lip-gloss."
"Uncle Jesse. I didn't take it. It was on her desk when I left to catch the bus."
"So, if I looked in your back pack, it wouldn't be in it?"
"Yes sir. It wouldn't be in it." Jesse opened her back pack and dumped the contents out on the table. To Daisy's surprise the lip-gloss rolled out.
"Jesse. I have no idea how it got in there."
"Daisy. Barn! Now!"
"No! I ain't gonna let ya!" Daisy was so afaid of her Uncle at this point, she ran from the house. At that time, Martha was walking up the driveway with Bo and Luke. They saw her run from the house.
"Aunt Martha, Daisy didn't do it." Martha knelt down in front of Bo.
"What do you mean, honey?" Bo looked over to Luke and Luke nodded.
"I heard Dewey Hogg telling his friends that he'd make sure Daisy got in trouble."
"Why? What did Daisy do to him?" Bo shrugged his shoulders and Luke shook his head; indicating that he didn't know. They walked closer to the house as Jesse came out; looking around for Daisy.
"Jesse, hold on now!" Martha grabbed Jesse by the arm. "Daisy didn't do whatever it is you think she did. Bo, tell him what you heard."
"I heard Dewey Hogg tellin' his friends that he was gonna get Daisy in trouble." Jesse thought for a minute.
"Dewey Hogg. That figures."
"Should I go after her?" Martha asked Jesse. Jesse looked around, and saw no sign of Daisy.
"Fast runner, ain't she?" Martha laughed and nodded her head.
"She is indeed. I think I know where she went."
"Let's give her an hour, then go get her."
"Boys, why don't you go inside and do your homework?" The boys did what they were told, and went inside to do their homework.
"I'll call Mrs. Thompson back. Explain what happened." Jesse went inside and made the phone call. Mrs. Thompson wasn't surprised when she heard that Dewey Hogg was involed. Jesse told her that Martha would drop off the lip gloss.
^^Meanwhile^^
Daisy ran for the old barn that was near the edge of their property. It was used for storage, but it had a loft and many hiding places. She climbed the ladder to the loft and opened an old trunk that was hidden behind some hay bales. Inside the old trunk was some books and blankets. Whenever Daisy wanted to be alone, she would go to the barn and hide up in the loft to read her books. She would pretend that she was her favorite characters in the books she would read. She climbed into the trunk and propped the lid open with a book, so she could get out. She had found her favorite book before she climbed in. Even tho there wasn't much light to read by, she knew the story almost by heart.
As she read the story, she was transported to a world of little people. The Borrowers was a book written in 1952, about little people that lived in the walls of the human houses. They would survive by borrowing items from the humans. Several minutes later Daisy fell asleep.
"Daisy? Daisy?" Martha was looking around the barn. Daisy was woken up by the sound of Martha calling her name. She stayed hidden, because she was still afraid of what Jesse would do.
"Daisy girl? It's alright, Bo told us what Dewey Hogg did. Bo over heard what Dewey said to his friends. He set you up to get into trouble. Come out now, it's ok." Daisy smiled and got out of the trunk.
"I'm up here Auntie." Daisy climbed down the ladder and faced Martha.
"Jesse's not mad at me?"
"No, honey. He's not mad at you. Come on, let's get supper." Daisy held Martha's hand as they walked back to the farm house.
They walked hand in hand into the house. Daisy held her head down when she saw Jesse.
"Sorry Uncle Jesse for running."
"I'm sorry too, Daisy-girl. I should have believed you. You were raised better than to take something that wasn't yours." Jesse gave Daisy a hug, and they all sat down to eat dinner. After chores were done, Jesse went out on a 'shine run; while Martha got the kids ready for bed. Of course Daisy was already getting the boys situated for bed before Martha got to their room. Daisy read them a bedtime story, then Martha read them Luke's favorite story; 'Georgie and The Robbers.'
"Another one." Bo whispered to Martha. He looked up at her from his place on her lap and added. "Please?"
Martha smiled and told him, "sure baby." She picked up his favorite story from the Berenstain Bears, 'The Big Honey Hunt.' After she was done reading, she laid the now sleeping Bo into his bed, kissed his cheek and covered him up. She tucked Luke into his bed and gave him a kiss on the cheek as well.
"Night, Lukas. Love you."
"Love you too, Auntie."
Daisy made her way to her room after she listened to the stories that Martha had read the boys.
"You want me to tuck you in?" Martha asked Daisy as she followed her to her room. Daisy smiled and quickly responded. "Yes."
Martha tucked her in and told her she loved her. Martha than got herself ready for bed. Several hours later, Jesse came back home from his 'shine run. He put his 'shine money into a canning jar and hid it in the root cellar. After he looked in on the kids, he made his way to bed.
The next morning Daisy helped Martha with breakfast, while Luke and Bo gathered the eggs. After breakfast; since it was Saturday, the kids went outside and played tag. Of course Bo ended up tripping and scraping his knee. Being the 'mother hen' that Daisy was, she carried a now crying Bo to the house to Martha. After Bo got cleaned up, the kids decided to go fishing at their small pond. The day continued and the kids had fun. Soon it was once again time for bed, they had to get up for church in the morning.
The End for now.