THE BABY PORCUPINE
On the trail with Joe and Clay, Ellie reminisces about the Pokey, the baby porcupine.
The Week After School Let Out - the summer Ellie was 13:
The first day of summer vacation. Woohoo! Ellie couldn't wait. Papa had promised that she could go on the next horse buying trip to Stockton. Ellie was vibrating with excitement. She hadn't slept a wink all night. That buying trip to Stockton was today. She was going with Clay and Joe.
Ellie raced down the stairs and sailed into her seat, "Morning Papa." she grinned. She was the first one at the table besides Papa. Pa smiled indulgently. He couldn't remember when Ellie had been the first to the table, ever.
"Good Morning, Eleanor." said Pa. "Quit running down the stairs, young lady." he said gruffly.
Ellie glanced at Pa. "Eleanor" she thought, I wonder what I did. Oh well maybe he was just in one of those moods where he called everyone by their full name just because.
"Eleanor, are you ready to go?" he asked. He was a bit hesitant. This was the first time he let Ellie go anywhere with Clay. He was comfortable letting her go with Adam or Hoss. He didn't usually let her off the ranch much without either Adam, Hoss or himself. Especially not for a trip that was going to take a week.
"Yes sir, I'm packed and ready. Papa, I'm so excited. Thank you for letting me go." she said, her eyes dancing.
"Eleanor, you know there are going to be some very boring parts of this trip. You're going to be on the trail for 3 days each way."
"Yes Papa, I know." said Ellie rolling her eyes. Her papa had this discussion with her at least a dozen times. About how boring part of the trip would be and how long they would be on a dusty trail and how she better behave or this would be her last trip. Ellie didn't know what the problem was. She was generally well behaved, well most of the time anyway. Trouble found her, she didn't go looking for trouble. Besides, Clay was almost as strict as Adam.
"Did you just roll your eyes young lady," Pa asked, his eyebrows raised.
"Uh, no sir." she said quickly. Gratefully, the rest of the family had started arriving at the table and were exchanging good mornings.
"Clay?" asked Pa.
"Sir?" asked Clay.
"You sure you can handle these two scallywags?" Pa asked seriously nodding at Joe and Ellie.
"Absolutely Pa, I can keep those two in line." he said with an evil grin.
"Heh," said Joe feigning hurt, "there ain't nothing to keep in line. We're like angels. Ain't we, Sissy?"
The rest of the boys roared with laughter. If that wasn't the pot calling the kettle black. Pa got serious, "You just make sure you are."
Joe flashed his father a big grin, "I solemnly promise to be good as gold." said Joe holding up his right hand.
Pa grunted. The family dug into breakfast. As everyone was finishing up, Pa turned to Clay, "Well son, I guess ya'll need to get going."
"Yes sir. You two ready?" he asked his youngest brother and sister.
"Yep." he heard in unison. Clay just chuckled.
"Well come on then." he said as he stood up.
Joe and Ellie started to stand, Ellie grabbed Joe's arm. She looked at her father. "Papa, may we be excused?"
Pa nodded. He rose as he followed the children out to the front yard. "Be careful, be safe, and wire me when you get there. And above all, Joseph and Eleanor, please don't get into any trouble."
Ellie through herself into her father's arms. She gave him a big hug and a kiss. "I love you and miss you, Papa."
"Love you too, baby." Pa murmured.
Ellie then went to each of her brothers and her cousin and gave them hugs and kisses. She told each one of them she loved them.
Each one hugged her and told her that they loved her. Adam held on a little longer. "Be a good girl, Princess." he whispered in her ear.
Ellie gave him another kiss, "One to last a whole week Adam." she said.
"One to last a whole week," he nodded in agreement.
In the mean time, Joe was trying to say goodbye by shaking hands with his father and his brothers. They were having none of it, they each grabbed him in a bear hug. Joe was embarrassed. "Jeez Pa, fellas." Joe said stepping back.
So the three got started on the trail. They chatted about this and that and then chatted none at all. It would take them a day just to get off the Ponderosa. Each one of them was watching the scenery and soaking in all the Ponderosa had to offer. Finally, the time came for them to make camp for the night. They had gotten into the desert part of the Ponderosa. There was nothing but cactus and scrub for the next day.
Joe hadn't been paying attention to what he was doing and backed into a cactus with long spindly needles. "Oww!" he yelled.
Clay ran over to Joe. "What's a matter boy? What happened?"
"Dad gum cactus." muttered Joe. "Backed into it."
Clay started to tell Joe, he would be just fine, until he turned Joe around and saw a bunch of cactus needles sticking out of his posterior. Clay started to laugh. "Um..little brother, I think we have a problem."
Ellie looked at Joe and Clay. She came to stand behind Joe for a minute. She couldn't help it, she burst out laughing. She was laughing so hard, she was crying.
"Shut up," hissed Joe.
"I'm sor…rrr..y, Joe. It's just that you look like Papa did that time with Pokey." hiccupped Ellie.
"It ain't funny." hissed Joe.
"Not if you don't think so," giggled Ellie. She was trying so hard not to laugh at her brother. She wasn't being very successful "But Papa and Pokey or Pokey's mama…." Ellie started giggling hysterically.
Clay looked confused, "Who's Pokey?"
"My pet porcupine." said Ellie still giggling.
"Pa let you have a pet porcupine?" asked Clay incredulously.
"Well, not exactly." grinned Ellie.
"Heh, do you mind helping me out here instead of talking about Pokey?" asked Joe furiously.
Clay glanced over a Joe, "You know I'm going to have to take those out of you, don't you?"
"I know, I know," grumbled Joe. "Just get it done, it ain't too comfortable you know."
Clay looked at his baby brother. He surely looked uncomfortable. "Come on Joe, you're going to have to drop your pants."
Joe blushed furiously. "Not in front of her I ain't." he said jutting his chin out at his sister.
Clay laughed, "Ok - how about I set up a blanket on some poles and you and I go behind the blanket and Ellie stays on this side. Ok?"
"Ok, ok," grumbled Joe. "Just get it done, my backside is on fire."
Ellie giggled. "I can tell you the story about Pokey, while you're um… helping Joe."
Clay eyed his sister. "Eleanor Grace Cartwright, I want your solemn promise that you are going to stay on that side of the blanket." Clay said as he set up the blanket on some poles."
"Cross my heart." said Ellie grinning.
Clay starting working on Joe as Ellie began to spin her tale. She remembered it like it was yesterday. "Well, I better start at the beginning…"
It was like this, the fall that Ellie was 6 and was going to town for special tutoring from Mrs. Wilson:
Adam had come to pick up Joe from school and Ellie from Mrs. Wilson's. Ellie was having a special tutor until the regular school teacher was back from the east. The new school teacher was mean to Ellie and wasn't willing to take the time to work with her. Ellie was hard of hearing on her left side and had trouble pronouncing l's, s's and w's.
Adam knocked on Mrs. Wilson's door. The door opened and Ellie flew into Adam's arms. Adam picked her up and swung her on his hip. "Were you a good girl today?" he asked planting a kiss on her cheek.
"Uh huh, I was weal good. Wight, Mrs. Wilson?" asked Ellie clinging to Adam.
"Yes dear, you were real good." she said emphasizing the "r".
"Real", repeated Ellie.
"Good job," exclaimed Mrs. Wilson, you're really getting those "r"s.
Adam put her down and grabbed her hand. He turned toward Mrs. Wilson, "Thank you, Mrs. Wilson. I best be picking up Joe." he said as he turned to leave.
Ellie tugged on Adam's hand, she had a book in her hand. "Addy, Addy, wook, wook, wook what I got."
Adam smiled indulgently at his little sister, "Slow down baby, slow down. You can pronounce those words right if you talk slowly."
Ellie started to pout. She didn't like when people corrected her. She was tired and needed a nap and all she wanted to do was show Adam the book Mrs. Wilson gave her. Adam noticed the frown playing across her face. He knew she needed a nap and would fall asleep on the way home. He knelt down next to her for a moment and took her chin in his hand.
"Ellie don't get mad, I'm just helping you. What did you want to show me?" he asked.
"A book Adam, a book, Mrs. Wilson gave me a book with baby animals. Want to see?" Ellie said excitedly, momentarily forgetting why she was mad.
Adam shook his head, "I'll look at it when we get home. We need to go get Joe right now."
Ellie looked crushed. Adam felt bad, but he needed to get Joe and get home, there were still chores he had to do. Adam picked up Ellie and flung her up on his shoulders. "Come on Princess, I'll look at the book with you after supper."
Ellie seemed content with that as she rested her head on top of Adam's head. They picked up Joe and headed for home. True to form, Ellie fell asleep in the buckboard clutching her new book to her chest. Joe chatted on and on until they got home. By the time they got home, Adam was ready for a respite from Joe's chatter. Joe jumped out of the buckboard. He started to run for the house, but Adam collared him. "Chores, little brother."
"Aw come on Adam." whined Joe.
"Chores," repeated Adam firmly.
Joe sighed, "Chores," he said.
Adam went to the back of the buckboard to wake up Ellie. He lifted her out with her book still clutched tightly to her chest. In an almost daily ritual, Pa had come to take Ellie inside. Ellie was just starting to stir as Adam stood her up. Pa didn't want Ellie napping any longer than the drive home. Ellie yawned and stretched, her arms stretched up to her Papa, so he'd pick her up. She almost banged him in the head with the book. Pa swung his head to the side to avoid colliding with the book as he removed it from her hand.
"Say, what's this?" he asked as he swung Ellie on his hip.
"It's a book Papa," she said looking at him as if he were the dumbest creature on earth.
"Yes, I know," he said dryly. "What kind of book."
"Baby aminals, Mrs. Wilson give it to me." she said proudly.
"Baby animals and Mrs. Wilson gave it to you." he corrected.
"That's what I said." Ellie said frustrated.
Pa just shook his head, hiding a grin with his hand. Adam turned around to grin. The last thing they wanted was for Ellie to think they were laughing at her. If she thought they were laughing at her, she'd have a tantrum.
"I see," said Pa, "Let's take the book inside and we can look at it after dinner." Pa said taking Ellie's hand and leading her into the house.
"But Papa, can't I have a baby hog hedge?" Ellie asked plaintively, tugging on her Papa's hand.
"A what?" he asked.
"You know Papa, a baby hog hedge, in the book."
Pa glanced at his youngest. No telling what that girl was talking about. "Well, let's eat supper first and then you can tell me all about it, ok?"
Yes, papa." said Ellie dutifully. She knew if she wanted something, she better be a really good girl.
Ellie was on the floor playing with her Noah's ark set, when Hoss came in.
"Heh Princess, how was your day?" asked Hoss.
"Good Hossy," Ellie said looking up. "Say Hossy, which one of these aminals is a hog hedge."
Hoss knelt down next to her. "A what, baby?"
"You know, a hog hedge, they's one in the new book Mrs. Wilson give me." she said shaking her head. Boy, what was wrong with the people in this family. Nobody seemed to know what a hog hedge was. Ellie got up and grabbed the book that Pa had put on the table. She finally got to the page for "h" and there was a picture of a hedgehog. She pointed to the picture, "See Hossy, a hog hedge." she said jabbing a finger at the picture.
Hoss wanted to bust out laughing, she meant a hedgehog not a "hog hedge". He knew he couldn't laugh or Ellie would come unglued. He bit his lip and took a breath. "Baby, that's a hedgehog, not a hog hedge."
Ellie put a hand on her hip. "Well, can I have a baby one?" she asked.
"Oh baby, them is wild animals. I don't think it would be a very good pet." said Hoss shaking his head.
Ellie ignored that comment and went back to looking at her Noah's ark set. "So, which one's the hog hedge?" she asked.
"Hedgehog." corrected Hoss.
"Hedgehog." she repeated.
"I don't think they's one in that set." said Hoss shaking his head.
"Well why not, the preacher says all the animals, God made hog hedges didn't he?"
"Hedgehogs. I don't know baby, if they made a set with all the animals, it would be too many, so they just made this set with some animals." Hoss said getting exasperated.
"Hmm," said Ellie.
Luckily, Pa called them to wash for supper. Ellie went to her papa to show him her hands and that they were clean before supper. She sat down and immediately asked, "Can I have a baby hog hedge?"
Pa looked at her strangely, "A what?" he asked.
Hoss smiled. "Pa, Ellie saw a picture of a baby hedgehog in that picture book Mrs. Wilson gave her."
"Oh," said Pa relieved that he finally knew what she was talking about.
"Yeah Papa, want to see the picture." Ellie said as she started to get up from the table.
"Eleanor Grace, sit your bottom down in that chair, right now." Pa fussed at her.
Ellie looked at her papa.
"We'll look at the book after supper. Understand?"
Ellie nodded. Ellie finished her supper and stole a look at Pa. She really wanted to have a baby hog hedge, if only Papa would listen. Finally, the children were excused and Ellie could go get her picture book.
Pa walked over to the rocking chair and motioned to Ellie to come sit with him. She grabbed her picture book and climbed up in his lap. She sat on his lap with her head against his chest. She turned to the page with the hedgehog. "Look Papa, look, it's a baby hog hedge."
"Hedgehog," Pa said gently correcting her.
"Can I have one?" she asked.
"No baby, those are wild animals. It's not fair to cage them up. Besides, I wouldn't even know where to find one for you." Pa said shaking his head.
Ellie looked at her papa sadly. "But Papa, I'd take care of it and feed it and everything. Please?"
"Baby, it's just not something we can do." Pa said shaking his head and hugging her tight. "Let's read about the other baby animals in this book." He said as he took the book from her and started reading. Before he knew it, the clock struck 7:00 and it was time for Ellie to go to bed. Pa looked down at his baby to see her fast asleep in his lap. He chuckled as he picked her up and carried her to her room. He changed her into a nightgown and tucked her in bed. He shook his head, "Baby hedgehogs, good Lord."
Joe came in to wake up Ellie that next morning. "Come on, Sissy. Let's go." he said as he shook her.
Ellie woke up groggy, "Want a baby hog hedge." she said petulantly.
Joe shook his head, "Forget about it for now, you better get up and get dressed before Pa comes up here and swats your bottom for not getting up."
Ellie frowned, she didn't want any swats, she just wanted a baby hog hedge. She got up and allowed Joe to help her get dressed. He wasn't about to try and brush her hair, he figured he'd leave that to Pa. Ellie went down the stairs, brush and hair ribbons in hand. She only wanted Papa that morning and we she got it in her head that she only wanted her papa, that was the end of that. Pa was sitting at the table about to eat when Ellie came down.
"Ellie, come here and let me brush your hair." said Pa holding his hand out for the brush and ribbons.
Ellie walked over to him and handed him her brush and ribbons. As Pa started brushing her hair, Ellie said, "Can I have a baby hog hedge?"
Pa sighed. "Ellie, it's hedgehog and no you can't have one because they are wild creatures and God did not intend them for pets."
Ellie sighed, "Well, what's God gonna do with them?"
Pa smiled and tried hard not to laugh, Adam was hiding in his coffee and Joe and Hoss just rolled their eyes. "God wants them just to be forest creatures."
"We don't go no forest." Ellie said.
"Right, so we won't even have hedgehogs around here." Pa said as he finished brushing Ellie's hair. He turned her around and gave her a big kiss. Ellie lingered on Pa's chest for a moment. She was sorely disappointed, she sure wanted one of them hog hedges. Pa picked her up and put her in his lap, he'd just let her eat from his plate. When she was done, Pa looked at Joe.
"Joe, you and Ellie are excused. Go get your books together. Time for you to go to school and Ellie to go to Mrs. Wilson." Pa said as he lifted Ellie off his lap and put her on the floor.
"I got everything together, Pa. I'll just go saddle Windy and Blackie."
"That's fine son."
Pa walked Ellie out to Windy. He picked her up and put her on Windy. "Be a good girl at Mrs. Wilson's and mind Joe." he said as he gave her a kiss good-bye.
He took one look at Joe, "Straight home after school, Joe. No dawdling."
Joe nodded, "Yes, sir."
"Ok, off with you." said Pa as he turned to go back to the house.
Joe and Ellie took off for school. Ellie spent the whole day thinking about baby hedgehogs. Mrs. Wilson was exasperated by the time Joe came to pick Ellie up. As Joe arrived, Mrs. Wilson looked at Ellie, "Your mind wasn't on your work, Ellie. I expect you to pay better attention tomorrow."
Ellie looked down, she knew she hadn't been really good all day, "Yes ma'am. I'm sorry, I was just thinking about the baby animals in that picture book."
With that Joe helped Ellie get on Windy and they headed for home. Ellie was awfully quiet. "Heh, Sissy, you didn't get in no trouble did you?"
Ellie looked sorrowfully at Joe, "Mrs. Wilson said I have to pay 'tention tomorrow."
"Oh," said Joe knowingly. He'd had lots of days when he got in trouble for not paying attention.
As they were riding home, a family of porcupines were walking across their path. Ellie couldn't believe it, a whole family of hog hedges right in front of her eyes. Ellie stopped, "Joe, Joe," she whispered excitedly. "Look, hog hedges, 3 of them." she said pointing to the porcupines.
"Sissy, they ain't no hedgehogs, they's porcupines. They can hurt you."
"No they ain't." she insisted. "They's hog hedges, just like the ones in my book." Before Joe knew it, Ellie had stopped Windy and jumped off. She scooped one of the babies into her hand. "See Joe, ain't it cute. I'm taking it home."
"No Sissy, Pa said you cain't have one. Put it down." Joe threatened.
"No! Besides Pa'll won't know. I'll keep it in my room. I'm gonna call it Pokey cuz it moves so slow." she said determinedly. She looked at Joe, "What about the mama, won't Pokey be lonely without his mama?"
Joe looked wary, that mama porcupine had whole hide full of quills. He wasn't aiming to get poked by any of them. "I ain't touching that thing. You see all that on her back, those is quills and they poke."
"Well, this baby has those, but they is real soft. Not pokey at all." she said skeptically. "Come on Joe, just get the mama, I'll get the other baby," she said as she leaned down to scoop the other baby into her arms.
Joe sat there, he figured the babies would need the mama. He also figured Pa'd skin him alive for bringing home baby porcupines. He also figured Ellie would throw a fit if he didn't. He figured it would be a heck of a lot easier bringing home the animals and letting Pa tell her she couldn't have them. Joe sighed as he dismounted Blackie. Joe stood there for a minute. He wasn't sure how he was going to capture the mama. He had an idea, if she would just crawl into his saddle bag. Joe still had an apple that he hadn't eaten at lunch. He jumped off his horse, grabbed the apple and the saddle bag and set up the trap. He put the apple at the edge of the saddle bag and propped the front open with a stick. Ellie was watching him.
"Watcha doin' Joe. How come you just don't get her?" asked Ellie curiously.
Joe looked at her as he was setting the trap, "Well, I don't aim to get stuck by those quills."
"Oh," said Ellie. She couldn't understand the problem. The baby's quills were soft. She wondered why the mama's back wasn't soft too. Besides these were hog hedges, not porcu..porcu..what ever Joe called them.
Unbelievable, the mama porcupine went right into Joe's saddle bags. Once she was inside. Joe grabbed up the saddle bags. He held the side with the porcupine away from him. So far, nothing had poked through. Joe helped Ellie up on her horse. He had taken the baby porcupines and put them in with the mama. He hadn't figured out he was going to explain this to Pa.
With his task completed, he turned toward Ellie, "Come on Sissy, we best get home. Pa, told me no dawdling and come straight home."
"What's dawd..daw, what's.." Ellie sputtered trying to sound it out.
"Dawdling?" asked Joe.
"Uh huh." confirmed Ellie.
"It means come home and don't spend time picking up stupid porcupines." Joe said sarcastically.
Ellie missed the sarcasm, "They's hog hedges," she said stubbornly.
Joe rolled his eyes. "Come on Sissy, let's go."
Joe and Ellie arrived at the ranch. It was pretty unusual that some one wasn't out front to greet them. Just then, Hop Sing came out. "You put horses away, Lil Joe, then come for cookies and milk."
Joe grinned, "Yes sir, Hop Sing, I'm coming." Joe jumped off his pony, helped Ellie off of hers. He took the saddle bags and handed them to Ellie. "Go put these inside." he told her. "I'm going to find a box for Pokey and his mama and put the horses up."
"Ok," said Ellie holding the saddle bags. She walked into the front door and decided the best place to put those bags was in her Papa's blue chair. She heaved the bags into the chair. Just then she heard Hop Sing, "Missy Ellie, Missy Ellie, come wash your hands."
"Yes sir, coming." called Ellie.
In the mean time, Joe had put up the horses and the saddles. He was poking around for a box, when Hoss came in the barn. "Heh Joe, how's school today?" asked Hoss.
"Hmm?" asked Joe distractedly.
"I asked you how's school today?" said Hoss. "Heh, what'd ya looking for any how?"
Joe looked at his brother, "We found porcupines on the way home from school and Ellie think's they's hedgehogs and she wants to keep them. So, we brought them home."
Hoss' eyebrows went up, "What'd you crazy? Pa's gonna skin you alive." Hoss laughed shaking his head.
Joe scowled, " I know Hoss, but it was easier then trying to get Ellie to believe they wasn't hedgehogs. I figured Pa could tell her."
Hoss scratched his head curiously, "Well, where they at now?"
"I trapped them in my saddle bags. I gave them to Ellie."
"What'd she do with them?" asked Hoss.
Just then, they heard the loudest bellow imaginable coming from the house. The heard and "Owwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!". The they heard, "ELEANOR GRACE CARTWRIGHT!"
"Uh oh," said Joe, "I think I know what she did with them."
Joe and Hoss ran for the house as fast as they could. They slammed open the front door to find Ellie standing on the edge of the great room with her hand over her mouth and their father standing in front of his blue chair with porcupine quills sticking out of his backside. The boys couldn't help themselves, but fell on the floor laughing.
Ellie sighed as she finished her story. Still giggling, she said, "So, that's why this reminds me of Pokey."
Clay was laughing so hard he had tears rolling down his face. He had finished doctoring Joe's behind and was just applying some salve.
"Well, don't leave me in suspense," he said, "what happened."
Ellie's eyes were sparkling, "Let's just say that neither Papa or I sat comfortable for a few days and Pokey and his mama were never seen again."
"You're something else, little sister. You're something else." Clay chuckled.