A Day at the Zoo (Written by Jackson Gillis)

Lift-off from the planet where they encountered the female robot did not happen as planned. John wasn't sure how long they would stay, but he felt that it was as good a time as any to thoroughly check all of the Jupiter's systems in the hope that the ship would remain in top shape when they took off again.

Don, Judy and Penny were off collecting mineral and plant specimens. Though it wasn't obvious, there was still a bit of tension between Don and Judy since their last private conversation. Don tapped a large rock with his pick as Judy approached him. "Hi, did you find any plants?" Don asked her as he heard her footsteps.

"Not a one. I don't think Penny's finding any either. We split up so we could cover as much area as possible," she replied.

What sounded like a cosmic boom echoed through the air and the sky darkened – just for a moment. "What was it? An eclipse?" Judy asked.

Don barely touched her arm. "No. It was much too close for an eclipse. I think we'd better get back to the spaceship."

"But what about Penny?"

"We'll find her on the way back."

They had no idea that Penny had indeed found something – a paper daffodil… and a young cave boy. She was snatched up by a net to be placed in none other than – a human zoo…


Judy and Don couldn't find Penny anywhere. "I thought she'd be around here somewhere," Judy stated.

"Let's go, Penny!" Don shouted. They kept walking, but just seemed to be going around in circles – and still no Penny. They found a cave with a vine surrounding the entrance.

"Do you think she went in there?" Judy asked.

"Only one way to find out," Don replied.

They stood at the entrance and Judy reached out to pluck a leaf from the vine. The leaf flashed like a strobe light. Don grabbed her arm and pulled her back against his body, but they were both transported to a black space of nothingness.

"Where are we?" Judy asked.

"I don't know," Don replied.

A whip cracked behind them and they both turned. There stood a man in a purple coat holding a chair and whip. "Both of you, back!" the man exclaimed as he cracked the whip again.

"Now, look here, mister," Don said as Judy stood behind him.

"Do as I say! Get back!" The man cracked his whip again, and Don had had enough. He whipped out his laser pistol and the man called for his guard. "Mort!"

Don looked at Judy and said, "What in the name of—" as a medieval knight strode up to Don.

"Be careful, my boy. He'll tear you asunder," the man warned.

Don had no intention of hurting anyone, unless he had to. "Better call him off, mister. That medieval armor's no match against this." Don pressed his pistol against the armor. Mort flung his arm against Don's hand and the pistol flew behind him. Don then hit the armor with his pick and it exploded, but had no effect on the knight who grabbed Don by the front of his shirt.

"Oh, stop struggling, you silly fool," the man advised. "It won't do you any good. Mort here is one of my finest exhibits – the original Sir Mordred, who killed your King Arthur." He cracked his whip one more time. "Mort! Bring them along!"

"Put them in the empty cell next to Penny's," the man told Mort. "Hurry, Mort. We've got to get going."

"Get going? Where?" Penny asked.

"Oh, dear," the man told Penny, "I hope I'm not going to have trouble with that one. But you'll help me, won't you, my dear, to keep him calm, hmm? The trouble with the Homo sapiens male, I understand, is that they all used to be boys."

"What's wrong with boys? Weren't you one once?"

"Well, of course not! Where I come from, we've done away with that "growing up" nonsense."

"But if it's true you've caught all kinds of humans, you must have had lots of experience,"

"Are you calling me a fraud, Penny? I'll have you know that I have caught hundreds… literally thousands, of human beings. And the only one I have any trouble with is Oggo… and do you know why? Because he's a boy. So there. Hmm…"

After the man left, Judy called to her sister. "Penny? Are you all right?"

"Yes. I'm fine," Penny replied. "How did he catch you?"

"We walked into a cave and as soon as I touched a vine, we were transported to this awful place."

"He caught me in a net. I should have listened to Oggo."

"Penny," Don asked, "who's... Oggo? And who is this character?"

"He calls himself the great Farnum B., showman of the cosmos. Oggo is one of his exhibits, just like we're going to be."

Don and Judy exchanged glances. "What kind of exhibits?" Don asked.

"His main attractions in a traveling zoo," Penny stated. "He wants to show us off in our natural habitat. That's why I'm in a teenage girl's bedroom. He said we could have anything we want anytime we want… But all I want is to go home…"


Penny had no idea how much time had passed. It couldn't have been very long, when Will and Dr. Smith were brought before them. Will was shoved into her cell and Dr. Smith was given his own accommodations. "Will! How did you get in here?" Don asked him.

"Dr. Smith—"

"I should have known," Don mumbled.

"Yeah… he went against the Robot's warnings and picked a yellow flower and we were brought here. The Robot was with us too, but he was cut in half by that knight."

"You mean that knight beat the Robot?" Don couldn't believe it.

"It's not a real knight, Don… It's a robot made to look like a knight. If we had known – the Robot would have had a chance against him."

"I tell you, Judy," Don said, "someday… when I get my hands on that Smith…"

"Dr. Smith isn't our problem today, Don. Mr. Farnum is… Now, how can we get out of here?" Judy asked him.

Penny sat on the bed covered in stuffed animals while Will stared out the cell door. "Oh, Will," Penny cried, "what are we gonna do?"

"I don't know," Will replied. "I'm sure I'd just love to spend forever in a girl's room." He sat in a chair and grabbed the guitar that had been learning against it.

"That's not important. The trouble is Mr. Farnum's so smart. It's obvious he can travel anyplace through time, space, anything."

"Well, then why didn't he bring back a real knight from the Middle Ages?"

"Who cares? Oh, Will, don't you realize the spot we're in? You wanna be an animal in a zoo for the rest of your life?"

"But Penny—"

CRASH! A lamp smashed up against Judy's and Don's cell… and then another… Farnum B. was beside himself outside their cage.

"Stop it! Stop it!" Farnum B. shouted. "Now, you just stop that! You asked for lamps, didn't you? I gave them to you. What are you throwing them for?"

"All right, but give me my laser gun," Don shouted. "Give me a radio!"

"Major, I don't understand why you're carrying on like this," Farnum B. honestly stated. "I give you almost everything, and as soon as I get organized I promise you'll all even have your own private cages. And on top of that, there's no danger here, no disease."

"All right! Then I'll quit throwing things."

"Oh, good."

"I'm just trying to make you listen to me. That's all… So if you'll just step inside here, maybe we can—"

"—Major, Major, Major… You have inferior intelligence. Don't you know it's impossible to trick me?" Farnum B. looked at his pocket watch. "Oh, besides… time to get this show on the road."

"Show on the road?" Judy asked.

"Yes, of course. Now that I have you twentieth century specimens, my exhibit's complete. Ho-ho! I'll pack them in. At last, I'll clean up!"

Don reached for Farnum through the bars. "Wait! Where are we goin'?"

"Oh, first a little road trip, cover several galaxies. Just as soon as I make certain Dr. Smith is properly settled, we'll be blasting off!"


"Don, what are we going to do?" Judy asked as he paced in the small confines of the cell.

"I don't know, Judy… I'll think of something…" Don said.

"Don," Judy sighed, "please stop pacing. It's not helping." He glanced at her, but didn't stop. "If only we could get word to Dad… He'd get us out."

Don stopped his pacing and stared at her as she stood not three feet away from him, hugging herself in fear. Of course she was right. John would be able to get them out. John was her knight in shining armor, not he… She saw hurt in his eyes – only briefly, but it was there.

"Don? What's wrong?" she asked.

He shook his head and kept pacing. Penny came to their cell door. Don walked up to the bars as Penny delivered her news. "Will and I got out. Oggo is going to help Will escape so he can bring back help," Penny told them. "It won't be long now. I've got to get back in my cell before Mr. Farnum notices."

"Thank goodness," Judy stated. Don hung his head and then turned and returned to pacing the cell. "Don…"

He didn't answer. He looked behind the huge secretary's desk, which he had already done a hundred times and then at the luxurious sofa, but nothing was coming to him. There was still no way to escape. Then someone walked towards them in the darkness.

"Dr. Smith!" Judy exclaimed. "How did you get out there?"

"Hurry. Open this door," Don demanded.

"Oggo!" Penny said as he approached in a shiny pink jacket. "What are you doing in that coat?"

"Never mind the coat. There's work to be done," Dr. Smith told Oggo.

"What happened to Will?" Penny asked. Oggo couldn't look her in the eye. "Oggo, did Will get out?"

"Smith, open the door," Don demanded again.

"Not yet, Major," Dr. Smith replied. "Not until I have tested one more thing. Oggo come here. Show me the proper button."

"Test what thing, what button? Dr. Smith, what are you talking about?" Judy asked.

"The acid test," Dr. Smith replied. "Oh, please let it work," he whispered after Oggo showed him the button. He pressed it. "Mort? Yoo-hoo," he called. Knight Mort did indeed come out of the darkness and followed each of Dr. Smith's orders to perfection – well, almost to perfection.

"He's doing it! He's doing it! Tell him to let us out. Hurry!" Penny said from her cell.

"Yes! Let us out of here!" Judy repeated.

Dr. Smith cracked the whip. "Silence! Have you forgotten those sacred words, "The show must go on"?

Penny couldn't believe her ears. "The what?" she asked.

"Unfortunately, Mr. Farnum has met with a slight accident," Dr. Smith explained. "I am in charge here now, and let me remind you… this zoo is already booked for a road tour. There are eager customers waiting on distant planets with money in their hot little hands."

Don was incensed. "Smith, you open this door."

"You'll get out when I say so, Major – when I have collected that money. For the nonce, I am the greatest showman in the cosmos." He turned to his knight. "Mort, I shall need your help to put my mechanical misfit back together again. We are hitting the road." He cracked his whip and left with Oggo and Mort in tow.

"Smith, get back here!" Don yelled to no avail. Smith went on his way.

"Oh, I wish I knew what happened to Will," Penny cried.

Judy tried to comfort her. "He's probably already on his way back here with Dad."

It wasn't long after Judy made that comment that their cells started to shake and shimmy.

"What's happening?" Penny asked.

Don looked at Judy. "We're lifting off! Penny, get down on the floor and keep your head covered." He helped Judy down and covered her with his body. He might not be her savior, but he could at least do what he could to protect her.

Once in the air, the ship, or whatever they were on, stabilized. Penny slid out from under her bed and asked, "Are you both okay?"

Judy turned her head towards Don and he stared into her eyes. Holding himself back from kissing her was impossible until he heard the anxiety in Penny's voice…

"Judy? Don?" Penny's tone rose.

Don sat up, releasing Judy from his coverage, and she called to her sister. "We're fine, Penny… We're fine…" and her voice faded. He helped her up.


A short time later, Dr. Smith strode up to them holding a control box. "Well, I see that you have survived the take-off rather nicely. I am prepared to give you whatever you would like for dinner… hamburgers… hotdogs… crepe suzettes… pheasant under glass perhaps? Oh, and a fluffy, comfortable bed for you, Judy. I think we shall put it right over there. He pointed to the wall between Judy and Penny's cells and a French provincial single bed appeared covered in a luxurious satin comforter. Then he pointed directly at Don. "You, Major, sleep on the couch. Do I have your word?"

Don grabbed the bars and shook the door – its clattering echoing in the hall. "When I get out of here Smith…" Don threatened.

"Now, now, Major… We are a high-class show… basic protocol must be followed. Let me see. I believe I will order your dinners myself…" He walked over to Penny's cell… "What would you like my dear."

"I don't want anything! I just want to go home," she exclaimed.

"And we will, Penny, we will – after I have collected my treasures from the tour. Now, you must eat to keep up your appearance. Never let it be said that Zachary Smith, showman of the cosmos, did not take care of his exhibits! So, I will take the liberty of ordering for you. How about a nice, juicy hamburger, French fries and soda. Oh, and strawberries for dessert. I believe you like strawberries." They appeared on her bedside table. He went to Judy and Don's cell. "For Judy, something much more… elegant… how about London broil – rare – with potatoes and asparagus… and for dessert a perfect crème brulee." Each appeared on the coffee table in front of the sofa. "I'd give you a bottle of red wine, my dear, but you need to keep your wits about you with this gorilla in your cage. I understand that Mr. Farnum promised you private quarters, but I believe keeping you together will be, shall we say, a much more interesting spectacle."

Don reached out as far as he could to grab Smith, but the man jumped back, just out of his reach. "And for the Major – let me see… a meal befitting his caveman attitude – pizza and beer. Yes, Lots of beer… to calm his nerves…" Don grabbed one of several bottles that had appeared on the coffee table and threw it directly at Smith's head, but he blocked it with his elbow. Smith turned and ran as Don threw the rest of the bottles at his retreating back, missing him by a smidgen every time. Don corrected his aim with each toss, and by the last one – hit Smith square in the back. Don pulled down his fist and yelled, "Yes! Oh, that felt good!"

Judy put her hands on her hips and shouted, "Don!"

"Now, don't give me any grief about that, Judy," Don said as he pointed towards where Smith had gone. "He deserved it – and more!"

"You could at least have saved one for me to throw…"

Don stared at her – just for a few seconds – then burst out laughing. He took her into a hug and said, "Oh, Judy… I love you!"

Penny was at her cell door watching the target throw and overheard their conversation. She smiled and thought, "Judy is so-o-o lucky…" She sat on the edge of her bed to eat her dinner.

Dr. Smith didn't show his face for the rest of the night. Penny wandered over to the turntable and placed one of the records that was from her "grandmother's time" on the turntable… Elvis Presley's Golden Records (1956)…

Judy and Don sat on the elegant sofa together, Don's feet on the coffee table, his arm around Judy. "Mom and Dad must be frantic by now," Judy mused.

"Yeah," he replied. "Even if Will got to them, they won't know where we are now."

"You ain't nothin' but a Hound Dog… Cryin' all the time…"

Don and Judy jumped about two feet when the music started. "Wow… I, uh, I guess Penny figured out how to work the stereo," Don said.

"You ain't nothin' but a Hound Dog… Cryin' all the time…"

They settled back into their comfortable embrace. "Don, I don't understand how Dr. Smith could treat us this way," Judy continued to muse.

"Well you ain't never caught a rabbit and you ain't no friend of mine…"

"Come on, Judy… It's Smith… what's to understand? At least Will escaped."

"But we don't know if he made it out," Judy commented.

"He must have – or he would have been back in Penny's cell by now."

"Unless…" Judy turned her worried face towards Don. "He's with Mr. Farnum…"

He held her tighter.

"Love me tender, love me sweet, never let me go…"

"You know Will," Don replied. "He'll find a way…" He stared into her eyes and brushed her cheek – oh, so gently – with his fingers.

"You have made my life complete, and I love you so…"

He touched his lips to hers and she touched back. For a brief moment, the bars of their cage disappeared and an ocean breeze blew through their hair. Judy's arms went around his neck and she held on, not letting him go.

"Love me tender, love me true, all my dreams fulfilled…"

Don wrapped his free arm around her back and drew her even closer.

"For my darlin' I love you, and I always will…"

The brief moment stretched into what could have been an eternity. There was only one time, one place, one person that existed for both of them. At that very moment, in that very kiss, there was only each other… and no one else…

"Well, since my baby left me… I found a new place to dwell…"

The bars slammed back into place. They remembered that Penny was next door and Smith was off somewhere – scheming…

"It's down at the end of lonely street at Heartbreak Hotel…"

Their lips parted, but they still held onto each other.

"You make me so lonely, baby… I get so lonely… I get so lonely I could die…"

Penny had had enough of The King and turned off the stereo. "Judy? Don? I… I can't stand this anymore… And I'm… I'm really scared."

Judy leaned away from Don as he dropped his arms. She sat up and sent words of comfort to Penny. "I know, Penny. So am I… but you know that Dr. Smith would never really hurt us…"

Don stood up and walked to the cell bars. "I can't say the same for me, though, Penny… When I get my hands on Smith…""

Penny actually laughed, and Judy said, "Right, Don… we know…" She and Penny said in unison, "You're gonna tear him apart…" they imitated in their best 'mad major' voices.

Don smirked, "Okay, okay… I know I talk a good game, but this time I'm really gonna…"

Judy laughed. She took Don's hand and said, "Penny, try to get some sleep."

Penny sighed. "All right… good night…" She settled into her bed and held a stuffed white dog with a blue bow against her chest. She fell into a restless sleep.

Judy led Don back to the sofa. "Thanks for making her laugh, Don," Judy told him.

"Hey, I was being serious," he said. It wasn't long before Judy was falling asleep against his chest. "Judy…" She jerked awake. "Why don't you go to bed?"

"Um… okay. What are you going to do?"

"Don't worry about me… I'm not sleepy…" He nodded towards the bed. "Go ahead."

Judy kissed him on the cheek, stood and walked over to the bed. She nestled beneath the quilt and closed her eyes.

Don lay on the sofa and wracked his brain to find a way out of this mess. If he could only get his hands on his laser or trick Smith into letting him out, then he could figure out how to turn the ship around and get back to John and Maureen… or so he hoped… He drifted off into a deep sleep…


Judy wasn't sure if she was asleep or awake. She knew her eyes were closed, but she could see, hear and smell what was happening… She and Penny were caged in a cell and a menagerie of aliens were walking by, trying to grab at them… laughing… snarling… One with long poisonous tentacles reached into the cell and wrapped slithering, slimy arms around both of them. Don appeared and tried to wrestle the tentacles away from the girls, but he was running out of time. It became obvious to all of them that he could only save one…

Judy sat up, clutching at her throat and gasping for air. She saw that Don was sleep, his body half on, half off the sofa. She crept out of bed and knelt in front of him. "Don? Wake up, please?"

His eyes fluttered open and he sat up. "Judy? What's wrong?"

"Jericho with me?" she asked.

He rubbed his eyes. "What?"

"I had a nightmare. Jericho with me like we did in Galveston?"

"Sure." She took his hand and led him to the bed. He covered her and tucked the covers in behind her. Then snuggled against her back and put his arm around her, and they rested more peacefully together than they had apart.


The next morning, Judy and Don were sitting on the sofa. They knew they had landed somewhere – they just didn't know where. They heard the crack of a whip and Oggo, wearing his hot pink circus jacket, was coming towards them, snapping the whip against the floor. Dr. Smith came up behind him and demanded its return. "Later, boy, later," Dr. Smith told him. "You'll have your chance later."

Whip in hand and wearing his circus master's uniform, Smith strutted up to Judy and Don's cell with a treasure trove of stringed jewels hanging from his arm. "Have a look… jewels," he told them. "We're on a planet where they pay in jewels."

"Let me see," Penny asked.

"Emeralds, rubies, sapphires."

"Grab them, Penny, and wrap them around his neck," Don shouted at her from his cell.

"Silence!" Dr. Smith commanded. "For shame, Major. Don't you appreciate what I'm doing for you?"

"I'm gonna slaughter you. I swear to you, when I get outta here, I'm gonna…" Judy put her hand on his shoulder to calm him.

"Really, Major. It's very bad form for the aliens to see you behaving in this way," Dr, Smith admonished him. "The curtain's going up. Take your places!"

"Curtain?" Judy asked.

Dr. Smith took the control box from Oggo and pressed a button. The curtains that were the cells' fourth walls pulled back to reveal an opaque window…

"Good luck, everyone. On with the show!" Dr. Smith announced.

Penny stood back in fear and Judy cried out in horror, "Oh, no, no!"

On the other side of the window stood hundreds of aliens… watching… chattering… laughing. Judy walked up to the window and was confronted by the huge eyes of an alien face. She shrieked and ran back to Don's arms.

"That's it. Move about. Put some showmanship into it," Dr. Smith directed.

He walked up to Penny's cage. "Penny, don't just stand there. Move about. I've worked very hard on this production."

"But I'm scared," she replied.

"Nonsense, my dear. Remember how the polar bears bask in their pool of water?"

"But I'm a person, and they're – Well, look at them…"

Judy trembled in Don's arms. He wasn't sure if it was from fear or anger – probably both and tried to comfort her. "Don't worry. We'll get out of here somehow."

Penny shrieked when a 'rotting-pumpkin' headed sort of alien approached her window.

"Now, stop it at once, do you hear?" Dr. Smith admonished her. "Play it up! Play your part well and I promise you shall have ice cream at feeding time."

"Ice cream!" She turned around to see Oggo grinning and seemingly enjoying her discomfort, which turned her fear into anger. "Look at you in that silly coat. Is that all you wanted? Are you happy now?" she asked him. He stopped grinning and motioned with his hands for her to calm down.

The Robot rolled up at that moment and was told to get into his "Renegade Robot of Mars outfit" by Dr. Smith. Then Smith and Oggo turned to leave, but Oggo couldn't stop himself from looking at Penny one more time.

"Robot, I can understand about Dr. Smith and that silly boy," Penny told him, "but how could you let this happen?"

"Because the show must go on... Dr. Smith implanted that on all my memory tapes," the Robot explained.

"Can't you erase your tapes and start acting like you should?"

"Self-erasure of tapes is against a robot's rime directive."

"Is that all you can say?"

"There is no business like show business, at least according to Dr. Smith."

"Now, you stop that. At least try to erase all that from your tapes and help us."

The Robot was indeed embarrassed by his behavior. "Very well. It shall be done," he told Penny and rolled away.

Watching Judy's discomfort and listening to Penny's outrage, caused Don to lose what little composure he had when the curtain went up. "I'll keelhaul that Dr. Smith!" he screamed. "I'll smash him! I'll draw and quarter him. I'll break every bone in his greedy little body." The angrier he became, the more laughter they heard.

"Ohh, you know what it makes me wanna do?" Judy stuck out her tongue at them. She couldn't believe what she had just done and squeezed her hands together in frustration. "Oh!"

That was not like Judy at all, and Don immediately calmed himself and took her in his arms again. "Take it easy, Judy. We'd all better take it easy."

"But now I know how the monkeys feel," she told him.


Penny's outrage had its effect on the Robot. Once the Robot had corrected his memory tapes, he let Don, Judy and Penny out of their cages. Don found his laser pistol in Smith's room and told the girls, "Stay here in the cages until I get back. I'm going out there to get Smith."

"Don, wait!" Judy exclaimed as she placed a hand on Smith's arm. "Mort might be out there!"

"I'll be careful. Once I have Smith in control, Mort won't be a problem." He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and rushed out.


Mort stood at the collection gate while Dr. Smith played carnie in front of two life size posters of Penny and Don. "It's five minutes to showtime. See the humans. See them eat." Dr. Smith tapped the cane he was holding on Don's face and said, "See their funny faces." Don hid behind the poster of Penny, waiting for an opportunity to grab Smith without Mort's interference. "See the silly humans. This way! This way!"

Dr. Smith leaned towards his knight and told him, "Mort, careful with those jewels. Put them all in my room, remember?" Mort left to deposit the jewels and Don knew the time was right. Dr. Smith continued his spiel. "Hurry, hurry, hurry! See the greatest show on Earth! Get your tickets! See the one and only Zachary Smith present his marvel of the ages!"

Oggo noticed Don hiding behind the poster and knew he had to warn Dr. Smith. An alien family walked up to buy tickets. As soon as the family entered the exhibit, Dr. Smith started again, "See the terrifying, raging major. See the pretty little girl." Oggo tugged at Dr. Smith's red coat. "See—" Smith turned towards Oggo, "No, no. Later. Later, Oggo. You'll get your chance later." Oggo continued to pull at his coat as Dr. Smith again tried to call to the audience, "Hurry, hurry!" He turned back to Oggo and exclaimed, "Stop it! Do you hear? Stop it!"

Don placed the end of his pistol against Smith's back and said, "The show's over, Smith."

The Robot was behind him and added, "Ring down the curtain, Dr. Smith."


Smith and Mort stood with their hands in the air as Don paced in front of them. "I just wanted to help, Major. I meant no harm," Smith said. "I was just trying to make a bit of money for all of us, for the children's future."

"I told you to be quiet," Don muttered.

"Oh, Don, I found another one of Mr. Farnum's control boxes," Judy said as she walked up and handed it to Don.

"Where's Will?" Don asked Smith.

"I don't know where Will is," Smith replied.

Oggo stood next to Penny, with a look of guilt on his face. She turned to him and asked, "Oggo, you know where Will is, don't you? He's with Mr. Farnum, isn't he? And you know how to get them back."

Oggo ran off and both Penny and Don ran after him. He ran into Penny's room and Don told Penny, "I'll handle this."

Penny put her hands against Don's chest to hold him off. "No! Wait a minute, Don!" She turned to Oggo. "Don't you care about anything, but that silly, shiny coat? Have you really been having so much fun since Mr. Farnum disappeared?"

Oggo held onto his coat and then turned to run away again, but Penny grabbed him by the arms. "No. You wait a minute. We all love Will. What if something awful happened to him? Do you want that?"

Oggo grunted and shook his head.

"Do you want something awful to happen to Mr. Farnum?"

Oggo almost nodded.

"Do you? Really? Mr. Farnum would never do anything to really hurt you. I know he wouldn't. He told me so." Oggo wasn't convinced. "Oggo, please. Maybe he is awful… but he did raise you, didn't he? And even if he can't understand about boys… doesn't mean you can't – can't try to understand about men… about fathers."

Oggo looked at Don who smiled at him. Don turned his eyes back on Penny.

"Please, Oggo. Please help us!"

Oggo reached out and touched Penny's hair. He removed his coat and tossed it on the ground. Oggo was with them. He took them to the doorway on the ship that lead to his primitive, hostile planet. He pointed.

"In there?" Don asked.

Oggo nodded.

"All right," Don said, "You stay here with Penny. I'm going in."

Oggo held him back and pointed to himself and then the door.

"You don't have to go, Oggo."

Oggo stared at him and stepped into the doorway and Don followed.


Farnum's ship was on its way back to the Robinson's temporary home planet. Smith was once again in his cage enjoying the luxuries that Farnum provided for him, but his cage was locked, which didn't seem to bother Smith in the least.

The rest of the group was gathered round a table finishing dinner while Mort and the Robot played a game of chess. "Mr. Farnum and I were trapped by a dragon in the cave. It was getting hard to breathe – but then, Don and Oggo appeared," Will explained.

"Our knight in shining armor," Judy commented.

Oggo pretended to point a gun and fire. "Yeah. One shot and the dragon was gone," Will said.

"Not a bad rescue," Don said as looked at Judy out of the corner of his eye.

"Well, time for dessert," Mr. Farnum stated. "Chocolate mousse? Apple pie… no… rich and creamy lemon éclairs covered in chocolate… How about that?"

"Oh, thank you," Penny said.

"A bit more champagne, my dear?" Mr. Farnum asked Judy. She nodded and Don's eyebrows shot up like an elevator. "Major?"

"Uh, sure…" He hadn't been this relaxed in quite a long time.

"So that yellow door lead to Oggo's planet?" Judy asked.

Will and Oggo nodded.

"But I thought Oggo came from Earth?" Penny asked.

Farnum was properly embarrassed. "Oh, no, Penny… I found him on that horrible planet and simply dressed him up to look like a cave boy. You see I'm a fraud after all."

"Yeah, and Whistler's mother wasn't real, and neither was Mort. You weren't honest, Mr. Farnum," Will stated.

"Yes – I… I'm sorry, my boy, but I have changed my ways! You helped me see that boys are not little troublemakers after all. You and Oggo both showed me that…"

"What will you do now, Mr. Farnum?" Judy asked.

"Well, I… I don't rightly know…" he replied. "I suppose I will take care of Oggo and… find another way to make a living."

"You could always put on other, hic, oh, excuse me… other kinds of shows," Judy suggested. She burst into song… "O-o-o-o-ok—lahoma where the wind comes sweepin' down the plains…"

The champagne bottle was empty – the second bottle actually – and Judy was becoming more – entertaining – not that she'd remember it in the morning. When she tried to climb on the table as if it were a stage, Don knew it was time to put her to bed.

"Would you mind spending another night in your cells? I won't lock the doors, I promise…" Mr. Farnum said.

Before Penny went to her room she asked Mr. Farnum, "Can Oggo have a comfortable bed too? Just like I have? I mean – he doesn't have to sleep on the ground now that he's not a real cave boy…"

"That is true my dear. And clothes. Yes… he shall have proper clothes…" Farnum said as he led Will and Oggo to another cage.

"Will Judy be all right, Don?" Penny asked as she and Don tucked Judy into her bed.

"Well, she'll probably have her first hang-over, but, other than that, she should be okay. Do you want to stay with her?" Don asked.

Penny smiled. "No… I'm sure you'll do a good job of taking care of her."

"Yeah… taking care of her… not taking advantage of her," Don stated.

"Oh, Don, I know you wouldn't do that," Penny said as she gave him a dimpled smile.

"Good night, Penny," Don said and gave her a peck on the cheek.


The ship landed. Penny, Judy, Will and Don ran back to the Jupiter to find that John had gone off in the chariot to look for them. "Oh, thank goodness you're all back!" Maureen stated. She gave each of them a hug and held Judy at arms length. "Are you all right, Judy? You look a little pale."

Judy glanced at Don over her shoulder and replied, "Yes, I'm fine."

Before they could go into the ship, Farnum and Oggo arrived, with Oggo dressed like a little Mr. Farnum. "Well, come on, son. Get on with it!" Mr. Farnum told Oggo. "Speak your piece," and he led Oggo to Penny.

"Good-bye, Penny," Oggo sputtered, and he gave Penny a yellow flower.

"Give a boy an inch, and he'll take a mile. Next thing, he'll be talking my head off," Farnum commented. "Well, we've got to find a new way to make a living. But that's showbiz. Good-bye, everybody. Good-bye. Come along, son."

After the good-byes were done, Penny turned to her mother and said, "Mom, do you suppose I'll ever meet a nice boy from my own neighborhood?"

Maureen laughed. "Goodness. I hope so, dear."

Don and Judy exchanged hopeful glances and they watched Farnum's ship rise into the sky. They heard Smith groan, "Oh, dear," from some place near by.

"Smith!" Don exclaimed, and the family ran down the Jupiter's ramp to search for him.

"How dare he?" Smith shouted. They found Smith tangled in parachutes ropes, the red and white striped chute hanging from a tree. "That cur! That ingrate! He and that worthless boy! Do you know what that lying Farnum had the temerity to say when he threw me overboard? He said I was a fraud. He said he would not allow me in any kind of zoo. Indeed! A man of my quality! Beware, Farnum! I'll sue you for libel! Beware! Help me out of this infernal thing! Oh!" The family rescued Smith from the tangled mess…


Next week… Dr. Smith turns the Jupiter spacecraft into a hotel resort only to find that vacationing aliens threaten his entire enterprise…

Next week…"Two Weeks in Space" on Lost in Space here on this website…