Just before the battle, Mother (Father)

The next morning, Frasier woke up with dread. He still remembered there was to be that "talk" with Ben about putting Adam in the window seat.

"I don't know why I'm so upset. I'm a grown man. Niles and I didn't do anything wrong." Frasier grumbled as he went through his morning ablutions. "This is silly, I'm being treated as child and I didn't do anything wrong!" Frasier continued as he stamped around getting dressed.

Martin poked his head in, "Frasier, if you are going to have a temper tantrum could you be a little quieter? Some of us are still asleep."

Frasier looked at his father coldly, "Like you?" Martin ignored Frasier's remark. After all, Frasier wasn't usually a morning person unless he had a particularly good night and last night certainly didn't qualify as a good night. Finally, Frasier was dressed and shaved. Knowing he couldn't put it off any longer, he went down to face his hosts.

As he came down, three of the Cartwrights and Daphne were around the table. "Adam must be asleep," Frasier thought.

Along with Adam, Martin and Niles were not at the table. "Good morning, all," Frasier called out cheerfully, determined to weather out anything Ben was going to give him.

He sat down next to Little Joe and across from Daphne. The conversation was polite, but stilted. Everyone kept well away from discussing the antics of the past night. About halfway through, Martin, Niles, and Adam came down to join them. Hoss asked about the concert, saying he had never heard of this Caruso fellow. Again that odd feeling came over Frasier. He wasn't sure what there was about Caruso, but he felt that there was something wrong every time someone mentioned his name.

After the awkwardness was over, breakfast actually turned out quite pleasant. Everyone agreed since this was the end of the Crane's visit, that a picnic would be a nice outing. The Cartwrights would finish up some chores they had this morning and would meet the Crane's at a spot near where the creek passed through the Ponderosa. The Crane's would take the buggy with the food.

The Cartwright's had gone off to the South pasture, when Daphne again had mentioned how the finely the Cartwrights looked on their horses as they rode out.

"Oh God," Frasier silently prayed as he saw the look that passed on Niles' face.

"You know, there's no reason for all of us to pile into the buggy," Niles started.

Frasier closed his eyes and continued with his prayer, "Please, don't let him suggest what I think he will."

"Frasier, why don't you and I take the horses while Dad and Daphne takes the buggy?" Niles finished.

"Well, so much for the power of prayer," Frasier thought as he opened his eyes again. "Niles, have you forgotten about last night?" a sudden thought came to Frasier's mind. "Dad, why didn't Ben say anything about last night? He couldn't have forgotten about Niles and I putting Adam in the window seat."

Martin rubbed the side of his nose, and answered, "He didn't. But I told him I would take care of it by taking you two out to the barn and blistering your behinds myself."

"You did not." Frasier replied dryly.

"No, but I should have. What were the two of you thinking? Bad enough you knock Adam out, but then try to hide him in a window seat? I'm surprised Ben didn't kick your sorry butts off the Ponderosa." Martin scolded.

"He can't. We're guests." Frasier stated.

"If that's the way you act as guests, I'm glad I'm family," Martin retorted as he made his way toward the kitchen to help get ready for the picnic.