Knowing it would be at several hours before the rest of the family went to bed and tomorrow would be a very busy day, Cat decided to get some sleep before pulling her Halloween pranks. Three hours later, she got out of bed, left her puppies behind and put her plan into action. She crept down the hall and listened at Hoss' door. Hearing him snore, she quietly opened the door a little bit, crawled in, got his boots and crawled back out. She closed the door and moved to Adam's room. Joe had told her that Adam liked to stay up late reading and that he was a light sleeper. She opened his door ever so slightly and seeing no light, crawled in and took his boots. She repeated her actions at Joe and Ben's room also. Then she took one of Hoss' and one of Joe's boots, went downstairs and into the kitchen. Hoping that Hop Sing was a sound sleeper, she crawled into his room, took his shoes and Taqiyah, left the boots behind and went back into the great room. She put the Taqiyah on the armoire and went back upstairs with Hop Sing's shoes. Cat sat in the hallway for a few minutes, trying to decide how to divide up the rest of the boots and Hop Sing's shoes. Once she made up her mind, she put the next part of her plan into action. When she was finished, Ben had one each of Joe's and Adam's boots. Hoss had one of Hop Sing's shoes and Joe's other boot. Adam got Hoss's other boot and Hop Sing's other shoe while Joe got Adam's and Ben's remaining boots.

Once all of the boots and Hop Sing's shoes had been distributed, Cat crept downstairs, took all of the hats and Hop Sing's Taqiyah and went out to the barn. The moon was full so she stayed in the shadows as much as possible and entered by the back door, leaving it open so the moonlight would illuminate the inside of the barn. She started putting hats on horse's heads and when she was finished, five of the horses were wearing hats. When she got back to the house, Cat decided to get an early start on her morning chores. It was too early to gather the eggs but she could fill the kitchen wood box. She relocked the front door, unlocked the kitchen door, filled the wood box as quietly as possible so as not to wake Hop Sing, relocked the door, and went back to bed, relieved at having been able to accomplish her task without getting caught. She fell asleep wondering how her family would react to her pranks. Cat was positive that Hoss and Joe would find them funny and was pretty sure Hop Sing would too. She was certain that Adam would be furious but was unsure as to how Ben would react. She woke up before dawn, crept downstairs and into the kitchen where she grabbed the egg basket. Then she went out to the barn and gave Beauty, Lady, and Fury their grain, gathered the eggs and went back to bed.

When the family woke up and discovered that the boots had been switched around, everyone but Adam was amused. He started grumbling about how Cat's prank was a total waste of time and she should be punished for being out of bed, sneaking around the house when she should be sleeping. Ben decided to put an end to his eldest son's complaining. "Get the items you received and come downstairs." Once everybody was downstairs, he scolded his son. "Stop being such a stick-in-the-mud Adam. Yesterday was Halloween and your sister's prank was harmless. It will only take a matter of minutes to return everyone's boots and shoes to them. You are not perfect even though you would like your brothers and sister to believe you are."

"Yeah," said Hoss. "Joe ain't old enough but I remember some Halloween pranks that ya pulled. You and the Bonner brothers got into a whole heap of trouble when you was thirteen. I seem to remember that ya got at least two whippings after you and them run at least ten pounds off'n two herds of cattle."

"How come I didn't know about that when it happened?" asked Joe.

"Because you was only one Short Shanks and ya wouldn't have understood what was happenin'."

"Well, I certainly wouldn't do anything like that now," replied Adam.

"Of course you wouldn't," said Ben. "You are an adult and know better. However, you knew better when you were thirteen but you let your friends influence you and you did something very foolish and suffered the consequences. Switching everybody's boots around was harmless. It took us all of about two minutes to reclaim our footwear from each other and nobody was hurt and no property was damaged. However, your sister should be down here by now. Joseph, please go and wake your sister up. If she can wake up in the middle of the night to switch everybody's footwear around, she can get up and do her chores."

"Missy Cat chores already done," said Hop Sing. "Eggs and wood already in kitchen. Coffee be ready soon."

Ben was surprised. "That's excellent. Joe, please go and see if she did her barn chores."

Joe walked out to the barn, looked at the horses and started laughing. He walked back to the house, opened the door and called, "Hey Pa, Hoss, Hop Sing, Adam, come out here. You need to see this." Everyone joined Joe at the barn and even Adam started laughing at what they saw. Chub was wearing Hop Sing's Taqiyah, Beauty was wearing Joe's hat, Buck was wearing Adam's hat, Cochise was wearing Ben's hat and Sport was wearing Hoss' hat.

"Missy Cat very funny," laughed Hop Sing. "Make Hop Sing laugh. Ha Ha. Veeeery funny. Hop Sing make flapjacks and bacon for Missy Cat breakfast. She too funny. I no laugh like this since Little Joe was little boy. Miss having little child to make me laugh. Missy Cat good for that."

"She's already given Beauty, Fury and Lady their grain so all she has left to do is muck out Beauty's stall," said Joe. "I'll do that for her today. The fact that she was able to do what she did without even waking up older brother here, who says a pin dropping on carpet would wake him up, needs to be rewarded."

"Yore right little brother," laughed Hoss. "That little gal shore lived up to her name last night. Only a cat or a snake coulda snuck inta everyone's room and taken their boots and shoes without wakin' anyone up. I'll brush and saddle Beauty for her afore we ride out to move that herd an' the three of us can do her chores tonight."

Cat came downstairs shortly before breakfast, looking worse for the wear. Her shirt and pants were on backwards and her moccasins were on the wrong feet. The family looked at her and started laughing. "You know little sister," teased Adam. "If you wouldn't spend all night drinking and gambling in the saloon, you wouldn't have your clothes on backwards."

"But it was fun. I think I drank about fifty gallons of beer and I won a hundred million dollars playing poker. I even got into a big fight & beat ten guys that were all bigger than Hoss."

"That was quite a night," said Ben, picking her up and hugging her. "What did you do with all of your winnings?"

"I wanted to get some candy and peanuts but the store was closed so I gave my money to Uncle Roy to hold for me."

"Well, I'm glad the store was closed. If you had spent that much money on candy and peanuts, you would have a very sick stomach. Then Paul Martin would have to give you some nasty tasting medicine to make it feel better. Breakfast is almost ready. Why don't you use the outhouse and put your shirt and moccasins on the right way?"

"I still have to muck out Beauty's stall. I was too tired to do it earlier."

"Don't worry about it Squirt," said Joe. "I did it for you. Those pranks you pulled last night sure were funny. I didn't think anyone could ever get in and out of Adam's room without him knowing about it. I tried lots of times when I was little and he always caught me. Now go use the outhouse and put your clothes on right before your puppies start laughing at you."

Cat hugged Joe. "Gee thanks Joe. That was nice of you to do that for me."

Joe hugged her back. "You're welcome Cat. Now you need to go, use the outhouse because I promise that if you wet your pants, everyone here will laugh at you and I will go out to the bunkhouse and tell all of the hands so they can laugh at you too."

When Cat came back inside, Hoss picked her up, hugged her and said, "Them Halloween pranks ya pulled last night shore were something'. How did ya manage ta get into Adam's room without wakin' him up? He's been tellin' me and Joe for years that a pin droppin' on carpet would wake him up but ya got into his room, swiped his boots and left two others in their place without wakin' him up? How did ya manage that? Even Little Joe couldn't do that when he was little."

"It was easy. I'm a cat and cats can do things nobody else can do."

Just then, Hop Sing came out of the kitchen carrying a platter full of flapjacks. He set them down on the table and said, "Breakfast ready. Everybody sit down at table." Then he took Cat from Hoss, hugged her and said, "Missy Cat very funny. Make Hop Sing laugh. I no laugh so hard since Little Joe was little boy. Make you favorite, flapjacks, eggs, and bacon for breakfast."

Cat hugged Hop Sing back. "Gee thanks Hop Sing. I love your flapjacks, eggs, and bacon."

While everyone was eating, Ben said, "Catherine, we're moving more cattle today. You may wear your buckskins, although I would prefer that you wear your dungarees. In fact, I think I'll buy more dungarees for you. They are much more suited to ranch work than buckskins are. I do want you to wear your boots. They'll be more protection for your feet if you should get stepped on by a horse or steer. I also want to remind you that I do not expect you to catch every single stray. That is a task that is impossible for a single person to do. I do not expect you to be perfect, any more than I expect anyone else to be perfect. You'll be riding with Joe again today and you are to listen to what he says."

"Alright Pa but I wish I could wear my moccasins."

"I understand Kitten but this is important for your safety." Seeing the confused look on Cat's face, he said, "After breakfast, get your boots and I'll show you what I'm talking about." After breakfast, Cat got her boots and brought them downstairs. "Bring your boots and let's take a walk out to the barn so I can show you why I want you to wear your boots instead of your moccasins." Cat's brothers were concerned about what was going to happen to their sister so they followed her and their father out to the barn. Ben looked at his sons, knew they were concerned about Cat, pretended to growl at them, and asked, "Well, what are the three of you doing out here? We're leaving shortly to move more cattle. Surely there is something constructive you can be doing right now. Don't worry about your sister. I'm not going to eat her. I just finished a large breakfast and do not have room for a nine year old right now. Besides that, she's too tough. It would take me all day just to eat a few bites." Cat giggled at the thought of her father trying to eat her for a meal. He walked Cat over near a bale of hay and said, "Stand right here for a minute." Ben picked up the hay bale and gently put it down on top of Cat's feet. "That hay bale weighs around fifty pounds. Do you feel how heavy it is? Hold still. I'm going to add another one. Now you have one hundred pounds of weight on your feet. That's not too comfortable, it is?"

"No. It hurts."

"I understand. While you're standing there for a minute, think about this. A steer weighs one thousand pounds. That's ten times the weight you have on your feet right now. Close your eyes for a minute and imagine how you would feel with that much weight on one of your feet. Now, I'm going to take the hay off your feet and then I want you to put your boots on." After Cat put her boots on, he put the hay bales back on top of her feet. "You have the same amount of weight on your feet as you did a few minutes ago. Is there any difference in what you are feeling?"

"Yes. The hay doesn't hurt as much this time."

"That's good. Now do you understand why I want you to wear your boots when you're doing ranch work? The chances of being stepped on by any cattle or horses are small, but having your boots on could mean the difference between having a foot broken or just badly bruised if you do get stepped on. Now put your moccasins in your room and because we're going to be gone until almost supper time, I want to see three canteens full of water on your saddle and I want to see you drinking throughout the day. You'll also be able to give Beauty a drink when he needs one."

Cat got three canteens out of the tack room, put her moccasins away and then tried filling the canteens from the pump by the trough. Once again, she discovered that her arms were too short to pump the water and fill the canteens at the same time. Thaddeus walked out of the barn leading his horse, saw Cat struggling to fill her canteens and said, "Hi Cat. Would you like some help?"

"Yes please. I can't pump the water and fill the canteens too."

"I understand. Why don't you pump the water and I'll fill your canteens and mine too?"

"Sure. Thanks for the help."

They spent the day moving cattle to winter pastures and everyone kept an eye on Cat to make sure she wasn't pushing herself and her horse too hard. They moved the last of the cattle after church on Sunday. Since it was a small herd, it only took a few hours. Cat spent the rest of the day playing with her toys, swing, Fury, and her puppies. Forgetting that Ben was at his desk, working on the books, she ran through the house to get something from her bedroom. He looked up from his work to see his daughter running through the house, and said sternly, "Catherine Michael! What have you been told about running in the house?"

"It's ok because I'm in a hurry," she replied hopefully.

"Catherine!"

Cat sighed. "I'm not supposed to."

"Why not?"

"'Cause somebody could get hurt or killed."

"Exactly. How many times have you been told not to run indoors?"

"Lots."

"Yes, lots. I know that Matt has told you about it many times, as have I. The last time we had this discussion, you were told what your punishment would be the next time it happened. Go stand in the corner. You have one hour. Now go."

"Standing in the corner is for babies! I'm not a baby any more!"

"Would you like to continue this discussion in the barn? When we're finished out there, you can stand in the corner for two hours and have an early bed time tonight along with the rest of your punishment for running in the house."

"No."

"No, what?"

"No sir."

"Good. Now do as you were told and stand in the corner." Cat let out a loud sigh and received a very firm swat as she walked past Ben. "Watch your attitude young lady or we will be having that discussion in the barn."

"I can't wait until I'm ten and take Uncle Sam's job. Then nobody can tell me what to do."

"Since Hop sing is the only one at home, I think we'll continue this discussion in your bedroom. Go upstairs and wait for me!"

Ben walked into the kitchen for a cup of coffee so he could calm down before dealing with Cat He told Hop Sing about her running in the house and her attitude.

"Missy Cat tired. She not used to being up late and in saddle all day. Maybe go to bed early tonight. She feel better in morning."

"She'll feel better until I remind her that she'll be riding to school double with me as part of her punishment for running in the house."

"No make Missy Cat ride double to school. She get embarrassed, get into fight and get hurt. Find different way to punish for running in house."

"I'm sorry Hop Sing but Cat's punishment for running in the house is to stand in the corner for an hour and to ride double with someone the next day. Thanks for the coffee. I have to go and deal with my daughter's attitude."

"Missy Cat tired. No be too hard on her."

"I won't be too hard on her but she still needs to learn that being tired is not an excuse for a bad attitude and talking back." He walked upstairs to Cat's bedroom, sat down on the trunk at the foot of her bed and pulled her in front of him. "Why are we up here?"

"'Cause I didn't listen to you and talked back."

"That's right. Do Matt and Rip allow you to disobey their instructions and talk back to them?"

"No."

"No, what?"

"No sir."

"Should I need to remind you how to talk to me and other adults?"

"No."

"No, what?"

"No sir."

"That's right. Matt and Rip do not allow you to disobey and talk back to them. You are nine years old now and should not have to remind you how to talk to me and other adults. I realize you have had two very busy days and are tired but that does not excuse disobedience and disrespect." He pulled Cat over his knees and delivered a strong smack to her bottom. She kicked and struggled to get free but he held her down and delivered an additional four hard smacks. When he was finished, he held her close and hugged her as her silent tears soaked his shirt. He told her that he loved her and that she was forgiven. Then he said, "I know you don't believe it, but I let you off easy this time because I know you are tired. I won't be so easy on you the next time. You have an early bedtime tonight as part of your punishment for disobeying and talking back. Now go downstairs and stand in the corner like I told you to." Cat did as she was told and started rubbing her bottom. Ben saw her and said, "No rubbing. Hands down at your side."

"But it hurts."

"It's supposed to. Now stop rubbing before I make it hurt more."

"That's not fair. You hit harder than Uncle Matt."

Ben fought the urge to laugh. "Remember that and maybe you'll think twice before misbehaving again. Now face the corner and no rubbing. You have one hour."

Joe came home a little while later, saw Cat standing in the corner and decided to ask Hop Sing what she had done. "Missy Cat lun in house, argue and talk back to father."

Joe let out a low whistle. "Poor kid. She won't want to sit down for several days."

"Missy Cat tired. Father be easy on her. Hop Sing listen at bottom of stairs. She only get five smacks on seat of pants. I put cushion on her chair at supper. If father yell at Hop Sing, I threaten go back to China and take Missy Cat. Father quit yelling then. He no want to lose good cook. Hoss get very upset if that happen."

Joe laughed. "You're right about that. Hoss would definitely get very angry if you left and took Cat with you. How much longer does she have to stand in the corner, or do you know?"

"Hop Sing know everything in this house! Missy Cat still have thirty minutes. She also have early bedtime and ride to school double with father tomorrow. Brothers come. Go tell them so they no ask fathel what Missy Cat do."

"Why does she have to ride double with Pa tomorrow?"

"Punishment for running in house."

"I've got to talk to Adam and Hoss. The three of us and you need to try and talk Pa out of it. He has no idea what will happen if he forces her to ride double with him tomorrow. Some of the older boys at school are real bullies and will force Cat to do something that will get her into a lot of trouble." He walked to the barn to talk with his brothers. He told them about the trouble Cat had gotten into and how their father was going to make her ride double to school with him the next morning.

"He can't do that," said Adam. "It will embarrass her and if one of those boys you talked about does get her into serious trouble, Cat will have a good reason for going back to Matt. He and Rip won't let her stay here if that happens."

"We gotta talk some sense into Pa," added Hoss. "That's what we decided on. She was just supposed to ride double with one of us around the ranch and to her friend's houses, not to school. I never thought Pa would do somethin' that would embarrass little sister and could get her into a whole heap of trouble."

"Hop Sing said he already tried but Pa is dead set on making her ride double with him even if it embarrasses her and she gets into a fight," said Joe. "I don't know how we're going to do it but the three of us and Hop Sing need to talk to Pa after Cat goes to bed and try to get him to change his mind. I'm afraid of what will happen to her if he goes through with his plan."

Hop Sing put a cushion on Cat's chair before supper and glared at Ben when he started to say something. "Hop Sing put cushion on Missy Cat chair. You say take it off, I go back to China and take Missy Cat too!"

After supper, Ben allowed Cat to play one game of checkers each with Hoss and Joe before telling her it was time for bed. Even though she was tired, Cat did not want to go to bed early and started to argue with him. Joe picked her up, put her over his shoulder and said, "Come on Squirt. Let's get you to the outhouse and then up to bed. King Arthur is waiting for us to read another chapter." Once they were outside, he gently scolded his sister and said, "Cat, unless you have a very good reason to, do not argue with Pa when he tells you to do something. Arguing about an early bed time is not a good reason. There is never a good reason for talking back. You found out earlier what happens when you argue with him and talk back. You got off easy because you were tired. You may not be that lucky next time. Believe me, five on the seat of your pants is a whole lot easier than ten on your bare bottom and that's what almost happened just now. I can guarantee that if you keep talking back to Pa, you're going to end up feeling his belt on your bare bottom. He doesn't hold with talking back for any reason. I know that you've had several very busy days and you're tired, but you have to think before you speak. How does your bottom feel?"

"It still hurts."

"I hope you remember how bad it hurt for a long time. Then maybe you'll think about what happened before you argue with Pa or talk back to him again. I have been in your shoes more times than I care to remember and I'm trying to keep you from making the same mistakes I did. Having a sore bottom and being restricted to the yard with extra chores while your friends are out having a good time is no fun at all. I've lost track of the number of times Mitch rode over here to see if I could go fishing or frogging and Pa told him I was restricted to the yard. Watching your best friend ride off with a fishing pole in his hands, knowing you couldn't go with him hurts just as bad as a spanking does. I'm telling you this for your own good. The only time you will ever get away with arguing and talking back is if you are sick. Pa may or may not go easy on you if you're tired but you will still be punished, so think before you open your mouth to argue or talk back."

"Ok Joe. I'll try."

Joe sighed. "You are too much like me for your own good little sister. You have to do better than just try or one of these days, you're going to end up with a bottom that hurts a lot worse than it did earlier. Now use the outhouse so I can get you upstairs before Pa gets angry at both of us for taking too long." He carried Cat back into the house where she was hugged goodnight by Adam and Hoss. Then he carried her up to her bedroom and said he'd be back up in a little while to read with her. After they read a chapter in King Arthur, Joe turned Cat's lamp down and said, "Goodnight little sister. Pa will be up to say goodnight and tuck you in."

"No he won't. Pa hates me."

Joe was shocked at Cat's words. "What makes you say that? Pa doesn't hate you. He loves you very much."

"No he doesn't. If he did, he wouldn't have hit me so hard. Uncle Matt never did. Besides that, the kids at school say that grownups never love kids they adopted. They say grownups only adopt kids 'cause they feel sorry for them."

Joe sat down on Cat's bed and hugged her. "The kids at school couldn't be more wrong. Pa loves you very much and always has. Remember, you were born right here in this very bed. He hits hard because he feels that a spanking doesn't do any good unless it hurts for a long time. Also his hands are a lot harder than Matt's due to the fact that he built this ranch and raised three sons practically by himself. Like I said earlier, you got off easy today. There have been many nights when I got a spanking long before supper and my bottom was still hurting when I went to bed. I want you to be able to have fun with your friends instead of being restricted to the yard with extra chores. Pa does love you Cat. That's why he adopted you. Remember, he could have left you in Dodge but instead he brought you here and made you a permanent part of our family. If that isn't love, I don't know what is. Think about what I said little sister and you'll see that I'm right."

Once Cat was asleep, Adam, Hoss, Joe, and Hop Sing spent more than an hour trying to get Ben to change his mind about making Cat ride double to school with him in the morning. "Why do you want to embarrass her?" asked Adam. "You never did that to Joe, no matter how much trouble he got into at home or in school. You know how easily her feelings are hurt and Joe told you that she thinks you hate her because you hit her so hard when you spanked her. Imagine what she's going to think in the morning when you tell her that even though she was punished today, you are going to embarrass her at school. The punishment we agreed on for running in the house did not include riding double to school. It was for Cat to ride double around the ranch and to her friend's houses."

"Do you remember what happened to Jeff Michaels near the end of the last school term?" asked Joe." He was almost killed when he was thrown from a horse. I found out what happened from some of the boys who were a year behind me. Billy Davis and Tommy Roberts are best friends and big trouble. They rarely go to school but when they do, all they do is cause trouble. Miss Jones always used to send notes home with them but they'd bring the notes back, signed by their fathers and never got in any trouble for what they did. Billy tore up Jeff's homework one day, John Winter saw him and told his father. Mr. Davis gave Billy a whipping and Billy and Tommy thought that Jeff had told Mr. Davis what Billy had done. The next day, Tommy put several burrs under Billy's saddle, picked Jeff up and sat him down hard. Jeff was only six and couldn't handle a bucking horse. He was thrown and when he landed, he hit his head on a rock, broke several bones and almost died. Do you want something like that to happen to Cat? If those two are at school tomorrow when you ride in there with Cat on your horse, they will find a way to take advantage of it. If nothing else, they'll tease her unmercifully until she starts a fight."

"If Catherine starts a fight, she will be punished for it," replied Ben. "I did not tolerate you boys starting fights, especially at school and I will not tolerate your sister doing it either."

"I know them two boys Joe is talkin' about," said Hoss. "They're almost sixteen and try to hurt folks just fer fun. Ifn I hadn't been right there Wednesday before last, they would have pushed Mrs. Hansen into the street right in front of the incoming stage. They'll hurt Cat fer shore ifn ya embarrass her like that. Even ifn they don't hurt her, they'll find a way to get her in real big trouble."

Adam saw the determined look on his father's face and spoke up again, "Stop and think Pa. If Cat gets hurt because you embarrassed her, she will have a legitimate excuse to go back to Matt and then to Rip when she's too old to share that little room with Matt. If that happens, we'll lose her forever. Is that what you want to happen?"

"Of course I don't want that to happen but your sister has got to learn that she can't go around starting fights just because someone laughs at or teases her."

"If Missy Cat get hurt because you make her ride double with you, I go back to China and take Missy Cat with me!" exclaimed Hop Sing. "You no embarrass sons when they little. Why you embarrass Missy Cat? That not being good father!"

"The four of you need to stop now! My mind is made up. Catherine will ride double to school with me in the morning and I do not want to hear another word about it!"

Knowing what Cat's reaction to riding double with him would be, Ben decided to wait until she was finished with breakfast before telling her. "Don't bother saddling your horse this morning Catherine. You will be riding to school double with me."

"Why?"

"That is the rest of your punishment for running in the house yesterday. If you remember, the last time you were caught doing that, I told you that your punishment would be to stand in the corner for an hour and to ride double with someone the next day."

"NO! I ain't riding double with you or anybody else. Ridin' double's for babies and I ain't a baby. I just won't go to school here today or ever again. I'm going back to Uncle Matt. He loves me. See Joe, I told you Pa hates me. The kids at school were right. Grownups only adopt kids 'cause they feel sorry for them, not 'cause they love them. I'm going to pack what I need so I can leave for Dodge right away. I'll send Lady back when Fury doesn't need her any more and I'll send Beauty back when Fury's old enough to ride. You don't love me and I don't want to stay here any more!"

"Catherine Michael Cartwright! That is enough! You are going to school and you are going to ride double with me, even if you have to ride with a sore bottom! Now get your school things and meet me outside!" He picked up his hat and gun from the armoire and walked outside.

Adam, Hoss, and Joe whispered together for a minute, then reached into their pockets and pulled out some money. They handed it to Cat and Adam said, "Put this money in the bottom of your saddle bags and don't tell Pa you have it. If anything happens to you at school, take it over to Roy, tell him what happened and why and ask him to send telegrams to Matt and Rip. You were wrong to run in the house yesterday but Pa is wrong too."

Cat hugged her brothers, put the money in the bottom of her saddle bags and walked outside to where Ben was waiting for her. He mounted Buck and pulled Cat up behind him. They rode without saying a word to each other until they met up with Mike Devlin. When Cat told him what happened, he begged, "Please Mr. Cartwright, let Cat ride with me. You don't know what Billy and Tommy will do to her if they see her riding double with you. She can ride double with me and I can tell them that her horse threw a shoe and my Pa didn't have time to fix it."

"Thank you for your offer Michael, but my decision stands. Catherine will ride with me all the way to school. If anyone teases her and she starts a fight, she will be punished for it."

When they reached the school, Tommy and Billy were there, picking on some of the younger children. They saw Cat riding double with Ben and started teasing her. "Look at the widdle itty bitty Cartwright," teased Billy.

"She's just a widdle itty bitty baby who has to ride with her papa because she's too widdle to ride her own horsey," added Tommy.

They kept teasing her and heard Ben remind her that she would be punished if she started a fight. Cat tried to ignore the bigger boys as she walked past them but Billy pushed her toward Tommy who tripped her. Cat exploded like a stick of dynamite. She left her saddle bags lying on the ground and attacked her tormentor with everything she had in her. She went after him with every intention of killing him. Although the boy was bigger and heavier than Cat, she was able to dodge most of his blows. Ben was shocked by the ferociousness of Cat's attack. By the time he and Susan Winter were able to separate the combatants, Tommy had two black eyes, a bloody nose, a cut lip, and a deep cut on his head from where he hit it on a rock when Cat attacked him. Cat only had a black eye and a bloody nose.