April Fool's Day on the Ponderosa

By Tennessee

Adam got up early on the first day of April. Little did he know Hoss was already up. Hoss had put pillows under the covers and made it look like he was still asleep, but Little Joe had gotten up even earlier and already done all of his April Fool's tricks.

Little Joe had put glue on the barn wall, and when Hoss went to the barn and was shoveling the hay, he backed up and hit the wall. When he tried to move his shirt was stuck to the barn wall. "I will get you, Adam," he muttered. Then he cut he pulled his shirt off.

Hoss got a pail of water. He put soap in it and then flour and then salt. He got a rope and hooked it to the barn door. He fixed it so that when Adam opened the door the water would fall on him.

Adam was getting ready for his April Fool's tricks. He first went to the kitchen and got the coffee and put tea bags in it instead. He then got the honey and went to the bedroom and put honey all over Little Joe's feet and hair. Adam then went to where Hoss's hat was and put honey in it. Then he went back to bed.

Hoss got some green paint and went to the front door. He put the paint on the top of the door and fixed in so it would fall on Adam's head. After everything was ready Hoss went back into the house and pretended he was just getting up.

When Little Joe woke up he jumped out of bed. His feet stuck to the floor and he couldn't get them loose. Hoss got up to help Little Joe. Adam was laughing so hard he had tears in his eyes.

Hoss said, "Little Joe, I'll get some water." He almost forgot about the green paint, but then he went out the back door. He came back with the water and poured it over Joe's feet.

"It ain't funny, Adam," Little Joe said.

"Happy April Fool's Day," Adam said. His brothers just stared at him.

Finally Hoss said, "We better get dressed. Don't forgot your hat, Adam." Hoss smiled, grabbed Adam's hat, and plopped it on Adam's head. Honey ran down the sides of Adam's face. "Happy April Fool's Day, Adam!" Hoss said.

Little Joe laughed too.

Ben called to the boys that it was time to eat. Ben and Hop Sing were at the table. When the boys sat in their chairs they found they were all wet. They all jumped up. Ben and Hop Sing laughed. The boys also found out Hop Sing had put sugar in the gravy and salt in the milk. The boys started eating then jumped up to spit out the gravy or milk.

Adam opened the front door and the green paint feel all over him. Hoss and Little Joe laughed. Little Joe laughed so hard he needed a drink. He forgot about the salt in the milk, and after he tip a sip he spit it all over Hoss.

Hop Sing got the tea for Ben, but Ben said, "This is coffee not tea."

Adam said, "April Fools Day."

Adam washed his hair but it still had a green tint. Ben went to the barn first and the pail of water fell on his head. Ben laughed and Hoss did too. Adam and Little Joe came out of the house and saw their pa on the ground laughing.

Little Joe said, "I'm sure glad April Fool's Day only comes once a year."

Hoss said, "I'm with you."

And Adam said, "Trick are fun . . ."

"But we need to get to work," Ben finished.

The jokes didn't stop there, though. Little Joe switched the sugar and the salt. He also put bugs in everyone's bed. Ben put the "salt" on his meal at dinnertime. He made a funny face but at all his food anyway.

Little Joe watched eagerly, but when Hoss saw the bugs in his bed he just brushed them aside and hopped in. Adam got in bed and then jumped up. "What's in my bed?"

Then they heard Ben and Hop Sing yell from their rooms.

Little Joe giggled. "Happy April Fool's, everyone."

"Happy April Fool's, Joe," his pa and brothers said.

"I'm glad this day is over." Ben laughed.

The End