Summary: A gingerbread house + A thief = One very angry Little Joe!

Rated: K+ (4,555 words)

The Ginger Thief

The smell of gingerbread filled Ben’s nose as he opened the front door. He walked over to the kitchen curious as to what Hop Sing was cooking. Ben peered into the kitchen to see the oriental cook taking a tray out of the oven. Marie and four year old Little Joe were standing beside him watching him take it out. “What are you three up to?” He asked smiling.

Joe looked up to see his father standing in the doorway. “Me, Mama, and Hopsy are makin’ a ginger-house!” He said with a big grin on his face.

Just then they heard the front door slam and two very cold boys walked into the kitchen. “What’s going on in here?” Adam asked as he moved over to see what was on the tray

“Me, Mama, and Hopsy are making a ginger-house” Joe repeated proudly.

“Sounds yummy!” Hoss said as he joined his brother in analyzing the tray.

“Well I can’t wait to see it finished” Ben told Joe putting a hand on the boy’s shoulder. “I can’t wait for Christmas” Little Joe giggled shooting his father an adoring smile.

“Me neither” Ben agreed as he picked up Little Joe and walked over to the counter where Marie was stirring a bowl of icing. Joe climbed from his father’s arms to the counter and sat beside the bowl.

“Can I try some Mama?” Little Joe asked beseechingly

“Just a little bit mon petit” Marie said as she laughed at how Joe’s faces lit up at the sight of the icing covered spoon. Joe licked it happily and then reluctantly handed back the “clean” spoon to his mother. “How was it?”

Marie asked putting the spoon in the sink to be washed. “Mama you make good icing” Little Joe declared reverently.

“This gingerbread is cool. Can put house together now” Hop Sing announced. “Well, the boys and I better get out of your way” Ben told them as he shooed Adam and Hoss out of the kitchen.
“So, where do we start” Little Joe asked as he jumped off the counter

“Well, first we have to stick the cookies together with the icing to make a house. Then we can put candy on with the rest of the icing” Marie told him raising her eyebrows for effect. “It’s going to be the best ginger house ever!” Joe giggled as he climbed up on the stool that Hop Sing had set up for him.

Joe watched fascinated as Hop Sing put some icing on one side of a gingerbread cookie in then put some on the other one then he stuck them together to make a wall he did the same to make another wall then he stuck both walls together “Where’s the roof?” Little Joe asked the Chinese man “I put on now” Hop Sing told the boy as he picked up a cookie and stuck it on with more icing he did the same on the other side. Little Joe inspected it and decided that he liked how the roof pointed.

“Hopsy it’s perfect!” Joe laughed with delight. “Not yet perfect. Needs can’dy. Missy Cartwright get can’dy for num’ber three son?” Hop Sing asked “Of course Hop Sing anything for mon petit Joseph” Marie smiled at Little Joe who was still awestruck by the little gingerbread house. “Here Mon cherie” Marie said as she gave Joe a jar of candy.

“Fanks Mama” Joe thanked her then started decorating the house with the candy.
Half an hour later Marie entered the dining room carrying the gingerbread house. Little Joe was right behind her making sure she didn’t drop anything. After she set it down on the table, Little Joe ran over to his father who was sitting on his favourite red leather chair “Papa come an’ see the ginger- house!”

Little Joe grabbed his hand and lead him over to the table. “Wow Joe you did a great job!” Ben praised his youngest son’s handiwork. “Mama and Hopsy made it too” Little Joe told him beaming. “And they did a great job too” Ben smiled at Marie.

“I’m going to get Adam and Hoss so I can show them the ginger-house” Little Joe told them then he bolted up the stairs. A few moments later, Joe was running down the stair with his two older brothers in tow. “Here it is!” Joe showed his creation off proudly. “It looks real yummy” Hoss told him earnestly. Just looking at it made him hungry. “Yeah! And real colourful too.” Adam smiled at his younger brother who was now overflowing with pride.

“Joe, you’re going to have to make sure your brothers and your father don’t eat it all before Christmas” Marie teased him making everyone laugh. Everyone, that is, except a very stunned Little Joe. “What if they do eat it before Christmas?” Joe thought fearfully.

Little Joe jumped out of bed and scurried down the hall to check on his gingerbread house. He had been worrying about it all night and hoped no one had eaten it during the night. He practically tumbled down the great stairs much to the amusement of his family who were already eating breakfast.

“Finally you’re awake! You hungry?” Ben asked as he put some eggs on a plate for Little Joe.

The boy shook his head “No! Me not hungry. Me going to check on ginger-house to make sure none of you eat it!” Joe scowled as he told him. Ben was a bit taken aback by his words, but let him check on the gingerbread house anyway.

Joe marched over to his father’s desk (he had made Marie move it there as he thought it would be safer) and let out a loud, and very indignant shriek.

“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH” Joe screamed, panic making him gasp after.
“What’s wrong Mon cherie?” Marie asked as she ran over to her now frantic son. “S-s-someone took candy off the ginger house” He cried his eyes round and disbelieving.

“Is that it?” Adam asked testily crossing his arms and sighing to show his annoyance. “I-i-is that it is that it?” Joe clenched up his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

The teen stepped back. “Wow! I’m sorry.” Adam told him sincerely. He couldn’t remember the last time he had seen his four year old brother so angry.

Marie led her son over to the table and placed his breakfast in front of him hoping to calm the boy down but he just pushed it away. Ben, seeing that his wife looked like she needed some help, tried changing the subject “Well, Marie, I was thinking that today the boys and I could go cut down a Christmas tree…

Would you like that Joe?” He asked holding his breath.

“Yeah!” Little Joe giggled with delight and the scowl slipped from his face as he forgot what he was mad about in the first place. They all breathed a sigh of relief.

“Be careful” Marie reminded Ben again “You know I will” Ben said as he kissed her on the cheek then climbed up on Buck behind Little Joe. They all waved good bye as the rode away.

Little Joe looked behind them amused that their house was now a tiny dot in the distance. “Papa, what do you fink Mama’s going to do well we’re gone?” Little Joe asked leaning his head back against Ben’s chest so that he could look up at his face.

“I’m not sure maybe she’ll make you a new scarf yours looks pretty old” Ben grinned as he let one hand stray from the reins to toy with the worn, red fabric.

Joe was quiet for a bit then he asked another question “Papa?” “Yes Joseph?” “Why are we getting’ a Christmas twee now? You always get it a few weeks before Christmas.” Little Joe waited for his father’s answer.

Ben glanced down at the boy and couldn’t keep a smile from spreading across his face “Don’t you remember? We were going to get a Christmas tree last week… But we got snowed in.” “Oh yeah! I remember.” Little Joe giggled.

“What’s so funny?” Ben asked quizzically. “Remember when Adam came home? He looked like a snowman!” Joe giggled even more as he said it “I remember.” Ben laughed along with his son. It had been a sight when Adam came home and he could see why Little Joe was giggling.

“Hey Pa what do you think of those trees” Adam asked as he rode up beside Buck and pointed to a bunch of trees. “They look good from here. Let’s go over and have a closer look at them.” Ben said to them as he led Buck in that direction.
Once they were at the patch of pine trees, the boys set out looking for the perfect Christmas tree. Suddenly Ben heard and excited shout, “Hey Pa! What do you think of this tree?” Adam asked hopefully. Ben looked at the tree Adam was standing beside. It was a darker shade of green then the rest of the pine trees the tree was about seven feet high and was about four feet wide starting at the bottom.

“Well Adam, I think you just found are Christmas tree!” Ben declared grinning, “Hoss can you get the axes?” “Sure thing Pa” Hoss turned around and went to unhook the axes from the back of Chubb’s saddle.

Soon the three older Cartwrights where working on cutting down there Christmas tree. Little Joe was working on making a snowman. Ben had asked him to so he would be out of the way when the tree fell. “Timber” Hoss shouted as the tree fell to the snowy forest floor

“Can I help you hook it up?” Little Joe asked as he ran over to the fallen tree “I don’t see why not” Ben chuckled “Here, hook this up to the loop on the horse’s harness” Adam told him as he handed him the end of the chain. Little Joe (for once) did as he was told and soon they were all up on their horses and on their way home again.

Little Joe looked behind him. Adam was on Sport leading the draft horse beside him. Joe looked down at the tree the horse was pulling behind it thoughtfully.

“Papa do you fink Mama will wike the twee?” Little Joe asked. “Sure she will” Ben smiled down at his son. “Do you wike decorating the twee?” Joe asked as he smiled back up at his father.

“Of course I do” Ben chuckled. “I can’t wait to get home so I can decorate the twee!” Little Joe said as he clapped his hands together. Ben just smiled and tapped Buck forward.

“Oh Ben! It’s perfect!” Marie exclaimed as Ben and the two older boys carried in the tree.

“Well, I think we have Adam to thank. He’s the one that found it.” Ben told her. “Oh Adam! you picked a beautiful tree.”

Marie smile at her stepson. “Thanks” Adam smiled back at her “I’ll go get you the ornaments” Marie said then turned around and went upstairs. Soon she was back carrying a box.

She set the box down beside the tree and smiled at the enthusiastic look on the faces of Hoss and Joe. Little Joe’s eyes lit up as he looked into the box. There was lot of shiny, colourful ornaments inside the box.

“Mama? Can I put some of those on the twee” Little Joe asked pulling at her sleeve and gesturing toward the box.
“Of course, mon cherie” Marie laugh “Fanks” Little Joe thanked her as he hung one of the ornaments on a lower branch.

After all the ornaments where on tree, the boys sat down to admire their work. “We did a good job didn’t we Adam?” Hoss asked. “We sure did.” Adam smiled at brother who looked just as proud as Joe looked after he showed them his gingerbread house.

“I wike decorating the twee” Little Joe declared as he got up off the settee and walked over to the tree then he looked back at Adam “Adam you picked a nice, big, beautiful tree” Little Joe giggled.

“Well thanks Little Buddy I’m glad you like it” Adam’s smile grew bigger he was glad his family liked his choice of tree.

“Boys dinner will be ready soon you’d better go get washed up” Ben told his sons as he walked out of the kitchen Adam and Hoss got on and walked over to the kitchen to wash their hands but Joe just stood there looking at his father.

“Joe aren’t you going to go get washed up?” Ben asked. Joe shook his head and frowned “But me ain’t dirty” “Well I’m sure Mama and Hop Sing won’t see it that way” Ben told him raising his eyebrows meaningfully. Joe looked up at his father then scurried over to the kitchen.

Soon the family was sitting at the table eating there dinner. “Here let me help you cut up your dinner” Marie told Joe who was hacking at a piece of beef.

“Fanks that meat is real hard to cut ain’t it?” Joe said as he watched her start cutting up the piece of beef on his plate. “Here now you can eat it” Marie told him as she gave him back his fork and knife “Fanks” Joe popped a piece of beef into his mouth “Mmmmmmmm that’s good” Little Joe told them as he licked his lips.

His family just smiled at him then went back to eating the supper but not until Marie made Joe use his fork.

After dinner Adam and Hoss went to the barn to feed and bed down the horses. Marie was reading a book to Little Joe and Ben was working at his desk. “And the three bears lived happily ever after… The End” Marie finished .

“Mama why did she go into the house if no one was home?” Little Joe asked her.

“Well… I guess she just wanted to go in.” Marie told him. She wasn’t quite sure what to tell him “But it ain’t her house” Little Joe frowned his green eyes filled with puzzlement. He just didn’t understand. “You’re right it wasn’t her house. She would have been better off if she left it alone. But enough with that I think it’s time for bed.”

Marie winked across the room to her husband and cocked her head toward the little boy. “But me ain’t sleepy” Little Joe said just as he yawned and rubbed at his eyes

“Well, I think you are!” Ben said from his desk. Marie picked up her son and carried him to the desk were her husband was at work. Joe’s eyes lingered a moment on his house and he shot a worried look towards the door.

“It will be perfectly safe here, Young Man,” Ben declared “You just go to bed where you belong.” Joe shook his head and then leaned over to whisper in his mother’s ear. Marie sent an amused look at Ben but said nothing.

Ben gave his youngest a goodnight kiss on the cheek and shook his head as he watched Marie carry the boy up the stairs. Joe’s thumb was stuck in his mouth and his eyes drooped.

As Marie disappeared around the corner, Ben laughed “Not sleepy indeed!”
A few minutes later Marie appeared at the top of the stairs again. “What did he say to you?” Ben questioned seeing the entertained light in her eyes. “He was afraid Goldilocks would destroy his house” she said laughing softly

“Then, just now, he was all indignant because he feared that you might destroy his ‘ginger-house’” Marie laughed even harder at the outraged shock written across Ben’s face. “P-p-prosperous!” he stuttered “Me??? Goldilocks? Maybe. But never Ben Cartwright!”

Late that night, Little Joe lay awake staring up at the ceiling. He couldn’t stop thinking about his ginger-house. He hated the thought that something could happen to it. The three bears’ house hadn’t been safe, his ginger-house wasn’t either. The missing candy was proof of that. He went through the list of possible culprits again.

Hoss was probably the most likely thief. He was always hungry and Little Joe often marvelled at the large amounts of food his brother put away during mealtimes. But then again, Hoss never took what didn’t belong to him least of all from Joe. Adam was next on Joe’s list.

Everyone thought that the oldest Cartwright boy’s appetite was just as sensible as his personality. But Joe knew better. Adam was the biggest sweet-tooth in the Cartwright household. Joe thought about this a moment and had just decided to storm Adam’s room and expose him as the thief when he remembered that Adam had a whole bag of gumdrops to himself. Why would he steal Joe’s candy?

Papa was third on the list. Little Joe had reasoned, because the ginger-house was on his desk, that maybe Papa considered it fair game. Joe closed his eyes and tried to envision his father sneaking a candy from the ginger-house while he worked on the books. But somehow couldn’t conjure up the image. He couldn’t imagine his law-abiding papa ever stealing anything. Not even a candy from a ginger-house.

Mama and Hopsy weren’t on Joe’s list at all. Not only because of their honest natures, but because they had helped him build the ginger-house. Why would they destroy it? They wanted it to last until Christmas almost as much as he did. Joe was stuck again. He still had absolutely no idea who had stolen the candy and he certainly knew it hadn’t been himself!

Joe sat up in bed struck by an idea. He would catch the thief red-handed! He would set up a trap so that he could know when the thief was stealing another candy. It was pure genius! Joe smiled to himself in the dim moonlight and set off downstairs to set up his trap.

BANG! CLASH! BOOM! Joe woke with a start. Rubbing sleep out of his eyes he wondered what had happened. He glanced at his window, it was still dark. A yell sounded downstairs “WHAT IN THE WORLD?!?!?” Joe sat up and threw back the bedclothes. He had caught the thief!

Joe ran to the stairs and bounded down them. He let out a gasp when he saw his very angry father sprawled at the bottom. He almost lost his courage at the look his father sent him but thought of his beautiful ginger house and said, “Papa? You’re the thief?” his voice faltered.

“WHAT THIEF? WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!?”Ben yelled not understanding. Little Joe winced and turned to see his mother and brothers behind him on the stairs.

“Yeah Li’l Joe, what thief?” Hoss demanded as he took in the sight of the white faced boy and the red faced man. “THAT’S WHAT I’D LIKE TO KNOW! WHAT’S THIS ALL ABOUT?”

Ben stood to his feet. Little Joe abruptly hid behind his dumbfounded mother. “Mon petit…” she said flustered “What is this about a thief?” Little Joe took one more look at his father before mumbling, “The one that stole the candy from my ginger-house.”

Adam let out a low groan and glanced up the stairs longingly thinking that his bed was calling to him. “But what about this?”

Pa was saying his voice somewhat calmer after seeing the effect his yelling was having on the four year old. He held up a string of tin cans the end of which was still tied securely to the stair rail. Marie’s mouth dropped as she began to piece things together. “To let me know when the thief stole the candy” Little Joe faltered.

Pa looked back at the string of cans and began to laugh. Joe’s eyes met Marie’s and she looked quizzically towards her husband. “Ben?” she asked for Little Joe’s sake “Are you the thief?” “No!” He said shaking his head “Of course not! I was just getting a glass of water…the jug was empty” he explained.

“But then who is?” Adam asked from the top of the stairs, eager to get back to bed. Hoss shook his head when Pa gave him a look “Ain’t me pa!” he said and Adam responded in kind.
Ben shook his head “Well, looks like nobody’s going to confess tonight Joe, sorry” he said noticing the dejected look on the little boy’s face “But, no more tin cans on the stairs, you could injure somebody. Do I make myself clear?” he gave Little Joe a hard look.

“Yes Papa” Little Joe consented sheepishly. “Now, back to bed all of you!” Ben said, Adam’s sigh of relief not escaping his notice.

The next morning the family gathered around the table for breakfast but Little Joe had yet to appear. It was only after Adam had left with Hoss to care for the horses that he slouched down the stairs a pitiful grimace on his face. One glance at his father’s desk told him that the thief had yet again ransacked his ginger-house

Marie caught sight of her son and frowned. “What’s the matter mon petit? Not feeling well?” she asked placing a hand on his forehead. “Mm-hmm” grunted the little boy shaking his head. “Must be all that late night excitement” Marie decided glancing at Ben whose eyes had dark circles underneath and who nursed his morning coffee like it was lifesaving medicine.

“Are you sure we just can’t tell the Marlowes that we’re dreadfully ill and that we can’t have them over tonight?” Ben asked pleadingly and Marie couldn’t hide her smile. “No mon cher, Lisa and I have been planning this get together for a while now. Only a blizzard could stop it.”

She grinned mischievously at him. Ben sighed “What a way to spend Christmas Eve…”

Come evening both Ben and Little Joe had perked up considerably and the Marlowes arrived. Danny and Lisa Marlowe were good friends of Ben and Marie and their four children got along well with the Cartwright boys.

The twins Willow and Frank disappeared with Joe upstairs somewhere and Hoss set up a game of checkers with eleven year old James. Adam and the fifteen year daughter, Mercy, settled themselves in the great room with their parents who were laughing about Joe’s late night endeavors.

“Tin cans?” Lisa asked in disbelief. Marie nodded “Yes, you should have seen the look on poor Ben’s face” she laughed good naturedly “It was enough to make a grown man cry, let alone Petit Joseph” Ben shook his head “I wasn’t that bad…” he started but Adam laughed “Well, if that was your good side pa….” Ben’s withering look cut him short.

That night, after the Marlowes had said their goodbyes and ‘Merry Christmas’’, Ben tucked his son into bed. “Papa?” Little Joe murmured as Ben pulled the covers up to the boy’s chin. “Yes son?”

“Who do you think stole all that candy?” Ben winced
“Well…ummm…. I honestly don’t know.” He wished Joe would stop obsessing over that gingerbread house. The boys and Marie had all sworn their innocence and even Hop Sing had been surprised when Ben asked him about it. It seemed that the thief was also invisible.

“Pa?” Adam stood in the doorway. Ben kissed Joe goodnight and then made his exit. “Adam?” Adam took a deep breath and then glanced at Joe’s half open door “Do I have your permission to end this madness once and for all?” he questioned. Ben blinked “How?” Adam opened his mouth and began…

Tick tick tick… Adam glared at the grandfather clock. He had never before realized just how annoying it could be. “It’s your own fault dummy” He chided himself. When he had spoken with Pa outside of Little Joe’s room waiting up for the thief had seemed like such a good idea. “It only happens during the night!” He remembered reasoning “At least let me sleep downstairs so that if it happens again I can stop it. That way there will be something left on Christmas”

Adam was now starting to believe Pa when he told him that the so-called thief could have been a mouse. He pulled his blankets up around his shoulders and tried to get comfortable. The settee was not the most comfortable piece of furniture at the best of times but to sleep on…

Adam was contemplating moving over to Pa’s big leather chair when he heard a thump on the stairs. He watched flabbergasted as a shadowy figure slowly made their way down the steps. Adam eyes widened, there, making his way down the steps was LITTLE JOE!

He walked over to Pa’s desk and started eating the candy off the gingerbread house.
“J-j-joe what are you doing?” Adam asked as he got up off the settee and walked over to his younger brother who was munching on a piece of candy. “Mmmmmmm….” Little Joe muttered and Adam realized with a start that his brother was not completely awake.

His brother started back towards the stairs and Adam broke out of his own daze. “PA!” he shouted grabbing Joseph by his shoulders “PA, HOSS, MARIE! COME QUICK!” Joe’s eyes snapped open “Huh?” he stared confused at his older brother “A-dum? What are ya doing? Why are we dun-stairs?”

“What is it son? What’s happened?” Pa’s voice made both boys turn sharply toward the top of the stairs. Adam opened his mouth to explain but the still drowsy Little Joe beat him “A-dum was stealin’ the candy!” he accused giving Adam a glare. “Wha?” Adam shook his head “No Pa, it was Little Joe…He was sleepwalking!”

Ben glanced at Adam and then at the indignant look on his four year old’s face. Marie and Hoss were now behind him on the staircase taking in the sight with wide eyes. Hoss rubbed at his eyes “Wha? Santa? Here? Why is everybody yellin’?”

Adam looked at his younger brother questioningly before turning back to Pa. “It was Joe! Look!” He caught hold of Joe’s fist and pried his fingers apart to reveal a sticky peppermint candy. “Eeewwwww….”

Little Joe moaned “Ya lick’d it!” “Not me,” Adam shook his head “You!” Joe’s eyes went huge “Me? But why?”

“’Cause you were sleepwalking” Adam said “You probably were dreaming about that gingerbread house.”

“S-s-s-sleepwalking?” Joe repeated staring down at his hand which was covered in peppermint. Hoss summed it up for everyone “So… there was no thief” he said. Marie smiled at him “Non, mon fils” she said “there never was”

A few hour later, Christmas morning was upon the Cartwright household. Joseph and Hoss woke Marie and Ben who moaned that sleep was as good a Christmas gift as any but still got up. After opening presents and having breakfast, Joe (with some coaxing from Marie) apologized to his family for being so suspicious. And the Cartwrights laughed at the now bare gingerbread house.

Merry Christmas!!!

Chapter End Notes:

Thank you to my sister who helped edit and end this masterpiece!

Love you sis