Susan

"Unfortunately not. He wouldn't even talk to me." Their cousin confessed sadly, after she joined them. "Yeah, he was too busy raising the taxes on the orphanage!" Bo muttered disgustedly. The comment had to be explained to Daisy, who was as horrified as the boys - and equally at a loss as to how to help. "Maybe we can talk to Uncle Jesse when he gets back." was the only thing she could come up with - which reminded them all of their missing relative and the reason that two of them were here in the first place. "You know, maybe we should get back home." Bo broke the silence. "Just in case Uncle Jesse's trying to call us." "Yeah." Luke finished his beer and Daisy collected their glasses as she got up. "I should get back to work, too. Let me know if you hear anything?" The boys promised and headed back outside to the General Lee. As they started home, "You know, Luke, I know it's only Friday, but maybe we should check out that letter." "He asked us to wait until Saturday." "Well, it's almost Saturday." "No, Bo." Luke picked up the CB and called Cooter, checking to see if anybody had been trying to get hold of them while they'd been inside. Deliberately ignoring the look on his younger cousin's face. Nobody had been trying to reach them, apparently, so hey headed home, with Bo trying to talk Luke into opening Jesse's letter early, and Luke changing the subject every time. "Bo, he trusted us, remember?" Were the dark-haired Duke's final words on the subject. '"And I better not see you anywhere near his room until tomorrow." Bo finally gave in, realising he wasn't going to change his cousin's mind. Finishing the rest of the drive home in a silence the was unusual for the young blond.

By the time they got out to the Boars Nest, it was almost lunchtime and it was starting to get crowded - with people celebrating the fact that it was Friday - and there were no free tables. They ended up with a man who had been sitting on his own in the corner, nursing a beer. "Hey Hunter. Mind if we share your table? It's busy in here." The man, slender and brown haired, looked up, having been lost in thought and not heard them approach. "Hey Bo. Luke. Sure, sit down." He waved them to seats as Daisy came over with her tray, and the boys ordered beers, Hunter holding up a still half-full glass in explanation for turning down their offer to buy him another. As they waited for their drinks, Luke realised their companion had sunk back into whatever thoughts had been occupying him, previously. They didn't look like they were terribly good ones. "Something wrong?" He asked. "You look a bit down." "Hey, yeah." Bo chimed in. "Everything alright out at the orphanage?" "Yeah. They made me a director." The other man smiled. "Heard about that. Congratulations! You don't look particularly happy about it, though." Luke looked up as Daisy brought their drinks over. "Thanks, Daisy." Another pause as they both sampled their beers and Bo asked again. "Is something wrong out there?" "No more than usual. Kids need to be fed, after all, and they tend to grow." He added with a wry smile. "So they're always needing new clothes. Oh, people around here are pretty generous, and they're good about helping us out where they can..." "But Hazzard isn't exactly wealthy." Luke surmised, nodding sympathetically. "Yeah, and Boss has just raised the taxes on us." "What? He can't do that!" Bo nearly spilled his beer in his agitation. "Unfortunately, he can." Came back the quiet reply. "He's the comissioner around here. He can do whatever he wants. That's actually why I'm here. I came in to see if I could talk him into giving us some extra time to pay, but you you know what the Boss is like."All three grimaced. They knew the Boss. "So now, we've got to try and find some extra money from somewhere. Quite a bit of extra money. It's going to take a miracle, I think." He finished his glass and saluted the boys, before putting it on thte table and standing. "I'd better be getting back. Nice to see you two, again, anyway." "Yeah, you too." The boys watched their friend walk away, and looked at each other. "That ain't right, Luke." "No, it ain't, but there's not much we can do about it, right now. Unless you've got a secret bank account the rest of us don't know about?"" "Yeah right. Hey, it looks like Daisy's got her break. Maybe she found out something from the Boss."

Luke took a deep breath and let bit out in a sigh, as he looked over at his cousin. "Bo. You know Uncle Jesse asked us not to follow him." "Yeah, but..." "And besides," Luke ruthlessly cut him off "Daisy's waiting for us, remember? We'll see what she's found out, and then we can decide where to go from there. All of us. Together. Ok?" He smiled at the frustrated look on his cousin's face. "Yeah, ok." Bo gave in, and turned the steering wheel towards the bar. "Hey, maybe we can get something to eat, too. I'm, hungry." His cousin laughed. "Are you ever anything else?" Meanwhile, at the Boars Nest, Daisy had tried to pump the Boss inbetween serving customers - but without much luck. "Boss - can I talk to you for a minute?" Boss, working at his desk, looked up from his papers. "I can't aford to give you a raise," he said, taking the cigar from his mouth, "and if you want time off, you'll hav to arrange for someone to cover for you." He replaced the cigar, and looked back down. Looking up again as he realised the young woman hadn't moved. "Well?" "It not about time off." She advanced into the room. "Boss, you've known Uncle Jesse for a long time." "Is somethng wrong with Jesse? Not my business!" Boss tried to mask his concern with brusqueness. He had a business to run, after all and sentiment just cost you money. "No, Uncle Jesse's ok, but..." Daisy explained about the letters and how this year's hadn''t turned up and how Jesse had gone in search of the sender. Finishing off with "And the boys and I were wondering if you might know who's been sending them? Where Uncle Jesse might have gone? We're just kind of worried about him, that's all." Now such a plea, from a beautiful young woman like Daisy, would have melted the heart of most people, but not the Boss. "I don't know. Why would I know? I've got a business to run - and it's not going to make any money with you in here, instead of serving drinks like I pay you to do!" He refused to look at her, and Daisy could tell she wasn't going to get any further, so she gave in. "Alright Boss. Thankyou." and went back out to the main floor to wait for the boys to turn up.

Everybody went their separate ways after finishing eating and cleaning up, the boys looking for Cooter, and Daisy off to The Boars Nest to work and see if she could find out anything from the Boss. Unfortunately, Cooter knew nothing more than the boys did. He left the car he was working on, and came outside. Pushing back the greasy old cap he was wearing and leaving a dirty smear across his forehead. "Capitol City? No. There's nothing I know out of in that direction. 'Cept maybe the old hermit." He grinned. "The old hermit?" Luke frowned, turning to look at Bo as his cousin started laughing. "Oh, come on Luke, you remember that old Halloween story. The one about the old hermit living out in Hazzard Swamp. How he'd chase you if you ever went out there, and if he caught you he'd keep you there. Make you his servant forever." The blond swapped glances wih Cooter, both of them grinning, remembering campfire storytellings and teenage highjinks. "Yeah, I rember that." Luke was grinning now. "I remember you chasing Mary Lou Sellars one year, too, pretending to be the old hermit. Whooo!" All three laughed and Cooter sobered again. "I'm sorry Luke, but that's all I can think of. You think Uncle Jesse's in trouble?" His brow furrowed with worry. "I doubt it. Uncle Jesse's been taking care of himself for a lot of years. If he seriously needed help, he'd have asked. We're just trying to make sure we can head off anything before it starts. Just in case." He clapped his friend on the shoulder, and turned back towards the car. "C'mon, Bo. Let's see if Daisy's found anything." The two of them headed back to the General, leaving Cooter smiling and shaking his head behind them. "You know, Luke, it's not that far out to the Swamp." Bo, driving, looked over at his cousin.

Meanwhile, back in Hazzard, the boys were both tucking into thick slices of Daisy's apple pie. Bo asking for seconds before Luke had even finished his first, prompting a comment that he was going to get fat if he kept eating like that. "No I won't. I work it off!" the blond returned with a grin. "Yeah, chasing girls." his cousin responded. "How many different girls have you dated in the last two weeks alone, anyway? Not to mention Chad's sister that you were going gaga over while we were away." "You were just as bad. I swear you forgot what you were supposed to be saying, every time she walked in the room!" "At least I wasn't drooling!" His cousin shot back. Bo ignored him, in favour of smiling at Daisy as she brought him a second helping, and then changed the subject. "Thanks, Daisy. Hey, what do you reckon Uncle Jesse's doing? Its not like him to go away and not say where he's going." Luke sobered. "I dunno, but if something's wrong, it would explain why he's been so edgy all week." "Well," Daisy spoke up, "According to Mis Tisdale, he usually gets a letter around this time every year,from somewheres in Capitol City. This year it hasn't turned up." The boys looked at each other. "Oka-ay..." Luke started slowly. "So whoever's been keeping in touch hasn't been. Or not this time at least." "Capitol City." Bo was just as thoughtful. "I don't think Uncle Jesse's mentioned anybody out that way." "Don't mean he don't know anybody." His cousin returned, finishing his last mouthful of pie, and pushing the plate away. "You think Mis Tisdale knows anything about it?" "Yeah, she's been Hazzard's postmistress forever. She knows everything that goes on around here." "I don't think she knows much about this." Daisy put in, soberly, as she sat down again."I spoke to her yesterday." She repeated what the older woman had told her, adding"I think she'd have said if she knew any more. You know how she feels about Uncle Jesse." "Yeah." Luke paused for a moment, thinking, before adding. "You know, Cooter's known Uncle Jesse even longer than we have. Do you think he might know who'd be writing to Uncle Jesse like this?" "That's a thought. Or, "Bo looked up from his almost finished second slice of pie. "Daisy, are you going in to work, today?" "Yes. Why?" "Well, Boss hogg and Uncle Jesse used to run shine together. Ms Tisdale said this fella's been writing to Uncle Jesse for years, now. I was wondering if maybe it was something to do with their Ridge Runner days." "Now that's an idea, too." Luke was impressed. His cousin wasn't usually a deep thinker, but he did come up with the occasional good idea. "Except, that well... "Daisy hesitated. Looking down at her plate, as her cousins turned to look at her. "It's just that Uncle Jesse said we weren't to follow him, and this just feels like we're doing exactly what he's asked us not to do." "But we're not actually following him. Bo argued. "We're just trying to find out what's going on. Just in case there's something wrong, then well know what to do. Heck, we're not even touching that letter he left." "Yeah." Luke chimed in. "We're just gathering background data. Doing reconnaissance."" He smiled at his cousin. "Come on, Daisy. you're not scared of the Boss are you?" He teased. "No. Okay." Daisy agreed reluctantly. Still feeling just a little uneasy. Almost like she was invading her Uncle's privacy. "Alright, then." Luke took charge. "Bo, you and I'll head in to town to talk to Cooter. Daisy, if you could have a word to Boss, while you're at work. Maybe we can find out what's going on. If it's nothomg, well, we don't have to mention it to Uncle Jesse, but if it is something, then we'll be prepared."

All three of the younger Dukes watched him go. A little upset that their Uncle wouldn't tell them what was going on - their family didn't usually keep secrets from each other - but knowing that he would have told them if he could. Luke finally broke the silence. "Well, I don't know about you two, but I could do with some coffee. That was a long drive, and we started early." "Yeah, and maybe something to eat, too. I've missed your cooking, Daisy!" Bo slid an arm around his cousin and watched her smile back at him. "I've got some apple pie that I made just yesterday." "Sounds good to me!" "Me, too. Come on, Bo. The quicker we wash up, the quicker we get that pie!" Both of them made their way inside, pushing each other in their haste. Daisy couldn't help but laugh a little at the way her cousins - two grown men - reverted to little boys when faced with something as simple as pie. Following them inside, her smile dimmed slightly as she thought about her Uncle and just hoped that everything would be ok.

Well, as luck would have it, the boys stayed overnight with their friends, and didn't come back until the very next day. They were full of high spirits as the General Lee pulled into the yard in front of the farmhouse, both boys hopping out almost before they'd stopped properly. It'd been nice seeing their friends again, but they were both glad to be home. Daisy came out to meet them, submitting to their hugs - Bo almost lifting his cousin off the ground - and doing her best to smile and look like she was glad to see them, too. Which she was, but she was still worried about Jesse, and unfortunately, it showed. "Hey, Daisy, what's wrong?" Luke was the first to notice. "Aren't you glad to see us?" Bo pouted, trying to make his cousin smile. "Of course I am, Bo! I've missed you both!" The young woman hugged her cousin a second time. "I'm just worried about Uncle Jesse, that's all." she confessed, sobering. "Uncle Jesse? Is something wrong? / Is he sick?" the two men's voices overlapped, their smiles falling away, and being replaced with concern.

Smoke

"Ok, Uncle Jesse. I'll do that." Daisy momentarily forgot about the 'handles' usually used over the air. She didn't bother telling her uncle that she had already bought them, along with some extra batteries for the flashlights they kept both in the house and the barn, having noticed Jesse packing what they had, in a bag, earlier on. "Was there anything else?" "No, that's all. I'll see you when you get home. Shepherd Out." "Bo Peep Out." Daisy continued on to work, and tried to put her worries to the back of her mind, at least until the end of her shift.

Bite

Surfing

Movies

I'm afraid I'm with the majority of posters on here: Strange Visitor to Hazzard. Erk. The Dukes meet ET. I'm sorry, but it just didn't work for me, either. I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels this way. Another on my 'Less than Wonderful' list, which I don't see on here (So maybe I'm in the minority on this one) was the Coy and Vance episode with the Russian gymnast. Just feel it was a bit corny and contrived. What do others think?

"It does explain, though..." she said thoughtfully. "Explain what?" Emma Tisdale wasn't one to let anything go when it came to her beloved Jesse Duke. Any detail, no matter how small, was grist to her mill. "Uncle Jesse said he was going away for a bit. Tomorrow. He didn't want any questions asked. Just that he had to check on an old friend, who might be in trouble. He said he'd be out of reach, but he didn't want us worrying about him, and that he should be back by supper." She looked at the older woman. 'Do you think there's something seriously wrong, Ms Tisdale? I mean, if he doesn't even want to talk about it with me or the boys?" "Oh, I doubt it, Daisy." She tried to reassure the girl. " Probably just some old coot who's lost track of the days and forgotten it's time send Jesse his letter. You know what Jesse's like. He's got a heart as big as all Hazzard, and if he thinks there's something wrong, or that someone needs help, then he'll be the first one there. Friend or stranger." " 'A stranger is only a friend you haven't met yet' " Daisy quoted one of her uncle's favorite sayings. Smiling slightly at the thought. "Thankyou, Ms Tisdale!" Bending down, she awkwardly hugged the older woman. "I'm sure you're right, and that everything will be fine!" Nevertheless, she wasn't looking forward to the next day or so. She wished her cousins would come home, soon.