Chapter 1

"Howdy y'all! Welcome to Hazzard County! See that farm over there? That's the Duke farm, home of Luke,Daisy, Bo and their Uncle Jesse,and that there is where our story begins. Looks like Uncle Jesse talkin' on the telephone. Why don't we all just listen in."

"Duke farm, this here's Jesse…Oh hi Roy, how're things down in Capital City?…Oh! It has?…Oh? You can't?…Two weeks, huh? Well maybe's I can send one of the boys to come pick it up from ya then…Alrighty Roy. Thanks for callin'…You too. Bye now."

Jesse Duke hung up the phone and turned toward the kitchen where the rest of the Dukes had been eating breakfast. "That was Roy over at the shipping warehouse in Atlanta." He announced. "That new plow's come in but he can't deliver it for another two weeks."

"Two weeks! Bo exclaimed as he stabbed another piece of ham with his fork. "We can't wait another two weeks to get them fields plowed!"

"Well I know it Bo," Jesse said as he sat down at the head of the table to finish his meal. "Which is why I told him I'd send one of you boys over to Atlanta to pick it up from him."

Bo and Luke grinned as they each grabbed the remaining pieces of toast and jumped up from the table. A trip to the city was a rare occasion and the prospect of going was as exciting as winning first place in the Hazzard County Derby. "We could borrow that old pickup from Cooter's to haul it back here," Luke said as he headed for the door on Bo's heels.

"Now simmer down you too and get back here!" Jesse commanded. "I said one of you boys would go pick up that plow. The others one of you has to stay here and help me repair the side of the barn that you two near knocked down the last time Roscoe chased you through here!"

Bo and Luke eyed each other as they slowly made their way back to the table. It was clear they both wanted to go.

Finally Bo sighed. "Alright Luke, I'll make the sacrifice."

Luke's eyes lit up. "You will?" he asked skeptically, not quite believing what he was hearing.

"Yeah, I'll drive to Hotlanta and lug that heavy old plow back to the farm," he could hardly keep from smiling as he spoke. "It's a tough job but somebody's got to do it."

Daisy laughed as Luke tried to swat Bo with his napkin. "Bo!" she scolded. "That was just plain mean! Now you two fellas know how to settle this fair and square."

Jesse nodded. "That's right. Daisy, why don't you hand me two of them matches over there?"

Daisy was already grabbing the box of matches even as her Uncle Jesse spoke. Around the Duke farm there was always a fair way to settle things and this way was one that went way back to their childhood. Jesse took the two matches that Daisy offered him and turned his back to the table so that neither Bo nor Luke could see what he was doing. He broke one the matches to make it shorter and then positioned the two matches in his hand so that nobody could tell which was which. Satisfied, he turned back towards the table and thrust out his hand with the matches towards the boys.

"Alright now," he said grinning mischeiviously. "Short stick loses and has to drive allll the way to the dirty old city to pick up a plow. Long stick wins and gets to spend the day working in the great outdoors with their Uncle Jesse."

They all chuckled at his joke as Bo and Luke each drew a match and held them up to each other for comparison. It was clear that Bo's was the shorter match and he let out his traditional "Yee Haw!" Grinning from ear to ear he exclaimed, "Guess I lose!"

Luke looked disappointed but then he too grinned at his younger cousin. "Oh well," he said. "Guess I'll just have to take Becky May out for a ride in the General tonight then."

Daisy smiled as Bo met Luke's gaze with a shocked stare on his face. Becky May was Bo's latest girl of the moment. "You wouldn't!" Bo gasped.

Luke shrugged. "What can I say cousin, ya snooze, ya lose" He laughed and clapped Bo on the shoulder. "Come on. I'll give ya a ride into town. Cooter's gotta be at the garage by now."

As the boys walked outside with Bo mumbling something along the lines of "dirty tricks" and "Becky May" Jesse followed with a few parting words of his own. "Now Luke don't you dilly dally in town we gotta get the barn fixed up afore Maudine decides to move on to greener pastures. And Bo, have a good time but be home at a decent hour ya hear?"

"And stay outta trouble!" Daisy yelled from the kitchen window with a final wave good-bye before disappearing back inside to do the dishes. Luke and Bo laughed as they waved bye and then in a cloud of dust the General was on its way.

Bo was still muttering about Becky May when they pulled up to Cooter's garage and Luke was starting to wish he had never even joked about it. "Will ya cool it Bo? Becky May ain't even my type!"

Bo's eyes narrowed as he climbed out of the driver's window. "Whatcha mean Becky May ain't your type? I'll have you know she's the prettiest girl in Hazzard!"

"Yeah, if ya like buck teeth and hair curlier than a pig's tail…" Luke's voice trailed off as he spotted the "Closed" sign on the front of the office door. "Looks like Cooter's sleepin' in this mornin'."

"Well now what?" Bo said as he leaned against the General slightly disappointed.

"Cooter won't be long. In the meantime we'll go over to see Boss and see about getting' ya a travel pass."

Bo groaned. He had completely forgotten about that one minor detail. In order to cross the county line (legally anyway) he would have to get permission from Boss Hogg, the County Commisioner. With no great love for any of the Dukes, they would just have to pray he was in a good mood. Bo suddenly smiled as an idea formed in his head. "Hey! You know, I bet if you we stop by the bakery first and pick up some them jelly filled donuts he likes we might just make things a little easier on us!"

Luke shrugged. "I guess it couldn't hurt," he said although he seriously doubted that even donuts could make a conversation with Boss Hogg easier. "Course he mighta already bought out the bakery," he added with a grin. Laughing they clapped each other on the back and walked off down the street toward the bakery.

The donuts did not go over well. "Ack! You mean horrible Dukes!" Boss cried. "What you bringin those…those donuts in here for?" His mouth watered just by saying the word donut. "Dontcha know I'm on a diet!" he cried dramatically, throwing up his ears towards the skies. "Why God why?"

"Luke and me's real sorry Boss. We didn't know you were dietin' again." Bo said trying to mend things as Luke hurriedly tossed the donuts out the office. They skidded across the floor and stopped right in front of Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane as he was coming in through the front door. He was about to yell at Luke for littering when he realized the box wasn't empty. A smile crossed his lips. "Breakfast! I love it! I love it!"

Back in Boss's office Bo was desperately trying to smooth things over. "Gosh Boss, Luke and me's real sorry," he said as Boss paced back and forth throwing his hands dramatically in the air and ranting about the "evil Duke boys" and how they'd be the death of him. "We was just tryin' to be nice." Bo added.

J.D. Hogg stopped in his tracks and eyed the two Dukes suspiciously. "Why?" he asked as he took a step back. In his experience, it was never good when your enemies wanted to be "nice".

Luke smirked. "Take it easy there Boss. Bo needs a pass to get to Atlanta is all. If ya give us that, we'll happy to get outta your hair."

Boss's eyes grew even narrower and Luke could tell that Boss's mind was trying to calculate how he could profit from this. "Atlanta?" Boss asked as he thoughtfully puffed on his cigar. "What business does Bo have in Atlanta?"

Bo started to explain but Luke quickly cut him off. "Er… we got a sick aunt who lives there and…and Uncle Jesse wanted one of us to take her some chicken soup." Luke finished lamely. Bo caught his cousin's eye with a questioning glance and Luke made a small gesture towards Boss as if to say "it's Boss Hogg, you really need to ask?" Bo shook his head confused but kept his mouth shut. He trusted Luke to know what he was doing even if Bo didn't. Boss for his part laughed out loud.

"Bo? You gotta visit you sick aunt and feed her chicken soup?" he chuckled and for a moment Luke thought Boss didn't buy his story. "Ain't that women's work? Shouldn't Daisy be going?" J.D. laughed at the image he had in his head of Bo spoon feeding some old biddy in bed.

Bo grumbled. "Well she would ceptin' her boss told her she couldn't have any more time off this year even though it's only April." Bo might not of understood just what Luke was up to but he did know how to play along.

Boss chuckled. "Oh yeah," he said. "I did, didn't I?"

"Boss? Can we have the pass?" Luke asked impatiently.

Boss's mirth was gone instantly as he drew himself up. "And just why should I?"

Bo and Luke looked at each other for ideas but none were really forthcoming. "Uh…because…it's get a Duke outta town for a day?" Bo asked hopefully.

Boss smiled. "Now that is a good reason!" he exclaimed. One less Duke in Hazzard was always a good thing as far as he was concerned. He reached into his desk drawer and pulled out the needed forms. "Now," he said as he finished signing. "This here pass expires at midnight on the dot." He handed the pass to Bo and then wagged his finger at him. "Rosco'll be waitin' at the county line and if you're late by even a second…"

Bo laughed and cut him off. "If I'm later than midnight Boss I'll be more worried about what Uncle Jesse will do to me than Rosco."

Boss harrumphed and then shooed them out of his office. "Now git you two! I'm a busy man! I got things to do!"

Bo stuffed the pass in his back pocket as he and Luke made their way down the stairs of the Hazzard County building and when he was sure they were far enough away from Boss's ears he asked the question he had been dying to ask inside. "Luke? How come ya didn't want to tell Boss about the plow?"

Luke shrugged. "I just didn't think it was a good idea to let Boss know that the sooner we get that plow the better the chance we have of making the mortgage payment on time. I figured if we told him the truth he'd deny you that pass for sure."

Bo's eyes had gone wide as Luke explained. Boss Hogg was always looking for ways to get the Dukes' farm out from under them and the truth definitely would have played into his hands. Bo let out a low whistle. "Geez Luke, I sure am glad you're as smart as you are otherwise I'd be stayin' in Hazzard with ya right now."

Luke laughed. "Aw Bo you would have thought of it too. Just as soon as you were done ducking jelly donuts!" As the two cousins laughed Luke pointed across the street as a familiar yellow tow truck pulled into the driveway. "Hey! Looks like Cooter's back! Let's go!"

Bo and Luke approached at an easy jog and greeted their friend with a pat on the back. "Hey Cooter!" Bo said "Where ya been?"

"Hey fellas!" Cooter said with a smile. It was barely 9am and he was already wiping oil and grease from his hands. "Mr. Jenkins needed a tow, I'm just getting back. What can I do for you two?"

"Bo here needs to borrow that old pickup you got out back to get to Atlanta and pick up a plow." Luke explained.

"Yeah Cooter, ya think ya can spare it for a day?" Bo asked.

Cooter smiled and nodded towards the back. "Sure thing Bo Bo, keys are in it! Just go easy it on it ya hear. It's old and it don't like to be handled like you handle the General!"

Bo crossed his heart with his hands. "I promise, I'll be as gentle as a summer's breeze," he said poetically.

Cooter rolled his eyes and laughed. "Sure Bo. Just keep it 'tween the ditches ok?"

Bo laughed as he headed towards the back where the pickup was parked. "You got it Cooter!"

Luke let Cooter know he'd be right back and followed Bo over to the pickup. As Bo got settled in the cab of the truck, Luke leaned his arms against the open window. "Take it easy alright Bo?" he said. Truth be told he was more than a little worried about his younger cousin heading off into Atlanta alone.

Bo smiled. "I will Luke. You better get back to the farm before Uncle Jesse starts to wonder if you decided to run off with me!" Bo started the truck and it sputtered into a loud roar and Bo frowned. "Man, Cooter wasn't kidding! This thing sounds ancient!"

Luke slapped the side of the truck as he stepped away. "All the more reason for you to take it easy," he said.

Bo assured him again that he would, waved and started to drive away but then stopped. "Hey, Luke? You were kidding about Becky May weren't ya?" he asked.

Luke smirked. "Which part? The part about me taking her for a ride or the part about her buckteeth and frizzy hair?"

Bo sighed as Luke laughed. "Never mind!" he said. He waved again and Luke watched as the truck turned a corner and drove out of sight.

"Now some of you might be expectin' the next chapter to start with 'Bo made it back safe and sound' but like I said before this here's Hazzard and things just don't go that easy. I gotta feelin' things are gonna git dark before we see the light again."