“Heath?” Nick called loudly as he entered the barn.

“Nick shh.” Heath admonished. In his lap was a half asleep Joey. The last think he wanted was for the youngster to wake up and start following him all over the place again. “He’s almost totally asleep, open that sack for me will ya?”

Grabbing the sack Nick held open the neck of it as requested. Gently Heath lifted the bundle off his lap and into the sack.

“Hopefully he’ll think he’s back in his mama’s pouch and leave me be for some time.” Heath told Nick as he hung the sack on a hook place not to high from the floor.

Nick just smiled.

With in ten seconds of hanging the sack Joey was out of it and hopping by Heaths side again.

“You said something little brother?” Nick smirked.

Two more attempts were made to put Joey to bed in the sack, both ended with Joey returning to Heaths side.

“This is getting beyond a joke.” Heath grouched as he picked Joey up for the fourth time.

“Got an idea.” Nick grinned. “Take off your shirt.”

“WHAT?”

“TAKE OFF YOUR SHIRT.” Nick repeated.

This put Heath into a dilemma. There were things from his past that his new family knew nothing about, and if he could help it, never would. His back bore the scars of one of those things.

“WELL?” Nick stood rock solid in front of him arms crossed. “WE DON’T HAVE ALL NIGHT.”

Slowly he started to unbutton the shirt, all the while looking for something to distract his older brother. A loose button. Carefully, as not to hurt Coco, he flicked the button. Seeing the strange object coming at him Coco whinnied, causing Nick to look in his direction.

That split second was all he needed. He whipped off the shirt and quickly covered his back with his cowhide vest.

“Right. “Nick said taking the offered garment. “You grab the little one, and I’ll be ready.”

Heath scooped up Joey and deposited him in the cotton garment. Nick wrapped the material around the young kangaroo and placed it carefully into the open sack.

Joey made not one move of protest at this handling. Quiet and contented he stayed in the sack.

“All he wanted was something with your scent on it MOM.” Nick giggled. “”Come on lets move.”

With a playful shove he sent Heath in the direction of the barn door.

“Mother maybe right.” Jarrod thought to himself as he listened to the laughter of his two younger brothers. On his way to find Audra he happened to pass the barn. “Joey settled for the night?” He asked out loud.

“Sleeping like a baby.” Heath reported.

“What happened to your shirt?” Jarrod asked surprised to find a shirtless Heath in front of him.

“Sleeping like a baby in Heaths shirt.” Nick laughed. “Hey it was the only way to get him to settle.”

“OK. I found Mother.” Jarrod told his brothers.”Now to check on Audra.”

Together the three brothers found their sister sitting in the open door way of the chimp cage feeding the little primates.

“They’re sooo cute.” Audra laughed as she fed one, the second played with an old ball she’d somehow managed to find and the third gently tugged her hair. “All they wanted was for someone to play with them.”

“Well honey play time is over. We have a party to get ready for and these little ones have to go to bed.” Jarrod instructed. “Now tell your new friends good night and you’ll see them in the morning.”

Unhappily Audra returned the little apes to their cage, watched, as Nick made sure the door was secured and pulled the travelling cover partial down.

“Be good babies and good night.”

Later in the evening, as the laughter and music of the Barkley party floated across the space between the house and the cages, fingers fumbled for the latch and opened the cage.

“And further more young man.”

Heath forced a smile and pretended to pay attention as Mrs Augusta Hammering; one of the more senior and righteous minded ladies of Stockton lectured him about his responsibilities and obligations of being a member of the Barkley family.

For a lady of mature years she was dressed rather garishly, a loud burgundy dress that appeared to be two sizes too small and a ridiculous set of pins in her hair that looked like they’d escaped from a fruit salad.

Movement above Mrs Hammerings head caught his eye; it was one of the three chimps. Hanging on the banister fascinated by the ‘fruit platter’ below it.

“Are you paying attention young man?” Mrs Hammering continued, “What I am saying to you is….”

The sentence went unfinished as the chimp finally decided to pick the fruit. In one swoop it reach out and made for the biggest bauble it could reach.

Not only did it succeed in grasping it’s desired object but also took Mrs Hammerings hairpiece.

“AHHHHHHHhhhh” Was the sound the emanated from Mrs Hammerings throat as she realized just what had been taken and from where.

“AHHHHHHhhhh” The little monkey imitated and took off with its prize.

Up the other end of the room Nick was engaging in a discussion with a group of neighbours about ranching techniques. Points and suggestions were flying thick and fast among the group, each trying to get his point across in his own unique way. Nick’s fork was being used as a pointer, on its prongs a juicy piece of ripe pear.

“Like I was saying..” Nick started to speak again and waved his fork for emphasis. He looked at his hand. One minute the fork was there the next it wasn’t.

His companions were both standing there gaping as a small primate scurried out the door

“Why you flea bitten little varmint, get back here.” Nick growled, and forgetting all about his guests charged for the door.

So focused on his target was Nick that he never saw his brother approach the door from the opposite direction. Both of the boys ended up on the floor a tangle of legs and arms.

“Hehehehe.” A kind of laughter floated from the open door way. Both brothers looked and saw two of the three chimps, one with the hairpiece and one with the fork and pear grinning at them.

“YOU, YOU,YOU” Nick stammered as he tried to think up the correct words to yell at the mischievous apes.

“KOO,KOO,KOO KAR, KAR, KAR.”

“Great now they’re awake.” Heath grouched as the kookaburras started up for a repeat performance.

“MEOWRARARAR.”

“Even better. Now they’ve upset Beauty.”

“UM Nick it’s not the noise that upsetting that kitty cat.” Heath told his brother. “Look.”

Over by the cat cage the third of the chimp trio was hanging onto the bars and fiddling with the cage lock.

“So that’s how they got out.” Nick swore as he and Heath hurried to the cat cage hoping to prevent a mass escape of tigers.

“MEOWRARARRARAR.” Beauty the tiger started up again.

“Ok, Beauty shh shh.” Nick tried soothing the big cat.

Heath, standing with the errant chimp in his arms was the first to notice something wrong. One big cat, two little cats that was what was supposed to be in the cage. He looked again. One big cat, one little cat.

“Nick, there’s a cub missing.” He reported.

“WHAT?”

“There is a cub missing.” Heath repeated.

Within two minutes of Heaths announcement of the missing cat events started to move. Nick called for a very impromptu family meeting and laid out his plan.

“Mother, I need you to keep all our guests in the house, NOBODY, but NOBODY is allowed out in the grounds. Jarrod, Heath and I will be tracking that little cat alone. I don’t want anybody taking pot shots at Beauty’s cub. That little cat is going to be found and brought back alive.” He turned to Audra. “I want you to take these three pests and put them back in their cage. Have one of the hands secure it with the thickest rope we have. That cage is to be escape proof.”

“Nick.” Audra protested “They’re only babies.”

“Those ‘babies’ have caused enough trouble for one night. I’m taking no more chances with them. They stay in that secure cage.”

Victoria kept a vigil by the back door. All the party guests had long gone by now.

“Well” She reflected to herself “It was breaking up anyway.”

For what had seemed like hours now she been standing waiting. Outside she could hear the mother tiger growling and pacing in her cage. Two mothers together fretting over their missing young.

A noise from the corridor distracted her momentarily. Turning her attention back to the yard, she heard the creak of a cage door open, then close. The growling subsided and a loud purring took its place. The boys were back and they’d found the missing cub.

“Mission completed Mother.” Jarrod greeted her with a huge smile.

“Yes ma’am.” Heath too wore a large grin. “That is one happy cat family.”

Of the trio her Nick was the quietest and the most distant. Victoria feared he’d been hurt on the hunt.

“Nick?”

“Fine, Mother, just fine.” Nick continued to keep his distance.

“KOO,KOO,KOO,KAR.KAR.KAR.”

“SHUT UP YOU LOT.” Nick turned and yelled.

Victoria had to cover her mouth with her hands quickly in order to surpass her laughter.

The seat of Nick’s good dinner pants was missing, as was the seat of his under pants.

“Not one word.” Nick glared as his mother and brothers. “I don’t want to hear one single word.”

That said he stomped off toward his room with the sound of his mother and brothers laughter following him.

One Year Later.

“Mother, Nick, Audra, Heath.” Jarrod called as he entered the hall of the Barkley mansion.

“In the parlour. “Victoria called back. “What’s so important?”

“This was on my desk this morning.” Jarrod held up a thick cream coloured envelope.

“And just what is it?” Nick asked eyeing it. suspiciously.

“An invitation Nick my boy.”

“To the Barkley Family.” Victoria read. “You are cordially invited to be present when four new exhibitions are opened at the San Francisco Zoological Gardens on the 25th of next month.”

“Why would we be interested?” Nick asked still puzzled.

“IF you’ll let me finish.” Victoria said sternly. “Under the patronage and with the support of the Barkley Family trust and Jarrod Barkly Attorney at Law. The zoo is please to announce that it will be opening: The Victoria Barkley Great Flight Aviary, The Nicholas Barkley Tiger Park, The Audra Barkley Primate Enclosure and The Heath Barkley Baby Animal Nursery.”

“So you see Nick.” Jarrod clapped his younger brother on the shoulder. “Some good did come out of the time those animals spent with us.”

All Nick could do was scowl and rub his behind.