| "The Lost Ones (Part 2)" | |
| Season 7, Episode 22 #161 overall in Series | |
| Series: | Little House on the Prairie |
| Network/Country: | NBC |
| Original air date | May 11, 1981 |
| Episode Guide | |
 IMDb
|
The Lost Ones (Part 2) |
| Written by | Don Balluck |
| Directed by | Michael Landon |
| Guest starring: | Len Wayland, Jason Bateman, Missy Francis, Barbara Tarbuck, Randy Norton |
| Episode Chronology | |
| Previous episode: "The Lost Ones (Part 1)" |
Next episode: "The Reincarnation of Nellie (Part 1)" (Season 8 premiere) |
Reverend Alden announces he has found a family – the Tomkins – to take in orphaned James and Cassandra, unaware the father is mean and is only interested in extra farmhands. At one point, James is unjustly accused of stealing from Mr. Tomkins and is given a whipping. Eventually, the abuse takes its toll, and James and Cassandra run away.
The Tomkins tell the Ingalls the children are missing but, when Mr. Tomkins declines to help Charles in the search, it becomes clear he's more interested in getting the children home to teach them a lesson rather than for their safety. In the end, James and Cassandra decide they would be much happier living with the Ingalls, a responsibility that Charles and Caroline realize they must accept.
Cast[]
Starring[]
- Michael Landon: Charles Ingalls
- Karen Grassle: Caroline Ingalls
- Melissa Gilbert: Laura Ingalls Wilder
- Melissa Sue Anderson: Mary Ingalls Kendall
- Lindsay Sidney Greenbush: Carrie Ingalls
- Katherine MacGregor as Harriet Oleson
- Alison Arngrim as Nellie Oleson Dalton
- Jonathan Gilbert as Willie Oleson
- Kevin Hagen as Dr. Hiram Baker
- Dabbs Greer as Reverend Robert Alden
- Dean Butler as Almanzo Wilder
- Steve Tracy as Percival Dalton (credit only)
- Linwood Boomer as Adam Kendall
- Matthew Laborteaux as Albert Ingalls
Guest Stars[]
- Len Wayland as Isaiah Tomkins
- Jason Bateman as James Cooper
- Missy Francis as Cassandra Cooper
Co-Starring[]
- Barbara Tarbuck as Beth Tomkins
- Randy Norton as Seth Tomkins
Uncredited[]
Quotes[]
- Reverend Alden (to Charles): Mr. Tomkins just told me he wants to adopt both of the children.
- Charles: I thought he said he needed some time to think about it.
- Reverend Alden: He just told me now. He wants to have them on Saturday.
- Charles: Saturday? That's awfully soon. We don't even have the papers ready.
- Reverend Alden: The papers can wait. Charles, the sooner you make this break, the better. I've seen the children at church, the way they are with you and Caroline. Believe me, Charles, the sooner, the better.
- Charles (to James and Casssandra): Well, you two, it looks like we ought to be getting home.
- James: Mr. Tomkins...he's going to be awful mad.
- Charles: Well, I suppose he is, but that shouldn't matter much to us. When I say home, I mean our place. I mean, I want you to become live with us. Isn't that right, Caroline?
- Caroline (smiles): That's right. (Cassandra is delighted.) That's right. (So does James with a smile happily)
- Charles: It's gonna be pretty darn crowded, but that's just the way it's going to be.
- James: Gee, Mr. Ingalls. Gee...
- Charles: Come on, let's go home.
- Charles: Caroline, this is James.
- Caroline: Hello, James.
- Charles: And this is Cassandra.
- Caroline: Welcome to our home. (Cassandra bursts into tears and grabs Caroline around the waist) What in the world? Oh, it's all right. It's all right.
- James (in a trance): Ma. She looks like... Ma! I almost thought you were.
- Caroline: (to Cassandra who doesn't want to leave Caroline and go to school) Those children sure do make lots of noise at recess. You know, you're smart not to go to school with James. My daughter's a very hard teacher. You'll see tonight. James is going to have a lot of homework. I'll help him with it, though. You'll be the lucky one. You'll be sleeping while James and I are working on his studies. Oh, I bet he won't be through until 8:00 or 8:30. I love it, though. I used to be a teacher and I just love helping children with their homework. Yes, indeed. James and I will be spending a lot of evenings together.
- Cassandra: I want homework.
- Caroline: What?
- Cassandra: I want homework!
- Caroline: Well, if you want homework, you're gonna have to go to school.
- (Cassandra smiles, hugs Caroline tight and runs off to school)
- Laura: (voice-over) As the weeks passed, James and Cassandra became more and more a part of the family. "They'll find a home soon," Pa said. But we all knew the longer it took, the harder it would be for everyone.
- Cassandra: I got an A on a test today!
- Caroline: Did you?
- Charles: That's not an easy thing to do. My daughter is pretty tough on grades.
- Cassandra: I really like her!
- James: I never used to have fun at school.
- Charles: Yeah, well, school can't all be fun.
- James: But most of it is.
- Laura (voice-over): So James and Cassandra came to live with Ma and Pa and Albert and Carrie and baby Grace. The Little House would be very full...of love.
External links[]
| Previous episode: | Next episode: |
| The Lost Ones (Part 1) | The Reincarnation of Nellie (Part 1) |
Notes[]
- The film, "Love's Unending Legacy" uses a similar theme to this episode.