Summary: Hoss finds out you can be a winner in more ways than one.

Rated: Family Friendly / Word count: 1085

 

The Contest

“Hoss, why don’t you watch what you’re doing?” Adam said in irritation as he worked to untangle himself from the rope Hoss had been swinging.

“Sorry Adam,” came Hoss’s reply. “I didn’t see you comin’.”

“Well for somebody that’s supposed to be winning a roping contest tomorrow, you would think you’d be paying better attention.” Adam retorted before storming angrily into the house.

Hoss had been trying everyone’s patience lately while working to enhance his roping skills. Most of the time he confined his practicing to the steers out on the range, but now it was close to supper time so Hoss was staying close to home. With Adam now in a bad mood he didn’t want to go into the house just yet. He decided to saddle up Chubb and ride out to the river. He knew Joe was over there with Carrie and thought maybe he could show off for the two of them for awhile. He really wanted to win that certificate for the best roper. It would be something special, something with his name on it, something in writing that would let people know he was good at something. The roping contest was tomorrow and he had been practicing day and night for over a week now. As Hoss approached, he noticed Little Joe walking precariously out onto a fallen log over the river, trying to show off for his new girlfriend.

“Little Joe, don’t…” Hoss yelled out, but it was too late. Little Joe lost his footing on the slippery log and landed with a splash into the icy cold, fast moving waters.

Hoss reacted instinctively, hours and hours of diligent practice kicked in and he worked almost without thinking. He twirled the rope over his head creating a wide circle. Little Joe was moving fast with the current. Hoss knew just like with the steers, he would have to throw a little beyond his target in order to capture him. There was only time to try this once, he couldn’t miss. With lightning speed and a desperate prayer he threw out the rope. The world felt as if it were moving in slow motion, he could feel the end of the rope as it slapped the water. Had he gotten it over Joe’s head? Hoss felt his heart drop into his stomach and a cold spreading numbness as the rope stayed slack. Somewhere off to the side he thought he heard Carrie scream. The swiftly flowing river continued to pull Joe downstream, when suddenly the rope went taut. Hoss hadn’t been expecting it and nearly lost his grip. A new hope surged through him and he quickly came to life. Pulling with all his strength he slowly brought Joe towards the bank. The water pulled fiercely against him, and he had to fight to hang on. With an almost super human strength he struggled against the current, every time it seemed he was finally gaining some ground the river would twist or twirl and he would have to stop pulling just to hang on. His hands were aching and it took every ounce of determination he had not to let go of the ropes. After what seemed an eternity, he finally felt the rope go slack as he pulled Little Joe up onto the bank. Hoss knew he needed to go see if he was alright, had Joe been able to keep his head above the water? What if he had been hit against one of the rocks? Hoss’s mind screamed at him to move forward and check his brother, but his worn out body would not obey his commands. He watched as Carrie ran over to Joe. She knelt down next to him tenderly taking his hand in hers.

“Joe,” she called to him softly. “Hoss’s face turned ashen when there was no response.

“Joe,” she called again more sharply, gently slapping his face.

They both waited holding their breath. Suddenly, Joe began to cough violently. Carrie managed to roll him onto his side as he spewed the water that had been trapped in his lungs.

“What…what happened?” Joe managed after a few moments.

“Oh, Joe!” Was all Carrie could manage as she wrapped her arms around him. Joe looked over to where Hoss was standing. He wasn’t making a sound but there were tears streaming down his face.

Overwhelmed with relief and exhaustion he slowly sank to the ground. He looked down at his hands. They were bleeding, in the back of his mind he thought he should probably do something about that but at the moment all he could do was just sit and breathe and thank God that his prayers had been answered.

Later that evening three Cartwrights sat around the fire, each one lost in his own thoughts over the day’s events.

Ben Cartwright gave a slight shudder as he thought again of what could have happened. Just last week one of the local miner’s had lost his young nephew to that same river. He glanced up at Hoss, he was so proud of his son.

Adam wished he could take back his words to Hoss from that morning, at this moment he would gladly have let Hoss get him tangled up in a rope. He marveled again at the strength of his younger, yet bigger brother.

Hoss looked down at his bandaged hands, he knew he wouldn’t be able to enter that roping contest tomorrow, but somehow it didn’t seem to matter anymore.

After a few moments, Little Joe carefully made his way down the stairs. He grinned sheepishly at his father, knowing he was supposed to be in bed resting but there was something important he had to do first. He walked slowly over to Hoss and without saying a word handed him a slip of paper.

Hoss smiled as he looked over the handmade certificate, he cleared his throat and then holding it up for the rest of the family to see he proudly read it out loud.

“Awarded to Hoss Cartwright ~ for supreme bravery, strength, endurance, and the best roping in the West.”

~The End