Summary:  There was a purpose behind their trip, and he knew it better than they did.

Rating:  G  (515 words)

 

Watchers in the Snow

 

“Lordy, this stuff’s darn cold,” Hoss grumbled as he lowered himself down into the snow beside his younger brother.  “Don’t know how you ever talked me into coming out here. I coulda been at home, sat in front the fire with …”

 

“Shhh!” Joe hissed, shooting a quick look back over his shoulder. “He’ll hear you!”

 

“Might be just as well if he does. Leastways we’d be able to go on home. And what do we need these guns fer? We ‘aint gonna shoot at him are we?” A worried frown creased his brow as Joe didn’t reply. “Joe, you ain’t got some hairbrained scheme to scare him?”

 

“No, of course not!” Joe denied hotly. He shifted forward slightly, straining to get a better view of the man in the valley below them. “It’s like I told you, I just want to see who he’s meeting out here. He could be in trouble, and then we’ll need the guns.”

 

“You sure it’s that? It couldn’t be that you’re just pokin’ your nose into his business again.”

 

“Would I do that?”

 

The feigned innocence in Joe’s answer made Hoss all the more suspicious. Seemed all Joe’s talk of possible danger was just so much hot air. The truth was Joe was just flat out snooping.

 

With a snort of disgust, Hoss got to his feet and stalked away towards the horses, which waited patiently some distance away. How he had let himself be inveigled into going along with this hairbrained scheme he just plain couldn’t understand.

 

Joe watched Hoss go, unsure what to do. Should he follow, or stay and see what Adam was doing out here? Either way, he knew was going to have two angry brothers by the time he got home. Hoss was certain to tell Adam they had been following him.

 

When Hoss paused and looked round, Joe made up his mind. His annoyance at not finding out what Adam was doing beginning to fade as he scrambled up and trudged through the snow. On the long journey home, he was sure could persuade Hoss that there was no real need for anyone to know what they’d done. At least that way there’d only be one annoyed brother, and Pa need never know.

 

Below, in the valley, Adam tossed aside the dregs of his coffee. He smiled wryly as he brushed snow over the fire he’d built, dousing the flames. It had been a long day meandering hither and yon across the Ponderosa but well worth it. No doubt Joe was still as curious as ever, but with any luck Hoss would quash any further attempts to find out what was going on.

 

Did they really not know, he thought, glancing upwards to where his brothers had been, how their voices carried in the still air? And how simple it had been to spot that they were following him?

 

He looked toward the sky, judging the light. There was just enough time left of the day to go and visit Sarah, as he’d intended before he noticed his pursuers. With a grin, he mounted up and rode away.

 

The end