Summary:   December’s Chaps and Spurs.  The Cartwrights are out on the trail.

Rated: K  (700 words)

                                                                  No Coffee

December’s Chaps and Spurs challenge.

The phrases this month are:

• A thimble full will do
• Our gay apparel
• A star shone down
• Drank until the pot was dry
• Never get lost again

I’m using my coupon to subsitute two phrases. Staying with Cheaux’s Bonanza Christmas lyrics, I used a phrase from Santa Got Lost in Texas and Oh, Fur Tree Dear.

• Our gay apparel is now All tuckered out and bone tired weary
• A star shone down is now The twinkling lights

No Coffee

The coffee pot was thrown with disgust to the rocks that surrounded the camp fire, the remaining liquid, as minute at it was, splattered into the fire making it hiss.

“Doggone it, Pa! Hoss did it again! He drank till the pot was dry,” Joe moaned.

“Ah, Joe, there was still some left,” replied Hoss with a twinkle in his eye.

“What? You think that a thimble full will do? Hel . . . er, heck no.” Joe gave his father a sheepish look before continuing, “Why didn’t you make another pot?”

“I figured that’s what you’re for, Little Brother,” Hoss chuckled and took a sip from his full cup.

Joe snatched the battered pot from the ground and stomped away; he could still be heard grumbling after he disappeared from sight.

“Hoss, you know you should have made the next pot,” Ben chastised, trying to keep his lips from curving into a smile.

“I know, Pa, but it sure was worth it to see the look on his face.”

Shortly after Joe had set the pot of water on the fire Adam rode into camp. After taking care of his horse; he walked towards his family, brushing the trail dust from his pants with his hat.

“I’ll tell you, I’m all tuckered out and bone tired weary.” The oldest Cartwright son sat down and reached for the coffee pot.

“Don’t even bother, Adam. Brother Hoss there, finished off the last pot and didn’t see the need to make another,” grumble Joe from where he laid against his saddle.

Adam glared at Hoss, but all he got for his efforts was a shrug and a grin.

Joe put his hands behind his head and gazed up at the twinkling lights that shone above the magnificent ponderosa pines.

“Sure is peaceful,” he sighed.

“Yes it is,” agreed Ben also looking up.

“With those always shining above a body’ll never get lost again,” Adam added.

“Nope, you sure won’t.” Joe reached for the coffee pot, but before his hand could even touch it, Hoss snatched it from the fire and refilled his cup.

“Adam?” Hoss held the pot towards his older brother and filled the cup that was held out towards him.

“Pa?” Hoss offered, all the while watching, from the corner of his eye, his little brother glaring at him.

Once he had filled Ben’s cup, Hoss took a drink from his then topped it off before returning the pot to the fire.

All eyes were on Joe as he grabbed the pot from the fire. In his anger he poured it a little too fast and ended up splashing the hot liquid on his hand. He immediately dropped the tin mug, splashing the hot contents on his thigh.

“Damn it!” he shouted jumping to his feet and dropping the coffee pot on the ground.

“Joseph, watch your language,” Ben scolded, all the while trying to hide not only his smile, but the laughter that was bubbling up inside.

Joe clenched his teeth tightly together and without another word turned on his heels and stormed out of sight.

No longer able to contain themselves, the three men left around the fire roared with laughter. They were so loud they never heard the expletives that echoed back from the trees.

“That wasn’t nice, Hoss,” Adam gasped between gales of laughter.

“May not have been, but I sure hope he had his long-johns on under those pants of his.”

A whole new chorus of deep belly-laughs erupted.

Chapter End Notes:

Many thanks to Cheaux for her fantastic beta skills.