Hoss slowly rolled over and then stretched his arms over his head. Taking a deep breath, he held it for a moment before letting it out with a contented sigh. The slamming of a door farther down the hall startled him out of his morning reverie, and he groaned and rolled onto his stomach. He heard his bedroom door crash open, and then his little brother yelled, “Adam’s comin’ home today! Hoss! Hoss, get up! Adam’s comin’ home today!” Hoss grunted as his breath was suddenly knocked out of him by the solid weight of Little Joe landing on his back. “Get up!” Joe yelled. 

“Dadburnit,” Hoss gasped. “He ain’t comin’ home ‘til late tonight.”

“But ain’t you excited?” Joe asked.

Hoss pictured the nine-year-old’s face, and had to sigh. He rolled over, dumping Joe onto the floor. “Hey!” Joe yelped.

“Yeah, I’m excited. But it’s also 5:30 in the morning, Joe.”

“Yeah, but you normally get up now.”

Hoss sighed again, and then smiled at Joe. “Why don’t you go out and get started on the chores, since you’re already up.”

Joe thought for a moment, but obviously didn’t realize the multiple purposes of that suggestion because he scrambled off the floor and said, “Okay. But hurry down, Hoss. We got a lot to plan today.”

“We planned everythin’ yesterday, Joe.”

Joe didn’t hear him, as he was already racing out of Hoss’s room. He turned the corner, and plowed directly into Hop Sing. Much to Joe’s relief, it was he, and not their cook, who ended up on his backside on the floor. “I’m sorry, Hop Sing!” he exclaimed as he stood up. 

“Yell! Yell too much, early in morning!” Hop Sing admonished.

“I’m sorry, but Adam’s comin’ home today!” Joe grinned. 

“Lucky father not here, not be happy with you yell. Brother not happy either.” Hop Sing put his hand on Joe’s shoulder and led him down the hall and downstairs. “You go; go get eight fresh eggs.”

“What are you making Hop Sing?”

“Flapjacks, eggs, ham, toast.”

Joe grinned. “Sounds great!” He turned and tore out the front door, yelling as he ran across the yard, “Adam’s comin’ home today! Adam’s comin’ home today!”

Hop Sing chuckled, and then turned back towards the kitchen. He set out some bowls, and then went to a counter near the door and picked up a sheet of paper and a pencil. He read it over, and then added two more things to the bottom, just in case the youngest Cartwright finished the other 27 chores before Adam and Ben arrived home.

*****

Hoss turned from the window as he heard Hop Sing walk up behind him. He did his best to hide the disappointed look on his face. “I guess it took ‘em longer than we thought.” 

Hop Sing nodded sympathetically. “Long ride from San Francisco. Be home tomorrow.”

Hoss nodded, and then glanced back towards the window. “I guess I should make Joe come in now.” 

Hop Sing glanced out the window, where Joe paced back and forth along the porch step, occasionally glancing towards the trees bordering the darkening sky. “Let him wait few more minutes. I call him in.”

“Thanks, Hop Sing. Good night,” Hoss said, and then went upstairs, glancing once more towards the window and his brother.

Outside, Joe sank onto the step, and reached out, breaking a twig off of one of the bushes that grew near the house. He was tired, and disappointed. He ground the twig between his fingers, before tossing it aside. The door opened behind him, and Joe glanced back to see Hop Sing coming outside. The man settled into a chair near Joe, and looked out into the yard. 

After a few minutes, Joe sighed. “They’re not comin’ tonight, are they?”

“Long journey,” Hop Sing replied. “They arrive tomorrow.”

“But Hoss and me worked so hard to get things ready today. We cleaned everything, and made decorations, and put up the sign…” Joe glanced up where the long strip of cloth still hung off the front of the house. Welcome home, Adam! it exclaimed. He and Hoss had worked on it for days. 

“Tonight’s disappointments be gone tomorrow. Go now, sleep. Father and brother be here tomorrow.”

Joe sighed, and then stood up reluctantly. “Good night, Hop Sing,” he said, and then went inside to his room to wash and change. Just as he was ready to climb into bed he paused. He quickly left his room and then went to the next one. He knew Adam’s room was spotless, even though it was too dark to see. Hop Sing had cleaned it a week ago, and then Joe insisted on cleaning it again himself. And again. There wasn’t one speck of dust anywhere. Joe closed the door behind him, and went to the bed, feeling around with his hand until he found the object he was looking for. He sat down, holding it. It was Adam’s drawing set.

Before Adam left, their father had purchased him a special technical set to take east with him, and he had left this one behind. He had given it to Joe to take care of for him until he returned. Now, Joe knew what had had been doing; but as a child, it was quite an important responsibility, and he took it very seriously. He made sure the tools were clean, and he kept the box in a special place in his room. He had left it for Adam today, and a small part of him really hoped that Adam remembered giving him the responsibility, and would praise him for doing it well. The rest of him knew that it wasn’t something that even needed to be done to begin with; yet, he still craved that praise.

Joe sighed and put the set down on the nightstand, and then sank back onto the bed with his eyes closed. What would Adam be like now?

*****

A few hours later, Ben and his eldest son stumbled exhausted into the house. Neither of them had wanted to stop, being so close to home, so they had pushed on. Ben glanced at the clock. “It’s almost one o’clock. You’d better go get some sleep. I’m sure Joe will be waking you bright and early tomorrow.”

Adam chuckled, and Ben noted once again how much, and how little, his son had changed. “I’ll welcome that greeting. I can hardly wait to see them both.”

Ben smiled and patted Adam on the arm. “Good to have you home, son.”

“I’m glad to be home. Goodnight, Pa,” he said, and then went upstairs quietly, after grabbing a lamp. He reached his room, and then paused as he entered. With a smile, he closed the door behind him and then set the lamp down. For a few minutes, he just stood next to his bed, looking down at his youngest brother. He was all arms and legs now it seemed, and his hair was a mess of thick curls, unlike the baby-fine locks they had been. He had thick curly lashes, and a small defined nose, and those ears! Well, he hadn’t quite grown into them yet. Even so, he was becoming quite a handsome young man, Adam had to admit.

Finally Adam shook his head, and moved to pick up his brother, but then paused. He didn’t want to wake him. Carefully, Adam got changed, and then pulled a couple of blankets from the chest at the foot of his bed. He covered Joe up, and picked up the light and walked to the other side of the bed, where he got settled in. He looked once more to make sure Joe was still asleep, and then put out the lamp.

*****

“Adam! Adam! Adam! Adam, you’re here! You’re here, Adam! Adam!”

Finally Adam opened his eyes, to see his brother jumping excitedly up and down on the bed. 

“You’re home! You’re home! You’re home! Adam!”

Adam burst into laughter, and then swept Joe into his arms. “I missed you, buddy!” He felt his brother’s arms wrap around tightly around him.

“I sure missed you,” Joe whispered. After a few minutes he pulled away. “Wait til you see; we have so much to do today! We’re going on a picnic at the lake, and we’ll go see everything, we can go fishing, and tomorrow’s your surprise party, and Hoss and I built a new corral in the back, and you have to see the horse I raised and she’s a month away from having her foal, and…and…” Finally Joe ran out of air and words, and Adam grinned at him.

“Sounds like fun.”

Joe grinned back, and then stood up on the bed. “Wahoo!” he shrieked, and then jumped off the bed and charged for the door. “Hoss! Hoss! He’s here! He’s here!” 

Adam watched him leave, laughing, and then sighed and got out of bed. He wasn’t likely to get a full night’s rest for a couple of days, he was sure. 

“Come on, come on, come on!” Adam heard Joe coaxing impatiently, and after a few seconds, Hoss half stumbled into the room with Joe right behind him. 

“Adam!” grinned Hoss, and stepped forward and gave him big bear hug. “How was your trip?”

“It was fine. Glad to finally be home.” Adam appraised his middle brother. He had grown too, since he left, and was now a bit taller than him, and definitely bigger.

Ben appeared in the doorway just then, rather ruffled, admonishing, “Boys.”

Joe and Hoss turned to him. “Sorry, Pa,” they said in unison.

Adam laughed. Things hadn’t changed that much. 

*****

“What was the east like, Adam?” Joe asked.

Adam glanced over at Joe, and past him towards Hoss, who was looking interested as well. “Well,” he started, settling back against the rock he was leaning on. “There were lots of people, and buildings. They have paved streets, not just dirt roads.”

“What do paved streets look like?”

“It’s like rock…laid down in a path between the buildings. And there are gas lamps along it to light the way at night.”

“Wow…” breathed Joe. “How big are the buildings?”

“They are really big. So high, they have a lot of layers in them. Remember the drawings I was showing you, of some of the buildings I was reading about before I went?” Joe nodded. “Just like that.”

“I can’t imagine what they would look like in person,” Joe said. “They must be amazing.”

“They certainly are. I’m sure soon you’ll get to see some large buildings. More and more people are moving out this way, and pretty soon those people are going to want some of the things they were used to in the east.”

“I got one!” Hoss yelled, pulling at his fishing line.

“Don’t lose him! Don’t lose him! Easy now!” Joe dropped his line, and leaned over Hoss, yelling encouragement in his ear. 

“Joe, get off me, you’re going to make me lose ‘em!” Hoss yelped.

“Watch out! Watch out, he’s gettin’ away!” Joe yelled, and reached out and pulled at Hoss’ line. 

“Joe, I mean it!” 

Joe yanked the line out of the water, flinging the fish into the air and his brother into the lake. “Ya got him, Hoss!” Joe yelled, oblivious to the fact that Hoss was now in the water under the branch he had been seated on. “Ya got him!” he shouted happily and put the fish on the line with the others they had caught, and then looked back, finally noticing the empty branch. He looked at Adam. “Where’d he go?”

Adam let out a guffaw at his obvious confusion. There was a splash, and then their wet and rather angry looking middle brother scrambled out of the water. He started towards Joe, who moved towards Adam. “Sorry Hoss!” Joe yelped, expecting Adam to protect him. Instead, he yelled in surprise as Adam caught his arms and held him in a bear hug. 

“What do you want to do with this younger brother of ours?” Adam asked, trying to keep from laughing. 

“Hey, this isn’t right! Let go, Adam! I didn’t mean it Hoss, honest!”

Hoss grinned. “I think he wants to go for a swim too, seein’ as how much I enjoyed it.”

“No! No!” screeched Joe, as his brothers grabbed his arms. “If I drown, Pa will tan ya both!” he yelled. They tossed him in, and then Adam laughed along with Hoss, waiting for Joe to come back up. After a few seconds, the water was still only rippling from the original splash.

“Hoss, he can swim, right?” Adam asked.

Hoss laughed. “Sure he can,” he said, and then looked nervously into the water. “I mean, we were both swimmin’ just fine last summer…he can swim…” he trailed off, all his confidence lost.

Adam quickly stripped off his shirt, and dove into the water, trying to look through the murky haze for his brother. The splash nearby told him that Hoss had joined him, and he swam, searching for a while before coming up for air. Hoss splashed to the surface just after him.

Adam was about to go down again when the sound of laughter stopped him. Turning towards the edge of the lake, he saw Joe doubled over on the ground. “Joseph!” he roared. “That wasn’t funny!”

Joe stopped laughing for a full second, and then started giggling again, scrambling to his feet. “Sorry, older brother. Serves you right for throwing me in.”

Adam shook his head. “Not the same at all. I wasn’t intending to kill you.”

“No, but I got you wet,” Joe replied, before collapsing in a fit of laughter again. Adam splashed water at him, and Joe, instead of leaping out of the way, moved forward and extended his hand for his brother. Adam sighed and accepted it, and then they pulled Hoss out of the water. 

“Let’s go home and get dried off before someone gets sick,” Adam said, putting an arm around Joe. 

“Yeah, you wouldn’t want to be sick for your surprise party,” Joe said. 

“Joe!” Hoss hissed, and Joe clamped a hand over his mouth.

Adam chuckled. “It’s all right, Joe. I think you’ve mentioned it about three times so far.”

“Joe, it was called ‘surprise’ for a reason!” Hoss admonished.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t realize I was sayin’ it!”

Adam shook his head. “It’s all right, I’ll just pretend I didn’t hear it.”

“Okay,” Joe said, and happily wrapped his arm around Adam as they walked back towards their horses, lines and fish in tow.

*****

Joe glanced around carefully, tugging at the tie around his neck. Certain that no one was looking at him, he dipped the ladle into the punchbowl, and then poured the liquid into his glass. He dropped the ladle back into the bowl, and then turned quickly; right into Adam. 

“Thank you, little brother,” Adam said, taking the drink out of his hand. “Allow me return the favor by getting you a lemonade.”

Joe rolled his eyes at him, and then took the glass he handed him with a sigh. 

“I know you’ve already had at least one glass of punch tonight,” Adam said. “And unless you want Pa to notice, this,” he held up the glass he was holding, “Had better have been your last dip in the punchbowl for the evening.”

“Yes, sir,” Joe sighed.

Ben walked up to them just then, a young woman trailing him slightly. “Adam, Joe,” Ben greeted. “Allow me to present Ms. Abigail Jones. This is my eldest son, Adam, and Joseph you already know.”

She giggled slightly as Adam took her hand, and Joe wrinkled his nose. “A pleasure to meet you,” Adam said, bowing slightly. 

“I am so happy me meet you. Your father tells me you just arrived home from the university. It’s so wonderful to meet a cultured and educated gentleman in these parts.”

Joe quickly stepped away. “Excuse me, please,” he said, and when the adults nodded, he hurried away to find Hoss. Finally locating him in the kitchen where he was sampling some of the desserts Hop Sing had prepared, Joe sank into a chair with a frustrated sigh. “Can you believe her, Hoss? ‘So happy to meet you…such a cultured gentleman…’,” he mimicked Abigail. “It’s sickening. I bet she conned Pa into introducing her to Adam just so she could talk to him about that stupid school idea.”

“Oh, you’re talking about Ms. Jones,” Hoss responded. “Pa doesn’t think the school idea is stupid.”

“But it is!” Joe protested. “I don’t want to go to school!”

“Boys.” Joe and Hoss turned to see Ben standing in the doorway. “Maybe you two should leave the kitchen and help entertain our guests.”

“Yes sir,” they replied together, and then followed their father back into the main room. 

That evening, after the last guest had left, Joe finally cornered Adam as he was wiping down the dining room table. “I’m not going to school,” he said. “I already know all I ever need to know to run the ranch. There’s no need for me to learn any other nonsense about readin’ and writin’. I’m good enough, and I’m not going.” It was a carefully rehearsed speech, and he was a little taken back when his brother laughed.

“Joe, they don’t even have a building yet, and already you refuse to go.” Adam handed him two glasses.

Joe took them with a frown. “She wants to use the backroom in the mercantile until she builds a school.”

“Well, she’s not going to build it. The men in this growing community of families are going to build it.”

“There aren’t enough children to go.”

“There’s at least ten.”

“Nine,” Joe argued stubbornly. 

Adam turned to him with an exasperated sigh. “Joe, do you think I’d travel for weeks, move all the way across the country, and live there away from my family for years if I didn’t think that education was important to the growth of society?”

Joe thought for a moment. “I don’t matter that much to society.”

Adam snorted and turned away from him. “When you’re helping run this ranch, you will.”

“I already know everything.”

“Joseph, why don’t we save this argument until there’s actually a school to fight about going to.”

*****

The opening of the school came very quickly. Ben was just as interested in starting the school as Adam, and with the two of them influencing the other leaders of the small but growing Carson City, plans for a schoolhouse were drawn up quickly. Books were ordered from San Francisco, and it was arranged to use a small room in back of the mercantile until the school building was constructed. 

Joe observed all this with a sinking heart. He tried several different tactics to delay the inevitable, but with both his brother and father pushing for the new school, he knew it was a hopeless battle before he even started to fight. 

The night before the first day of school, he lay awake in bed, trying to think of any other argument to get out of going. He’d already tried convincing them he was too old, that he was needed much more around the ranch, that it wasn’t fair because Hoss didn’t have to go, and that he already knew everything he needed too. He grumpily rolled over. It wasn’t fair. 

There was a gentle knock on the door, and then it was opened. “I know you’re not asleep yet,” Adam said. Joe rolled over and sighed. His brother walked across the room and sat down next to him. “Look, I got these for you.”

Joe sat up, and looked at the objects Adam was holding. A slate and pencil, a paper tablet, three books, and a pen and ink bottle. “Adam…” he breathed. He leaned over and gave his brother a hug. “Thank you.”

“I’ll leave these here,” Adam said, setting them on the table next to his bed. He turned back, and then smiled slightly at his brother. “I’m so proud of you, buddy. You know, you’re getting something I always wanted growing up; the chance for a real education. I know you don’t want to go, but you’ll see…you’ll really like it, I know you will.”

Joe looked down at his hands. “But I really don’t want to go. I don’t want to leave the ranch, and Pa, and Hoss…or you.”

Adam put his hand on the side of Joe’s face. “Hey, I know. I didn’t want to leave either. But at least you’ll get to come home every day, and you’ll still see all of us when you get here.” Joe forced himself to smile at his brother, and then Adam smacked him gently and said, “Go on, get some rest. You don’t want to fall asleep on the first day of school.” He got up and left the room. 

*****

Ben looked up as Adam pulled the wagon to a stop in the yard. Adam set the brake, and then hopped down and started unhitching the team. Ben walked forward to help him. “How is our little scholar?” Ben asked.

Adam laughed. “You’d think he was being led to his death rather than a schoolroom.”

“Were there many children?”

“About seven, I think. There weren’t any older boys though.”

Ben nodded. He and Adam had suspected that would happen, but didn’t let on to Joe, knowing it would cause yet another argument. Most of the boys Joe’s age were needed around their farms and ranches this time of year. Once most of the work was done they would be sent to school, but for now, Joe was likely to be the oldest boy there for a few months.

“What exactly did you tell Abigail Jones about me?”

“What do you mean, what did I tell her? I told her I had a son who valued education a great deal, and she seemed excited to present the school idea to you, to try to get it going. Why?”

“She seems to have some ideas, that’s all.”

“Abigail Jones?” Ben said in surprise. “I don’t see why…she doesn’t even know that much about you.”

“Oh, yes she does,” Adam said. “She knows where I went to school, what I studied, how long I was there…and my favorite meals,” he finished almost in a mumble. 

Ben tried to keep from laughing. “How did that come up in conversation?”

“She invited me to her house, to have dinner with her and her mother and discuss the school.” 

“And what did you say?”

“Come on, Pa, it isn’t funny. All she keeps talking about is how sophisticated I am, and how wonderful Boston must be…do you know she’s never been there? She was born in Iowa. She said it was her lifelong dream to visit Boston some day. And New York, and Philadelphia.” Adam sighed as he pulled one of the horses away from the wagon and tied the lead rope to a rail. “I just want to know who told her everything about me.” 

“I think that was Joe’s doin’.” Ben and Hoss looked towards Hoss, who had joined them. “He talked about you to anyone who would listen the last month or so. Ms. Jones listened a lot.”

“Wonderful,” Adam muttered. 

“I don’t think he intended anything,” Hoss said quickly. “He was just so excited that you were coming back home, well…I guess he said a lot. He made you out to be quite a hero.”

Adam looked down intently at the buckle he was trying to undo as his anger quickly faded. He knew Joe had been excited to see him, but he hadn’t realized just how much. 

“Mr. Cartwright!” They all looked up to see one of their hands quickly riding towards them. He came to a stop. “We’re gonna need some help…there’s about six cattle and two little ones stuck in a mud patch. We can’t get near ‘em.”

Ben, Adam, and Hoss quickly went into the barn, saddling their horses and grabbing ropes and axes, in case they needed to cut a few branches. Within a few minutes they were ready, and followed the man back to where the animals were trapped.

*****

Joe sighed and stood up. He’d been waiting almost a half hour for someone to come get him. All he had been looking forward to all day was seeing Adam outside, waiting with the wagon; but the street was still empty. 

School had been long and difficult. They had done reading and writing in the morning, and then after lunch it was arithmetic, spelling, and history. All through the day, she had corrected them when they used improper language, made too much noise, or even spoke without raising a hand first. It was hard to remember all that, and then with the added difficulty of learning new things, and having no one his age to talk to…it had turned into a rough day.

“Joseph.”

He turned and looked back as Miss Jones walked out of the mercantile.

“Where is your brother?”

He glanced back down the street. “I dunno, maybe somethin’ held him up on the ranch. Ma’am.” 

“I see. Would you like me to wait with you?”

Joe shook his head, trying not to appear to be too against the idea. “No, ma’am, there’s no need, really. He’ll be here soon, I’m sure.” Joe looked down the street again, and to his relief saw the familiar wagon coming closer. “There he is,” he said, picking his books up and moving closer to the street.

As the wagon drew closer, Joe was slightly disappointed to see Hoss driving. “Sorry I’m late, Joe. Some critters got stuck in a mud hole, and me and Pa and Adam spent all day gettin’ them out.”

“It’s all right, Hoss.” Joe climbed onto the wagon next to his brother. “Goodbye, Miss Jones,” he called.

As soon as they were away, Hoss let out a laugh he had obviously been holding back. 

“What is it? What’s so funny?” Joe asked.

“You and Miss Jones,” Hoss chortled. “The two of you had practically the same face when you saw it was me drivin’ and not Adam.” He started laughing again.

“It’s not funny!” Joe snapped. “She had no right to be disappointed that he didn’t come. I’ve been waitin’ all day. Where is he, Hoss?”

“Back home, of course.” 

When Hoss didn’t say anything else, Joe tried again. “Hoss…why didn’t Adam come and get me? He said he would!”

“Joe…it was on account of Miss Jones…she said somethin’ to him this mornin’, I’m not sure what, but I know he didn’t want to see her again today.”

“What’d she say?”

“I already told you, I don’t know. And he was mighty upset that she knew so much about him.”

“What are you talkin’ about?”

“All that talkin’ you did with Miss Jones…tellin’ her all about him. You better not do that anymore, Joe.”

“Oh.” Joe was quiet for a few moments. He hadn’t realized the effects his talking had. “Well, at least there’s nothin’ left to tell her.”

Hoss let out a guffaw, and urged the horses a little faster. They were almost home.

*****

Joe dropped his head to the table with a sigh. They were just meaningless numbers staring at him. He knew how to add and subtract, but this whole multiplication thing was confusing. Miss Jones had explained it to the children a couple of different ways, and all of the others seemed to understand. That frustrated him the most. He picked his head back up, and then looked at the paper again. She had given them two assignments for arithmetic…to solve 20 problems and to write out the multiplication table three times.

“What are you working on?”

Joe looked up at Adam, glad for his company. “Multiplication,” he replied. “Could you help me?”

“Certainly,” Adam said as he pulled a chair next to him.

“I already wrote out the multiplication table, but it’s not really helping.”

“Hmm…” Adam looked at the paper with Joe’s solutions written. “Yes, that certainly…isn’t right.” He glanced up. “Sorry,” he said in response to the glare Joe gave him. “Well, it isn’t that hard to figure it out. The difficult thing is remembering the rules…here…” Adam took his slate and pencil, and wrote down the problem. “Now, you just use the table to help solve it. You have 125 multiplied by 21…is she really starting you off with problems this hard?” Joe nodded. “Well, never mind, once you get the principle…here, you start on the right, and look at your table…what’s 1 times 5?”

“5,” Joe replied.

“Good, so you put 5 underneath the line I just drew, and now move onto the next number…” Adam finished the problem, talking it out as he went, and when he finished, Joe had a little more understanding of the process, even though he didn’t quite understand the reason. Adam talked him through the next two, and then let him solve the remaining ones on his own, only speaking up when Joe got confused. “Very good…pretty soon you’ll be on to division.”

Joe sighed. “I don’t want to be on to division.” 

Adam only smiled and clapped him warmly on the shoulder, and then glanced over at the clock. “Do you have anything else?”

“No. She only wanted us to work on the arithmetic and write out a paragraph from the Bible, which I already finished.” Joe opened his paper tablet and showed him. 

“Well done. Very neat writing,” Adam praised. “Now you better get to bed. I’m taking you to school tomorrow.” 

Joe grinned, and then stood up and gathered his books. He was really happy to receive Adam’s praise, and now he would get to spend time with him tomorrow morning as well. School might turn out better than he thought.

*****

“Adam, please promise.”

“Joe…”

“Please?”

“What if something comes up at the ranch?”

“Hoss and Pa can handle it. Someone has to come get me, why not you?”

Adam chuckled. “We could just leave you there. You could spend the time brushing up on your reading.”

“That’s not funny. My reading is really good. Miss Jones made us all read in class yesterday, and I did better than everyone except Jane Kelso, and Agnes and Martha Seton.”

It must have been the way Joe said their names that prompted Adam to ask, “What’s wrong with them?”

Joe sighed grumpily. “Jane and Martha are younger than me.” Adam was about to answer, when Joe continued, “And they’ve been to school already where they lived before.”

“Well, I was just about to say that they’ve been to school before. As long as you, Joseph Cartwright, are improving, that’s all that really matters. If you compare yourself to everyone else, there will always be someone better.”

“Sure, Adam. Are you coming to get me?”

Adam laughed and pulled the wagon to a stop.

“Oh, Mr. Cartwright!”

Joe hopped off the wagon as Abigail stepped outside the mercantile.

“Good morning to you, Miss Jones,” Adam said.

“Now, I know you said you weren’t available for dinner this evening, but I do have a surprise for you when you come back this afternoon!” Abigail twittered, all smiles.

Joe watched as his brother’s face reddened. “Actually, um…ma’am, I won’t be back to pick him up this afternoon. I’ll be busy all afternoon and tonight. I am sorry,” Adam said.

Joe stared at him, but Adam didn’t look his way. Joe barely heard the rest of the conversation, and then Adam pulled away from the building. He didn’t look back. Joe turned, feeling his forehead tighten in anger. How could he? How could he let a silly woman come between them?

Joe sank onto the bench, and stared at the floor. Miss Jones started the first lesson, and he didn’t hear her when she called his name. He didn’t even realize that she had spoken until she was standing directly in front of him. “Joseph.”

Joe looked up at her. “Yes, ma’am…?”

“Are you paying attention? What did I just ask you?”

Joe glared at the girls on the other bench, who had started to giggle. 

“Joseph!” Miss Jones said loudly, and Joe looked up at her.

“I’m sorry ma’am, I wasn’t paying attention,” Joe answered. He saw the disappointment come over her face, but he couldn’t feel bad about it. 

“Well, please try to pay attention for the rest of the day, Joseph. Now, I asked you about the history chapter we read yesterday. What was Columbus looking for when he first set sail?”

All Joe could think about was the unfairness of it. She was coming between him and his brother. Adam was his brother, and he had known him longer, and missed him longer than she had even known he existed. 

“Joseph?”

“I don’t know.”

Miss Jones was silent for a few moments, and then she picked up a history text from her desk and opened it to the chapter they had read yesterday. “I want you to reread the chapter, and to write out the answers to the questions that are at the bottom of each page.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Joe answered quietly, and pulled out his paper tablet. He worked as slowly as he could, which wasn’t that difficult; his hand was sore from writing so much yesterday. By the time they stopped for lunch, he was only halfway done with the chapter. 

Joe picked up his lunch pail and went outside. He sat on the steps of the mercantile, well away from the girls who were talking and giggling. There were only two other boys, and they were brothers who were 6 and 7. They weren’t in class today. Joe sighed as he slowly ate his sandwich. He should really be at home too. He used to be useful around the ranch. But now that Adam had come home, it was as though Pa didn’t need him anymore. 

The five girls stood up and stood in a circle, and then began to play a game. Joe had never seen it before, and it looked sort of silly. He stood up and walked down the street. He had a few minutes until lessons started again. 

He wandered down the street, looking around at all the rudely fashioned tents and buildings. There was a spot near the end of the little cluster where the school was being built. Some men were working on it now. Joe knew that his father had supplied a lot of the wood for the building, and other men were doing their part by doing the labor. He stood and watched them work for a couple minutes. They were still working on the framework, but it looked like it was almost done and soon the walls and roof would go up. 

Joe turned and continued down the street, and then when he passed the last house, he turned and walked back. When he reached the mercantile, his heart seemed to stop. The girls were gone, no longer playing in the clearing. “Oh no, I wasn’t gone that long,” he whispered, and then hurried towards the building, rushing inside and into the back room.

Miss Jones was standing at the front of the room, and when Joe came in she stopped writing on the board and looked at him. “Joseph, where were you?” she asked sternly. 

“I’m sorry, ma’am, I went for a walk and I didn’t realize I walked so long.” 

She didn’t seem placated. “Take your seat and finish the history chapter,” she said, and then waited until Joe was seated before continuing her lesson. 

Joe stared at the page with his head down to hide the angry look on his face. This just wasn’t fair…

*****

“Hoss!” Joe exclaimed as soon as he saw his brother in the store. He didn’t realize his brother had been talking to someone until he got closer. Hoss reached out and put his hand on Joe’s shoulder as he finished his conversation, and then when he was done looked down at his brother. “How was school?” he asked.

Joe didn’t answer, but instead tried to tell the whole story with his expression. He knew his brother understood when Hoss nodded and sighed sympathetically. “Don’t worry, little brother. Hop Sing’s made a mighty fine dinner.”

“Oh, Hoss, I wonder if you might do me a favor?” Abigail asked, walking out of the back room. “Could you please take this to Adam? I know he was too busy to come back and get Joseph this afternoon, but I wanted to make sure he got it.”

“Yes ma’am,” Hoss said, and took the plate from her, lifting the corner of the cloth that was over the top. “Well, dang but does that look like the best tastin’ pie I ever did see.”

“Why thank you, Hoss,” Miss Jones said, smiling modestly. “Please let me know how he enjoys it.” She smiled and walked away.

Hoss was shaking his head, and Joe grabbed his arm and tugged him towards the door. “Let’s GO,” he said, and Hoss laughed and followed him out. Joe jumped up on the wagon seat, and then frowned as Hoss got up next to him and handed him the pie. “I don’t want to hold it, Hoss.”

“Well, I gotta drive,” he responded.

“Let me drive,” Joe said, pushing the pie at his brother. 

Hoss sighed and handed him the reins. “You know Pa don’t want you to drive for a little while longer, Joe.”

“You told me yourself, he let you drive when you were nine, and Adam too.”

“I know, I know…” Hoss took the pie. “Don’t tell him.”

“I never do,” Joe grinned at him, and then urged the horses on. After a few seconds, he said, “I bet it tastes awful.”

“Well, it’s Adam’s pie, we’ll have to see what he thinks about it.”

Joe looked with curiosity at the grin on Hoss’s face. “Hoss? What’s so funny?”

Hoss laughed. “You’ll see,” he said.

*****

“It’s not funny!” Adam roared, but Hoss did nothing to contain his guffaws. 

Joe was laughing too, but it was mostly at Hoss’s reaction to Adam’s outrage. He didn’t understand just what his brother was so upset about. 

“Now, Adam, Abigail Jones…is…well…” Ben trailed off.

“Is what Pa? Ridiculous? I don’t know where she got all these crazy notions, but I’d just as soon she get them out of her head, even if I have to avoid going into town for a month!”

Joe stopped laughing. “Adam, no!” he protested, shocked and disappointed that his brother would even think such a thing. 

“Maybe we even ought to take Joe out- never mind, I don’t mean that.” He turned to Joe, who had begun to have hope. “Education is more important than that. But I think Hoss might have to take you to school for awhile.”

Joe angrily stood up. “Fine!” he snapped at Adam. “See if I care!” He turned and tore up the stairs, slamming his door but instantly regretting it. Ben was strict about things like that. Joe waited awhile, but there was no sound of anyone coming. After a few minutes he just got undressed, and pulled on his nightshirt. He wasn’t really hungry anyway, and right now he was too angry to face the rest of his family. Within a half hour, he was asleep. 

In fact, he didn’t even hear when Ben came into his room right before dinner, to talk to him and bring him down. His father just shook his head slightly and then tucked him in. 

*****

Joe sighed and shifted his weight again. He heard the children behind him finishing their work, and because it was Friday, as soon as they were done she was letting them leave. Joe had informed Hoss of this policy when he dropped him off this morning, and so he was hoping his brother was here soon. He had been standing in the corner at the front of the room for most of the afternoon, after refusing to do his work. When he told her he didn’t want to do the problems, she didn’t really have anything to say, and then sent him to the front. 

Joe sighed. It was worth it if it meant he would never have to come back. He was hoping she got frustrated enough that she’d either leave Adam alone, or ask that he stay out of school. Either one would be fine with him. 

Joe listened as another child left.

“Joseph.”

Joe turned back to the room. It was empty. He walked to the front of Miss Jones’s desk. “I am very disappointed in you,” she said. “You’re older than most of the other children, you need to set an example for the younger ones. I know how much your father and brother wanted you to come, and now I have to ask, why are you doing this? Do you have anything at all to say for yourself?”

Joe shook his head. “No, ma’am,” he said quietly.

“I’ll need to speak to your father about this. I’m going to write a note, and I wish to see him by Monday. If he’s not able to come into town, I’ll even make a trip to the ranch.”

Joe cringed as she started to write the note. Adam would certainly be angry with him if that happened.

“Joe?”

Joe froze at the sound of his father’s voice, and then closed his eyes and dropped his head down.

“Mr. Cartwright,” Abigail said, standing up. “I was just writing you a note…”

“Oh?”

Joe winced. It wasn’t a good ‘Oh’.

“I wonder, if you have some time now, I need to speak with you about Joseph.”

“Certainly,” Ben replied. “Joseph, go wait outside.”

Joe picked up his books and turned and walked past his father. He couldn’t bear to look up at him. Outside, he climbed onto the wagon, and then sank against the seat with a sigh. He was in trouble. This was going to have the opposite effect he intended, he was sure.

After about 15 minutes, Joe watched as his father walked out of the mercantile. He didn’t look at all happy, and he said nothing as he climbed onto the wagon and unlocked the brake. “Hyaa,” he urged the horses on, and Joe tried to distract himself from the feeling of doom by watching the landscape. 

When they pulled into the yard, Joe got down and started to help unhitch the team. “Go to the barn, and check on your horse. She foaled today,” Ben said. Joe stopped, staring at him, and then almost ran towards the barn.

Ben watched him go, and then turned to the wagon with a sigh. “Adam,” he called.

“Yes, Pa?” Adam said and walked to him, where he started to help unhitch the team. 

“Your brother refused to do his work in school today. Do you have any ideas why he might do that?”

Adam let out a sigh and thought for a moment. “Do you think he’s trying to get kicked out of school?”

Ben nodded. “I think it’s a good possibility. Can you think of any reason why?”

“He didn’t want to go to begin with, even before this thing with Abigail Jones,” Adam replied, rather defensively. 

“Adam, he’s in the middle of this. It’s not fair to him.”

“That’s why I’m not taking him to school anymore.”

“That’s hardly the solution, Adam. I’m going to talk to him, and I’m going to tell him he’d better not get in trouble at school again. I’m also telling him that you’re taking him to school tomorrow.”

“Pa-“ Adam protested.

“Adam, it’s real important to Joe,” Hoss spoke up, quietly. 

Adam glanced down. “I’m sorry. I guess I didn’t think about Joe.”

“I know, Adam. And I know it’s difficult. You’ve been on your own for the past few years, you’ve hardly had to think about anyone else. But Joe has grown up a lot, and you need to realize it,” Ben said, and then went to talk to Joe. 

“He missed you, Adam,” Hoss said.

Adam couldn’t reply. He knew all they had said was true. 

*****

Ben walked into the barn and towards the mare and her new colt. As he got closer, he saw a small figure huddled in the stall with her. 

The boy had obviously been crying, and he had a scowl on his face. Ben sat down next to him, and Joe turned and leaned against his chest. Ben wrapped his arms around his son. 

“I was supposed to be here,” Joe said quietly. “How come no one came and got me from school when she started to deliver? She was mine, Pa. I wanted to do this, from start to finish. I…worked so hard. It’s not fair.”

Ben nodded. “I know, Joe. But she delivered quite quickly. By the time we would have gone out to get you and came back, the colt would have been born.”

Joe sank against Ben. “I know,” he whispered. “That’s why I’m not going back. I miss out on too much here.”

Ben waited a few seconds before asking, “You’re not just talking about the colt, now, are you?”

Joe shook his head. He started to say something a couple times, but then just sighed.

“You miss your brother a lot, I’m sure.”

“He just got back, Pa! And now I never get to see him. He never even takes me to school anymore; not ever since Ms. Jones started chasing him.”

“Abigail Jones is not chasing your brother,” Ben said firmly. “Who told you that?”

Joe shrugged. “I heard a couple of the women in the mercantile saying it. They didn’t know I heard them, I think.”

“I’m sure,” Ben responded with a sigh. Joe probably didn’t even know what it meant. “Joe,” he said, changing the subject. “I certainly want you to go back to school. There is a lot to learn yet.”

“But I don’t need it.”

“You certainly do. Suppose you took 450 head of cattle to sell, and you knew they went for, lets say, four dollars a head. Now suppose the man buying gave you one thousand four hundred dollars for them.”

Joe let out a whistle. “That’s a lot.”

“Yes, but one thousand eight hundred dollars was what you were supposed to get.”

Joe was quiet for a while. “Oh,” he finally responded.

“Not to mention contracts. There are a lot more settlers moving this way, and buildings and mines being built. A contract protects you. You need to learn how to read well, and how to understand words you don’t know. You never sign a contract without understanding everything in it, son, and the schooling will help you.”

Finally Joe nodded. “Yes, Pa,” he said. 

“Now, I don’t want to get any more notes or anything like that about you from Miss Jones. You’re to behave well in school, just as though I was there. As for Adam, he’s going to be taking you into school tomorrow. Why don’t you go inside and start working on your schoolwork, and I want to check it before dinner.”

Joe looked up at him. “Pa, please don’t tell Adam about what happened.”

“Why?”

Joe looked away, and then finally said, “I don’t want him to be disappointed in me.”

Ben smiled slightly. “He’s not, son.”

*****

“Hey, Joe?” Adam asked at breakfast.

“What is it, Adam?” Joe replied, but he knew what the question was going to be.

“Well, you know I’m going to meet with some mining companies today. I was wondering if it would be all right if Hoss takes you to school this morning, so I could get a early start for my trip. If it’s not, that’s okay, but I just thought I’d ask and see what you think.”

Joe looked at Ben, who didn’t give any indication of what he was thinking. He looked at Hoss, who gave him a slight wink and a nod. “Sure, Adam,” he said, finally. “When will you be home?”

“I’ll still be able to pick you up from school, but this way I’ll have a little more time to discuss the contract.”

Joe smiled. “Good,” he said, and then dropped his fork next to his plate. “I’ll go get the wagon ready, Hoss.” He got up and ran out the door.

When he left, Adam glanced over at Ben, who caught his eye and nodded. He turned back to his breakfast. It wasn’t that he needed permission from Ben for his request, but he just wanted to make sure he had approached it correctly and that Joe wasn’t secretly upset with him. 

*****

“Hoss? What do you think we could do to get Miss Jones to leave Adam alone?”

“What do you mean, Joe?”

“You know what I mean. There’s got to be something we can do.”

“That’s Adam’s problem, and I’m gonna let him deal with it.”

“Please Hoss?”

“Well…” As much as Hoss just wanted to stay out of it, he knew that Joe wasn’t likely to give up anytime soon, nor would Adam stop dreading the daily rides into town. “Well, I do have an idea…”

*****

Joe was waiting when Adam pulled up outside the mercantile. “Hi, older brother!” he greeted him.

Adam laughed. “Well, hello, younger brother. How was school?”

“Good and bad. We have to memorize the times-table.”

“I see…what was the bad part?”

“Adam!” Joe punched his arm as his brother started laughing. 

“Oh Adam!”

Joe looked behind him with surprise at Miss Jones. He thought his and Hoss’s plan had worked. 

“Good afternoon, Miss Jones,” Adam replied. 

Her eyes were teary, and she held her hands clasped in front of her. “Oh, Adam, Joseph told me all about it. And I just wanted to say, an unrequited love is the heart’s deepest sorrow. I was thinking perhaps you would care to join me on a picnic this Saturday? I would love to listen, if you’d like to talk about it.”

Joe stared at her, his mouth slightly open. Adam had a similar expression. “I’ll let you know,” Adam choked, and then urged the horses quickly away from the store. As soon as they were away from the town, he pulled the wagon to a stop. “Joseph, what did you do?” he almost shouted.

Joe flinched. “It wasn’t all me! Hoss came up with the story, and I just told it to her!”

“What story?”

“I didn’t mean it, Adam! I thought it would help!”

“What story, Joseph?”

Joe was almost in tears. “We…Hoss and I thought if we told her that you were in love with someone else, she’d leave you alone.”

“And? Is that all?”

“Well, I mean I told her that you had a girl you were courting in the east, but when you moved back she didn’t want to come, and so you had to leave without her.” Joe watched as Adam closed his eyes and leaned back in his seat. “What is it?”

“Joe…” Adam finally said, exasperated. “Don’t you know anything about romance?”

“I’m nine,” Joe replied, in a small voice. What had he done wrong?

Adam just shook his head, and then opened his eyes and urged the horses on. They got home, and Hoss was standing outside, smiling. “Hiya, Joe, Adam! How was school…” He trailed off, seeing the look on Adam’s face. 

Adam jumped off the wagon, and then pulled Joe down and took hold of his arm, marching him towards the house. “Hoss, inside,” he barked as he strode past. 

“Pa!” Adam shouted once he was inside, and then seeing Ben seated at his desk, dragged Joe with him to it. “Pa, do you know what your son did?”

Joe squirmed, trying to get out of Adam’s hand. “You’re hurting me, Adam…” His brother released him, and Joe rubbed his arm.

“What did he do?” Ben asked, looking from Joe to Adam, and then to Hoss. 

Adam glared at Joe and Hoss, and then explained to his father what they had done. Ben managed to keep a straight face. “I see,” he said. “What do you have to say for yourself, Joseph?”

“I’m sorry, I was only trying to help,” Joe whispered. “I started it, by telling her all those stories about how wonderful Adam was, and I was just trying to get her to not like him as much.”

Ben nodded and stood up. “Telling stories that are lies isn’t going to help, son,” he said walking around to the front of the desk where he leaned against the edge. “And Hoss, I’m surprised at you, putting these ideas in his head.”

“I’m sorry Pa,” Hoss said quietly. 

Ben sighed. He knew he could easily sit down with them individually, tell them what they did wrong and how to make it right, but they wouldn’t learn how to get along that way. Hoss was fine; he had been older when Adam left for school, and they still had pretty much the same relationship. Joe had just been a child though. He hardly remembered his older brother as a person; the entire time he was gone, he did nothing but talk about how wonderful Adam was. He failed to see his failings and mistakes, shortcomings and stubbornness. Adam, too, seemed to not know what to make of his older younger brother. Just a few years makes a large difference in a child that young, how he reacts to the world around him, and what he thinks about his place in it.

“We’ll not discuss it anymore today,” Ben said. 

“Pa!”

Ben gave him the best stern look he could muster. “That’s enough, Adam. Your brother didn’t intend to do anything wrong.”

“Sure, he didn’t mean to do anything wrong, but he hasn’t done anything right!” Adam missed the intense hurt look that came over Joe’s face as he turned to him. “You caused this whole mess. What do you suggest doing to get out of it?”

Joe thought for a moment, and then looked up at him. “I could tell her that you really are a horrible person, that I made up everything nice that I said about you, that…that…” Joe struggled to find the right words. “That you’re a mean, stuck-up, and selfish…hussy, that you don’t care about anyone else and you’re so stupid you can’t tell a skunk from a house cat!” Joe turned and started to run out of the room, but Adam grabbed him, stopping him. 

“Where in the world did you get ‘hussy’?” Adam asked.

Joe turned, puzzled, as Ben and Hoss burst into laughter. “Well, Hoss told me it meant someone who wasn’t a nice person.”

Ben reached forward and ruffled his son’s hair. “It usually implies a woman, Joe, not a man. And it’s not a word I want to hear you say.”

“Yes, Pa.”

Ben stood up, and Joe watched as he and Hoss left. He wondered where they were going, but then when Adam didn’t let go of him, knew it was so the two of them could talk. Adam left his hand on Joe’s shoulder, and led him behind the desk where he pushed him gently into Ben’s chair. He knelt down in front of him, and Joe was glad. He felt really small with Adam standing over him. 

“Joe…” Adam shook his head. “I don’t even know what to say.”

“I’m sorry, Adam, that I caused all this trouble for you,” Joe said quietly. 

“No, I’m sorry. I’m sorry that the only time we’ve spent together has been on the wagon on the way to school.”

Joe looked down, and traced over the patch on his pants with his finger. “I just missed you, Adam.” He looked up. “Can’t to talk Pa into letting me stay out of school?”

Adam shook his head. “No, I’m not going to do that.” He paused for a moment. “Joe…I know you missed me, and I missed you too. But…it can’t ever go back to the way it was before I left. We’ve both changed. It will never be that way again.” When Joe started to cry, Adam quickly swept him up. “No, no, no…” he said. “I didn’t mean we wouldn’t be close like we used to. I meant that things change. I’ve been gone for a few years, Joe. Things have changed during that time, but not the way I feel about you, buddy. That’s always been the same.”

Joe pulled away from him a little, so he could see his face. “Adam?”

Adam smiled slightly, and ran his hand over Joe’s face, wiping the tears away. “I love you, little brother. That will never change.”

Joe smiled and hugged him. “Love you too, Adam.”

“Tell you what,” Adam said as Joe pulled away. “Let’s go shooting tomorrow, just you and me.”

Joe grinned. “That would be great, Adam,” he exclaimed. “And you know, I think I know what you can say to Miss Jones.”

Adam stood up, putting Joe down. “I’m not sure if I want to hear this, but go ahead.”

Joe smiled up at him, bright and helpful. “Why don’t you just tell her she smells? That really works to keep girls away.”

Adam managed a straight face for a few seconds, but then the image of him telling Miss Jones that she smelled became too much, and he burst into laughter. “How about you just let me worry about that, Joe?”

“Okay,” Joe smiled at him.

***THE END***