A story about Joe, guns and a pesky little sister.

 

Ah, thought Joe Cartwright, I can’t wait until this afternoon. I’m finally going to get to practice with a pistol and not just a rifle.

Joe had been planning this for days. Pa was going to be in San Francisco for the week and Adam and Hoss would be out on the round up. He wasn’t allowed to use fire arms yet, not until he turned 16, which was a whole year away. But with everyone gone, he could take the extra pistol in Pa’s desk and practice after school. This was going to be great in his mind.

Everyone had already left, Adam and Hoss to the round up, Pa to San Francisco, and Hop Sing was in the kitchen. Joe came down the stairs in his stocking feet and padded over to Pa’s desk. He eased the drawer open and the gun was still there. Joe could feel the sense of excitement well up in him. He grabbed the gun and stuck it under his shirt. Little did he know that Ellie was standing at the top of the stairs watching his every move. Ellie didn’t know why Joe took the gun, but she didn’t want him to know that she knew. She backtracked quietly to her room. She waited until she heard Joe’s bedroom door close.

She opened her door and headed down the hall. She tapped on Joe’s door. “Heh, Joe, you up?” she hollered.

“Yeah, I’m up, I’ll be down in a minute.” Joe answered. Joe packed the gun and some shells in his saddle bags. He grabbed his books and his saddle bags and headed down the stairs and out the door.

“Heh, where you going?” Ellie called from the breakfast table.

“Be right back,” Joe said as the front door slammed. Joe quickly went to saddle the horses and put his saddle bags on Cochise. He headed back to the house for breakfast. He joined Ellie at the table. He grabbed a couple of flap jacks and some bacon.

Hop Sing came in from the kitchen with a pitcher of milk and a pitcher of orange juice. He poured the children a glass of each. Hop Sing looked at the clock. It was about to strike 7:00 am. “Come, come almost time for school.”

“Hop Sing, can I go to Michael’s after school? I’ll be home before supper.” Joe pleaded.

The Chinese cook shook his head. “No, no father said come home after school.”

“But Hop Sing, we was going to do school work. Please?” Joe begged.

Hop Sing asked, “For school?”

Joe nodded his head.

“What about sister, she no come by herself.” the Chinese cook asked.

“Oh, she can stay with Marybeth. Then she can come home with me.”

Ellie watched this whole exchange. She knew there would be no way that Michael and Joe would be doing any kind of school work. She wondered what he was up to. She decided that she would just wait a bit to figure it out.

Hop Sing considered Joe’s question, “Ok, Lil Joe, but you be home by 5:00, no late, or….” Hop Sing smacked his wooden spoon on his hand.

“No, no we won’t be late.” Joe said hastily. Joe had gotten enough smacks from that wooden spoon to know not to be late.

The clock chimed 7:00. “Come on Sissy, we don’t want to be late.” Joe said as he pushed back from the table and hurried toward the door.

Ellie followed him out to the barn. She saw that Windy was already saddled. “Thanks Joe,” she said eyeing him suspiciously.

“Sure Sissy, come on let’s go.”

They traveled at a leisurely pace. Ellie couldn’t stand it any more. “Ok, Joe Cartwright, what gives?”

Joe flashed her an innocent look. “Watcha mean Sissy?”

“I mean you asked Hop Sing about staying to do school work with Michael? Sure you are. You saddled our horses, before breakfast? You never do that. Come on Joe, what gives?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Joe flashed her another innocent look.

“Oh really Joe, come on. I saw you take the gun from Papa’s desk this morning.” Ellie said accusingly.

Joe starting turning red. “Aww, Sissy, you can’t tell. Me and Michael are going to go practice shooting this afternoon after school.”

“I thought Papa said you cain’t use a side arm until you’re 16. You ain’t 16.” Ellie said smugly.

“I know, but I need to be ready when I can and it takes lots of practice. Now’s perfect because no one will know. Leastin if you don’t tell.” Joe begged.

Ellie eyed Joe, “I want you to teach me to shoot, too.”

“No way,” he said exasperated, “You’re only 10, Pa’d have my hide.”

“Papa’s gonna have your hide when I tell him you took his gun and lied to Hop Sing.” Ellie said.

Joe carefully considered. He knew he would be in a heap of trouble either way. But then again, if Ellie didn’t tell, he wouldn’t be in any trouble.

Ellie watched Joe thinking it over. “I’m gonna tell Papa, Joe, I mean it.” she said.

“Oh, okay, but if you ever tell Pa, I’ll get you back and that’s a fact.” Joe said exasperated. “So listen, this is what we’re going to do, after school we’re going to ride to the southeast pasture. There ain’t nobody there and there ain’t any reason for anyone to be there all week. Every day after school, we’re going to the pasture to practice. Hop Sing won’t know as long as we are home by 5:00.”

She nodded her head.

“And Sissy, you have to listen to me about safety and such, because if one of us gets hurt, Pa’ll find out and whale the tar out of both of us.” Joe said seriously.

“Ok Joe, I promise.” Ellie said smiling.

They made their way into the school yard. Joe went in search of Michael to tell him the change in plans and Ellie went to find Marybeth.

“Marybeth, Marybeth, guess what, I’m finally gonna learn to shoot!” Ellie whispered excitedly.

“Shoot what?” asked Marybeth.

“You know, a pistol. Joe’s gonna teach me to shoot a pistol.”

Marybeth looked horrified, “Ellie you can’t be serious.”

“Sure I am, why not?”

“Girls don’t need to learn to shoot. Besides, there is no way your Papa would let you learn to shoot. I thought you told me Joe doesn’t even get to until he’s 16.” Marybeth said practically.

“What does being a girl have to do with it?” Ellie asked angrily.

“I don’t know, it’s just not something girls do.” said Marybeth.

“Well, this girl wants to learn to shoot. Besides Papa is in San Francisco, Adam and Hoss are out on the round up and Hop Sing is watching us. So, nobody’ll know any how.” Ellie stated flatly.

Marybeth just shook her head, “Just don’t go shooting yourself in the foot or worse.”

Ellie smiled at Marybeth and squeezed her hand, “I promised Joe I’d be real careful. Marybeth?”

“Hmmm?”

“You cain’t tell anybody. Especially your mama or papa, cuz if Papa finds out……I don’t even want to think about it.”

Marybeth eyed her best friend.

“Please Marybeth, I have to be able to trust you.”

“Ok.” Marybeth conceded, “But I still thinks it’s a bad idea.”

“Thanks,” said Ellie giving her a hug. “Oops, there’s the school bell, we better go in before we get in trouble for being late.”

The school day was as long as Ellie could remember. She was having a hard time containing her excitement. The hours at school just crept by. Finally, the school bell rang for the day. Ellie, Marybeth, Michael and Joe headed for the barn to retrieve their horses.

Michael turned to Marybeth, “Just tell mama that I’ll be a little late, that I went with Joe.”

“I’m not lying for you Michael John Cummings,” Marybeth challenged.

“Marybeth, you ain’t lying, I am going with Joe. You ain’t saying why or where, all you is saying is that I went with Joe.” Michael reasoned.

Marybeth eyed him dubiously, “I guess you’re right. What if she asks me what you’re doing?”

“Just tell her that you don’t know, I’m just going to work on something with Joe.” Michael said impatiently.

“Ok fine.” Marybeth said as she turned her horse toward the FiveStar and took off.

“Whew,” said Michael, “That was tough.”

Joe just smiled at him, “Come on, let’s get going before we don’t have any time to practice.

The three children road out to the southeast Ponderosa pasture. They chattered on about guns and shooting and quick draws. They finally arrived at a clearing. Joe loaded the pistol while Michael went to line up rocks for them to shoot at. Joe and Michael took turns shooting and practicing. The missed time and time again.

“Joe, I want to try.” said Ellie.

“Not yet, Sissy.”

“Joe,” Ellie warned, “you promised.”

Michael rolled his eyes at Joe and Joe shrugged his shoulders. “Michael, if we don’t let her, she’ll tell your pa and mine.”

A brief look of disgust crossed Michael’s eyes.

“Michael, what’s your Pa gonna say if he finds out?” asked Joe.

Michael looked a little panicky. “I probably wouldn’t be sitting down for a long time.”

“So, let her shoot,” said Joe simply.

Michael handed Joe the gun. Joe walked over to Ellie and handed her the gun. “Here, let me help you the first time, the gun has a kick.”

Joe stood behind Ellie and held her hand with his hand. “Ok, Sissy, I’m going to hold your arm with my arm and I’ll hold your hand with mine, but you’re going to pull the trigger. You’d best shoot with two hands the first time.”

Ellie did as Joe said and held the gun with two hands while Joe stood behind her. She pulled the trigger and shot one of the rocks Michael had set up.

“I did it! I did it! Joe, I shot the rock.”

Joe looked completely surprised. “Sure as shootin’, Sissy, you sure did. You’re gonna be crack shot.”

Amazing thought Joe, how’d she do that? He and Michael had been trying for an hour and neither one of them shot anything. Joe realized that they had been practicing awhile and that 5:00 was fast approaching.

“Michael, we better get on home. We can come back tomorrow.” Joe said looking at his friend who was still standing there with his mouth open.

The children mounted up and headed for their homes.

“Joe, I’m gonna be a crackshot, huh?” Ellie smiled at Joe.

“Yep Sissy, I think you are.”

“Joe, I’m sorry I said I’d tell on you, I just wanted to learn to shoot.” Ellie said looking down.

Joe smiled at his little sister. “Sissy, I would have taught you, but maybe not this early. I need to get good myself so I can teach you better. Besides, I’ve been wanting to learn since I was 10, too.”

“Ok, I promise not to tell.”

“Ok,” said Joe, “It’s our little secret.”

Ellie nodded in agreement as the children headed toward home.