Summary:  An unhappy brother, an old house, and a celebration gone wrong . . .  this Prequel is set in 1855 when Adam is 24, Hoss is 18, and Joe is 13.

Rated:  K+

Word Count:  5787

Ponderosa Ranch, Utah Territory, 1855

 

Chapter One

 

“Where’s shortshanks?” Hoss asked as he sat down at the dining table. “Dang, that smell’s good, Hop Sing.”

The cook placed a soup tureen on the table and removed the lid. Steam rose from the still bubbling contents.  “You like, Mr. Hoss. Molo tunny.”

“Huh?”

“Mulligatawny,” Adam said, inhaling the aromas. “Chicken, if I’m not mistaken.”

“I sure do like chicken!”

“Eat.  Little Joe have suppa early. Finish chores after.”

Adam ladled the aromatic soup into his bowl and started to fill another bowl for Hoss but stopped and simply pushed the tureen in his direction.  “You heard the man. Eat up.”

~~~~~~~~~~~

With their father in St. Louis on business, the running of the ranch was left to Adam and that included keeping up with the bookkeeping, which normally he didn’t mind at all. But tonight, hunched over the ledgers on his father’s desk, he wished someone else were here to do them.  He couldn’t claim he was actually working on the books since all he had done since supper was stare at the columns pondering a larger, more complex problem and its source.

Home from college for a year now, things were running smoothly.  The ranch hands had finally acquiesced to his authority.  Pa had begun to warm to some of his newfangled ideas.  He and Hoss were once more on firm footing.  He’d even broken through the defensive walls erected by Joe when he had first returned. In fact, not only did the kid now willingly accept his help with homework, but often sought his advice on an essay or his perspective on a thought-provoking topic.

Adam looked again at the sheet in front of him. There was nothing wrong with it, he was certain. But it didn’t add up.  Oh, the figures were correct and the math was solid but it didn’t feel right.  He snorted. That was something Joe would say.

Standing abruptly, Adam went to the safe and removed the prior year’s ledger.  When he found the corresponding page to the current year, he resumed his seat at the desk and compared the pages line by line.  The second time through, he found it—a missing entry.

~~~~~~~~~~~

“You about finished in here, Hoss?”  Adam said as he opened the barn door.

Bent over Chubb’s hoof, Hoss exclaimed, “Dadburnit!”

“What’s wrong?”

“He started favoring this leg.  I thought it was just a loose shoe, but it’s a stone bruise.”

“I’ll get some ice,” Adam said.  After he returned and they finished tending to Chubb, he sat down on a hay bale and pulled out a piece of straw to chew on while Hoss finished grooming his horse.

“You come out here for a reason?” Asked Hoss.

“No. Just to talk.”

“What’s going on?”

“Nothing.”

“Must be somethin’ or you wouldn’t be here.”

“I don’t know. Something’s not right.”

“Come on, Adam. It’s not like you to beat around the bush.”

“Joe mention anything to you?”

“About what?  What’s he done wrong?”

“Nothing. He’s not in trouble, if that’s what you’re getting at. He just seems—“

“—moody?”

“We both know what ‘moody’ looks like.”

Hoss laughed. “Yeah. Slammin’ doors, sulking, talkin’ back, and—”

“—not eating,” Adam finished.

“He ate dinner.”

“Not much, according to Hop Sing.”

“Aw, Adam.”

“Don’t give me that look. I’m not Pa and I’m not worried about the quantity of what Joe  ingests.  Quality, maybe, but not quantity.  That’s your department.”

“Are you saying I eat too much?”

Adam threw his hands up.  “Peace, brother.  I only wanted to know if you’ve noticed anything off about him.  That’s all.”

Hoss put away the brushes and slapped the dust off his pants before grabbing Adam by the elbow and hauling him to his feet.  “Come on, let’s go ask him.”

“You really think he’s going to talk to us?”

“Older brother, he talks to all of us—just in his own time and his own way.”

“But ‘all of us’ aren’t here.”

The brothers stopped dead in their tracks halfway out the barn door.

“Pa,” they said in unison.

Adam slapped the heel of his hand against his forehead. “He’s missing Pa.”

“Worse than that,” Hoss groaned. “Pa’s gonna miss Joe’s birthday.”

 

Chapter Two

 

Ben Cartwright had started a birthday tradition with his first-born son as he and Adam crossed the country in search of his dream.  Extra pennies, never plentiful, were carefully set aside at every opportunity throughout the year so that on his special day, Adam could have his heart’s desire for dinner.  Sometimes the choices were modest:  a chicken pie or omelet with asparagus or whatever ethnic regional specialty was prevalent wherever they were living at the time.  Once, on his 10th birthday, when Adam said he wanted the biggest steak you have with all the trimming—a phrase often overheard, but not understood—he saw his father surreptitiously check his purse before nodding to the waiter. And when his father ordered only a bowl of broth and coffee, he was ashamed.  Although hungry enough to eat every morsel himself, he insisted his father share the platter that was served.  His remorse made it Adam’s worst birthday so far but the glimpse into his father’s psyche made it one of his best memories ever.

This year, Ben’s absence cast a shadow over everyone.  No matter how many times Hop Sing asked about his special dinner request, Joe said only that he wanted his father home for his birthday. Hop Sing could serve bread and water for all it mattered, as long as Pa was there.

“Joe, you read Pa’s letter. There is no way he can get here in time.  I’m sure he’ll make it up to you when he arrives.”

“Adam’s right, short shanks. I bet Pa brings you somethin’ real special from St. Louis. You can wait a little longer, can’t ya?”

“I don’t want anything. No presents. No special meal.  Only Pa.  Don’t you understand?  I ain’t never had a birthday without Pa.” Joe hung his head and walked silently and slowly upstairs to his room.

The three men looked at each other and sighed.  When they heard the bedroom door close, Hop Sing shook his head sadly and padded off to the kitchen mumbling.

Adam, sitting on settee with his feet on the plank table, said, “I almost wish he’d throw a tantrum. Something. Anything other than this quiet stoicism that’s so unlike him.”

“Yeah. Now you know how the rest of us feel when you do the same thing.”

“I do not.”

“Oh…forget it.” Hoss turned his back on Adam and jabbed the logs with the fireplace poker.  When one of the logs tumbled sending a shower of sparks up the chimney, he exclaimed, “That’s it!”

“What?” Adam asked.

“What is it that Little Joe likes better than riding fast?”

“Is this meant to be a riddle?”

“No, think. What does he talk about nearly as much as horses?”

“Fishing?”

“Exactly.  Why don’t we take Joe and some of his school chums to Mud Lake for a party? We could camp overnight, have a fish fry, sing songs, tell ghost stories.  Whaddya think, Adam?”

“I’m game, but it’s not what I think that matters.”

Joe agreed, reluctantly at first.  But then, after he talked to his friends and the designated weekend approached, he began to get excited and the shadow that had enveloped the house and its inhabitants lifted.

 

Chapter Three

 

“Happy birthday, Little Joe,” Hoss said.  “Time to get up.”

“It’s still dark out,” Joe complained.

“That it is, kid,” said Adam. “Come on, shake a leg. Hop Sing’s got hot cakes and sausage for breakfast.”

“Yippee!  Be right down.”

“Wear your long johns, it’s chilly this morning.”

When Joe scrambled down the stairs he saw the grandfather clock said 4:30.  “Whoa! Why are we leaving so early?”

“We’re taking the hay wagon and picking up Mitch, Tuck and Seth at the trading post in Genoa. Figured it’d be more fun than riding trail in the dark,” said Hoss. “Plus, you can get some more shut eye if you’ve a mind to.”

“I’m too excited to sleep!  This is going to be great,” Joe ran to each brother and gave him a hug.  “Thanks so much for doing this. How much do you want to bet I’ll have so much fun I won’t even miss Pa!”

“Careful,” said Adam.  “You know what Pa says about you becoming a riverboat gambler.”

~~~~~~~~~~~

When they came over the last rise, Hoss commented on the number of wagons at the Eagle Station trading post. “Wonder what people are waitin’ on?”

“Joe.” Adam drew out the one-syllable word with a mounting sense of dread.  “Just how many friends did you invite?”

“Everybody!  Ain’t it grand?”

~~~~~~~~~~~

It wasn’t as bad as Adam had feared.  Not everyone milling about intended on coming along as it appeared parents were only dropping off Joe’s classmates.

“It is just wonderful of you boys to do this for Little Joe,” said Mrs. Devlin. “You know,” she whispered, “every year he gets so sad around his birthday, missing his mama as he does. Mitch said that with your father in St. Louis, Little Joe’s spirits have been lower than a snake’s belly.”

“Yes’m,” Hoss said.

Tuck’s mother, exclaimed, “Thirteen! Can you believe it, Adam? It seems like just yesterday the boys were babies.  Marie would be so proud of how he’s growing up, and you and Hoss have a lot to do with it.”

“Yes, she would. Thank you.”

“Ah, excuse us ma’am,” Hoss pulled Adam aside and spoke through a clenched jaw.  “How’re we going to feed all these kids?  What if the fish aren’t biting? We don’t have enough bedrolls or fishing poles.”

“I’ll take care of it.” Adam walked into the center of the gathering. “Folks, could I have your attention please.  We’re happy that so many of you are willing to help my brother celebrate his birthday, but, ah, the thing is, we—”

“—Adam… Hoss,” Mr. Devlin interrupted. “We know you’re used to the whirlwind that is Little Joe, but we also suspect you didn’t count on all of these children, am I right?”

“Well, to be honest, Mr. Devlin—“

“—What my older brother means to say is that we consider it a blessing that Little Joe has so many friends, don’t we Adam?”

“Yes, of course, but—”

“—but nothing,” Mr. Devlin continued. “The women folk made lunches for everyone.”

“And an extra big one for you, Hoss.  We know how you like to eat,” said Mrs. Devlin. “Just be careful you don’t eat too much.”

“Ah, shucks, ma’am.”

“So you all just run along and have a wonderful day.  We parents will be at the lake by sunset to help with the fish fry and bonfire. Adam, I hope you brought your guitar because I plan on dancing tonight.”

“I’ll bring my fiddle,” said Mr. Grundy.

“Got my harmonica right here,” Sam Logan added, patting his vest pocket.

“Land sakes, the day’s wasting away,” said Mrs. Pruitt. “Children, go ahead and climb in the wagon and don’t forget your blankets, jackets, and hats.  It’ll be cold by nightfall.”

The children did as they were told while Mr. Devlin and Mr. Pruitt lashed their fishing poles to the side of the wagon. When everyone was aboard, the promised picnic baskets appeared and were loaded last before the tailgate was raised and they were off.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Mud Lake was shallow enough the Cartwrights didn’t have to worry about non-swimmers, although Adam reminded Hoss one could easily drown in a cup of water if the circumstances were right.

“Gosh darn it, Adam!  You would have to say that. Now I’ll be frettin’ all day.”

“Just keep your eyes on those fishing and I’ll take care of entertaining the rest.”

“What do you have in mind?”

“Hmm. Birding, or collecting leaves? Maybe a lesson on the geography of the area?”

Hoss wrinkled his face. “I think Little Joe might prefer something a little more exciting like a… like…”

“Hunting for buried treasure?”

“Yeah!  That’s more like it.”

“Then it’s a good thing I bought some trinkets at the trading post.” Adam laughed at Hoss’s expression. “And, yes, some candy, too, but only if you promise not to eat too much of it.”

“If you ain’t a wonder.”

“I learned a few things over the years raising two brothers.”

Curious why his brothers had their heads together, Little Joe moved forward in the wagon and climbed on top of the toolbox behind the wagon seat. “Are we there yet?”

“You know we’re not,” Adam said.

“Then whatcha whisperin’ about?”

“Big ears should mind their own business, short shanks.”

“It is my business,” said Joe. “It’s my birthday!”

“Oh, is it? I’d forgotten.”

“Ad-am!” Joe socked his brother in the arm.

“Yeah, Ad-am.  Cut it out,” Hoss said.

“I tell you what…first we fish then after lunch we’ll go on a treasure hunt.”

“A treasure hunt?  Whoopee!  Hey, ya know there’s probably caves around the lake where pirates coulda buried their treasure.”

“Joseph Francis Cartwright!  What did Pa tell you about staying out of caves and trespassing on land that don’t belong to you?”

“Aw shucks, Adam.  We can pretend, can’t we?”

“As long as that’s all you’re doing. Otherwise the law will be after you!”

As Joe scrambled back into the wagon bed, he yelled to everyone, “After we fish, we’re gonna look for missing treasure!”

Unfortunately, treasure wasn’t the only thing that went missing that afternoon.

 

Chapter Four

 

“What do you mean Carolann is missing?” Hoss asked. “Speak up, boy!”

When Ron Grundy, age 11 started crying, Hoss knelt down and hugged him tight.

“It’s all right, Ronny.  I didn’t mean to scare you, I’m just worried about Carolann is all.  Can you tell me what happened?”

“She… she,” Ronny hiccupped. “Disappeared. Do ya think the Indians got her?”

“No, Ron. The Washoe have already moved south to their winter camp and regardless, they wouldn’t have hurt her because they’re our friends. Understand?”

“I-I guess so.”

“Where did you last see her?”

Ron pointed. “Up that hill where the shipwreck is.”

“Shipwreck?”

“It’s an old house.  Joe said we could pretend it was a shipwreck but we had to stay away from it ‘cause it wasn’t safe and anyone who went near it would have to walk the plank but that it was a sure sign that there was treasure nearby so we followed our captains and ….”

“Whoa!  Captains?”

“Remember at lunch when Mr. Adam told us all about pirates?” When Hoss nodded, Ronny continued. “Seth is Blackbeard. Mitch is Black Bart Roberts, Tuck is Calico Jack, and Joe is Captain Kidd.  Oh, wait.” Ron dug in his pocket and handed Hoss a crumpled piece of paper.

“What’s this?”

“A list of all the kids.  Mr. Adam said to mark off everyone’s name who returns to camp to make sure no one else is missing.”

“Where is Mr. Adam now?”

“He’s lookin’ for Carolann.  He told me not to tell anyone but you about Carolann and he told all the pirates to come back to camp.”

“Good man.”

“Thanks. Is the first crew back gonna get a prize?”

“That’s a great idea, Ronny.”

“Which one are you?”

“You know me, I’m Hoss.”

“I know that silly.  Mr. Adam told us all about the famous pirates. Which one are you?”

“Ah, who’s left?”

“Captain Morgan.”

“All right, you’ll be Captain Morgan’s first mate from now on.”

“Yessir, cap’n!”

~~~~~~~~~~~

As he climbed the hill, Adam had to admit that from a certain angle the corner of the house did look like the prow of a ship and the rest of it was certainly a wreck. The tall weeds and wild grasses blowing in the wind on the boulder-strewn hillside added to the illusion of a ship run aground.  He stopped to listen to the wind as he tried to recall Homer’s exact words but all that came back to him was something about the Sirens warbling Odysseus to death with the sweetness of their song.

Buffeted by a sudden gust of wind, Adam lost his balance and went tumbling down the rocky hill.  Before he lost consciousness, he heard the sirens’ warble once more.  Carolann?

~~~~~~~~~~~

When the pirates and their crews returned to camp, Hoss pulled the captains aside into a parley.

“Why did Adam send us back, Hoss?” Little Joe asked. “We was just getting started.”

“Are all the children in your crew here?”

“Yes. What’s going on?”

“The rest of you?”

Mitch and Tuck affirmed their crews were all present and accounted for.

“What about you, Seth?”

“I guess so.”

“You don’t guess. You either know or you don’t.  Is Ron Grundy in your crew?”

“Yeah, I gu… yes, he is.”

Feeling sick, Little Joe climbed up on top of a rock and surveyed the camp. “Carolann is missing.”

“That’s right short shanks.”

Seth kicked the dirt. “If you knew that, then why bother asking us.”

Little Joe jumped down from the rock and stood toe to toe with Seth who was a foot taller than him.  “Because,” Joe jabbed Seth in the chest, “he wanted to know if anyone else was missing.  We know these kids, my brothers don’t.”

“Back off, shorty,” Seth growled.

Mitch stepped in between the two friends, pushing Seth back while Tuck stood in front of Joe.

“All right, that’s enough,” said Hoss. “We need to find Carolann and quickly.  She could have just lost her bearings and is wandering around or she could be hurt.  Seth, you’re coming with me. Joe, you’re in charge of the camp. You, Tuck and Mitch entertain the kids, but don’t tell them about Carolann. Keep them calm and together. No one goes off on their own. And no one goes near the water. Got it?”

“Yes, sir,” said Tuck and Mitch in unison.  Seth grumbled.

Joe stood with his feet planted, hands on hips, and stared at Hoss. “Where’s Adam?”

“He went looking for Carolann after he sent you all back.”

“I’ll fetch Carolann’s coat for you,” said Mitch.

“Get ours, too,” Joe said.

“What?”

“Yours, mine, and Tuck’s.  And canteens, too.  Hoss and Seth are staying here.”

“Now wait a doggone minute,” said Hoss.

“Think about it, Hoss.  What happens if a parent shows up early and no adult is here?”

Hoss gulped.

“Exactly.  I invited everyone. It’s my responsibility to find Carolann. You and Seth keep the others entertained and get the fire ready for the fish fry.”

“How are we going to keep those monsters busy?” Seth asked.

Joe thought a moment and then snapped his fingers. “I saw butcher paper in the toolbox. Tell ‘em Adam realized they couldn’t hunt for treasure without a pirate’s map. Have them each make one.”

“What are they going to draw with?”

“Hoss can show them how to make charcoal sticks. That can be part of it, everyone can make their own.  By the time you’re finished, we should be back with Carolann and Adam, right men?”

Mitch and Tuck said, “Aye, aye, Captain Kidd!”

“Joe,” Hoss squeezed the back of his little brother’s neck and leaned down to whisper in his ear.  “You’re wearin’ 13 real fine.  Pa’d be proud.  Mama, too.”

~~~~~~~~~~~

“Hold still, Adam, don’t fight me.” Joe had torn a sleeve off his shirt and was trying to bandage his brother’s head after cleaning the wound.

“J-Joe? What happened?”

“Looks like ya fell down the hill and hit your head on that rock,” said Mitch and then he snickered.

“What’s so funny?” Joe asked.

“You always said Adam was hardheaded.  Look, the rock’s cracked where he hit it!”

Ignoring the laughter at his expense, Adam said, “What are you boys doing here?”

“Looking for Carolann, but we found you first.  Can you stand?”

Adam tried but immediately sat back down. “I need to clear my head.”

Joe handed him his canteen. “Why did you come up here?”

“Ron said you told them this was a good spot for treasure hunting.”

“I did sort of say that,” Joe admitted, “but I also said it was too dangerous and they should stay off the hill.”

“I could have sworn I heard Carolann, but that’s when I fell.”

“You heard her up there or down here?”  The bewildered expression on his brother’s face said it all.

“Little Joe, you stay with Adam. I’ll check out the house. Tuck you look down below.”

“Be careful, Mitch,” said Joe.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Calls of “Carolann” continued for another 15 minutes but there was no response.

“Maybe Ron was wrong,” Adam said.  Although his head still hurt, his thoughts were becoming clearer.

“Hush!” Tuck said. “Did you hear that?”

“Hear what?”

“Shhhhh.  Be quiet and listen.” Joe said.

They all heard a muffled cry nearby.

“It’s coming from back of the house,” Tuck said.

“At least she’s crying,” Joe said. “That’s a good sign, isn’t it?”

“Could be.  Mitch, did you see a trap door in the house?”

“No.”

“What about outside?  An entrance to a root cellar maybe?”

Mitch shook his head. “Wait! There was a scrap heap about twenty feet from the back door.”

As they approached the pile of debris, the cries—although still faint—were definitely louder.

“Carolann! We’re coming. Hold on,” Joe called and plunged ahead without thinking.

In an instant, Adam grabbed his brother around the waist and lifted him up into the air falling backwards with Joe in his arms as the hole that had swallowed the girl widened.

Mitch lay on his stomach and crawled carefully to the rim. “I see her!”

“Mitch! Get way from there!”

“But I see Carolann.  She’s down pretty far. I don’t think I can reach her.”

“Don’t even try,” Adam said. “Not until we shore up the edge.”

Mitch crawled back to where the others were and sat up.  “Ah, I think you’re smothering Little Joe.”

“What?”

When Mitch loosened one of Adam’s arms, Joe gasped for air.  “Thanks, I couldn’t breathe,” he said as he sat up and straddled his brother’s waist.  “You okay, Adam?”

“Fine.”

“Your heart was poundin’ something fierce.  You weren’t worried about me, were you?”

“No. Only about how I was going to tell Pa I killed his baby son.”

“Aw, shuck, big brother.  Gonna take more than a little hole to do me in.”

“That’s good, because you’re going to have to go down that hole to get Carolann.”

“I … what?”

Adam lifted Joe off his stomach and sat up.  “Tuck, see if you can pry some siding off the house to build a platform.  Make sure the boards are solid, no dry rot.  Mitch, run back to camp and tell Hoss we need rope and the rear axle off the wagon. Just the rod, not the wheels.  Go!”

“You’re serious about the hole,” Joe said.

“You bet.  Carolann, can you hear me?  It’s Adam Cartwright. Are you hurt?”

“My ankle hurts.”

“We’re going to get you out of there. Just hold on a little while longer, okay sweetheart?”

“O-Kay.  It’s awful dark down here.”

“I’ll gather dry grasses to make a torch,” Joe said.

“We’re going to need several when the sun goes down.”

“Here are the boards, Adam.  I picked the straightest ones I could find.”

“Good job, Tuck.  We’re going to lay these around the hole like we’re building a log cabin.”

“Overlapping so the walls can support the hoist.”

“Exactly.  You’re a natural born engineer, Tuck.”

~~~~~~~~~~~

Platform built, rod in place with a rope swing, Adam lowered Joe into the black hole illuminated by the torches which cast eerie shadows all around.  It was a slow process as Adam inched the swing down while keeping an eye on the sides of the hole.  After an interminable time, Joe yelled, “I’ve got Carolann!”

“Send her up first,” said Adam.

Carolann was three-quarters of the way up when one side of the platform cracked dropping the rope swing down a foot.  She screamed and everyone’s heart skipped a beat.

Adam brought the young girl to the surface as quickly as he could.  While Tuck got her into her jacket and wrapped her ankle with a scarf he found in her pocket, he lowered the rope swing to Joe.

“About time.”

“I can leave you there, if you’d prefer.”

“What? And let Hoss eat my fish?  Not on your life.”

“Hurry, it’s getting cold up here.”

“Complain, complain. It’s always something with you older brothers.  Okay, I’m ready.”

Slowly, Joe began to rise to the surface.

“Ow!”

“What’s wrong?” Asked Adam.

“Rocks. The sides are caving in!”

“Pull!” Adam yelled, and Tuck, Mitch, and even Carolann started pulling frantically.  To Adam the seconds were hours until he was finally holding his brother once more. “Don’t ever do that again.”

“See what you were missing when you were away at college?”

 

 

Chapter Five

 

“Adam, wake up. Adam,” Little Joe begged, tugging at the covers that were wound around his brother’s body.  “The Marshal is here.”

“Marshall who?”

“Not a who, a what.”

“What?”

“Get up, Adam!  A lawman’s after you just like you said.”

“Me? Why?”

“Because of the damage ya did to that old house!”

“It was a dilapidated ruin.  How much damage could there be?”

“Enough that the law’s after you!”

“Tell him to—“ Adam managed to open one eye wide enough to see that the kid—13 or not—was scared. It was a sobering thought actually.  The kid was nearly buried alive and what scared him most was his brother being in trouble with the law. “Tell him I’ll be down shortly.”

“Better hurry.  He don’t seem the patient type.”

“A lawman never is.”

~~~~~~~~~~~

The visitor stood inside the front door.  As he descended the stairs slowly, Adam took in the man’s appearance.  He was attired formally in a black frock coat, vest and cravat and Adam was glad he had chosen his Sunday best over his normal ranch clothes.  The man was of better-than-average height, but not as tall or wide as brother Hoss.  His hairline started well back of his forehead and ended with thick curls hugging his ears.  Prominent cheekbones and nearly invisible eyebrows over sunken eyes coupled with a thin nose gave an almost skeletal appearance to his face.  But the oddest feature was a thick two-inch long brownish-red beard not on his face but under the chin and went from ear-to-ear along the jaw line.

“Sorry to keep you waiting, sir. I’m Adam Cartwright.”

The man extended his arm to shake hands.  “Joseph Heywood, U.S. Marshal appointed by the Utah Territorial Legislature.”

“You are a part of the Mormon group that created Carson County last year.”

“You are well informed, sir.  We hope to encourage others to settle in the valley.”

“My father Ben Cartwright has spoken highly of your efforts.  He is especially interested in the building of schools, as you can image given the age of my youngest brother, also named Joseph, by the way.  I’m afraid there’s no hope for me or my middle brother, Eric.” Adam gave a quick jerk of his head toward Hoss who stood stock still near the grandfather clock with his hands on Joe’s shoulders.

“Pleased to meet you, sir,” said Hoss, moving forward to shake hands.

Still wide-eyed, Little Joe did likewise but quickly returned to Hoss’s shadow after saying, “Hi.”

An awkward silence ensued as the Marshal surveyed the room and took in the measure of each Cartwright.

Adam inhaled deeply. “I’m not sure why you are here, Marshal.  Might it have something to do with our gathering at Mud Lake?”

“It might.”

“Has someone complained?”

“They have.” The Marshal read confusion on the older Cartwrights’ faces.  “The owner filed a complaint about the condition of the property following your departure.”

“Now wait a durn minute. That lake’s on open range and there wasn’t any no trespassing sign or fence to keep people out.”

“Easy, Hoss.  Marshal, I admit we were there, but I can assure you we were not responsible for the overall condition of the property, which, I might add is deplorable.”

“Do you want to tell me exactly what you are responsible for, Mr. Cartwright?”

“Not really,” Adam said under his breath.

“Say again?”

“Please be seated.” Adam gestured to the settee and he took Ben’s chair.  Hoss sat in the blue chair with Joe on the arm.  “Hop Sing! Could we have some water, please?”

“I’m a busy man, Mr. Cartwright, with a large territory to cover. I don’t have time for refreshment, but I do appreciate you not offering coffee or tea.”

“I’ve read the Word of Wisdom.”

The Marshal blinked several times, thinking perhaps he had underestimated Adam Cartwright. “Please get on with your version of what happened to the home in question.”

“The HOME?  That’s a rather grandiose term for the pitiful structure we found there, don’t you think?  Or haven’t you seen it?”

“I have not, as yet. In deference to your father’s position in the community, I wanted to hear what you had to say before I began a physical inspection.”

Hop Sing at that moment brought in a tray with a carafe, tumblers, and an assortment of fresh pastries.  Despite his earlier comment, the Marshal accepted a glass of water and helped himself to an apple turnover before continuing.  “What qualifies you to determine the quality, or lack thereof, of someone’s home?”

“He’s an architect!” Little Joe said proudly and rather loudly, earning a scowl from his oldest brother. “And an engineer, so he knows things,” Joe added defiantly before shrinking back behind Hoss.

“Little brother here is right.  Adam helped our Pa design and build this ranch house,” Hoss said.

“And that was before he even went to college and got smarter.”

“That’s enough, Joe,” Adam said. “The Marshal doesn’t care about my qualifications. He wants to know why we were trespassing on allegedly private property, am I right?”

“Allegedly?”

“I would have to visit the land office to ascertain whether someone had actually purchased the property or was squatting.”

The Marshal picked up a second turnover, peach this time, and said, “Perhaps it would be best if you start at the beginning and tell me how you came to be at Mud Lake instead of enjoying the lake up here in the mountains.”

“Catfish.”

“I beg your pardon.”

“Catfish are abundant at Mud Lake, making it easy for the children to have a successful fishing experience. Everyone who wanted to, caught at least one.”

“I caught seven,” said Joe.

“You’re good,” said the Marshal.

“Yes, I am. My brothers taught me.”

“And what about those who didn’t want to fish?”

“They gathered wood for the campfire,” Adam said, discerning where this line of questioning was headed. “There’s plenty of dead trees and branches around the lake, so the rest of us gathered wood for the evening fish fry and bonfire.”

“You are saying that you did not remove siding from the home?”

“Not for cooking or for the bonfire.”

“I understand the house is not visible from the lake. How did you come upon it?”

“A child found it while hunting for buried treasure.”

“What kind of treasure?”

“Fossils, arrowheads, trinkets I salted the area with earlier in the day.  That sort of thing. Anything that captures a child’s imagination when it comes to treasure.”

“And who led this treasure hunt.”

“I did.  The older boys were Pirate Captains and the other children were their crew.  It was quite an educational afternoon, their learning about that aspect of history and all.”

Joe nudged Hoss and rolled his eyes causing Hoss to cough which earned both of them another scowl.

“One child went missing.  She had fallen into an unmarked hole near the old house. The only way to get to her was to build a platform to support a sling of sorts.”

“Which you engineered.”

“Yes, I did. I used the materials that were available to me, including what usable siding there was from the house and the axle rod from our wagon.”

“You cannibalized your own wagon?”

“Yes.  Given the urgency of the matter and taking into consideration weight and size limitations, Joe was the only person suited to go down the hole and he was nearly buried alive in the process.”

“I can see that your brother is all right.  The girl is also?”

“Yes, aside from a sprained ankle.”

Out of the corner of his eye, Adam saw Hoss put a protective arm around Joe at the mention of buried alive.  The kid was shaking, no doubt from the memory, but also from the prospect that his brother might face criminal charges no matter how frivolous they might be.  He knew it was a risk, but he decided to gamble.  He leaned forward with his elbows on his knees and steepled his fingers.

“Marshal, my father carefully schooled me and my brothers in property rights and in our responsibilities as citizens to not only to obey the law but to treat the land with respect. I freely admit I am not conversant in the current laws promulgated by the Utah Territorial Legislature as I have been out of the territory for five years and only recently returned.  But ignorance of the law is no excuse.  And so, whether the person who lodged a complaint with your office is a legitimate landowner or a squatter, I’ll replace the siding I removed and fill the hole so that no one else is injured by the hazardous conditions on the property.”

The Marshal turned to Joe and Hoss and asked if anything in their brother’s story was missing or if they had anything of value to add.

Joe stood up straight and looked the man in the eye.  “My birthday was the reason we were at the lake, and I invited the others, so I’m responsible, too.  I’ll help with any work that needs to be done.”

“Thank you, Mr. Cartwright … and young Joseph …  for your candor.  I will be visiting the property in question in the next week and will let you know the results of my investigation.  Good day.”

~~~~~~~~~~~

On the road down the mountain, Marshal Heywood crossed paths with Ben Cartwright on his way home after a long and arduous journey.

When Ben asked to what did they owe the pleasure of his company, the Marshal replied, “The pleasure was all mine, Mr. Cartwright. You have a remarkable family. All that was missing was you.”

The End

Author’s Note:

Written for the 2021 Ponderosa Paddlewheel Poker Tournament.   The game was Five Card Draw and the words and/or phrases I was dealt were:

Eat too much
Complain
Gamble
Shadow
Marshal