Etta held the small bowl of broth. Little Joe who stubbornly refused to be fed, ran through a gamut of scrunched and screwed up faces in his effort to finish the contents of said bowl. Wiping his mouth on the sleeve of the large nightshirt. One which had belonged to Matthew Tone. Joe smartly took the bowl and to Etta’s surprise made to turn it upside down. Adam though, much used to this old prank of his younger brothers. Even more smartly rescued the bowl before any residue that had remained clinging to the sides spilt onto the bedclothes.
Etta hid her smile behind a scolding frown and handed Joe a small glass of medicine. This too elicited a sour face and a loud ‘yuk’. Resettling the pillows to allow Joe to lay down flat. Etta leaned over the bed , Joe encircled her neck with his good hand and pulled her face close giving her a resounding kiss on the cheek.

“l love you mama.” he advised with a cheeky grin. This action took both Adam and Etta by surprise. Adam chuckled behind pursed lips and Etta quickly straightened the covers and tucked them in under the mattress.

“You must rest now.” she said to cover her slight embarrassment.

“Will that yucky drink take the hurt away?”

“Only if you help it by going to sleep…now close your eyes.” For a brief second Joe did as he was told. With a sudden flick of his lids Joe’s eyes opened, wide and shone with pleading. He cried out as if in pain.

“Mama you forgot the sweetening.”

Adam remembered that Marie always had a small piece of cube sugar that she would place on Little Joe’s tongue as incentive to take his medication or as a treat to take the nasty taste away. Etta brushed a hand over the flopping curls on Joe’s forehead and said she would go and get some. She too used the same blackmail on her own small son. Joe’s eyelids were already giving way to sleep.

“Issokay,” his words already drowsy “that’s for baby’s. I’m a big boy now aint I…mama, you love me too?” he never heard Etta’s reply.

The night sky was already brightening and to inform all and sundry of this very fact. The feisty cockerel that ruled the roost in the small chicken coop gave a loud cry of credence. Adam and Etta decided it was too late and that there was hardly any point in going back to their beds. A fresh pot of coffee was set to brew. Adam and Etta sat opposite each other at the table. A comfortable silence reigned as they sipped the hot liquid. Hoss strolled in carrying a pail of milk which he set down on the cold slab. With a cheery ‘Good morning’ Before either man or woman could say a word to deter him or inform him. He walked passed the table into the bedroom.

“Hey, l swear shortshanks looks better this morning don’t he.” he remarked on his return to the kitchen. His faced glowed with his happiness. “aint even been but one day. He sure is on the mend. Adam don’t he look just like a youngun when his asleep.” Hoss didn’t see his brother’s or Etta’s shared look of concern. Even if he had he would have put a completely different complexion on it.

It was over breakfast that Adam told Hoss of the latest development. That Joe’s mind was that of a child’s of five or six years old. He took Etta to be mama Marie. He didn’t recognise Adam. Though he knew he had a brother with the same name and also one called Hoss. Hoss listened in silence, slowly chewing with deliberation. From under his furrowed brows he alternated his gaze. First his eyes were on Adam and then on Etta. His plate cleared, he clasped the mug which disappeared into the folds of his palmed hand.

“Watcher saying? He thinks he’s a kid.” Hoss questioned not really understanding the situation.

“l suppose that is one way of putting it. He believes he is a child. He has the mannerism, characteristics, and expressions of a child” Adam explained, his face a picture of concern.

“Well how long will he be like that? I mean is he ever.” Hoss couldn’t put his thoughts into words, his face mirroring his elder brothers look of worry.

“There is no way of telling.” Etta replied. “l have pulled some pertinent books from the shelves.” she shook her head in frustration. “help yourselves they are on the desk.” Hoss and Adam turned their heads in the direction of the adjoining room. “Tom Simms is the man to speak to. He has, since his own recovery, referenced much knowledge on the subject to help him with his thesis.”

Hoss raised a quizzical eyebrow at Etta. He not knowing anything about the doctors accident. Adam explained. Etta refreshed their coffee mugs. Only the ticking of the grand father clock in the adjoining room broke the silence. A sound that had until now not been evident and yet sounded like the regular beat of a drum.

It was in Adam’s mind to saddle Sport and immediately fetch the man, but then he had another thought.

“Isn’t Tom due here this week?” he asked, his question directed at no one. His question though jerked Etta back to life and optimism.

“Yes he is Adam. So let’s not get downhearted. Little Joe is conscious, cheerful and eating. We must be thankful for that.” her enthusiasm was catching.

“Yer right Miss Etta.” Hoss stood and rubbed his palms together. “two days ago we wuz worryin coz the kid wuz in a coma. Now we’re worryin coz he aint. Reckon as how l’ll say good morning to little brother.”

“He’s probably still asleep Hoss.” Etta advised knowing that the man would still go to his brother.

“I’ll jest sit a spell. Aint nothing else much to do.”

Little Joe slept the best part of the day. Hoss if asked would have denied there was a tired bone in his body. Yet sitting beside his sleeping brother, he dozed off and on. A gently hand on his shoulder woke him from one such slumber. Etta handed him a mug of coffee. He thanked her and blamed the sleeping boy for his own sleepiness. It wasn’t even as if he was tired. he explained. Etta though thought he might prefer to sleep on the sofa in the drawing room. Thinking that maybe it wasn’t too comfortable in the barn. Hoss chuckled and took a sip of the hot brew. He told her he was more than comfortable and that he and the livestock were used to each other. And what’s more they had no complaints about his snoring. Not like his brothers.

This took his mind back to the sleeping Joe. A flicker of fear swept his face as he asked if it were possible. As Joe hadn’t made a move or a sound. That he could slip back into the coma. Etta shook her head to reassure him saying that she didn’t think so. They both watched the sleeping boy.

Little Joe was curled onto his right hand side. A pillow had been tugged from under his head to lay alongside him allowing him to cuddle into it. His right hand, the thumb of which had slipped from his mouth was resting on the pillow. Smoothing a palmed hand across his head and down the side of his face. Etta gave Joe’s cheek a sharp pinch. Which prompted Hoss to wince in sympathy. Instinctively Joe wriggled his nose and brought a hand up to his face attempting to bat away the nuisance. He didn’t wake. Hoss smiled in appreciation he hadn’t wanted Joe to be pinched but his mind was eased.

“He sleeps like that at home.” Turning her gaze to Hoss, Etta’s look of astonishment brought another smile to Hoss’s round face. “No, not the thumb sucking. Tugging down a pillow an curling into it as if he had a gal at his side.” realising what he had said Hoss apologised his face pinking with embarrassment. The only thing he could think to do was chatter on. “an ter try an wake him. You’d need more than a pinch on his cheek. I sometime had ter pour water on his head.” Etta noted that as he spoke Hoss’s eyes never once moved from his brothers face.

“You’re very fond of him?” Tears welled in the blue eyes and Hoss had to swallow hard before he could reply.

“I tell yer Miss Etta since the day he wuz born he aint been nothing but trouble, an that’s the truth. But l wouldn’t go a day without him, trouble or no. An iffun there were trouble aint no one, ‘septin old Adam an our Pa, that l would want by my side.” returned to his normal composure Hoss shared Etta’s grin.

“Your Pa must be a very proud man.”

“I reckon he is at that…though he swears he didn’t have a grey hair in his head till the youngun was born…says me and Adam put together didn’t give him have the problems. Now Miss Etta don’t you get me jawing on little brother and elder brother.” Etta thought she would very much like to hear anything and everything about Adam Cartwright. She just smiled and let Hoss chat away. “them two brothers of mine get to locking horns at the drop of a hat.” this somehow surprised her and she spoke her mind.

“Adam doesn’t appear to be an antagonist?” shaking his head at hers words Hoss continued.

“l don’t hardly know what an antanogist is. An yer don’t hardly know little Joe. But l swears Miss Etta, Adam riles Joe jest to see how fast he can get the kid to explode. An little Joe, well he sure got a short fuse. Mind you, shortshanks more often than not shoots first and asks questions a day later.”

“And you Hoss?” Etta spoke from the foot of the bed where she had seated herself. One arm leaning over the end bedstead. “does that not put you in the line of fire. Forever in the middle trying to smooth your brothers feathers?”

“That, Miss Etta is as l recall is more than a fine way of putting it.”

“How come ya got a brother with feathers mistah? Only birds have feathers, don’t they?”

Little Joe’s question took them both by surprise. As one they turned their heads to the questioner. Joe’s eyes shone from the pillow. Two big, round, questioning green eyes.

“How come?… Mama l’m very thirsty?” Etta left the room to refill the empty pitcher. Little Joe struggled to push himself up to a sitting position. Automatically Hoss went to his brothers aid and helped him to prop himself against he pillows.

“l aint ‘possed to sit up to far. It hurts my head.” Joe advised

“Is it hurting now?” Hoss shook off the daze that had come over him on seeing and hearing his brothers behaviour.

“Not much. It’s fuzzy. Like l gotta lotta bees in my head. Your brother, has he really got feathers?

“Nah, it’s just a saying.” Hoss thought Joe seemed disappointed with the answer.

“Wouldn’t ya like a brother with feathers?” Hoss was amazed at how much little Joe sounded like himself as a child. But then he figured that he couldn’t hardly sound like anyone else.

“l don’t know, reckon have to think on that a spell.” Etta returned with the fresh water and poured a cup for Joe, he drank to cups full without hesitation.

“Reckon you sure was thirsty at that weren’t you?.” Hoss remarked. Joe started to nod but stopped and placed his right hand to his head. “still hurts eh punkin?” As he wriggled down in the bed Joe never took his eyes off of the big man. Hoss again helped to make his brother comfortable. “cat got yer tongue?”

Joe was confused and his head was still hurting. The big man had the same blue eyes as his brother and called him ‘punkin’ an his big brother Hoss called him punkin. An his face was big and round like his brothers. He couldn’t think any more. He was still sleepy and his head hurt, but he wanted to talk to the man he had a real friendly face.

“D’ya know my brother Hoss?”

“Reckon l do at that.” Joe couldn’t now remember what he wanted to say to the man about his brother Hoss.

“How come you’re so big?

“Reckon it was maybe coz my ma. She was kinda big too.” this explanation caused Little Joe to giggle.

“l bet she weren’t as big as you. I’m gonna be big like my brothers. Do yer know my brothers? I got two. Adam he’s really, really clever. An Hoss his big. What’s yer name?” Joe tugged a pillow from under his head and curled himself around it

“Aint no wonder your heads buzzing like a bee hive. Yer brains too busy thinking on things. Ease up a spell.”

Hoss had never told a lie to little Joe and he wasn’t going to start now. Best to get it straight out. To start himself off he patted the bed cover. Seeing a loose thread on the quilt he pulled at it thinking that it would break. He only opened up a few more stitches. Joe watched with fascination as Hoss twirled the recalcitrant thread around one podgy finger and tried to shove it in the small hole made by the loosened stitches. There was no way his subterfuge was going to work. He untwisted the cotton and patted it back down onto the quilt. Joe brought his solid arm out from under the cover. The cast only went as far as his knuckles, allowing him movement of his fingers. Repeating Hoss’s exercise with his smaller fingers, he successfully hid the loose thread. He looked up and saw Hoss’s beaming smile of satisfaction. He grinned back his eyes shining with the knowledge of a shared naughtiness.

“That’ll keep for a while…l won’t tell if you won’t.” Hoss gave the quilt a further smoothing over. “we work well together don’t we?”

“Reckon we do at that.” Joe’s grin widened as he mimicked Hoss’s way of talking “yer never told me yer name.” little Joe decided he would like this big man to be his friend.

“Well now that’s kinda funny coz my name’s the same as yer brother…”

“That aint funny. I know lots of people called Adam.” Joe actually didn’t know many other people called Adam but he didn’t want the man to feel uncomfortable.

“It aint Adam it’s…” Joe didn’t wait for Hoss to finish.

“That aint funny either. I reckon Hoss’d be pleased to know someone else got his name. Anyways Adam would say that’s a…a…heck Adam knows plenty big words an there plenty hard to say..a…a co-inder…a co-ciderdance, that’s it” a pleased, smug grin of satisfaction spread across Joe’s face.

“That’s a new one on me…it’s words like that make my head go all buzzy, but l reckons l know what yer meaning.”

Still wanting to make his new friend more welcome Joe continued. “l know a man called Jug…l reckon that’s a funny name don’t you?”

Hoss chuckled at the forgotten memory of a ranch hand that had worked for Pa a number of years ago. Nobody had any idea of the man’s given name. The unfortunate fella had two ears that stuck out each side of his head like the handles on a pitcher, hence his nickname. Whether the name or his ears bothered him Hoss could never tell. The man always had a wide grin on his face and had a habit of laughing out loud for no apparent reason and at absolutely nothing.

Hoss also remembered how Adam would tease little Joe. Telling him he that his ears too would become like ‘Jugs’ if he didn’t stop listening to what didn’t concern him. Eavesdropping Adam called it. Little Joe when caught eavesdropping. Which was usually when he hid in the hay loft. Or when he was hanging around the bunkhouse. He would scamper away with his hands pressed to each side of his head. Promising he wasn’t ‘earspropping’ and he would never do it again, of course he always did. Etta returned with a a bowl of broth and a slice of bread for Joe’s lunch. Which he ate without any prodding or persuasion. Following it which a cup of butter milk. He questioned whether he had fallen off of his pony. He had fallen of a Treacle before but never hurt himself. Etta answered truthfully telling Joe it was a landslide that he had been injured in. This seemed to satisfy Joe as he didn’t question further.

Hoss sat most of the afternoon with Joe. Etta had found a checkers board and pieces. Hoss and Joe played a few games until Joe complained that his head was aching. Etta administered another dose of medicine which promptly sent little Joe back to sleep. The day passed uneventfully. Adam took great interest in the medical journals as did Hoss for a while, but finding them to complicated he put any questions he had to Adam. Which Adam answered but Hoss could see that he was becoming a nuisance. He took himself off to the barn to do some whittling.

After dinner Hoss had generously allowed Adam and Etta sometime together. Saying he was going to settle the livestock and turn in early.

The house was at rest. Keeping the lamp light low, so as not too disturb his brother, Adam continued to read until the early hours. It was just as he was about to call it a night when little Joe became restless. Mumbling, tossing and turning. A sudden cry of alarm brought Adam to the bedside. Hopping, pulling on his pants as he crossed the floor. Joe was in the throes of a bad dream or nightmare. Neither unusual night happenings for Adam’s youngest brother. Not knowing whether to let him see it through or to waken the boy. The decision was made for Adam, as with another cry of what Adam took to be ‘Catch me, catch me’. Joe sat bolt upright.

His forehead and lip wore beads of sweat. The overly large nightshirt which made a habit of slipping down on one side exposed Joe’s naked shoulder and chest. Further beads of perspiration were evident. The glow of the lamp highlighting the moist, sheen, shining on little Joe’s skin. Joe’s unfocused, fearful stare was fixed, unseeing, on his brother. His mouth slightly open as he gasped for air Joe suddenly became aware of the man in front of him.

“Adam?” his voice was just a whispered croak. Adam was immediately aware that this was not the voice of his small brother. Joe recognised him. Taking a hand towel from the side table he wiped his brothers face and neck. Slowly, with the aid of a gently push from Adam, Joe eased himself back down onto the pillows.

“Here,” Filling a tumbler, Adam slightly lifted Joe’s head and helped him to drink. “you OK?”

Joe’s eyelids had already started to droop.

“So tired”

These were Joe’s only other words he was asleep before Adam lowered his head to the pillow. Adam sat for a few moments before walking back to the sofa, dragging a blanket from the chaise longe he wrapped it around him and returned to the chair. There he sat and dozed for the rest of the night, until morning. Hoping that what he had seen had been real. That Joe had come back.