Again Hoss watched the yellow jacketed back of his brother until it disappeared from view. Returning to the battered body of his young brother he set about making repairs. Fashioning a splint from broken branch. He straightened and bound the broken arm. Bathed the gashed head and padded the wound with torn shirt remnants, securing the wad with a bandanna. Joe’s leg was next, as with the arm he aligned the bones as best he knew how and again applied a splint this time to the broken ankle. The badly swollen knee he could do little for, he knew it needed a cold compress but he didn’t want to deplete the supply of water as he had no idea how long Adam would be, or even if Adam had been able to summon help. Carefully he turned Joe over and set about cleansing his lacerated back. Paying close attention to the small grains of dirt and shale. Taking great care to remove as much debris from each cut as he possibly could. Finally he rolled on to his right hand side and covered Joe with a blanket. During these ministrations Little Joe neither moved or made a sound, and when Hoss drizzled and dripped water into his mouth Joe made no attempt to swallow. Seeing that there was little else he could do he turned his attention to Cochise

Searching first in his saddle bag he found the implements he always carried with him. checking over the animals back and flanks he found various small cuts and gashes. Nothing though too suggest any serious injury. Gently and expertly running his hands over the animals back and down it’s legs, he found nothing other than the odd bump and gash. Thankfully nothing to render the animal seriously lame. Cooch had lost one shoe and the other was twisted. It didn’t take long for the misshapen shoe to be removed and both feet to be filed. Walking the horse back and forth he found the previous lameness almost non-existent. Once more he thanked the Lord for not having to bring the animals life to a swift close. Satisfied that he had done the best he could for the animal, he left her to graze alongside her stable companion. Making himself comfortable beside Little Joe, who still had not moved a twitch. He again moistened a cloth and dripped water onto his brothers lips. Talking in hushed tones he cooed and spoke words of
encouragement. Gently opening his brothers mouth and squeezing the moisture onto his tongue, but still Joe remained oblivious.

Every so often he turned his attention to the mound of earth that had slipped down the side of the cliff dragging his brother and his brothers horse with it. Less than an hour ago it had been a rolling, mauling, killing mess. A death trap of boulders, rocks and debris. Now it lay as still and silent as his brother and no more dangerous than the firm ground beneath his feet. He stamped his large boots several times to emphasize this thought. Cochise turned her head to investigate the reason for the sudden noise and movement. She laid back her ears, her eyes rolled as she snorted her wariness. The recent fearsome episode still fixed in her memory. The man’s soothing voice and the soft touch of a huge palm settled the animals fright. Satisfied she dipped her nose back down to the grass shoots that had previously held her attention.

Leaving the animal, Hoss strode over to the rubble. Pulling at a loose boulder he retrieved his brothers hat, apart from being crumpled it was otherwise unscathed. Bashing it against his stout thigh as he walked back down to the trees. Turning the hat over he took a canteen and poured an ample amount into the crown and allowed both horses to drink their fill.

His piercing blue eyes had now found another target. A dust trail kicked up behind his elder brothers horse as it galloped flat out across the parched ground. Squinting in the sunlight he kept watch until horse and rider crested a small rise an then disappeared from view.

His attention was returned to Cochise who was happily nibbling on the brim of his brother’s hat. Scratching behind one of the smooth pointy ears he softly scolded the animal.

“Yer go chawing in on Little Joe’s hat an there’ll be all hell to pay, an l aint got that kinda cash in ma pocket.” The animal released her hold preferring now to nuzzle and slobber on the big man’s sleeve.

“Dadburn Cooch, shortshanks aint wrong yer are a messy crittur at that.”

The mention of his brothers name turned his eyes to the motionless form in the blanket laying under the trees. Apart from the steady rise and fall of his chest, Little Joe had made no other movement or sound. Nary a twitch of a finger. Turn of a head. Nor a groan of pain. Not that Hoss wanted his brother to be in pain…he just wanted some kind of reaction.

Hoss scrubbed his hand over his troubled face. Tilting his head back his blue, blue eyes turned upward toward the equally blue heavens. Again he spoke with his maker asking him to keep his eye on kid brother.

Far in the distance yet still visible was the start of a tree line. The tall Ponderosa Pines that bordered his home. So near, yet so far away.

The dark horizon for some unknown reason brought back to him a time before Adam had left for college. In fact the very night before he left. Adams last night on the Ponderosa.

Hop Sing had prepared a sumptuous going away dinner which even had Little Joe smiling. The days leading up to Adam going the kid had developed only two moods angry and even angrier. Which made life more than a little difficult for everyone, himself included. We had all tried to placate the boy. Tried to explain and soften the blow. iT wasn’t as if me an Pa weren’t hurting too, even Adam was becoming unsure of himself.

That last evening though even shortshanks, he was only a little shaver, even he realised that there was nothing else for it. Anyway the meal went down a treat. We were all a bit
concerned how Joe would react at bedtime, but no he went into his room. Mine and his room, meek as a lamb, only asking that Adam read him a story. Which Adam was happy to do, Adam even asking me to come along as well. I knew what was gonna happen. l had helped to carry the thing inta the room. Up till that night Little Joe, being so small had still be in a crib, which he hated. Adam had been collecting off cuts of timber and had built Joe a proper big bed. Pa had gotten a new mattress.

If you’d a seen the kid’s eyes they near popped outa his head. To see shortshanks sitting up against the pillow in his nightshirt in the middle of that big bed. He made it look huge or the bed made Little Joe look even smaller than he was. With his mass of curls and purty face he looked like a child’s doll. Mind you l wouldn’t a told him that.

Joe was as pleased as punch to have me sitting alongside him on his first big bed. Adam sat opposite us on the easy chair, he’d snagged a story book from the shelf. He looked at us both and grinned that lazy grin of his then he sat back an opened up the book.

Thing is l knew, an l guess Joe eventually got it figured it out, though he hadn’t back then, that although Adam always had the book open in front of him he very rarely read the words. He may have been prompted by a title, a word or a picture, but mostly the stories were Adam stories. Many times l wanted to read the story or tale that he had told us but l never could find them in the dang story book. It was the same on this final night Adam read or told a story about a small, strong boy whose only thought was to become a sentry in the King’s household. To keep the King and his beautiful daughter, the Princess safe from harm. Of course there were battles and dragons and magic spells which the boy overcame, and when it was found that the boy who was now the King’s most favoured Sentry was really a Prince, he became the King’s son when he married the lovely Princess.

At the finish of the story Joe was still bright eyed and bushy tailed. It was me who had to be woken up. Dragging myself from the cocoon of comfort that the bed offered. l waited till Adam settled shortshanks, but those green eyes widened and filled, brimming with tears, one by one they plopped silently down his cheeks. Like them giant raindrops at the start of a sudden summer, downpour of rain.

Adam sat himself on the side of the bed and pulled Little Joe onto his knee, cuddling him to his chest, muffling the kids sobs. Neither of us realised Pa was standing in the open doorway. Joe was trying to talk which was a mite difficult with his head pressed as it was into Adam’s shirt. His small shoulders shaking with his sobbing and hegging. Adam attempted to push the small body away from himself to better hear what Joe was saying but the kid hung on like a clam shell on a rock. Finally he lay Joe back on his pillow pulled out a handkerchief and wiped the small sodden face, bidding Joe to give a big blow to which he obliged and handed the even more moist handkerchief back to his big brother.

“Ya promise yer’ll come back?”Joe whispered

“Sure, promise, cross my heart,” Adam made a sign over his wet shirt and then linked pinky fingers with Little Joe.

“Have l ever lied to you?” Adam questioned, Joe moved his curly head back and forth as Adam shook Joe’s small hand joined as it was with his by their smallest fingers, “well then, you know l will be back,” but Joe wasn’t finished

“Yer won’t forget me will ya?” Adam laughed at that, a soft teasing laugh,

“Forget you, are you joshing me, there is no chance of that not in a million years or even a hundred centuries,” This set the kids chin quivering as once more his eyes brimmed and spilled.

“I’m scared l’ll forget you, l kinda keep forgetting stuff about mama,” along with his tears the words tumbled unstoppable like a mountain waterfall, “l can’t remember, l try to but it all jumbles up an l try to remember things mama said to me and how her voice was and l do love her an l love you an l just don’t wanna forget,”

Adam scooped Joe out of the bed and held him close into his shoulder. It was then l saw Pa. He placed a finger over his lips and remained where he as. I thought with Little Joe being upset an all he would go and tend to him but he knew better and left Adam and Joe together.

“Little Joe you won’t forget me, l have two very good reasons for knowing that. Do you want me to tell you?” Adams chin was resting on Joe’s head and as Joe nodded his agreement the two heads bobbed up and down in unison, Joe snuggled closer into his brother, “first l am not going to be away that long, and l will be coming home for the holidays in the summer and for Christmas and that will make those times even more special, won’t it?” again the heads bobbed up and down. Adam popped Joe back under the covers. Little Joe’s face took on a serious frown.

“Yer said two things?”

“l did didn’t l? Well what do you think?” he asked as he tucked the loose bedding neatly under the mattress. Joe’s face was a picture of pure concentration. He kept his tear, glistening green eyes firmly fixed on his elder brothers face. Slowly the eyes widened as a gleam of understanding wiped away the worried frown, a beaming smile taking it’s place spread from cheek to cheek.

“It’s this bed aint it, this bed,”

“Isn’t it,” Adam couldn’t help himself, he tousled Joe’s curls as he corrected his grammar.
“it sure is, this big bed that l built for you. So now tell me how can you forget me when every night you will snuggle down to sleep in the very bed l built with my own hands especially for you.”

Hoss very much wished that Little Joe was snuggled fast asleep in that very bed and not laying unconscious under a stand of trees.

It was a few weeks later when shortshanks and me were doing the barn chores. Well l was doing the barn chores and shortshanks was finding waysa not to do the barn chores. l didn’t hardly mind, the kids constant chatter as he sat astride the new horse that Pa had given me for my last birthday kept me amused. l knew Adam had gone and chose him and the way l figured Chubb, for that’s what l called him, was my going away gift from elder brother Adam.

To say l was happy when l saw the big chocolate bay standing in the yard was not hardly the truth. l was so overjoyed the tears burst outa me. Me and Chubb took to each other straight off. You’d think a little shaver like shortshanks sitting on top of him his legs barely able to span the horses broad back. You’d thought anyone would be afeared for the kid. But big ole Chubby is the gentlest of animals l ever have know’d.

In truth it had become a habit of mine to just get the kid out from under my feet. l’d set him atop of Chubb, with a brush in each hand an as he chatted he’d brush away. First the front end and then he’d lift his stick thin legs and spin around and brush away at the rear end. Chubb, every now and then would turn his head or flick his tail just kinda checking on the kid, making sure he was doing a proper job.

Little Joe, very soon learned Chubb’s special tickling places. He’d lean forward an just where the withers and mane met he’d giggle with delight when he hit the spot that made Chubb give out small deep, grunting noises, according to shortshanks Chubb as part pig.

It was one of those mornings that Little Joe took to calling the tall Ponderosa Pines that stood to attention overlooking the ranch, Adam’s Sentry’s like the Sentry’s in the story that Adam told on his last night before going to college. Little Joe had questioned Pa about Sentry’s and Century’s. Pa not at first understanding what the kid was on about, and Joe explained that in Adam’s story there were tall Sentry that stood in guard and Adam had then said he wouldn’t forget Joe for a hundred Century’s. Pa gave one of his deep laughs, scrubbed his hand through Joe’s hair. Joe laughed along with Pa though l don’t think he rightly knew what he was laughing at, l guess he was just happy he had said something to make Pa laugh.

The kid was making me chuckle as he sat there like a bug on a log pile. His face changing from serious to cross and back. Ya see most times yer never know where yer are with shortshanks. He could say something to make yer laugh like he did with Pa and he’d be OK and laugh along with ya. But there were other times iffun yer even put a smirk on yer face he’d come at yer like a small raging bull. I was trying my darndest to keep a straight face, but the more serious he became the more my belly started to shake.

“Yer aint laughing are ya?”

“No, not me,” l choked as l turned my back and continued to make a big thing outa raking over Sport’s stall, he being out in the corral, “yer carry on about the trees,”

An that’s when he tells me about the Ponderosa Pines being Sentry’s guarding the ranch and the Cartwright’s and as they’d been there for Century’s and would more than like stay there for Century’s, the one’s that didn’t hafta get chopped down, but then that Pa always replanted so there were new Sentry’s to replace the old Sentry’s and they’d stay they for Century’s. So it was kinda fitting, wasn’t it?”

It wasn’t so much what he was saying that made me belly laugh coz l could see his point, it was him sitting there astride Chubb, them skinny legs poking out each side an him brushing away, it just started me off. An that’s when the brush smacked against the back of my head. Even at seven he was a bit of a sharp shooter.

He screamed when l makes a grab an pulls him offa Chubb an he was giggling before he hit the straw, I threw him down and then near tickled him ta death.

That last word brought Hoss out of his reverie back into the here and now. There was no need to as Hoss could see it’s steady rise and fall, but it gave him comfort to place his hand on Joe’s chest and feel his breathing.