Summary:  Hoss is having trouble at school and uses a boast of Adam’s to help him out.  The boast threatens to have tragic consequences when Adam feels obliged to carry it through.
Rating:    G   (11,300 words)

Hidden Talents

A group of very wet and bedraggled ponies huddled together in one corner of the corral, trying to get what cover they could from the icy sleet, which was being blown across the school- yard.  The only shelter available came from the lee of two very old Conestoga wagons which had been abandoned by some pioneer who could go no further.  In summer the children played on them, in winter they simply continued to rot.  The sky, which had been bright and clear in the morning, had darkened into a gray haze as the storm rolled in from the mountains.   The town streets were deserted, the inhabitants preferring to find indoor pursuits.  A door banged and a crowd of children emerged suddenly into the yard then dispersed quickly as each raced for the warmth of home.   Only the few whose homes were more distant headed for the corral and the patiently waiting horses.  Among this group were the two oldest Cartwright brothers, one anxious to get home, the other dawdling across the yard with his head down.

“C’mon…” Adam yelled, his black hair was already plastered to his forehead and the icy rain was stinging his face.  “Let’s get home, its too darn cold to be out.”

His younger brother reached the ponies and began saddling up, his fingers fumbling as they became stiff and cold.  He said nothing, but, underneath the brim of his hat, his face was a picture of abject misery.

In his hurry to get home, Adam was unaware of his younger brother’s unhappiness.   All he cared about right now was getting home to a hot meal and a warm fireside.   It was on days like these that he wondered why he had ever asked his father if he could continue with his schooling.   He was older than all his classmates and there was no one to talk with at recess and no one to share his studies.  Riding out of town he could see one of his erstwhile schoolmates, Rick Bonner, lounging in the doorway of Dutch Pete’s.  He would be willing to bet Rick hadn’t been out in the cold for more than five minutes today or any day.   Rick had secured himself a job at the livery stable but seemed to spend most of his time propping up the bar at Pete’s.   Adam wished he was that lucky, a warming whisky would sure go down well right about now.  Pa wouldn’t even allow him in there, and whisky was off limits.  Not that the edict had stopped him on a couple of occasions.  He shrugged deeper into his coat and pulled his scarf higher.  He knew deep down that he was luckier than some, his best friend Ross for instance.  Ross had left school all right, but today he’d probably be out in the worst of the weather working for his father. That meant mending fences, clearing ditches, chasing steers and the dreaded yard chores that were usually left to the most junior of the ranch hands.  At least Adam had spent the better part of the day inside.

Riding a few yards behind his brother and trying to keep as low in the saddle as possible, Hoss fought off tears.  He hated school and he’d hated today worse than any other.  He was tall for his age and thickset, even at ten he was bigger than most of the other boys.   Partly because of his size and partly because he wasn’t very good at his lessons, he was constantly teased.  The older boys called him dumb and tried to entice him into fights.  Today it had been particularly bad.  Mr Lawson had called upon him to solve some arithmetic problems on the blackboard and he had become flustered and got them all wrong.  To make matters worse, he had been chosen to read out loud this afternoon and he had felt everyone’s eyes on him and had stuttered and stumbled his way through the short passage while his fellow pupils laughed at him.   Mr Lawson had told them to be quiet but Hoss had known that the moment the teacher wasn’t around they would tease him.  Even Adam, usually his staunchest supporter, had raised an eyebrow and frowned at him.  It all came so easy to his older brother.

The barn was warmer and both boys felt relief from the bitter wind as they led their ponies inside after the long cold ride.  Adam shook out his coat and hung it over one of the stalls before starting work.  He hardly looked at Hoss as he got on with his chores.  He wanted to get into the house, where he was sure Hop Sing would have a hot drink for them.   Hoss worked without speaking too.  He didn’t know what to say, Adam seemed to be cross with him and he didn’t understand why.  Finally, he decided to ask, after all, things could not be worse.

“Uh…Adam…” he started quietly, “You mad at me?” he asked.

Adam looked up and grunted “No, I ain’t mad at you.”

Hoss moved closer, “You sure? You ain’t said nuthin’ since we left school!”

Adam sighed.  “I’m not mad, just…well…oh I don’t know…” he didn’t know how to put his feelings into words that would explain without hurting his brother.  “I mean, you knew that stuff this morning and you still made a mess of it, and I know you can read better than you did this afternoon.  Why can’t you do stuff in school like you do when we’re on our own?”

Hoss sank down on a feed sack and looked up at his older brother.  “I dunno, it’s easy when you show me.  Then I gets up in front of everyone and I can’t do it no more.  I guess I’m just dumb, like they said.   You think I am, don’tcha?”

Adam stopped grooming his pony and sighed again.  How could he explain how he felt.  He was embarrassed for his brother and embarrassed for himself.  When Hoss made mistakes in school, he felt badly for him but it also made him angry inside.  He couldn’t understand how his brother could be so…so…yeah, dumb…that was it.   He shook his head, no, that wasn’t fair.  He didn’t really think Hoss was dumb, but sometimes, just sometimes, he lost patience with him and today had been one of those days.  Hoss could do much harder arithmetic than the ones set today and when they were at home he could read without faltering.  He knew that the other kids had been looking at him with pity, the smart Adam Cartwright with such a stupid brother, that’s what they thought.   It made him embarrassed and angry, but that wasn’t what Hoss needed to hear.  He walked over to his brother and rested a hand on his shoulder, then knelt down in front of him.  “You aren’t dumb and don’t let them say you are.”

Hoss brushed his hand across his eyes, “Whaddya want me to do then?  If I fight ‘em, Pa gets mad at me,” he said, angrily.

Adam shook his head, “I don’t know, Hoss.  I wish I did.”  He patted his brother’s shoulder, “Let’s get these chores finished and then I’ll help you with your homework.”

Hoss nodded, but he was not really reassured that his big brother cared.  He could take anything if Adam was there to support him, but right now he wasn’t convinced that he was.

Ben Cartwright looked from one son to the other across the supper table, something was not quite right but he couldn’t put his finger on it.  Adam was always quiet but tonight he seemed pre-occupied and several times Ben had repeated his questions.  Across the table from Adam, Hoss also seemed lost in thought, although it didn’t appear to have affected his appetite.  Ben glanced at his wife, Marie, seated at the other end of the table and trying to persuade food into the youngest member of the family.   She smiled and raised an eyebrow, “Something happen in school today?”  Ben tried.

Hoss kept his eyes on his plate and shook his head.

“No, sir,” Adam replied but with a quick glance at his brother.

“You two have a fight?”  Ben suggested.

“No, sir,”  Adam replied again.

“Well something is wrong. I’ve never known the two of you so quiet at supper.”

Adam glanced at Hoss again, “Nothing’s wrong Pa, we just don’t feel much like talking is all.”

Ben let his eyes move from one to the other slowly, “Are you in some kind of trouble at school?”

Hoss pushed his plate away and looked up, his eyes troubled, “I ain’t goin’ no more.”

Ben raised an eyebrow and turned his attention to his middle son, “Oh, and just why is that?” he asked, calmly.  He knew some of the problems, but it was clear that something specific had happened today.

“I cain’t do it, I ain’t smart like Adam.”  He looked up at his father with an appeal in his eyes, “I don’t need book learnin’ to work on the ranch, Pa.  I could stay home and help you.”

Ben smiled, a gentle smile and put his hand on top of Hoss’, “I’d love you to be able to help me, son, but you’ll be able to help me much more if you can read and add a column of figures.  Now, what’s happened in school to make you so unhappy?”

Hoss shrugged. “Same as always.  I got stuff wrong and the other kids laughed at me.”

“Son, everyone gets things wrong sometimes, it’s often the way we learn.  I’m sure Mr Lawson understands and explained things to you, didn’t he?”

Hoss nodded “But I always get stuff wrong, Pa.  I’m just dumb.”

Ben sat up straight, shocked by Hoss’ statement, “You are not dumb.  I’m sure Mr Lawson hasn’t said so.”

“He don’t have to say it, he thinks I am, so does Adam.”  Hoss almost shouted back.

Ben glanced briefly at his oldest son, who kept his head down.  “Hoss, that just isn’t true.  I’m sure neither Mr Lawson, nor Adam think that way.”

Before Ben could stop him Hoss had pushed back his chair and was running for the stairs.  “Hoss, Hoss, come back here…” Ben called but to no avail.   He sighed and pushed back his own chair.  “I’d better go and talk this out.”  He said dropping his napkin on the table and following his son.

Marie nodded and watched him go before turning her attention back to the supper table.  She lifted Little Joe from his chair and set him down.  “Go ask Hop Sing to warm some milk, sweetie.”  She said giving Joe a gentle push in the direction of the kitchen.

Adam felt his stepmother’s eyes on him and after a few uncomfortable minutes he forced himself to look up.  “I told him I didn’t think he was dumb,” he said defensively.

Marie fixed him with a look, which said she didn’t believe him.

“I did,” he protested again.

“But he’s not convinced and neither am I.”  She said quietly.  “You used to have lots of patience with him but lately that seems to have gone.  You show your impatience every time you help him with his homework.”

Adam screwed up his napkin and threw it on the table. “Well, he’s so slow and the stuff he’s doing in school is real easy.”

Marie frowned. “Not everyone finds school as easy as you do.  Hoss works harder at his homework than you do sometimes.  He does his best.  Can you put your hand on your heart and say you always do, too.”

Adam’s expression turned into a bad tempered scowl.  His stepmother must have noticed that he hadn’t been trying too much.  He could get reasonable grades without effort and lately he had been coasting.   Once his father had agreed to let him stay at school for another year, he had relaxed and only done enough to get by.  “My grades are good.”  He muttered.

“If they are that good, why do you hate helping Hoss so much?”  Marie queried.

“I don’t hate doing it,” he snapped back, “He does it fine here, then when he gets to school he forgets everything and… “

“He embarrasses you.”  Marie finished for him.

Adam sighed and nodded. “Yeah, I guess so.  The other kids have started asking, if I’m so smart, how come I’ve got such a dumb brother.”

“And what do you say…?” when Adam looked embarrassed, she continued “You try not to say anything or you agree with them, is that it?”

“I don’t agree with them.”  He responded with a hurt expression then he sighed, “But I guess I don’t defend him too much either.”   He pushed back his chair and wandered over to the fireplace.  “Its different this year…I mean I don’t have any friends at school and…”  He sighed again and stared into the flames.

Marie got up and followed him resting a hand on his shoulder “You won’t win new friends by being nasty to your brother.”  She felt his shoulder sag under her touch.  “Think about it Adam, he admires you and looks up to you, give him a good example not a bad one.”

The conversation was halted by the return of Little Joe, carrying a plate of cookies.  Behind him was Hop Sing with a tray of coffee cups and mugs of hot milk for the boys.  He set it down carefully and quickly rescued the plate from Little Joe before the cookies slid to the floor.

Joe gave up the plate and then helped himself to a cookie, one eye on his mother.

“Yes, Joe, you may have just one before bed but you must drink all of your milk.”  Marie bargained.

Joe grinned and bounced toward his older brother. “Read a story, Adam.”

Adam stuck out a hand and managed to stop his little brother from falling on to the hearth.  He pulled Joe into a hug and then collapsed with him into one of the red leather chairs beside the fire.  “Please…please…please.”  Adam repeated, while tickling his little brother and making him shriek with laughter.

“Pwease, Adam.”  Joe at last managed to squeak out.

“That’s better.”   Adam glanced up at his stepmother, “I’ll read to you if you go right up to bed when your Mama tells you.”  He said.

Joe giggled at his mother, “Mama, don’t told me yet, willya?”

Marie had made herself comfortable of the sofa and she patted the place beside her, “Come here and sit by me to drink your milk, then it will be bedtime.”  She smiled.

Joe made a face but with a slight push from his older brother, did as he was bid.  He held the glass of milk in both hands and began to drink very slowly.

“Little Joe…” his mother said quietly, “The longer you take with your milk the less time there will be for stories.”

Adam chuckled and poured himself coffee with a generous amount of cream and sugar.  The strong black, almost burnt coffee that the ranch hands drank was an acquired taste and although it made him feel grown-up to drink it when he was with them, he preferred his coffee sweeter.  When he had drained his cup he stood up and winked at Marie.  “You ready for that story Little Joe?  I’ll read it when you’re in bed.”

Joe looked from mother to brother, he had hoped for a story here by the fire but he knew he couldn’t win against both of them.  “You take me and be horsey,” he begged.

Adam grinned and bent down so Joe could climb on to his back, “Okay, but you hold on real tight.”

Marie smiled as she watched youngest and oldest head up the stairs, then relaxed back against the sofa cushions and sipped her now almost cold coffee.  After a few minutes she got up and placed the coffee pot on the hearth to keep warm for her husband,

Ben came down the stairs deep in thought and Marie watched him with concern.  “Is he alright?”

Ben shook his head, “He’s convinced he’s no good at anything and nothing I can say will sway him.”  He sighed and bent down to pour a coffee, cursing softly as the handle burned his fingers.  He straightened up and sipped the dark liquid.  “I think it’s Adam’s attitude that hurts him most.  I don’t understand it; Adam’s always been his staunchest supporter since he was a baby.”

Marie moved closer to him as he sat down beside her.  “Adam’s having a hard time too.”

Ben glanced up in surprise.  “I don’t see how!  He’s doing fine in school, which I might add he badgered me to attend.  He would have been useful on the ranch, so if he’s not enjoying it he can soon leave.”  Ben said sharply.

Marie smiled and patted his knee, “Calm down.  He is enjoying it, but he’s also having to adjust to being the only one in his group of friends who is still in school.  He sees Ross and the Bonners with money in their pockets…”

“He’s been told to stay away from Rick Bonner more times than I care to count.”  Ben interrupted.

“Yes dear.  He knows that but it doesn’t stop him seeing them around town.”  Marie tried to cool the conversation.  She knew that once Ben got on to the thorny subject of Rick Bonner his temper would get the better of him.  She cuddled closer “Hoss and Joe are in bed and Adam’s reading stories. Let’s just enjoy the peace and quiet for once and talk about something else.”

“Like what?”  Ben grumbled, only slightly mollified.

Marie cast her mind around for a topic that wouldn’t be controversial, there wasn’t one.  If she mentioned the planned trip to Genoa, he’d worry about leaving Adam and Hoss; if she mentioned the ranch, he’d start in about the bad weather affecting the spring roundup and if she mentioned the new furnishings she was planning, he’d worry about money.  She sighed.  “Like how about an early night.”  She giggled.

Ben turned to her and smiled then kissed her lightly on the cheek.  She reached her hand up to his chin and turned him towards her making her kiss more passionate.

“Uh…umm…”  Adam cleared his throat as he reached the bottom of the stairs.  “I’m just collecting my book then I’m going back to my room to read.  Is that okay?” he grinned.

Marie and Ben broke apart, Ben embarrassed and Marie giggling.  “Yes, of course.”  Ben grunted.

“Is Little Joe asleep?”  Marie asked.

“Uhuh!…, sound.” Adam kept his grin and picked up his book.  “Night Pa, night Marie.” He called as he bounded up the stairs.

Marie got to her feet and tried to pull Ben to his but he resisted.  “Come on, we can look in on Hoss and Joe as we go up.”

Ben frowned.  “Adam’ll still be awake.”

“Then we will have to be very quiet, won’t we?” she whispered, kissing him as she pulled him to his feet.

By Saturday the weather had improved and the first signs of spring were showing themselves in the Washoe Valley.  The meadows wore skirts of lush green, here and there dotted with wild flowers and the sun sparkled on the lake.  Ben whistled as he harnessed the wagon for a trip into town.  Little Joe was playing a game of chase with Hoss in the yard and their laughter made him smile.  Hoss seemed to have got over his bad mood or perhaps it was just the prospect of no school for two days.

“Here, finish this off for me son, while I go and hurry Marie.” Ben asked his oldest son as Adam emerged from the house and dodged his brothers’ game.

“Sure, Pa,”  Adam grinned.

“I don’t know why it takes her hours to dress for a trip to town.” Ben grumbled as he walked away.

Adam finished tightening and checking the harness on the team and then tied the reins around the brake.  As he was finishing, Hoss and Joe raced up to him, Joe dodging behind his older brother to avoid being caught.  Adam pulled him forward and picked him up.  “You can’t have him, Hoss, he’s all mine.”  Adam laughed as he began to tickle his little brother.

Joe squirmed and giggled but he was held fast.  “Time to get you in the wagon,” Adam laughed, hoisting his little brother over the side on to a pile of sacks, which made a comfy seat for them all for the trip to town.

Hoss leaned on the side of the wagon and sighed.  “You think Pa’d let me drive on my own today?   I’m pretty near as big as you and he let’s you do it.  How old was you when you drove on your own for the first time?”

Adam was proud of his skills with a wagon and team and couldn’t help boasting a little.  “Yeah, well I’ve been driving for years.  I mean I helped Pa bring the wagon all the way from Independence.”

Hoss frowned. “Yeah, but you didn’t drive it on your own, didya?  The one we brought here first off was bigger than this one.”

Adam thought back to the days on the prairie and made a few adjustments to show himself in a good light.  “Sometimes I did, ‘specially after you were born and Pa was busy with the stock,”  he boasted, conveniently forgetting that there was always another adult alongside him and he was only permitted to drive on the flat desert trail.

Hoss looked up at his older brother with admiration. If Adam had been allowed to drive a Conestoga wagon with four horses at eight then Pa would have no problem with him driving this one with two at ten, surely.  He was much bigger and stronger than Adam had been at the same age.  As luck would have it Ben and Marie were just emerging from the house and Hoss ran over to put in his request. “Pa, can I drive today?”

Ben wasn’t really paying attention or he would have seen and heard the underlying word alone.  “I don’t see why not, if your mother doesn’t mind being squashed a bit on the seat.”

“She don’t have to be squashed, if’n you ride in the back, Pa.”  Hoss replied, eagerly.

Ben nodded slowly, “Ah, I see.  No, I’m sorry Hoss but you aren’t strong enough yet to handle a loaded wagon on your own.”

For a second Hoss’ face fell, then he thought again, Pa was always fair and if Adam could drive a wagon and a much bigger one than this at eight, well…  “But, Pa, Adam says…”

Ben misunderstood what was coming next and interrupted, “I am not interested in what your older brother has been telling you, I decide and the answer is no and I don’t want to hear another word on the subject,” he said, firmly.

Hoss was about to protest again when his father’s hand caught his arm and propelled him toward the back of the wagon.

“Now get up there and let’s get moving, we’re late enough as it is.”

Hoss climbed into the wagon grumbling under his breath very quietly and settled himself next to Adam, who had vaulted over the side while they were talking.  Adam’s grin just made him madder and he subsided into a sulk as the wagon moved off.

Town was a fancy word for Johntown, it boasted one trading post, one tented saloon, a so- called livery stable, a school house which served as a church and a collection of miners’ shacks and tents but it did cover a wide area. There wasn’t much for the boys to do but Ben still thought it necessary to issue warnings and instructions, before he and Marie went into to the post to collect supplies.  Saturday was the day when the outlying homesteaders and farmers could be sure of meeting in the store and the wives could catch up on the gossip.  It could take more than two hours to complete the transactions in between conversations and during this time the boys could wander and meet their friends.

Adam was relieved when Marie announced that Little Joe needed new boots and so he would be accompanying his parents instead of being left in the charge of his older brothers.  He loved his little brother dearly but it did somewhat limit his activities to have a four-year-old in tow.  He was more surprised when Hoss elected to go too.  The family wagon came to a halt behind a half dozen similar ones and Adam spotted his friend Ross right away.  He was loading supplies into the Marquette wagon at the head of the line.

“Hey, skinny!”  Adam called out.

“Hey, yourself,”  Ross yelled back.  “Some of us have to work for a living.”

Adam grinned and took hold of one end of a sack of grain to help his buddy.  “I’ll have to work, once Pa has made his purchases,” he grinned,  “and I get homework to do.”

“Your choice, buddy, me, I prefer a pay packet.  Got my wages today, wanna go spend some of it?”

Adam eyed up the store entrance.  Pa was already talking to a couple of homesteaders and Marie had gone inside.  “Yeah, why not,”  He replied.

Ross raised a hand to his father who was talking a few feet away.  “Half an hour, okay, Pa?” he asked.

Paul Marquette nodded, “Don’t make it no longer, I want to get down to Davis’ and pick up that harness I ordered, then we head home.”

Ross acknowledged the instructions and then turned back to Adam.  “Okay, I can stand you a beer.”

Adam frowned “Okay, if we make it quick.  Pa’ll have a fit if he sees me in Pete’s.”

The two boys took the long way around to the tented saloon and were soon enjoying a beer.  Several other friends came up to them and it was obvious to Adam that his old school friends made this a regular meeting place on a Saturday.

“Hey, Adam, you get let off the leash or sumthin’?” a familiar voice broke into the conversations.

“Hi, Rick,” Adam responded, ignoring the implied insult.

Rick Bonner was a year older than Adam, and they had a volatile relationship, sometimes friendly but more often sparring. Rick worked spasmodically at the livery stable and his younger brother Jeff did chores for anyone who would pay him a few dollars.  Most of what they earned went on beer and poker and very little back to their stepmother or little half-sister.  Their father was more than halfway through a long jail sentence and Mrs Bonner took in the miners’ washing to make ends meet.

“Shouldn’t you be working, Rick?”  Adam asked.  The last thing Adam needed was for his father to find out he had been drinking with Rick.

“Nah, won a fair bit in a poker game yesterday, don’t need to work this week.  I’m checking out some business deals for my Pa.”  Rick replied.

Both Ross and Adam swung toward him startled. “Your Pa!”  Ross exclaimed, “He’s in jail in Sacramento, ain’t he?” knowing full well he was, it had been Paul Marquette and Ben Cartwright that had put him there after a bout of cattle rustling.

“Gets out next month,”  Rick grinned.  “We’re gonna go into the cattle business.”

“Thought that’s what he was in when he went to jail.”  Adam said, sourly, remembering how and when Bonner had been put away for rustling the Ponderosa steers among others.

“All legal and above board this time,”  Rick said, “We’re gonna offer to trail cattle from here to the gold fields and maybe all the way up from Texas too.  Beef fetches good prices in California.”

Ross sniffed. He couldn’t see folks around here trusting the Bonners with a herd.  The cattle and the money would never be seen again.

Adam drained the last of the beer and set his glass down.  “I’d better be getting back before Pa misses me.”

“Yeah, I told Pa half-an-hour and it’s been more than that already.”  Ross added, following his friend’s lead.

“Yeah, you do that, don’t want to upset your Daddy now do we?”  Rick scoffed at Adam.  “You keep going to school like a good little boy and running errands for your Pa.”

Ross gripped his friend’s arm, “C’mon, Adam, don’t let him get to you, he ain’t worth it.”  He could feel Adam’s muscles tense and knew that trouble wasn’t far off.

The two boys turned to leave and as they went through the opening into the street, Rick called after them.  “If you ever cut loose from your Daddy’s apron, you come and see me and I’ll show you how to be a man.”

Ross caught Adam’s arm as his friend turned.  “Don’t!” he said sharply.

“I oughta punch him in the mouth,” Adam grumbled.

“Oh sure, get yourself hurt, and get both of us in trouble for being in Pete’s.  Just cool off,”  Ross’ tone was one of exasperation.

Adam shook himself free of Ross’ grasp.  “I’m all right now.  Someday, I’ll show him.”

Ross just shook his head and continued to walk back to the mercantile.  He hoped that when the ‘someday’ came he’d be a hundred miles away.

Adam made his way back to the family wagon and leaned against it waiting for his family to return.  Suddenly he heard the shouts of ‘fight, fight’ from a group of youngster in the side street.  He ran to the corner to take a look.  At first he couldn’t see much.  It looked as though a group of boys were picking on another.  He recognised most of them including Jeff Bonner, who was leaning against the store wall nursing a bloodied nose.  Then, as a boy of about twelve went flying past him after being given a haymaker of a punch, he realised that the victim was his younger brother.  Hoss was more than holding his own against three or four opponents all older than himself, but Adam felt obliged to wade in and help.  One Cartwright was formidable, but two made overwhelming odds, at least that’s the way the other boys saw it and they soon beat a hasty retreat.

Adam dusted himself down then set about attending to his younger brother.  “What started all that?” he asked, his tone showing his disapproval.  “You know Pa don’t like us to get into fights.”

Hoss wiped some blood from his mouth with the sleeve of his jacket, making Adam fish in his pocket for a handkerchief to hand to him.

“They was making fun of you,” Hoss mumbled, “So I told ‘em to shut up, they didn’t, so I hit ‘em.”

Adam took a moment to digest what his brother had said, “ME!” he exclaimed.  “They were making fun of ME?”  He stood back in amazement.  He had assumed the boys had been making fun of Hoss.  “What about me?” he asked.

Hoss made another unsuccessful attempt to stop the blood flow from his split lip, “Jeff said you wuz …well you wuz yeller.  He said you allus has your head in a book an’ you stayed at school ‘cos you weren’t no good on the ranch an’ Pa wouldn’t let ya do nuthin’ anyways.”

Adam cursed then turned to march off.

“I told ‘em you could do stuff.  I said you could drive a wagon better’n Jeff’s brother.”  Hoss called out.

Adam was already almost out of earshot and he only heard half of the remark.  It was nice of Hoss to defend him but Pa would be mad if he found out about the fight.  When Hoss came up to him he saw that hiding it was going to be difficult.  Hoss’ lip was now three times its usual size.

“How can we trust you left alone with Hop Sing while we go to Genoa, if I can’t even leave you for five minutes while I am in the store a few feet away?”  Ben yelled.  He was pacing up and down the Ponderosa living room while his two older sons stared at the floorboards.  “I thought you were keeping an eye on your brother.”  He added, directing a stern glare at Adam.

Adam sighed.  “I thought he was old enough to look after himself.”  He grumbled under his breath, but unfortunately not quietly enough.

Ben swung around from his last pass across the room and pointed a finger at his oldest son.  “Well you were wrong there, weren’t you?  That’s your trouble you do too much thinking, either that or you’ve got your head stuffed into a book.  I suppose you were off somewhere reading.”

Adam debated the wisdom of defending himself.  If Pa started down that road it would only be a matter of time before he was forced to confess his visit to Dutch Pete’s.  He held his tongue and allowed his father to assume his guess had been a correct one.

Ben let out a sigh. “Go on, get on with your chores and no more fighting from either of you.”

He waited until the boys had left then turned to Marie  “I’m not sure it’s a good idea to leave them while we are in Genoa, it’s two days and heaven knows what they can get into in that time.”

“Ben, Adam’s sixteen, almost a man, and Hop Sing will be here to keep an eye on them.”  She knew what her husband was suggesting but she was reluctant to give up a trip.  “You know you have to go to sort out the taxes and to see that cattle buyer and I was so looking forward to some time alone with you.”

Ben laughed. “Alone!  With Little Joe, along!  What you mean is you were hoping for a visit with Kate and the Milfords on the way back and a good gossip.”

“Ben!  We don’t gossip, we catch up on each other’s news.”  Marie tried to look shocked but spoiled the effect with a giggle.

“Alright, we’ll go, but those boys had better behave themselves,” he growled.

Marie grinned and raised an eyebrow, “I’m sure you’ll make that more than clear to them before we leave.”

Hoss stood on the bottom rail of the corral and leaned his arms on the top one, bending forward as much as he could to watch his older brother working with one of the yearlings.  It was Saturday afternoon and he was bored.  Pa and Marie had been gone for hours and he had finished his chores.  Now he was waiting for Adam to finish in the hope that they could go somewhere, maybe fishing or exploring.  Pa had forbidden swimming, saying it was still too early in the year.  Mind, Pa had forbidden most everything that was fun.

“You ‘bout done?”  Hoss asked for the fifth time in ten minutes.

Adam walked over to the rail and nodded.  “Okay, I’ll stop now, but I gotta do a few other things before we can go anywhere.”

Hoss gave a long weary sigh and Adam grinned.  “Okay, I’ll leave the rest until we get back.”

“Where we goin’?”  Hoss asked eagerly.

“Into town,” Was Adam’s confident reply.  “We’re meeting Ross.  He’s coming back with us and staying overnight.

Hoss’ eyes widened, “We ‘llowed?”

“Pa never said we couldn’t.”  Adam said slowly.  “Hop Sing won’t mind, we’ll be back for supper and evening chores and he always likes having Ross to praise his cooking.”

Hoss leaned against one of the old Conestoga wagons in the school yard and finished off the last of the peppermint sticks he had bought.  He had planned to save some for his older brother but the temptation had been too much.  He had played marbles with his friends for a while, then hung around one of the claims to see if any gold was being washed out today, but now he was bored.  He had been waiting for Adam for ages.  His older brother had told him to be here by five and he had checked with the mercantile and it had been five to then, now it must be almost half past.

Five more minutes passed before he saw a group of boys coming down the street.  He recognised the Bonner brothers first and decided to ask them if they had seen Adam.  He knew his older brother was supposed to stay away from Rick Bonner, but it was an order Adam rarely obeyed.

“Hey, Hoss,” Rick greeted him before he could open his mouth, “You waitin’ on Adam?”

Hoss nodded and swallowed a mouth full of sticky candy.  “You seen him?”

Rick chuckled. “Not since he threw up out back of Pete’s.  He was looking kinda green.”

Hoss’ round face creased into a worried frown.  “You mean he’s sick?” he asked.

“Nah, just a bit drunk,”  Rick and the others laughed  “Not man enough to hold his drink, your brother.”

“Not man enough for much…” Another older boy laughed.  “Said he had to look out for his little brother and get home to do his chores, or his daddy would get mad at him.”

Hoss didn’t like the way they were talking about his brother but he remembered the trouble he had been in just a few days before when he had defended him so he kept quiet.

Adam turned the corner of the school yard and looked up to see the group of boys gathered around his brother.  Ross was half supporting his friend but he didn’t feel too good either.  Adam felt like death, his mouth tasted awful and his head ached, his stomach was now empty but it still felt queasy.  He was not in the mood to face any more of Rick’s teasing but they had to get home.  He approached cautiously, hoping Hoss would take a hint and come and meet him, but Hoss seemed rooted to the spot.

“Well if it isn’t the man himself.”  Rick yelled, making the others turn towards Adam.

“Don’t’cha mean boy?” another called out.

Jeff Bonner nudged Hoss, “You wanna get yourself a real big brother like Rick.  You’re more of a man than he is.”

“Adam can do anything your brother can do and other stuff.”  Hoss yelled back; no longer able to keep his temper.

“Oh yeah, like what?”  Jeff came back at him.

Hoss glanced around for inspiration and his eye fell on the wagons.  “My brother can drive one o’ them, he’s bin doin’ it since he was smaller than me.”

“Oh yeah, well he’s still smaller than you.”  Jeff laughed in Hoss’ face.

Rick had half overheard the exchange and his eyes lit up.  “Hey, Adam your brother here says you can drive one of them wagons.  I got a dollar says you can’t.”

“You can, cain’t ya, Adam?” Hoss jumped in, now desperate to have Adam look good in front of these boys.

“Shut up, kid.  You don’t know nuthin’ you’re just dumb.  The smart Adam Cartwright’s got a dumb brother.  One of the other boys taunted

Adam had missed most of what had been said but he couldn’t miss the appealing look in his brother’s eyes.  He hesitated.  His boast to his younger brother had been just that; sure he had driven a wagon but nothing as big as the Conestoga’s in the yard.  The wagons were old and falling apart and he was pretty sure Rick couldn’t find any others that they could use.  Maybe, just maybe he wouldn’t be called on to actually back up his brag and if he was, well a short drive at the back of the school couldn’t be too difficult, could it?  Hoss was almost begging him to say something.  He hated to see his younger brother so upset.

“Sure I can drive it,”  He replied, with more confidence than he felt.

Rick choked a little, now not so sure of himself.  “So put your money up then.”  He challenged, not able to back out now.   “Ross you hold the stakes.”  He slapped a dollar into Ross’s hand, surprising the boy.

Ross glanced apprehensively at his friend as another dollar was added to the first.  “You sure about this?” he asked.

Adam nodded. “Hey, what say we make it a race?”  He bit his lip hoping that challenged in this way Rick would back down.

Now it was Rick’s turn to prevaricate.  He had never expected Adam to go this far.  He’d felt sure Adam would back down.  He’d driven a team lots of times but never with a wagon this big.  He felt the eyes of all the other boys on him and knew he would lose face if he refused.  Maybe if he pushed it just a little further.

“Sure, how about from here to the bottom of Six Mile canyon.” he challenged.  “Maybe start at the cemetery so we don’t have to race through town,” he added.  He could tell from Adam’s white face that he had hit his target but he wasn’t prepared for his opponent’s stubborn nature.

Adam swallowed hard, the bile he had been trying so hard to keep down had risen into his mouth again.  “Where we gonna get two teams?” he asked, hoping Rick had no more idea than he had.

“We do it tomorrow when folks is in church.  I’ll get a team from the freight yard, no one goes there Sundays ‘ceptin’ early morning and late evenin’.  You can bring a team from the Ponderosa, cain’t ya?  Your Pa’s away.”

Adam felt like a cornered animal, there was no way out that wouldn’t mark him as a coward and Hoss as a liar.  He nodded.  “Tomorrow, ten minutes after church starts then.”  He agreed reluctantly, trying to ignore the look of triumph on Hoss’ face and the sheer horror on Ross’.

Later when they had eaten their fill of Hop Sing’s chicken dumplings and Hoss had retired to his own room.  The two older boys talked as they waited for sleep to come.  As was usual when the two were together it was a long time coming.

“You worried about tomorra’?”  Ross asked looking up at Adam from his position on a mattress laid out on the floor.

Adam was glad that in the half-light Ross wouldn’t see his face.  He knew he was more than worried, he was scared.  Despite his boasting, he had never driven anything as big as those wagons and the run from the cemetery to the bottom of the canyon was down one of the worst trails in the area, plunging from Mount Davidson into the valley.  He vaguely remembered the trek out here from Missouri and how the wagons had been eased gently down slopes like that one, some with brakes catching fire from the friction as the drivers tried to help the teams.

“No, not really,”  Adam lied.

Ross grunted.  “Liar!  If you ain’t scared you oughta be.  First off you ain’t never driven a wagon that big and you know it.  Second you must be crazy to wanna take anything down the canyon, my Pa worries about the buckboard when she’s fully loaded and he’s been driving it for years.”  He rolled on to his side and tried to see his friend’s expression, “And third you could kill yourself, that’s if your Pa don’t do it for you, when he hears about you borrowin’ his horses for this crazy stunt.”

Adam knew that every word Ross spoke was the truth but he couldn’t and wouldn’t back out now.  “Pa won’t know about it.  He’s not back until supper time and the horses’ll be back in the yard by then.”

Ross grunted.  “Well I’m darn glad I’m not caught up in this one.”  He rolled onto his side with his back to Adam and closed his eyes.

Adam lay awake for a long time.  Ross’s even breathing told him that his friend had gone to sleep but then he had no worries.  Pa was going to be awful mad at him if the horses were hurt, but then he wouldn’t be there to worry, he’d be dead, like as not.

Although they didn’t attend church, Adam had never prayed so hard or been so sincere in his prayers as he was that Sunday morning. It had taken every bit of cunning to sneak out of the yard this morning with a team of horses and one of Adam’s prayers was that Jake hadn’t seen them go and wouldn’t check the corral until evening feed time. The two boys headed for the school-yard, where a group of youngsters were already gathered.  Adam began checking the harness.

“Which wagon d’you want?”  Rick asked.

Adam shrugged “It doesn’t matter, they are the same.”

“Fine, I’ll have the one with the back board missin’” Rick replied indicating the nearest wagon.

Neither boy thought to do more than give the wagons a cursory look.  Rick hitched up his team and slowly drew the big wagon out into the back trail that led behind the town to the cemetery.

The wagon Adam was left with had been hidden behind the first and its timbers were not so weathered, as it had been better protected by its neighbour.  He harnessed his team and nervously climbed aboard.

“I’ll go watch from the stones.”  Hoss suggested, naming a vantage-point above the trail about a mile away.

Adam bit his lip. Hoss wasn’t supposed to wander the hills on his own but there was no other choice and at least from there he’d be able to see the wagon on most of its journey.   He nodded “You don’t go off anywheres else, you hear?”  This admonition soothed his conscience just a little.

The team was experienced and the lightest touch set them moving and Adam felt his confidence grow, this was no different than driving a laden buckboard or the wagon they used for carrying fence posts and the like.  The trail to the cemetery was flat and well worn and he had no trouble driving up alongside Rick at the start.

“We go along the bottom of the cemetery then turn and follow the trail down to the main trail to Eagle Station.”  Rick shouted from atop his wagon.  “First one to the fork is the winner.  Jeff you and Ross go down there and be ready to decide the winner.”

Ross nodded nervously, he really wanted no part of this but a duty to his friend kept him from saying so.  “You wait ten minutes before you start then, we gotta get our horses clear of the trail and down to the bottom in plenty of time.”

Rick snorted. Ross really was an old woman.  They could take the saddle horses over the hills and be there an age before the wagons.  Never the less they waited the ten minutes and then one of the other boys started them off, before racing off to join the others.  The first part of the road was wide and the wagons could travel more or less side by side, but then as it neared the entrance to the canyon road it narrowed and began to wind down to the valley.   Adam drove cautiously and was soon left in Rick’s dust.  He didn’t let this worry him, accepting the challenge was bad enough. He didn’t plan on killing himself trying to win the race.  Turning a bend he could see Rick about a quarter of a mile ahead of him, the big wagon swaying from side to side as it negotiated the rough terrain.  Carefully, Adam eased the team around the curve, now driving didn’t seem so easy.  The wagon was moving faster than he would like and applying the brake made little difference.  His nervousness flowed through the lines to the team and they were less controlled.

From his rock at the summit Hoss had a good view of the road.  He had worried when the wagons passed from sight then relaxed again as first Rick’s wagon then Adam’s came into view.  Adam was well behind now and there was little chance that he would catch Rick, even when the road allowed them to pass each other.  Hoss could see the wagons swaying and he worried for his brother, wishing he had never started this dare.

Adam was concentrating hard on negotiating the tight bends and slowing the team, so hard that he wasn’t aware of what was happening ahead of him until he heard a loud thud followed by several more.   He took his eyes from the trail for a moment and looked ahead; there was no sign of Rick’s wagon.  Then he heard a lot of yelling from high in the rocks and saw the group of boys plunging down the hillside toward the road below him.  He tried to slow his team but the horses weren’t responding, they hit the next curve at speed and he felt a jolt as the wagon hit a rut.  His wagon was travelling slower than Rick’s had been but it still took every bit of his strength and skill to keep the wagon upright.  It seemed to be an age before the wagon came to a shuddering halt very close to the edge of the ravine.  Shaking, Adam climbed down, a little afraid that his legs wouldn’t hold him.

Once on the ground he rushed to the edge.  Fifteen or so feet below the trail Rick’s wagon had come to a halt too, on its side as he watched the wagon rocked and fell back on to its wheels, collapsing as it did so.  One horse was trapped and screaming in pain, the others were standing to one side still harnessed to the now broken wagon.  Of Rick, Adam could see no sign.

He scrambled down the slope heedless of the thorns tearing at his clothes.  He reached the wagon almost at the same moment as the boys who had been observing from above.   Seeing the destruction and hearing the horse screaming, two of the boys turned and ran back toward town, wanting nothing to do with the consequences of the race.   Jeff Bonner was yelling for his brother, his terrified voice adding to the sense of chaos and unreality.

Adam took in the scene quickly, it was obvious that Rick was either under the wagon or had been thrown clear and was lying somewhere in the scrub.  He swallowed hard, what if Rick had been killed?  He was here with a ten year old, a couple of boys who were more interested in the macabre scene than in helping, Ross, who seemed rooted to the spot and Rick’s brother who was hysterical. Dismayed but practical, he took charge.  “You two unharness those horses,” he ordered.  He turned to his younger brother,  “Hoss climb up to the other wagon and fetch my gun.”

Hoss, was surprised but did as he was asked without question.  The others took a moment to respond but they too recognised the authority in Adam’s voice and got on with the tasks assigned.  Adam glanced at Ross and together they moved to the wagon.   Only Jeff was left wandering distractedly around the scrub.

Adam leaned down to look under the wagon, holding his breath in fear of what he might find.  Rick was lying with his legs trapped under the wagon axle, which had broken and the weight of the wagon was pinning it to the ground.  Ross went to crawl under but Adam held out a hand to stop him.

“Hold on, it might not be safe. No sense in us gettin’ hurt too.”  He looked around for inspiration.   The horses had now been parted from the wagon shaft and it was lying broken on the ground.  “Maybe we could wedge that under the wagon and give it some more support,” he said, doubtfully.

Hoss ran up to him with the old flintlock.  “Here it is, Adam.  What ya gonna do?” his voice wavered, he had a pretty good idea of his brother’s intentions.  Hoss hated to see any animal killed but he hated even more to see them in pain.

Adam didn’t answer.  He simply went about loading the gun He was careful but moved as quickly as he could.  When it was done, he took a deep breath and swallowed hard before aiming at the injured horse that had now stopped writhing in agony and lay with its leg at an unnatural angle breathing heavily.  The shot echoed around the valley, bouncing off the rocks and reverberating against the mountainside.   By the time he had checked to see that he had done the job properly, Ross had brought up the shaft and was positioning it so that the wagon couldn’t slip any further.

Hoss stood back with tears in his eyes as the two boys tried to reach Rick.  Jeff was more composed now and he anxiously knelt beside the wagon calling his brother’s name.  The other two boys had moved away nervously, not wanting to be involved but too fascinated to leave.

“One of us is gonna have to crawl under and pull him out,”  Ross said nervously.  Every time they moved the wagon rocked dangerously even with the extra support.

“I’ll do it.”  Adam replied, his voice shaking a little. “You keep clear and make sure the others stay out of the way too.”

Hoss had been watching the wagon move and he was afraid for his brother.  He almost reached out a hand to stop him, but then he withdrew it, knowing that someone had to get to Rick.

Adam inched his way slowly under the wagon and carefully checked Rick’s breathing.  He noted that the axle was resting across his legs and to move him he’d have to lift the wagon a little.  He called out to Ross.  “If you could all take the weight of the wagon at the front, I think I can get him out.”

Ross called to the two boys watching but both shook their heads, saying it was too dangerous.  Ross looked at the other help available.  Jeff was still very upset and not thinking straight and although only a couple of years younger than his brother he was a weedy looking youngster.  Ross himself was rail thin and although he had a wiry strength he wasn’t sure he could support a wagon, and Hoss, although big and strong for his age was not yet eleven.  He sucked in a breath, “We’ll give it a try.”

Ross took one side while Jeff and Hoss lined up on the other and at Adam’s command they lifted.   Painfully slowly Adam began to drag Rick clear, he pulled the boy to one side clear of the axle and then inched his way back toward the edge of the wagon.  Suddenly with no warning the rotten wood broke away on the side Ross was holding, the wagon lurched and Jeff let go too.

All Hoss could think of was his brother’s safety and as the whole weight of the wagon was left in his hands he drew on some superhuman strength and held on.  The wagon bed had dropped to within inches of Adam’s head as he ducked in an effort to avoid being crushed.

“Hurry Adam, I can’t hold it,” Hoss screamed, as he tried to get a better grip on the timbers, tearing the skin on his hands in the process.

In one last manic effort Adam dragged Rick free and then rolled out as the wagon came crashing down, splintering and digging into the sand beneath it.  He lay on his back breathing heavily as the fear left him.

Jeff and Ross rushed to Rick but Hoss’ only thought was for his brother. “You okay, Adam?” he asked, wide eyed.

Adam nodded. He had no breath left to speak.

Four very worried boys sat in the shack that the doctor used as an office an hour later waiting for the verdict on Rick. The doctor wasn’t actually qualified as one, but everyone called him that.  He had once worked in an army field hospital as an orderly and his rudimentary medical knowledge surpassed anything anyone else had.  He had come here to prospect and found nothing so he’d set himself up as a doctor, veterinarian and purveyor of patent medicines to the miners.

All were relieved to discover that apart from a nasty cut on his head and a few more on his legs he would be fine, there were no broken bones. “He’s a lucky boy.”  The doctor glared at the others,  “What ever possessed you to do something so stupid?” he asked of Adam.

Adam shook his head; it was going to be hard enough explaining to Mrs Bonner and his father without having to try to give reasons to the doctor.  He idly wondered if he could keep it from Pa, but he knew Doc would tell the tale and one glance at his own clothes would alert his father to some kind of trouble.

Rick staggered to his feet and Jeff rushed to help him.  “What we gonna tell Mr Taylor?”  Jeff asked.  The livery stable owner was not known for his sweet disposition.

Rick was in no state to respond as he held his bandaged head and groaned.

“I took the three horses back.”  Hoss offered.

Ross glanced from Adam to Rick, “He’s likely expecting four when he gets there tonight to feed ‘em.”  He said sarcastically.  Not for the first time today, he wondered why he had got himself mixed up in this mess.

Adam gave him a disapproving frown.  It was all right for Ross, he could go home with a clear conscience, well almost.  “C’mon Hoss, we’d better get our team home before Jake throws a fit.”

Rick glanced up at the Cartwright brothers.  “Thanks Adam,” he said softly.

Adam shrugged. “Don’t thank me, thank Hoss.  He’s was the one who held on to the wagon and stopped us both being killed.”

Rick nodded then winced as the movement hurt his head.  “Yeah, thanks Hoss.  I’m sorry I said you was dumb, you ain’t…you’re both…well good friends,” he finished, embarrassed.

“Yeah, well not good enough that I’m gonna explain to Mr Taylor.”  Adam replied.  “That little chore is yours.  I got my Pa to handle.”

The doctor was slowly putting away his instruments, “They hang horse thieves.”  He said quietly.

The boys’ heads shot up in alarm.  “But we meant to return ‘em.”  Jeff squeaked.

“But you didn’t” the doctor continued inexorably.  “Mr Taylor is short one horse.  How you going to explain that?”

“No one saw us take them.”  Rick blustered.

“Maybe, maybe not but I know you took ‘em and Hoss might have been seen returning them,” he said when he saw that Adam was less concerned than his friend. “All of you are involved.  They call it being an accessory to a crime.  Now I suggest you get yourselves over to Mr Taylor’s house and explain and hope he’s understanding and just let’s you pay for the horse.  If you don’t then I’ll be reporting all this to him tomorrow. ”

Outside the office the boys stood in a worried huddle.  “What we gonna do?”  Jeff asked, looking to his brother for a lead.

Some of Rick’s normal bravado and disregard for authority had gone.  He’d never been faced with anything this serious before.  He glanced at Adam for a lead.

Adam sighed.  “I guess we go talk to Mr Taylor before the doc does.”

“Will we really get hung?”  Hoss’ voice quavered.

Adam shook his head. “I think doc was just tryin’ to scare us.”  He glanced at Rick knowing that it was a lie but warning him to keep quiet.  The younger ones were probably safe but he and Ross and Rick could very well face such a fate.  “You get on home and I’ll follow with the horses after we’ve seen Mr Taylor.”  Adam was trying to think fast.  If Hoss went home at least one of them would stay out of trouble and if Pa got back early Hoss would be there and Pa might never know he’d been involved.

Hoss was reluctant to leave without his brother, “Whadda I say if Mama and Pa are home?”

“Nuthin’,” Adam snapped. “Then seeing his younger brother’s worried expression he moderated his tone, “Try not to say too much, maybe that I went to meet friends but no more if you can help it…but don’t lie for me.  I’ll think of something.”

The other boys looked on enviously as Hoss rode away.

“Wish I was goin’ with him.”  Ross grumbled.  “None of this was my fault.”

“Then go home,” Adam responded, his fear making his temper short.

Ross shrugged.  “Nah, I was there, I’ll come along.”

Zeke Taylor was relaxing in his parlor before going back to the livery stable to check out his stock and feed them.  Sundays was his favorite day and he was mellow after a good meal and a whisky to chase it down.  He saw the boys approaching from his window and wondered why those three were visiting.  It didn’t take long for him to find out even though the boys explained in halting sentences and with much hesitation and worried looks between them.

“So you’s tellin’ me, that you stole my horses and killed one ‘o them?”  Zeke summed up.

“We were just borrowing them, Mr Taylor.”  Adam tried.

Zeke grunted, “Borrowers gen’lly asked first.”  He swung around to Rick, “You was the one as ‘borrowed’ ‘em, huh?”

Rick nodded.  “How far you drive the wagon?”

“Uh!”  Rick was nonplussed, what on earth did it matter?  “Oh, almost to the last bend before the valley.” He answered, mystified.

“You think you’re a pretty good driver then?”  Zeke asked.

Again Rick was puzzled at the question.  “Okay, I guess, the wagon fell apart but I was doing okay up to then.”

“You start work for me tomorra, working the stables and the corral and maybe driving some.  I’ll pay you half wages until the debt’s paid off.  Fergit Pete’s you ain’t workin’ there no more.”

Rick’s face showed his shock,  “What if I don’t wanna work for you?” he protested.  Rick was no fool; he could see that work for Zeke would be hard.

“Then I takes ya to Hangtown and finds a sheriff or maybe I don’t bother with no law and jest hangs ya.”  Zeke replied.  “Makes no never mind to me.  Folks round here be glad to have one less Bonner.”

Rick swallowed hard,  “It’s a deal.”  He sighed.

“Kinda thought you might see it that way.”  Zeke muttered.  “Now git off with ya, I got another hour of peace due me.”

Adam cleared his throat noisily,  “What about me and Ross?”

Ross sighed and turned away, why couldn’t Adam leave well enough alone?  Zeke hadn’t even mentioned them.

“Your Pa know you bin using his horses to race?”

Adam shook his head.

“Then you tell him when you get home, you too.”  He nodded at Ross.  “I know your folks, I won’t need to do nuthin’, they’ll take care of things.  Now get on outta here.”

Outside the three boys looked at one another.  “I’d say you two got off lightly.”  Ross groaned, “I don’t see why I have to say nuthin’, I didn’t do anythin’,”

“So keep quiet and maybe your Pa won’t find out.”  Rick suggested.

The boys went their separate ways, Ross mulling over what to do, Rick working on a way out of the hard work he knew was coming his way, and Adam going over in his head how to word all this to his father.

By the time Adam arrived home he had it pretty much worked out.  He would tell his father the bare minimum and hope there weren’t too many questions.  There was no need to involve Hoss and he could say that he drove, not raced and that… he stopped in mid thought as he saw his father standing on the front porch.  Uh, oh!  From his expression Pa already knew or at least he knew a bit more than the fact that Adam was late home.  He opened the corral gate and allowed the four horses to run inside and then took Sport into the barn to unsaddle him.  He had his back to the door and sensed, rather than heard, his father approach.  He felt his muscles tense as he waited for his father to speak.

“I believe you have something to tell me.”  Ben said quietly.

Adam pulled Sport’s saddle from his back and heaved it on to the side wall of the stall.  He hated it when Pa worded questions that way.  For there was no doubt in his mind that it was a question but one to which Pa already knew at least some of the answer.  He turned slowly to face his father, trying to buy himself some time.  “You mean about the team?”  he replied carefully.

“Yes, I mean about the team.”  Ben barked back.  “Such as where have you been with them?  What were you doing?  And why was your younger brother here alone?”

Slowly, inexorably, Ben dragged the whole story from his son.  Adam tried to prevaricate, to tell only the bare minimum but eventually he admitted defeat and the truth tumbled out.

“I couldn’t let Hoss down.”  Adam finished.

“Let him down!”  Ben bellowed. “You think horse stealing, gambling on a Sunday and almost getting yourself killed and maybe him too, is the way to support him?”

Put that way it didn’t sound so good, Adam thought.  “They called him dumb, Pa.”

“Oh, you weren’t thinking of that.  You were defending yourself, weren’t you?  You didn’t want to be called a coward; you didn’t want to lose face in front of your friends.  Well, Adam the only dumb one in this mess is YOU?  You allowed yourself to be talked into something you knew was wrong and dangerous.  In fact you WERE a coward, you took the easy route.”

Adam protested but Ben cut him off.  “The courageous thing to do would have been to walk away.   This isn’t the first time we’ve talked about Rick Bonner but it had better be the last.  Do you understand that?”

“Yes, sir,” Adam almost whispered, feeling about five years old.

Ben sighed.  He could recall doing things as a boy that were equally foolhardy and for much the same reasons.  “Since Rick is paying off his debts with work, you can do the same.”

“But Pa, I don’t owe…”  Adam started.

“Oh, yes you do boy.  You owe me a measure of obedience, you owe Hoss your life and you owe it to yourself to think before you boast of accomplishments you don’t have.”  Ben watched as these words penetrated his son’s brain and saw the change in expression from slightly arrogant to one of contrition.

“Yes, sir,” Adam muttered, meekly.

Ben nodded. “I think a few weeks helping Hoss with his homework wouldn’t hurt and with his chores.  Because of his size and strength, I think sometimes you forget that he is only ten.  Maybe if you are more receptive and spend more time with him you will discover that the learning process isn’t one way.  Hoss has an awful lot he can teach you.”  Ben almost smiled as he saw his oldest son’s jaw drop.  “There are many different talents, son, and not all of them come from books.”

THE END