Summary:  Adam and his friend Ross decide to take a fishing trip.  To Adam’s dismay, two little brothers manage to go along, too.  Of course, with a mischievous six-year-old along, the trip is not quite what Adam had planned.
Rating:  G  (12,110 words)

The Canoe Trip

The small, curly-haired boy moved back into the shadows of the hayloft.  It was hot and stuffy up here but he felt more comfortable in hiding right now.  He had heard the sound of his brother’s voice below and, after his last prank; he decided it was better to remain unobserved until at least suppertime.   He scrunched himself into a corner and waited.  He loved the barn.  It was the ideal place for a small boy to play and to lose himself when his older siblings or his father wanted him for chores or a scolding.   Today he was hiding from his older brother.  He couldn’t understand why Adam was so mad.  It had only been a bit of fun to loosen his saddle cinch after he had checked it.  He wasn’t even hurt.  It was a new trick Joe had learned and, like all new things, he wanted to try it out.  It had taken quite a lot of effort to get Sport to stand still while his small hands wrestled with the cinch. It had been worth the trouble to see Adam sit down hard in the dust, or at least he thought it had until he saw how angry his brother became.

In the barn below he could hear Adam cursing and he almost giggled.  He wondered what would happen if Pa heard that sort of language.  Would Adam get his mouth washed out with soap the way his other brother Hoss had just last week?  Joe doubted it.  Adam hardly ever got in trouble with Pa.  Well, not since Mama died, anyway.  It had been over a year now and Joe still sometimes found himself expecting her to walk into his room to give him a cuddle or read him a story.

“Where is the little horror?”  Adam grunted to the other boy at his heels.

Ross shook his head with a grin. “Beats me.  He can disappear faster than a jack-rabbit.”

The two older boys gave the barn a cursory search and Ross seated himself comfortably on a saddle left carelessly in one of the stalls.

“Forget it, Adam.  You’re okay and so is Sport.  It was only a joke.”  Ross tried to restore calm.  He had no brothers and quite enjoyed sharing Adam’s even to the point of wishing they would sometimes include him in their pranks.

Adam swore once more then relaxed a little.  “Yeah, I guess so.  But that doesn’t mean I won’t clip his ear for him when I get hold of him,” he complained, pacing back and forth.

“You’ll feel better when we get away on our trip,” Ross soothed.

Adam nodded and hunkered down beside his friend.  “It’s gonna be great, just the two of us.  Four days of fishing, and no little brothers to annoy me.”  He rubbed his hands in anticipation.  “I can’t wait to try out the canoe.  Young Wolf did a real good job on it.’  He nodded towards a beautifully crafted birch bark canoe, nestling in a corner of the barn.  It was big enough to hold three or four people, but was slim and elegant.

Ross nodded.  “You’re too damn lucky.  I could do with friends like that.”  He chuckled and nudged Adam so hard that he pushed him over.

Adam pushed back.  “Pa gave the tribe a lot of beef last winter and I helped drive them up to the village.    It was a sorta return gift.  You know how they like to repay a debt.”

Ross snorted. “Then your Pa should have the canoe.”

Adam grinned, imagining his middle-aged father paddling a canoe.   “Can’t see Pa in a canoe somehow, but we can make good use of it.  If we paddle upstream for a couple of days then fish it will only take hours to drift back.  We can get in two good days camping and fishing at Willow Bend.”

Ross frowned as he thought over the plan.  “Won’t we have to carry the canoe around the falls?”

Adam shrugged.  “We can do that in a couple of hours.  The canoe is real light and we can pack our stuff inside and take an end each.  It’ll be easy.”

Ross wasn’t so sure but he let it ride for now.  Adam hated to have his plans questioned.  “My Pa said it was okay as long as we were back by Saturday.  What about your Pa, is he okay with that?”

Now it was Adam’s turn to frown, “Well…I haven’t exactly asked him yet,” he admitted.  “But he said I could have some time off.  I’ve been working hard on the new corral and looking after Hoss and Joe all summer.  I’ve had no time to myself.  I’ll sure be glad when Joe starts to school next month.”

Ross chuckled.  The idea of six-year-old Joe being confined to a schoolroom was one to savor… unless, of course, you were the schoolteacher.  “So, you haven’t asked him then?” he sighed as he got to his feet.  He had a feeling that Mr, Cartwright would not be quite as easy to convince.  Since Mrs, Cartwright’s death Adam had become an unofficial babysitter.

Adam followed him out of the barn. “I’ll ask tonight at supper, and you can back me up.  It’ll be fine.”

The voices faded and Joe cautiously crept from his hiding place.  Ah, so Adam planned a fishing trip, he mused.  Joe liked fishing.  He’d rather like to go along but he knew from the conversation that he wasn’t likely to be asked.  He began to plot.

“Joe… Little Joe… where are you?  It’s supper time.”  He heard his father’s voice calling from the porch and anxious to keep on the right side of his best ally in his plans, he hurried to make himself known.

The four Cartwrights and Ross sat around the dinner table enjoying the wonderful aroma of Hop Sing’s roast chicken.  Ross and Adam talked quietly on one side of the table and Joe leaned forward from the other side to try to listen in.  At the head of the table, Ben deftly removed the bowl of potatoes from his middle son’s grasp and handed it to Ross.  “I think the rest of us would like a few, Hoss,” he smiled.  “You’re forgetting we have a guest.”

Hoss shrugged.  He really didn’t consider Ross a guest anymore.  He was here more often than not.  He moved his attention to the carrots and beans.

Ben shook his head; nothing distracted Hoss when there was food around.  He was already almost the same height as his older brother and twice the size of his twelve-year-old classmates.  “I’m going to have to leave you boys for a few days next week.  I have some business in Genoa.  It may take five or six days.”  He cast a wary eye on Little Joe.  “You behave yourself for Adam, young man.”

Adam glanced at Ross and screwed up his nose.  Ross nodded and made encouraging signs.  Adam sighed it was now or never.  “Ross and I were planning on going on our fishing trip Monday or Tuesday.”  He spoke slowly and deliberately trying to make it a foregone conclusion without actually telling his father it was.  No one “told” Ben Cartwright, least of all his sons.

Ben looked up from his plate.  “I’d rather you didn’t,” he said mildly as he turned his attention back to his roast chicken.

Ross raised an eyebrow.  It looked like the trip was off.  Mr. Cartwright rarely changed his mind once he had said no and mild as it was, it was definitely a no.

Adam sighed and laid down his fork.  “Pa you said we could after the north fence and the corral were finished.  I’ve worked hard all summer…”

Ben too set down his fork and turned toward Adam with a stern expression.  “I didn’t say you couldn’t go but now is not a good time.  I’d rather you didn’t go while I was away.”

Adam was about to protest further, but one look at his father’s face told him it wouldn’t be wise to pursue it right now.  He subsided into a sullen silence for the rest of the meal and as soon as it was over excused himself and stormed up to his room.

“That was a real good supper, Mr Cartwright.”  Ross gave an embarrassed shrug.  “I’ll go talk to him.”  He followed his friend up the stairs and hesitated at the bedroom door.  Ross had known Adam long enough to want to avoid his temper.  He pushed the door open slowly.

“Can I come in without being killed?” he joked.

Adam was staring out of the window and he whirled around at Ross’s voice.   He looked angry for a moment then, seeing it was Ross, his face relaxed into a smile.  “Sorry, I forgot you were here.”

Ross flopped on to the bed and lay back, lacing his hands behind his head, his dusty boots on Adam’s quilt.  “So, the trip’s off for a while,” he said calmly, not wanting to start Adam off again but needing to voice his disappointment.

Adam frowned and pushed his friend’s feet to the floor.  “Mind my quilt,” he grumbled.  Then he shook his head.  “Why should it be off?  Pa didn’t say I couldn’t go, just that he’d rather I didn’t.”

Ross sat up abruptly.  “He meant no and you know that as well as I do, better in fact.”  He saw Adam’s expression and closed his eyes in supplication. “Adam…!” he almost wailed.

Adam sat down next to him and began earnestly.  “He’ll be gone Monday.  We can slip away and by the time he gets back we’ll have had our vacation.   What can he do then?”

Ross laughed mirthlessly.  “Knowing your Pa, he can do plenty.  I’ll remind you of what you said when you have to face him.”  He knew he was saying the wrong thing but he wanted to go as much as Adam.  “If you want to risk it then I ain’t gonna argue, it’s your hide.  When do we leave?”

He received a strange look from Adam as his friend got up and put a finger to his lips.  “Oh, we can decide that later…” he spoke as he crept to the door and yanked it open.

Hoss fell into the room and stumbled over his brother’s feet only barely managing to recover his footing.  Adam grabbed him by the arm and swung him around.

Seeing his older brother’s furious expression Hoss tried to wriggle out of his grasp.  “I…I wuz… j… just…”  he stuttered.

Adam hauled him up by his shirtfront and glared at him. “You were just eavesdropping, that’s what you were just!” he spat at him.  “It’s about time you little brothers were taught some manners,” he threatened.

Ross moved swiftly to separate them.  “Hey, cool off, Adam.  No harm done.  Hoss won’t say nothing about what he heard.  Willya, Hoss?”  He firmly pushed Adam backward and faced Hoss, who had managed to release himself from his brother’s grasp and was rubbing his arm.  He looked up at the older boys with a sly smile.  “Nah, course not.  I’ll come with you.”

Adam almost exploded with anger, “Why, you little…that’s blackmail!”

Ross chuckled.  “It sure is, but I don’t see we have a choice.  If we don’t go along with it, your Pa will stop the trip anyhow.  It’s either go with Hoss or don’t go at all, ‘cos when your Pa hears how you planned to deceive him, you’ll spend the next ten years right here in this room.”  Ross knew full well that like his own father, Ben Cartwright would not tolerate lies.

Adam swore a little too loudly and both of the other boys shushed him and looked anxiously toward the still open door.  After a few seconds of awful silence when they quite expected Ben to appear and bring down the heavens upon Adam’s head, they relaxed again.  Ross closed the door and leaned back against it as if to stop any further interruptions.  Hoss planted himself firmly in front of his older brother.  “Well, do I get to go, or do I fetch Pa?”

Adam’s expression was as black as thunder as he reluctantly nodded.  “Alright, but you don’t tell a soul, especially Little Joe.  He stays with Hop Sing and if he doesn’t know we’re going he won’t make a fuss.”  He swung around on his brother angrily.  “Now, get out of here and keep your mouth shut.”

Hoss left in triumph.  He didn’t often manage to best Adam and it felt good.

“There was nothing else we could do,” Ross said quietly, hoping to cool Adam’s temper.

“Do you have to be so damned right all the time?”  Adam growled. Then, seeing Ross’s slightly hurt expression, he laughed and both were soon back to making plans.

Ben shook his head.  “No, you go, Hop Sing.  Adam can take care of the boys for a couple of days.  Your cousin needs you more than they do.”

Hop Sing’s head bobbed in agreement.  ‘Numbah five cousin sick.  He be bettah in four, maybe five, day.  Mistah Adam send message to Virginia City if he need me,” he agreed.

Ben smiled and gathered up his pack.  “I’ll be back by Saturday,” he said as he went out into the yard.  He promptly forgot Hop Sing’s imminent departure as he fell over the sawhorse which Joe had dragged to the porch so that he could climb to the porch roof to look at an old bird’s nest he had spotted.  He cursed under his breath and continued on his way to the barn.

Adam had spent the morning in a state of nervous tension waiting for his father to leave.  If Ross arrived before Pa was well away there would be difficult questions to answer.  It would be hard to explain why Ross was here on a workday without telling a lie.  Pa seemed to take ages in the kitchen packing supplies for the trip and talking to Hop Sing.   Finally, Adam was able to wave goodbye and give a sigh of relief.  Hoss and Joe were standing beside him and Hoss glanced across and grinned.

“What time’s Ross comin’ over?” he asked.

“Why’s Ross comin’ today?”  Joe piped up quickly.

“Never you mind.  You go see Hop Sing while Hoss and I finish up the chores,” Adam said sharply.

Joe considered the proposal for a moment.  “Nope, I’d rather help you.  Hop Sing’s washin’ floors and stuff,” he said with a perverse grin on his face.  He delighted in giving Adam headaches.  He guessed he his brothers didn’t want him around and that made him more determined to stick with them.

Adam sighed.  The last thing he wanted right now was Joe under foot but then he didn’t want an infamous Joe tantrum either.  “Okay, but do as you’re told and keep out of the way.  We’re in a hurry.”  He started to walk quickly away and Joe had to run to keep up with his long strides.

“Why you in a hurry?” he asked innocently.

“Why do you ask so many questions?” Adam retorted sharply.

“Pa says that’s how you find out stuff,” Joe replied as he skipped along beside his older brothers.

Adam made no comment but set to work on the barn chores while Joe chattered alongside him and constantly peppered him with questions.  Ross arrived as the brothers were finishing the morning tasks and while he chatted to Hoss, Adam slipped inside to fetch the rest of his gear.  He looked in the kitchen for Hop Sing but there was no sign of him.  So much the better, if Hop Sing didn’t see them leave he couldn’t complain and hold them up.

“I’m packed and ready,” Ross announced.  “Are you boys ready yet?”

Hoss sighed.  “I am, but Adam’s forgot sumthin’ and he’s gone back in the house.”

Joe tugged at Ross’s sleeve, “Where you goin’?   Can I come?” he asked in rapid succession.  Ross always had more time for him than either of his brothers.

Ross smiled at the earnest little cherubic face.  Joe could really turn on the charm when he wanted and those curls and his still slightly chubby baby face gave him an air of innocence that few could resist.  Stooping down to Joe’s level and putting an arm around him, Ross tried to explain.  “Not this time, little buddy.  We’re goin’ fishin’ and camping and sleeping out overnight for a few days.  You’re kinda little to do that just yet.  Your Pa wouldn’t like it.”

Joe’s face crumpled and tears of disappointment and frustration formed in his hazel eyes.  Ross could often be persuaded with tears and Joe intended to use every weapon.  Adam was unaware of the conversation or he might have been a little more sensitive as he rejoined them.

“We’re all set then.”  He bent down to Joe.  “Hey, little buddy, you go inside to Hop Sing and we’ll be back in a couple of days.”

Joe’s disappointment turned to anger.  He didn’t think tears would work on Adam, so he went for a different route and stamped his foot.  “I am NOT little!” he yelled as he flew at Adam and began pummelling him with his fists.

Adam held him at arm’s length with a maddening grin.  “Hey, hey, cool off.  You aren’t coming with us no matter what you do.”

His arrogant tone only served to make Joe’s frustrated anger turn into a real tantrum.  Despite the little boy’s struggles, Adam held on to him until he could fight no more and he collapsed in tears.  Adam now felt sorry for him and hugged him while talking softly.  “Joe, we’ll take you someday when you’re older, but Pa would have my hide if I took you on an overnight trip in the mountains at your age.”

“He probably will anyway, when he finds out we’ve gone,” Ross muttered under his breath.

Adam pulled out a handkerchief and wiped Joe’s eyes.  “Here, blow your nose and dry your eyes properly.  You be a good boy for me and take care of the ranch with Jake and Hop Sing and I’ll take you to town when I get back,” he suggested gently.

Joe shrugged off his brother’s hand raced for the house, calling over his shoulder, “I hate you!  I’ll get back at you!”

Ross put a hand on Adam’s arm “Was it wise to promise him a trip to town?  I gotta a nasty feeling when your Pa finds out about this trip you’ll be lucky to see town before you reach twenty-one.”

Adam groaned.  “Don’t think about it.  Joe’ll be fine.  Once he and Hop Sing start doing things, he’ll have a good time and forget about us.”

It was another hour before all the preparations were done and the boys set off.  Hoss carried his pack and Ross and Adam slung the canoe between them.  They laughed and joked with each other and none of them looked back to see a pair of green eyes watching them from an upstairs window.

Joe waited until they were out of sight and then he picked up his jacket and pocket knife, and carefully propped a piece of paper against his washstand.

“Gon wiv Adam” was all it said in Joe’s untidy lettering.  Mama had taught him how to do his letters and he was quite proud of his note. He crept down the stairs and into the yard.  No one was around.  He skirted the barn and fell into place about two or three hundred yards behind the older boys.  Every time they stopped to rest the canoe he gratefully sank to the ground.  Their legs were longer than his, and even though the weight they were carrying slowed them down, the little boy had a hard time keeping up with them.  He was mighty relieved when they reached the river and stopped to re-pack the canoe and put it into the water.

He sat down to rest and then an awful thought struck him.  How was he going to keep pace with the canoe?  The river wound its way between rocks and bushes with no clear path for him to follow.  He made a tough decision.  He had to remain undetected until nightfall or Adam would send him home.  He would strike out on his own and take a direct route cutting off the bend in the river.  He waited until the canoe had been pushed off from the bank and was almost in the middle of the river before setting off up the steep slope that led to the regular trail.  He knew the area reasonably well and guessed at the spot where his brothers would make camp.  He had been there several times with his father but never to stay overnight.  Now and again he would get a brief glimpse of the river and if he saw the canoe and its occupants he was spurred on.  If not, he was despondent.  At times he felt very grown up and quite brave and at others scared and tired.

The older boys had to paddle hard to make headway against the current and it was almost dusk by the time they moved inshore to make camp.   The area was thickly wooded and Hoss was despatched to find firewood and get a fire started while the older boys rigged up a rough shelter from fir boughs and some rope they had brought with them.  All three worked hard and soon they had a half-faced camp with a blazing fire on the open side.   Adam damped down the fire a little and put the coffeepot on to boil.  He unpacked the supplies Ross’s mother had given them and the ones he had taken from the pantry and set about preparing a meal.

The light from the fire and the cheerful voices as they went about their tasks helped Joe to find the location of the camp and he arrived just as Adam called that supper was ready.  The smell of frying bacon was more than he could bear.  He had forgotten food in his hurry to get away and hadn’t eaten all day.  He had remembered water but his canteen was almost empty now.  He crept to the edge of the camp and then stopped.  Suddenly his bright idea didn’t seem so bright.  Adam was gonna be awful mad at him, he thought.  His older brother could get real scary when he was angry.  He tried to attract Hoss’s attention but his brother was too intent on the contents of the frying pan.  He moved forward slowly hoping Hoss would see him and at least stand between him and their older brother but luck wasn’t with him.  He had almost reached the fire when Adam glanced up.  The older boy’s jaw dropped to see Joe standing not three feet from him.  For a moment he was dumbstruck.  He thought his little brother was miles away at home with Hop Sing.

Joe took advantage of the moment’s silence to risk a tired and very tentative grin, which faded as he saw the older boy’s expression.  Adam’s black brows knitted together and his dark eyes smouldered with anger as he got slowly to his feet.  Joe gulped.  His brother towered over him and the little boy began to wonder if this time he had gone too far.

On the other side of the fire Hoss had glanced up and was watching, fascinated, as his two brothers stood facing each other like combatants in a duel.  He didn’t know how Joe had got here but, judging by Adam’s expression, he was going to be lucky to come through this encounter unscathed.

Adam grabbed Joe by his arms and lifting him slightly off the ground, shook him.  “What on earth are you doing here?” he yelled, making Joe flinch and Ross rush across to see what was happening.

Joe’s eyes widened and he went very pale.  He stuttered for a moment but he was so scared the words wouldn’t come.

“I asked you a question,” Adam growled angrily. “Answer me!”

Joe swallowed hard.  “I…I followed you,” he said softly.  He tried to wriggle free but Adam was gripping him tight, so tight that it hurt and tears welled up in his hazel eyes.

“You’re hurting him, Adam,” Ross said quietly,  “Let him go.”

Adam shook Joe fiercely. “I oughta tan his hide!” he exploded, but he did loosen his grip a little and Joe could once more put his feet on the ground.  “Don’t you realise how stupid it was to follow us?  You coulda had an accident and no one would’ve known where you were,” his voice now low and controlled.  He closed his eyes in frustrated anger mixed with relief: the dangers were endless but Joe had survived them all.  He supposed he should be grateful for that at least.

“Yes, dey would,” Joe pouted. “I writed a note.  Hop Sing’ll find it in my room,” he finished defiantly.

Ross gently pried Adam’s fingers from the little boy’s arms and put a comforting arm around Joe’s shoulders.  “You go get something to eat,” he said gently.

Joe glanced at both of the older boys with a mixture of apprehension at what they would do with him and relief that he didn’t have to walk any further alone.

“He’s tired and scared, Adam.  That’s a helluva walk for a little kid, he must be worn out.”  Ross led his friend to the shelter and sat him down.

“I’d like to wear him out,” Adam grunted as he sat down.  “Of all the…”

Ross made soothing noises and sat down beside his buddy.  Both rested their chin in their hands and thought.  “What do we do now?”  Ross finally broke the silence.

“How the hell should I know?”  Adam snapped back.  “If we take him home the trip’s off, and if we don’t Hop Sing will have men out searching and Pa back from Genoa before you can blink.”

Ross drew in a breath, “Maybe not.  If Joe’s note says he’s with us, Hop Sing might think he left with us, and anyhow we can’t go back until tomorrow and by then if he’s sent for your Pa it will be too late.   Anyway you look at it, you’re in trouble, buddy, and we might as well enjoy the trip.”  He gave a wry grin. “It might be your last.”

“Oh, very funny,” Adam snapped.  “I suppose you’re right, though.  Might as well be hung for something worthwhile since I’m gonna be hung anyway.”

Joe had been surreptitiously eavesdropping and he allowed a small smile of triumph to creep on to his face.  “You mean I can stay?” he whispered.  Adam still looked angry.

His older brother turned on him making him shrink away toward Hoss.  “Yeah, you can stay.  But that don’t mean I’m not mad at you.  You do exactly as I say or I’ll give you a spanking,” he threatened.

Joe waited until Adam wasn’t looking and then nudged Hoss and gave a big grin.  Joe lived for today and it looked like today was pretty good.  He’d worry about Adam’s threat tomorrow when he wanted to do something else he’d been told he couldn’t.  Hoss shook his head in exasperation.  His little brother sure did take risks.

Joe had camped overnight with his father once or twice but this was a big adventure for the little boy, to be with the older boys and no parent.  He watched what the others did and tried to copy them until they began setting out bedrolls.  His face fell, he hadn’t thought to bring anything other than his canteen and his jack-knife.   He bit his lip and tried to decide what to do.  He caught Adam’s sleeve and tugged.

“What now?”  Adam snapped, still thoroughly out of sorts at having his trip spoiled.

“I ain’t got no blanket,” Joe whispered nervously.

Adam swore softly and then remembered Joe was listening.  “Don’t you ever repeat that,” he ordered.  Hoss was already rolling himself into his blanket and there wasn’t much to spare.  Adam could hardly ask Ross to share his so he gave a deep sigh and pointed at his own.  “You can share mine, but you keep still, you hear?”

Joe nodded.  “Yes, Adam,” he whispered again.

All night Adam cursed his little brother.  The pine boughs were fine with a blanket on top but mighty uncomfortable without and with only one blanket it was nigh impossible to sleep on it and cover themselves with it.  He turned out of bed early and began preparing breakfast.

“With one extra and Hoss’s appetite, I guess we’d better catch some fish today,” Ross grinned as he joined his friend.  “You feeling any better about it this bright and sunny morning?” he teased.

Adam grunted.  “You fetching water or standing around discussing the weather?”

Ross chuckled.  “Well, I guess that answers my question.  I’m on my way, oh master.”  He ducked out of Adam’s reach, laughing.

Hoss woke as soon as the smell of frying bacon reached him.  He stretched and rolled out of his blanket to hunker down beside Adam.  “He looks kinda cute when he’s asleep, don’t he?” he asked, pointing at the bundle that was their little brother.

“Oh yeah, a real pretty picture,” Adam replied grumpily.

Hoss sighed.  “I’ll look after him, he won’t be no trouble.  I know you and Ross wan’ned to be on your own and I’m sorry I spoiled it.  He wouldna come if I’d been home.”  He felt bad that his brother’s trip had been ruined and he could think of no other way of helping out.

Adam grunted something unintelligible and then slapped some bacon on a plate.  “Well you can start by waking him up and making him eat.  I’m not having him whining all day that he’s hungry.”

Hoss took the plates and retreated to the shelter to wake up his little brother.  Adam was sure gonna be difficult to live with.  He was beginning to wish he hadn’t asked to come along.

A couple of hours later the disagreements had been forgotten, although Adam was still a little out of sorts.  They had paddled upstream and then carried the canoe around the waterfalls, now on the other side they searched for a good place to fish.    Ross discovered a creek running into the main river and the fast flowing water had cut little bites into the bank which were teeming with fish.   The two older boys put the canoe in the water, tethering it safely to a small sapling on the bank and settled down to catch supper.  Hoss and Joe watched for a while until Joe began to get bored.  He had paddled in the creek, climbed a tree to get a better view of the river and generally annoyed Hoss.  Now, he wanted excitement.

“Can we take the canoe out?” he asked.

“Yeah, Adam, we could take a look, see if there’s any place else to fish,” Hoss joined in.

Adam shook his head emphatically.  “No.  No way,” he said firmly.

“Aw…c’mon, Adam,” Hoss begged.

“I said no and you two had better listen and listen good.  It’s my canoe and you are not gonna wreck it.  Go find something else to do or help catch supper.”

Ross raised an eyebrow at the two younger boys, warning them off.  Adam’s mood had only marginally improved since breakfast and the peace was still pretty fragile.  For a while the two subsided into silence again.  Hoss attempting to fish with a rather short piece of string and no bait on his hook and Joe built a dam across one of the small switchback streams that fed into the creek.

Ross and Adam relaxed and both leaned back and rested their eyes.  Joe was so intent on building his dam that he didn’t notice that the water rising behind it was beginning to seep away in another direction.   Didn’t notice that is, until a wild shout from his older brother startled him and he fell back into the pool showering Hoss with icy cold droplets.  He scrambled hurriedly to his feet as an irate and very wet Adam advanced toward him.  The water stopped from its natural course had built up into a deep pool and had eventually broke through its natural bank and cascaded down hill on a new route. That route had led it down Adam’s neck and back as he lay resting on the riverbank.  Joe decided that running was his best option and he took off at full speed into the trees with Adam at his heels.

“Think we oughta go after ‘em and stop murder being done?”  Ross asked lazily.

Hoss yawned and shook his head.  “Adam won’t catch him.  Joe’s too fast.”

They both lay back and closed their eyes and sure enough a puffing and panting Adam returned a few minutes later without Joe and flopped down beside them.

Ross turned his head and squinted at his friend.  “Ain’t you spent enough time around him to know better than to get all het up?  It don’t do no good and you come off worse’n he does.  This is supposed to be a vacation.”

Adam nodded.  “Okay, I’ll stop worrying and let him do what he likes and you can chase after him,” he grumbled.

About an hour later Joe crept back to the riverbank and nudged Hoss.  “He okay now?” he asked pointing at Adam who was snoring softly with his hat over his eyes.

Hoss put a finger to his lips and got to his feet, he didn’t want another upset with Adam.  “How about we go see if we can catch a rabbit for supper?  They ain’t caught much fish and I’m starving.”

No rabbits materialised to walk into Hoss’s rather rickety traps and no more fishing was done.  At least, when the younger boys returned Adam seemed to be in a better mood.   Supper was sparse and Hoss made sure everyone knew he was still hungry when he finally curled up in his blanket.  Adam grumbled a little at a second night of sharing a blanket, finally accepting that there was no other way he allowed Joe to snuggle in close so that they both could keep warm.

“Our last day,” Ross groaned as he rolled out of bed.  “Tomorrow we’ll have to start back if we are going to be home before my Pa as well as yours gets mad.”

Adam added coffee to the pot and set it on the fire.  “Depends on how accommodating Hop Sing’s going to be,” he mused.  “If I can persuade him not to say anything then Pa need never know.”

Ross raised an eyebrow.  “You go missing for four days and take your little brother with you without telling him and you expect him to cover for you?   Sorry, buddy, I don’t think so,” he chuckled “And I doubt you’re gonna keep Joe quiet about it, either.”

“He’d better keep quiet if he knows what’s good for him,” Adam muttered darkly.

“Hey, how about we leave them here to fish today and we try to climb Martis Peak?  We always said we would and it’s a beautiful day.”  Ross gazed upwards at the soaring peak above the river.

Adam frowned.  “I don’t know.  I shouldn’t oughta leave them on their own.  Hoss is only – ”

“Hoss is near thirteen and bigger than you.  Stop worrying so much.  You were doing stuff on your own and looking after him when you were much younger.”  Ross put on his most persuasive expression.  This was supposed to be a vacation and all Adam had done was complain and worry about his brothers.  Not having any brothers of his own meant that Ross’s sense of responsibility was somewhat diminished.

“Weeell… alright, as long as Hoss doesn’t mind.”  Adam said reluctantly.

Hoss not only didn’t mind he thought it would be better to be away from his older brother for a few hours.

For the first couple of hours after Ross and Adam left the two younger boys fished and then splashed in the stream.  Joe’s attention span was short and by mid morning he was bored again.  He wandered over to the canoe and sat in it.

“Get outta there!” Hoss shouted.  “Adam’ll get mad at you agen.”

Joe shrugged.  “He cain’t see me and anyhow, it’s tied to the bank it ain’t goin’ nowhere.”  He picked up one of the paddles and tested it in the water, splashing as he pretended to move the canoe.  “It’s real easy to paddle, Hoss.  I bet we could do it better’n Ross and Adam.”

Hoss strolled over to the bank and looked down at Joe.  “Yeah, but we cain’t, it ain’t ours.”

“Ain’t really Adam’s, neither.  The Paiutes gave it to Pa.”  Joe continued to make the canoe rock.  “See?  You can’t tip it over even if you try.  C’mon, Hoss.  Let’s take it up the stream a bit.  There ain’t no danger here.”

Hoss hesitated; it might be fun and he was bored.  Anyhow, where did Adam get off to tellin’ him what to do all the time?  He was grown up now.  Well, almost…

Joe saw the hesitation and his eyes sparkled.  Hoss was nearly there. Like always, he could talk his brother into most anything if he tried hard enough.   “Adam won’t be back for hours.  It’s a long climb.  We got plenty of time to go upstream we don’t have to go nowhere near the river.  You’re stronger than Adam anyways.  You can take care of us,” he pleaded, knowing Hoss would be flattered.

Hoss nodded.  “Sure, I can.  Now, you gotta do exactly what I say, Little Joe,” he ordered.

Joe grinned and nodded.  He’d won.  He always did with Hoss.

Hoss untied the canoe from the bank and tossed the rope inside.  He climbed in carefully and seated himself opposite his little brother.  The canoe began to drift out from the bank and the calm water into the faster flowing part of the stream.  At first the boys paddled upstream and enjoyed the freedom of playing with the canoe but before long both wanted more excitement.

“It’s faster over there,” Joe pointed,  “And it gets better downstream.”  He waved at the ripples he could see in the distance beyond the camp.

They turned the canoe and for a while let it drift with the water down toward the main river.  When they were about fifty yards from the point where the stream joined the river, Hoss pulled hard on his paddle and swung the canoe across the flow of water to slow it.

“We’d better head back,” he said with a frown.  “Adam wouldn’t like us going into the river.”

“Adam won’t like us being in his canoe,” Joe scoffed.  “Let’s go take a look. You ain’t scared, are you?”

“No, I ain’t,” Hoss retorted angrily.

He turned the canoe again and allowed it to drift into the river.  Here, the banks were wide apart, maybe a hundred yards or more, and as the canoe drifted into the middle of the flow it began to pick up speed.   The river was fairly smooth and for the first two or three hundred yards the boys simply fooled around and enjoyed the ride.  Neither of them looked ahead as the banks became steeper and more tangled with trees and shrubs.

“Hey, Joe, it’s getting rougher. Maybe we oughta head back,” Hoss suggested as the canoe began to lurch on the white water and fall into the troughs.

“Aw, Hoss, this is fun!  It’ll be smooth again in a minute.  There’s just a few rocks is all,” Joe pleaded.

For a long time afterwards Hoss wondered why he ever listened to his younger brother.  Within minutes the canoe was rocking violently and the waves were splashing over the sides.  Hoss tried to turn the canoe and paddle upstream but all he succeeded in achieving was half a turn leaving them moving sideways downstream and rapidly gathering speed.   He tried hard to pull against the current but it was now more than he could handle.  His little brother was unaware of the danger until Hoss yelled at him to bail out some of the water and help paddle.

Joe glanced up, still unconcerned.  “Well, which d’you want me to do?” he yelled back.

“PADDLE!” Hoss almost screamed.

Joe stared at his brother and then at the rough water, a definite fear now showing in his eyes.

The canoe was gathering speed at an alarming rate and Hoss’s heart missed a beat as he heard a dull roar and he remembered… the waterfall; over a hundred feet of tumbling water dropping into the canyon below.

Far above the drama unfolding on the river, the two older boys scrambled ever higher.  Both of them had rifles slung over their shoulders and every now and again they caught a glimpse of some game but never for long enough to make hunting a real possibility.  Neither really cared about a hunt, being free to walk and talk was all they wanted.  They had covered many subjects and were now engrossed in a discussion about the lack of suitable female companions in Johntown and the surrounding countryside.

“Instead of a couple of days fishing what we need is a trip to Placerville,” Ross suggested.  “Or maybe even Sacramento.”

“Oh, fine chance of that,” Adam scoffed.  “When I get home from this one I’ll be lucky to see the outside of my room.”

Ross laughed loudly.  “How are you ever gonna persuade your Pa to let you go to college if you can’t escape to Placerville?”  He dropped down on a grassy knoll.  “I need a rest.  This is a harder climb than I figured,” he gasped as Adam stopped and sat down beside him.

Adam drew his knees up to his chin and clasped his hands around them.  “It was all set, then with Marie being killed an’ all, I gave up on it, but I’d still like to go someday.  Maybe in the fall,” he said wistfully.

Ross lay back and squinted at his friend.  “Bet there are some pretty girls in Boston, lots of ‘em,” he mused.

“Yeah, all with chaperones; old biddies like Mrs. Trent and Mrs. Trimble, who’ll make me sit in the parlor and make small talk all evening.  Or spy on us from the windows when we sit on the porch.  Won’t even be able to steal a kiss,” he sighed.

“Don’t recall you havin’ much trouble when you was sparking Caro,’’ Ross chuckled.  “Never knew why you gave up on her for Maria.  I mean, she’s guarded like a prisoner.”

Adam shrugged.  “Well, it didn’t last long anyway.  There aren’t any really nice girls around here.”

Again Ross chuckled.  “Me, I’m not looking for a nice one.  Nice ones come with Mamas and Papas.  Last time I went to Placerville with Pa there were a few not so nice ones I wouldn’t have minded a few hours with.  Pa kinda keeps a tight rein on me when were there though.  I guess he knows me too well.”

Adam grinned.  “Bet you’d be too shy, anyhow.”

“Don’t you believe it.  Wait until Dutch Pete gets them girls he keeps promising,” Ross boasted.

“Yeah, and there’s another place I’m not supposed to go,” Adam sighed.  “Pa yelled at me last time ‘cos it was after midnight when I got home.”  He pushed to his feet.  “Come on, old man.  It’s still half an hour to the top and if we don’t move we won’t get back down again before dark.”  He held out a hand to haul Ross to his feet.

He stood for a moment looking across the valley.  “It’s beautiful up here.  You can see for miles.  The camp’s well hidden in the trees or we’d be able to see Hoss and Joe.”

Ross stood at his shoulder and followed his gaze.   “Hey, what’s that down there?” he pointed towards the river.

Adam was turning away but he looked back to see what Ross had spotted.  “Looks like a boat…” he said lazily.  Then he snapped around.  “It’s the canoe.  My canoe…”  His eyes widened and his mouth opened in shock. “It’s heading for the falls …Oh my God, the boys are in it!” he screamed.

He started to run although he knew it was futile.  It had taken all morning to climb this far and would take more than an hour to reach the river again even at speed.   Adam crashed through the undergrowth, heedless of the damage to himself and his clothes, his one wish to get to his brothers fast.  His heart was beating faster and faster as he ran.  The thoughts ran through his head: his little brothers were being drawn over the falls; he should have taken more care; he could do nothing to save them…  Once or twice he glanced up but as he descended towards the river, the canoe and its occupants became lost to view.

A little over an hour later Adam and Ross stood on the river bank trying to recover their breath as their eyes scanned the river and its surrounds for signs of life.   Ross was holding his friend’s arm in an effort to stop him diving in to the water.

“We have to go down stream, below the falls,” Ross said quietly.  “The canoe must have gone over.”  His voice was calm but shocked.

Adam shook his head.  “If it went over, then… it’s a hundred feet down and rocks at the bottom… Little Joe only just learned to swim properly.”  His voice shook as his mind sent him pictures of what had happened to his brothers.

Ross pulled at his arm.  “Don’t think about it, let’s go and search.  Maybe they’re okay…”  He knew it was an impossibility… well, maybe a one in a million chance that anyone could survive that drop and the undertow of the falls.

Twenty minutes later, at the base of the falls, the two boys stood silently side by side each one scanning the river for any sign of life.  There was none.  After about five minutes Ross pulled at Adam’s sleeve.

“If they came over that then they wouldn’t have surfaced until much further downstream,” he said softly.  “Let’s walk on down.  You look on the far bank and I’ll look this side.”

For fifteen minutes they walked and found nothing then Ross spotted the canoe, or what was left of it.  He scrambled down the bank and pulled the bow section ashore.  It had broken off about two feet from the front and smaller pieces were floating in the water nearby.  Apart from the bow, no piece was bigger than a dinner plate.

He shook his head and looked up at his friend.  “Let’s go back and pack up the camp.  We’ll need supplies if we are going to walk any further down river, it’ll be dark in an hour.”

He didn’t voice his thoughts.  There was no way either of the boys could have survived the drop and even if they had, the undertow would have drowned them.  Somehow, he had to be strong for Adam and get him home.  He couldn’t imagine how he was going to tell Mr Cartwright.  He must think that all of them were safe at the ranch.

Adam’s face was ashen as he allowed Ross to drag him back along the bank to the path that led up the side of the falls.  At the top Ross stopped for a breath before heading on toward the camp. Adam was so upset that he wasn’t watching the river or where he was going and when Ross stopped suddenly he cannoned into the back of him.

“What’s that over there?”  Ross yelled at him, his voice almost drowned out by the sound of the water thundering over the falls.

“Where?” Adam yelled back as he tried to follow Ross’s pointing finger.

Ross moved closer and pointed again.  “There!  That tree, the one that’s fallen into the river!  I saw something.”

Hoss’s shivered.  His fingers were numb and he didn’t know how much longer he could hold on.  It seemed like hours since he had made a grab for the branch of this old tree.  The canoe had passed close by and he had taken a chance. Holding on to Joe’s wrist with one hand, he had let go the paddle and launched himself at the half-submerged tree.  The pull of the current was too strong for him and the canoe had been wrenched from under them, leaving him hanging on to the tree.  It had taken super human strength to pull first Joe and then himself from the water to perch precariously on the branch.

He looked around him.  In theory, it should have been possible to inch their way along the tree to the bank.  In practice, every time they moved the tree sank lower and moved further out into the stream.  Hoss hadn’t said as much to Joe but he knew it was only a matter of time before the tree broke free from the bank and followed the canoe over the falls.  Their only hope was rescue.  Their only rescuers, Adam and Ross, might not be back for another couple of hours and by then he and Joe would have been here all afternoon.  Even if the older boys searched soon they might not find them until after dark.  He felt Joe shiver beside him and tried to pull him closer.

“We gonna die, Hoss?”  Joe said in a small voice.

“Shucks, no.”  Hoss tried to inject some warmth and optimism into his voice.  “Adam’ll find us soon and then we’ll be in hot water not this freezing cold stuff.”

“You really think he’ll find us soon?”  Joe persisted.  “I’m awful cold.”  The need to be found more than cancelled out any fear of what his older brother might do when he discovered the canoe had gone.

“Yeah, course he will and he’s gonna be madder’n a hornet ‘bout his canoe.”  Hoss replied.  He glanced up at the mountain, closed his eyes and prayed that he was going to be alive to hear his older brother yell.  At this moment Hoss would have given anything to hear Adam’s voice, no matter what it was saying.

As if in answer to his prayer a sound came across the water.  “Hoss…Hoss…”  Adam’s voice, full of relief and urgency.

Hoss opened his eyes and gasped.  Adam was standing on the bank about thirty feet from where he and Joe were clinging desperately to the tree.  “We’re okay, Adam!” he yelled back.

Adam and Ross took in the scene, first with relief and then with growing alarm.  Knowing the boys were unharmed was one thing; rescuing them, quite another.  Adam’s instinct was to get to his brothers as fast as possible and he put one foot on the tree roots but as soon as he transferred his weight to the tree it shifted, tearing more roots from the bank.  He sprang back quickly as the soil washed away at his feet.

Ross caught his friend’s arm.  “I know you’re desperate to get to them.  So’m I.  But we could do more harm than good by rushing it.  I’ll go back to camp and get some rope.  You keep talking to them and keep ‘em still,” he ordered.

Adam nodded but didn’t turn around.  “Hoss!  Stay as still as you can and keep Joe still,” he yelled.  “We’ll get to you.”

Ross was back in a couple of minutes with ropes.  “If we throw one to Hoss he can tie it around Joe and we can haul him in,” he suggested.

“No!”  Adam replied vehemently.  “If he fell into the water pulling him through it could drown him or he could hit his head on those rocks.”

Ross looked at his friend with a mixture of exasperation and despair.   “Well, what d’you suggest?  That tree ain’t gonna hold to the bank forever and they’re both cold and scared.”

Adam rubbed his ear and stared out at the churning water.  “We throw a rope to Hoss and he ties it around both of them.  Go get a third rope,” he ordered.

“What for?”  Ross asked puzzled.

“Just go get it!” Adam growled as the tree moved again and his composure snapped completely.

Ross turned away, a little hurt and worried.  He couldn’t think what Adam was planning.

Adam cupped his hands around his mouth.  He had to make Hoss hear and understand what he planned to do.  “Hoss…I’m gonna throw two ropes, one for you and one for Joe.  Tie one around under Joe’s arms and then put the other around both of you.  That way if you both slip Joe will still have you to help him,” he called.

Hoss nodded; then finding his voice, he yelled back that he understood.

Ross returned with the extra rope and mystified handed it to Adam.  Adam began to tie it around his waist.

“You surely aren’t gonna try and get out to them?”  Ross gasped.  “All three of you will go over the falls!” he said in horror, the prospect of watching such a tragedy filling his mind.

“Tie my rope around one of those trees back there and you hold on to the others.  If the tree goes they’ll have better chance if I’m there to help them.”

Ross shook his head but followed instructions.  Now was not the time to argue with Adam; he had that determined and stubborn look on his face.

Slowly, Adam transferred his weight to the tree, secure in the knowledge that if it went Ross would hold the ropes with his two brothers until he could get to them.  Ross had wrapped all three ropes around a solid tree trunk and now held two in his hands but with a back up of an anchor if he needed it.  Adam inched his way along the thick part of the trunk feeling it move as he moved.  He didn’t dare look back to see how much more had come away from the bank; the trunk had certainly dipped lower in the water.   Hoss and Joe watched in silence, both too scared to move and both praying that Adam wouldn’t slip.

Finally he reached out a hand and clasped Hoss’s wrist.  “You okay?” he asked tersely.

“Yeah, just cold and wet,” Hoss shivered.

Adam carefully lifted the rope that held the two together and fixed it securely around Hoss alone.  “You start moving back along the trunk.  Joe and I will wait until you are nearly there then I’ll bring him.  Don’t worry.  Ross has the rope.  If you slip he’ll pull you in.”

Hoss nodded and began to inch his way back long the tree trunk.  The extra weight of Adam at the thinner end of the trunk had made the tree bend further into the current and as Hoss started to move the roots gave way again and the tree sank lower plunging Adam and Joe into the icy water up to their waists.  Adam grabbed hold of his little brother and hung on in case the tree came away and he had to risk swimming for the bank.  This time it held by one strong root.

Hoss was almost at the bank when Adam gave Joe a squeeze, “Our turn now, little buddy.  You stay close to me and move as smoothly as you can, not too fast, okay?”

Joe nodded, his eyes wide in his pale face.  The trust in his older brother; total.

Very slowly, Adam inched his way along the trunk following Hoss at what he hoped was a safe distance.  He was relieved to see Hoss was almost at the bank.  At worst, now, he would fall into the mud.  He and Joe still had a long way to go.  His arms ached with supporting his young brother and clinging to the branches.  Hoss reached the bank and jumped off the trunk in relief.  The loss of his weight made the tree lurch suddenly and Adam who had been transferring from one branch to another lost his grip.  He and Joe were thrown into the maelstrom of water churning beneath the tree.  At the same moment the jerky movement pulled the tree clear of the bank and with the two boys still entangled in its branches it began its race downstream to the falls.

Hoss heard Ross’s yell as he hauled on the ropes holding Joe and Adam.  He ran to help him but he was cold and stiff and his muscles wouldn’t work as well as usual.  Both boys tried to pull in on the ropes but it was as much as they could do not slide into the water.  The banks were wet and muddy and keeping their feet was a difficult task.

“I can’t see them!” Hoss screamed.

Adam felt himself being tugged downwards.  He held his breath and tried to fight his way to the surface again without losing his grip on his little brother.  When he finally broke the surface of the water his lungs felt as though they would burst.  He was relieved to see that Joe was still with him and still conscious.  He attempted to transfer Joe’s hands, which were gripping his wrists, to his shoulders but Joe would not let go.  “C’mon, buddy, I gotta swim,” he gasped.

Finally Joe understood and moved his arms until he was circling Adam’s neck.  Adam kept one arm around his brother until he was sure Joe had a good grip and the rope was securely around him too.  By this time, Adam could feel the undertow and hear the thunder of the falls so loudly that all communication was impossible.

He began a strong crawl toward the distant bank but still the branches impeded him as the tree raced for the drop.  Taking a deep breath and motioning to Joe to do the same, he dived under the tree, not realizing that this was the moment when Hoss had been searching for him.  As he cleared the branches and surfaced again he felt the welcome pull on the rope helping him toward safety.

Hoss jumped up and down in excitement and fear.  “There!” he yelled at Ross and renewed his pulling on the ropes.  It took several minutes before Adam and Joe were ashore.  Both sprawled out on the mud gasping for breath, Joe’s face pale and frightened and Adam’s almost comatose.

Adam’s run down the mountain, followed by the traumatic rescue had left him exhausted and in shock.   As soon as he was warm he fell into a deep sleep.  Hoss and Joe dozed too but both woke well before their brother.  Ross stoked the fire and kept watch over them, checking every so often to ease his worries.  When the younger boys woke up he brewed coffee and even allowed Joe a little as there was no other hot drink available.

“I’d better see what I can cook for supper,” he said, gathering together their meager supplies.

Hoss glanced up guiltily.  “Want some help?”

Ross shook his head.  “You rest.”  He glanced at Adam.  “He’s gonna have some tough questions for you two when he wakes up.”

Joe moved closer to Hoss.  “He’s gonna be real mad, ain’t he?”

Ross raised an eyebrow and nodded.  “He sure is.  His canoe is spread over half of the Truckee basin and you scared him to death.  I hope you both got tough hides or a damn good explanation.”

Hoss ducked his head and hugged his knees.  Joe looked frankly scared.  Both boys watched their older brother for signs that he was waking and when he did stir they jumped, making Ross laugh.

Adam sat up and rubbed his eyes as memory slowly returned he looked across at his two brothers.  “You two okay?” he asked quietly.  At their nods his eyes narrowed and his brows drew together.  “What on earth were you doing?” His voice was stern and low.

Joe looked at Hoss, hoping his big brother was going to answer.  Adam, in this mood, scared him.  Hoss in turn looked at Joe hoping for inspiration or divine intervention.  Neither was forthcoming.

“We… we borrowed the canoe, just for a few minutes we didn’t mean to go out in the river,”  Hoss explained hurriedly then ducked his head again.

“Didn’t mean to…”  Adam’s voice almost dripped with sarcasm,  “Took itself, did it?  You’re so weak you couldn’t paddle against the stream and you just floated into the river.   More likely you” – he swung around on Joe making him flinch – “persuaded Hoss to go out there for the fun of it.  Isn’t that how it happened?”

Neither of the younger boys spoke or even looked at him.  When Adam was this angry it was better to keep quiet.

“Do you realise you could have drowned if we hadn’t seen you from the ridge?  I oughta take a switch to both of you,” he stormed eyeing up the willows that grew near the bank and making Joe retreat even closer to Hoss.

Hoss hated to have anyone mad at him but he took exception to the idea of Adam giving him a tanning.  “You wouldn’t,” he said belligerently.  “Pa would get mad at you then…”  He stopped as he realized that it might be better if it was Adam who did the punishing rather than if their adventure was reported to their father.

Adam folded his arms and smiled smugly.  “Yeah, he might at that.  So I guess I’ll just have to leave it to him to punish you.”

Hoss glared at his older brother but subsided into silence, which continued for the rest of the evening.  Joe and Hoss stayed together and every now and again sneaked glances at Adam’s angry expression hoping his temper would cool before they went home tomorrow.

The next morning Adam woke them before first light and sternly told them to pack everything up as they would be carrying it.  Without the canoe they had a long walk home.  He crouched down beside Ross who was cooking pancakes or at least something that was supposed to pass for them.

“Sorry they’ve ruined our trip for you,” Adam sighed.  “You don’t know how lucky you are not having any brothers.”

Ross grinned.  “Oh, I don’t know.  I’d kinda like some.  It wasn’t ruined, maybe a little different, that’s all.”  He cocked his head on one side and surveyed his friend.  “You really gonna tell your Pa what they did?”

“You bet I am.  They both deserve a thrashing,” Adam stormed back at him.

“I kinda thought the idea was to get back before your Pa so he didn’t know you’d sneaked off.  Ain’t he gonna be a bit put out with you?”

Adam groaned.  “Yeah, I guess so.  But what else can I do?  I can’t let them get away with it.  They could have been killed and my canoe is in pieces.”

Ross chuckled.  “Ah, so that’s what’s eating you; the loss of the canoe.    C’mon, Adam.  We did some pretty scary things when we were their age.  Our folks didn’t always get to hear about them and we’re still alive to tell the tale.  Give ‘em a break.  Your Pa’ll come down pretty hard on ‘em if he gets to hear about it.”  He raised an eyebrow.  “He’s gonna come down pretty hard on you, too.  Sneaking off without his permission…”   He raised a hand to still Adam’s protest, “Yeah, I know he only said he’d rather  you didn’t, but mentioning that is likely to get him even more riled.   Taking the boys with you and then not watching them…”  He rubbed his chin and surveyed his friend.  “I’d say you’d be in as much, if not more, trouble than they would.”

Adam waved a hand at him dismissively.  “I’m not letting them get away with it,” he said firmly.

Hoss, who had overheard part of the conversation, felt a definite sinking feeling in his stomach.  He should have stopped Little Joe.  Why did he always let his little brother talk him into things?  He wished with all his heart that he had never come on this stupid trip.

The trip down the riverbank to the main trail was accomplished in silence, each boy lost in his own thoughts.  Joe struggled with the pack Adam had given him to carry and at the point where the track joined the road he protested.  “I’m tired, can’t we rest for a bit?” he whined.

Adam gave him a firm push toward the road.  “We keep walking for another hour before we make camp or we won’t be home before nightfall tomorrow.  If you’re tired then it’s your own fault.  You could have been sitting in a canoe all day if you hadn’t wrecked it.”

Ross gave him a sympathetic glance and Joe hurried forward to walk with him.  After a few minutes Ross leaned over and took one of the packs Joe was carrying.  “I’ll give you a hand for the last bit if you’ll help me set up camp,” he offered.

Adam grunted his disapproval but said nothing.   He still hadn’t decided what to do when he got home.  If they made it back before Ben then he had hoped to persuade Hop Sing to forget the whole thing.   But now he wasn’t so sure.  His brothers shouldn’t be allowed to get away with what they had done, he decided.  Then a small voice inside reminded him that neither should he.

The following morning he was still undecided as the four trooped wearily into the Marquette yard.  Alice was on the porch to meet them and to Ross’s utter disgust she threw her arms around him and hugged him as though he had been gone a year instead of a few days.

“Come inside and have some pie,” she invited.  “You must be hungry and it will save you cooking when you get home.”

Adam’s head shot up.  “What?  Where’s Hop Sing?”

Alice was bustling around the kitchen and she spoke over her shoulder.  “Oh, Jake said something about him looking after a cousin in town.”

Paul Marquette had followed them into the kitchen, his expression serious.  “Yeah, Jake came by the day after you left and asked if we knew where you were going.  He didn’t seem to know much about your trip; especially that the youngsters were with you.”  He raised an eyebrow at Adam.  “He was worried about Joe, thought maybe he should have kept an eye on you.”

A flush came to Adam’s cheeks and he looked down at the tablecloth.  “Yeah, well…” he mumbled.

Paul nodded wisely.  “Your Pa thinks you’re at home looking after your brothers, don’t he?”  he asked slowly.

“Well, I never said…” Adam started, then seeing Mr. Marquette’s disbelieving look he nodded.

Paul Marquette shook his head.  “Well, I guess no harm came to any of you, so what he don’t know can’t hurt him, but you see it don’t happen again or I might have to have a chat with your Pa.”

Adam breathed a sigh of relief and tucked into the apple pie with renewed vigor.

On the final leg of their trip Adam impressed on his brothers that neither was to breathe a word of what had gone on in the past five days.  “If Pa don’t ask then we don’t say anything.”

“You mean you ain’t gonna tell him ‘bout the canoe and the river and stuff?”  Hoss asked, his eyes wide and his heart beating fast.  “What if he asks?”

Joe nodded vigorously.  “You gonna lie to Pa?” he whispered.  He couldn’t think of anything worse and Adam never got in trouble.  Joe stretched the truth occasionally but he couldn’t imagine Adam doing so.

“No, I’m not gonna lie, but I’m not volunteering the truth, neither.  He won’t be home until tomorrow and he won’t even know we’ve been away and that’s the way it’s gonna stay,” Adam retorted.  Somewhere at the back of his mind there was a niggling doubt: Jake knew, and Mr. Marquette knew and his brothers would have to keep quiet and the canoe was sure to be missed and…the list of possible ways of discovery was endless.

Ben arrived home early, pleased to be back.  Business trips were fine but he preferred to be home with the boys.  It was remarkably quiet when he rode into the yard and he guessed that with chores done Adam had probably suggested a swim or something.  He stabled Buck and noted that the horses were in the barn so the boys couldn’t be far away.

Jake was working in the corral and Ben wandered over to watch. “Boys gone swimming?”  he asked.

Jake looked up and frowned then walked over to where his boss was standing.  “Had a feelin’ you didn’t know about it,” he said mysteriously. “Adam went on that trip with Ross.  You know, the one they’d bin plannin’.  Seems Hoss went with them and young Joe followed.”  Jake went on to explain the circumstances and his trip to the Marquettes to check.  “I guess I shoulda gone after them but I weren’t sure if you’d said it was okay after all.”

Jake watched his boss’s expression with growing dismay.  Ben’s eyebrows drew together and he began to look blacker than a summer thunderstorm. “I told him he couldn’t go.  I told him and I sure didn’t say the boys could go with them.  With Hop Sing away…” he stopped, realizing he hadn’t told Adam Hop Sing would be in town.  “You wait until he gets back.  He’ll not move out of this yard for the next six months!” Ben stormed.

The three boys walked into the Ponderosa main yard in the middle of the afternoon.  It all looked peaceful.  A couple of horses were tied up by the barn and at the sight of the buckskin, Adam’s heart plummeted.   He’d said Saturday.   He was certain Pa had said he’d be home on Saturday.  He saw Jake come out of the barn and begin to untie Buck.

“Your Pa’s in the house.  He said to tell you to go right on in when you got back,” Jake said with a raised eyebrow.

Adam swallowed hard.  “Is he…is he mad, Jake?”

Jake nodded.  “He asked where you were and I had no choice but to tell him, boy.  He’s been working up into a temper for the past hour or so.  I wouldn’t keep him waiting.”

Hoss and Joe had both gone deathly pale and as the three moved across the yard they ducked behind their older brother.   Adam tentatively pushed open the planked door and stepped into the great room.  Ben Cartwright was standing in front of the fireplace his feet planted wide apart and his thumbs firmly hooked into his front pockets.  The stance was so familiar to the boys that each knew a lecture or worse was to follow.  “Well?  Do you have an explanation for your absence?” he started.

Adam glanced nervously around him. “We went on the fishing trip,” he said carefully.  “You know, the one I told you about.”

Hoss closed his eyes and prayed.  ‘Told’ was a bad word to use with Pa.

Ben drew in a deep breath.  “And I told you several times you couldn’t go.  Are you telling me you disobeyed me and took your brothers along too?” He spoke coldly in a very low voice and Little Joe hid behind his brothers.  Pa was real mad.

Adam’s next words made his brothers move away from him in anticipation of the lightning about to strike.  Joe marveled that his supposedly intelligent brother could make such a dumb statement and Hoss was frankly scared for him.  When Pa was this angry answering back was a death sentence and Adam had just signed his own.

“You didn’t say we couldn’t just that you’d rather we… didn’t…” he started.  Then, seeing his father’s eyes almost bulge out of his head in outrage, he swallowed hard and dropped his glance to the floor.  He had realized his mistake too late.  Eighteen years of hard won experience had failed him and he was now in too deep to redeem himself.  He waited for the axe to fall.

THE END