Summary:  Ben insists that each of his sons help with Hop Sing’s annual cleaning.
Rating:  G   11,135 words

Spring Cleaning

“I wouldn’t,” said Joe casually from under his hat as he sat rocking on the chair near the kitchen. 

Hoss and Adam stopped in their tracks on their way to the front door. “Wouldn’t what?” asked Adam in a puzzled tone. 

“Go in there,” replied Joe, lifting up his hat to grin widely at his two brothers. 

“Why not?” asked Adam. 

“Spring cleaning,” replied Joe, jerking his thumb towards the kitchen and giving his brothers a sad look. “Hop Sing started on the kitchen this morning.” 

Adam groaned and wiped his hand over his face. “Is it that time already?” he said sadly. “The year certainly goes quickly, doesn’t it?” 

“Sure does,” agreed Joe. “Seems no time at all since we was last helping out with all them heavy lifting chores.” 

“But it’s lunch time,” said Hoss, looking confused. “Spring cleaning or not, we gotta eat!” 

“Not in there we don’t,” said Joe. “Hop Sing’s working on the kitchen and he already chased me out when I asked what was for lunch. He’s in a right mood. Remember how he gets during spring cleaning?” 

Both Adam and Hoss shook their heads sadly and sat down on the edge of the porch. “But I’m darned hungry,” complained Hoss. “We haveta eat!” 

“Pa’s fixin some sandwiches,” said Joe. “He said to wait here for em.” 

“Sandwiches!” declared Hoss miserably. “But I’ve been working hard all morning … I need more than sandwiches ta keep me going. I think I’ll go and …” He made to stand up, but Adam dragged him down again. 

“Think carefully Hoss,” he said. “Spring cleaning …. Remember?” 

Hoss visibly shuddered. “Yeah,” he said. “I reckon I’ll just wait here fer Pa then.” The three brothers sat in miserable silence for a few moments. “Do ya reckon Pa will be able ta even get sandwiches?” asked Hoss eventually. 

Adam nodded confidently. “If anyone can get sandwiches out of there, Pa will,” he said. “You know that he manages Hop Sing better of any of us.” At that moment the kitchen door opened and their father appeared carrying a tray piled high with sandwiches. “See?” said Adam happily as he stood up. “He did it!” 

Ben came over to them and set the tray down on the edge of the porch while Hoss looked at it eagerly. “What did ya get Pa?” he asked hopefully. 

Ben offered the sandwiches around. “Cheese,” he said. “It was all I could manage to find. Hop Sing has everything all over the place in there and he’s in a right mood.” 

“Cheese!” said Hoss, miserably biting into one. “Ya know I don’t like cheese.” 

“Get used to it brother,” said Adam, taking a couple from the tray. “I have a feeling that we’ll be surviving on a lot of things we don’t like in the next few days.” 

“Eat it and be grateful I even got that,” said their father sternly. 

“I reckon that’s why I don’t like cheese none,” said Hoss with a sigh as he bit into his sandwich. “All these times when Hop Sing spring cleans we usually end up with cheese cause it’s the only thing we can find. I’ve grown ta hate it.” 

“How come Hop Sing decided it were spring cleaning now?” asked Joe as he munched. “He normally gives us more warning.” 

“I don’t know,” sighed Ben. “All I know is that he’s started on the kitchen today and says that he’ll be working on the rest of the house all next week.” 

“I suppose that means the usual?” asked Adam, lifting an eyebrow at his father. 

Ben nodded. “Yes,” he said. “I’ve told him that you boys will be available to help him with the heavy lifting and anything else he needs. Thank goodness the branding is over and I can spare you next week.” 

“Yeah,” muttered Joe sarcastically. “Thank goodness.” 

“What was that young man?” asked Ben quickly. 

“Um, nothing Pa,” replied Joe, just as quickly as he swallowed a mouthful of sandwich. “Only I was wondering why we haveta help … that’s all.” 

“Joseph, it takes an awful lot of work to keep this house running as efficiently as it does,” said Ben. “Hop Sing works very hard and the least we can do is to help him out once a year when he gives the house a thorough clean. After all, we live in it … so it’s the least we can do.” 

“Does that include all of us then?” asked Adam sweetly. 

Ben gave his eldest son a dark look. “I’ve had many years of spring cleaning when you boys were children,” he said. “You know very well that I’ve handed over that particular task to the three of you now.” 

“Of course,” said Adam in that infuriating way he had of speaking at times. 

“Besides,” added Ben. “I usually get stuck doing some of the food preparation because Hop Sing is too busy to do it while he’s cleaning.” His three sons tried to hide their disappointment at his remark, for their father’s cooking was known to be slightly adequate at best. Hoss touched his stomach briefly and sighed sadly at the thought of the miserable week that was ahead of him. 

“Well I don’t see why the three of us should suffer,” said Joe, winking at Adam behind Hoss’ back. “Why don’t just one of us help? We could draw matches for it.” 

“No,” said Hoss immediately. He could never figure out why, but every time they drew matches he seemed to lose. It was at the back of his mind that his brothers had some sort of trick to arrange it that way, but he could never quite figure out what it was. There was no way that he was prepared to trust the matches for something as important as this. None of them relished the thought of being under Hop Sing’s thumb for the week, least of all him. 

“Your brother is right,” said Ben firmly. “You’ll all take a turn … it’s fairer that way. Hop Sing estimates six days should do it, so you’ll have two days each. I suggest that you all rest up tomorrow as its Sunday … because come Monday morning you won’t have time to stop.” 

“And who is the lucky one who begins this process?” asked Adam dryly. 

Ben gave him another dark look. “Well, actually I was thinking of you,” he said. “We’ll work our way down by age. You first for two days, then Hoss and then Joe.” 

Joe and Hoss began to snigger at their brother, but Adam looked smug. “Suits me,” he said. “I’ll get mine over with first.” His brothers considered his remark and stopped sniggering as he added, “We all know that Hop Sing gets testier as the week goes on.” 

“That ain’t fair!” declared Joe indignantly. “I’ll get him after you two have finished with him and made him real cranky!” 

“That’s enough,” said Ben, getting up and brushing the crumbs off his lap. “It’ll be as I’ve arranged it. Come on boys, time to get back to work.” 

“Don’t we get nuthin ta drink?” whined Joe. 

“Get a drink of water from the pump,” replied his father. “I’m not going back into that kitchen for anyone!” 

:::::::::::::::::::: 

Day 1

Adam wiped his mouth on his napkin as he stood up from the breakfast table. “Well I’m all yours Hop Sing,” he said. “What do you want me to do first?” 

Joe made a face at Hoss and quickly got up from the table as well. “I’m outta here,” he said. “Work to do. Bye!” He scuttled for the door as quickly as he could. 

Hoss took one last look around the table and sighed at the array of fruit and toast. “I reckon there’s no point eatin no more,” he said sadly. “Nothin here kinda sits in my stomach fer long.” He looked at Hop Sing hopefully, but the man simply glared at him. 

“Hop Sing got no time for cook hot breakfast!” he declared angrily. “Mr Hoss be lucky get fruit and toast when spring cleaning.” 

“We know Hop Sing,” said Ben soothingly. “Hoss didn’t mean anything by it. I’ll get the sandwiches I made from the kitchen and we’ll get out of way until sundown.” He winked at Adam as he passed him. “Good luck with the cleaning,” he added softly. 

Hoss gave a sigh as he followed his father to the kitchen. “Please don’t tell em ya done made cheese again Pa,” he pleaded. 

Adam grinned at the miserable look of his neglected brother and strained to hear his father’s reply, but instead all he heard was Hop Sing muttering to himself in Chinese as he cleared the plates from the table. It was going to be a long two days, Adam decided, but he was determined to make the best of them. “Well,” he said as he helped Hop Sing with the plates. “Where are we going to start?” 

“In bedrooms,” said Hop Sing. “You go up and I be there in quick time with equipment. Strip beds off while waiting.” 

“Sure thing,” said Adam, trying to sound bright and positive. He went straight to the bedrooms upstairs and began to strip off the beds, shaking his head at the state of his youngest brother’s room as he did so. Adam was a very tidy man and could never understand how Joe could live with such a mess around him. “All done,” he said as he dropped the sheets from the guest room bed onto the huge pile that was already on the hall floor. “You want me to make them up with clean sheets now?” 

“No,” said Hop Sing, gathering up the sheets. “You take mattresses outside and hang over corral fence in sunshine for airing.” 

“Sure thing,” replied Adam, glad that now it was just the two of them that Hop Sing seemed to be more amenable. They worked alongside each other for the first few hours, taking down curtains for airing and restuffing the mattresses with fresh feathers. Then, while Hop Sing sat down and checked all the curtains for moth holes and sewed up the ends of the mattresses again, Adam collected a bucket of linseed oil and began to dust and polish the bedroom furniture. He began in his father’s room noting how neat his father was as well. Probably from all his years of living as a sailor, he decided. 

As Hop Sing sat sewing, he watched Adam with a satisfied air. The eldest Cartwright son was to his mind a most methodical and conscientious young man and Hop Sing fully approved of the way in which he went about things. Watching him now he noted how Adam attended to every detail, making sure that each piece was fully dusted and the dresser and cupboards were liberally covered with the linseed oil and polished to perfection. As they worked they chatted together, both of them relishing the rare opportunity to spend time with each other. It made them both remember how it had been years before when Adam had been a young boy and Hop Sing had been new to The Ponderosa. The youngster had gone out of his way to help the man feel at ease in their family and had even helped him to improve his English. Hop Sing had a lot of respect for the eldest Cartwright son and would have trusted him with his life. 

“You want me to clean out the drawers while I’m here?” asked Adam and Hop Sing nodded. 

“Yes,” he said. “Will need to check clothing for moth-holes and see if sewing needed in undershirts and socks.” 

Adam grinned at him and began to empty his father’s drawers, putting his things carefully on the bed next to Hop Sing who was still sewing. He pulled out a couple of piles of letters that were bound up with string and looked at them curiously before placing them on the bed. “These are all the letters I sent while I was at college back East,” he said in surprise. “Pa’s kept them all these years. I wonder why?” 

Hop Sing gave the young man a wise look. “He miss you a lot in that time,” he said simply. “Is way he can remember you back then.” 

“I suppose so,” said Adam, continuing to work. “Still, I would have thought he would have thrown them out by now.” He smiled sadly as he remembered back. “Gee that was a hard time,” he mused. “I was so homesick at first.” His eyes travelled to the pile of letters. “It would be really interesting to read them again,” he said. “Do you think Pa would mind?” 

Hop Sing shook his head. “They your letters,” he said. “Father not mind.” 

Adam grabbed one of them eagerly and began to read as Hop Sing watched him, his own mind travelling back all those years …… 

“Coffee Mr Cartwright?” Hop Sing put the tray down on the coffee and looked at the man in the red leather chair hopefully.  The last thing on his mind was coffee, however, and both he and Ben knew it. The pot had already been filled twice before and Ben never drank more coffee at this late stage of the evening after the two boys were in bed, but it was a good excuse for Hop Sing to come back out to the living room to try to get an idea of how their boy was going. He looked at the letter in Ben’s hand hungrily, knowing that there was more to it than the part that he’d read out loud to his two sons previously and Hop Sing longed to know what was in it.

Ben smiled at him and held it out, but Hop Sing took a step backwards and shook his head. English reading not so good,” he admitted, giving the man another hopeful look. Ben smiled again and motioned for Hop Sing to sit down, opening the letter and beginning to read … words from across the other side of the country from a young and lonely man who was missing his family. As Hop Sing listened to Ben reading his heart nearly burst with pride at the thought of Ben’s boy … their boy …. at college and doing so well. He sat back on the sofa and smiled as the words flowed around him, comforting him …

Adam looked up and grinned at Hop Sing. “Gee these letters take me back,” he said. “It’s like reliving those years all over again.” 

Hop Sing nodded. “Busy time for you,” he said. “Lonely time for father.” 

Adam nodded, understanding. “It was a lonely time for all of us,” he said, putting the letters back in a pile. 

“Yes,” said Hop Sing quietly. “For all of us.” He looked at the young man with pride in his heart as Adam began to work again. 

:::::::::::::::::::: 

Day 2

Adam eased himself carefully onto his chair and began to pour himself a cup of coffee. “Sore back brother?” teased Joe, grinning at him. “Not as young as you used to be huh?” 

“I’m fine,” said Adam shortly, determined not to let his younger brother rile him. 

“Oh good,” said Joe, still grinning. “I thought maybe all that heavy lifting yesterday might have been too much for an old fellar like you.” 

I’m handling it quite well thank you,” said Adam, sipping his coffee. 

“So how much did ya get done Adam?” asked Hoss, taking six pieces of toast from the pile and wishing there was more. “Plenty I hope. Ya don’t wanna leave too much for me tomorrow.” 

“Yeah,” agreed Joe. “You two make sure you work real hard and maybe there’ll be nuthin left for me to do when my turn comes.” 

“There’ll be plenty for you to do young man,” said Ben sternly as he sat down. “Now no more talk about getting out of work please.” 

Hop Sing brought in a pile of flapjacks and placed them on the table. “Oh boy!” said Hoss happily. “I thought we wasn’t getting any hot breakfast this week?” 

Hop Sing gave him a hard look. “Flapjack quick,” he said shortly. “Take no time.” 

Hoss rubbed his hands together and then speared a pile of them onto his plate. “And ain’t I glad about that!” he said happily. 

“Hoss, do you think we could all have some?” asked his father. 

Hoss gave him an apologetic look and put some back. “Sorry Pa,” he said. “I was just excited is all. So,” he continued with his mouth full. “What are ya doing today Adam? More heavy lifting?” He winked at Joe who winked back at him. 

“As a matter of fact yes,” replied Adam. “We’re moving the upstairs cupboards. I hate to think what we’re going to find in yours and Joe’s.” 

Joe swallowed his toast and looked furtively around the table. “Well that’s me all finished,” he said quickly. “I’ll just go upstairs and ….” He searched his brain for an excuse to go back upstairs. “Check that my bed’s made,” he said, getting up quickly and scurrying to the stairs. 

“No need,” shouted Hop Sing after him. “We turn mattress later!” 

Adam grinned at Hop Sing and winked at him. “I have a feeling that his bed is not the thing he’s worried about,” he said. “Little brother might be getting rid of some evidence in his cupboard before we get to it.” 

“What sort of evidence?” asked his father quickly. 

Adam shrugged. “Oh I don’t know,” he said casually. “Who would know with that kid?” He stood up. “Well, see you all later. I’ve got work to do upstairs. See you up there soon Hop Sing.” 

“Adam sure looks like he’s enjoying this,” said Hoss in wonderment. “He don’t seem ta mind it at all. Sure wish I didn’t.” 

“Your brother has learned to put his mind to a job when it needs to be done and make the best of it,” said Ben, standing up from the table. “Which is something you obviously haven’t learnt yet.” 

“Yes sir,” replied Hoss. “It’s like them cheese sandwiches Pa. I’m trying ta make the best of em … but it sure ain’t easy!” 

“I know son,” said Ben. He eyed off Joe as he came bounding down the stairs three at a time. “What exactly were you doing upstairs?” he asked. 

Joe gave his father an innocent look. “Who me?” he said. “Heck Pa, nuthin. Just straightening up for Hop Sing and Adam is all.” He gave his father one of his famous grins and bounded over to the hatstand near the front door. “Come on,” he said. “Daylight’s wasting.” 

Ben gave his youngest son a suspicious look before following him. “Get the sandwiches Hoss,” he said over his shoulder. 

“Yes sir,” replied Hoss with a sigh. 

Hop Sing shook his head as Hoss disappeared and then gathered up the breakfast things before taking them out to the kitchen and gathering his dust rags and other pieces of equipment. By the time he’d made it upstairs, Adam had already begun emptying his own cupboard and was in the process of moving it so that they could get up the rug underneath. “I was going to start in Joe’s room so that I could figure out what he’d been moving around in there,” he said with a grin as Hop Sing entered the room. “But I thought better of it. Maybe it’s best not to know eh?” He gave Hop Sing a grin and the cook returned it. At rare moments like this Adam saw the real Hop Sing who enjoyed a joke as much as anyone, but the man had grown to be so guarded over the years that it wasn’t often that he let his guard down in this way. 

I’ll take the rugs and curtains down later,” continued Adam as Hop Sing began to sort through the articles on the bed. “I suppose you want the dust beaten out of them?” 

“Yes,” said Hop Sing. “After I check for moth holes.” 

Adam waited while Hop Sing inspected the curtains, his hand drifting as it often did to touch his mother’s music box that was on his dresser where he always kept it. Without thinking, he opened the lid and listened to the soft lilting music that emanated from it, noticing as he did the frown that came over Hop Sing’s face. He shut the lid quickly. “I’m sorry,” he said. “Don’t you like it?” 

Hop Sing shrugged. “Is pretty,” he said shortly. “Take down curtains now and take downstairs for beating.” He waited while Adam got up on a chair and obediently took down the curtains, swooping up a handful of them together with the rug and disappearing downstairs with them. Hop Sing stood looking out of the window for several moments until Adam appeared out in the front yard and began to drape all of the articles over the corral fence before beating them with a wire brush. Clouds of dust began to rise from them immediately. 

Hop Sing stared at the young man for a moment before turning back to the room and resting his hand onto the small music box. He lifted the lid again, his heart lurched for a moment as the sound flooded his mind with memories of the past …… 

Hop Sing stood outside the back door as he often did late at night after everything was cleaned up and he was finally ready for bed. He drank in the scent of the pines and listened to the wind rustling through them as he drank in their sweet smell. He turned his head and listened as the soft music came drifting down from the upstairs window …. Mr Cartwright’s window …. And he suddenly realised that it was May again. It was in May that she had died … so Adam had told him. Elizabeth, Mr Cartwright’s first wife and Adam’s mother. So many years ago and yet the man still obviously cherished her memory so dearly. 

Hop Sing often heard the music box playing softly at this time of night when everything was still and quiet and knew that his employer was up there listening to it and thinking of his first wife. Hop Sing had never met the woman of course, but he knew that if she was anything like her son that she had been a very special lady. 

Mr Cartwright always became nostalgic when the anniversaries of all three wives’ deaths came around and May was Elizabeth’s month. It was as if he put all his energies into remembering each of the special women that they had been and used the small reminders that he had of them to bring them back to him. Elizabeth’s music box, Inger’s hand-knitted rug and Marie’s music box. Although Hop Sing had only ever know the last of the Cartwright mothers, be knew without doubt that they had all been special … as their sons were special. 

He would never have said it out loud … and rarely showed even an inkling of his feelings … but he cherished each of the Cartwright sons as if they were his own. He knew their strengths and their failings. He knew their minds and their hearts. He knew them inside and out and even though he never showed it … he loved them. 

Hop Sing shut the lid of the box and the soft music faded. He sighed. “You want these back up?” asked Adam, coming into the room with his armful of curtains and the rug. “They’re as clean as I can get them.” Hop Sing nodded and didn’t say anything. “Well I guess I’ll get onto Joe’s room next,” said Adam. “Let me know when you want that cupboard moved back Hop Sing.” Hop Sing nodded again and still didn’t say anything. Adam gave him a strange look. “You OK?” he asked. “You look sort of strange.” 

“I fine,” snapped Hop Sing, unwilling to let his true emotions show as always. He picked up a cloth. “Not know why you have so many books! Too many books! Too much dusting for Hop Sing!” He began to fling the dust-cloth around with great energy and Adam made a face and disappeared quickly from the room. 

:::::::::::::::::::: 

Day 3

Hoss clapped his hands together in anticipation as Hop Sing put a platter on the table. “Fruit!” he said in dismay. “But …. What happened to the flapjacks?” 

Hop Sing gave him a cranky look. “No time for cooking this morning,” he said. “Too much spring cleaning!” He slammed the coffeepot down on the table and disappeared again into the kitchen. 

Hoss sighed. “I knew it was too good ta last,” he said sadly. “Oh well, I guess I’ll jest havta make up fer it during the day.” He grinned in anticipation. “At least now that I’m home for the next two days I’ll get ta eat.” 

Adam chuckled. “Don’t count on it,” he said knowingly. “We just grabbed what we could during the past two days. You won’t have much time to eat.” Hoss looked crestfallen and heaped up his plate with toast and Joe sniggered. 

“Do you good brother,” he said. “Take some of that lard off of you.” Hoss gave him a dark look as he munched his toast. 

“Now that’s enough from you,” said their father. “I’m sure you’ll get enough to eat son.” 

“Yeah,” said Joe, giggling. “There’s plenty of cheese in the kitchen for some of them cheese sandwiches that you love so much brother.” 

Hoss flung down his toast. “I’m gonna pound ya Joe iffen ya don’t shut up!” 

“That will do!” said Ben sternly. “Enough!” 

“Yes,” said Adam smugly. “You two need to just stop all this constant bickering.” 

“You should talk,” said Joe defensively. “After that stunt you pulled on us yesterday afternoon!” 

Adam looked aggrieved. “Well I couldn’t help it if you two just happened to be standing there when I was beating those rugs,” he said. “You’ve always got your mouth open little brother, so it’s no wonder you swallowed a mouthful of dust the way you did.” 

“I can’t help fighting,” said Hoss miserably. “I’m right ornery when I’m hungry …. And I’m hungry all the time lately.” 

“Well get used to it,” said Adam as he stood up and stretched. “I must say I’m happy that my spring cleaning is done and I can get back outside again.” He reached over and patted Hoss on the shoulder. “Have fun brother.” 

Joe stood up and giggled as he grabbed a piece of toast and followed his brother from the room. “Yeah, have fun brother,” he said over his shoulder. “Remember to get lots done!” 

Hoss gave his father a miserable look. “Pa …” he began. 

Ben put his hand up as he stood up from the table. “I’m not listening Hoss,” he said. “Have a good day.” 

“Have a good day,” mumbled Hoss as his father left as well. “How can I have a good day when I’m so hungry?” His eyes lit up and he got up from the table and tiptoed into the kitchen where Hop Sing was busy filling a bucket of hot water. 

“What you do in here?” Hop Sing demanded. 

Hoss looked around at the sparse kitchen. “I was kinda thinking I could start in here fer ya Hop Sing,” he said hopefully. “Maybe clean out them kitchen cupboards fer ya?” 

Hop Sing flung the bucket at him and waved him away. “Kitchen already done!” he shouted. “Bad boy want food! Bad boy not get food until work done! Window to be washed!” 

Hoss looked at the bucket in his hand in dismay. “Windows?” he said sadly. “How many windows?” 

“All!” said Hop Sing. 

“All?” said Hoss, swallowing. 

Hop Sing nodded. “All,” he said firmly. “Start upstairs.” 

Hoss muttered to himself as he walked up the stairs with his bucket of hot water and an armful of cloths. “All the windows!” he said. “It’s gonna take me all day!” 

“Hope not,” said Hop Sing behind him, also with a bucket and cloths. “We got all wall to scrub too.” 

Hoss stopped. “You’re kidding ain’t ya?” he asked and swallowed again as Hop Sing shook his head. “I’m gonna have sore shoulders by this afternoon sure enough.” 

By the afternoon though, sore shoulders was the least of Hoss’ worries. It seemed that every time he turned around there was one more window to wash and one more wall to scrub and it seemed like he was forever totting bucketful after bucketful of hot water up the stairs. It was well into the afternoon once they’d finished the upstairs bedrooms and were ready to start on downstairs and Hoss had to content himself with a hurried sandwich before Hop Sing was urging him to get everything pulled off the walls ready for scrubbing. 

I remember when I was a kid and Pa was building this house,” he said conversationally as they worked. “He let me mix up the whitewash ta paint it with.” He chuckled as he remembered getting more of the whitewash on himself than Adam and his father were getting on the walls. “That was right before you came weren’t it Hop Sing?” 

Hop Sing nodded. “Mr Ben had downstairs of house just finished when Hop Sing come,” he said. “Upstairs later.” 

“I remember,” said Hoss. “Adam and me thought you was real interesting when ya first come.” He gave the man a sideways glance. “No offence or nothing, but we’d never seen a Chinaman afore then.” Hop Sing nodded in brief acknowledgement of his words. Hoss carefully took down his father’s gun display from the wall of his study and then looked at the large picture of The Ponderosa ranch on the wall that had been there for more years than he could remember. “Remember when me and Adam and Joe gave this ta Pa fer his birthday that time?” he said as he took it down. “Adam had drawn it so careful and the Joe went and put the compass pointing the wrong way. Dadburnit but Adam was mad!” He chuckled at the memory. “You want all these books down too Hop Sing?” 

Hop Sing nodded as he watched Hoss working. The middle Cartwright son had always been a steady person in his mind and he well remember the quiet and thoughtful boy who had greeted the strange Chinese man when he’d arrived at the ranch for the first time. They’d quickly found a common interest in food … Hop Sing to cook it and Hoss to eat it … and had not looked back from there. Hoss was probably the one Cartwright more than any other that Hop Sing spent a lot of time with, for he was always popping in and out of the kitchen looking for something to eat and talking while he ate it, and consequently he was the one that Hop Sing had grown to know better than the others. 

He knew that Hoss had a simple and uncomplicated heart …. full of love for the land and his family … and he knew that the young man had a sense within him of what was right that he’d inherited from his father. 

“I’ll get these pictures down,” said Hoss, moving towards the murky daub near the front door. Hop; Sing shook his head, for he never could understand how Mr Cartwright had found that picture attractive enough to keep hanging there. He had decided long ago that there was no accounting for another man’s taste after all. Hoss went systematically around the large living are taking down everything from the walls so that they could be cleaned, even the large deer horns that hung above the fireplace … another reason for Hop Sing to shake his head. He never could understand the American love of hunting and to have the remains of a dead animal looking down on you from above was something quite abhorrent to him. However, the Cartwrights didn’t seem to mind it and as it was their house he had learned to live with it. 

Hoss removed all the guns from their rack and went to work on cleaning and polishing it with linseed oil. “I remember when Pa done first let me use one of these,” he said as he polished. “I was thirteen and real proud too.” 

“Father proud of young boy then too,” said Hop Sing, remembering as well. 

“I reckon so,” said Hoss, putting the finishing touches on the rack. “You want this Indian rug down too Hop Sing?” 

Hop Sing nodded. “Take outside and beat,” he said. “Get plenty dirt from Little Joe’s boots.” 

Hoss nodded, thinking of his little brother’s inclination to slide down the banisters that he still was known to do on occasion, even though he insisted to them all that he was now grown up and never did it any more. His boots usually came to rest on the Indian rug each time he did it and it showed the imprints of hundreds of boot marks if you looked closely enough. He dragged the rug from it’s customary position on the banisters, thinking how his father insisted had always insisted that they keep it there at the first landing to break Joe’s fall in case he one day went too far and broke through the wood slats on his way down. 

Hop Sing grinned as he remembered it too. There were lots of things from those days that were so much a part of his heart. Things like the first time Mr Cartwright had brought that rug home …. 

Where’d ya get it from Pa?” asked Hoss excitedly. “Is it really from the Indians?” 

“Sure is,” replied his father, spreading the red and white rug on the floor so that they could all see it. The Paiutes gave it to me in exchange for that tobacco I gave them.” 

“Its real nice, ain’t it?” said Hoss, bending down to examine it closely. “Don’t ya think so Ma?”

Marie hesitated for a moment before replying. “Yes,” she said. “It’s …. very nice.” 

“You don’t like it,” observed Ben. “Don’t worry, I had no intention of putting it down here on the floor. I know it doesn’t go with your décor my darling.” 

Marie breathed a sigh of relief. “Good,” she said. “Only … if you wanted to, then of course …” 

Ben put up his hand. “We’ll put it up in one of the guest bedrooms where you don’t have to look at it so often,” he said. 

Marie smiled at him. “You know me well,” she said. 

Ben kissed her on the top of the head. “Very well,” he said with a smile. 

Hop Sing smiled as he remembered how short a time it had remained in the guest bedroom. As soon as Little Joe was old enough to climb on that banister his father had placed in on the first landing and there it had stayed ever since. It was so much a part of the décor now, that none of them even noticed it half the time. 

“Hop Sing?” asked Hoss again. “I said do ya want me ta put the rug back or keep it down here?” 

Hop Sing gave Hoss a startled look and blinked a couple of times. “I done near beat it ta death,” said Hoss. “It’s right clean now.” 

Hop Sing nodded as he realised that he’d been standing daydreaming since Hoss had left the room. “Leave down,” he said. “Need polish banisters first.” When Hoss gave him an aggrieved look, he added. “Tomorrow’s chore. We finish now and I get supper ready.” 

“Hot diggety!” said Hoss, licking his lips. “Supper,” he said. “I’m so hungry I could eat a bear.” 

“No bear,” said Hop Sing sternly. “Only cold beef.” 

Hoss shrugged. “I’m so hungry I’ll take whatever I can get,” he said as he put down the rug and followed Hop Sing into the kitchen. 

:::::::::::::::::::: 

Day 4

Hoss sneezed and then wiped his eyes with his handkerchief. “Do you mind?” said Adam testily. “Do you have to do that all over the breakfast?” 

“Sorry,” said Hoss, putting away his handkerchief. “It’s these darned allergies of mine. All that dust Hop Sing and me has been stirring up has brought em all back.” 

“Well just so long as you get rid of it before I take over tomorrow,” said Joe, reaching for some toast. “I hate dusting.” 

“You and me both little brother,” said Hoss miserably. “I discovered yesterday that I hate lotsa things. Like window fer a start.” He glanced quickly to check that Hop Sing was nowhere in sight before adding, “If I haveta clean me one more window then I’m likely ta break it.” 

“We’ll have no such nonsense around here,” said his father firmly. “I had enough of broken windows when Joseph put his boot through one last month.” 

“Well it was Hoss’ fault,” declared Joe. “He shouldn’t have thrown that glass of water over me.” 

“Yow else was I ta get ya woken up?” said Hoss defensively. 

“Let’s not start this again,” cut in their father. “Just get on with breakfast so that we can get to work.” 

“Yeah,” said Joe. “Some of us get ta ride out for the day …. Whereas others get ta stay here.” He gave Hoss a smug look and Hoss returned it with one of his own. 

“Your day will come little brother,” he said. 

“Yes,” added Adam. “Like tomorrow.” Joe gave his brothers a dark look and said nothing as Hop Sing entered the room. 

“So what have ya got fer me today Hop Sing?” asked Hoss, eyeing off the egg with pleasure. “Eggs! Hot diggety!” 

“Need all strength today,” said Hop Sing, spooning eggs onto Hoss plate, much to his delight. “Cleaning fireplace.” 

Hoss’ face fell. “The fireplace?” he said miserably. “I don’t know if my allergies are gonna hold up ta that!” 

Hop Sing glared at him. “You not allergic to soot!” he declared. “Fireplace need cleaning and Mr Hoss clean it!” He stomped off into the kitchen, leaving Hoss staring in dismay at his eggs. 

“Well I’m glad it ain’t me,” said Joe happily. “Cleaning out the fireplace is just about the worst chore you can get.” 

“Oh I don’t know,” said Adam casually. “I think there are still worse ones to go. I’m sure that Hop Sing has saved some real good ones for you tomorrow.” 

Joe looked worried. “You think?” he said. 

Adam nodded as he stood up. “I do,” he said, enjoying the look of despair on his brother’s face. “Come on then. You’d better make the most of it while you’re still a free man.” Joe jumped up quickly form the table and followed Adam from the room without saying another word while their father tried to hide his grin. 

“I’m sure you’ll do fine today son,” he said to the dejected Hoss. “The fireplace isn’t that bad.” 

“I dunno Pa,” said Hoss. “Have ya ever cleaned it?” 

Ben nodded as he stood up. “Many times son, many times,” he said. “Good luck with it.” Hoss gave his father a doleful look as the man left the house, before finishing off his eggs and the rest of those on the platter. 

Suddenly Hop Sing came into the room again carrying a large shovel and bucket. “Chop chop!” he said, fluttering his hand at Hoss. “Enough breakfast! Time for cleaning now!” 

Hoss sighed again and got up from the table. “I guess I’ll be a mite dirty before the morning’s out,” he said. “”What do you want me to do with the ashes Hop Sing?” 

“Put out back,” said Hop Sing. “Use later.” He disappeared again before Hoss could ask him what he was going to use them for, soon returning with several large sheets which he spread all over the floors and the furniture. “No make mess,” he warned Hoss before disappearing again. 

By the end of the morning, Hoss had definitely made a mess. Try as he would, the soot seemed to settle on everything and he was soon on the end of Hop Sing’s sharp tongue. “You want clean walls again?” the housekeeper shouted. “No soot on walls!” 

“Sorry,” said Hoss as he scrubbed the grate. “I’m doing the best I can Hop Sing.” 

“Do better,” said Hop Sing angrily. He went over to the staircase and began to pull things out from behind the space behind it. He never could understand why the space was there in the first place and when he’d asked Mr Cartwright once Ben had acted sort of embarrassed as if he didn’t know either. Hop Sing suspected that it was a mistake in the plans of the house, but instead of his employer admitting to that he had simply used the excuse that it was for storage. Not that they needed it with such a large attic upstairs though. 

He pulled out several items such a snowshoes that should have been up in the attic, but that Joe had left there when he couldn’t be bothered to go upstairs and put them away. Now that the winter was over they needed to be stored away. Hop Sing put them to one side and soon had a large pile of things ready to go to the attic with them. Hoss came over to see what he was doing. “Hey,” he said. “I remember this! I’ve been wondering where it got to.” He picked up the rifle with the misshapen barrel and aimed it at the fireplace. “See Hop Sing?” he said. “It shoots around corners.” He put it down again. “Or it’s sposed ta,” he admitted sadly. “Guess I never did get it ta work.” 

“Finished grate!” snapped Hop Sing, trying desperately not to laugh at the sight of Hoss pretending to fire the strange weapon. Hoss slumped back to the fireplace and began to scrub the grate again as Hop Sing stared at the rifle which he’d placed back on the floor, remembering well the day that he had brought it home and how angry his father had been with him. 

“Hoss I really don’t understand you at times,” said his father. “Why on earth would you waste all your money on something like this?”

“But Pa,” said Hoss, sounding aggrieved. “It’ll be right useful.”

“What on earth for?” asked Adam, staring at the gun with the bent rifle.

“Shootin round corners,” explained Hoss patiently. “Fer when ya don’t want no one ta know you’re there.” He looked from his brother to his father and then back again. “And it’ll come in right useful fer hinting too,” he added.

“Son, it’ll never work,” argued his father. “The bullet will never make it out of the barrel when it’s bent that way.”

“Sure enuff it will,” said Hoss confidently. “The fellar what sold it to me said it would.”

“And you believed him,” said Adam patiently. “Hoss, he was having you on. It won’t work. Come on outside and I’ll prove it to you.” He grabbed the gun and took it outside, followed by Hoss.

Ben shook his head and sighed as he looked at Hop Sing. “The boy has wasted all his money again,” he said. “I don’t think he’ll ever learn.”

“Him not want to learn,” retorted Hop Sing. “Him like rifle, him buy. Simple!” Ben shook his head as the cook flounced out of the room as well. 

Mr Cartwright had always been so proud of his boys, even when he knew that they made mistakes. He’d often said how it was the only way they could learn, but Hop Sing knew that the man’s heart went out to them every time they did something silly … like buying the rifle. The problem was that Hoss was just too trusting and his father knew it. Trust like that could easily be replaced and the rifle was proof of it. Perhaps that was why his father had allowed him to keep it all these years? As a reminder to be careful in his dealings with people.

Hop Sing glanced over at Hoss who was putting the grate back in place. The young man was black from head to foot and looked quite peculiar. “I get hot water ready,” he said shortly. “You need bath.” Hoss grinned at him and he winked back at him in an uncharacteristic expression of his feelings for the young man.

:::::::::::::::::::: 

Day 5

“So little brother,” said Hoss with the relief evident in his voice. “It’s all yours from now on. I’m all done with spring cleaning until next year.” 

“We both have,” said Adam. “I wonder what Hop Sing has in mind for you today Joe?” 

“Well whatever it is, I can handle it,” replied Joe confidently. “I still think that Hoss had the worst chore yesterday with that fireplace.” He gave Hop Sing one of his dazzling smiles as the man entered the room with the coffeepot. “What are we gonna be doing today Hop Sing?” he asked. 

“Floors,” said Hop Sing. He plonked the pot down on the table and glared at Joe. “And you not complain!” he said, hitting him on the side of the head. “I have enough complaints yesterday from Mr Hoss about windows and walls.” He flounced out of the room again. 

“Hey!” said Joe indignantly. “I never said nothing!” He rubbed his head ruefully. “How come I’m always the one what gets hit on the head?’ he pouted. “He’s gonna damage my brain one day if he keeps doing that.” 

“Might?” asked Adam sarcastically. 

“What brain?” said Hoss just as quickly. 

Joe gave them both dark looks. “Well anyway,” he said. “Floors don’t sound too bad. I reckon it’ll be nice and easy.” 

Adam nodded at Hoss who winked back at him. “Tell us that tomorrow morning,” said Adam wisely as he stood up. 

“What’s so hard about floors?” asked Joe. 

“You’ll find out little brother,” said Hoss, patting him on the head as he followed his older brother out of the room. “You’ll find out.” 

Joe shrugged and grinned at his father. “I reckon they’re just jealous cause I got the easy chore,” he said confidently. 

“If you say so son,” replied his father, raising an eyebrow. “Well I must be off now. Good luck.” 

“I don’t need luck,” said Joe happily. “It’ll be easy.” He grinned at Hop Sing as the man came into the room again. “Well I’m ready to start Hop Sing,” he said. “What do I do?” 

“Move furniture,” said Hop Sing as he collected the breakfast plates. “I get what you need.” 

Joe swaggered over to the sofa and began to move it towards the side of the room, then returned and moved first the coffee table, his father’s red leather chair and Adam’s favourite blue one. “That do?” he asked as Hop Sing came into the room with several cloths and a bucket of something. 

Hop Sing frowned. “I say move furniture,” he said sternly. “All furniture, not just some!” He motioned to the dining room table and chairs and Joe sighed as he moved over to them. By the time all the furniture had been neatly stacked in a corner of the room, he was ready for a rest. He had no sooner sat down on the upturned sofa, however, than Hop Sing was shoving a broom in his hand. 

“What’s this for?” he asked. 

Hop Sing pointed to the floor as he gave Joe two buckets. “Slaked lime and soda,” he said. “Will clean floorboards. Use with sand in other bucket to scrub off stains.” 

“OK,” said Joe, smelling the liquid in the bucket. “Ew … that smells awful!” Still, it don’t sound too bad,” he said. “OK … I’ll start over here by the door.” He set to work dipping the broom into the lime mixture and scrubbing it, spreading sand over the floor at various intervals to keep it abrasive. He worked off and on for several hours, feeling quite proud of himself for the way the floors were looking by the time he’d finished. “Well I guess that’s about it,” he said happily as Hop Sing came into the room to see how he was going. “All done!” He sat down ready to have a rest, but was dismayed when Hop Sing thrust a bucket and some cloths into his hands. “What’s this for?” he asked. “I’ve finished!” 

Hop Sing shook his head. “You finish easy part,” he said wisely. “Now time for polishing.” 

Joe glanced into the bucket. “What is it?” he asked. 

“Linseed oil,” replied Hop Sing. “Get floorboards good shine.” 

Joe made a face and then sighed. “OK,” he said. “Where’s the mop for me to put it on with then?” 

Hop Sing shook his head again. “No mop,” he said. “Only way do good job is on knees. Use cloths and much rub.” 

Joe gave the man an appalled look. “On my knees?” he asked. Hop Sing nodded. “The whole floor?” he asked. “Hop Sing nodded again. 

“Start now,” instructed Hop Sing pointing to the floor. “Need finished by supper time.” 

Joe sighed again and got down on his knees, muttering to himself. After an hour of steadily working his way across the floor and not quite reaching halfway, he began to understand why his brothers and his father had acted as they had that morning. No doubt they had had their turn at polishing the floors in the past and had put up with the aching knees, shoulders and back. He sat up and stretched as he looked miserably at the large expanse of floor still ahead of him to do. “There has to be an easier way,” he muttered to himself and then grinned as an idea hit him. 

Quickly, he sat up and pulled off his boots before tying the cloths onto his feet and pouring the linseed oil liberally onto them. Then, tentatively, he stood up and took a couple of steps, sliding his feet as he did so. With a whoop of delight, he began to slide around the floor, smearing the linseed oil onto the floorboards as he did so. Soon he was gliding from one end of the room to the other, enjoying himself no end as he smeared the oil onto the floors behind him. 

“What you do?!?” 

Joe slid to an abrupt stop as he saw Hop Sing glaring at him. “I … um … I found a better way to do it,” he said feebly, looking down at the criss-cross lines of oil on the floor. Now that he stopped and actually looked at it, the floor didn’t seem to be evenly covered with the stuff at all. Hop Sing reached over and hit him sharply on the side of the head, beginning to shout at him in Chinese while he waved his arms around. 

Joe ducked for cover as Hop Sing berated him. “I thought it’d work,” he protested feebly as he sat down and pulled off the cloths. “I’ll go and do it the other way then if you don’t like it.” 

Hop Sing reached down and hit him on the side of the head again. “No like!” he shouted. “Bad boy! Always bad boy do much foolishment!” He glared at Joe’s sodden white socks as the cloths came off them. “Socks ruined!” he shouted. “More work for Hop Sing! Bad boy!” He hit him on the head again. 

“I’m sorry,” said Joe, ducking away again as he pulled off his socks. “I’ll go back to doing it on my knees … see?” He got down on his knees again and began to methodically apply the oil onto the gaps on the floor, grinning at Hop Sing as he did so. However, the man wasn’t to be mollified so quickly and he simply glared at Joe. 

Suddenly, Hop Sing pointed to the large grandfather clock next to the front door. “You no move clock!” he shouted. “I say all furniture move!” 

Joe gave him an appalled look as he sat back on his knees to look up at the large clock. “But it’s so big,” he protested. “I thought I’d just work around it.” Hop Sing shook his head as he continued to glare at him and Joe sighed as he stood up and began to heave the clock to one side. “Don’t know why we’ve got such a big clock anyways,” he muttered. “It’s ain’t good fer nothing.” 

Hop Sing looked at the young man and tried not to laugh as he remembered back to a time when that very clock had proved useful for him when he was a little boy …. 

“Joseph please!” said Ben, putting down his newspaper and giving the little boy a frustrated look. “Don’t kick my chair!”

Joe grinned at his father. “OK,” he said, unabashed. He continued to swing on the arm of his father’s red leather chair as he watched the man reading. “Whatcha reading Pa?”

“The newspaper,” replied his father absently as he began to read again.

“When can I learn ta read?”

“When you go to school … stop kicking the chair!” Ben pushed the small boy off the arm of the chair. “Either come up here and sit on my lap or move somewhere else,” he said.

Joe grinned at his father again and got off the arm of the chair, wandering over to look at the chess game between Adam and Hoss. “Don’t touch that,” snapped Adam, as his little brother picked up a piece.

Joe immediately put it back again and sighed. He stood and watched the game for a moment and then turned back to his father. “I got nuthin ta do,” he whined.

“Play with your soldiers,” said his father without putting down his paper.

“Don’t feel like it.” Joe sighed and then wandered away from the fireplace, ambling around the room looking at things. “Don’t touch that,” said his father as the child’s hand strayed to the papers on his father’s desk. Joe sighed again and wandered over to the large grandfather clock, looking up at it as the pendulum swung back and forth.

Hop Sing came into the room with a tray. “Coffee Mr Cartwright?” He said as he set it down on the coffee table.

“Thank you Hop Sing,” replied Ben, putting down his newspaper. “Adam?” Adam poured himself a cup of coffee as Ben poured out two glasses of milk and handed one to Hoss. He looked around. “Where’s Little Joe?” he said, not seeing the child. “Joseph!” There was no response. “Where has that child got to?” he said in frustration. “Joseph! Come here please! Where have you got to?” There was still no response and he frowned as he realised that his son was nowhere in the room. “Did either of you see where your brother went?” he asked.

Hoss and Adam shook their heads. “No Pa,” they said in unison.

“Joseph!” shouted Ben angrily. “Come here please!” There was a scuffling noise near the front door and he looked over at it, hoping to see his son there, but there was nothing. “Did you boys hear that?” he asked.

“Pa,” said Adam, pointing to the clock, which had stopped ticking. “The clock.”

Ben got up and strode over to the large clock, opening the front of it to reveal Little Joe sitting inside. He pulled the boy out and gave him two swift swats on the backside. “What were you doing in there?” he asked sternly.

“Just seeing if I could fit,” whimpered Joe, rubbing his small backside.

“Well don’t!” said his father angrily.

Hop Sing helped Joe to steady the clock as they pushed it towards the study. “Now you clean underneath!” he instructed as he hit him on the side of the head again. “No be lazy boy!” Joe rubbed his head and did as he was instructed while Hop Sing watched him. “You mischief maker,” he admonished the young man as he waggled his finger at him. “You always mischief maker ever since little boy.” He smiled to himself as he glared outwardly.

:::::::::::::::::::: 

Day 6

“What’s wrong?” asked Adam as Joe gently eased himself onto his chair. “Sore back?” 

Joe gave him a dark look. “Sore back, sore knees, sore shoulders, sore everything,” he admitted. “Why didn’t you tell me how hard them floors was?” 

“But I did,” said Adam sweetly. “Only you wouldn’t listen …. Remember? Easy chore!” He scoffed. 

“Yeah little brother,” chuckled Hoss in delight. “Learned something about them floors now, ain’t ya?” 

“Yeah,” admitted Joe. “I’m never gonna walk on em again with muddy boots, I can tell you that!” 

“I’ll believe that when I see it,” said his father drolly. 

“Well today’s the last day and I’m mighty grateful about that,” declared Joe. “I’m darned sick of spring cleaning!” 

“You sick of spring cleaning!” shouted Hop Sing as he dumped the coffeepot on the table. “You only have two days! Hop Sing have all week! Am sick of spring cleaning and am sick on complaining Cartwrights!” He flounced out of the room again. 

“Now see what you’ve done little brother,” said Hoss. “You’ve gone and put him in a bad mood.” 

“You two did that before I got to him,” declared Joe. “And I have to put up with it!” He ducked as Hop Sing came up behind his chair and hit him on the side of the head. “Aw gee Hop Sing! Quit it!” 

“You no complain!” Hop Sing shouted. “You put up with Hop Sing bad temper! Hop Sing put up with boy’s foolishment!” 

“What foolishment?” asked Ben quickly. “What did you do yesterday Joseph?” 

“Aw, gee Pa,” said Joe quickly, before Hop sing could say any more. “I never done nothing cept work hard all day.” He grinned at Hop Sing. “What are we doing today?” 

“Rest of downstairs,” said Hop Sing huffily. “Clean furniture.” 

Well that don’t sound too bad,” said Joe happily, helping himself to some coffee. “At least I won’t be on my knees no more.” 

“Whatever Hop Sing asks you to do, you make sure you do it properly young man,” said his father sternly. “Understood?” 

“Yes sir,” replied Joe dutifully. “You can count on me Pa.” He grinned at his father, but Ben merely shook his head at him as he got up from the table. 

“Come on boys,” he said. “We’ve got work to do.” Adam and Hoss both gave Joe a smile before getting up from the table and following their father to the front door. Joe sat back on his chair and sipped his cup of coffee, relishing it as he put his feet up on his father’s chair next to him. 

Suddenly his feet were thrust from the chair and he looked up to see Hop Sing glaring at him. “What you do?” asked the cook. 

“Just finishing my breakfast,” said Joe. 

“You lazy boy!” shouted the cook. “Finish breakfast and get to work!” 

Joe sighed as sipped the last of his coffee before getting up. “All right,” he said. “Where do you want me to start?” 

Hop Sing pointed t the banisters. “Polish handrail,” he said. “I take runner outside and clean it.” 

“Sure thing,” said Joe, happy that the chore wouldn’t involve getting down on his knees. “Linseed oil again?” 

Hop Sing nodded as he handed it to him with some cloths. “Linseed oil,” he said. 

“Gee we use a lot of this stuff,” mused Joe as he began to work. Hop Sing took the stair runner outside and Joe began to whistle as he worked his way up the banister, taking care to polish both sides as he went. As he got to the top of the stairs, he hesitated for a moment, looking back down the shiny railing that he’d just polished. After a quick look over his shoulder he put one leg over the edge and slid down it, feeling the joy that he’d always felt when he’d done that so many times before. His feet landed on the Indian rug with a thud, just in time for him to hear Hop Sing’s voice down below. 

“What you do?” Hop Sing shouted. “Just clean rug yesterday and bad boy make it dirty again!” 

Joe got off the banister quickly and gave the man a shameful look. “I was just seeing if it was polished enough,” he said, his excuse sounding lame even to himself. “I mean … you know … if it was slippery.” 

Hop Sing frowned at him. “Bring oil down here if finished,” he said. “Polish coffee table and leather chairs while I clean sofa.” 

“Sure,” replied Joe, glad to have gotten off so easily. He bounded down the remainder of the stairs and began work on the coffee table. “This is really marked,” he said presently. “I wonder why it has so many scratches on it?” 

Hop Sing gave him a scathing look. “You not know?” he said. “Think!” He hit Joe lightly on the side of the head. 

Joe made a face. “Oh yeah,” he admitted. “I guess when Adam puts his boots up here eh?” 

Hop Sing snorted. “Not number one son who is problem,” he said. “Number three son most have boots on there.” He kept sponging the red and white striped sofa with his wet cloth as he talked. 

“Well sometimes,” Joe admitted. “But Adam does it too!” He made a face when he realised that Hop Sing wasn’t going to comment and moved over to start on his father’s favourite red leather chair. “This chair sure has seen some wear,” he commented presently. “It’s real comfy too. I can see why Pa like it. Better than that old sofa.” 

“Get out of chair and keep working,” said Hop Sing shortly. 

“But really Hop Sing,” replied Joe, getting out of the chair and beginning to wipe it down. “Why does Pa keep that sofa anyway? It’s so uncomfortable. We could have a real comfy one there if he’d let us put that on in the attic.” 

“Mr Cartwright like sofa,” said Hop Sing softly as his mind drifted back to the day when Little Joe’s mother had her husband bring it home ….. 

Marie watched in satisfaction as Ben moved the sofa into place in front of the fire. “That’s perfect,” she said, clapping her hands in delight. “Doesn’t it look beautiful there?”

Ben looked at the sofa appraisingly. “It looks different than I thought it would,” he said.

His wife glanced at him. “What do you mean different?” she asked.

“Well …” Ben thought for a moment. “When you picked out that material during our trip there I thought it was perfect, but now that I see it here …” He hesitated. “Well, it doesn’t really suit the house as I thought it would.”

“Nonsense,” said Marie happily. “I think it’s perfect. Why it goes so well with your red leather chair.”

“It doesn’t feel too comfortable to sit on,” said Adam, testing it out.

“But it looks very fashionable,” insisted Marie.

“Well it would want to for all the money it cost to have it made and transported here,” muttered Ben. “No matter what we think of it, we’re stuck with it now.”

Stuck with it indeed!” said Marie, putting her hands on her hips. “You men are all the same … you can’t tell quality when you see it.” She reached over and pulled Little Joe off the sofa as he was about to bounce on it. “Believe me Ben, you’re going to grow to love this sofa … we all will!”

Hop Sing doubted that Mr Cartwright had ever really liked the sofa at all, but since his wife had died so soon after that he had kept it there in memory of her. In spite of all the boys’ protests, he never would hear a word against it, and so it remained there year after year … very fashionably uncomfortable. 

“Hop Sing?” asked Joe again. 

Hop Sing’s mind drifted back to the present. “What you say?” he asked. 

“I said it that OK now?” asked Joe, standing back to survey the leather chair. “It looks good to me.” 

Hop Sing nodded. “Is good,” he said. “You do good job.” 

Joe flushed and smiled at the unusual praise from the man. “Thanks,” he said, puffing up. “What next?” 

“You polish glass on hanging lamp,” said Hop Sing, pointing to the crystal lamp that stood next to the fireplace. He pointed his finger at Joe. “And you do properly!” he said sternly. 

“Sure thing,” replied Joe, giving him one of his dazzling smiles. 

 ***** 

“Boy am I glad it’s finally Sunday!” said Joe with relief as he slid into his chair. “No more spring cleaning for another whole year!”

“Sure has been a long week,” said his father dryly.

Joe gave the man a puzzled look. “But Pa,” he said. “You ain’t been doing the work … we have.”

Ben raised an eyebrow as he stared at Joe. “But I’ve had to listen to all the complaints from the three of you all week,” he said. “Believe me Joseph, it’s been a long week.”

Joe grinned at his father. “Well it’s all over now,” he said. “Back to normal.”

Hoss chuckled and smacked his hands together. “No more cheese sandwiches fer lunch,” he said happily. “No more of Pa’s cooking fer supper either.” He gave his father an apologetic look. “No offence Pa,” he added. “And hot breakfasts agen!” he declared as Hop Sing brought in a platter of steaming eggs and bacon. “Hot diggety!” Hoss began to help himself to a generous serving from the platter.

“The house looks wonderful Hop Sing,” said Ben. “You’ve done a good job.” He looked around at his three sons. “You all have.”

Hop Sing snorted. “It stay that way if family bother to keep it clean,” he said. “Dirty feet all time mess up house! Dirty clothes make much work for Hop Sing!” He stomped off into the kitchen again, mumbling to himself in Chinese.

“Why ain’t he ever happy?” mused Joe.

His father gave him a smile. “He’s very happy right now Joe,” he said. “That’s his way of showing it.”

“Yes little brother,” added Adam. “You just know how to read him properly.”

Joe gave them both a puzzled look. “Well he don’t sound happy to me,” he said. “Do you know what they mean Hoss?”

Hoss looked up from his breakfast. “Sorta,” he said. “All I know is that we’re lucky ta have him. He cooks a right fine meal. He appreciates us Cartwrights just like we appreciate him.

Joe looked even more confused. “Well ya coulda fooled me,” he said.

Ben pointed to his plate. “Eat your breakfast and be quiet Joseph,” he said.

The End