Summary:  A game of Hide and Seek between Hoss and Little Joe takes an unexpected turn.
Rating:  G  5,600 words

Hide and Seek

Ben stretched his feet up under his desk and felt them kick something soft. “Ow!” He bent down and looked under the table to see Little Joe staring back up at him accusingly. “Ya kicked me Pa!” he said, glaring at his father.

Ben reached down and pulled the little boy out from under the desk. “Well, what are you doing down there?” he asked testily. All day long the child had been under his feet and he was heartily sick of it. He knew that Little Joe was bored when his brothers weren’t at home, but there were some days when, even though he loved the child dearly, Ben would have given anything for him to have someone to play with to keep him out of his hair. Today was one of those days.

“I was just seeing if I could fit,” said Joe easily as he father deposited him on his feet. He rested his small arms on the edge of his father’s desk and looked at the paper spread over it. “Whatcha doing Pa?” he asked.

“Work,” said his father, picking up his pen again and trying to focus on where he’d left off with the accounts.

“What kinda work?” asked Joe, standing on his tiptoes to try and see what his father was writing. When Ben didn’t answer, he nodded his head. “Numbers,” he said knowingly. “I can do numbers now Pa. I’ve been practising like what Adam taught me.” 

Ben nodded absently. “Good,” he said, trying to add up some figures in his head.

“That’s a five and that’s … I think that’s a seven. Is that one a seven Pa?” 

Ben nodded again. “Uh huh,” he said.

“What’s that one Pa?” 

Ben sighed, then looked at his son. “Why don’t you go and play something?” he asked, trying to sound patient.

Joe shook his head and gave his father a miserable look. “Ain’t got nuthin ta play,” he said. “I done played by myself all day and there’s nuthin left ta do.” His eyes lit up suddenly. “I can go outside and check on the horses for ya Pa iffen ya’d like me to,” he suggested.

Ben shook his head. “No,” he said firmly.

Joe started to trace a line across the desk with his forefinger. “Well, what can I do?” he whined. 

“Play with your soldiers,” suggested Ben.

Joe shook his head before placing his chin on his forearms as he rested them on the desk. “I done that,” he said miserably. His head came up suddenly and his eyes lit up. “Why don’t we play hide and seek Pa?” he suggested. “I could hide and you could come look for me.” 

Ben opened his mouth to reply, when suddenly he heard a noise in the yard outside. “I think that might be your brother home from school,” he said, trying to keep the relief out of his voice. “I’m sure he’ll play with you.” 

Joe’s eyes brightened immediately and he ran to the front door and swung it open, letting it hit the wall behind it with a crash. “Yep!” he shouted. “It’s Hoss all right Pa!” He was about to run through the open doorway when Ben shouted to him.

“You stay right where you are, young man,” he said firmly. “Wait until your brother tends to his horse and then comes in.” 

Joe spent the next ten minutes hopping from one foot to the other in his impatience while he waited for Hoss to stable his horse. When finally Hoss did appear in the doorway, he greeted him with his hands on his hips and an accusing look on his face. “Why’d ya take so long?” he asked. “I’ve been waiting for ya Hoss.” 

Hoss grinned at his little brother. “I was putting up my horse,” he said, not seeming to mind the tone of his little brother’s voice. Hoss adored Joe and took of lot of nonsense from him at the best of times. He grinned at his father in the easy-going way that he had. “Hi Pa!” 

Ben returned the look. “Afternoon son,” he said. “How was school?” 

Hoss shrugged, thereby avoiding the need to reply to a question that he dreaded, for school was not his favourite place. “Boy, am I hungry!” he said, turning towards the kitchen. “I’m gonna see what Hop Sing done baked today.” 

“No!” said Little Joe crossly. “Now you’re home ya gotta play with me Hoss!” 

Hoss laughed and ruffled his little brother’s curly hair. “After I done got me something ta eat, Joe,” he said, heading out of the room. “I’m plumb starved!” Joe glared after his brother and then ran after him. Ben shook his head and sighed as he got back to his work. He knew exactly what was going to happen in the kitchen. Joe would berate his brother for wasting time while Hoss was getting something to eat and Hoss would accept everything his little brother said with an easy smile. Within minutes Joe would have organised Hoss into playing exactly what he wanted him to. That youngest son of his had such a way of persuading people to do what he wanted … including his father at times …. and Ben didn’t know exactly where he got it from. Whatever his charm, his brothers … Hoss in particular … usually did exactly what he wanted.

True to form, the two of them were back within minutes, Hoss munching on a few cookies and Joe smiling from ear to ear. “We’s gonna play hide and seek Pa,” announced Joe happily. “Can I go outside now with Hoss?” 

“All right,” said his father, relieved to get rid of the child for a while. “Mind that you both stay in the yard though, Hoss.” 

“Sure Pa,” replied Hoss, putting another cookie in his mouth. “I’ll do my chores after a bit.” 

“Mind that you do,” said Ben.

“I’m gonna be the one ta hide,” announced Joe to his brother. “It’s better iffen I do cause I’m littler than you and I can hide more places.” 

“OK Joe,” said Hoss easily, following his brother through the front doorway.

“And you gotta count slow so I get lots of time ta find a spot,” instructed Joe.

“OK Joe,” said Hoss.

“And no peeking!” finished his little brother sternly. 

“OK,” said Hoss. He sat down on top of a tree stump and faced the wall as he began to count aloud through his chewing. 

“Make sure ya go to a whole hundred!” shouted Little Joe over his shoulder as he headed for the barn.

“Seven, eight, nine, … OK … ten, eleven …” shouted back Hoss. He took another bit of a cookie and began to swing his legs as he continued to count.

Joe headed inside the barn and looked around. He frowned as he considered where to hide for a moment and then his eyes lit up. He giggled gleefully as he headed through the doorway that led into the tack room and ran straight over to a cupboard that was in the corner. Normally it held bits and pieces of leather, bridles and such, but lately Adam had cleaned it out and a lot of things were strewn around the floor around it until he had the time to finish the job. Joe opened the bottom door and got inside, crouching into the small space happily. He always enjoyed getting into small spaces for some reason and this one was just the right size for him. He giggled happily as he waited for his brother to find him.

Meanwhile outside, Hoss was patiently still counting. He turned slightly as he heard Adam ride into the yard and grinned at him. “Thirty-four, thirty-five …. Hi Adam! ….. thirty-six ….” 

“Hi,” said Adam, dismounting from his horse. “What are you counting for?” 

“Forty-two, forty-three … hide and seek with Joe …. Forty-four ….” Hoss replied.

Adam gave a lop-sided grin. “And let me guess …. Little brother got first chance to hide, didn’t he?” 

Hoss nodded. “Yup …. Forty-eight, forty-nine ….” 

“Figures,” muttered Adam, shaking his head as he walked his horse into the barn. He unsaddled his horse and rubbed him down, before going into the tack-room and beginning to pick up all the things that he’d scattered around the floor and piling them on top of and next to the cupboard. 

Inside the cupboard, Little Joe listened to his brother working and put his hand over his mouth as he tried to stop himself from giggling. He found it very funny that Adam was so close to him and yet had no idea that he was inside the cupboard. He heard the sound of various pieces of tack being put up on top of the cupboard and even felt the cupboard move slightly as Adam piled a stack of equipment next to and in front of it for further sorting out later. 

After a few minutes the noises stopped and Joe opened the cupboard door slightly and peered outside. Adam was gone, having shut the door behind him. Joe grinned mischievously and shut the door again, waiting patiently for Hoss to come and find him.

“Ninety-seven, ninety-eight, ninety-nine, one hundred!” shouted Hoss, finally turning around and getting up from the tree stump. He glanced at Adam who was coming out of the barn. “Hey Adam! Have ya seen where Joe went?” 

“No,” said Adam. “And even if I had, I wouldn’t tell you. You’re supposed to find him … isn’t that the point of the game?” 

“Yeah,” grinned Hoss and ran around the back of the barn.

Adam grinned and went inside. “Hi Pa,” he said, taking off his hat and coat. “I’m back.” 

“How did it go son?” asked Ben, looking up. 

Adam came over and sat on the edge of his father’s desk. “OK,” he said. “We’ve got most of the strays in the South East pasture now. I left Charlie out there to finish up.” He glanced at his father’s desk. “You look as if you’ve still got a lot to do. Need some help?” 

Ben nodded. “I’d love some help, thank you. I didn’t seem to get too far with all of this today.” 

“Joe?” asked Adam sympathetically.

Ben nodded. “Joe,” he said.

Adam grinned. “Well, with any luck Hoss won’t be able to find him for ages. That should give you plenty of time to get this done. Here … I’ll read the invoices out for you.” 

Father and son worked solidly for the next hour, going through all the invoices that were spread over Ben’s desk and entering figures into the accounts ledger. By the time they’d finished, they were both tired and stood up to stretch. Ben glanced out of the study window. “I’d better go and get Hoss onto his chores before it gets dark,” he said. “Thank you for helping, Adam.” 

“That’s OK,” said Adam. “I’ll go and see what Hop Sing is cooking up for supper.” 

Ben strolled outside and looked around. “Hoss!” he called. “Joe!” There was no answer, so he tried again. “Boys! Come on out now please!” 

Hoss appeared from inside the barn. “I can’t find Joe, Pa!” he called out. 

“How many times has he hidden from you?” asked Ben, walking over and stroking Buck’s nose as he whinnied in the corral.

“Jest once,” said Hoss. “He sure is hidden real good this time. I’ve looked everywhere there is and he ain’t there.” 

“Obviously not everywhere then,” replied his father, ruffling his son’s hair affectionately. “You go and get started on your chores now, Hoss. I’ll call for Joe.” 

Hoss gave his father an anxious look. “Ya sure Pa?” he asked. “He won’t come iffen he thinks he’s gonna lose the game.” 

Ben raised an eyebrow. “He’ll come all right or he’ll have the seat of his trousers warmed,” he said. “Now go and get those chores done.” Hoss shrugged and made his way over to the woodpile. Ben looked around. “Joe!” he called loudly. “Time to come out now son!” There was no reply, so he tried again. “Joseph! Come out immediately please!” 

Meanwhile in the cupboard, Little Joe had become tired of waiting for Hoss. At first it had been a lot of fun thinking about his brother searching everywhere for him, but after a while he had become bored and wished that Hoss would hurry up and find him. “Come on Hoss,” he said out loud. “Hurry up, will ya?” When no one heeded his plea, he simply put his thumb in his mouth and sucked on it while he shut his eyes and promptly fell asleep.

“Joseph!” shouted Ben again, getting angry with his youngest son. “I said to come out please! You’ll make me cross if you don’t show yourself this very minute!” 

Adam sauntered out of the kitchen and sat down on the tree stump next to where Hoss was splitting kindling. “Joe still hiding?” he asked as he chewed on an apple.

Ben frowned. “He certainly is,” he said crossly. “I’ll warm that young man’s trousers for him if he’s not careful. Go and see if he’s in the barn please Adam, while I search around the back of the house.” 

“I done looked in all them places,” said Hoss, picking up another piece of wood. “He ain’t there.” 

“Well we’re going to look in them again,” replied his father crossly. “Finish your chores!” 

Hoss made a face at Adam and shrugged. “Yes sir,” he said meekly.

Adam made a face back at Hoss and went into the barn. “Joe!” he shouted. “Hey! Little Joe! Are you in here?” He checked in all the stalls and then behind the piles of hay in the back before climbing up into the loft and checking out every corner up there as well. Satisfied that his little brother wasn’t around, he then came back outside. “He’s not anywhere in there,” he said to his father as Ben came back around the side of the house.

“Well he’s not out back either,” said Ben crossly. “Hoss, where else did you look?” 

“Everywhere I could think of Pa,” said Hoss. “In the tack room, the tool shed, round the corral. Everywhere.” 

“How about the bunkhouse?” suggested Adam. “He could have snuck in there.” 

“He knows he’s not allowed in there,” replied his father tersely. He thought for a moment. “Still … you never know. I’ll go and check it out. Adam … you go and check out the tool shed. Hoss, you check out the tack room again.” 

Hoss put down his axe. “But Pa, you told me ta do my chores now!” 

Ben gave his son a steely look. “Go and check the tack room,” he said. “Now!” 

“Yes sir,” muttered Hoss and gave Adam another resigned look. He went into the tack room and looked around as he had before. All the equipment that Adam had piled up was in one corner near a cupboard from when he’d worked on it the other day, so he didn’t bother to even look in that corner. He had just begun to search the shelves when a voice behind him made him start.

“You won’t find him on a shelf, for heaven’s sake!” 

Hoss turned to see Adam standing behind him. “Well I don’t know where else ta look,” he said testily. “He sure ain’t nowheres here. How bout the tool shed?”

Adam shook his head. “Nope. That kid … always causing trouble.” 

Hoss immediately looked defensive. “Joe don’t cause trouble,” he said. “Well …. Not much,” he added as he thought about all the times his little brother had done just that.

“Well if he isn’t in here, then he isn’t in here,” said Adam with a strange logic. “Let’s go see if Pa’s had any luck. I sure wouldn’t want to be Joe when he finds him.” 

“Neither would I,” declared Hoss as they left the tack room.

Ben knocked on the door to the bunkhouse. Even though he technically owned the building, he would never have dreamed of disturbing the men’s privacy by barging straight in there. He always figured that the hired hands needed one place on the ranch where they could get away from the boss and the bunkhouse was it. He had always impressed upon his boys that they were never to go inside unless they were invited to. This was for two reasons. The first was the privacy issue of course, but the second was that he could never be sure just how much swearing, drinking and gambling went on in there and he preferred the boys not to be exposed to it. As he waited for someone to open the door, he clenched his jaw as he thought about what he’d do to that youngster of his if indeed Little Joe had found his way inside.

The door was opened by Charlie, the Ponderosa foreman. “Boss,” he said, obviously surprised to see Ben. “Can I help ya?” 

“I hope so Charlie,” said Ben. “I’m looking for something that might have found its way in here.” 

Charlie opened the door wider. “Well, come in and see,” he said. “What is it exactly you’re looking fer boss?” he asked as Ben entered the room and looked around.

“Evening,” said Ben, nodding his head in the direction of several ranch hands who stared back at him in surprise. “I was looking for Joe,” he said to Charlie.

“Joe?” asked Charlie, looking at Ben blankly.

“Yes …. Joe,” repeated Ben after a moment. “Little Joe? My youngest son?” 

“Oh,” said Charlie, trying not to look confused. “The little tyke. What makes ya think he’s in here, boss?” 

“He’s … sort of … missing at the moment,” replied Ben, his eyes scanning the large room. 

“Missing?” repeated Charlie. “Well I’ll get the boys organised and we’ll get saddled up ta look fer him! Don’t ya worry boss … we’ll …” 

Ben put up his hand to stop the man. “No it’s not like that Charlie,” he said. “He won’t have gone far. He’s still close to the house …. I’m sure.” 

“How did the little’un come to be lost then?” asked Charlie, looking concerned.

“Playing Hide and Seek,” replied Ben. “Well if you do see him, please let me know straight away.” 

“Oh we’ll be sure to,” said Charlie, winking at the men, several of whom were grinning. “We wouldn’t want him ta beat ya in the game, boss.” 

“What?” said Ben, stopping in the doorway as he became of several twitters of laughter circulating around the room. “Oh no … it wasn’t like that,” he said, looking a little embarrassed. “I wasn’t playing with him.” 

“Sure thing boss,” said Charlie, winking at the men again and giving Ben a knowing grin. “Whatever ya say.” 

“No really,” insisted Ben. “He was ….” He looked around at the sniggering men and shrugged. “Oh never mind,” he finished as he walked outside again to the sound of their laughter.

“What’s everyone laughing about?” asked Hoss as he and Adam came up alongside their father.

“Never you mind,” said Ben. “Any luck boys?” 

Adam shook his head. “Nope,” he said. “Could he have gone into the house, do you think?” 

“I don’t see how,” replied his father. “We were in the study the whole time and would have seen him come in.” 

“He could have gone in the back door though,” insisted Adam.

“That’s no fair!” said Hoss angrily. “He ain’t allowed in the house in hide and seek. That ain’t playing fair!” 

Be gave his son a frustrated look. “I’m not really concerned at the moment with what’s fair, young man. I’m only interested in finding your brother.” He bit his lip as he thought. “You could be right Adam. “We should check with Hop Sing. He might have seen him come in the back way.” He led his two sons into the kitchen where Hop Sing was busy preparing supper.

The cook gave them all an angry look. “What for you come in here?” he asked. “Supper not ready yet.” 

Ben ignored the question. “Have you seen Joe?” he asked. 

“Of course see little boy. Him come into kitchen with brother before.” Hop Sing hit Hoss’ hand with his wooden spoon to keep it away from the bread rolls on the bench.

“No … after that,” said Ben said. “Did he come back by himself later?” 

“No,” said Hop Sing, giving Hoss another hit on the head with the spoon for good measure. “Him no come back.”  He waved his hands around in frustration. “Everyone leave kitchen chop chop! No supper if keep talking!” 

Ben rolled his eyes at Adam and motioned to both boys to follow him into the dining room. Hoss left the kitchen, rubbing his head with one hand and sucking on his other hand thoughtfully. “Do ya reckon he done come inta the house the back way then Pa?” he asked.

“I suppose he could have,” replied his father. He glanced out of the dining room window where the shadows were lengthening and shook his head slightly as he refused an anxious thought to invade it. 

Hoss scowled and crossed his arms over his chest. “Well that ain’t fair then!” he declared. “I reckon I won the game iffen he done come inside again. He ain’t supposed ta come ….” 

“Hoss go outside and finish your chores,” interrupted his father.

“But you told me ta leave em before,” said Hoss. 

“Well I’m telling you to do them now,” replied Ben shortly. “Go!” 

Hoss gave his father a frustrated look and went outside, shaking his head and muttering as he went about younger brothers who cheat at games. 

Adam sighed and looked at his father. “I guess we have to search the house now, don’t we?” he asked wearily.

Ben nodded. “Yes,” he admitted. “And there is going to be one sorry little boy when I find him in here, I can assure you.” 

“Well at least we only have to look upstairs,” said Adam. “If he’d come into the living room or study we would have seen him … and he didn’t go into the kitchen. He must be upstairs.” 

“He could have gone into the cellar,” said Ben thoughtfully. “I’ll look down there while you take the bedroom upstairs.” 

Adam grinned suddenly. “That’s why you sent Hoss back outside, wasn’t it?” he chuckled. “To stop him going into the cellar?” 

Ben raised an eyebrow. “I hadn’t thought of that …. But now that you mention it ….” He chuckled. Hoss’ preoccupation with the cellar was well-known in the family. He loved to get down there to check out, and sometimes sample, all the tasty foodstuffs that Hop Sing stored there. In spite of the fact that Ben had banned him and Little Joe from going down there, Hop Sing was always having to chase them both out. Joe’s fascination wasn’t with the food so much, as being down there to explore and Ben knew that he wouldn’t put it past the boy to have taken the opportunity to get down there now. 

Ben grabbed a lantern from the wall near the back door. “Check thoroughly up there Adam, he could be anywhere in those bedrooms.”

“Don’t I know it,” sighed Adam. As he climbed the stairs, he thought back to all the times he’d had to search for his little brother up here before. Whenever he was upset or even feeling mischievous, which given Joe’s mercurial personality was a lot of the time, the little boy tended to hide himself away and Adam and his father both knew from bitter experience where to look. 

He started in Joe’s own bedroom, systematically looking under and in the bed, in the cupboard and even behind the dresser …. All spots where a small boy could squeeze himself. Then he went to one bedroom after the other, stopping along the way to check the linen cupboard and the two linen chests at each ends of the hallway. When he’d satisfied himself that Joe was nowhere up there, he headed back down to see if his father had had any more luck than he’d had.

It took Ben a long time to systematically go through the cellar. As he searched behind every barrel and sack, his thoughts wandered back to the days he’d spent digging this place out. It had been the very first thing he’d done on the work for their new home and he’d wanted to make sure that it was plenty big enough for their growing family at the time. He remembered the backbreaking hours he’d spent digging here while Marie had perched herself on a rock above him and chattered on while he worked. He remembered that she’d often spent those hours sewing on some tiny clothes for the precious child she was carrying at the time. The same child who’d been born in the small room upstairs and the same child whom he was searching for now.

“Joseph!” he shouted as he searched behind yet another barrel. “Pa is getting really cross with you now! Get out here immediately!” There was no reply and as he looked behind the very last sack, he reluctantly came to the conclusion that Joe wasn’t down here. He left the cellar to look for Adam, hoping that Joe would have been found upstairs.

However, Adam’s shake of the head when he met up with him in the dining room made his heart sink. For the life of him, he couldn’t think where the child had got to and anxious thoughts began to invade his mind. “Where now?” asked Adam, his face mirroring the anxious look of his father’s.

“I’m not sure,” replied Ben. 

“Pa? You don’t think he would have gone out of the yard, do you?” asked Adam. “He’s done it before.” 

“And been tanned for it,” Ben reminded his son. “I would have thought he’d have learnt his lesson about doing that by now.” He glanced out of the dining room window again where darkness was invading the treetops. 

“That kid never learns a lesson about anything,” replied Adam. “You know how he is.” 

Ben shook his head. “Well, we’d better have a good look before it gets too dark then,” he said. “Grab a lantern and follow me.” He headed outside, only to nearly bump into Hoss on the porch. “Finished your chores?” he asked absently.

Hoss nodded. “Uh huh,” he said. “Did ya tell Joe that I won the game cause he shouldn’ta gone inside?” He tried to look past his father. “Where is he?  I’m gonna pound him fer cheating like that.” 

“Go inside and get washed up for supper,” said Ben, lighting his lantern.

Hoss’ face took on a worried look. “What ya lighting that fer Pa?” he asked. “Didn’t ya find Joe inside?” 

“Nope,” said Adam with a lighted lantern in his hand as well. “Do you think we should get Charlie and the hands to search as well Pa?” he asked.

“I’m comin too!” declared Hoss, his emotions changed instantly from anger to concern for his little brother. 

“You’re going inside to wash up for supper!” instructed Ben firmly. He softened his look immediately and put a hand on Hoss’ shoulder, as he looked into the boy’s anxious face. “Go on son,” he added. “We’ll bring Joe in directly.” Hoss gave his father an anxious look, but nodded his head slightly and then headed inside. 

“I suppose we’d better start down near the creek,” said Ben reluctantly to Adam.

“What about the men?” insisted Adam.

“Not yet,” said his father as he crossed the yard and headed towards the gentle slope that dropped away to the small creek beside the house. “Not until we have to.” Adam followed his father down the slope, each of them holding their lanterns out in front of them in the ever-decreasing light. “You search up that way,” instructed Ben. “I’ll look up this way.” 

For several minutes, both of them searched in the dim light, calling constantly for Joe as they made their way along the creek bank. After a while, Ben signalled to Adam to meet him back where they had started. “He’s not here,” acknowledged Ben. “I think you’re right son. It’s time to organise everyone into a search party.” Difficult as it was for him to say it, Ben knew that the time had come for him to be extremely worried about his little boy. He hated the thoughts that kept invading his brain now with full force, but if there was any chance at all that Joe was perhaps lost or even in danger in some way then he had to act before things became any worse. 

“Come on,” said Ben. “We’ll get organised.” He practically ran back to the house with Adam, stopping only to catch his breath at the top of the slope. “You get the horses Adam,” he said. “I’ll go and see Charlie and the men.

“Did I hear my name?” said a voice out of the shadows. Charlie came towards them. “I was wondering if ya finished ya game yet boss?” he said with a chuckle. “Find the young’un?” His grin instantly changed as he saw the look on Ben’s face in the dim light of the lamp. “What?” he asked.

Ben shook his head. “Get the men organised please Charlie,” he said. “We’re going to have to start searching further afield.” 

“Leave it ta me,” said Charlie and turned to go back into the bunkhouse.

Ben ran into the house and grabbed his hat and coat. “Hop Sing!” he called out as he began to buckle on his gun-belt.

Hop Sing appeared from the kitchen. “What for you yell?” he said angrily. “Supper going on table in few minutes!” 

“I haven’t got time for supper at the moment,” said Ben looking up. “I want you to watch Hoss for me while …” He stopped in mid-sentence and looked past the cook in amazement at the sight of his two youngest sons sitting at the supper table looking for all the world like young cherubs. “Joseph!” he shouted. “What on earth! Where did you come from?” 

Joe looked up at his father and grinned. “Outside,” he said casually. “What’s fer supper Hop Sing?” 

“He weren’t cheatin after all,” explained Hoss. “He were in the tack room Pa.” He reached across the table and picked up a bread roll, stuffing it into his mouth before Hop Sing could stop him. “I’m hungry,” he said defensively as the cook gave him a sour look, before returning to the kitchen.

Ben sat down heavily on a chair. “Hoss, go outside and tell Adam not to bother with the horses,” he said wearily. “And have him tell Charlie that we found Joe please.” He looked at Little Joe who grinned back at him happily. “Adam and I have been looking everywhere for you,” he said sternly.

Joe’s eyes lit up. “Have ya?” he said, delightedly. “Ya both joined the game too, huh Pa? I still won but, cause no one founded me.” He grinned happily at the thought of it.

Ben rubbed his face wearily with his hand before replying. “Where were you?” he asked. “Didn’t you hear us calling for you?” 

“Nuh!” said Joe, eyeing off the table to see if there was anything there to eat that he liked. “I fell asleep. Are we havin supper now Pa?” 

The front door opened and Adam and Hoss appeared. “What’s he doing here?” demanded Adam, pointing at his little brother accusingly.

“Apparently he fell asleep while he was ….” Ben turned to Joe again. “Where were you?” he demanded again. 

Joe giggled at the memory of it. “In the cupboard in the tack room,” he said delightedly. “I heard Adam working outside, but he didn’t know I was in there. Then I fell asleep and when I woke up it was dark so I came inside.” He pointed to Hoss happily. “You neva founded me Hoss, so I won!” he crowed. 

“I reckon so,” said Hoss easily as he slid into his seat. “I already washed my hands Pa. What are we havin fer supper?” 

Ben looked at Adam and Adam looked at Ben. “Charlie and the boys got a good laugh out of it,” Adam shrugged as he slid into his seat as well.

“I’m sure they did,” said Ben as Hop Sing brought in a steaming platter of food and put it on the table, hitting Hoss’ hand away yet again as the boy reached for it. 

“None of you done finded me,” crowed Joe, looking around at them all in a superior way. “Not even you and Pa Adam when you joined the game.” 

Everyone ignored the little boy’s comment. “Hoss, I thought you checked the tack room?” asked Ben.

“I did,” said Hoss defensively. “Only I didn’t check the cupboard cause there was stuff all round it from where Adam put it there the other day. I knew Joe couldn’t have been in there.” He looked at the food longingly. “Ain’t we gonna eat now Pa?” 

“But I didn’t put it there the other day,” said Adam. “I left it on the floor, but I didn’t pile it up next to the cupboard until after I got home this afternoon.” 

“After Little Joe had got inside,” added Ben wearily, it all becoming clear to him now. 

“And no one ever done finded me, so I won!” crowed Joe happily again. “I’m the best at hide and seek in this family. Ain’t that right Pa?” 

Ben turned to the happy little boy. “I suppose so,” he said wearily. “Let’s have supper boys.” 

The End