Summary:  A cattle drive, a stampede, and one guilty Cartwright make for a simple little tale.

Rated: K+  Word count:  1211

He had asked his pa if he didn’t think that Joe could be a big help on the drive, and stated if he went on the drive then Hop Sing might have a little vacation and maybe pay a visit to some of his relatives. His pa had smiled and said no. Little Joe had known he might have to do a little persuading to help Pa get use to the idea, so he had launched into the many reasons he had prepared for the occasion. His pa had simply refuted each one. Then Adam had started adding his comments, and things had gone from bad to worse. Little Joe had argued, pleaded, cried, and then thrown the grandest tantrum he had had since turning four. That had resulted in a very uncomfortable reminder of his father’s intolerance for disrespect. Now he was helping to round up the last few steers while sulking and nursing a sore backside. Still, Little Joe had been given permission to watch the herd start out before reporting to school. He sat astride Cochise on a rise above the area where the steers had been gathered. As he watched his family, he made the final decision to go through with the plan he had made yesterday. If he followed the herd for a few days before he joined them, his father and brothers would have to take him along the rest of the way. There was only a minimal crew going on this drive, and Pa would not be able to spare anyone to return Little Joe to the ranch. Sure, his pa would probably give him a tanning for disobeying, but as long as he didn’t do it in front of the hands, it would be a price worth paying.

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Things went well the first two days. It was not exactly difficult to follow three hundred head of cattle. Little Joe had brought supplies with him, and he had been camping with his brothers often enough to know how to take care of himself under these conditions. Sure, it was lonesome and kind of scary at night, but he had Cochise, and he knew his pa and brothers would come right off if he fired a distress signal with his rifle. He slept with his arm around that rifle. He would probably never know what had startled him awake, but half asleep and scared he had grabbed his rifle and fired.

Adam was riding night herd. He had felt uneasy since the start of the drive, and that unease had grown through the past day. He was almost sure that someone was following them, and tomorrow he would find out whom. Tonight he was worried about the unrest among the herd. Well, they said music had charm to soothe the savage beast. Steers weren’t exactly savage, but many cowboys sang to them anyway. Adam let his baritone out in a slow and mournful ballad.

Suddenly a gunshot split the air. Adam knew what would happen before the lead steers started to run.

“STAMPEDE! STAMPEDE!”

His shout was only the first of many as every hand scrambled into action. Adam had time only to pray that everyone would survive before he was consumed by the chaos.

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Little Joe came fully awake and then froze. He could hear the shouts and the rising thunder of hundreds of hoofs. It took him only moments to realize that the sound was headed in his direction. He looked for Cochise. His horse had broken free and was running in fear. Little Joe felt his own terror deepen. There was no way he could outrun the herd.

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Adam realized that they had succeeded. The lead steers had been turned and blocked the path of those behind them. The stampede was over, but how had it begun? Who had fired that shot? Adam had heard enough gunfire of all kinds to know that the shot had been fired by a rifle, and to recognize the general vicinity from which the sound had come. He checked and discovered that his father and brother were fine. No one had received more than minor injuries. Relief was followed by anger. Adam headed Sport toward the source of the upheaval.

Adam found the broken rifle. Just as he recognized the Ponderosa brand burned into its stock, he heard his name. He looked up and saw his youngest brother clinging to the branches of a tree. My God! Adam did not know whether he had meant it as a curse or a prayer.

“Joe! What in thunder!” Then he realized that the boy must be frightened out of his wits. He softened his voice. “Come on down, Little Joe. Big brother’s here now.”

“I’m scared.” Adam knew for Little Joe to admit that to him meant his brother was beyond terrified.

“Come on, Little Joe. Everything’s all right now.” Seeing that cajoling was not moving his brother, Adam tried commanding. “I said get down here now, Joseph!”

Little Joe responded to the tone of his brother’s voice automatically and began his descent. As soon as he came within reach, Adam pulled him into his arms. Little Joe clung as fiercely to his brother as he had to the tree during the stampede. Adam ran his hands over his brother’s body searching for injury. He found none. “Joe, are you all right?”

“Yes. Did… did anyone get hurt?”

“No, Joe, no one was hurt. Thank God!”

“It was my fault, Adam. I didn’t mean to … I don’t know… sorry. I’m so sorry!” Adam felt his brother’s body begin to tremble uncontrollably.

“It’s okay, Little Buddy. I know. It’s okay.” Feeling suddenly too weak to stand, Adam sank to the ground and rocked Little Joe gently while repeating his litany of reassurance. Finally Little Joe’s sobs subsided into hiccups. “Pa won’t ever forgive me.”

Adam had never heard such a forlorn sound in his little brother’s voice. “Sure, he will, Little Joe. You know Pa has always told us there isn’t anything he can’t forgive his sons. You know Pa never lies. Everything will be all right.”

“Even my butt?”

“Well, now, I can’t promise that, little brother, but I’ll try and help keep the damage to a minimum.”