{"id":10425,"date":"2012-01-17T18:06:59","date_gmt":"2012-01-17T23:06:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=10425"},"modified":"2025-02-27T12:25:03","modified_gmt":"2025-02-27T17:25:03","slug":"who-did-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=10425","title":{"rendered":"Who Did It? (by bahj)"},"content":{"rendered":"
Summary: There’s a broken window on the Ponderosa but who’s guilty?<\/p>\n
Rated: Family Friendly \/ Word count: 1025<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Who Did It?<\/strong><\/p>\n
Three brothers sat forlornly in the barn, there had been very little conversation going on for the past thirty minutes or so.<\/p>\n
Finally, Adam decided to break the silence. Clearing his throat he started, \u201cOne of us is just going to have to confess, that\u2019s all there is to it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hoss who was lounging on a bed of straw picking at his fingernails looked up with a frown.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd just which one of us did you have in mind, big brother?\u201d he questioned.<\/p>\n
\u201cWell,\u201d Adam answered, \u201cthe most obvious choice would be the one of us that is going to be in the least amount of trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hoss and Adam quickly glanced over at Little Joe.<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t look at me!\u201d He squeaked, \u201cYou two will just get extra chores or something, I\u2019m only ten, Pa\u2019d probably wallop me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hoss sighed dejectedly, \u201cHe\u2019s right you know. Adam I\u2019ve been thinkin\u2019 seein\u2019 as how you\u2019re the oldest don\u2019t you think you should be the one to confess?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOh no, you don\u2019t,\u201d came Adam\u2019s firm response. \u201cI got stuck with posthole digging for three weeks the last time I covered for you two, my arms were so tired at night I couldn\u2019t even lift my fork to eat.<\/p>\n
\u201cYa,\u201d Hoss snickered, \u201cyou were lookin\u2019 a might skinny at that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Little Joe tried hard to suppress a giggle; failing miserably he ended up in heap on the floor rolling with laughter.<\/p>\n
\u201cHa, ha\u201d came Adam\u2019s mirthless response.<\/p>\n
\u201cHoss,\u201d Little Joe started in his most pathetic voice after he\u2018d caught his breath, \u201cPlease, won\u2019t you confess? You hardly ever do anything wrong and Pa doesn\u2019t punish you anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hoss looked at Little Joe as if he had suddenly grown two heads. \u201cI\u2019d still have to pay for it, and you know I\u2019ve been savin\u2019 for those new stirrups to put on my saddle, besides Pa would never believe it was me anyway. He\u2019d know I was coverin\u2019 up for one of you two and then we\u2019d be in even more trouble. And don\u2019t think for one minute that just because I\u2019m too old for a tanning that means Pa won\u2019t punish me. I don\u2019t want to end up with blistered hands like older brother over there.\u201d<\/p>\n
Three loud sighs echoed throughout the barn. The boys again grew silent each one caught up in their own thoughts. Supper had been a very silent affair; all three boys had seen the shards of glass lying all over their father\u2019s desk and the surrounding area. None of them had the foggiest idea how the window had been broken, each one of them had assumed that it was one or the other and not wanting to get each other in trouble they had kept silent. What was Pa waiting for anyway? After supper they had swiftly retreated to the barn and questioned one another. They were surprised to learn that none of them had been responsible for the mishap.<\/p>\n
\u201cOkay look,\u201d Adam spoke up after a few more moments of heavy silence. \u201cWhy don\u2019t we all three just go in there and tell him we didn\u2019t do it, you know the safety in numbers sort of thing?\u201d<\/p>\n
Hoss\u2019s answer came quickly, \u201cIt won\u2019t matter if it\u2019s three against one when the one is Pa, he\u2019s still gonna think one of us did it. We could just say we all did it, make up some story about it bein\u2019 an accident, and then split the cost of a new one.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWell that would be just fine,\u201d Adam retorted. \u201cExcept I\u2019m not about to dig anymore post holes!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd I\u2019ve only got twelve cents.\u201d piped in Little Joe. \u201cSides if whoever did break the window confesses later then Pa would find out we lied and then we\u2019d really get it.\u201d<\/p>\n
No more had to be said about that particular subject. They all three knew that about the worst mistake any of Ben Cartwright\u2019s sons could make would be to tell him a lie. The consequences for such an act were always swift and terrible.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know,\u201d snapped Little Joe, \u201cwhy don\u2019t we take the glass out of the window pane in the spare room and when pa goes to sleep tonight we\u2019ll fix up his office window, then when he wakes up\u2026.\u201d Little Joe\u2019s voice trailed off as watched his brothers faces change from mild disinterest to full blown amusement. \u201cWell you two haven\u2019t come up with anything that\u2019ll work yet,\u201d he huffed. Grumpily he crossed his arms and turned his back to them.<\/p>\n
\u201cAh, we\u2019re sorry Little Joe\u201d Hoss said soothingly. \u201cWe\u2019re just in such a pickle we don\u2019t know what we\u2019re doin\u2019, aint that right, Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSure Joe,\u201d Adam replied \u201cNow let\u2019s really put our heads together and see if we can\u2019t come up with something that won\u2019t get any of us in trouble, won\u2019t cost any money, and won\u2019t be a lie.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hoss and Joe traded a skeptical look before turning back to Adam.<\/p>\n
\u201cMay as well get comfortable, Hoss.\u201d said Little Joe, \u201cIt\u2019s gonna be a long night.\u201d<\/p>\n
Inside the house Hop Sing grumbled as he worked to clean up the last of the broken glass.<\/p>\n
\u201cHop Sing have no time for foolishment, have much work. Cook, do laundry, wash a dish, no time for cleaning up after clumsy people.\u201d<\/p>\n
Across the room basking in the warmth coming from the large stone fireplace Ben Cartwright sat with his legs stretched out, the weekly paper spread in front of him, and the wonderful smell of Virginia Tobacco floating upward from the pipe in his hand. He breathed in deeply enjoying the solitude when he was suddenly interrupted as Hop Sing trotted over waving the broom in his face.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow long boys stay out in barn, not good for them be out so long, not eat much dinner, not good. Boys worry.\u201d Hop Sing challenged his boss.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow calm down Hop Sing,\u201d Ben responded easily, \u201cI just want to enjoy a few more minutes of peace and quiet and then I\u2019ll go tell them I\u2019m the one who broke the window.\u201d<\/p>\n