Summary:<\/b> \u00a0Joe Cartwright, fun loving, adventurous and free-spirited has been out of brother Adam’s good graces for sometime and wants desperately to restore their relationship. One brother water…the other brother oil. Can they find the mixing ingredient?<\/p>\n
Rated G \u00a0WC 10,280<\/p>\n
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Water and Oil<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cPlease Adam, please.<\/strong>\u00a0 Let me go with you,\u201d begged fifteen-year-old Little Joe Cartwright.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam, Joe\u2019s oldest brother by twelve years, was starting out the front door and was stopped by his youngest brother\u2019s insistent pleas.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cNo Joe, no way,\u201d Adam said, turning to face the younger Cartwright.\u00a0 Adam did not like how out of hand this situation was becoming. Joe had been begging all day, running first to their father and then to him.\u00a0The constant nagging was beginning to take control over his thinking, something Adam had always tried to maintain.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cAh Adam, come on, I\u2019ll be good, honest, I\u2019ll do everything you say,\u201d Joe continued to plead with Adam, turning his hazel eyes to his brother, a look of anticipation showing on his young face.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI said no!\u00a0 And that is final,\u201d stated Adam turning away from the brother who was the cause of his current bad mood.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben Cartwright who had been sitting at his desk in the study rose and made his way to the door where his oldest and youngest sons were arguing.\u00a0 He had every intention of getting to the bottom of this current dispute between his warring sons.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cAdam,\u201d started Ben but was cut short when Adam interrupted him.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cNo Pa, no way!\u00a0 Don\u2019t even start with me, please!\u201d Adam said turning on Ben.\u00a0 \u201cI know what you are going to say!\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cCalm down son,\u201d said Ben placing his hand on Adam\u2019s shoulder trying to restore order and hoping that his oldest son would get control of himself.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cJust why can\u2019t Joe go with you?\u201d Ben asked looking into Adam\u2019s eyes and watching the dark scowls forming across his brow.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cBecause Pa, I have work to do.\u00a0 I don\u2019t have the time to ride herd over this spoiled brat and I\u2026\u201d Adam started to explain.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Joe, who had been listening, hoping his father would somehow allow him to accompany his brother to the high country turned startled eyes toward Adam.\u00a0 His brother\u2019s sudden out burst referring to him as a spoiled brat surprised him, causing his own frustrations to begin to surface.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cAdam!\u201d Ben began but was cut off for a second time.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cNow you wait just a dadburn minute,\u201d interrupted Hoss who was standing in front of the fireplace silently watching the scene between his brothers but had felt it was time to intervene.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYou ain\u2019t got no business calling the boy names, Adam,\u201d Hoss said as he came to stand beside Joe and laid an encouraging arm around his younger brother\u2019s slender shoulders.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI agree Adam, that was totally uncalled for,\u201d Ben told Adam, his own brown eyes beginning to cloud with anger.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam, who\u2019s temper was closely on the verge of exploding, looked from his father to both of his younger brothers, noting the pout on Joe\u2019s face.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cPerhaps uncalled for, but definitely the truth!\u201d he said, looking at Joe, the disgust showing on his handsome face.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Joe noting the tone of his brother\u2019s voice stood silent.\u00a0 Raising his eyes to look in his brother Adam\u2019s direction, he noted the look of fury in the dark eyes that watched him and decided to keep the sharp retort he was about to make to himself.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sorry Pa, but I don\u2019t have the time nor the inclination to waste on him.\u00a0 He\u2019s been in one of his sour moods for days now and why should I have to be the one to spend a whole week listening to him whine and complain all day?\u201d Adam asked his father as he placed his hands on his hips.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam continued, \u201cTo be perfectly honest, I don\u2019t want him along, I\u2019m tired of him and<\/u> his so called practical jokes and<\/u> his sullen moods,\u201d finished Adam looking from Joe back to his father and hoping Pa would understand his need to get away for a few days.\u00a0 He needed the time to calm down and rethink the feeling of resentment that had been plaguing him in regard to Joe for the last few weeks.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam\u2019s words seemed to effect Joe more than not being allowed to ride with his oldest brother.\u00a0 Without realizing it, tears sprang into Joe\u2019s eyes and he turned from his family trying to regain control.\u00a0 Taking a deep breath and wiping his eyes with the backs of his hands he slowly began walking toward the stairs.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cNever mind Pa.\u00a0 If Adam hates me that much then I don\u2019t want to be with him either,\u201d he said as he cast sorrowful eyes in his father\u2019s direction.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cNow you wait just a minute Joe.\u00a0 I never said I hated you,\u201d yelled Adam, stunned by the way Joe had reacted to his refusal to be allowed to accompany him.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s what you meant, you\u2019re just to scared to say it in front of Pa,\u201d retorted Joe, the tears beginning to spill over again.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cStop taking everything I say and twisting it to suit yourself you little br\u2026\u201d Adam stopped himself, not wanting to anger his father any further.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cEnough,\u201d<\/strong> bellowed Ben in a voice loud enough to rattle the windows.\u00a0 \u201cI will hear no more!\u00a0 I think the best thing for both of you is<\/strong> to spend a few day together\u2026alone!\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cJoseph, go pack you gear, and you young man,\u201d said Ben turning his anger on Adam, \u201cwatch your mouth.\u00a0 The boy is going with you, like it or not!\u00a0 Now finish getting things together for both of you.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHoss, would you please tell Hop Sing to pack enough food and supplies for two people, enough for a week,\u201d Ben asked Hoss as he returned to his study.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYes sir,\u201d answered Hoss making for the kitchen, not wanting to be in the firing line least the argument continue.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cGo on Joseph, get your gear ready,\u201d Ben said to Joe who had stopped mid-way on the stairs to watch the reaction of his oldest brother.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam reached for his hat, which hung on the peg next to the door.\u00a0 Turning briefly he shot Joe a look of pure resentment then walked out slamming the door behind him.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Joe turned to look at his father. \u201cI really don\u2019t want to go now, Pa.\u00a0 Please, can I just stay here?\u201d\u00a0 Joe asked hopefully.\u00a0 His feelings were hurt because of Adam\u2019s verbal attack and now the last thing he wanted was to be spending an entire week alone with the one person who considered him a brat.\u00a0 The spoiled part didn\u2019t bother him much, he knew he was somewhat spoiled.\u00a0 His father and both brothers did tend to do their fair share of indulging him.\u00a0 But it hurt to be called brat.\u00a0 All in all, Joe thought, I really just wanted to spend time with Adam, like we did before, before Adam had gone away.\u00a0 They used to be close, but now it seemed as if all they ever did was fuss and argue.\u00a0 Joe had been hoping to help Adam repair the fencing and round up the strays.\u00a0 He had thought that if they finished early enough, he could convince his brother to finish out the week with some fishing, hunting and camping.\u00a0 Now it looked as if he would be stuck listening to Adam lecturing about his bad behavior and his practical jokes.\u00a0 Joe reasoned that Adam\u2019s lectures were nearly as bad as his father\u2019s.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cNo Joe, I said you were going and going you are.\u00a0 Now do as you were told,\u201d answered Ben looking up from the ledgers he had been working on before the dispute between his two sons began.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYes sir,\u201d Joe said turning to go to his room to pack his gear.\u00a0 He knew they would be riding out at first light and he had lots to do before he would be ready.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Supper that night was eaten in near silence.\u00a0 Hoss tried to keep conversation going but nothing other than a yes or no answer passed from either of the other two brothers.\u00a0 Glancing wistfully at his father, Hoss turned his full attention to the meal that Hop Sing had prepared.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Chancing a glance at Adam and seeing the glares that were passed in his direction, Little Joe kept his eyes focused on his plate.\u00a0 He hated being at odds with any of his family; it was unnerving to him, especially when Adam was mad at him.\u00a0 He knew Adam could be every bit as hard on him as their father when given the opportunity and Joe figured he had just given Adam a full week worth of opportunities!\u00a0 What he had hoped would be a week of fun combined with work plus getting to spend time with his oldest brother, just the two of them, was now looked upon with dread.\u00a0 Maybe he would try begging off again or perhaps he could claim a sudden illness, but not likely.\u00a0 Pa was hard to deceive and besides, he hated lying to his father.\u00a0 Lying had earned him more than one trip across his father\u2019s lap.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cMay I be excused Pa?\u00a0 Think I\u2019ll turn in early,\u201d Joe asked Ben as he wiped his mouth on his napkin and began pushing his chair back.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cAll right son, I\u2019ll be up in a few minutes to say goodnight,\u201d Ben told his son, smiling at him.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cNight Hoss,\u201d Joe said to his brother who was still eating.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cNight Punkin, sleep tight,\u201d answered Hoss in between bites of the fried chicken he loved so well.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Pausing beside Adam\u2019s chair, Joe glanced down at his brother who seemed to be ignoring him.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cNight Adam,\u201d ventured Joe as he stood waiting to see if his oldest brother would answer him.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Without looking up and in a voice barely audible, Adam mumbled his good night as he took a sip of his coffee.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Joe looked sadly at his father and glanced at Hoss then began making his way to his room.\u00a0 Ben waited until he heard Joe\u2019s bedroom door close and then spoke to Adam.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t you think you\u2019re being overly hard on the boy Adam?\u201d Ben questioned, trying to read the emotion that played across his oldest son\u2019s face.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cPa,\u201d began Adam, sitting his coffee cup down on the table harder than was necessary, causing it to spill on to the red checkered cloth that covered the family\u2019s large wooden table.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s going, you\u2019ve made that perfectly clear.\u00a0 I\u2019ve already told you how I feel about the situation, but please don\u2019t expect me to like it.\u00a0 I can only guess at what kind of foolishness he will think up for me this time, God, I shutter to think about it,\u201d Adam explained to his father.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cBut you can rest assured, the first time he steps out of line, he will find himself across my lap!\u00a0 And riding won\u2019t be very comfortable from then on!\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cNow, if you will excuse me, I\u2019m going to bed!\u201d finished Adam as he rose to leave the table, not bothering to say good night to either his father or his brother.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben and Hoss sat in silence watching as Adam climbed the stairs.\u00a0 When Adam reached the door to Joe\u2019s room, he paused in the hallway.\u00a0 He could hear Joe moving around inside preparing, he supposed for bed.\u00a0Giving a shake of his head, he continued down the hall to his own room.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hoss looked at his father and wondered if he dared to ask the question that had been on his mind all evening.\u00a0 When he could stand it no longer, he gave in to the urge. \u201cPa, ya reckon it\u2019s a good idea for them two to be alone?\u00a0 You know how they\u2019re like water and oil, they don\u2019t exactly mix?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben smiled kindly at his middle son who was always playing the part of peacemaker in the family.\u00a0 \u201cWho knows son, guess we\u2019ll just have to wait it out and see what happens.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n As Joe started to lie down in bed, he heard a slight knock on his door and watched as his father interred.\u00a0 Ben closed the door behind him and smiled at his son as he came and sat on the edge of the bed.\u00a0 Taking the covers he pulled them up around Joe\u2019s shoulders and worked at tucking them in.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sorry Pa,\u201d Joe told his father, the remorse heard in the tone of his voice.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cSorry?\u201d questioned Ben as he fingered the edge of the blanket, thinking this one was one of the lasts that his late wife, Marie had purchased, just before her death.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYeah, I didn\u2019t mean to cause a scene tonight, honest Pa.\u00a0 I just wanted to go with Adam,\u201d Joe explained.\u00a0 \u201cBut he\u2019s so mad, Pa, couldn\u2019t I stay here, please Pa?\u201d begged Joe.\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t want to go, he doesn\u2019t want me with him, please let me stay.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben smiled at Joe and gently pushed back a soft curl that had fallen onto Joe\u2019s forehead and thinking how badly the boy needed a haircut.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cTell me something son, why did you want to go with Adam in the first place?\u00a0 Seems to me he has been rather mad at you for sometime now?\u201d Ben was curious to know, considering that the boys had been barely able to stand being in the same room with each other.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Joe pulled himself into a sitting position and leaned back against his pillows.\u00a0 Looking into his father\u2019s eyes and seeing the love there, he began telling what had been weighing on his heart.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cPa, I wanted to go with Adam because I wanted to spend time with just him.\u00a0 We used to be close, you know, before he went back east.\u00a0 But now all we ever do is fuss.\u00a0 I hate it Pa, really,\u201d Joe explained as he shifted his position to get more comfortable and then continued.\u00a0 \u201cIt seems like nothin I do is ever good enough.\u00a0 No matter how hard I try he still finds fault with what I am doing or with me.\u00a0 He thinks I\u2019m lazy and that I don\u2019t take nothin serious,\u201d Joe looked up at his father and watched the concern in the dark eyes that stared back at him.\u00a0 \u201cPa, he thinks he knows me so well.\u00a0 But there\u2019s one thing about me older brother doesn\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cAnd that is?\u201d asked Ben watching his son and seeing the tears begin to pool in the green eyes that suddenly looked so sad.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHow I really feel about him,\u201d spoke Joe softly.\u00a0 Ben sat quietly and waited for Joe to continue.\u00a0 \u201cI admire him and respect him too.\u00a0 He doesn\u2019t think so, but it\u2019s true.\u00a0 I know what Adam went through growing up, all the hardships and heartaches he had to put up with.\u00a0 I know he didn\u2019t get a chance to just be a kid, not like I have.\u00a0 How could I forget, he\u2019s reminded me often enough?\u00a0 I know how hard he had to work and that he was and still is your right hand man.\u00a0 I know all of that was done so that the future generations of Cartwrights could live the dream.\u00a0 But Pa, when all of that was going on, I was just a future Cartwright.\u00a0 He seems to have forgotten about that.\u00a0 And he acts like he\u2019s mad at me because I do enjoy the results of everyone else\u2019s hard work.\u00a0 Then at times he almost acts like he\u2019s jealous of me!\u201d Joe continued, pouring out his heart as Ben sat in silence and listened surprised that his youngest admitted to such inter knowledge.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cPa, this very house, the house I was born in, Adam helped designed, even the barn was built with Adam by your side.\u00a0 Everywhere I look, everywhere I go on this ranch, speak of the hard work that you, Adam and Hoss poured into this place.\u00a0 I try Pa, honest, to do my share.\u00a0 I am every bit as much a Cartwright as any of you and I just wanted to show Adam I could carry my end of the load.\u00a0 I didn\u2019t make the Ponderosa what it is, but I can work hard to keep it what it is and maybe be a part of making it better,\u201d Joe wiped the tears that now ran down his cheeks with his hands.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Looking into his father\u2019s face and seeing that he was absorbing what he was trying to say, Joe continued.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWhen I was small, I used to think I wanted to be just like Adam, but now I know I could never be like him.\u00a0 He\u2019s much more of a man than I could ever be.\u00a0 I remember there was a time when I turned to Adam for everything, times when you couldn\u2019t be there for me.\u00a0 I remember when he\u2019d come into my room after I woke from a nightmare and the times he would carry me back to his own room and put me in bed with him so I wouldn\u2019t be afraid anymore.\u00a0 Pa, doesn\u2019t he know that he is who he is because of how life treated him and I am who I am for the same reasons?\u00a0 Can\u2019t he see that he has played a major roll in making me who and what I am?\u201d cried Joe, the frustrations of the evening winning out, causing the tears to run in streams down his cheeks.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben leaned over and gathered his weeping son into his arms and held him.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cPa, I love Adam, I always have, I always will, I just wish he knew it,\u201d cried Joe as he buried his face deeper into his father\u2019s chest where in times like these he had always found the comfort he needed.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben moved his son back so that he could look into the face of the young boy who held the key to his heart.\u00a0 Placing a large hand on either side of Joe\u2019s face he told him, \u201cJoseph, Adam loves you too.\u00a0 More than you will ever know.\u00a0 He would without hesitation, lay down his life for you,\u201d wiping the tears from Joe\u2019s face with his own thumbs, Ben continued, \u201cJoe, the day you were born Adam slipped into our room just to look at you.\u00a0 He had been so worried about you, having come early and being so small.\u00a0 In fact, we were all worried, but he had heard you fussing and had gone to check on you.\u00a0 I watched as he carefully picked you up and I saw the tears he shed when your little fingers closed around one of his.\u00a0 Joe, he kissed your little head and I will never forget his whispering to you,\u201d Ben told Joe as he recalled that night many years ago.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWhat did he say Pa?\u201d asked Joe, interested in the memory that his father was sharing with him.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Smiling Ben explained, \u201cHe carried you over to your mother\u2019s rocking chair and sat down and began rocking you.\u00a0 You had already stopped crying by the time he picked you up but he was determined to rock with you anyway.\u00a0 I think he must have sat there rocking and talking to you for a good hour.\u00a0 He told you he loved you and how proud he was of you.\u00a0 You were just laying there looking at him, just as if you understood what he was telling you and he called you his little buddy for the first time that night.\u00a0 When you fell asleep he put you back in your cradle and kissed you again and said \u2018good night Little Buddy, big brother Adam loves you.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cJoseph, before you mother died, Adam made a promise to her that he would always take care of you and he has always kept that promise.\u00a0 Adam has never gone back on his word.\u00a0 Maybe that\u2019s why he\u2019s so hard on you.\u00a0 But son, I know for a fact Adam does love you.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben gathered Joe in a warm embrace and held him tightly for several minutes. Rocking back and forth while patting his back Joe\u2019s father voiced a special request to his son.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cJoe, I want you to go with Adam.\u00a0 Both of you need this time together.\u00a0 But Joseph, do something for me, promise me one thing,\u201d Ben asked watching for a reaction in his son\u2019s eyes.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s that?\u201d answered Joe, giving his father the reaction he knew would be forthcoming.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Smiling at the scowl that Joe made, he asked, \u201cTry not to argue with you brother, do everything he asks of you and do it willingly.\u00a0 Will you promise me?\u00a0 Will you do that for me?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cPa, you know I\u2019d do anything for you,\u201d smiled Joe.\u00a0 \u201cI promise to do my best not to argue and to do what he tells me to do.\u00a0 I even promise not to pull any jokes on him.\u00a0 Beyond that, I can\u2019t really make a promise,\u201d Joe told his father blowing his nose on the handkerchief that his father had suddenly supplied before he snuggled back down under the covers.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cDo your best, that is all I can ask son,\u201d Ben said as he tucked the covers around his son for the second time.\u00a0 Leaning over he kissed the top of Joe\u2019s head.\u00a0 \u201cGood night Joseph, God bless,\u201d he added as he started toward the door.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cNight Pa, love you,\u201d said Joe, turning over on his side.\u00a0 Ben turned the lamp down low and closed the door as he left.\u00a0 Joe fell asleep almost immediately and slept the whole night, void of any dreams or nightmares.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben walked down the hall and stopped at Adam\u2019s door.\u00a0 Seeing the light still on, Ben knew that his son was still up reading.\u00a0 Knocking quietly and receiving an invitation to enter, Ben opened the door gently ready to set his oldest son straight on a few matters.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam had pushed the horses hard, he wanted to reach the far upper pasture before sundown.\u00a0 It was beginning to look like rain and he did not feel like starting a week of work with a good soaking.\u00a0 He knew the old cave where he was planning on camping for the few days that it would take to mend fences and locate strays would provide shelter from the elements.\u00a0 After riding for close to four hours, he pulled his horse up for a much-needed rest.\u00a0 The packhorse came to a halt just behind Sport.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Joe was glad that his brother was finally stopping.\u00a0 He was tired but vowed not to let on to Adam.\u00a0 All he needed he thought was Adam finding fault with him for wanting a short rest.\u00a0 The two brothers had ridden in total silence and that silence was beginning to work on Joe\u2019s nerves.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHey Adam,\u201d Joe said as he edged Cochise around the packhorse and up next to Adam.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong, you tired little boy?\u201d asked Adam.\u00a0 Adam noticed the hurt expression that sprang into his younger brother\u2019s face and wished he could take back his words.\u00a0 He knew that Joe hated it when someone called him a kid or boy.\u00a0 Adam had known he would get a reaction from Joe and wished now he had not pushed for one.\u00a0 Pa had talked to him last night about the conversation that he had had with Joe.\u00a0 Adam had felt guilt creeping into his conscience by the time his father had finished relating to him the things that Joe had shared with their father.\u00a0 What Joe had conveyed to Pa about his feelings regarding his oldest brother had touched his heart, perhaps more than he wanted to admit.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Looking at Joe and seeing the hurt still evident on his face and knowing that his brother was struggling with his emotions, he spoke softly, \u201cWhat is it Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Joe, who was close to tears, looked at Adam but could not hold the stance, so instead he turned his head as if looking at something in the distance before speaking.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI just wanted to know if you were planning on ignoring me all week.\u00a0 You haven\u2019t said one word to me since last night, until now,\u201d Joe said and finally turned to face Adam.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam looked at Joe and thought how much he looked like his mother, Marie.\u00a0 The memory of the lovely woman and the day that his green eyed baby brother was born softened his heart.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cJoe, look, I\u2019m sorry, really, I shouldn\u2019t have said the things I did.\u00a0 And no, I\u2019m not going to ignore you for a whole week, I don\u2019t think anyone could ignore you for that length of time.\u201d Adam laughed, glad to see Joe smiling at him again.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cLet\u2019s start fresh, what do you say?\u201d asked Adam as he offered Little Joe his hand in friendship.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cOkay by me,\u201d smiled Joe as he took the offered hand.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cPeace?\u201d he laughed, glad that the tension was gone now between his brother and himself.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cPeace!\u201d Adam agreed, \u201con one condition.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWhat condition?\u201d asked Joe, suspicion beginning to cause doubt about this new peace treaty with his brother.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Laughing at the look on Joe\u2019s face he said, \u201cDon\u2019t worry little brother, it won\u2019t kill you.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWhat is this \u2018one condition\u2019?\u201d inquired Joe.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n No<\/u>, and I mean no<\/u> practical jokes, of any kind,\u201d Adam instructed Joe.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Joe giggled his famous giggle and agreed with Adam, \u201cOkay Adam, no practical jokes\u2026at least not this week, but watch out next week!\u201d\u00a0 And with that Joe kneed his pinto into a run to avoid being grabbed by a laughing Adam who in slow pursuit had to pull the packhorse behind him.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam and Joe sat up camp using the cave as shelter.\u00a0 Adam and Hoss had found the cave years earlier as young boys exploring on the Ponderosa; and had from that time on, been used by the family and the ranch hands whenever any of them were working fence repairs and collecting strays in that area.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Joe and Adam unsaddled their mounts and cared for them as best they could.\u00a0 Adam began unpacking their gear while Joe went off in search of firewood to last them for the week.\u00a0 The rain clouds had continued to gather and both young men wanted to have enough dry wood on hand to ensure their warmth and comfort in the event they were wet.\u00a0 Adam more than Joe hated the uncomfortable feelings he always got when having to wear damp or soaked clothing.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cSure hope this storm blows over,\u201d Adam said to Joe as he started the fire.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYeah, me too.\u00a0 I don\u2019t like the idea of rounding up strays in the pouring rain,\u201d replied Little Joe as he finished stacking the wood he had found.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI hate getting wet too,\u201d Adam told Joe while he finished with the fire and turned to unroll his bedding, placing it a few feet from Joe\u2019s.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Laughing while pouring another cup of hot coffee, Joe said to Adam, \u201cWell, if that\u2019s so Big Brother, how\u2019s come you like to take so many baths?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam turned to Joe and saw that Joe was trying hard not to laugh.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWell now Little Brother, that\u2019s different.\u00a0 You see, I get wet to get clean, I don\u2019t like to get wet to get dirty!\u201d Adam explained as he readied himself to turn in for the night.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI suppose there has to be logic in that somewhere, knowing you, but personally, I can\u2019t see it,\u201d Little Joe told Adam as he finished his coffee and moved to rest his head on his saddle that he was using as a pillow.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cGood night Joe,\u201d smiled Adam to himself.\u00a0 Sometimes he wondered about his baby brother.\u00a0 As for now, Adam was glad Pa had insisted that Joe accompany him, he had been enjoying the boy\u2019s company.\u00a0 One thing he was sure of\u2026there would never be a dull moment with Joe along.\u00a0 He promised himself to do his best to be kinder to the boy and work at restoring their relationship; he had been missing the comradeship they had once shared.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cNight Adam,\u201d Joe replied as he turned his body to face the fire.\u00a0 Joe would stay close to the light; he would never let on to his brother that the dark cave gave him the woollies.\u00a0 Joe thought of it as creepy and lying awake now his mind recalled some of the ghost stories that Adam and Hoss had told him on other nights when they had been camping in the cave.\u00a0 Pulling the cover over his head and shutting his eyes tightly he waited until at last sleep came.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n For two days Adam and Joe worked side by side repairing the fence that was down.\u00a0 Adam was pleased with the progress they had made and was just as pleased with the way Joe had thrown himself into the job.\u00a0Joe had worked hard; never complaining and doing all that Adam had asked of him causing Adam\u2019s respect to begin growing toward his younger brother.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cTomorrow we\u2019ll start rounding up those strays and putting them on the right side of this fence,\u201d Adam told Joe as he began gathering up the tools and putting them back in their place on the packhorse.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Joe finished the last rail of the fence he had been repairing and began handing his tools to Adam so that they could also be packed up.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cSounds good to me, big brother.\u00a0 I\u2019m bushed and I\u2019m hungry,\u201d Joe told Adam.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cMe too, come on let\u2019s get back to the cave.\u00a0 I\u2019m glad that storm last night didn\u2019t last long,\u201d Adam said as he mounted Sport and gathered the lead rope that held the packhorse.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Springing onto Cochise, Joe turned his horse in the direction of the cave.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI am too, makes the \u2018ole cave creepy when it storms like it did last night.\u201d Joe informed his brother, making a face of pretended fright.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Laughing, Adam assured Joe the cave was not haunted.\u00a0 He knew how his young brother tried to be brave at times like that.\u00a0 Adam was aware that Joe was prone to nightmares and held a fear of the dark so he had not commented each night when Joe had added another log to the fire before turning in for the night.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The next morning both brothers rode out in different directions, each in search of the strays that had wandered away after the fence had broken down.\u00a0 Later that afternoon Joe was on his way back, herding two steers that he had found.\u00a0 As he herded the wayward animals through the gate he noticed that Adam had been there sometime earlier and had returned with three cows.\u00a0 Having finished running his steers through the gate and making sure the gate was secured, he sprang into his saddle, turning Cochise toward the stream in search of cattle that may have gone in search of water.\u00a0 It was Joe\u2019s plan to ride up stream for a mile or two then cross over to the opposite side and work his way down stream.\u00a0 The current of the stream was running full due to the rain of the previous night and it was possible that if any cattle had crossed the stream before the storm, they may have been stranded on the wrong side of the swollen creek.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n When Joe had ridden about a mile and a half he could hear the bawling of a cow.\u00a0 Joe turned his pinto toward the sound and it wasn\u2019t long before he spotted the distressed cow that was frantically trying to free itself from its muddy entrapment.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cGreat,\u201d thought Joe, \u201cJust what I need\u2026a mud bath.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Taking his rope from the saddle, Joe tied one end to the saddle horn and carefully made his way down the muddy slick embankment, sliding on his rear twice before reaching the trapped animal.\u00a0 Cautiously approaching the frightened cow, Joe looped his rope around the cow\u2019s horns and holding onto the rope, made his way back up the bank, but not before his hat was knocked from his head.\u00a0 As Joe reached out to grab the fallen hat, the current snatched it from his reach only to have the hat hang on the tip of a fallen log that laid in the shallow edge of the stream, just out of Joe\u2019s reach.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cDadburnit,\u201d Joe said to himself, borrowing one of his brother Hoss\u2019 favorite expressions.\u00a0 Joe decided to haul the bawling cow from the mud first and then retrieve his hat.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Reaching Cochise, Joe ordered his pinto forward and within minutes the frantic cow was pulled free from the gripping mud and hauled up the slippery bank.\u00a0 Joe removed his rope from around the animal\u2019s horns and gave her a hard smack on the rump, sending the animal away from the creek bank.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Using the rope as a guideline for the second time, Joe started down the embankment.\u00a0 Joe tried in vain to reach his hat but it was just far enough from his reach that he realized he would have to step into the water if he were to have the hat.\u00a0 Not wanting to get his boots full of water, Joe sat down on a rock that laid near the water\u2019s edge and removed his boots and socks and with a toss slung them over his head and away from the water.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Carefully stepping into the cold water so as not to fall, Joe felt the squishy mud seep between his toes. \u201cBurr,\u201d shivered Joe thinking how much colder the water felt than normal for this time of year.\u00a0 Joe had only taken four steps into the stream before he was able to retrieve the hat.\u00a0 Snatching it free from the hold of the fallen log and shaking the water from the hat, Joe placed it atop his head.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Later, Joe would remember that that had been his last memory of being in the cold stream.\u00a0 As Joe turned and took a step, he heard the snap of medal and felt the iron teeth of the old trap grab his ankle in a death like grip that snapped the bone of his left leg directly above where the trap had attached itself.\u00a0 Excruciating pain ran from his ankle, up his leg, finally making it to the part of the brain that would register the agony.\u00a0 Blackness swiftly overcame the young boy and with a heavy thud, Joe hit the ground.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben Cartwright had spent the last two nights sitting beside the bed of his youngest son.\u00a0 Adam had arrived home late on the eighth day after he and Joe had left for the high country.\u00a0 Having heard horses interring the yard, Ben and Hoss had hurried out the door in hopes that the other Cartwright family members had finally made it home.\u00a0 Ben had begun to grow concerned knowing that Joe and Adam had planned to have only been away for a week.\u00a0 That concern growing in his mind had turned to fear that something bad had happened to one of his sons.\u00a0 As he stepped out the door and onto the porch his worst nightmare had become a reality.\u00a0 There, riding double in front of Adam, was the still, silent form of his baby son.\u00a0 Panic seized Ben\u2019s heart as he searched the face for some sign of life.\u00a0 Adam, seeing the distraught looks on both his father and brother\u2019s face hurried to reassure them.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s alive Pa, but is in a bad way.\u00a0 Help me get him into the house, be careful of the left ankle, it\u2019s broken,\u201d Adam instructed as Hoss reached up to gently gather his young brother into his large arms.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s burning\u2019 up,\u201d Hoss told his father as Ben lovingly placed his hand on the boy\u2019s brow to check the fever.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cLet\u2019s get him in bed.\u00a0 Hoss take him upstairs and then send for Doc. Martin.\u00a0 Adam, you come with me and tell me what happened,\u201d Ben was saying as father and sons made their way to Joe\u2019s room.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n As Hoss gently lowered Joe onto the bed, a soft moan escaped from Joe\u2019s lips and the next thing they knew, Joe began calling out for his brother.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cAdam! Adam! P\u2026P\u2026Please help me,\u201d screamed Joe as he began thrashing from side to side.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam quickly stepped in front of Hoss and leaned over the body of his brother who was now reaching out for person\u2019s unseen, trying desperately to find a solid hold.\u00a0 Taking both of Joe\u2019s hands in his own two hands, Adam began speaking softly, trying to make his voice reach far enough inside his brother\u2019s delirium to be heard.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cTake it easy little buddy, you\u2019re okay.\u00a0 You\u2019re home now and Pa\u2019s here with you, so is Hoss.\u00a0 Open your eyes Joe\u2026see, there\u2019s Pa,\u201d Adam softly cooed to Joe.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cJoseph, son, it\u2019s all right now, Pa\u2019s here,\u201d said Ben moving to claim Adam\u2019s place beside his injured son.\u00a0 \u201cShh Joe, you\u2019re okay now,\u201d Ben softly reassured the boy.\u00a0 Joe began to calm down as the sound of his father\u2019s voiced reached through the dark recesses of his mind.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cPa,\u201d whispered Joe, grabbing his father\u2019s arm. \u201cThe water! The water!\u201d Joe cried, trying to rise from the bed.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Taking Joe by the shoulders and gently forcing him back into the comfort of the bed, Ben calmly convinced Joe that he was no longer in the water.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n When at last Joe\u2019s fevered body gave over to sleep; Adam was able to partly fill his father in on what had taken place.\u00a0 While Adam and Ben removed the dirty clothing from Joe\u2019s body in order that they could bathe him, Hoss and Hop Sing kept running from the room to the kitchen and back, bringing fresh cloths and clean water for Joe\u2019s bath.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cTwo days ago I was waiting at the cave for Joe.\u00a0 I figured he must have found more strays up stream and was heading them back to the pasture.\u00a0 I kept thinking he\u2019d show up but the later that it got, the madder I became.\u00a0 Joe had been bugging me about going fishing and I kept trying to explain that the fishing would not be any good, not after the rain we had.\u00a0 So, I figured he was just taking his time cause he was mad at me.\u00a0 You how he gets sometimes,\u201d Adam said as he finished washing Joe\u2019s arm and was now drying it with a soft towel.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben had begun to wash Joe\u2019s left leg, cleaning the mud that had caked there when he noticed his ankle.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cAdam, I thought this ankle was just broken, but it looks as if it has been mauled.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m getting to that.\u00a0 Let\u2019s finish his bath and then I\u2019ll tell you the rest.\u00a0 Maybe Doc. Martin will be here by then.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben and Adam finished the task of bathing Joe\u2019s body and then Ben removed a clean nightshirt from the dresser and with Adam\u2019s help, placed it over the injured boy\u2019s head and pulled it down.\u00a0 That task finished, Ben gently pulled the covers up to Joe\u2019s chest and tucked him in.\u00a0 Ben could see the play of emotions filtering across his young son\u2019s face and knew that the boy was in pain.\u00a0 He prayed silently that the doctor would arrive before much more time passed.\u00a0 It tore at his heart; Joe looked so very young lying helpless buried under the weight of the blankets.\u00a0 Taking a cloth and dipping it in the cool water that Hop Sing had brought, Ben placed it onto his son\u2019s brow, hoping to cool the fever.\u00a0 Brushing back a stray lock of hair, he leaned over and placed a kiss atop the curly head.<\/p>\n It was only a short time after that Hoss was back with the doctor and Adam went down stairs to greet him.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cThanks for coming Paul,\u201d Adam said as he welcomed the doctor in.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cNo problem Adam.\u00a0 Hoss said Joe broke his ankle?\u201d inquired Paul Martin as he removed his hat and coat, passing them to Hoss who hung them on the pegs next to the door.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHe did, but the ankle was broken due to stepping into an old medal trap that was hidden under the water.\u00a0 Guess some fool trapped forgot about that one,\u201d Adam informed the doctor, the disgust ringing in his voice.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cOh my, when did this happen Adam?\u201d Doc. Martin asked.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cTwo days ago, I just got him home today.\u00a0 It was raining when I found him so I had to wait until the next morning to move him.\u00a0 He was pretty much out of it,\u201d Adam explained to the doctor as they made their way up the stairs.\u00a0 As they neared Joe\u2019s room they could hear Joe\u2019s distressed screams.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cAdam! Adam! The water\u2026it\u2019s getting deeper!\u00a0 Help me! Help me! Ple\u2026ase Adam,\u201d Joe was screaming and fighting with his father to escape the bed and the strong arms that were trying to hold him down.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cJoseph, be still son, you\u2019re going to hurt yourself,\u201d Ben pleaded with Joe as he tried in vain to restrain the frightened boy.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Doctor Martin and Adam hurried to Ben\u2019s aide.\u00a0 Adam noted the look of terror on his brother\u2019s face and felt tears begin to form in his eyes.\u00a0 His heart went out to this young brother, he had suffered so much over the last couple of days and Adam had felt useless in being able to relieve that pain and give comfort to the boy.\u00a0 How he wished he could change places with the boy, taking the pain himself rather than having to be witness to the suffering.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n At last Ben and the doctor were able to get Joe back in bed and calmed down.\u00a0 Doc. Martin instructed Ben and Adam to leave him alone with his patient and informed them that he would talk to them downstairs when he had finished with his examination.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam followed his father down the stairs and into the great room both taking a seat in their favorite chairs.\u00a0 Ben watched Adam as he stared into the fire.\u00a0 Hoss had come in to join his father and brother and sat on the hearth in front of the fireplace.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cAdam,\u201d spoke Ben, \u201cDo you feel like you could finish telling me what happened to Joseph?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam turned to face his father and Ben noted the sadness in the dark eyes.\u00a0 Adam sighed deeply and with a look of anguish on his face, he began again to tell his father of finding Little Joe held captive by the trap buried in the mud and nearly totally submerged under water.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cAs I said Pa, Joe was late and I was getting madder by the minute.\u00a0 However, by the time nightfall had arrived I was beginning to get worried.\u00a0 So I decided to saddle up and go look for him, but before I could leave, Cochise showed up at the cave, without Joe.\u00a0 So naturally I knew something was amiss.\u00a0 I searched for a couple of hours with no luck. Then it started to rain and I had to give up; you couldn\u2019t see anything in that dark,\u201d Adam got up and walked to the fireplace and stood silently as he tried to calm the turbulent feeling churning in his stomach.\u00a0 He could still see the lifeless body of his young brother lying as if dead, face down in the mud.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben rose from his chair and walked to Adam\u2019s side and placed a hand on his son\u2019s shoulder, trying to give comfort to his son.\u00a0 Adam was his one son who prided himself in his self- control and restraint.\u00a0 It was obvious to Ben that Adam was on the verge of losing both.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cSon, are you all right?\u201d Ben asked as he looked into Adam\u2019s face and saw the misery there.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam nodded, \u201cYes,\u201d and expelled the air that had built in his lungs.\u00a0 \u201cI just can\u2019t seem to get that picture of him lying in the mud, out of my mind.\u00a0 I can\u2019t remember ever having been so frightened Pa.\u201d\u00a0 Turning to his father he continued,\u00a0 \u201cAll I could think of was how badly I\u2019d been treating the kid the last few weeks, and I\u2019m not even sure why I\u2019d been doing it.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hoss who had been listening to his brother relate the events building up to Joe\u2019s injuries rose from his place on the hearth and patted Adam on the back.\u00a0 He could sense the defeat at being unable to help their brother that Adam was feeling and his heart went out to his older brother.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t worry about that right now big brother, let\u2019s just work on getting Little Joe better,\u201d Hoss told him.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHoss is right son, Little Joe is safe at home now, we can address other problems as they come up,\u201d Ben added.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI know but once I finally got him freed from that damn trap and out of the water and mud, I had to get him back to the cave.\u00a0 By that time he was freezing and had already begun a fever.\u00a0 I cleaned him up best I could with what I had and tended his ankle, I knew I couldn\u2019t set it without first having the other wounds sewed up, so I had no choice but to wait until I could get him home.\u00a0 And that only caused more pain for the kid.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam took a deep breath and continued, \u201cThen he began waking up and started fighting like a wild man.\u00a0 I was sure the pain was going to kill him and then Pa,\u201d Adam said as he looked sadly at his father, \u201che started begging me not to be mad at him anymore.\u00a0 That nearly ripped my heart in two.\u00a0 I thought my kid brother is going to die and die thinking I was mad at him, and for what, because I was embarrassed by some stupid practical joke that happened months ago?\u201d Adam said sadly shaking his head trying to chase the memory of what had taken place from his mind.\u00a0 \u201cIt was almost too much Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hoss, who had been listening, found tears in his own eyes.\u00a0 Hoss\u2019 great love for both of his brothers was known to all.\u00a0 He knew that regardless of how angry one became toward the other, they would come together during times when outsiders might try coming against one or all.\u00a0 The love that each Cartwright man felt for the other members of the family was a special kind of love, a rare love not often found in the hearts of men.\u00a0 And the one Cartwright, who held the key to the hearts of the other three men, now lay injured and sick in an upstairs bedroom.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n When at last the doctor returned to the great room, Ben and his sons rose waiting anxiously for the doctor to speak.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s sleeping Ben.\u00a0 I\u2019ve given him something for the pain and something to help him rest. He should be out for several hours,\u201d the doctor informed the worried family.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cIs he gonna be okay?\u201d asked Hoss, not waiting for his father to voice the question.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cIn time, with plenty of rest and lots of Hop Sings good cooking, I think the leg will mend nicely,\u201d smiled the doctor who watched the faces of the men he admired begin to relax.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cBen, he was lucky, if you could call it lucky, stepping in to a steel trap like that,\u201d Doc. Martin started to explain.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam who had remained in front of the fireplace turned and faced the physician and in a voice that sounded akin to sarcasm he quizzed the doctor.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cJust how can you consider a broken ankle, being trapped in mud, nearly drowned in that nasty water, frozen stiff, being in more pain than most men could stand, not to mention scared to death and all alone in the pitch dark, being so damn lucky?\u201d Adam demanded, trying hard to control his temper, but not doing a very good job.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cAdam, that\u2019s enough!\u201d yelled Ben, coming to the doctor\u2019s defense.\u00a0 \u201cLet Paul finish.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHow do you consider Joseph\u2019s accident lucky?\u201d Ben wanted to know, for he tended to agree with his oldest son.\u00a0 He didn\u2019t see anything lucky regarding the injury and pain that his baby son was experiencing.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWell Ben,\u201d Doc began, \u201cthe trap was bogged down in the mud.\u00a0 When Little Joe stepped on it, releasing it to snap closed; the mud slowed the lever action of the jaws.\u00a0 True, it was fast enough to snap the bone, breaking the ankle but it caused minimal damage to the flesh.\u00a0 The mud acted as a cushion protecting Joe\u2019s ankle from severe damage. That is why I called it lucky,\u201d Paul Martin explained to the family.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI was able to stitch up the torn flesh around the ankle without much trouble and I managed to set the bone.\u00a0 It should be fine in a few weeks. I\u2019ll come back later after the cuts begin to heal and put on a plaster cast.\u00a0Meanwhile, I want that boy on complete bed rest, keep that ankle elevated, that will ease the pain some.\u201d\u00a0 Doc Martin smiled at Ben and gently patted his arm.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cSomeone should probably stay with him for the first couple of nights, just to be sure he stays in bed.\u00a0 Since he appears to be having some flashbacks, he\u2019ll probably have some nightmares, since he has had a pretty good scare.\u00a0 He keeps mumbling something about being in the water,\u201d added Paul as he began putting on his coat and hat.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll be back in a couple of days to check on him but if you need me before then, send word to my office.\u00a0 That fever should peak in a few hours Ben.\u00a0 Try not to worry old friend, he\u2019ll be fine barring any infection and so far that looks good.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Turning to Adam he placed a reassuring hand on the young man\u2019s shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze.\u00a0 \u201cAnd you young man, go to bed, you look beat.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Smiling at the doctor, Adam told him he would after he checked on his brother and apologized for being rude.\u00a0 Saying good-bye to Doc Martin, Adam made his way to Joe\u2019s room, followed by Hoss, leaving their father to walk out with the doctor.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hoss and Adam quietly entered Joe\u2019s bedroom and found that Joe was sleeping peacefully, much to the relief of his brothers.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHe looks so young lying there like that,\u201d Hoss commented, going to his sleeping brother\u2019s bedside and tucking the covers snugly around the slumbering form.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam sat down in the chair next to the bed and leaned over to place his head in his hands, sighing deeply.\u00a0 He was tired; bone tired and he needed sleep.\u00a0 Paul Martin had been correct when he said he looked beat, he felt beat, not just in body but in spirit also.\u00a0 But he could not pull himself from the bedside of his youngest sibling; the need to stay close to the boy he loved kept him there.\u00a0 Something had been gnawing at him, eating away at his conscience and he felt the need to fix it, making it right.\u00a0 But to do so, Joe would need to wake up, and at this point Adam could only wait.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHe is young Hoss.\u00a0 Too young to have to go through something like this,\u201d Adam said, raising weary eyes to look at Hoss. Hoss smiled back through blue eyes that showed his concern for both of his brothers.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben came into the room and saw the drained look on his eldest son\u2019s face.\u00a0 Placing a caring hand on Adam\u2019s shoulder, he instructed Adam to go to bed.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI will call you if there is any change or if I need you.\u00a0 Now go on, both of you,\u201d their father ordered them.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hoss, who had not moved from his spot at the head of the bed, leaned down and kissed the head of the sleeping boy.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cNight Punkin, love ya,\u201d he whispered in a soft voice.\u00a0 Joe stirred slightly and tried to open his eyes but the sleepy boy\u2019s eyelids were too heavy for his tired aching body to manage.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam pulled his weary body from the chair and reached out to grasp his brother\u2019s hand that lay on top of the covers.\u00a0 Giving it a gentle squeeze, he turned from the room giving his father a tired smile.\u00a0 Ben reached up and laid his hand on the back of his son\u2019s shoulder as he walked past, causing Adam to stop momentarily.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m glad your home Adam and I\u2019m glad you are all right,\u201d Ben told him.\u00a0 \u201cThank you son, for bring my baby home to me.\u201d\u00a0 Ben added, giving his son a brief hug.\u00a0 Ben felt Adam\u2019s body tremble as the hug was returned.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cGood night Pa\u2026call me if he wakes up, please.\u00a0 I need to tell him something,\u201d Adam informed his father.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t worry I will, now go to bed.\u00a0 Good night son, God bless,\u201d Ben told Adam turning to sit in the chair vacated by Adam, ready to begin his vigil for the night.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Joe managed to sleep the night through, waking only once to ask for a drink.\u00a0 The fever he had had when the doctor had seen him only rose slightly before peaking, much to Ben\u2019s relief.\u00a0 Joe lay sleeping peacefully and Ben dosed in the chair holding onto his son\u2019s hand.\u00a0 This was the sight that met Adam\u2019s eyes the next morning when he entered the room carrying a tray of coffee for his father and broth for his brother should he be awake.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cMorning Pa,\u201d greeted Adam.\u00a0 \u201cI brought you some coffee.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cGood morning son, thanks,\u201d answered Ben shaking the sleep from his head and taking the hot brew that was offered.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam placed his hand on the brow of his brother to check for fever.\u00a0 Taking a sip of the hot coffee, Ben watched as Adam toyed with the covers surrounding Joe\u2019s shoulders.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cFever peaked out late last night.\u00a0 He woke only once, briefly and then slept the rest of the night.\u201d Ben informed Adam.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Smiling down at his father Adam said, \u201cThat\u2019s good.\u00a0 That\u2019s what I wanted to hear.\u00a0 Pa, go down and eat, Hop Sing has breakfast ready, and Hoss is already there.\u00a0 I\u2019ll sit with Joe for awhile, then you go to bed.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cThanks son, I am sorta hungry,\u201d Ben said as he left the room.\u00a0 As he turned to pull the door closed, he cast one final look at the sleeping boy before Adam sat down beside Joe blocking his youngest from view.\u00a0Ben quietly closed the door, leaving Adam to wait for Joe to wake.\u00a0 Ben sensed that Adam had something on his mind and that he needed to discuss it with his brother, in private.\u00a0 Ben wouldn\u2019t ask, he knew whatever it was, it was between his oldest and youngest sons.\u00a0 He did hope that the rift between these two, who were more alike than either was willing to admit, would some way be mended.\u00a0 He prayed that some how what they had been through together this past week would enable them to find their way back to each other.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam sat on the bed beside Joe and just watched the boy sleep.\u00a0 So many memories played through his mind\u2019s eye.\u00a0 He remembered the night that Joe had been born and how frightened that he had been because Joe had burst forth into this world earlier than he should have and how tiny the new baby had been.\u00a0 Adam recalled the first time he had held his new baby brother in his arms and how proud he felt when it had seemed as if the baby smiled at him.\u00a0 He remembered other times that he had carried his littlest brother in his arms.\u00a0 During sicknesses, in the middle of the night when the nightmares had been more than the child could withstand and he remembered carrying Joe home from the funeral the day his mother had been buried.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Memories continued to flood Adam\u2019s mind and touch his heart.\u00a0 He recalled the day Marie had died and the promise he had made to her before her passing.\u00a0 He had promised to always take care of Little Joe, which he had always tried to do.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam brushed the curls back from Joe\u2019s forehead in a gentle movement.\u00a0 He recalled how he had done this so many times in his brother\u2019s short life, caring for the young frightened boy after Marie\u2019s death.\u00a0 He remembered the many times that he had ran into Joe\u2019s room when Joe would scream out in the middle of the night for a mother who would never again come to comfort her son.\u00a0 How many times had Joe clung to him tightly and cried?\u00a0 Adam remembered the day he had left for college, going back east to Boston and how Little Joe had not understood his leaving but had cried and begged him not to leave him and all the while holding tightly onto his pants leg.\u00a0 That one memory alone brought the tears to Adam\u2019s eyes and he allowed them to fall onto the blankets that covered the boy who Adam loved more than life itself.\u00a0 How he had missed the boy those years he had been away.\u00a0 All these memories dissolved the animosity that he had been feeling toward his brother and aroused the desire to tell his brother what he knew he should have told him a long time ago.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Joe stirred slightly on the bed and Adam waited as Joe found a comfortable position.\u00a0 Seeing that Joe was not yet ready to wake but wishing he would, Adam thought about the week that he and Joe had just shared.\u00a0Up until the day that Joe had been injured, the week had been a good one.\u00a0 Adam reasoned that Joe had done what he had promised their father before leaving.\u00a0 He had worked hard and he had done all that Adam had asked of him.\u00a0 Adam admitted to himself that he could find no fault at all in either Little Joe\u2019s work or his behavior.\u00a0 What troubled Adam was the way in which he had been treating his younger brother. He had felt resentment and even jealousy toward his sibling.\u00a0 He knew now that the problem had been within himself and not within his brother. He had been the one who changed; Joe had remained the same, Joe being Joe.\u00a0 And yet somehow that had irritated Adam and he found himself being rather nasty to the boy.\u00a0 Adam realized that his own behavior was the reason that Joe in his unconscience state would beg him not to be mad at him and cried out to Adam that he was sorry.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cOh God,\u201d thought Adam, \u201cHow could I have done that to him?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Leaning down so that he could rest his arm above the head of his brother and laying his free arm across the boy\u2019s chest, Adam gently and lovingly fingered the soft brown curls.\u00a0 Placing his lip inches from Joe\u2019s ears, in a voice choked with emotion and in a whispered plea he begged.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWake up Joe, please, I need to talk to you, please buddy, wake up.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n From the depths of sleep Joe\u2019s mind heard his name being called and responded to the voice he knew so well.\u00a0 Slowly opening his eyes, he was surprised to find the face of his older brother within inches of his own.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cAdam?\u201d he questioned softly, his voice heavy with sleep.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHey Little Buddy,\u201d smiled Adam as he moved his face further back from Joe\u2019s in order to look into his eyes.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Reaching to Adam\u2019s face and touching the tears that he saw there, Joe returned his brother\u2019s smile.\u00a0 \u201cAdam, I need to tell you something,\u201d he said softly.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Taking Joe\u2019s hand from his face and holding it in his, he spoke tenderly, \u201c There\u2019s something I need to tell you too, Joe,\u201d Adam told the boy and felt a lump catch in his throat.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cAdam, I just wanted to thank you for saving me, I was so scared, I thought I was gonna die,\u201d Joe told his brother.\u00a0 Having been through so much, Joe\u2019s emotions were raw and his eyes began to fill with tears, spilling over.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI love you Adam, I always have and I wanted you to know it.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam with tears in his own eyes brought his lips down and placed a kiss on Joe\u2019s cheek, something he had not done in years.\u00a0 Doing so now his lips could feel the wetness of the tears as they ran down the face in front of him.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cJoe, I was scared when I found you.\u00a0 I thought you were already dead and I thought if he\u2019s dead, my life is over.\u00a0 How could I go on without you?\u00a0 I knew what your death would do to all of us and I knew I could not stand losing you,\u201d Adam admitted to Joe.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cOh Joe, something I want you to know, something I should have told you a long time ago, I love you little buddy, more than you could ever know.\u00a0 I couldn\u2019t love you more if you were my own son, and I\u2019m sorry Joe for being so mean to you,\u201d Adam cried as he placed his cheek next to Joe\u2019s.\u00a0 Joe wrapped both of his arms around Adam\u2019s neck and together the brothers cried and the tears of each mingled together landing on the soft pillow beneath them.\u00a0 And for the first time in many years, water and oil mixed, uniting the brothers in their renewal of the love that each held for the other.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The End<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Tags:<\/strong> Adam Cartwright, Ben Cartwright, Hoss Cartwright, Joe \/ Little Joe Cartwright<\/p>\nAug. 2001<\/strong><\/span><\/h1>\n