{"id":12245,"date":"2001-09-01T07:20:27","date_gmt":"2001-09-01T11:20:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=12245"},"modified":"2025-02-27T12:05:16","modified_gmt":"2025-02-27T17:05:16","slug":"little-jonah-by-debbieb","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=12245","title":{"rendered":"Little Jonah (by DebbieB)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summary:\u00a0<\/strong> When Little Joe finds himself trapped in the bottom of an old forgotten well, with nothing but time on his hands, he recalls a Bible story that his father recently read to him and associates it with his own predicament.<\/p>\n

Rated:<\/strong> G (4,975 words)<\/p>\n

Little Jonah<\/strong><\/p>\n

Little Joe shivered, he was cold, and he was wet too.\u00a0 Looking up from the depths of the old well where he had fallen, Little Joe watched the lightening as it flashed across the sky.\u00a0 Joe heard the rumble of the thunder as it boomed into the darkness of night and then his stomach rumbled as if trying to keep tempo with the thunder from above.\u00a0 Little Joe was hungry, he remembered he hadn\u2019t eaten much breakfast and he had run off before noon.\u00a0 He had been so mad at both of his brothers that he had not even bothered to return home for his lunch and by now supper was long over.<\/p>\n

Joe shivered again, it was pitch dark out now and terribly dark in the bottom of the old well.\u00a0 Joe was scared, he hated the dark and he hated being alone as he was now.\u00a0 He even hated his brothers for allowing this to happen to him.<\/p>\n

Joe tried to move to a more comfortable position but the pain in his shoulder caused him to cry out.\u00a0 How he wished Pa would come to his rescue but that hope would be in vain.\u00a0 Pa had left two days ago for Sacramento and was not even aware that he was missing.\u00a0 Joe was wondering if Adam and Hoss had even noticed that he had not returned home.\u00a0 Of course they had he reasoned, and he hoped they were worried sick, it would serve them right for being so mean to him thought Little Joe.<\/p>\n

The thunder rumbled again and Little Joe looked up knowing that the lightening that would follow would brighten the night sky.\u00a0 That one flash of light brought a measure of comfort to the frightened boy.\u00a0 When the lightening flashed Little Joe was watching and could see the dark storm clouds that had continued to gather.\u00a0 Within minutes he could feel the cold raindrops hitting his face as they made their way to the bottom of the well.\u00a0 Instantly the heavens seemed to open and it was as if God on His throne was pouring out His wrath upon the young boy who sat trapped in the forgotten well.<\/p>\n

Little Joe was not sure if he had actually been sleeping or had been unconscience, but when he woke he could see the sky was clear, and the storm had past with the coming of dawn.\u00a0 Joe tried to move his body but he was stiff and sore and he wanted to cry.\u00a0 Feeling sorry for himself, he allowed himself to do just that.\u00a0 Tears welled up in his green eyes and ran unchecked down his cheeks.\u00a0 How he longed for the comfort of his father\u2019s arms.\u00a0 Even thinking about how angry he had been with his brothers, he would have welcomed the sight of one or both of them right now.<\/p>\n

Thinking back to the morning before, Little Joe thought about the events that had led up to his anger that had been the cause of him running away.\u00a0 It had started three days earlier when his Pa had announced to the family that he had to go to Sacramento on business.\u00a0 Joe had begged to be allowed to go with his father but Ben had refused.\u00a0 He tried to explain to Little Joe that he would be attending several meetings and would not have the time to spend with him.\u00a0 This had angered the young boy and when his tone of voice became loud and rude, his father had turned him over his knee and gave him a much-deserved spanking, angering the boy even more.<\/p>\n

Why had Pa needed to go?\u00a0 He hated it when his father had to be away, he wouldn\u2019t admit it, but it scared him.\u00a0 His mama had gone away and she had never come back.\u00a0 Would his pa do the same to him?\u00a0 The thought was more than he could bare and Joe drew his legs up to his chest and rested his head on his knees and cried again.\u00a0 \u201cOh Pa,\u201d cried Joe to himself, \u201cplease, please, come home!\u201d<\/p>\n

And then there had been Adam, his oldest brother, who had been left in charge.\u00a0 Little Joe hated that Adam seemed to thrive on the fact that he could boss everyone around, himself included.\u00a0 Joe thought about the way his brother had so fiercely denied him being allowed to go with him to the logging camp yesterday morning when word arrived that Adam\u2019s help was needed.\u00a0 No amount of pleading would persuade
\nAdam to change his mind.\u00a0 Adam had told him in no uncertain terms that the logging camp was no place for a ten year old little boy to be, the dangers were too great and Adam said that Pa would have a fit if he allowed such a thing.\u00a0 So again Little Joe had been left behind, feeling dejected and unloved.\u00a0 Everyone he cared about was either gone or too busy to have time for him.<\/p>\n

Little Joe then went into the kitchen to help Hop Sing with the day\u2019s baking, but after being there only a short time, he was ordered out of the kitchen by the enraged cook.\u00a0 He had somehow managed to drop the eggs, breaking several and had also spilled the container of milk that had been left sitting on the table.\u00a0 Hop Sing began yelling at him in his native tongue and insisted that Little Joe go out side to play.\u00a0 Feelings hurt once again, the unhappy little boy left the kitchen and the mess for his friend to clean up.<\/p>\n

With nothing else to do the sullen little boy had gone in search of his best friend and the brother closest in age to himself, Hoss.\u00a0 Joe had found Hoss down at the corral where the ranch hands were taking turns breaking the new horses. At last, thought Joe, at least I can watch this!\u00a0 Little Joe had then hidden behind the edge of the water trough that was in view of the corral so he could watch the cowboys riding.\u00a0 He had not been there very long at all when he had felt a tapping on his shoulder.\u00a0 Startled, Joe had turned around and found a very angry Hoss glaring at him through blue eyes that were dark with anger and Joe knew instantly that he was in trouble.\u00a0 Hoss, normally the peace maker of the family had ordered his youngest brother back to the house immediately but not before giving Joe\u2019s rear end three swift swats with his opened hand.<\/p>\n

That action had both surprised and embarrassed Little Joe as Hoss had thoughtlessly swatted him in front of the workers which brought laughter to the faces of the men and instant tears to the eyes of the startled boy.\u00a0 No matter that Joe knew he was not allowed near the corral while the men were working, what did matter was the way his brother had treated him and in front of an audience as well.<\/p>\n

\u201cI hate you Hoss Cartwright, you big bully and I hate you Adam Cartwright, you bossy ole snob!\u201d Little Joe had cried to himself.<\/p>\n

Little Joe thought about saying he hated Pa for going away and leaving him again but thought better of it.\u00a0 He did not really hate his father, just hated his father\u2019s leaving.\u00a0 But those brothers, yes, he was sure he hated them!<\/p>\n

But that was yesterday, before he found himself trapped, cold, hungry, tired, sore, wet and scared in the bottom of a well.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe bottom of the well,\u201d thought Joe.\u00a0 He recalled a bible story that his pa had read to him.\u00a0 It was about a man who had disobeyed God and found himself stuck in the belly of a whale.\u00a0 Pa had explained what a whale was and how big they were.\u00a0 Pa had even told him that back when he had been a sea captain, he had been lucky enough to see them and assured him that they were indeed large enough to swallow a grown man.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat was that man\u2019s name?\u201d Joe asked himself.\u00a0 \u201cOh yeah, Jonah.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe thought back to the bible story and was surprised to remember how Jonah sounded so much like his own name, Joseph.\u00a0 Joe briefly wondered if Jonah\u2019s friends might have called him Joe as a nickname.<\/p>\n

Little Joe felt and heard his tummy rumbling, begging that food be sent down.\u00a0 Joe, trying to ignore the hunger and fighting the urge to cry, began yelling for help instead.\u00a0 When his throat began to ache and his voice began to crack with the effort, Joe gave up the yelling.\u00a0 No one knew where he had gone and no one knew where to look.\u00a0 With nothing but time on his hands and feeling very sorry for himself, Joe wondered what Jonah had done for the three days and three nights that Pa had told him that Jonah had had to remain in the belly of the whale.<\/p>\n

Thinking again to when his pa had read him the story, he recalled that Jonah had spent much of his time praying, asking God to forgive him for disobeying Him.\u00a0 Jonah had prayed promising also to do all that God had asked of him should God find mercy on him and deliver him out of the whale\u2019s belly.<\/p>\n

Little Joe thought long and hard on this and wondered if he was at the bottom of this well because he had been disobedient to his father and his brothers.\u00a0 Joe knew that when his father was home, he was to obey what Pa told him.\u00a0 He also knew that one of Pa\u2019s rules was to mind his brothers in their father\u2019s absence.\u00a0 Thinking back over the last couple of days, Joe assured himself he had broken nearly every rule his father had made for him.<\/p>\n

He had argued with Adam, he had felt anger at his brother only because that brother had rightfully forbid him to go some place his father would have refused to allow him to go.<\/p>\n

Joe thought about how he had sneaked down to the corral and hid from view to watch the horses being broken.\u00a0 Joe had known all along that he was not permitted at the corrals during that time.\u00a0 He realized he had broken another of Pa\u2019s rules and had blamed his brother Hoss when he had swatted his rear.\u00a0 It had not really been Hoss\u2019 fault; Hoss had only been trying to keep him safe, not wanting his baby brother to get hurt.<\/p>\n

All of these thoughts were running through Little Joe\u2019s mind and began making matters pretty clear to him.\u00a0 Joe realized his running away had been the cause of falling into the old well, not his brothers and certainly not his father\u2019s fault.\u00a0 How many times had his father told him that \u2018we are responsible for our own actions\u2019?\u00a0 More times than he cared to remember as usually he was reminded after he had found himself across his father\u2019s lap for disobeying.\u00a0 Joe laughed to himself thinking, \u201cif I ever get out of this well, I\u2019ll welcome a trip across Pa\u2019s lap.\u00a0 At least there, I know I am loved and cared for.\u201d<\/p>\n

Thinking again of Jonah, Joe laid his head on his knees, praying this time rather than crying.\u00a0 Joe first asked God to forgive him for not minding his father and then explained to God that he really did not hate his brothers.\u00a0 Calling each by name, he told God that he knew Adam and Hoss were only looking out for this safety while their father was gone.\u00a0 He loved his brothers and said as much to God.\u00a0 Feelings of shame and guilt overcame the sad little boy sitting alone at the bottom of the well till he could no longer contain his tears.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh God,\u201d cried the young heart, \u201cplease help me, I promise to be a good boy and I promise to obey my pa and my brothers.\u00a0 I don\u2019t wanna die in this well, I don\u2019t really hate Adam and Hoss and God I miss my pa. God, I\u2019m hungry and I\u2019m sore and God\u2026I\u2019m really scared!\u201d\u00a0 Joe rambled voicing all of his woes to the god whom he had been taught since birth to put his trust in.<\/p>\n

Little Joe was so tired he did not realize that as he prayed a peace so great filled his body that it allowed him to fall asleep.\u00a0 From far off he could hear his name being called.\u00a0 He wasn\u2019t sure if he was dreaming or not, he could hardly shake the weariness from his body.\u00a0 Pulling himself to a standing position he listened, barely breathing for fear of missing the sounds.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe! Joe! Where are you?\u201d the voice from above yelled.\u00a0 Joe recognized the voice as his brother Adam\u2019s.<\/p>\n

\u201cPunkin! Answer me, where are you?\u201d his brother Hoss shouted.<\/p>\n

Joe was elated, his brothers had been searching for him and he could not wait to tell them how sorry he was for not minding and for running away, causing them to worry and how very much he loved them.<\/p>\n

\u201cHere!\u00a0 Down here, in this well!\u00a0 Adam, Hoss, help me!\u201d screamed Joe, at last finding his voice.<\/p>\n

Adam and Hoss ran toward the sound of the pleading voice and soon located the place where the rotted boards had broken under the weight of their younger brother when he had unknowingly stepped onto them.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, are you okay?\u201d asked Adam as he knelt down and tried to peer into the dark hole.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d called Joe, \u201cI\u2019m cold and wet.\u00a0 My shoulder hurts some but other than that, I\u2019m fine,\u201d Joe called up to Adam.<\/p>\n

\u201cHang on little buddy, we\u2019ll have you out in no time,\u201d Adam said, hoping to reassure his baby brother who he knew must have been frightened from having been in the dark all alone for so long.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, Hoss,\u201d Joe called to the brothers as they prepared to drop a rope into the well to hoist out the youngest Cartwright brother.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah Joe, what?\u201d Hoss asked as he began securing the rope around his waist so that he could use his large body as an anchor.<\/p>\n

\u201cCould ya hurry?\u00a0 I\u2019m hungry and\u2026\u201d paused Joe, trying to swallow the lump that had suddenly jumped into his throat, \u201cI\u2019m scared,\u201d he confessed, confirming Adam\u2019s suspicions.<\/p>\n

Adam looked at Hoss and saw the tears that had suddenly come into the larger boy\u2019s blue eyes.\u00a0 He himself felt like crying, so relieved was he to have found the missing brother.\u00a0 They had both been so worried when they had been unable to locate the little boy.\u00a0 Adam had been so mad at first, swearing to tan his little brother\u2019s backside when the lad decided to show himself home again.\u00a0 Those feelings had been replaced with fear and concern by the time that nightfall had arrived bringing with it the fury of the storm that had raged the whole night through.<\/p>\n

Adam and Hoss had ridden out as soon as daylight arrived and had spent the whole day searching for the boy to no avail when suddenly they had heard the distance voice of their youngest sibling calling out for help.\u00a0 It was then that they had turned in the direction of the cries until at last they found where the shouts were coming from.\u00a0 Spotting the broken boards where Little Joe had fallen through, Hoss shouted down to his brother.<\/p>\n

\u201cHang on short shanks, we\u2019ll have you out in a few minutes,\u201d Hoss called down to the scared boy.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe,\u201d called Adam, \u201clisten, I\u2019m sending the rope down, tie it around your chest.\u00a0 When you\u2019re ready, call up to me and we will pull you up,\u201d Adam instructed as he started dropping the looped end of the rope down to Joe.<\/p>\n

Joe looked up and watched as the rope began inching it\u2019s way down toward him.\u00a0 As soon as he could reach the end of the rope, he hurried to secure it around his chest, he was anxious to leave the dark well behind.<\/p>\n

\u201cOkay Adam, I\u2019m ready, haul me up,\u201d Little Joe called out.\u00a0 Joe began \u201cwalking\u201d up the wall of the well bouncing from side to side as his brothers pulled carefully on the rope while keeping the slack held tight.\u00a0 Joe\u2019s shoulder was causing him some discomfort but so glad was the lad to be free from his entrapment that he barely felt the pain.\u00a0 Just before reaching the top of the well, Joe said a silent prayer of thanks to God.<\/p>\n

Within minutes Joe felt strong hands reach around him and lift him from the well and over the broken boards.\u00a0 Joe shut his eyes to the bright sunlight but was able to lock his arms around the neck of his oldest brother.\u00a0 The experience now over and knowing he was safe was so overwhelming to the small lad that all he could do was cling to his brother and sob.\u00a0 Adam held on to the weeping boy and allowed him to cry until the tears were spent.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry Adam, I\u2019m so sorry that I\u2019ve been a bad boy,\u201d cried Little Joe.<\/p>\n

\u201cSh, you\u2019re okay now little buddy,\u201d Adam comforted the boy.<\/p>\n

Hoss reached out and laid his hand on the shoulder of the sobbing boy.\u00a0 Wiping the tears from his own eyes, Hoss carefully removed the boy from Adam\u2019s embrace and carried him in his own arms to the waiting horses.\u00a0 Hoss felt the need to hold his little brother close, giving him the assurance himself that indeed the boy was all right.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s go home short shanks,\u201d Hoss told him as he lifted Little Joe up to Adam who had already mounted his horse so that Joe could ride back double in front of him.<\/p>\n

Adam covered the shivering boy with his coat in an effort to keep him warm and by the time the brothers had reached home, Joe had fallen asleep in the saddle.\u00a0 Adam gently handed Joe down to Hoss who carried him into the house and laid him tenderly on the settee in the great room.\u00a0 The movement caused Little Joe to wake up and he looked into the concerned faces of his brothers.\u00a0 Smiling at his brothers Little Joe reached up and gave each a hug, which caught both older brothers off guard.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know I\u2019m in trouble big time, but I am sorry, really, I\u2019m sorry,\u201d he told Adam as Hoss went into the kitchen in order to get Joe something to eat.\u00a0 Shortly he returned with a bowl of hot stew, biscuits and a glass of cold milk for the hungry boy.\u00a0 Joe ate as if he had been starving, which considering how long he had gone without nourishment, Hoss suspected that Joe felt as if he had starved.<\/p>\n

Adam smiled at the little dirty face that was watching him.\u00a0 He knew that Joe had been frightened; he knew of his brother\u2019s fear of the dark and how badly Joe hated being alone, especially in the feared darkness.\u00a0 Adam was happy that the little scamp was safely home again.\u00a0 He had been so frightened of what he thought he might find that he found it hard to stay mad at the boy.<\/p>\n

Sitting on the large wooden table so that he could face the child, Adam lifted the boy\u2019s chin so that he could look him in the eye.<\/p>\n

\u201cI need to ask you something Little Joe,\u201d he started.\u00a0 \u201cWhy did you run away? The truth now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah Punkin, why did ya?\u00a0 Didn\u2019t ya know we\u2019d be worried sick about ya?\u201d added Hoss.<\/p>\n

Little Joe watched his brother\u2019s faces to see if there was any anger present and when he was sure there was none, he relaxed and tried to explain to them what he had been feeling.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought no body wanted me any more.\u00a0 Pa went away and wouldn\u2019t take me,\u201d began Little Joe but thinking about his father leaving caused Joe\u2019s chin to begin to quiver and it wasn\u2019t long before the tears spilled over and ran down his cheeks and dripped from his chin.\u00a0 Adam, sensing the boy\u2019s need for comfort, gathered Joe into his arms and held him.<\/p>\n

\u201cGo on,\u201d encouraged Adam.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know I hate it when Pa goes away and leaves me,\u201d cried Joe, snuggling deeply into the chest of his brother finding the security that he needed.<\/p>\n

Adam kissed the top of the soft curls, \u201cBut he always come back Joe, you know that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Looking up and swiping at the tears, Joe cried, \u201cbut it still scares me, I\u2019m afraid Adam, what if he does like my mama did and not come back?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, he will always do his best to come back to us,\u201d encouraged Hoss who now sat on the settee facing his two siblings.<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss is right Joe, Pa would never on purpose leave us, barring an accident or such.\u00a0 Now, why did you run away?\u201d Adam asked for the second time.<\/p>\n

\u201cI dun told ya, I thought no one wanted me around any more.\u00a0 You wouldn\u2019t let me go to the logging camp with ya.\u00a0 Pa didn\u2019t want me to go along with him on his trip, and Hoss,\u201d he paused as he looked pitifully at Hoss who was waiting patiently for his baby brother to explain, \u201cwouldn\u2019t let me watch the hands break the new horses.\u00a0 And then he swatted my butt and made all the fellas laugh at me.\u00a0 That hurted my feelings Hoss,\u201d Joe explained looking at Hoss.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry I embarrassed ya Joe,\u201d Hoss apologized forgetting that he had indeed swatted his little brother in the presence of the cowboys.\u00a0 \u201cI shouldn\u2019t have done that in front of the fellas, Joe,\u201d admitted Hoss now feeling guilty for having done so.<\/p>\n

Adam smiled at Hoss from behind Joe\u2019s head so that Joe could not see the looks that he passed to his middle brother.\u00a0 Both Adam and Hoss were having a hard time maintaining a straight face and their own feelings about the situation.\u00a0 Joe, when honest was so open to his feelings and both brothers were finding it difficult to contain their amusement at his choice of words and his expressions.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know why you are not allowed to do those things don\u2019t you little buddy?\u201d asked Adam as he rearranged Joe on his lap so that he could see his face.<\/p>\n

Joe lifted his green eyes to meet the dark eyes of his brother and watched for Adam\u2019s reactions.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes sir,\u201d spoke Joe in a tiny voice.\u00a0 \u201cSo\u2019s I won\u2019t get hurt, cause if\u2019n I did, ya\u2019d feel really bad,\u201d Joe told Adam softly.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s right Joe, we would, we love you buddy and just want you to be safe, that\u2019s all,\u201d explained Adam as he hugged the boy to him, glad to have Joe close to him once again.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re gonna havta tell Pa, ain\u2019t ya, Adam?\u201d Little Joe asked even though he already knew the answer to his question.\u00a0 \u201cHe\u2019s gonna be mad and he\u2019s gonna wallop my butt good, ain\u2019t he?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam raised his eyes to meet the blue eyes across from him.\u00a0 Trying to cover the smile that was beginning to play on his lips, Adam explained to Joe.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m afraid so Joe, Pa has to know, I can not keep something like this from him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Reaching up and placing a kiss on his brother\u2019s cheek, Joe whispered in Adam\u2019s ear.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s okay Adam, I ain\u2019t afraid this time.\u00a0 Now, can I go to bed?\u00a0 I\u2019m awful tired.\u201d\u00a0 Joe said as he laid his head on his brother\u2019s shoulder and wrapped his arms tightly around Adam\u2019s neck and encircled his waist with his legs in an order to hang on as Adam rose from the table.<\/p>\n

Adam carried Joe to his room and placed him gently on his bed.\u00a0 Joe was nearly asleep so he and Hoss undressed the boy and bathed him as quickly as they could.\u00a0 Slipping a clean nightshirt over the sleepy boy, Adam was amazed and thankful that no bones had been broken in the fall down the well.\u00a0 Joe\u2019s shoulder had been badly bruised along with other parts of his body but the boy seemed no worse for wear considering his ordeal.<\/p>\n

Adam gently covered Little Joe with the blankets, making sure he was tucked in.\u00a0 Leaning over he brushed back a soft curl that had fallen to his forehead and kissed his brother\u2019s brow.<\/p>\n

Joe opened his eyes and surprised Adam with another hug.\u00a0 Throwing his arms around Adam\u2019s neck he told his brother again that he loved him, and asked a series of questions that took the young man by surprise.<\/p>\n

\u201cDid ya know that God punishes his children when they\u2019re bad?\u00a0 Did ya know that He made the whale swallow Jonah cause he didn\u2019t do what God told \u2018em too?\u00a0 And God made old Jonah stay in the old whale\u2019s belly for three days and three nights before He let Jonah be spit out.\u00a0 Did ya know that Adam?\u201d Joe asked, waiting for an answer from his brother.<\/p>\n

Wondering why his little brother had brought up the familiar bible story at his particular time, he knew he had to find out, his curiosity had been sparked.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I knew that, but why are you asking now?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCause, I wanted to know.\u00a0 Did ya know that Jonah promised to be good if\u2019n God would save him from dying in that ole smelly whale?\u201d continued Joe wrinkling up his nose as if he could actually smell the large fish.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I knew that too, but Joe, why now?\u201d asked Adam as he sat on the side of the bed watching the facial features of the boy.<\/p>\n

\u201cCause Adam, when I was in the well, I was real scared and I got bored so I tried to think of something, anything to make me forget about being scared and that’s what I thought of.\u00a0 The more I thought about it, the more I saw how much me and Jonah were alike,\u201d explained Joe, raising up to sit beside of Adam on the edge of the bed.\u00a0\u00a0 Adam wrapped his arm around Joe\u2019s slender body and pulled him close.\u00a0 Whatever had sparked these ideas into his brother\u2019s head, he found himself totally enjoying the conversation.<\/p>\n

\u201cGo on, how are you and Jonah alike?\u201d questioned Adam; suddenly interested in finding out how his ten- year-old brother had come to this conclusion.<\/p>\n

\u201cJonah disobeyed God and God made him go into the whale until Jonah realized he\u2019d been a bad boy.\u00a0 I disobeyed you and Hoss and Pa too, so God let me fall into the well cause He didn\u2019t have no whales around here to swallow me.\u00a0 Then He made me stay down there \u2018til I realized I had been a bad boy too.\u00a0 It didn\u2019t take me as long as it did ole Jonah though Adam.\u00a0 Reckon I must have been smarter than him, heh?\u201d smiled the boy as he innocently looked into the eyes of his brother.<\/p>\n

Unable to contain his laugher any longer, Adam\u2019s voice filled the room as he agreed with Joe. \u201cReckon so little boy!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, when I founded out I was the one who\u2019d been naughty, I did what Jonah dun.\u00a0 I told God I was sorry for hatin\u2019 ya and Hoss, I don\u2019t hate ya now Adam,\u201d Joe quickly reassured his brother who was looking at him with what Joe took as hurt feelings.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m glad little buddy, that would make me sad if you did.\u00a0 Then what did you do, after you told God you didn\u2019t hate me and Hoss anymore?\u201d Adam prompted smiling to himself.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen I told God I was sorry for disobeying ya and Hoss and promised to do better from now on if\u2019n he\u2019d get me outta that well and then He dun it Adam!\u201d smiled Joe, happy to have told his story.\u00a0\u00a0 With the innocence of youth, Joe seemed not to have doubted that God would do for him what He had done for Jonah.<\/p>\n

\u201cI sure was glad too, cause I sure was getting\u2019 lonesome down there by myself.\u00a0 I love ya, Adam,\u201d Joe surprised his brother by saying it again.\u00a0 Adam realized Joe\u2019s need for reassurance and gave the boy a big bear hug and held him close for several minutes.\u00a0 He himself had been touched by Joe\u2019s story and was finding it hard to contain the tears that were beginning to pool in his dark eyes.\u00a0 Seeing that Joe\u2019s eyelids were getting heavy with sleep, Adam gently eased the boy down into the bed and recovered him with the blankets.<\/p>\n

Adam watched as sleep claimed the exhausted boy.\u00a0 Joe turned over on his side and reached for his little bear, Bo, a gift made by his mama before his birth.\u00a0 The bear had always been a source of comfort for the little boy and Adam knew that even now the old bear was on the job.\u00a0 Joe sighed softly in his sleep and put his thumb into his mouth, something that Joe rarely did now except when seeking comfort.\u00a0 This small action only served to remind the oldest Cartwright son that Little Joe was still the much-loved baby of the family.\u00a0 Turning the lamp down he paused at the door before closing it.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood night, \u2018Little Jonah\u2019, I love you too,\u201d Adam spoke softly as he shut the door.<\/p>\n

Walking to his room, weary from the day\u2019s events, but happy to have his brother home safe, he could only imagine how he would explain this one to his father.\u00a0 Adam could only laugh at Pa\u2019s anticipated reaction!<\/p>\n

THE END<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sept. 2001<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Tags:<\/strong> Adam Cartwright, Ben Cartwright, Hoss Cartwright, Joe \/ Little Joe Cartwright, trapped<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/g><\/svg><\/i> \"Loading\"<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Summary:\u00a0 When Little Joe finds himself trapped in the bottom of an old forgotten well, with nothing but time on his hands, he recalls a Bible story that his father recently read to him and associates it with his own predicament.<\/p>\n

Rated: G (4,975 words)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9052,"featured_media":1228,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"template-full-width-post.php","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[23,30],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12245","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-drama","category-prequels","wpcat-23-id","wpcat-30-id"],"a3_pvc":{"activated":true,"total_views":2054,"today_views":0},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/bonanza2.jpg?fit=720%2C475&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":7654,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=7654","url_meta":{"origin":12245,"position":0},"title":"Storms and Anchors (by DJK)","author":"DJK","date":"May 9, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0Little Joe needs an anchor in the storm. \u00a0 Rated:\u00a0K+\u00a0 Word count:\u00a01097","rel":"","context":"In "Adam \/ Joe"","block_context":{"text":"Adam \/ Joe","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=1091"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/lightning.jpg?fit=200%2C252&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":18367,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=18367","url_meta":{"origin":12245,"position":1},"title":"Only Fifteen (by PSW)","author":"PSW","date":"September 13, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary: A short WHN for 'He Was Only Seven' -- a moment on the way back home. 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The prompt was used to title the piece. I hope you enjoy them. 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Five-year-old Little Joe wanders off to find his mama who died a couple of months earlier. 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