{"id":12803,"date":"2016-04-07T19:14:26","date_gmt":"2016-04-07T23:14:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=12803"},"modified":"2025-02-18T19:10:20","modified_gmt":"2025-02-19T00:10:20","slug":"a-still-small-voice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=12803","title":{"rendered":"A Still Small Voice (by MissJudy)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summary:\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong>Adam has been away at school for two years when he starts having vivid dreams about his youngest brother. He wonders why his memories center around Little Joe even while he misses his entire family. What he is about to find out will shake his certainty about many things and make him look for a clue hidden in his dreams.<\/p>\n

Rating<\/strong>: K (Word Count 22490)<\/p>\n

A Still Small Voice<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Note: This was a story I\u2019d done when I first started writing about 7 years ago. I hadn\u2019t read it in a while, and when I did, it made me cringe a little. My first stories were written and posted without the help of a beta reader. They got a point across, but were often repetitive and I’d add things that took away from the story. Then one day, Sandspur, offered to help, and with time and a lot of rewrites, and thought about things like POV, story flow, good characterizations of our favorites and additions,\u00a0grammar and quality, they started to improve. I took the old story by this name and gave it a face-lift, leaving in the good dream and memory scenes, while updating the connecting pieces to fit my own prequel canon. It’s just as long, but it’s a better story and more true to Adam’s way of handling a crisis.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Lord said, \u201cGo out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.\u201d<\/p>\n

Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a still small voice. (I Kings 19:11-12)<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Part One<\/strong><\/p>\n

(Spring 1849)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ben sat at his desk reviewing the column of numbers in his ledger. He tried to concentrate, but he was experiencing a bout of uncertainty over the double role he had to play with his boys. The loss of Elizabeth, Inger, and Marie had forced him to be both mother and father for his sons. It wasn\u2019t that he \u201cmothered\u201d them, but it did mean he had to consider his decisions for them from both angles. It had been easiest with Adam. He\u2019d always seemed older than his age, and he\u2019d reasoned everything out. Ben knew there had been times when a younger Adam had seethed below the surface of that calm-looking exterior, but he didn\u2019t often voice his anger or reject his responsibility as the oldest child of a family with only one parent.<\/p>\n

Hoss had always been an easy-going child, and after Adam had left for college in Boston, he had willingly taken on some of the jobs and responsibilities that had become vacant with his older brother\u2019s absence. The tall, affable teenager wasn\u2019t a risk taker unless he saw danger for the land and creatures he loved, or the brothers he loved more.<\/p>\n

Ben sighed and smiled. And then there was Joseph Francis who pushed the limits of risk, fun, and parental tolerance at every opportunity. Little Joe\u2019s personality was as big as the sky above, and blew with the same force as the wind coming down the mountain. Joe could bring out the best and worst in those he drove to the brink of murder. They all loved this child who had brought such energy to their family, as well as the need for patience and humor.<\/p>\n

Little Joe was nearly eight, going on 30. He was a good enough rider that Ben had traded out his pony with a small mustang he\u2019d found on the Ponderosa. It had a gentle nature, and while small enough for Joe to manage, it still had a fierce heart and could run like the wind when Ben allowed his son to ride free. Little Joe\u2019s independence was flourishing, and he\u2019d been pestering Ben to allow him to make a ride somewhere on the ranch by himself. The boy knew his way around from spending so much time out there with his family, but he\u2019d put Joe off by saying there was no need for him to go anywhere alone. Town was still too far away for him to take a solo ride, and he had concerns about the native tribes whose land bordered the Ponderosa. The Cartwrights had good dealings with the Paiute and Washoe, but he still worried about his young son getting into some kind of trouble with them. Little Joe was a force of enthusiasm and ideas, and had no patience for ways that weren\u2019t as plain-spoken and direct as his own. Ben was pretty sure that Joe would try to talk himself out of a situation with their neighbors, and forget that their ways called for an approach of respect and deference.<\/p>\n

The discussion had come up again today when Ben received a note for one of the hands. He knew Lester\u2019s wife was due to give birth to their first child over in Eagle Valley, near a settlement along the Carson River. Lester and Mary had come out west as homesteaders, but Lester had taken a job on the Ponderosa when their funds ran short. Ben looked at the envelope in his hands and figured it had news the man needed to hear, but the crew was just far enough away, that he couldn\u2019t make a quick ride there and back and still get through the paperwork that he had to have ready for the courier heading to San Francisco tomorrow. He\u2019d finally decided to do his work and send the note along with Hoss in the morning.<\/p>\n

Little Joe had seen his father\u2019s uncertainty, and approached him with his idea. \u201cPlease Pa,\u201d Joe reasoned, \u201cThey\u2019re branding just a few miles out from the house. I\u2019ve been there lots of times, so I know the way. Hoss\u2019ll be there, and if I have any trouble, I\u2019ll wait to come home with him.\u201d When his father remained silent, Joe added, \u201cYou\u2019d want to know what\u2019s in that note.\u201d Joe used his best doe-eyed look as he added, \u201cAnd what if it\u2019s bad news, Pa. They may need him home. Besides, it\u2019s only noon; I can be back before that clock strikes three if I hurry.<\/p>\n

A picture of Marie appeared in the maternal side of his consciousness, telling him, \u201cYou can\u2019t let him go alone. He\u2019s just a baby!\u201d But his father\u2019s pride and desire for his sons to challenge themselves whispered that Adam and Hoss had far more responsibility by the time they were this age, and maybe it was time to let Joseph prove that he was trustworthy.
\n\u201cAll right,\u201d he\u2019d finally conceded and he\u2019d given a continuous lecture to the boy as he got him ready to leave. His final warning had been, \u201cYou keep that horse at a trot. Come straight home; don\u2019t wait for Hoss. He\u2019ll be busy and I don\u2019t want you getting in the way.\u201d Little Joe had rolled his eyes, and that had almost made him rescind the opportunity. A warning look had brought the child to instant agreement, and he\u2019d sent him on his way with the letter and some sweets Hop Sing had made for the \u201cMiddle son.\u201d<\/p>\n

But that had been three hours ago, and as time continued to pass, he began to doubt his decision. He turned to the portrait of Marie on his desk and growled, \u201cStop staring at me, my love. He\u2019ll be fine. He has to grow up a little.\u201d He felt less sure of that statement than he should have, and quickly glanced again at the clock before going back to his ledger. The figures still made no sense, so he pulled out the most recent letter from Adam and read it through again.<\/p>\n

The note from his son thanked the family for the Christmas gifts they\u2019d sent and told about spending the holiday with Abel. He\u2019d also mentioned being invited on a regular basis to spend time with the family of his roommate, and that their stable provided opportunities for him to ride. Letters took so long to reach their destinations that the news was already months old by the time they were received. But each one of those from Adam filled Ben with joy no matter how dated the news. He knew that his letters to Boston were equally as old, but he had no doubt that his son felt the same about the news he received, detailing events on the ranch and tales of his brothers.<\/p>\n

Letters from Boston had confirmed that Adam was doing very well in school\u2014this news had come from Abel rather than Adam. Ben\u2019s father-in-law had expounded on the perfect grades and end-of-year honors bestowed on his grandson, while Adam\u2019s letters had merely said he was doing \u201cfine.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben tried not to look at the clock but it beckoned him as his nerves began to jangle more. Reading the letter had taken only a few minutes so he was about to choose another when he heard a horse enter the yard. He hurried to the door, and his heart began beating normally as he saw his youngest trotting in.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat took you so long?\u201d He called from the doorway.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou wasn\u2019t worried, was you Pa?\u201d Little Joe gave his father a curious stare. \u201cI said I\u2019d be back as quick as I could, and I am. I just stopped to talk to Hoss for a few minutes and then came right home.\u201d His face scrunched in thought. \u201cWell maybe it was more\u2019n a few minutes since he was showing me the new calves, and then we ate them cookies from Hop Sing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s heart swelled with relief and pride at this first test of reliability. \u201cYou did a good job, Joseph. Did you remember to give the message to Lester?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure, Pa. He\u2019s got a baby girl. He said I should tell you he\u2019ll ride home after they finish, and he\u2019ll be back by the end of next week.\u201d<\/p>\n

The proud father couldn\u2019t help but notice the swagger in his son\u2019s walk as he led his horse to the barn. A few minutes later he came bounding in and ran to the kitchen to find out how soon Hop Sing would have supper ready. \u201cSo grown up,\u201d Ben said under his breath, and quickly finished adding up the numbers that hadn\u2019t made any sense to him in the hours Little Joe was gone. Now that his son was back, his mind and heart were able to cooperate again.<\/p>\n

Part Two<\/strong><\/p>\n

(Fall 1849)<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cDoggone it Little Joe,\u201d Adam raged as he shook the water from his hair. The older brother had been working for most of the day on a plan for a self-closing corral gate using a system of weights and pulleys. He had drawn it to the correct scale and made his calculations on a length of brown paper he\u2019d salvaged from the parcels they\u2019d brought from Cass\u2019s store in town.<\/p>\n

His current anger and dampness was the culmination to his day-long attempt to keep his five-year-old brother doing something besides bothering him while he\u2019d tried to work. With Hoss confined to bed with a stomach ache, and Pa busy with ranch paperwork, the youngest Cartwright had kept pestering the only person left to distract him. Adam had turned him away repeatedly, promising they\u2019d do \u201csomething fun\u201d when he finished. But he\u2019d lost himself in his endeavor, and he hadn\u2019t realized that as he had closed in on a workable plan, Little Joe had come up with a plan of his own.<\/p>\n

Because of Adam\u2019s singular focus, he hadn\u2019t heard the little boy creep up behind him as he\u2019d bent over the feedbox jotting down his final notes. Nor had he noticed Little Joe dip ice-cold water into a small feed-bucket from the trough, and struggle to carry it across the yard without spilling its contents. He\u2019d heard Little Joe grunting in effort, but he hadn\u2019t stopped working to find out why. Had he done so, he might have seen the child hoisting the heavy pail atop a tack box positioned just behind where he was working, and that Little Joe had followed the pail up and was now at eye level with his older brother.<\/p>\n

His first inkling that his brother\u2019s labors were aimed at him came too late. He\u2019d looked back toward the corral to make sure of the gate placement, and caught sight of Little Joe standing on the box, holding the pail. He\u2019d managed to scold, \u201cGet down from there before you fall down,\u201d just as the boy\u2019s nefarious plan had been executed. He\u2019d seen Joe swing the bucket backward using both hands, and then bring it forward, sending a wave of water toward his head. It had been too late to duck, and he\u2019d taken the full brunt of the frosty splash. The liquid drenched the side of his face and saturated his hair before continuing its gravitational path downward, pooling on the lid of the feed box. He\u2019d shivered in shock while the frigid rivulets made their way down his back, and then he\u2019d stared in horror as the penciled plans he\u2019d made on the wrapping paper washed away along with the hours he\u2019d spent making them.<\/p>\n

Little Joe was fast, and he\u2019d nearly flown off his perch once the deed was done. Adam\u2019s initial grief at seeing his work disintegrate before his eyes turned to anger as he took off after the boy. He knew it was a fruitless chase since his brother had a head start, so he began hollering instead. If he couldn\u2019t catch him, he could use his words to put the fear of God\u2026and Pa\u2026into the boy. All three Cartwright sons had found themselves in need of Pa\u2019s \u201cnecessary talks\u201d from time-to-time, but Little Joe held the record for vexing the man.<\/p>\n

Adam knew that Ben Cartwright did not believe in sparing the rod, although as he\u2019d gotten older, he\u2019d come to realize that his father\u2019s discipline was as much about building the anticipation of the event, as it was the actual application of hand to backside. And there was always an actual \u201ctalk\u201d given along with the punishment. Pa would explain the infraction, and help them to understand its impact on their current and future lives. He\u2019d end the lecture portion by telling them that bad deeds always hurt someone\u2026and that this punishment was his way of making them share in the pain they\u2019d caused. The actual spanking hurt far less than having to hear the disappointment in their father\u2019s voice.<\/p>\n

Adam was pretty sure that Pa would view Little Joe\u2019s actions as an act of treason, just as he did. His self-closing gate would have benefited everyone, and Little Joe\u2019s thoughtless act meant he would have to start from the beginning. The math involved in setting the mechanism to work correctly hadn\u2019t come easily, and he hadn\u2019t locked the information into his memory because he\u2019d written it down. The only satisfaction left in this day would come in watching his brother endure the hours up to his talk with Pa.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Ben heard the commotion from inside the house, and went running to find the cause. As he got nearer, he could see that Adam was dripping water from his hair and shirt while he tried to pull his little brother from behind the wood pile. Little Joe was small and wiry, and catching him was often like trying to hold onto a flapping fish. Ben could see that his youngest son had wedged himself deep behind the stacked cuts of wood, and Adam was having trouble grabbing any part of the squirming youngster. He was about to tell his oldest son to stand down when Adam managed to get a good grip on Little Joe\u2019s arm and held it aloft like he\u2019d just caught a prize trout. Ben stopped in his tracks for a moment as he watched the captured little boy switch between laughter over whatever it was he\u2019d done, and tears over the consequences he knew were coming.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe ruined everything! Adam groaned as his saw his father\u2019s eyebrows meet and his facial lines harden into what his sons had long ago dubbed: Pa\u2019s mad face. \u201cAll my work destroyed because he wanted to pull a prank!\u201d He looked down at the boy he was still holding securely. \u201cWhy couldn\u2019t you just leave me alone?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam,\u201d cautioned Ben as he went over and removed Little Joe\u2019s hand him from his angry brother\u2019s grasp, and shooed him toward the house with an order stay put. When the object of the confrontation was gone, he laid a reassuring arm around his oldest son\u2019s shoulder and asked, \u201cWhat did he do?\u201d He listened as Adam recounted the episode, nodding in agreement over his son\u2019s conclusions. But as a parent, Ben had come to know that there was always another side to any story, and in this case he knew that Adam wasn\u2019t completely innocent.<\/p>\n

\u201cI agree that Little Joe was wrong in what he did, and he will be punished. But I heard you two out here all day, and I think this could have been avoided. You told Little Joe to go away several times, and it would have been kind of you to stop what you were doing for a few minutes to play with him or listen to what he was saying. He just wanted your attention.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut Pa, I nearly had the gate figured out, and I would have lost my thoughts if I\u2019d have stopped.\u201d<\/p>\n

The arm around Adam\u2019s shoulders tightened into an embrace as Ben continued. \u201cYou and your rother are much the same when you take on a project. You are both intelligent and move purposefully in everything you want to accomplish. I understand you wanting to finish your plan, yet you have to admit that it can\u2019t be constructed or tested for some time. Your urgency to finish was not based on fact.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s stared at his father as his nose wrinkled. \u201cI don\u2019t understand.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben chuckled. \u201cYou told me about the gate at lunch, and it seems logical and well thought out. But we can\u2019t get the pulleys and weights you need from Cass\u2019s store. They\u2019ll need to be special ordered. It will be some time before this could become more than lines on a piece of paper. I\u2019m sure you can remember enough of what you did that we can send for the hardware while you refigure the details.\u201d He winked at his son. \u201cThe lesson for you to remember is that Little Joe is just as determined as you are. His methods are just as carefully planned, and he doesn\u2019t always see how the impact might affect others. This time he figured out exactly how to get you away from what you were doing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut, Pa\u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam,\u201d Catherine Harris whispered, making the young man jump as he awoke. \u201cYou nodded off and were talking rather loudly in your sleep.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, sorry, Mrs. H.\u201d His cheeks bloomed to a rosy glow as he whispered back. \u201cI didn\u2019t mean to cause a problem.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mrs. Harris sat on the chair next to Adam. \u201cThere\u2019s no problem.\u201d She laughed as she looked around the large room. \u201cI don\u2019t know why we\u2019re whispering. Everyone else has gone.\u201d She patted his arm. \u201cYou must have been having a bad dream about your brother. You hollered, \u2018Little Joe,\u2019 and sounded quite angry.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam smiled sheepishly. \u201cLittle Joe has given me many nightmares.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe library closes in 15 minutes, young man,\u201d she informed him as she rose and ruffled his hair. \u201cBetter get packed up.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded and began gathering his things.<\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. H,\u201d as the students called her, walked away while thinking about how she\u2019d come to know the young man who had such vivid dreams about his family. Catherine Harris was one of the only females who \u201cworked\u201d on the Harvard campus in other than a domestic role.* She was married to Thaddeus Harris, who had been the head librarian at Harvard in the past. He did research and taught classes in entomology now, but Catherine had often helped out during his tenure at the library, and when the current librarian had needed a volunteer for a few evenings each week, he\u2019d remembered her work with the students.<\/p>\n

It was also through Thaddeus that she had come to meet Adam. Her husband\u2019s expertise had placed the couple in the company of other natural scientists at Harvard, including the renowned botanist, Asa Gray and his asscociate, Adolf Metz, another botany professor who\u2019d been gone four years studying plant materials in the Western Territories for Asa. The Harrises had attended a welcome-home reception for the professor, and had met a young man that evening\u2014Adolf\u2019s prot\u00e9g\u00e9\u2014who he\u2019d described as, \u201ca scholar blooming amid the wildflowers.\u201d<\/p>\n

Professor Metz had told them of how he\u2019d found the perfect setting for his studies, only to discover that he was on land owned by Ben Cartwright. This information had been imparted by Ben\u2019s oldest son, who\u2019d seemed fascinated by Adolf\u2019s work, but more impressed with Adolf\u2019s credentials.<\/p>\n

Catherine still remembered the description Adolf had given. \u201cThe young man who tod me I was trespassing practically bounced with excitement when he heard where I\u2019d come from. And when he found out that I would be doing research for a number of years, he brazenly asked me to tutor him in exchange for free range on the Cartwright property, use of the line shacks and bunk house, and a few home-cooked meals. I never expected to find a young man with a dream of attending a fine university out in that wilderness, but that\u2019s what Adam had. What he didn\u2019t have was the means of getting the education necessary to accomplish that dream.\u201d Adolf\u2019s voice had cracked with emotion as he\u2019d added, \u201cThis boy longed to learn as much as the land longs for water after a summer dry spell.\u201d<\/p>\n

The reception had been a year-and-a-half ago already, and Catherine smiled as she began replacing books on the shelves while the minutes until closing ticked down to ten. She loved volunteering at the library, and had been happy when the young man she\u2019d met at the reception had begun studying in Gore Hall on a regular basis. She soon found herself keeping a special watch on him.<\/p>\n

The Harrises had 12 children of their own, so it was easy for Catherine to spot the students who were serious about school, as opposed to those who were there for a last bit of independence before they returned home to take over family businesses or inherit their trust funds. Those boys studied just enough to leave with a degree they could hang on their walls. But Adam was one of the most serious students she\u2019d ever known.<\/p>\n

That didn\u2019t mean he was odd or emotionally cold as some scholarly types. He had a dry and wry sense of humor that showed up frequently, and he had made friends\u2014although they usually left the library far earlier than he did. He was also very handsome, but he didn\u2019t seem to realize that. Catherine was sure that he was the object of many young women\u2019s dreams in the Cambridge community.<\/p>\n

This was Adam\u2019s second year of classes, and she knew he was doing very well. But she let her mind drift back to the beginning of his freshman year\u2014a time that had been hard on him. First year students entered college feeling invincible and excited at being on their own for the first time. But some of them lost their spark of enthusiasm as the months wore on, and they dropped into a dark void of homesickness, doubt and fear.<\/p>\n

She was with these boys often enough that she could spot the first signs of trouble. There was no one to talk to about how they felt. Their families were too far away, and university professors didn\u2019t discuss feelings, touting the value of studiousness to cure all ills. Usually all these young men needed was a sympathetic ear. When she saw one of her charges drifting away, she would sit next to him while doing her paperwork, and casually ask about their home and family, letting them talk about the people they missed.<\/p>\n

Catherine had seen the growing melancholy last year as Adam had reread letters from his family during breaks from his studies. Freshman year was a test of character for everyone, and more so for long-distance students. Some gave into the loneliness and headed back home. But those who found friends, studied hard, and had other things to keep them busy, stuck it out and moved forward.<\/p>\n

Professor Metz had mentioned that Adam had a grandfather in Boston. Yet it seemed that Adam had only made the trip from Cambridge to Boston on long weekends or holidays at first, and he\u2019d spent all his free time in the library. She\u2019d sat next to Adam on one of those long Saturdays and asked him to tell her more about meeting Professor Metz, and where he\u2019d come from. He\u2019d eventually told her about the two brothers who had often driven him crazy, but that he missed fiercely. And there was no mistaking the love and respect he had for his father. On future Saturdays, when they were the only two people left in the library as closing time drew near, the young man had shared stories about his early life traveling along the Oregon Trail, and setting up a new homestead. She\u2019d been mesmerized by the tales\u2026and the losses he\u2019d endured, although he\u2019d been matter-of-fact in telling about it all, and wouldn\u2019t accept any sympathy.<\/p>\n

It was hard for her to imagine this sweet, intelligent student as a cowboy; riding a horse, branding cattle, and wearing a gun on his hip. He had such wisdom and loyalty to his family that she\u2019d become very protective of him. As he\u2019d become comfortable with her, he\u2019d confided his greatest fear: that he might fail. She\u2019d had her husband make some inquiries with Adam\u2019s professors, and he\u2019d been assured that the boy was at the top of his class in every subject. She\u2019d come to realize that in Adam\u2019s mind, anything less than perfection, was failure. He hadn\u2019t said it outright, but she suspected that he struggled with choosing a path that removed him from helping his family, while at the same time taking financial resources from them. He\u2019d received scholarships with his offer of admission, but Catherine knew the high cost of a Harvard education.<\/p>\n

Adam had relaxed a little after first semester grades had been posted. She assumed he\u2019d finally received proof that he was accomplishing his goals. He hadn\u2019t come as often on Saturdays after that, and had told her that he felt he could get his classwork done between spending time with his grandfather on weekends. Catherine had seen another positive change as well. Adam\u2019s roommate was from a wealthy and well-known Boston family, and the Wadsworths began including the newcomer in their family gatherings. Frankie Wadsworth had also started coming to the library with Adam, and Catherine had suspected that Adam was helping the Frankie with his studies. She\u2019d worked close enough to eavesdrop on those sessions a few times, and had been amazed at how easily Adam could explain difficult concepts. One of his favorite techniques was to tell a tale from home to illustrate his point, and it had always left both boys laughing so loudly, she\u2019d had to go shush them.<\/p>\n

Her thoughts about the last year ended as the clock struck the nine. Catherine waved goodbye across the room as Adam finished piling his books into his arms and headed for the door. He nodded to her and tried to wave back, causing a textbook avalanche. She hurried over to hand the books up to him while he created a sturdier stack, and then she waited by the door to watch him head across campus toward his dormitory.<\/p>\n

Part Three<\/strong><\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s room was dark and he could hear Frankie snoring rhythmically when he stepped inside. He carefully laid his books on his desk, undressed in the dark, and shivered when he slipped between the cold sheets. He hadn\u2019t shared a room with anyone since Pa had built a small house on the ranch and he\u2019d gotten a small bedroom of his own. He got along great with Frankie, and it was nice to know someone expected him to be there each night. Adam\u2019s years of helping to raise his younger brothers made him a good roommate. He was used to a little chaos going on around him, and if he wanted privacy to study, he\u2019d head to the library or the silent study room on the main floor of his dormitory.<\/p>\n

He pulled the blankets up to his ears and waited for them to chase the chill away while he thought back to nights of sitting up with his brothers when they\u2019d been ill, or reassuring them when they\u2019d rushed into his room as a storm approached. He missed his brothers and father so much that his chest ached with the loneliness at times. But he\u2019d struggled through the worst of it, and he felt comfortable in Boston now. There was joy in remembering his family, but there was new joy in being with his grandfather and the people he was getting to know in this five-year detour from the Ponderosa.<\/p>\n

His breathing slowed as he warmed up, and he let memories of home take him into sleep.<\/p>\n

***<\/strong><\/p>\n

Little Joe hollered, \u201cLook, Adam,\u201d as he walked along a sturdy branch lodged against a rock on the edge of the trickling creek. \u201cI\u2019m a tightrope guy like in that circus book.\u201d Joe\u2019s arm flew wildly as he mimicked the drawings of the funambulist walking on a rope above the crowd. He nearly fell twice but managed to correct his balance and continue his performance.<\/p>\n

The creek was a dry bed most of the year, but now it should have been swelling to a few feet of depth with snow melt from the hills above. Adam was a ways upstream from Joe, clearing out branches and debris that were damming the flow. The blockage was causing flooding in the hills behind it, and keeping all but a rivulet of water from reaching the grasslands and thirsty cattle below.<\/p>\n

The four Cartwrights had ridden out that morning to check on the grazing land and cattle now that spring had taken a sturdy toehold, and they\u2019d been surprised to find that the rocky bed was barely damp. The cattle they\u2019d expected to be gathered nearby were scattered over the hillside looking for puddles of water.<\/p>\n

Ben had given his oldest son a knowing look and split the family into two forces to deal with the problems. Hoss accompanied Pa to round up the strays, and Adam took Little Joe to find out why the water wasn\u2019t making it to the valley.<\/p>\n

He hadn\u2019t been pleased with having his youngest brother in tow, but he\u2019d had to agree that Hoss was good enough in the saddle now to help with the steers. The youngest Cartwright wasn\u2019t a bad rider for his age, but he believed himself to better at it than he actually was, and the short-legged pony he had would have gotten in Hoss and Pa\u2019s way.<\/p>\n

He\u2019d taken Joe on his horse, leaving the pony behind, and it hadn\u2019t taken long for them to find the problem. Adam had looked things over and figured he\u2019d have things running smoothly in no time. He\u2019d been wrong. A more thorough look at the congestion revealed that he\u2019d have to remove it in layers. The trickiest part was working on the downstream side where a collapse would pin him under a mass of branches and water. The sun had made its way from the east to nearly overhead by the time he\u2019d gotten the outer layers removed, but he\u2019d finally reached the point where he could get to the side of it, and remove the large branch that was pinning the remaining mass in place.<\/p>\n

Before he\u2019d started he\u2019d had a talk with his brother. \u201cThat water will move fast once I clear the dam, Little Joe. You know how to swim, but you aren\u2019t strong enough to fight that current. So stay away from the creek while I\u2019m working on it.\u201d The warning had seemed to work, and he\u2019d been aware of the boy chasing bugs and toads, and climbing in the lower pine branches as he\u2019d pretended to be something\u2026maybe a ship\u2019s captain. He\u2019d heard him yelling things like, \u201cI\u2019ll have ye swabbin\u2019 the decks if ye don\u2019t pay attention.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam had counted on his brother to remember his caution, but he should have known better. He could hear the boy talking but he\u2019d lost track of Little Joe\u2019s position as the work had stretched on far longer than he\u2019d hoped. He was just glad that wherever Joe was, he wasn\u2019t nearby pestering him. At this moment, Adam was tired, scratched by a thousand pointy dry branches, damp, and ready to be done with the mess as soon as possible. He was already thinking about getting home to clean up and work a few hours on the assignments Adolf had given him for the week. In his rush to be done, he yanked out the branch that was pinning the flotsam, and only then remembered that he hadn\u2019t eyeballed his brother\u2019s location. He did recall hearing him say something about a circus, and he mentally kicked himself as he realized the voice had been downstream from him. He offered a fervent prayer that his mistake in not checking first wasn\u2019t about to cost an unforgivable price as the mass began to swirl and break apart, finally allowing a wall of water to shoot down the dry bed.<\/p>\n

His stomach lurched as the propulsion coincided with a panicked scream he knew all too well. Adam spun around, knowing that his prayer couldn\u2019t correct the error he\u2019d already made. He saw the water charging ahead and sucking in everything near the banks of the swelling creek as he tried to pinpoint where the scream had come from. His heart and limbs froze when he spotted Little Joe toppling into the chilly stream along with the branch he must have been standing on. His brother was caught in the rapid current as the creek obeyed the laws of physics and headed to a point of less resistance in the valley below. Joe\u2019s head bobbed in and out of the froth as he screamed, \u201cAdam!\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam wrenched himself from his panic, knowing he had to do something. He could see that Joe was holding onto the branch, and that helped some. But the rolling waves of water were splashing over the boy\u2019s head. Little Joe was strong, but he was barely five, and Adam knew that with the chill of the water, and the constant pummeling he was taking, the little boy\u2019s strength would wane quickly.<\/p>\n

The truth punched him in his gut; he couldn\u2019t get to Joe in time. The reason the jam had happened where it had was because there was a flatter stretch of land at this part of the descent. Water from the melting snow above slowed enough at this terrace to allow the debris in it to catch and accumulate. Once that had started, all the refuse behind it had stuck too. But the terrace ended just feet from where Little Joe was now floating. From that point, the grade steepened, and the water would plunge downhill like a run-away locomotive with no regard for a child caught in its fury.<\/p>\n

Adam ran. He knew he couldn\u2019t run fast enough to get to Little Joe before he would disappear over the drop-off, but he ran anyway, mouthing silent prayers that his strides would cover the distance more rapidly\u2026or for a miracle. His heart was pounding in his ears as he envisioned his father\u2019s face when he\u2019d tell him that he\u2019d let Little Joe drown. Ben Cartwright\u2019s constant answer when someone offered sympathy at his losing three wives was that he still had a part of each of them with him in his sons. He was the son of Pa\u2019s youth, when a young Ben was full of ideas and hopes for the future. Hoss had been the son of their journey\u2014a living promise. But Little Joe was the son of fulfillment. Marie had been with their father far longer than Elizabeth and Inger. And she\u2019d given him another son: a son who confirmed that the Cartwright family had found their destiny. Adam knew that his father would do badly with the loss of any of his children, but he wasn\u2019t sure if the man would recover if Joe died because of his carelessness.<\/p>\n

He kept running even as the log and the boy twirled wildly in the eddy created in the deeper basin just before the downhill plunge. \u201cHold on!\u201d he screamed to the boy. It was a useless caution because Little Joe was already holding on the best he could. The only idea he could come up with was to jump in and let the current take him as well. Maybe, if the heavens were looking kindly on him, the branch would slow just enough at the drop-off that he\u2019d be able to get to his brother. I can hold his head above water or push him toward the bank,<\/em> he thought as he let his jacket slide down his arms and fall to the ground so it wouldn\u2019t weigh him down.<\/p>\n

The plan might have worked if his boot hadn\u2019t slid in the mud at the edge of bank as he angled toward the water. Both legs flew out from under him, and he was in flight for a moment until he landed on his back with a solid thud. It was over. He stared up at the fluffy clouds dotting the spring-blue sky, knowing it was too late to help now. His back ached from the impact, but he had to get downhill to face whatever had happened. He tried to stand in the slippery goo, but lost his footing again, sprawling face down in the muck this time. He finally stayed on all fours and crawled to dryer ground. His despair covered him as completely as the mud, and he sighed raggedly.<\/p>\n

He was trying to stand when he heard the laughing. It started as a chuckle and grew to an all-out guffaw. Although he was on firm footing, his boots were still slick and he almost tumbled again as he swung around to see where it was coming from. Once he got his legs solidly under him, he turned to see Little Joe and his branch firmly wedged between two good-sized rocks at the edge of the precipice.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou really flew, Adam,\u201d the youngster yelled out between giggles as his brother ran to him. \u201cYou looked like a giant vulture flappin\u2019 away.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam plucked Joe from the water while voicing his anger over the entire situation. \u201cWhy\u2019d you go and play near the water when I asked you not to? I warned you about the danger and then you went and almost got yourself kil\u2026\u201d His anger silenced as he understood that he was angrier at himself than at his brother. Kids did dumb things, and Little Joe did them with more frequency than others. But what had nearly happened came as a result of his distraction. He\u2019d been thinking too far ahead of the circumstance at hand and he\u2019d failed to protect the child in his care.<\/p>\n

Little Joe usually had plenty to say in his defense at a time like this, but he remained silent as he looked up and saw the mixture of sadness and terror in Adam\u2019s eyes. \u201cDid you get hurt when you fell?\u201d he asked softly. \u201cI wouldn\u2019t a laughed if I knowed that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m fine.\u201d He went down on one knee to be at eye level. \u201cI was worried about you, kid. I should have checked where you were before I broke that dam.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAw, that weren\u2019t nothin\u2019, Adam. I got wet is all and had a good ride, but I knew you\u2019d get me out of trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam pulled the boy into a bear hug, and squeezed tighter when he looked over Little Joe\u2019s shoulder, realizing how close they\u2019d come to disaster. The branch that had kept his brother afloat had finally dislodged, and he saw it splinter in the rushing current before disappearing down the hill.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll always get you out of trouble if I can, Joe. I promise you that.\u201d He gave a last hard squeeze that made Little Joe squirm and giggle, and then helped him undress. He laid the clothes to dry on a sun-warmed rock, and considered how to keep the skinny boy warm. Fortunately he\u2019d tied a bedroll on his saddle to use for the picnic lunch they\u2019d planned. He wrapped it around the Joe the best he could and secured it in place with a length of twine he found in his saddle bag. After rinsing out his muddy clothes and laying them out to dry as well, they ate the bacon sandwiches they had along and found a sheltered area with plenty of sunshine. They leaned against a downed tree trunk tucked under Adam\u2019s coat, and it didn\u2019t take long for both of them to doze off.<\/p>\n

\u201cWake up Adam. We\u2019re gonna be late.\u201d<\/p>\n

A resigned sigh escaped when Adam rolled over. \u201cPa will wait for us, Little Joe. Go see if your clothes are dry.\u201d He\u2019d enjoyed his rest immensely and wasn\u2019t anxious to leave the cozy hideaway they\u2019d found. When he finally opened his eyes, he saw Frankie Wadsworth grinning down at him. Adam\u2019s cheeks were already pink from the warmth of his bed, but they blushed to a deeper hue as he pushed the covers back and sat up.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou had one heck of a dream going on there, Cartwright.\u201d Frankie laughed. \u201cYou were screaming at your brother and flailing your arms and legs so hard I thought you would actually take off in flight.\u201d He grabbed his books from his desk after punching Adam\u2019s shoulder playfully. \u201cYou overslept a little and we have that physics test today. You can\u2019t be late for that.\u201d He turned from the doorway. \u201cDon\u2019t dawdle. I\u2019ll save you a place in the dining hall.\u201d<\/p>\n

Once Frankie was gone, Adam made his bed, washed up, and shaved as quickly as he could without nicking himself. With his roommate gone, he had time to think back to the dream he\u2019d been having when he awoke. There\u2019d seemed no hope that day, but he\u2019d prayed for a miracle, and he\u2019d gotten one. There were probably sound principles of flow and current that had moved the branch from the center of the stream long enough for him to get Little Joe to safety. But at the time there\u2019d seemed no way to prevent the eventual outcome. He sent a heartfelt thank you heavenwards for whatever forces\u2014physical or supernatural\u2014had kept his brother alive that day. \u201cI\u2019ll always get you out of trouble if I can, Joe,\u201d he whispered as he had in his dream, and then laughed as he walked out the door, mumbling, \u201cI just wish you didn\u2019t get into trouble so darn often.\u201d<\/p>\n

Part Four<\/strong><\/p>\n

It had become easier for Ben to allow Little Joe a modicum of freedom over the summer and early fall. He let him ride out to visit Hoss and the hands for an hour or two if they were near enough to the house, and he let the boys go fishing together without accompanying them. While he thought this was a good thing for the boys, he was always relieved to hear the sound of hoof beats entering the yard, indicating their safe return.<\/p>\n

He rose from his desk and looked out the door to see Joe and Hoss returning from a day together with a full stringer of bass hanging from the saddle. He exhaled deeply and then realized he\u2019d been holding his breath all the while they\u2019d been gone. It had only been about six months since he first let Little Joe venture out, and he assumed it would get easier to see him off\u2026or at least that\u2019s what he told himself. Yet somewhere deep in his heart, he knew that would never be true. It hadn\u2019t been any easier to let Adam go to Boston and he still held his breath whenever he thought about him so far from home. But for now, he relaxed and headed out to hear the fish story Hoss would have for him.<\/p>\n

Part Five<\/strong><\/p>\n

Adam stared at the dictionary in front of him on the table, but couldn\u2019t pay attention to the definition he was reading. His mind kept drifting back to a day when a similar book had almost occasioned a, \u201cWanted: Dead or Alive\u201d poster to be issued for him and Little Joe.<\/p>\n

He\u2019d been working with Professor Metz for two years when the teacher had been asked to go to another part of the territory for several months. Adolf had promised to return afterwards to take Adam along back East for school, and he\u2019d left lessons plans to use in his absence. He\u2019d also sent for a set of freshman textbooks from Harvard to give Adam a head start on some of the courses he\u2019d be likely to take no matter which school he\u2019d attend.<\/p>\n

Adam hadn\u2019t had much time to study though.\u00a0 He\u2019d spent the summer working with the crew, and then he\u2019d been hurt and spent several weeks in bed, so when he\u2019d gotten back on his feet again, he\u2019d spent most of his spare time reading and studying to be ready to leave come spring. His obsession with preparing, had affected his brothers too. Hoss had said that he didn\u2019t understand his brother \u201cWantin\u2019 all that schoolin\u2019,\u201d but he\u2019d left Adam alone.<\/p>\n

Little Joe had been a different story. The youngster saw his brother\u2019s study time as a challenge, and would make every effort to distract him, or he\u2019d interrupt so often that study time had to be postponed until Little Joe was in bed.<\/p>\n

Adam grinned and tapped his pencil on the library table as he thought about the afternoon Joe was as intent on getting his attention, as he was about ignoring the interruptions. It had started with sneak attacks where Joe would slip into the room and pull on his ears, or poke his ribs and then run away. When that failed to elicit a response, he started tossing things at Adam from the doorway. He could still hear Joe giggling as rolled-up dirty socks flew through the air and dropped onto his open book.<\/p>\n

It had become a war of wills at that point, with Little Joe reappearing every few minutes with something new to try, while he\u2019d remained unruffled\u2014at least on the outside. But then Joe had remembered the one thing that had always irritated him beyond toleration: the little boy had started talking. He\u2019d stood in the doorway reciting the alphabet; he\u2019d sung children\u2019s songs, and repeated the chant, \u201cAdam is a bookworm.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam recalled that his teeth had clenched to the point of endangering his molars, and his desire for quiet overruled his sensibilities. He\u2019d continued to look down at his reading material while he\u2019d reached for the dictionary on his desk. When he had it firmly in his grip, he\u2019d swung around and let the book fly toward the door\u2026with better velocity than trajectory. He\u2019d thought he\u2019d thrown it high enough that it would miss Joe completely, while having the desired effect of making him run away.<\/p>\n

It had seemed<\/em> the perfect plan, considering the short time from conception to execution\u2026except for the fact that Pa had heard Joe\u2019s taunting, and had come upstairs to put a stop to it. He\u2019d pulled Little Joe aside as the last singsong phrase had left the boy\u2019s mouth, and stepped squarely into the doorway facing his oldest son. Adam grimaced, just as he had that day when his eyes registered who was standing there\u2026and that the weight of the book was taking its path downward far faster than he\u2019d planned. His father had been standing as he often did, with his legs planted wide and his hands at his hips. Adam had seen the man\u2019s eyes widen and his mouth form a silent \u201coh,\u201d as the book had sailed towards him. It had been too late for a reaction and the sharp corner of the heavy book had driven towards its unintended target\u2026centered about six inches below Pa\u2019s belt. It had connected with a solid smack, and then spun and hit again a tad lower until its momentum had exhausted and it had fallen to the floor between Pa\u2019s legs.<\/p>\n

Everyone with working ears within a mile of the house had heard Ben\u2019s cry of pain, followed by his loud, fragmented bellow. \u201cYou\u2026two\u2026!\u201d He\u2019d doubled over in pain before completing his thought, holding his bruised privates in one hand while he\u2019d grabbed Joe\u2019s arm with the other, and had still managed to give his eldest a withering glare. The oldest and youngest sons had exchanged a look as their father moaned and sank to the floor against the door jamb. They\u2019d both known they\u2019d committed the ultimate offense. Their tiff had ended by embarrassing their father, and had possibly caused a serious injury as well.<\/p>\n

A few days, many lectures, and seemingly hundreds of extra chores later, Adam and Little Joe had still winced each time they saw their father gingerly lower himself onto chairs or into his saddle. Needless to say there had been no further incidents of horseplay at the Cartwright house before had Adam left for Boston.<\/p>\n

The young man smiled one last time as he thought about the episode, even as he grimaced again at the outcome. His thoughts returned to Gore Hall when a group of friends came to get him for a late night trip to a nearby pub.<\/p>\n

Part Six<\/strong><\/p>\n

Adam stretched and yawned as he awoke. He knew it was nearly time to get up even without looking at the clock, because the early sunrise was already dancing tongues of red and orange flames on the wall opposite the window. But he lingered in the warm comfort of his bed and thought about the dream of his youngest brother he\u2019d been having just prior to opening his eyes. It seemed he was thinking a lot about the youngster lately, but he supposed that wasn\u2019t unusual. He often dreamt or daydreamed of his family.<\/p>\n

He was in his second year of school, but he\u2019d been gone well over two years already. It had taken a couple of months for him and Professor Metz to make it to St. Louis with the supply train they\u2019d joined. It had gone more quickly once they could take trains to their final destination, and they\u2019d made it to Boston early enough for him to make application and test for schools before the fall term. Most of the freshmen classes had already been set by the time he\u2019d arrived, but Professor Metz\u2019s reputation in the scholastic community had brought some leeway with the admissions directors. He\u2019d stayed with his grandfather during that time, and worked in a livery stable between testing and getting to know Abel Stoddard.<\/p>\n

It was nearly time to get up, but Frankie was still sleeping as evidenced by the soft snore making its way across the room, so Adam continued to think about home. Hoss was a teenager now, and from the letters he\u2019d received from Pa, his middle brother had continued to grow into a sturdy young man who was riding with the crew when they were near enough for the boy to make it home at night. That\u2019s the way it had been for him too when he\u2019d first started riding herd, and he smiled at his father\u2019s protectiveness. Little Joe was eight, and continued to be a handful, judging from the various escapades his father revealed in his notes. Yet Pa was giving the youngster a little more independence, and the latest letter from home had told of Joe\u2019s solo rides and reliability.<\/p>\n

He loved his entire family, so he wondered why Little Joe was the one he thought of the most the last few days. Maybe it was that he had taken Joe under his wing after Marie had died. Pa had struggled with her death, and he\u2019d drifted into melancholy when he hadn\u2019t been busy. The man had mustered on, but had preferred being alone; pulling into himself like a turtle resting safely inside its shell. Little Joe had missed his mother, but he\u2019d been young, active and full of ideas and schemes. It hadn\u2019t been easy having Little Joe along with him so often back then. It had slowed him down, and the kid\u2019s constant chatter had often locked his mind and jaw, but he\u2019d never resented the time they\u2019d spent together. He\u2019d gotten to know his youngest brother in those days, and it had been very hard to say goodbye to him when it had come time to leave.<\/p>\n

The dream he\u2019d had just before awakening had been from one of the times he\u2019d taken Little Joe on an errand to give their father time alone. He\u2019d sometimes allowed the boy to ride his own pony, but they\u2019d ridden double that day because he\u2019d been anxious to accomplish his errand. Getting anywhere with Little Joe along brought delays, and that day had been no exception.<\/p>\n

Adam smiled in the early morning light as he thought about trying to get the child moving. Hollering didn\u2019t help. The boy would look up at you with questioning eyes that revealed he had no clue as to what he was doing to upset you. They\u2019d finally gotten on the road, but Joe had a bladder the size of a pea, and since he\u2019d asked for a second glass of milk at breakfast, and coupled with the gentle bouncing of the horse, he\u2019d needed to stop often. Adam could always tell when a break was necessary. The saddle he used was long enough that they could both sit comfortably, but when Joe\u2019s urge to pee started in, the boy would start wiggling. He would ignore his little brothers shifting and squirming for as long as he could but he\u2019d finally have to pull over. Admonishments to, \u201churry,\u201d served no purpose. Joe could lose himself in watching a bug crawl across a rock or forget why\u2019d he\u2019d dismounted as he climbed the low branches of a pine until he couldn\u2019t \u201chold it\u201d any longer. The older brother knew this was the case and always carried a book to read while waiting for the little guy to get finished.<\/p>\n

The memory of what had happened during that trip to town flooded Adam\u2019s memory with the same emotions he\u2019d felt on the day it happened.<\/p>\n

It had been the fifth episode of wiggling and squirming that had made Adam\u2019s mood go dark, and he\u2019d waited until Little Joe was bouncing in the saddle with need before he stopped in a grassy area and dismounted. He lifted the boy down and sent him on his way, hollering after him. \u201cJust pee and get it over with. It\u2019s going to be dark before we get to Cass\u2019s.\u201d\u00a0 He pulled a small book of verse from his pocket and leaned forward against the saddle to read while he waited. His irritation grew as the number of poems he finished increased, and he finally hollered again for Joe to, \u201cHurry up!\u201d His call was answered by silence and his annoyance was replaced by a gnawing fear. They were in a meadow where it was flat as far as the eye could see, so he should have been able to see him. He couldn\u2019t.<\/p>\n

The first indication of where his brother might be came when he heard the low rumbling growl off to his left. He turned and finally caught a glimpse of Little Joe\u2019s hat sticking just above the swaying rye grass heads. The growling continued menacingly, and he began to make his way slowly toward the hat. When he got close, he found a standoff going on between the boy and a coyote over the pup his brother was clutching to his chest. It didn\u2019t take a college degree for him to figure out that Joe must have found a coyote pup separated from its mother, and she was back and unhappy about the situation.<\/p>\n

The large female coyote\u2019s lips were pulled back, exposing some very strong-looking teeth, and Adam\u2019s mind raced for a solution that would get them both out of there in one piece. He considered it fortunate that the animal was so focused on the pup that he could continue moving up behind his brother without forcing a move on her part. \u201cPut the pup down,\u201d he said evenly. Little Joe didn\u2019t move, so he said it again with more force. Unfortunately, the child was frozen. He got close enough that he could squat down behind Joe and move the terrified child\u2019s arms forward until the pup was resting on the ground. He whispered, \u201cLet go, Joe.\u201d This time the boy complied and the little coyote ran toward its mother. Adam decided that he had to move fast while the female was more interested in protecting her offspring than making them pay for their incursion into her territory. He picked Joe up and ran back to their horse, practically tossing the boy into the saddle as he found the stirrup, swung a leg over, and had the horse moving before he was fully seated.<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s heart had beaten faster as he relived the coyote encounter. Once they\u2019d gotten away, he remembered being overcome with relief\u2026first\u2026and then anger as he chided his brother for doing something so stupid. He grinned as he thought about Little Joe\u2019s answer. The kid often had the perfect comeback to disarm his detractors, and make them remorseful for their impatience or exasperation. That day Joe had angled himself to see his older brother, and had reached up to touch Adam\u2019s cheek as he\u2019d given a teary explanation. \u201cI thought that little pup\u2019s mama had died just like mine, and I was gonna bring him home so he\u2019d have a family too.\u201d<\/p>\n

Part Seven<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ben had sent Little Joe off that morning to get a message to Hop Sing, who was a few miles away at the drovers\u2019 camp near Thunderhead Pass. Ben and his feisty cook had made an agreement that he would prepare a hearty meal once each week for the crew when they were near enough to the house to be feasible. Hop Sing had blustered about it at first, but the hands were so appreciative of his good food that he now looked forward to doing it. It took a little extra planning on Hop Sing\u2019s part, and Ben insisted that their cook take an extra day off the during the weeks he provided the mobile meal, so the arrangement seemed to make everyone happy.<\/p>\n

This \u201carrangement\u201d had another unintended bonus. Hoss had finished his classes with Abigail Jones last spring, and spent his days out with the hands now, as long as they were close enough that he could make it home in the evenings. This had been possible throughout the summer because they\u2019d been using the pasture land to the east that was an easy ride each day. Hop Sing helped keep an eye on Little Joe most days, but when both he and Hoss were out at camp, or on the cook\u2019s days off, Little Joe focused all his attention on his father. The boy\u2019s interest in a project or his school work never lasted as long as Ben needed to get his paperwork done. A solution had presented itself after Little Joe\u2019s successful completion of his round trip to camp with the note for Lester.<\/p>\n

During the summer, Ben had started sending his youngest out with messages to his cook or foreman whenever he had bids to work up or correspondence to finish. Little Joe would leave early enough to have lunch at camp, and he\u2019d arrive home around four. There was nothing important in the notes to the men at camp, other than Ben\u2019s thanks for keeping an eye on Little Joe for a bit, and to send him on his way when lunch was over.<\/p>\n

The plan had proved perfect so far. He would get quiet time to work, and Little Joe would get another successful ride under his belt. The boy had been so punctual and focused in doing these trips that Ben hadn\u2019t realized he was late in returning this time until he had to light a lamp on the desk to see the penciled figures in his ledgers. The situation gave him pause until he remembered that Joe might have decided to wait for Hoss and Hop Sing. It wasn\u2019t the plan for him to do that, but Ben always told him to wait if there was anything on the ride out that bothered him.<\/p>\n

While he told himself that was all that was delaying Joe, his heart started beating a little faster as he grew impatient for his sons to be safely under his roof. He nearly ran to the door when he heard a wagon enter the yard, and the flutter in his chest became a wild pounding when he saw only Hoss and Hop Sing.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere\u2019s Little Joe?\u201d Ben called to the duo as he hurried to them.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe dunno.\u201d Hoss shrugged before dismounting. \u201cHe left us hours ago when I suggested that he help Hop Sing clean up the mess from lunch and load the wagon.\u201d Hoss saw the concern in his father\u2019s face. \u201cDid we beat that little critter home?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s horse was still saddled in the yard, and he walked toward it while pointing to Hoss. \u201cStay put, son. We\u2019ll take a ride and see where he got sidetracked.\u201d He turned to Hop Sing. \u201cYou stay here in case he gets home. And whatever you do, don\u2019t let him come looking for us when he\u2026\u201d Ben\u2019s words silenced as Little Joe\u2019s horse galloped into the yard, minus its rider.<\/p>\n

There were a few hands at the ranch who\u2019d been working on repairs, and Ben called for them to mount up too. \u201cWe\u2019ll ride back out towards camp,\u201d he explained to the men as they headed toward the road. \u201cOnce we get out a little, we\u2019ll spread out and look for signs of a horse heading off.<\/p>\n

The route to this camp was an easy ride compared to some that lead to other grazing areas. There were no drop-offs or dangerous sections. But the road was bordered by thousands of places that might distract an 8-year-old.<\/p>\n

***<\/strong><\/p>\n

Over the next two days, Ben, Hoss, and a couple dozen hands and townsfolk searched every inch of that trail without success. They\u2019d found a few sets of prints leading off to rock formations and stands of trees, but there was no sign of Little Joe having been there recently. The problem was that much of the land bordering the road was hard enough that they couldn\u2019t have seen a detour even if there had been one.<\/p>\n

The most promising place they\u2019d searched was a rocky outcropping near what the Cartwrights had dubbed, the Black Bear Caves. There were never any bears there, just a dark rock formation that looked like bears curled up in the sun. But there were many nooks and crannies that Little Joe had always loved to explore. After finding no evidence to show Joe had been there, they\u2019d moved on.<\/p>\n

The crew foreman, Hugh, had taken Ben aside the afternoon of the second day. \u201cMr. Cartwright, we\u2019ve been up and down this road, and we\u2019ve spread far and wide with nary a sign of your boy. I hate myself for suggestin\u2019 this, but I think we should drag that one pond we\u2019ve been passin\u2019. Little Joe loved to chase them frogs, and well\u2026maybe he got out there too deep and\u2026\u201d He stopped when he saw the anguished look on his boss\u2019s face.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe could swim,\u201d Ben growled as his frustration exited in anger. He didn\u2019t want to believe that his child could have died in a pool of water he\u2019d been swimming in his whole life. \u201cI\u2019m sorry, Hugh. That\u2019s a good idea. I think it\u2019s shallow enough that a line of men could walk across.\u201d<\/p>\n

Twelve men moved shoulder-to-shoulder across the rocky bed of the pond several times without dislodging anything more than a few branches and muck. Ben\u2019s spirit had gone from his first worry to all-out panic as he realized how long their fruitless searches had been going on. He hadn\u2019t stopped to eat or rest, even when he\u2019d told the others to do so. He\u2019d walked for hours in the dark, calling Joe\u2019s name, listening for any sound to break the silence; praying that his son had only gotten lost or turned around in the vast acres of their property, and they\u2019d find him wandering as the search widened. His greatest fear remained that the child had been thrown from his horse on whatever side trip he\u2019d taken and he\u2019d been seriously hurt. If that was the case, then it would remain a matter of luck that they find the right spot in time.<\/p>\n

The other possibility of Little Joe\u2019s disappearance came from Will Cass. The shop keeper, and good friend of the Cartwrights advanced a theory when he made Ben sit in the shade of a rocky overhang for a few minutes of rest after they\u2019d searched the pond. \u201cI don\u2019t know how to tell you this, Ben, but the Ponderosa is making a name for itself in this area. We\u2019ve had a lot more people passing through these parts on their way across the mountains, and it\u2019s possible that one of them heard enough about you to know you\u2019d pay a goodly amount to get a child back. They may not have even planned it, but ran across Little Joe out here after his horse took off, and figured to take advantage of the situation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben nodded thoughtfully, even as his stomach turned. \u201cI\u2019ve considered that, Will. But then why haven\u2019t we gotten a ransom demand?\u201d<\/p>\n

Will pointed out at the various people searching on the hillside. \u201cWhen Hop Sing rode into town yesterday morning and told us that Little Joe was missing, I enlisted the help of anyone I could find. A few of the men I recruited were strangers at the saloon. How do we know they aren\u2019t the ones who took your boy and came to town to see what would happen when he came up missing. They could be watching you, knowing that your motivation to get him back will increase with the number of hours spent searching.\u201d He saw the doubt wash across his friend\u2019s face. \u201cAdmit it Ben, if someone came up to you right now and said they\u2019d return your son for a large fee, you\u2019d do whatever you had to raise the cash.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI suppose you could be right.\u201d Ben sighed raggedly. \u201cI\u2019ve wondered about the Indians too. But they would have come to me by this time, or given me an obvious sign that they were unhappy with something Joseph did. They don\u2019t play games.\u201d He took a drink from the canteen Will offered, and stood. \u201cBut until I get an indication that he\u2019s being held, I\u2019ll keep looking.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

The men from town helped with the search until that afternoon, and then Ben sent them home to their families. He\u2019d appreciated the help but he still had his crew, and he was beginning to think that a smaller number of people would make it easier to do a controlled search. In the past two days he\u2019d often found people wandering off and covering old ground. He and Hugh had taken time to set up a pattern the hands would follow come daylight that would cover large areas faster and more thoroughly. Then Hugh had suggested that Ben have the crew build a fire to warm some food and coffee. He\u2019d agreed, and had sat with them to get their thoughts about any areas he might be missing. They were bedded down now, taking a much-needed rest.<\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s intent had been to continue his ritual from the night before, using the night\u2019s stillness to listen for the small voice of a child that might not be heard with the rush of wind or others moving around and talking. But Hoss followed him when he tried to leave. He could see that his son was so exhausted he could barely put one foot in front of the other, yet Ben could say nothing that would dissuade Hoss from coming along.<\/p>\n

His adult frame put him in better physical condition than Hoss, but his mind was as weary as his son\u2019s body, and he knew he had to shut his thoughts down for a time to be able to make the best decisions come morning. He looked out at the vast acres stretching into the darkness, praying for a clue to find his missing child, and then took Hoss by the arm. \u201cC\u2019mon, son, we\u2019re going to rest for a little while.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut, Pa\u2026\u201d the boy protested, while allowing his father to lead him to a spot near the fire.<\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s sleep had come purely from fatigue. He\u2019d fought it, but his body had overruled his mind, and he awakened a few hours later. The short respite had reset his thoughts, and he had a new idea. He found Hugh curled up near the edge of the camp and jostled him. \u201cI\u2019m sorry to wake you,\u201d he offered as the sleepy foreman opened one eye, \u201cbut I need to get going, and want to make sure you know what to do at first light.\u201d<\/p>\n

A few minutes later, he had his horse saddled and was picking his way through the darkness to get to the main road. He wasn\u2019t heading home to find a comfortable bed or a good meal; he wanted a pencil and paper, and the services of Hop Sing, who\u2019d remained at home to care for Little Joe if he managed to find his way there. He pulled to a stop outside the house as the sky lit a first orange streak in the east, and ran inside to his desk.<\/p>\n

Hop Sing jumped up from the red leather chair where he\u2019d been resting; his mouth was moving as fast as he was when he got to Ben\u2019s side. \u201cYou find Little Joe? Where he was and why he not with you now?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s pencil stopped on the paper as he looked up. His smile was genuine as he realized how much this man loved the boys of the Ponderosa. The overwhelming weariness returned as the smile faded. \u201cWe haven\u2019t found him, but I think we need to get some help from the one person who knows Little Joe as well\u2026or better\u2026than any of us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hop Sing\u2019s face brightened and then collapsed to sadness again as he understood who his boss was talking about. \u201cHow you talk to him? Not like he next door.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019ll take some time, Hop Sing, but we can try.\u201d He returned to the note he was writing and handed it to the cook when he finished. \u201cI want you to ride to the trading post at the Carson River Settlement in Eagle Valley. I heard they just got a telegraph line there and hopefully they can send this message. Wait there for a reply if it goes through, and bring it out to us.\u201d Ben went to unlock the safe and grabbed a fold of cash. \u201cI don\u2019t know what it will cost, but this should be enough. Don\u2019t show them how much you have, but don\u2019t worry if they ask for a goodly amount either.\u201d Hop Sing nodded. \u201cDo you have any food made?\u201d Ben knew the answer even before he\u2019d asked. The Mandarin cook eased his anxiety by doing what he was good at, so Ben knew there\u2019d be something available to take back to the crew.<\/p>\n

\u201cOn table. I go put in baskets.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou get going to Eagle Valley. I\u2019ll find the food. You\u2019ll use the same road to get there that you used to get to camp the other day. I\u2019ll put up a marker to show you where to find us on the way back. The road\u2019s in pretty good shape, so you should be able to make it back even if it\u2019s dark.\u201d He touched Hop Sing\u2019s arm. \u201cI know I\u2019m asking a lot of you, but I know you\u2019ll do your best. You always do.\u201d<\/p>\n

Part Eight<\/strong><\/p>\n

Adam had just agreed to head back to the dining hall for dinner with his friends, when Frankie Wadsworth bounded through the library door holding a small envelope aloft. He ignored the signage calling for quiet, and hollered, \u201cHey Adam, they came looking for you at the room. You got a telegraph!\u201d<\/p>\n

Those nearby focused their attention on the two roommates as the gathering of papers and books silenced. Telegrams were uncommon on campus, and they most often bore a tragic announcement. Adam knew this as well as anyone, and his hand trembled as he opened the paper on the table and began to read.<\/p>\n

Catherine Harris was on duty and hurried over when she heard the commotion. She was a few feet from Adam when she saw him grab onto the edge of the table while the sheet of paper fluttered to the floor. It took one look at his face for her to know that he was close to being sick or passing out, and she made a quick grab for the telegram on the floor as she sat next to him. She had one arm wrapped around his back as she scanned the note, gasping at its content:<\/p>\n

Adam (Stop) Joe missing (Stop) Disappeared on solo ride from Thunderhead Pass. (Stop) Horse returned alone. (Stop) Searching for 2 days (Stop) No sign of him (Stop) Your thoughts son.<\/em><\/p>\n

She looked around the room as she asked for attention. \u201cThere\u2019s an emergency, and I have to close the library early tonight. Thank you for understanding.\u201d<\/p>\n

Frankie waited until the bustle of students had filed out the door, and then told Catherine, \u201cThe Western Union messenger is waiting outside for a response. What should I tell him?\u201d<\/p>\n

She blew a breath upwards and looked back at an ashen Adam. \u201cPlease tell him that we\u2019ll come there shortly.\u201d Frankie had turned to leave when she added, \u201cAfter that, could you please go to my husband\u2019s office and bring him with you to the Western Union office?\u201d He nodded and headed toward the door. \u201cThank you Frankie.\u201d<\/p>\n

Catherine locked the doors, and hastily scribbled, \u201cClosed due to an Emergency\u201d on a sheet of paper and pinned it to the window frame of the entrance. Adam still looked dazed when she returned and sat next to him. \u201cTell me what you\u2019re thinking.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam didn\u2019t speak. He just leaned forward, pinching the bridge of his nose while shaking his head. He sighed deeply without making a sound as he took the note from the table and reread it. His soul felt as silent and cold as he imagined his brother could be.<\/p>\n

It took Catherine a great deal of effort not to wrap him in an embrace and tell him to let it out, but she suspected that Adam was not the kind to fall apart in times of pain or to want mothering. She remained near if he needed her, but she let him work it through.<\/p>\n

He finally breathed deeply, sat tall, and looked at her. \u201cTell me this isn\u2019t happening, Mrs. H. Wake me up and tell me this is just another dream.\u201d<\/p>\n

Catherine\u2019s smile was kindly as she patted his hand. He seemed ready to talk, and she was ready to listen. \u201cLittle Joe is your youngest brother, the one with so much spirit and daring?\u201d\u00a0 Adam nodded. \u201cYou had a dream about him here the other day. But you said, \u2018another\u2019 dream, so has it happened more than that?\u201d<\/p>\n

He nodded again. \u201cThe dreams and memories of times we were together when things went a little off have been going on for a couple of days now\u2014almost every time I close my eyes or let my mind wander.\u201d Adam took a huge breath and asked, \u201cWhat do you think it means?\u201d<\/p>\n

The empathetic woman had sat with other grieving students over the years, and had come to know that it was better to listen before giving her opinions. \u201cWhat do you<\/em> think it means?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know.\u201d He paused and then voiced the thing that had sent his head spinning when he\u2019d read the telegram. \u201cMaybe this is God\u2019s way of telling me that I shouldn\u2019t have left my family. Maybe Little Joe\u2019s been hurt\u2026or worse\u2026because I wasn\u2019t there for him. I always protected him and now I\u2019m not there to do that.\u201d He turned away, clenching his teeth and fighting back the stinging in his eyes. As his pain and frustration grew, he swung his arm across the mahogany table, sending his texts flying. He saw Catherine lean down to pick them up, and groaned. \u201cLeave them! I put my effort into those useless<\/em> books instead of staying home to protect Little Joe. Now he\u2019s paid the price for my selfishness.\u201d<\/p>\n

Catherine sat next to him again and rested her hand on his arm. \u201cI think you\u2019re assuming facts that aren\u2019t yet known.\u201d Catherine studied Adam\u2019s face as his angry stare drilled through her. She returned his glare with a gentle smile. \u201cThe telegram didn\u2019t say that your brother was found dead, only that he\u2019s missing.\u201d She tightened the grasp on his arm. \u201cI know you probably don\u2019t want to hear this just yet, but while your family might have appreciated that you\u2019d delay or give up your dreams of going away to college, that gesture could neither have guaranteed that you would have been with your brother every time he was faced with danger, nor could it ensure he wouldn\u2019t be in the same situation he is now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe so, but I would be there now to help find him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat makes you think you can\u2019t help find him from here? Isn\u2019t that exactly what your father asked of you?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam fists unclenched and a sad smile played at the corner of his lips. \u201cI guess he did.\u201d He thought a moment. \u201cStill, all these thoughts and dreams about Joe\u2026. They must mean something.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou may be right. But let\u2019s look at other options rather than that it\u2019s God\u2019s indictment of your selfishness for being here instead of home.\u201d Adam turned in his chair to face Catherine more directly. The angry look of a few minutes ago had faded into one of interest. She continued, \u201cI believe that God communicates with us all the time. Sometimes we find words of scripture that speak to us in a particular situation; sometimes it\u2019s through the words of someone who comes into our lives and brings perspective, and very often, I think He touches our hearts with a message that we must allow him to help us unravel.\u201d<\/p>\n

She waited to see if her companion was accepting her theories and when he urged her to, \u201cGo on,\u201d she continued. \u201cI was a minister\u2019s daughter. It was a life that was probably pretty dull compared to the Cartwrights\u2019 life of rustling cattle.\u201d\u00a0 Catherine stopped as she saw the dimples appear at the edges of Adam\u2019s smile. \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n

In spite of his confusion and pain, Adam found humor in how little people understood the life of a rancher. \u201cMa\u2019am, the Cartwrights rope, punch, wrangle, drive, herd, and brand cattle, but I assure you we never rustle them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Catherine grinned as she asked, \u201cI\u2019m assuming I used the wrong term?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRustling means stealing. The Ponderosa has cattle by the thousands grazing in our pastures, so we don\u2019t really need to rustle any.\u201d They both laughed, but they sobered again when their eyes were drawn back to the telegram on the table.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe point I was trying to make before my vocabulary blunder, was that I learned much about the human soul and spirit being around the church as a child. I know some of my father\u2019s parishioners claimed to have received visits from their departed loved ones after a death. My father never discouraged those feelings. He said those were sacred memories, and since we don\u2019t have the mind of God, he could not presume to know what the Father may have shared with them or question His means of doing it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSounds like your father was a pretty smart man, and a progressive thinker.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Catherine sighed. \u201cSome called him blasphemous for his opinions, but that never made him fear encouraging people to feel the presence of God. When he faced his critics, he\u2019d cite the visitations of angels described in the Bible, and he reminded them about the visions and the spiritual interventions that Mary, Paul and other disciples experienced. Many accepted this, but some of his parishioners still thought he was more than a little odd.\u201d She laughed softly. \u201cI loved walking through the cemetery at the church and reading the headstones. The one I\u2019ll always remember said, \u2018Here lies the earthy part of Eugenia Thompson.\u2019 It was my favorite because it was such an accurate description. True believers know that the spirits of our loved ones live on, and all that\u2019s left behind are the chemical elements of the body that return to the dust of the earth.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s haunted look was fading as he listened, and Catherine couldn\u2019t help thinking that this young man was exactly where he was supposed to be. He might love his family and the land he\u2019d left behind, but his mind was seeking truth that he needed to find on his own. He was strong enough that his beliefs wouldn\u2019t be swayed simply by reading another man\u2019s opinion in a book, but he still needed to read them and make up his own mind.<\/p>\n

Her pause ended as she noticed his brows had risen in expectation of her next thought. \u201cThose words came to mind again when you were describing the dreams that lead up to the notice of your brother\u2019s disappearance. The time we live in is one dimensional, but if we are truly spirit as well as \u2018earthy,\u2019 then our life is an accumulation of times and events with others that can be relived in our hearts and minds. Am I making any sense, Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf my mind allows my heart to feel it, I can experience another person even when they aren\u2019t physically here.\u201d Adam thought a moment. \u201cSo maybe my dreams are truly Little Joe telling me goodbye by giving me pieces of our times together to remember.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPerhaps\u2026\u201d\u00a0 Catherine could see the tension and uncertainty building again in Adam\u2019s rigid posture. \u201cBut our soul isn\u2019t just touched by man\u2019s spirit; it\u2019s also touched by the spirit of God who has no boundaries of time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t understand.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know what your dreams mean, but since your brother wasn\u2019t in trouble until just recently, I think you might need to use a broader brushstroke in thinking about this. Do you recall the story of the prophet Elijah being tormented and looking for the word of God to sustain him?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGod told Elijah to await his voice. After that there was wind, earthquake, and fire and Elijah expected to find his answer in those powerful phenomena. But those just served to get Elijah\u2019s attention. When God\u2019s answer was given, He spoke through a still, small voice in a gentle breeze.\u201d<\/p>\n

Catherine nodded. \u201cSo maybe your dreams were preparation, Adam. The dreams about your brother brought him near to your heart. Those dreams may have been the wind and earthquakes, and now you need to listen for a gentler voice to tell you what you need to know.<\/p>\n

The library fell silent as the vanishing rays of day brought the room to a darkness lit only by the table lamps. Catherine rose. \u201cI have to put a few things away and then we\u2019ll go to the Western Union office to send an acknowledgement to your father.\u201d She stopped a few steps away, and said softly, \u201cAdam, the other possibility is they were just dreams because you are lonely for your family again. Your mind constructed what your heart was feeling. It may have been your way of being home without leaving here.\u201d She took another step. \u201cI\u2019ll be gone a few minutes. Use the time to think things over and say a few prayers.\u201d<\/p>\n

He didn\u2019t fall asleep this time, but another memory of his brother vied for his attention as he tried to pray.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

\u201cC\u2019mon Adam. You promised we could go into that deep cave and search for gold,\u201d chided Little Joe, while tugging at Adam\u2019s shirtsleeve.<\/p>\n

Adam stood solidly, making it impossible for Little Joe to move him. \u201cListen squirt; that\u2019s not a mining cave. There\u2019s no gold in any of the Black Bear caves that we\u2019ve ever noticed. But there may be some interesting things to look at if you want.\u201d<\/p>\n

Little Joe did \u2018want\u2019 and held onto Adam\u2019s belt as they moved deeper into the cave that was illuminated only by the lantern they carried. Farther in, Little Joe spotted a shaft of hazy light stretching from the ceiling to the floor. \u201cWhat\u2019s that?\u201d he asked as he pointed.<\/p>\n

Once under it, they looked up to see a well-defined chimney leading toward a patch of sunlight. \u201cIt\u2019s an airshaft,\u201d Adam explained. \u201cIt was formed as the rocks making up the cave compressed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Little Joe was impressed by the shaft but not by the explanation. \u201cThat\u2019s all fine, but can I climb up there?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s too smooth to climb; there wouldn\u2019t be any hand or footholds, and it\u2019s a long way up.\u00a0 But it would be easy to climb down using a rope\u2026.\u201d He swallowed hard and closed his eyes, knowing he\u2019d made a serious error in saying that out loud.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s do that Adam! Please\u2026.\u201d Joe continued to plead as his brother pulled him along, retracing their steps out of the cave.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s too dangerous, Joe. It\u2019s a long drop to get down there, and you\u2019re not even six-years-old.\u201d Adam knew he had to satisfy at least some of his brother\u2019s curiosity or they\u2019d never get the strays rounded up. \u201cI\u2019ll do this much. We\u2019ll go up the hill and find where the shaft exits.\u201d The two brothers scoured the area above and behind the cave\u2019s mouth until they found the hole hidden in a grouping of rocks and scrub brush.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo if you won\u2019t let me<\/em> do it,\u201d Little Joe wheedled, \u201cat least tell me how you\u2019d<\/em> do it.\u201d<\/p>\n

He\u2019d gone this far, so he figured he might as well be truthful, and make it sound as difficult as possible, so Little Joe wouldn\u2019t try some crazy way to do it himself when he got the chance. He brought their horse up on the rise, and showed his brother how to tie the right kind of knot to hitch the rope to the saddle horn. \u201cNow you tie it just like I did.\u201d He handed the rope to the eager child and watched as he struggled to follow the directions. After demonstrating a few more times, Little Joe managed to get a loose version of the correct configuration.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow what? The child demanded.<\/p>\n

Adam had a moment of insight. \u201cWe train our horses to stand still when we\u2019re working with a rope for the cattle. They\u2019ll even back up when you lasso a small steer to help keep the lag tight when you\u2019re trying to turn a calf for branding. You\u2019d use your horse similarly if you were going down that shaft. But you\u2019d have to train him a lot more so he\u2019d understand what to do. You could even get him to follow a command or certain tug to pull you back up if you needed help.\u201d He took the boy by the shoulders. \u201cSo, until you teach your horse properly, and get a little stronger and older, you will not attempt anything like this.\u201d He heard the snort and tightened his grip. \u201cYou promise me right now that you\u2019ll do as I ask.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure, Adam. You trust me, don\u2019t ya?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe\u2019s easy agreement left Adam with the sinking feeling that they should have never have made this stop on the way out to Thunderhead Pass.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

It came in a whisper as he pulled from his memory. Adam jumped from his chair hollering, \u201cMrs. H! We gotta get to the telegraph office right away!\u201d<\/p>\n

Catherine grabbed her cloak, hat, and Adam\u2019s hand as they tore out the door, letting it lock behind them. Her buggy was parked outside and Adam took the reins, as he began to talk as fast as the words would tumble out.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know where he is\u2026or at least where he might be. It was in Pa\u2019s telegraph. The place he mentioned brought back a memory and it all fell together.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow so?\u201d she asked breathlessly as the lightweight buggy flew through the streets between Gore Hall and the Western Union office.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe said Joe\u2019d left from camp at Thunderhead Pass. Pa wrote some time back that the mouth of a cave we used to explore had filled in during a rockslide. And in his last letter he said he was letting Little Joe ride alone between the house and nearby camps. But the kid doesn\u2019t pay attention to important things, so he probably didn\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n

Catherine wasn\u2019t sure if it was the ride or the explanation that was making her head spin. \u201cWhat important things didn\u2019t he know?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam glanced sideways and gave her a raised-lip stare. \u201cThat the entrance collapsed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo you think he\u2019s in the cave?\u201d She shook her head. But how could he get in there now if it collapsed a while ago.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThrough the top!\u201d He swatted the horse\u2019s rump with the reins. \u201cDidn\u2019t I say that?\u201d<\/p>\n

She was holding her hat on with one hand and the seat of the buggy with the other, as she laughed. \u201cNo, you did not. How do you get through the top of a cave?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a chimney\u2014a shaft into it that Little Joe probably thought he could descend now because Pa thought he was old enough to go somewhere alone. But that\u2019s not what I told him back when\u2026.\u201d His eyes were wide as he shook his head. \u201cYou can never give Little Joe permission for one step but that he doesn\u2019t jump three, and forgets that the step in the middle is the most important one.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe forgot that he had to train the horse and learn to tie the knot better, and he went right for the big finish.\u201d Adam pulled the horse to a stop in front of the storefront housing the telegraph service and jumped down. He\u2019d taken a step away, but then remembered he was with a woman, and went back to help her down.<\/p>\n

\u201cGo on.\u201d she waved him away. \u201cI\u2019ll tie the horse and meet you inside.\u201d Catherine offered a prayer of relief and hope that whatever he\u2019d been trying to tell her held the answer: and that it would make it across the miles between Boston and the Ponderosa with God\u2019s care and speed.<\/p>\n

Part Nine<\/strong><\/p>\n

The trading post at the Eagle Valley had started to gather a crowd. A few people had been there when Hop Sing had arrived in a cloud of dust with his braid flying behind him, and an intensity in his effort that had people wondering what was going on. Those folks had followed him inside and heard him try to explain his request for the telegraph operator to send a wire to Boston. Ben\u2019s note was the one thing the operator could easily understand but he\u2019d been caught off guard by the flurry of activity, and seemed unable to move ahead without the full story of what was going on at the ranch to the west.<\/p>\n

It was fortunate turn of events that Will Cass had headed over to the Carson River area early that morning to pick up farming implements that had arrived there for his store. He pulled in shortly after Hop Sing, and was able to calm the Cartwright cook, and help him tell of the events leading to his presence.<\/p>\n

Slim, the telegraph operator shook his head as he finally realized the seriousness of the situation. \u201cI know what I\u2019m doin\u2019 here, but I ain\u2019t never tried to get a message this far before. It won\u2019t go direct; I\u2019ll have to start a relay where it\u2019ll get sent from station to station until it makes it to the coast. It\u2019ll take some time though, and if it makes it, then they\u2019ll have to find this here, Adam Cartwright. His answer will have to come back the same way it got there. You might as well go over to the hotel and wait there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Will had Hop Sing help him load the implements onto his wagon, and then they\u2019d gone to the hotel. No one would think of Will Cass as a rugged man. He knew he wasn\u2019t made for heavy labor, and preferred being a shop keeper to any work that entailed long hours outdoors. He\u2019d lost his wife a few years ago, and had left Ben\u2019s search party to get home to his children and store. By his estimation that wasn\u2019t a big loss to his friend. Will had figured he was as likely to get lost out there as Little Joe, but staying with Hop Sing had given him a way to help that would be beneficial.<\/p>\n

The two men had found the caf\u00e9 inside the hotel and ordered a late breakfast to help pass the time. But as the news of the attempt at placing a long-distance telegram, and the reason for it, had begun to spread, a small crowd had gathered. The cook at the restaurant had come out and demanded that if they were going to mill around, they needed to order something. Will smiled as he\u2019d seen the plates of food exiting the kitchen, and suspected that the restaurant was probably having its best day ever.<\/p>\n

As the empty plates had returned to the kitchen, the suppositions had begun to grow as people had started to compare their thoughts. The Cartwrights were prosperous, so people paid attention to the news\u2026and gossip\u2026about them. Some of the wives around this settlement had husbands working on the Ponderosa, and they\u2019d heard the stories about the tragedy surrounding the family. Will had overheard one woman ask another, \u201cIsn\u2019t he the one who lost three wives already? And now to lose a son\u2026.\u201d They\u2019d shaken their heads and talked on about the unfairness to some men\u2014especially prominent ones, it seemed.<\/p>\n

Other conversations had drifted to them, supposing that the boy had drowned in that big lake over that way and they\u2019d probably never find the body, while others had suggested that there was a cloud of doom or a curse on the Cartwrights.<\/p>\n

It had made Will\u2019s stomach churn to hear the distortions of truth and overabundant supply of solemn conclusions. He\u2019d looked over and realized that while Hop Sing\u2019s English speaking ability was a little less than wonderful, he understood enough of what was being said to look horrified. Will hadn\u2019t been able to shake his suspicions that some of the negative thoughts were pretty accurate. It would be hard for a skinny kid to be out for two days and nights without food. It was warm during the fall days, but the temperatures dropped at night, and from what Ben had said, Little Joe\u2019s horse still had a blanket and the boy\u2019s jacket attached to the saddle when it got home.<\/p>\n

They\u2019d relocated to the small hotel lobby and had been talking with some of the town\u2019s people when Hop Sing approached Will and pointed to the clock. \u201cAlmost three hour pass now. Maybe it not work, and no message get to Mista Adam.”<\/p>\n

He\u2019d barely finished his thought when Slim had raced through the door. \u201cIt got there!\u201d he\u2019d hollered as the crowd applauded. \u201cI never thought we could get news from here to Boston in three hours. What\u2019ll they think of next?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat did Adam reply?\u201d Will had spoken loudly to be heard over the chatter.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, I don\u2019t know that it got to him yet,\u201d Slim had answered as he\u2019d grimaced. \u201cSorry, I didn\u2019t mean I\u2019d heard anything yet. I just got a confirmation that the last relay had gone through. Now we gotta wait for the other end to get a message to the right person, and his answer on the way back to us.\u201d<\/p>\n

The hotel clerk had asked for attention then. \u201cYou heard what Slim said. It\u2019s gonna be a lot of hours yet before we hear anything, so you might as well all go home.\u201d When no one had moved, he\u2019d added, \u201cI know you might not want to leave until you find out how this ends, but you can\u2019t stay here. The guests can\u2019t even get in the door. Move this gathering to the saloon if you want, but please vacate the lobby.\u201d<\/p>\n

The women had stayed put. They weren\u2019t about to go to the saloon, but the men had ambled away to reunite down the street. Will and Hop Sing had stayed at the hotel too; offering to pay for a room if that would help ease the congestion.<\/p>\n

\u201cNah,\u201d the clerk had replied with a smile. \u201cThis is the biggest thing to happen here since Mary Sue Noland left her husband and kids, and ran off with a no-account drifter. At least some of them cleared out, and that\u2019s good enough.\u201d<\/p>\n

Part Ten<\/strong><\/p>\n

Thaddeus Harris and Frankie had made it to the telegraph office before Adam, and had already arranged to cover the fees of the outgoing message. Since they were paying for the response, the operator allowed them to know the contents of the inbound wire. They were still talking with the key operator when Adam ran through the door asking for a paper and pencil.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you have any ideas where your brother is?\u201d Frankie asked as he slid over to let Adam next to him at the counter.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam mumbled, \u201cunhuh,\u201d as he printed out his reply and handed it over. \u201cI saw that this originated in Eagle Valley,\u201d he addressed the telegraph operator. \u201cDo you know how long it might take to get back there?\u201d<\/p>\n

The operator looked at his notes. \u201cSays here it started at mid-morning out there, but it didn\u2019t get here for more than three hours, and then I had to send Harry out to find you, and that took another two.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWill it take that long to get back there?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLet me get this sent first.\u201d The young man read over Adam\u2019s note, asking a couple of questions and noting the answers. He sat at the metal key and began tapping. When he got a response from the station he\u2019d contacted he keyed in the actual text, and waited for confirmation of receipt. \u201cThere, that\u2019s done.\u201d He looked up at Adam. \u201cI can tell that this is a life or death sort of situation out there, but I have no idea how long it might take. It came through during the day, but it\u2019s evening now, so there\u2019s no guarantee that the operators along the relay won\u2019t have gone home already or aren\u2019t out at supper. Each station will continue trying until it gets the message moved along, but it could take all night if things don\u2019t fall in place just right.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam slumped against the desk and exhaled heavily. \u201cThank you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Catherine had made it inside to hear the devastating possibility of a long delay. She produced a determined smile and continued over to her husband. \u201cIt sounds like your thoughts are on the way, Adam, and there will be a wait, so why don\u2019t we all go down the street to get some dinner at that little cafe?\u201d She looked pointedly at the Western Union employee. \u201cI\u2019m sure that with something so \u2018life-or-death\u2019 in the balance, the office will remain open until we hear something.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, ma\u2019am,\u201d the young man answered. \u201cI work all night anyway. Boston\u2019s a big city and important wires come in at all hours, so we\u2019re always here to receive and deliver.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s wonderful! Thank you.\u201d Catherine ignored Adam\u2019s resignation to leave, and ushered the group out the door.<\/p>\n

Once outside, Frankie begged a brief leave. \u201cI should run back to the dorm and let them know we\u2019ll be out past curfew, and then I\u2019ll come back. It\u2019s too late for the dining room anyway, so I\u2019d appreciate having dinner with you.\u201d<\/p>\n

The wise woman sent him on his way, knowing that Frankie Wadsworth could charm the women in the dining hall to warm up a dinner for him if he wanted one. The boy wouldn\u2019t leave Adam at a time like this any more than she and her husband would. The roommates were becoming brothers, and she was thankful that Adam would have Frankie near him during this ordeal.<\/p>\n

Part Eleven<\/strong><\/p>\n

The crowd of interested people in Eagle Valley had grown as the day had moved toward evening. They\u2019d waited for news, and now there were actually bets being made as to whether an answer could make it time to do any good. The macabre attitude tore at Hop Sing, who\u2019d muttered, \u201cSuch foolishment,\u201d to Will Cass several times in the previous hour.<\/p>\n

The two men had checked in at the trading post several times, and had eventually persuaded the owner to remain open and keep his key operator there until something came back from Boston. Will had even offered to pay the man\u2019s wages if he would stay. There\u2019d been no need. No one was willing to leave until they saw this through.<\/p>\n

The small, but vocal crowd had dispersed a bit at dinner time, and then reassembled as it got dark. They\u2019d followed Will and Hop Sing back to the trading post, perhaps suspecting that it was now or never for news to come through. Those who\u2019d worked their way inside found a place to sit or lean, while the rest remained at the open doors and windows. There was instant silence and a mass intake of breath when an insistent tapping indicated an incoming message.<\/p>\n

The message took a few minutes to complete, and there was a groan of disappointment when the operator said he couldn\u2019t divulge its contents to anyone but the recipient. Slim walked over to Hop Sing and placed the note in his hand, wishing him a safe trip back to the Ponderosa.<\/p>\n

Will looked over Hop Sing\u2019s shoulder as they both read what Adam had sent, and when he looked up, he saw the expectant faces of the gathering. He placed a hand on Hop Sing\u2019s shoulder and leaned in to ask, \u201cMay I tell them?\u201d A nod from the Cartwright cook allowed him to address the others. \u201cIt\u2019s the message from Boston we\u2019ve been waiting for and it offers hope. That\u2019s all we can tell you for now. Someone will be back later to send the outcome to the East Coast.\u201d He took Hop Sing\u2019s arm and they pushed their way outside.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s such a dark night Hop Sing; will you wait for daybreak?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI go now.\u201d Hop Sing pointed to the sky. \u201cClouds will break; moon will show.\u201d<\/p>\n

Will walked the small man to his horse. \u201cWe were searching this side of the house, I think, so the ride shouldn\u2019t be too long.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOne hour maybe if Almighty willing, and horse not trip in gopher hole.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy wagon is set to go. I\u2019ll follow you, but don\u2019t wait; I\u2019ll get there when I can.\u201d As the two were speaking, the clouds parted and they were washed in bright moonlight. Both men looked up to see only stars and sky. \u201cI think you\u2019re right about a little divine intervention.\u201d He handed the reins up to Hop Sing once he get settled in the saddle, and gave the horse a swat as the small, but able rider turned and headed toward the road.<\/p>\n

Part Twelve<\/strong><\/p>\n

The telegraph key began to tap in the Western Union office that was near the Harvard campus. Adam, Thaddeus and Catherine were seated on chairs that lined the wall, while Frankie had made himself comfortable on the floor, leaning back against his roommate\u2019s knees.<\/p>\n

The room had become crowded with others who were sitting on the floor wherever they found room. After Frankie had brought news of what was happening to their friends in the dorm, they had sought permission to be out late as well, and had headed over to the telegraph office to keep vigil.<\/p>\n

The original four had gone to dinner as Catherine had suggested. She\u2019d managed to keep the men talking and eating to pass the time while waiting for news. It had helped, but not much. Adam had pushed food around his plate, but little had actually entered his mouth. Frankie\u2019s banter had kept them laughing, and Thaddeus told of his latest insect find, while the young man at the center of it all, had feigned interest, and chuckled appropriately.<\/p>\n

He\u2019d finally risen, laying his napkin on the table. \u201cThank you all. I know what you\u2019re doing and I appreciate it. I need to get back now. It may sound foolish, but if feels like I can be in on the search if I\u2019m near that wire that stretches all the way back home.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam sat forward now as he heard the tapping, and slumped disappointedly when the incoming message was far too short to be bringing information. He glanced up at the clock and was surprised to find that this had all started less than three hours earlier.<\/p>\n

The key operator, who had introduced himself as Michael when they\u2019d returned, walked over to the railing that separated the office area from the waiting room, wearing a big grin. \u201cI know this isn\u2019t the news you\u2019re waiting to hear, but it is good news.\u201d<\/p>\n

Catherine smiled back. \u201cI think we could all use a little good news, Michael.\u201d<\/p>\n

He puffed his chest making the brass buttons on his coat twinkle in the lamplight. \u201cI just got confirmation that the message made it to the Eagle Valley station in record time. I think everyone who passed along the original message stayed around, hoping to handle the reply. So, they have your idea now, Mr. Cartwright, and they can act on it.\u201d He leaned forward on the railing, looking directly at Adam. \u201cI have no idea about distance out in that part of the country. Will it take a long time for that message to get from the station to where it needs to be?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam closed his eyes and pictured the Ponderosa. Pa had commissioned a decorative map showing their property, but the artist in St. Louis had oriented it wrong. His father had steamed about it at first, but they\u2019d all learned to think in terms of it being a vertical depiction rather than horizontal as it was hung. He flipped it sideways in his mind to get things in the right place and envisioned where Eagle Valley sat in relation to Thunderhead Pass.<\/p>\n

His father had written about a telegraph line being proposed that would come into the Carson River Valley, and he was thankful that for once the lapse of time between proposal and construction had gone quickly. He also breathed in relief that the Thunderhead camp was between the house and Carson. As long as the weather was dry, the road from the trading post to the camp would be in good shape. But Adam also knew that since it was nearly 10 PM in Boston, it was dark back home too. He didn\u2019t know who had taken the note to the post, so he didn\u2019t know if they\u2019d be willing to ride back until sunup. Knowing Pa, he would have chosen a rider who\u2019d cross hell fire and high water to get back, so he based his calculations from that surety.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it will take at least an hour to ride back to where they\u2019re searching. And if they aren\u2019t searching near where I\u2019ve predicted my brother may be, they\u2019ll have to relocate. Once they get to the right place, it should be simple to check my theory.\u201d<\/p>\n

Michael removed his cap and scratched his head. \u201cSo we\u2019ll say at least three hours to get to your family, and then return to the telegraph station. Add in another two to locate the child, and then another couple for any message to make it back here. That\u2019s a good six to eight hours of waiting, folks. Maybe you\u2019d all rather go home and come back a later?\u201d<\/p>\n

Frankie got up and stretched. \u201cI think we\u2019ll wait, if that\u2019s all right with you?\u201d Nods from the Harrisses and Adam confirmed his thoughts. The heir to the Wadsworth fortune made his way through the assembled students from the dorm. \u201cNathan, you\u2019re in our first class of the morning. Could you go back tonight, get some sleep, and then explain our absence to Professor Clark in the morning? We\u2019ll let you know what happens.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nathan went to shake Adam\u2019s hand and wish him the best news possible before he left. Frankie found others who were in later classes and asked them for similar favors, until the number of young men in the office was reduced to a reasonable group.\u00a0 Then he brought his roommate over and got the boys talking about their classwork and let it flow to any tangential conversations that arose.<\/p>\n

Catherine moved to the chair next to her husband and listened to bit and pieces of what was being said. When she glanced at the clock, she was surprised to see that over an hour had passed already. She took her husband\u2019s hand and leaned over to whisper. \u201cThat Frankie knows exactly what he\u2019s doing. He\u2019ll keep Adam\u2019s mind active enough that the hours will move more easily.\u201d<\/p>\n

The clock was striking eleven when the door opened, and a bearded man, wearing a bridge coat and peaked cap, entered along with a blast of cool fall wind. Adam glanced over and jumped up as he recognized who it was. \u201cGrandfather!\u201d<\/p>\n

Abel Stoddard chuckled. \u201cYou\u2019re surprised to see me. Didn\u2019t your roommate tell you I was coming?\u201d<\/p>\n

Frankie joined them at the door. \u201cI wasn\u2019t sure you\u2019d be able to make it, sir, so I didn\u2019t mention anything.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam turned a questioning glare at his friend. \u201cYou sent for him?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe sent a note with a cabbie, and the man remained while I prepared to come.\u201d Abel supplied.<\/p>\n

Frankie grinned. \u201cI figured you had enough on your mind and hadn\u2019t thought about your family here. When there\u2019s trouble in the Wadsworth household, we always rally our troops, and I thought you\u2019d want someone around…in case\u2026the news was\u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded. \u201cIt was a kind gesture, Frankie. Thank you.\u201d He turned back to Abel. \u201cI\u2019m sorry you had to come out so late. I appreciate that you\u2019re here, but I would have told you about it later. I mean\u2026.\u201d He hesitated a moment as he tried to find the right words. \u201cI mean\u2026Little Joe\u2026isn\u2019t your<\/em> grandson\u2026so\u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n

Abel saw the torment in his grandson\u2019s eyes as the boy tried to voice his concern. They\u2019d come to know each other in the time they\u2019d had together so far. Yet he knew that Adam Cartwright was very much like his father in thinking he should bear his problems without inconveniencing others. He broke into the young man\u2019s hesitation. \u201cBut you<\/em> are, Adam, and I wanted to be here for you. I don\u2019t know exactly what\u2019s happened; only that Joseph is missing?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded and led Abel to a quiet corner of the room to explain all that was happening.<\/p>\n

When he finished, Abel put his arms around his grandson\u2019s shoulders and pulled him into an embrace. \u201cWhat concerns you, concerns me, son. Don\u2019t ever doubt that.\u201d<\/p>\n

For the first time since the nightmare began, Adam allowed himself to be comforted and lingered for a moment in Abel\u2019s strong grasp. When he finally broke away, he introduced his grandfather to the Harrises and the remaining classmates.<\/p>\n

Catherine could finally speak privately to Abel about his grandson when Adam and Thaddeus were called over to the group of students to give their opinion on a topic. She explained how she\u2019d come to know of Adolf\u2019s prot\u00e9g\u00e9\u2019 at first, and then over his months of studying at the library, finishing with the thought that it was nice that he was finally comfortable enough to spend weekends in Boston. \u201cHe thinks a great deal of you, Mr. Stoddard, and seems more anxious than ever for the weekends when he can see you lately.\u201d<\/p>\n

Abel\u2019s chuckle made his stiff beard dance and his eyes sparkle. \u201cYou seem to know and care a great deal about my grandson, Mrs. Harris, but I\u2019m quite sure there is more to his eagerness at coming to my place these days.\u201d He smiled at Catherine as her brows rose.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd what might that be?\u201d She asked as she leaned in closer for the answer.<\/p>\n

\u201cSince you see him so often, you must recall he was walking with a cane last month.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI do. He was gone for a few days too as I recall, and when he returned he said that he\u2019d twisted his knee in a fall.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAye, that he did. It was a fall from a ladder, and my fault entirely. But the horrible incident was witnessed by the lovely young niece of my closest neighbor. The two youngsters have become friends since then, and I\u2019m thinkin\u2019 that the weekends he\u2019s most anxious to be with me, correspond with her visits to her aunt.\u201d<\/p>\n

Catherine giggled. \u201cI had no idea.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou seem a woman of confidences and this is one I\u2019d have you promise to keep. Tis nothing serious yet, just a budding friendship.\u201d<\/p>\n

She patted his hand. \u201cI\u2019m sure his main focus is still to spend time with you. He speaks of you frequently, and always in the highest of terms.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI am grateful for whatever reason brings him around.\u201d His face turned sober. \u201cThis thing with his brother is upsetting though. I\u2019m glad that young man sent for me. Adam is a firmly planted branch of the Cartwright tree. His life is here right now, but a good part of his heart remains back home. I\u2019m sure you see that too.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIndeed. I\u2019ve never seen him look so aggrieved and forlorn as when that telegram arrived.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen you know as I do that if this does not go well, he will blame himself.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe already does,\u201d She confided. \u201cHe started the \u2018if only I\u2019d stayed home\u2019 penitence as soon as he realized the seriousness of the wire.\u201d<\/p>\n

Abel looked across the room and met Adam\u2019s eyes, giving him a wink of encouragement before turning back to his companion. \u201cWe\u2019ll have to leave this up to God and Ben Cartwright. Neither of them will give up the fight for this child.\u201d<\/p>\n

Part Thirteen<\/strong><\/p>\n

Hop Sing\u2019s wild ride had gotten him to Ben\u2019s sign in under an hour.\u00a0 He\u2019d worried that he\u2019d miss the turn-off, but his boss had filled a bucket with dirt, and stuck what seemed to be a large arrow in it. There were still embers burning from a fire sometime earlier, but it was deserted now, and Hop Sing despaired for a moment until he saw points of light bobbing in the distance. It was too dark to ride out into the rough where the people were searching, and walking there first and then going from lantern to lantern to find Ben would take too long. He needed some way to alert everyone that he was back.<\/p>\n

A quick look around the campsite provided nothing that would be loud enough, but as he looked down, he saw the butt end of the rifle sticking out of the saddle sheath. He grinned as he pulled it out, cocked it and shot into the air. \u201cThey hear that,\u201d he chuckled. There were many things that the Cartwrights didn\u2019t know about him, and the fact that he was good with a rifle was one of them. Ben had given him a questioning look when he\u2019d run to the cabinet and took one of the family firearms before he left for Carson, but now he knew why it had seemed so important to have it.<\/p>\n

A few minutes later, an exhausted-looking group of rescuers started returning to the camp. Hugh was one of the first to make it back and took the note from Hop Sing, but then returned it. \u201cWe\u2019ll wait for Mr. Cartwright. He should be the first to see it.\u201d He looked expectantly at the cook he\u2019d come to know well from his treks out to feed the crew. \u201cYou know what\u2019s in there. Is there anything that\u2019ll help?\u201d<\/p>\n

Hop Sing shrugged. \u201cSon have idea.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hugh sat heavily on a rock, and shook his head. \u201cWe\u2019ve been out here since first light, and you can see the fear growing in Ben\u2019s eyes every time we clear another section with no sign of Little Joe.\u201d The cook nodded. He had seen the same look in his boss\u2019s eyes during the night. \u201cWe haven\u2019t stopped all day. Seems like everyone knows that if the kid ain\u2019t found soon, there\u2019s no way he\u2019ll be alive if we do. There ain\u2019t been any ransom demands either, so we all figure he\u2019s out there someplace.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben was breathless from his run, but his face brightened when he saw Hop Sing. \u201cDid you hear from Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHere.\u201d Hop Sing handed over the note and Hugh jumped up to hold a lantern. Hoss came into camp last, huffing with exhaustion, and looked over his father\u2019s shoulder as they read.<\/p>\n

Collapsed cave by Black Bear – Airshaft 100 feet uphill covered with brush (Stop) LJ there with me before it fell (Stop) Would not let him climb down then, but may have tried now (Stop) Probably got down and stuck when knot on saddle failed (Stop) Let me know (Stop) Adam.<\/em><\/p>\n

Hoss slapped his thigh when he finished reading. \u201cI kinda remember somethin\u2019 about that, but I wasn\u2019t with them when it happened.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen what happened?\u201d Ben grunted while rereading the wire.<\/p>\n

\u201cI remember Adam looked worried one night when the two of them got back from checking strays out this way. He wouldn\u2019t say exactly what he\u2019d done, only that he\u2019d told our brother about somethin\u2019 he figured he\u2019d live to regret.\u201d<\/p>\n

He looked at his son as his brows narrowed. \u201cI still don\u2019t understand, Hoss. Get to the point.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI asked Little Joe about it, and he said Adam showed him a knot to tie to a saddle, and how a horse could hold the rope while he climbed down it. He never said nothin\u2019 about climbin\u2019 that rope down into a cave. I figured he meant over one of the drop-offs\u2026you know\u2026to get at a calf that got its way onto a ledge or somethin.\u2019 And you know how Little Joe is, Pa; he was poutin\u2019 cuz Adam wouldn\u2019t let him actually do nothin\u2019 and had made him promise not to ever try it until he was older and with someone. I s\u2019pose the other day, he decided he was older and forgot the other part.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat sounds like Little Joe. I gave him an inch of responsibility and he took it to mean he could do anything that had previously been forbidden.\u201d Ben was already walking toward the wagon where he grabbed coils of rope and handed out a few more lanterns. Fortunately, he\u2019d come to the same conclusion that Little Joe had to be around the Bear Caves. It was the one area that had enough structure and intrigue for a boy to explore\u2026and get lost. They\u2019d spent the afternoon searching the small grottos and brushy coves again, hoping they\u2019d find something they\u2019d missed on the first pass.<\/p>\n

They had walked the area above the cave that Adam suggested, but there\u2019d been nothing indicating anything hiding under the brush.\u00a0 The moon was bright enough for the men to find the general area they needed to be, and then they formed a line, much as they done in the pond. They held their lanterns low to the ground, hoping to see some sign that the ground had been disturbed.<\/p>\n

Hoss found it. He hadn\u2019t noticed anything amiss, but his foot disappeared into the hole and he\u2019d toppled forward. The spot was sheltered by large rocks, and overgrown with prickly brush, but when they examined it, they saw what they\u2019d missed the other times they\u2019d walked past. Some of the brush was loose, suggesting it had been cleared away and then it must have blown back to cover the opening again. When Ben held the lantern to the ground, he saw a mark on the lip of the hole that could have been made by a rope as it pulled tight. Ben and the others made quick work of clearing the remainder of the opening but his heart sank as he stuck his head and lamp inside the chimney and saw how deeply it penetrated into the hill.<\/p>\n

One of the thin ranch hands volunteered to be lowered down. While they tied a makeshift halter around him, Ben lowered a lamp on a separate rope to light the space at the bottom.<\/p>\n

The eerie silence as people got things ready put Hoss on edge, and he stood back so those around wouldn\u2019t see the terror on his face. He hoped they would find Joe now, but the hole in the ground was as quiet as a tomb: maybe as quiet as Joe\u2019s tomb.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs he there?\u201d Ben had to stick his head deep into the opening to shout at the man at the bottom of the rope because the solid rock walls of the shaft deadened all sound. When he\u2019d first read Adam\u2019s wire, Ben had kicked himself for not listening harder when they\u2019d searched this area the first time. He realized now that if Little Joe was down there, the boy couldn\u2019t have heard them any more than they could have heard him.<\/p>\n

The light at the bottom opening of the shaft disappeared as Cletus searched the chamber, while those above held their breath.<\/p>\n

The sentence Ben finally heard, pounded in his ears and chest, making him so dizzy and nauseated that he had to sit back and breathe until he regained his composure. His mind grieved for not thinking about contacting Adam sooner. If only\u2026he kept repeating silently as the drover\u2019s words ran through his heart and stabbed at his soul: \u201cHe\u2019s down here, Mr. Cartwright, but we might be too late.\u201d<\/p>\n

Part Fourteen<\/strong><\/p>\n

The night had passed more slowly in Boston as topics for discussion had dwindled and students who\u2019d been up all day leaned against walls and railings. They were unwilling to leave, yet too tired to remain awake.<\/p>\n

Adam had returned to the chairs by his grandfather and the Harrises, where he was trying to describe the hillside where he knew his father and crew were searching, and what he thought might have happened. After explaining his hurried lesson in rope climbing when Little Joe was six, he concluded, \u201cI\u2019m guessing that he forgot all the warnings I gave him about training the horse and having someone with him, and seized the opportunity to try something new.\u201d He shook his head sadly. \u201cI can even see him getting the knot right enough to hold him on the way down, but then staring up in horror as he tugged the rope to climb back up and it coiled down on his head. He wouldn\u2019t have gotten scared until he understood that the only way out\u2026was up.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt seems a real possibility,\u201d Thaddeus agreed. \u201cIs it normal for you brother to do such daring things?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAlways.\u201d Adam laughed softly. \u201cHis fearlessness is his worst and best trait. Once he gets a little older and tempers that with better judgment things will even out.\u201d<\/p>\n

An expectant silence filled the room as the clock neared the ninth hour of waiting. Catherine had just said, \u201cMaybe we won\u2019t have to wait much longer,\u201d when the tapping telegraph key brought everyone back to life. It took a few minutes for the entire message to come through, and the length of it indicated that it was either their answer or an actual telegraph for someone else entirely. Mike signaled for Adam to come to his desk and said soberly, \u201cYou have your answer,\u201d as he handed him the folded sheet.<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s mouth was so dry that he couldn\u2019t speak. He went back to sit between Abel and Catherine, and leaned forward, turning the note from corner to corner without opening it.<\/p>\n

Catherine looked over Adam\u2019s head at his grandfather. She shrugged and then nodded toward the young man, letting Abel know that his grandson might need some help. The older man laid his hand atop Adam\u2019s, stopping the repetitive movement. \u201cYou\u2019ve waited a long time tonight to see what\u2019s on this paper. You\u2019re surrounded by people who care for you, and no matter what it says, Adam, you are strong enough to handle it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam opened the flap. It took only a second to read and he handed it to Abel as he leaned his head back against the wall and released a long sigh.<\/p>\n

Abel read it quickly and reached across his grandson to give it to the Harrises. Catherine wiped the tears from her cheek as she gave Adam\u2019s hand a squeeze. No one from the student group moved or asked what the wire contained until Frankie moved forward and retrieved it from Professor Harris. His eyes scanned the printed words and then he looked at Adam. \u201cDo you want me to read it to them?\u201d<\/p>\n

The oldest Cartwright son was too exhausted to move more than his head to nod. He needed a moment to deal with all that had taken place in the last several hours, as well as the dreams leading up to this day. He and Catherine had spoken of the possibilities of what had been taking place, but he still had trouble imagining how it had all led to this moment. He sat up straighter as Frankie began to read:<\/p>\n

LJ safe in cave where predicted (Stop) Sleeping so soundly we thought efforts too late (Stop) Indignant, hungry, and thirsty- in that order on awakening (Stop) Says to thank you for keeping your promise (Stop) I grow older by the hour (Stop) Thank you son. <\/em><\/p>\n

The words of the telegraph drilled into his mind more deeply as he heard them instead of reading them, and he realized the promise he\u2019d made to his brother on the banks of a swirling creek had been called in. He was holding Little Joe close in his mind as he lowered his head into his hands and repeated his oath. \u201cI\u2019ll always get you out of trouble if I can, Little Joe. That\u2019s a promise.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cheers erupted in the office as the young men realized the ordeal had ended well. They came to share their good wishes with Adam, and then headed out as a group to make it back to campus for breakfast.<\/p>\n

The office quieted once only Abel, Frankie, the Harrises, and Adam stood together. The remaining parties looked expectantly at the object of the night-long vigil, awaiting his plan. Catherine finally broke the silence. \u201cPerhaps we should find a caf\u00e9 that\u2019s open and have breakfast together.\u201d<\/p>\n

Abel shook his head. \u201cI\u2019d like to take my grandson home with me now so he can rest.\u201d He looked out at the street and pursed his lips. \u201cThat\u2019s if I can find a conveyance at this early hour.\u201d<\/p>\n

Frankie offered, \u201cYour cab is still out there, Mr. Stoddard.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s waited this entire time?\u201d He laughed, and winked at Adam. \u201cI\u2019ll have to pull the sock with my savings out from between my bedsprings to pay for this.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo need, sir.\u201d It was Frankie again. \u201cThe Wadsworth name goes a long way in this city. My part of the family is in engineering and building, but we have relatives who own banks. Jerry got his start through my father\u2019s cousin, and my father gave him a good deal on a property with a shed. So he\u2019s always willing to go out of his way to show his appreciation. I\u2019m sure he\u2019s been sleeping in the cab all night, just in case we\u2019d need him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, then I suppose we should get going.\u201d He put his arm around his grandson, but Adam didn\u2019t move.<\/p>\n

Thaddeus spoke after a poke from his wife. \u201cWe live close by. It has been a long night so why don\u2019t you and Adam come to our house for breakfast and a quick rest before heading out.\u201d<\/p>\n

Frankie looked at his friend and knew which option Adam wanted. Yet he could also see the hesitancy and figured Adam didn\u2019t want to disappoint either party. He went to his friend, grabbed his arm and pulled him toward the door. \u201cSorry folks,\u201d he said firmly. \u201cI know you all mean well, but we both have a chemistry test at eleven, and Adam\u2019s got to help me study. We\u2019ll skip our first classes and get an hour or two of shuteye, and then hit the books.\u201d Frank saw Adam\u2019s relief exit in a sigh and smile.<\/p>\n

The two young men stopped at the door and Adam addressed the key operator. \u201cThank you, Mike. You put up with a lot from all of us tonight and I appreciate your patience.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI enjoyed it, Mr. Cartwright,\u201d Mike replied. \u201cI\u2019ve never had this much fun at work. Usually the telegrams we get here are pretty bland. You helped Western Union prove that we can be a real tool in helping people.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam returned to shake Thaddeus\u2019s hand and give Catherine a peck on the cheek, thanking them for their help, before going to his grandfather to give him a quick hug. He smiled at Abel and spoke quietly. \u201cI came to Boston hoping to find the family I\u2019d left behind 17 years ago. I am so grateful for getting to know you. But our Boston family is becoming far larger than I had ever dreamed it could be. It will be best if I can get to as many classes as possible today, and I\u2019ll be in good hands.\u201d<\/p>\n

Able smiled and touched his grandson\u2019s cheek. \u201cI can see that, son. You make me so proud.\u201d His hand dropped to his side. \u201cGet a good mark on that test, and I\u2019ll see you on Saturday.\u201d He grinned as he leaned in to be heard only by Adam. \u201cBy the way, Margaret told me that her niece is coming for Sunday dinner\u2026and we\u2019ve been invited.\u201d<\/p>\n

The End<\/strong><\/p>\n

* Catherine and Thaddeus Harris were a real couple. Thaddeus was the head librarian at Harvard, and a well-known physician and entomologist. They had 12 children. Professor Metz is fictional, but there was a Harvard professor and botanist, named Asa Gray, who was could have sent Adolf out West to find new species of plants for his books. Thaddeus actually lost out on becoming a tenured professor to Asa. So while much of this information is true, I can\u2019t tell you whether a woman ever was, or would have been allowed to work in the library, even though I did try to find out. Only men were allowed to head the library for most of its history, but I figured that her previous work with students might have made her a good candidate to be the first to do a little evening supervision.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

**The telegraph was in full development by 1837, but a true transcontinental system didn\u2019t exist until the early 1860s. So I\u2019m pushing this bit of history in the story. However, the first cross country system did have a relay in Carson City (which didn\u2019t exist at this time either\u2026) The trading post mentioned in here was real: located on the Eagle Valley Ranch\/settlement near the Carson River.<\/p>\n

The hard part of doing prequel stories is that the places in Bonanza Canon didn\u2019t exist when the boys were young. Even the writers of the series weren\u2019t sure how to handle it. One of the episodes shows how Virginia City got its name when the boys were the ages they were in the series, during the early days of the silver strike. But then in Marie, My Love<\/em>, Ben talks about having two sons back in Virginia City.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m sure they never expected viewers to Google the history of Virginia City or the telegraph or any of the instant information we have at our fingertips. I had a set of Britannica Junior encyclopedias as a child, and for anything more current or not in them, I\u2019d have to trek to the library for the full version encyclopedias. So I doubt anyone spent a lot of time fact-checking Bonanza episodes \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

I envision the town the Cartwrights went to starting as a trading post that became Cass\u2019s store, and then the area became a community with a saloon, rooming house and a few other houses and businesses. It wouldn\u2019t become a large town until silver was discovered in the late 1850s and early 1860s. I like to be true to history, but there is no other way to get information back and forth fast enough to help Little Joe in this story, without a little revisionary fiction. Please bear with me this time, and we\u2019ll have an early telegraph line coming into the Carson River valley a few years before its time.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Tags:\u00a0 Adam Cartwright,\u00a0Nightmare<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

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

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

Summary:\u00a0\u00a0 Adam has been away at school for two years when he starts having vivid dreams about his youngest brother. He wonders why his memories center around Little Joe even while he misses his entire family. What he is about to find out will shake his certainty about many things and make him look for a clue hidden in his dreams.<\/p>\n

Rating: K (Word Count 22490)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":82,"featured_media":5963,"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":[23,30,29],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12803","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-drama","category-prequels","category-halloween","wpcat-23-id","wpcat-30-id","wpcat-29-id"],"a3_pvc":{"activated":true,"total_views":2350,"today_views":0},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/Moon-Blind.jpg?fit=640%2C480&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2757,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=2757","url_meta":{"origin":12803,"position":0},"title":"The Dime Novel Rescue (by freyakendra)","author":"freyakendra","date":"July 1, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary: Wounded, trapped in the desert and surrounded by a renegade band of Bannocks, Paiutes and Shoshones, Adam and Joe prepare for death, unaware of the unfolding chain of tiny miracles that is setting them up for an improbable, last-minute rescue. 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