{"id":13919,"date":"2006-12-12T10:51:37","date_gmt":"2006-12-12T15:51:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=13919"},"modified":"2025-02-27T12:10:17","modified_gmt":"2025-02-27T17:10:17","slug":"blizzard-by-susan-g","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=13919","title":{"rendered":"Blizzard (by Susan G)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summary:<\/strong>\u00a0 A hunting expedition leads to a fight for life with Mother Nature.<\/p>\n

Rating:\u00a0 T\u00a0\u00a0 (18,820 words)<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Blizzard<\/strong><\/p>\n

The soft light of dawn gently bathed the three figures sleeping around the campfire. Hoss Cartwright was the first to stir, blinking into the light on his face. He sat up and yawned, stretching his massive arms to relieve the kinks in his muscles. He looked around and saw his brothers were still sleeping peacefully. Scratching his sides, Hoss stood and walked to the campfire. The dying fire still had some red-hot embers burning at its base. Hoss stoked the fire and added some wood from a nearby stack. He took the pot sitting next to the fire, and added water and coffee. Setting the coffee on the fire to boil, he turned back to the sleeping figures.<\/p>\n

\u201cRise and shine, brothers!\u201d he shouted at the top of his voice. The two figures began to stir.<\/p>\n

Adam Cartwright sat up and pulled the blanket tighter around him. He peered at his brother through puffy eyes. \u201cI hope you have the coffee ready,\u201d he mumbled, trying to shake the sleep from his head.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot yet, older brother, but it\u2019s coming,\u201d answered Hoss cheerfully.<\/p>\n

Joe Cartwright also sat up, more slowly than his brother. His thick dark hair was tousled from sleep. He looked much younger than his age of twenty. \u201cHow can you be so cheerful so early in the morning,\u201d Joe grumbled.<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause today is the day we are finally going to find that bighorn sheep,\u201d Hoss declared.<\/p>\n

Adam walked over to the fire. \u201cHow can you be so sure?\u201d he asked. \u201cAll we\u2019ve seen for the last week is his tracks. That ram has led us on a merry chance all over these mountains.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause we\u2019ve run out of places to look,\u201d said Hoss with a grin. \u201cWhen you have no more places to look, you finally find what you\u2019re after.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam shook his head. \u201cI must be still sleepy,\u201d he said. \u201cBecause that almost makes sense to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe joined his brothers at the fire. He shivered slightly and warmed his hands near the flames. \u201cBoy, it sure got cold last night,\u201d he said. \u201cI nearly froze.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt sure did,\u201d Hoss agreed. \u201cWinter should have ended six weeks ago. But it does feel like it could snow again.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam poured himself a cup of coffee from the pot on the fire. \u201cWe should probably hunt out the day and head for home,\u201d he said. \u201cWe don\u2019t want to get caught in a late storm. Besides, we\u2019re getting low on supplies.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSounds good to me,\u201d said Joe, sipping some coffee from a cup he had poured for himself. \u201cI want to be sure to be home by Saturday anyway. I\u2019m taking Susie Parker to the dance Saturday night.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLittle brother, is that all you can think about?\u201d asked Hoss mischievously. \u201cTaking pretty girls dancing?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy? Is there something else?\u201d asked Joe innocently. His brothers laughed.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll start breakfast,\u201d said Adam. \u201cYou two get our gear packed up.\u201d<\/p>\n

The three Cartwrights hiked through the woods under an overcast sky. Each man carried a rifle, and was toting a knapsack and bedroll on his back. Their heavy coats were pulled up around their necks to ward off the chilly air. Hoss, the best tracker of the three, led the way, stopping occasionally to study the ground for signs. He led his brothers through a dense strand of trees, finally stopping at the bottom of a rocky bluff. Hoss knelt and put his hand on the ground.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese tracks are fresh,\u201d he said, looking around. \u201cThat ol\u2019 bighorn is around here someplace.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam and Joe began searching the bluff with their eyes. Joe spotted a patch of yellow on a ledge high above them.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere he is!\u201d Joe said pointing to the ledge. He quickly slipped the knapsack and bedroll off his back and laid them under a tree. He cautiously began climbing the rocks toward the ledge, rifle in hand.<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss, you move toward the right in case he decides to climb down,\u201d directed Adam as he slipped off his pack and bedroll. \u201cI\u2019ll try and get above him in case he heads in the other direction.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss nodded and laid his pack and bedroll next to his brothers\u2019 gear. He began moving slowly to the right, not wanting to startle the ram on the ledge above them. Adam began working his way up the bluff a few yards behind Joe. Joe continued to climb slowly toward his prey, his eyes never leaving the patch of color which stood out against the dull gray of the rocks. He reached the bottom of the sloping ledge. He could see the sheep now. It was watching nervously as Joe slowly advanced toward him.<\/p>\n

Joe crept slowly up the ledge, his attention focused on the animal above him. He didn\u2019t see the sharp line in the rocks, sign of a fissure caused by the melting snows of winter. His right foot landed squarely on the break and he put his full weight on his foot as he began to ease forward. Suddenly, there was a sharp crack and the rock beneath his foot crumbled. Thrown off-balance, Joe began to slide down the side of the hill. He barely had time to yell in alarm before he tumbled to the bottom of the bluff and laid still.<\/p>\n

Adam and Hoss heard the crack of the rocks and Joe\u2019s shout. Both men turned in time to see Joe land in a heap at the bottom of the hill. Both began to rush to their brother\u2019s aid, the sheep they were pursuing instantly forgotten.<\/p>\n

Hoss reached Joe first. A sick feeling knotted Hoss\u2019 stomach as he looked down at his little brother. Joe\u2019s right leg was bent at an awkward angle. Hoss knelt besides Joe\u2019s crumpled body, and he began to gently probe Joe\u2019s neck and collarbones. His big hands had moved to Joe\u2019s shoulders and arms when Adam came running up, panting for breath.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs he all right?\u201d Adam asked, his voice betraying his concern.<\/p>\n

Hoss ignored Adam\u2019s question as he continued to pass his hands over Joe\u2019s arms. Hoss gently unbuttoned Joe\u2019s coat, and gently felt his brother\u2019s ribs. Nodding with satisfaction, he closed the coat and shifted his position closer to Joe\u2019s legs. He ran his hand over Joe\u2019s left leg, and then, with a feeling of dread, focused his attention on Joe\u2019s right leg. Hoss winced as he felt the splinter of bone in his brother\u2019s leg. Hoss shifted again and this time he moved toward Joe\u2019s head. Joe\u2019s eyes were closed, as if he were asleep. Hoss slowly turned his brother\u2019s head and was relieved to see only a small bruise and some scratches on the side of Joe\u2019s face.<\/p>\n

Adam watched anxiously as Hoss examined Joe. When the big man finally sat back on his heels, Adam asked, \u201cHow bad is he hurt?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOther than his leg, I don\u2019t think anything\u2019s broken,\u201d Hoss said. \u201cIt\u2019s a good thing he was wearing his heavy coat. Looks like he hit his head when he fell.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam knelt next to Hoss and ran his hand over Joe\u2019s injured leg. He turned to Hoss, who was watching Adam. Hoss knew Adam would feel the broken bone as he had. \u201cHis leg is pretty bad,\u201d Adam said in a voice filled with worry.<\/p>\n

Hoss nodded. \u201cDo you think we ought to try to set it?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

Adam felt Joe\u2019s leg again, and then shook his head. \u201cI don\u2019t think so,\u201d Adam said slowly. \u201cHis leg is pretty badly broken. If we try to set it and mess it up, we could cripple him.\u201d Adam looked around, then turned back to Hoss. \u201cWhy don\u2019t you see if you can find something we can use as a splint,\u201d Adam said. \u201cWe can hold the bones in place temporarily, so they don\u2019t move around any more. The doctor can set his leg when we get him home.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss nodded and stood. He also looked around and then walked off toward the trees behind Adam. Adam retrieved Joe\u2019s hat from a few feet away. He lifted Joe\u2019s head and slid the hat under his brother\u2019s head. He decided he better not move Joe any further until his broken leg was in a splint. He brushed some dirt from Joe\u2019s face, then simply sat next to Joe. His eyes never left Joe\u2019s face. Hoss returned a few minutes later, carrying two large pieces of hard timber bark. He frowned as he neared his brothers. \u201cJoe\u2019s still out?\u201d Hoss asked with concern.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t try to bring him around. I thought it would be easier on him \u2013 and us \u2013 if we splinted his leg while he was unconscious,\u201d explained Adam.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re probably right,\u201d agreed Hoss.<\/p>\n

Adam and Hoss worked quickly to tie the bark around Joe\u2019s left leg, using Adam\u2019s belt to secure the splint and effectively immobilizing the leg. They then untangled and straightened Joe\u2019s body, trying to make their younger brother more comfortable. Joe\u2019s eyes never opened, never flickered.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou stay with him while I go get the packs and bedrolls,\u201d Adam ordered Hoss.<\/p>\n

He jumped to his feet, not bothering to see if Hoss agreed, and began walking rapidly back toward their gear piled under the tree. He grabbed the packs in his arms and hurried back to his brothers. Adam dropped the packs into a pile a yard or two away from Joe. He pulled open the flap of one knapsack and pulled out a small canteen. Pulling a bandanna from his coat pocket, Adam poured water over the cloth until it was soaked. He put the canteen back into the pack and rushed back to Hoss and Joe. Neither had changed their position. Adam knelt again next to Joe and began to gently stroke the bruises and scratches on Joe\u2019s face with the bandanna . He only had to brush Joe\u2019s face a few times before Joe began to react.<\/p>\n

A soft moan escaped from Joe\u2019s lips. He turned his head, first to the right and then to the left. His eyes began to flicker open, then were squeezed shut as he gave out another, louder groan. Finally, Joe\u2019s eyes opened and he stared in confusion into Adam\u2019s face.<\/p>\n

Adam put his hand on Joe\u2019s shoulder. \u201cLie still,\u201d Adam ordered.<\/p>\n

Joe turned his head and looked at Hoss, his confusion growing. \u201cWhat happened?\u201d Joe asked in a low voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou took a pretty bad tumble, but you\u2019re going to be all right,\u201d Hoss said in a reassuring voice.<\/p>\n

Joe nodded, then closed his eyes and shivered slightly. \u201cMy leg hurts,\u201d he said after a moment.<\/p>\n

\u201cYour leg\u2019s broken,\u201d confirmed Adam. \u201cThat\u2019s why you need to lay still.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe looked up into his brother\u2019s face. \u201cDid you set it?\u201d he asked as he winced in pain again.<\/p>\n

Adam glanced at Hoss and then looked at Joe. \u201cNo,\u201d Adam said with a shake of his head. \u201cIt\u2019s a pretty bad break. We thought it would be better to let Doc Martin set it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe nodded, then closed his eyes as yet another wave of pain rolled up his leg. He shuddered and grit his teeth against the pain.<\/p>\n

Adam looked up again at Hoss. \u201cWe\u2019re going to have to make a stretcher,\u201d Adam said in a low voice. Hoss nodded and scrambled to his feet.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll go get some tree limbs,\u201d Hoss said. He walked over to the knapsacks and began sorting through them. Finding the one he wanted, Hoss pushed up the flap and pulled a small hatchet out of the pack. He glanced over his shoulder at Adam and Joe, then walked rapidly into the woods. Hoss returned about twenty minutes later, carrying two long, thin tree limbs that had been stripped of their branches and leaves. He saw that Adam had wrapped a blanket around Joe and was holding a canteen to their younger brother\u2019s mouth. Without a word, Hoss walked over to the packs and dropped the limbs. He began fashioning a stretcher from the remaining blankets and the straps from the knapsacks. Hoss worked rapidly, occasionally glancing up at a darkening sky. It was only mid-day, but the light was fading. Black clouds were forming in the sky. He felt the temperature dropping as he worked. Hoss worked as fast as he could.<\/p>\n

Finally, Hoss stood. \u201cAdam,\u201d he called. \u201cCome over here and help me with this thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam walked over to Hoss and bent to pick up the front of the stretcher. Hoss grabbed his arm.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam,\u201d he said in a quiet voice. \u201cHave you taken a look at the sky?\u201d<\/p>\n

A startled expression crossed Adam\u2019s face. He had been concentrating on tending to Joe and hadn\u2019t paid attention to the weather. He looked up at the clouds. A frown of worry showed on Adam\u2019s face.<\/p>\n

\u201cSnow?\u201d asked Adam, his voice low.<\/p>\n

\u201cLooks like it to me,\u201d said Hoss.<\/p>\n

Adam looked at the packs on the ground. \u201cLet\u2019s take only what we absolutely need,\u201d he said firmly. \u201cWe can move faster if we\u2019re not carrying too much. We\u2019ve got to get off this mountain.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss nodded and slipped the hatchet through his belt. He opened each of the knapsacks and dumped their contents on to the ground. He quickly sorted through the material on the ground. He grabbed some matches and a box of cartridges, and stuffed them into the pocket of his coat. He put a canteen in the other pocket. Adam considered the goods on the ground. Quickly deciding, he put some tins of food into his coat pocket. He grabbed a large knife from the pile and slipped it through his belt. He also grabbed some matches and a canteen, putting both items in his empty pocket.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about the rifles?\u201d asked Hoss.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s put them on the stretcher with Joe,\u201d Adam said. Hoss nodded in agreement. Adam reached down and grabbed one end of the stretcher; Hoss grabbed the other end. They carried it over to Joe and placed it on the ground next to him.<\/p>\n

Joe was laying still, his eyes closed. His face looked pale and he was breathing hard. He turned his head as he heard his brothers approach and looked up. His eyes looked dull and glassy.<\/p>\n

\u201cHere you are, little brother,\u201d Hoss said in a too-hearty voice. \u201cYou get to ride down this mountain instead of walking.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt figures Joe would think of a way for us to do all the work,\u201d added Adam with a forced smile.<\/p>\n

A weak smile came across Joe\u2019s face. \u201cYou know me,\u201d he said in a soft voice. \u201cNever walk when you can ride.\u201d Joe sat up and started to shift his body onto the stretcher. He stopped as he grunted and winced in pain, then fell back to the ground.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou lie still, Joe\u201d Hoss ordered. \u201cWe\u2019ll get you on.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss walked around his brother and positioned himself near Joe\u2019s legs. Adam moved toward Joe\u2019s head. Adam looked at Hoss and nodded. Adam reached down and grabbed Joe under the arms as Hoss put his huge arms under Joe\u2019s knees. With a quick movement, they lifted their brother and slid him on to the stretcher. Joe grunted at the pain the movement caused. Hoss began rearranging the blanket around Joe, tucking the sides under Joe\u2019s arms and body. Adam grabbed his brother\u2019s hat and planted it firmly on Joe\u2019s head. He also picked up the rifles that were scattered about and laid them on the stretcher next to Joe.<\/p>\n

\u201cReady?\u201d Adam asked. Hoss nodded and turned his back to Joe. He stood for a moment between the two limbs that formed the bottom of the stretcher, then bent down and grabbed the limbs. Adam stood between the limbs at the top. As Hoss began to lift the bottom of the stretcher, Adam lifted the top, coordinating his movements with Hoss\u2019, to keep the frame as even as possible. When both men had a firm grip on the poles, Adam yelled, \u201cLet\u2019s go.\u201d Adam and Hoss started walking, carrying their injured brother between them.<\/p>\n

The two men traveled through the rough mountain trails as quickly as they could, both eyeing the darkening sky. They were aware of the pain Joe must have felt since the litter was jolted as they walked. But there wasn\u2019t anything they could do about it. Joe grunted softly a few times, but for the most part, he was able to grit his teeth and keep silent. Joe knew his brothers were doing their best to help him and didn\u2019t want to add to their distress. After about two hours, Adam called to Hoss to stop. He knew they all needed a rest. Adam and Hoss gently laid the stretcher on the ground. Adam pulled the canteen from his pocket, and took a quick drink. Despite the cold air, he felt hot and sweaty from the exertion of walking and carrying Joe. Adam knelt near Joe\u2019s head. \u201cHow are you doing?\u201d he asked his brother as he put the canteen to Joe\u2019s mouth. Joe took a long drink, then looked up at his brother.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m all right,\u201d he said. \u201cDon\u2019t worry about me.\u201d Joe\u2019s face was pale and had a strained look, contrasting the easy tone of his voice. \u201cSorry you two are having to tote me around.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNothing to it, little brother,\u201d said Hoss, with a smile. \u201cI\u2019ve had dinners that weigh more than you do.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust be happy it\u2019s not me and you trying to carry Hoss,\u201d added Adam. \u201cWe\u2019d break our backs just trying to lift him!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, I\u2019m just a growing boy,\u201d protested Hoss.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, you\u2019re growing all right,\u201d said Adam in mock disgust. \u201cOnly the direction you\u2019re growing isn\u2019t up.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe smiled at his brothers\u2019 kidding. For just a moment, it distracted him from the discomfort of his leg. But only for a moment. Joe winced as he felt another wave of pain run up his leg. Hoss saw Joe wince and looked at Adam. \u201cWe\u2019d better get moving,\u201d said Hoss, trying to keep the urgency he felt out of his voice.<\/p>\n

Adam nodded grimly and walked to the top of the stretcher. He waited a minute while Hoss positioned himself, then lifted the stretcher again. The Cartwrights had been walking for less than an hour when the snow began to fall. At first, the flakes floated down gently, but they quickly started falling with greater intensity. The wind began to blow harder, and before long, the Cartwrights were traveling through a driving snowstorm. The snow rapidly piled up on the ground, making walking increasingly difficult. Hoss continued to lead the way, using his massive body to break a trail through the snow. His arms ached from carrying the stretcher, and his face felt wet and cold as the snow buffeted him. Hoss walked on, not daring to stop as the weather continued to worsen. He was determined to get Adam and Joe off the mountain before the snow made travel impossible. The wind started to howl as it blew even harder. The snow pelted the men with a stinging force. Hoss and Adam\u2019s pace began to slow as they struggled through the snow and wind. Finally, Adam yelled for Hoss to stop. Hoss turned and looked over his shoulder at his older brother. Adam\u2019s head and shoulders were covered with snow. Even worse, Joe was covered with snow too, and he could see his younger brother was beginning to shiver. Adam indicated a large boulder with the twist of his head, and Hoss nodded. He headed toward the boulder. The large stone would offer some protection from the wind and snow\u2026not much, but at this point, they would take any relief they could find.<\/p>\n

Adam and Hoss moved behind the boulder, protecting themselves and Joe as best they could. They set the stretcher on the ground. Both men sank to the ground. Hoss was tired, and he knew Adam must be equally as weary. And they were less than halfway down the mountain. Joe lay shivering on the stretcher. His hat and the blankets were covered with a thick layer of snow. Drops of melting snow ran down his pale cheeks. His eyes were barely open. After a moment\u2019s rest, Adam turned to Hoss. Hoss was trying to brush the snow off the blankets around Joe. But it was a futile effort. As soon as he brushed off the snow, a new cover of snow covered the blankets.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re not going to make it down until this blizzard lets up,\u201d Adam shouted. He had to yell to be heard over the howl of the wind. Hoss looked at Adam, his face betraying the worry he felt and nodded.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve got to find a cave or something,\u201d Adam continued at the top of his voice. \u201cWe have to get out of the wind and snow.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss nodded again. He frowned in thought as he surveyed the countryside, trying to think of someplace which would offer them shelter. For a minute, Hoss felt a feeling of despair. He couldn\u2019t think of anyplace in the area which would offer them shelter. Hoss\u2019 frown deepened as he tried desperately to picture some place of refuge nearby. Suddenly, his face cleared.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe trapper\u2019s cabin!\u201d Hoss boomed in a loud voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d yelled Adam, not sure that he heard his brother.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe trappers cabin,\u201d Hoss repeated. \u201cIt\u2019s about a mile east of here. Joe and I found it last fall when we were up here. There\u2019s not much to it except four walls and a roof, but it would get us out of this storm.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now it was Adam\u2019s turn to frown. \u201cAre you sure you can find it?\u201d he shouted.<\/p>\n

Hoss nodded. \u201cI\u2019m sure!\u201d he yelled back.<\/p>\n

Adam looked at Joe, his movement emphasizing the significance of his words.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you get lost, we\u2019ll be in real trouble,\u201d Adam said.<\/p>\n

For a moment, Hoss hesitated. He knew Adam was putting Joe\u2019s life \u2013 and his own \u2013 in Hoss\u2019 hands. He closed his eyes and mentally reviewed the route to the cabin. With a confident nod of his head, Hoss opened his eyes. \u201cI\u2019ll get us there,\u201d he boomed over the howling wind.<\/p>\n

Adam studied his brother for a moment, then grinned. \u201cYeah, I know you will,\u201d he shouted. Adam moved over to Joe. Joe was still shivering. Adam pulled his brother\u2019s hat down lower onto Joe\u2019s head. He then tucked the blankets tighter around Joe\u2019s body. \u201cHang on, Joe,\u201d he shouted. \u201cWe\u2019ll be warm and dry soon.\u201d Joe didn\u2019t seem to hear.<\/p>\n

Adam turned back to Hoss. \u201cLet\u2019s go!\u201d he yelled.<\/p>\n

The two men picked up the stretcher and started trudging through the heavy snow. They traveled slowly; the snow making it difficult to walk. Hoss slipped twice, but both times managed to catch himself before he dropped or tilted the litter. Adam was amazed as his brother\u2019s strength. Hoss was forging a path through the snow, carrying a stretcher, and yet, he looked as if the walk was as easy as a trek from the house to the barn. Adam was able to follow his brother\u2019s footsteps through the snow, and that made his path easier. Hoss confidently led the way through the trees. Adam was concerned because it appeared that they were going deeper into the woods. But he kept his concerns to himself. If Hoss said he knew the way, Adam reasoned, than it was true. Hoss never lied. Adam\u2019s arms were aching, and he wondered how much longer he could carry his end of the stretcher. His hands felt numb, both from the cold and the strain of the litter. He knew they were running out of time, due to the worsening storm as well as his fading stamina. Adam had just about decided they would have to stop again when Hoss led them out of the woods. They entered a large clearing. The ground was covered with snow. On the other side of the clearing, however, stood a small cabin.<\/p>\n

Hoss halted. \u201cThere it is,\u201d he yelled over his shoulder.<\/p>\n

Adam thought it was the most beautiful sight he had ever seen. \u201cNever doubted you,\u201d he yelled back.<\/p>\n

Hoss grinned and started walking toward the cabin.<\/p>\n

They covered the last few yards to the cabin in a quick walk, eager to get to the safety the structure offered. Adam glanced down at Joe. His brother was covered again by snow and his shivering was even more violent. Hoss kicked open the cabin door with his foot and led the way in. The interior was empty except for a few piece of broken furniture. A single window on the far left wall was shuttered close, the only break in the rough log walls. A cot with a rope mattress was built into the wall across from a stone fireplace. Blacken wood, remnants of a long-forgotten fire, were scattered in the fireplace. A fine layer of dust covered the floor of the cabin.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s put the stretcher on the cot,\u201d said Adam. Hoss turned and walked a few paces toward the wooden bed. They laid the stretcher across the rope mattress, relieved that it seemed solid and sturdy.<\/p>\n

Adam quickly tore the blanket off Joe and flapped it several times to remove the snow. The top was damp but the underside was still dry. Adam quickly wrapped the blanket around Joe again. Except for the shivering, Joe didn\u2019t move. He was exhausted by the pain and the cold. Hoss pulled the hatchet from his belt and grabbed one of the rifles lying next to Joe on the litter. \u201cI\u2019m going to get some wood for a fire,\u201d he declared. \u201cI\u2019ll keep my eye out for some game. We could be here for a while.\u201d Hoss walked quickly to the door and disappeared into the storm, firmly shutting the door behind him.<\/p>\n

Adam felt warmer now that he was out of the wind and snow, but the interior of the cabin was still chilly. He walked over to what appeared to be part of an old chair. He pulled the knife from his belt and quickly started slicing the wood, shaving part of the leg into kindling. He carried the shavings and the rest of the chair over to the fireplace, then reached into his pocket for a match. He quickly lit the shavings in the fireplace and then broke the rest of the chair into pieces to feed into the fire. Soon he had a small fire burning in the hearth. Adam held his palms toward the blaze, grateful for the warmth. He continued to feed parts of the chair into the fire. Soon the chilly air of the cabin was replaced by the heat from the fire. Joe moaned softly from the bed. Adam turned and hurried over to his brother. Joe was no longer shivering but his face was still pale. His breathing was ragged, and his jaws were clenched. Adam slipped the hat from Joe\u2019s head and gently felt his brother\u2019s forehead. Adam frowned as he felt the heat of fever. Joe moaned again.<\/p>\n

Adam knelt by the side of the bed. \u201cHow are you feeling, Joe?\u201d he asked with concern.<\/p>\n

Joe opened his eyes. \u201cNot so good,\u201d he admitted in a weak voice. \u201cMy leg is really hurting.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam pulled back the covers and peered at Joe\u2019s injured leg. The leg was swollen; the bark was pressed tightly against it. Adam chewed on his lip, trying to decide what to do. He knew setting the leg would probably ease the pain Joe was feeling. But the break was a bad one. He wasn\u2019t sure he could set it properly. Adam covered Joe again.<\/p>\n

\u201cTake it easy,\u201d he said, laying his hand on Joe\u2019s shoulder. \u201cWe\u2019ll get you out of here as soon as the storm lets up.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe nodded and winced as his leg began to throb with pain again. \u201cI must have really messed up my leg,\u201d he said through clenched teeth.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a bad break,\u201d Adam said. \u201cBut don\u2019t worry. We\u2019ll get you home soon, and Doc Martin will fix you up. You\u2019ll be dancing with Susie Parker again in no time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe didn\u2019t say anything. He was too tired to respond to Adam. He closed his eyes and tried desperately to go to sleep. He was exhausted but the pain in his leg prevented him from drifting off. Adam gave Joe\u2019s shoulder a reassuring squeeze and returned to the fire. He fed more wood into the blaze, then stared into the flames. He wished he could help Joe, but he was unsure of what to do next. Adam wasn\u2019t sure how long he had been staring hypnotically into the flames when he heard the door behind him crash open. Hoss trudged into the cabin, covered with a layer of snow, his rifle under his arm. In one hand, he held the carcass of a rabbit. He was dragging a huge log with the other hand. Adam rushed to close the door behind Hoss.<\/p>\n

\u201cI almost tripped across this critter in the snow,\u201d Hoss said triumphantly as he handed the rabbit to Adam. \u201cHe\u2019s nice and fat.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam smiled. \u201cYou probably scared him to death,\u201d he said wryly. \u201cYou look like a walking polar bear.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss\u2019 face sobered immediately. \u201cThe storm\u2019s getting worse,\u201d he said in a low voice. \u201cWe\u2019re not going to be going anywhere for awhile.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam glanced at Joe. His brother\u2019s eyes were closed, but Adam wasn\u2019t sure if he was sleeping or not. He turned back to Hoss. \u201cYou get warm by the fire,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019ll take care of the rabbit.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss brushed the snow from his shoulders and blew on his hands. \u201cHow is Joe doing,\u201d he asked, keeping his voice low.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot so good,\u201d answered Adam grimly. \u201cHis leg\u2019s pretty swollen and he\u2019s in a lot of pain. I\u2019m not sure what to do to help him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss thought for a minute. \u201cLet\u2019s pack his leg in snow,\u201d he said. \u201cThe cold should help the swelling, and maybe numb the pain.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood idea,\u201d replied Adam. \u201cOne thing we have plenty of is snow.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss opened the cabin door and took a step outside. He filled his arms with snow and quickly re-entered the cabin. Adam closed the door behind him again. Hoss stood over his younger brother for a moment, holding the dripping snow. Joe looked flushed, and his breathing was rapid. Hoss could hear soft grunts of pain.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, I\u2019m going to pack your leg in snow,\u201d Hoss said. \u201cIt\u2019s going to be a little uncomfortable, but it should help keep the swelling down.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe nodded slightly, his eyes still closed. Adam pulled the blanket off Joe\u2019s leg. Hoss\u2019 eyes widened when he saw how swollen the leg was and he looked at Adam with concern. Adam nodded and jerked his head toward Joe\u2019s leg. Hoss quickly packed the snow around Joe\u2019s injured leg. He could hear Joe grunting even louder with pain as he worked. He tried to finish the job as quickly as possible. Finally, he stood. Adam covered Joe\u2019s leg again with the blanket.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s the best we can do for now,\u201d Hoss said. Joe laid stiffly on the cot, his jaws clenched.<\/p>\n

\u201cGo get warm by the fire,\u201d Adam said. Hoss hesitated a minute, then nodded.<\/p>\n

He walked to the fireplace and crouched in front of the small fire, rubbing his hands. Adam knelt next to his brother.<\/p>\n

Hoss stole a quick look over his shoulder, then turned to his older brother. \u201cAdam, I think we ought to try to set that leg,\u201d he said quietly. \u201cWe\u2019re sure not getting out of here until at least tomorrow, and Joe\u2019s leg is getting worse.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam shook his head. \u201cHoss, the bone is splintered,\u201d he answered. \u201cI\u2019m not sure I can set it right.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut don\u2019t you think you ought to try?\u201d insisted Hoss. \u201cIt can\u2019t be any worse than leaving it all busted up like that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe bone isn\u2019t knitting if we leave it like it is,\u201d said Adam. \u201cIf I set it, the bone will start to grow together. And if I do it wrong, he\u2019s liable to limp for the rest of his life\u2026or worse.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI guess you\u2019re right,\u201d said Hoss doubtfully. He rubbed his hands together a few more times and then stood. \u201cI\u2019ll get started on chopping up that log.\u201d<\/p>\n

Two hours later, the wind and the snow were still buffeting the outside of the cabin. Inside, the fire was burning brightly, fed by a new supply of wood. Adam was cooking the rabbit on a spit. The smell of roasting meat filled the cabin. Hoss was cleaning a dented plate he had found in the corner of the cabin. He rubbed away the dirt with a handful of snow.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis stuff sure is handy,\u201d said Hoss as he cleaned the plate. \u201cI just wish there wasn\u2019t so much of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam smiled and pulled the spit from the fire. He tore a piece of meat from the rabbit and tasted it. \u201cDinner\u2019s ready,\u201d he declared.<\/p>\n

Hoss nodded and brought the plate over by the fire. Adam pulled the knife from his belt and sliced a piece of meat onto the plate. He handed the knife to Hoss. Hoss used the knife to chop the meat into small pieces. Then he walked over to the cot. Dark circles of fatigue rimmed Joe\u2019s eyes, and his face was still flushed with fever. Joe\u2019s eyes were still closed, but Hoss could tell he awake. \u201cTime to eat,\u201d said Hoss as he sat on the edge of the cot. Joe opened his eyes. \u201cI\u2019m not hungry,\u201d he said in a weak voice, and turned his head.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know Adam\u2019s cooking ain\u2019t the best in the world,\u201d said Hoss with a forced cheerfulness. \u201cBut you need something in your stomach.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not hungry,\u201d Joe repeated.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, you have to eat,\u201d said Hoss urgently as he dangled a piece of meat a few inches from Joe\u2019s mouth. \u201cC\u2019mon, just try a few pieces. Do it as a favor to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe turned back to look Hoss. He nodded and opened his mouth. Hoss fed a piece a rabbit to Joe, who chewed it slowly. When Joe swallowed, Hoss fed him another piece. After the third piece, Joe turned his head again. \u201cThat\u2019s enough,\u201d he mumbled.<\/p>\n

Hoss looked at Joe with concern. \u201cAll right,\u201d he said. \u201cWe\u2019ll try again later.\u201d Hoss stood and walked back to the fireplace.<\/p>\n

Adam had been watching from near the fire. \u201cDid you get anything into him?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cA little bit,\u201d said Hoss, as he set down the plate. \u201cMaybe it will help.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded. \u201cYou\u2019d better eat something too,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019m going to need you fit to help me get him out of here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss pulled a chunk off the rabbit and started to eat. He eyed Adam. \u201cYou\u2019re not eating?\u201d he asked. \u201cI can\u2019t pack both of you out of here, you know.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam gave a wry grin and started nibbling on a piece of meat. He didn\u2019t have much of an appetite. He was sick with worry about Joe. But he knew Hoss was right. They both needed all their strength to get Joe off the mountain. Adam and Hoss finished eating quickly. Neither were very hungry. They ate only because they knew they had to. Hoss returned to the cot and tried to get Joe to eat again. But this time, Joe refused, mumbling he was too tired. Hoss walked back to the fire, his shoulders slumped with worry.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow what?\u201d Hoss asked.<\/p>\n

Adam just shrugged. \u201cAll we can do now is wait,\u201d he said. He listened for a minute to the wind howling outside the cabin. \u201cWait and hope the storm blows itself out soon.\u201d<\/p>\n

The sound of voices woke Adam with a start. He hadn\u2019t meant to doze off, but the warmth of the cabin had made him sleepy. The long trek through the snow had tired him more than he realized. He was sitting against the wall near the fireplace, his knees bent and his arms folded across his body. He had no idea what time it was; the shutter on the window was still closed tight. It must be night, he thought. He listened as wind continued to howl outside the snug cabin. Then he heard the voices again and looked up. Hoss was sitting on the cot next to Joe. His hands were on Joe\u2019s shoulders, trying to restrain his brother. Joe was twisting on the bed.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa? Pa?\u201d Joe cried as he turned. \u201cPa? Where are you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPa\u2019s not here,\u201d Hoss said in a soothing voice. \u201cNow you lay still, you here?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam scrambled to his feet and rushed to the cot. Joe looked up at Adam, his eyes unfocused. His face was covered with sweat.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa?\u201d Joe asked. \u201cPa, help me. My leg hurts. Help me. Make it stop, Pa!\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss held his brother firmly. \u201cTake it easy, Joe,\u201d he said. \u201cYou just lay still. All this thrashing around is only making things worse.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam pulled the blanket from Joe\u2019s legs. His pants were wet from the melted snow. His injured leg was even more swollen than before. The tissue below the knee had ballooned to more than twice its usual size. Adam winced as he stared as Joe\u2019s leg.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s out of his head with pain and fever,\u201d Hoss said over his shoulder. \u201cHis leg is hurting him something fierce. We\u2019ve got to set it, Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam shook his head. \u201cNo,\u201d he said violently. \u201cWe have to wait and let the doc set it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, we can\u2019t wait,\u201d Hoss said in an angry voice. \u201cWe don\u2019t know how long it\u2019s going to take to get him to a doctor. I don\u2019t think he\u2019s going to be able to stand this much longer.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, please help me!\u201d Joe cried again. \u201cPa, please. It hurts so bad. You have to help me!\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam shook his head. \u201cIf I do this wrong\u2026\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, whatever you do can\u2019t make it any worse,\u201d Hoss insisted. \u201cLook at him. If we don\u2019t do something soon, we ain\u2019t going to have to worry about whether his leg sets right or not.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe tried to twist out of Hoss\u2019 grasp, moaning as he turned. \u201cPa, I can\u2019t stand it,\u201d Joe said in a choked voice. \u201cPa, help me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam looked at his brothers, his face showing the doubt he felt. Suddenly, he squared his shoulders. \u201cAll right,\u201d he said abruptly. \u201cLet\u2019s get him over by the fire.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss nodded, his body sagging in relief. He turned back to Joe. \u201cJoe, listen to me,\u201d he said in a demanding voice. \u201cWe\u2019re going to fix you up. But you have to stay still. You hear me? You have to stay still.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe sagged against the cot and laid still. Hoss wasn\u2019t sure if his brother heard his command or was simply too exhausted to move any more. Whatever the reason, Joe was still. Hoss quickly stood up and moved to the top of the stretcher. Adam grabbed the bottom poles. He nodded his head, and both men lifted the stretcher off the bed and moved it next to the fireplace.<\/p>\n

\u201cStoke up that fire,\u201d Adam said. \u201cI want as much light as we can get.\u201d Hoss nodded and turned to poke the fire.<\/p>\n

Adam grabbed the knife that was laying on the hearth. He unbuckled the belt wrapped around the splint and slipped it off Joe\u2019s leg. The wood fell away from the leg. Adam moved the pieces to the side. He slit Joe\u2019s pants leg to the knee with the knife, and pulled the cloth open. Joe\u2019s leg had turned a deep shade of red, the result of the swollen tissue. Adam could see the splinter of bone pressing against the skin. He put his hands on the leg, trying to feel the bone. As he pressed, Joe screamed in pain. Hoss quickly turned back and grabbed Joe by the shoulders again. He pressed his brother to the floor, holding him firm. Adam sat back on his heels and studied the leg. He unbuttoned his coat, and quickly slipped it off. Then he looked up at Hoss .\u201cYou\u2019re going to have hold him,\u201d Adam said in a shaky voice. Hoss nodded. He shifted his body and raised Joe\u2019s head, slipping his thigh underneath it. As Joe\u2019s head fell back against Hoss\u2019 leg, Hoss firmly grasped Joe\u2019s arms, pinning the arms against his brother\u2019s body. \u201cReady,\u201d said Hoss grimly.<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s mouth was dry, and he could feel the nervous sweat forming on his forehead. He quickly wiped his brow with his arm and took a deep breath. Then he firmly gripped Joe\u2019s leg. Joe screamed in agony as Adam pulled and twisted the leg. Hoss held Joe tight, refusing to let him move. Joe\u2019s free leg thrashed about. Adam pulled and twisted the leg again. Joe screamed once more, then suddenly slumped against Hoss.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s passed out,\u201d said Hoss.<\/p>\n

Adam nodded and continued to work on Joe\u2019s leg. He pulled one last time and thought he felt the bone snap back into place. Adam let go and sat back on his heels. He was breathing hard, and rivulets of sweat were running down his face. He lifted his eyes to Hoss. \u201cThat\u2019s the best I can do,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019ll be good enough,\u201d Hoss assured him.<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope so,\u201d Adam said in a low voice.<\/p>\n

Hoss gently laid Joe back on the floor and moved over to Adam. He picked up the bark Adam had set aside and handed it to his brother. \u201cLet\u2019s get the splint back on,\u201d Hoss said. Adam nodded and positioned the wood around Joe\u2019s leg. Hoss wrapped the belt around the wood and pulled it tight, then buckled it again.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s move him back to the cot,\u201d Adam said as Hoss finished securing the splint. Hoss scrambled back to the top of the stretcher. They lifted the stretcher from the floor and carried Joe back to the cot. Hoss gently wrapped the blankets around his brother.<\/p>\n

Adam stood by the bed watching. His legs felt weak and his stomach churned. He felt drained. Adam turned and walked back to the fireplace, his legs shaking. He slipped to a sitting position near the fire and put his head down. He saw a shadow and looked up at Hoss who loomed above him.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s going to be all right, Adam,\u201d Hoss said firmly. \u201cYou\u2019ll see. He\u2019s going to be fine.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded weakly and put his head down again. Adam sat with Joe while Hoss slept. Joe stirred once or twice, but never really woke up. The color in his face had faded from the red flush of fever to a pasty white. Adam wasn\u2019t sure that was an improvement.<\/p>\n

Joe stirred again on the bed, and Adam quickly grabbed the canteen from his coat pocket. He forced some water into Joe\u2019s mouth and watched with satisfaction as Joe swallowed. Adam put his hand on Joe\u2019s forehead. Joe was still hot, but Adam thought his fever had gone down a bit. Or am I just wishing it has gone down, thought Adam. He shook his head. There was so much he didn\u2019t know. Hoss wasn\u2019t much help. Hoss knew how to take of injured animals, like horses or cows, but his knowledge of tending to injured people was as limited as Adam\u2019s. Adam shook his head again. He hoped he done the right thing by setting Joe\u2019s leg.<\/p>\n

The wind howled again outside the cabin, rattling the door. Adam stared at it for a moment, wondering how much longer the storm could last. They had only a little food, and the wood would soon be gone. If the storm continued for several days, the Cartwrights would all find themselves in dire striates.<\/p>\n

Hoss yawned and stretched in the corner of the cabin. He had slept for a few hours and felt better for it. He stood and walked over to the bed.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow\u2019s he doing?\u201d Hoss asked with concern.<\/p>\n

\u201cAbout the same,\u201d said Adam. \u201cI think his fever\u2019s down a bit.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss put his hand on Joe\u2019s forehead. His massive hand covered the top of his brother\u2019s head as he felt Joe\u2019s brow. \u201cI think you\u2019re right,\u201d Hoss said finally as he removed his hand. \u201cHe does feel a bit cooler.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut he hasn\u2019t come around yet,\u201d Adam said, his voice filled with worry.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s probably exhausted,\u201d said Hoss in a reassuring tone. \u201cSleep is the best thing for him right now.\u201d Hoss looked at Adam. Adam\u2019s face was pinched with strain, and dark circles were forming under his eyes. \u201cSpeaking of sleep,\u201d continued Hoss, \u201cwhy don\u2019t you get a few hours of shut-eye. I\u2019ll sit with Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam felt bone-tired, but he wasn\u2019t sure he could sleep. He was still tense and filled with worry about Joe. On the other hand, he knew wasn\u2019t helping his brother much right now. Maybe a little rest would revive him.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right,\u201d said Adam reluctantly. He stood and started toward the fire, then stopped and turned abruptly. \u201cWake me if\u2026if there\u2019s any change,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI will,\u201d Hoss promised.<\/p>\n

Adam turned back and walked to his now familiar spot by the fireplace. He curled his body, trying to get comfortable. He didn\u2019t think he would be able to sleep, but surprisingly, found himself drifting off almost immediately. Adam was awakened by a large hand shaking him hard. He opened his eyes slowly, trying to remember where he was. He sat up suddenly as his memory of the why they were in the cabin came flooding back. Hoss was standing over him, his hand on firmly clasped on Adam\u2019s shoulder.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe?\u201d Adam asked in alarm.<\/p>\n

Hoss shook his head. \u201cNo, he\u2019s the same,\u201d Hoss replied. The big man took a step back. \u201cListen!\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Adam listened but all he heard was the crackling of the fire. \u201cI don\u2019t hear anything,\u201d Adam said with a frown.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know,\u201d answered Hoss with a grin. \u201cThe storm\u2019s over.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam jumped to his feet and rushed to the door. He pulled the door opened and looked out. The sky was a deep shade of blue and without a cloud. A thick layer of snow sparkled in the bright sunlight. A few birds sang in the trees in the woods. A deer bounded through the snow and disappeared into the thick forest. Adam turned to Hoss. \u201cWhen did the storm end?\u201d he asked in amazement.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know for sure,\u201d Hoss answered. \u201cI just realized it was over a little while ago.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam slammed the door shut and walked back to the cot. Joe was still very pale, but he seemed to be sleeping comfortably. Adam pulled back the blanket to check his brother\u2019s leg. The leg was still red and swollen. Adam covered Joe again.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you think we should try to carry Joe out of here?\u201d Adam asked.<\/p>\n

Hoss shook his head. \u201cI\u2019ve been thinking about it, Adam,\u201d he said. \u201cI think the best thing is for you to stay here with Joe and let me go for help.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAlone?\u201d said Adam.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can move faster alone,\u201d Hoss said in a firm voice. \u201cWe\u2019re not too far from the Crenshaw place. Even in this snow, I should be able to get there in a few hours. I can get a wagon or something there, I\u2019m sure.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam considered Hoss\u2019 suggestion for a few minutes. \u201cAll right,\u201d he said in a slow voice. \u201cI don\u2019t like the idea of you tramping through those woods alone, but I guess that\u2019s the fastest way to get help for Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t worry about me,\u201d Hoss said confidently.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou ought to eat something before you go,\u201d Adam said firmly. \u201cI brought a few tins of food with us. Let\u2019s open those up. You need something solid in your stomach if you\u2019re going to make that hike.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes sir,\u201d Hoss said with a twinkle in his eye. \u201cYou know, you sound just like Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n

Half an hour later, Hoss had finished eating, and was pulling his coat tight around him. He was almost ready to leave when he heard the groan from the cot. He rushed over to the bed, with Adam only a step behind him. Joe\u2019s eyes were half open, and he was moving his head slowly on the blanket. He looked up as Hoss sat on the edge of the bed.<\/p>\n

\u201cWelcome back, little brother,\u201d he said cheerfully. \u201cHow are you feeling?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy leg hurts,\u201d answered Joe. His voice was barely a whisper.<\/p>\n

Adam frowned. If Joe\u2019s leg was still hurting, maybe he had set the bone wrong.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs bad as before?\u201d asked Hoss with concern.<\/p>\n

Joe took a deep breath. \u201cNo,\u201d he said slowly. \u201cNot as bad as before.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss nodded and patted him lightly on the shoulder. \u201cWell, the storm is finally over,\u201d he said in a reassuring voice. \u201cI\u2019m going to the Crenshaw place to get a wagon. We\u2019ll have you home in no time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe nodded and closed his eyes. He drifted off to sleep again.<\/p>\n

Hoss stood and turned to Adam. \u201cSee if you can get some food into him,\u201d Hoss said. \u201cAnd make sure he keeps warm.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNow who sounds like Pa?\u201d Adam said, his voice tinged with sarcasm.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, I guess I do,\u201d Hoss said with a grin. His face suddenly turned solemn. \u201cYou take care of Joe, you hear,\u201d Hoss said. He looked back at the bed again, then walked to the door. He pulled the door open, then stopped. \u201cI\u2019ll be back as soon as I can. By tonight, for sure,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cBe careful,\u201d said Adam.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t worry,\u201d said Hoss. \u201cI can take care of myself.\u201d He pulled his coat up around his neck, grabbed a rifle, and walked out the door, pulling the door shut firmly behind him. Hoss began tramping through the thick snow. He crossed the clearing and headed into the woods. He walked as fast as he could but his pace was slow. The heavy blanket of snow buffeted his feet and ankles as he walked. He wished he had snowshoes or something that would help him move faster. He had tried to seem optimistic about Joe in the cabin, but the truth was, he was as worried as Adam, maybe even more. He had tended enough broken bones on animals to know Joe\u2019s leg was in bad shape. He knew they needed to get him to a doctor quickly. Hoss continued to plow through the snow, walking deeper into the woods. He was already tired and was distracted by his thoughts of Joe. He never saw the huge black bear lumbering out of the trees to his right. At least, he didn\u2019t see him until the animal growled menacingly. Hoss froze at the sound, knowing instantly the growl meant trouble. He turned slowly and faced the bear. \u201cI won\u2019t bother you if you don\u2019t bother me,\u201d he said softly to the animal.<\/p>\n

The bear was in an angry mood. He had just finished his winter hibernation and had emerged from his cave expecting to find an abundance of food. Instead, he found the land covered with snow, and food scarce. The animal was hungry and in no mood to let Hoss trespass on his territory. The bear stood on his hind legs and growled again, his front paws swiping threateningly at Hoss. Hoss slowly raised the rifle. \u201cI guess you ain\u2019t gonna be reasonable about this,\u201d he said softly. He levered a bullet into the chamber. \u201cI hate to do this, but I ain\u2019t got time to fool with you.\u201d Hoss raised the rifle and pulled the trigger. Instead of the expected explosion, however, all he heard was a dull click. Hoss pulled the trigger again, but again he heard nothing but a click. The bear advanced toward him as Hoss tried unsuccessfully to fire the rifle a third time. An angry roar erupted from the animal as it prepared to dispatch the invader in his territory.<\/p>\n

Adam spent the time after Hoss left stoking the fire, and feeding new wood into it. The log that Hoss had dragged in had been chopped into smaller pieces, but now those pieces were almost gone. Adam knew he needed to go out and get more wood, but he was reluctant to leave Joe alone. He decided to wait a while longer. Adam opened the last tin of food with his knife. Inside was some dried meat. The meat didn\u2019t look particularly appetizing, but it was all the food that was left. He carried the tin over to the cot. Joe was in a deep sleep, and Adam hated to wake him. But he knew Joe needed to eat something. He shook Joe\u2019s shoulder gently, but got no response. He shook his brother\u2019s shoulder again, a little harder this time. Joe moved his head. Adam shook him again, and this time Joe slowly opened his eyes.<\/p>\n

\u201cBreakfast time,\u201d he said, as he pulled a piece of meat from the tin. Joe shook his head and began to close his eyes. Adam shook him once more.<\/p>\n

\u201cCome on, Joe,\u201d he said firmly. \u201cYou have to eat. Now wake up and open your mouth.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe\u2019s eyes opened again. He looked at Adam with a puzzled expression, as if he was trying to make sense of what Adam had said.<\/p>\n

Adam grabbed Joe\u2019s lower jaw and gently pulled his brother\u2019s mouth open. He slipped a piece of meat into Joe\u2019s mouth. \u201cNow chew!\u201d he ordered his brother. Joe slowly obeyed. Adam repeated the process, satisfied that Joe had managed to swallow the first piece. As he chewed the meat, Joe began to close his eyes. \u201cStay awake!\u201d Adam barked at his brother, surprised at vehemence in own voice. Joe\u2019s eyes opened again. Adam managed to get Joe to eat four pieces of the dried meat, but couldn\u2019t get him to take the fifth piece. When Adam tried to force Joe\u2019s mouth open again, his brother firmly clenched his jaws closed.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re the stubbornest little cuss,\u201d Adam said, in frustration. A ghost of a smile appeared on Joe\u2019s face. Adam laughed when he saw it. \u201cAll right,\u201d Adam said softly. \u201cI guess that will have to do for now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe nodded, barely moving his head, then closed his eyes and went back to sleep. Adam moved back over by the fire and set the tin on the floor. He threw the last piece of wood onto the blaze. He began thinking about their situation. No more food, no more wood, and no telling how long it would be until Hoss got back, Adam thought. He had no choice. He was going to have to leave Joe alone for awhile. He had to get some wood for the fire, and hopefully, find something to eat. Adam sighed. He wished he had some other choice, but he knew he didn\u2019t. Adam returned to the cot and sat on the edge. \u201cJoe,\u201d he said shaking his brother again. \u201cAre you awake? Can you hear me?\u201d Joe\u2019s eyes barely opened.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, listen to me,\u201d Adam continued. \u201cI have to go out for awhile. I need to get some more wood for the fire and try to find some game. I\u2019ll only be gone for a short time, I promise. I want you to stay still, and don\u2019t try to move, you hear?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam stared hard into Joe\u2019s face. He wasn\u2019t sure if his brother heard \u2013 or understood \u2013 him. \u201cJoe, I\u2019ll be back soon,\u201d Adam said urgently. \u201cYou just lay here and rest.\u201d Joe\u2019s eyes closed. Adam took a deep breath. He hoped Joe understood him. He didn\u2019t want his brother to think he was abandoning him. Adam pulled his coat tightly around him and grabbed one of the rifles stacked by the door. He picked up the hatchet that Hoss had left behind. Adam looked back at the bed one more time and was satisfied that Joe was asleep. He hoped to be back before Joe woke up again. Adam pulled open the door. A blast of cold air rushed in, and he hurriedly shut the door behind him as he left the cabin.<\/p>\n

The bear was only a yard or so away from Hoss. Hoss stood still, hoping to confuse the animal. The bear stopped, surprised that this intruder wasn\u2019t running away. He growled menacingly but the figure in front of him never moved. The bear moved closer to his prey. Hoss waited until the bear was almost on top of him. He could feel the warm breath of the animal. Hoss knew he had to time his next movement just right. He wouldn\u2019t get a second chance. The bear came closer, preparing to knock his victim to the ground. Hoss moved so swiftly that the bear never really saw it happening. With a quick move, Hoss grabbed the barrel of his rifle with first one hand and then the other. Using the gun as a club, he smashed the rifle stock against the bear\u2019s nose. The startled bear howled in pain and stopped. Before the animal could move again, Hoss hit the bear across the nose again. The bear roared even louder as he felt the pain from the second blow. Hoss reached down and grabbed a handful of snow and threw it in the bear\u2019s eyes, blinding the animal for a few seconds. The bear roared from the pain in his nose and thrashed around blindly as he tried to throw the snow off from his eyes. Hoss quickly moved backwards, never taking his eyes off the animal. He had the gun ready to use as a club again if necessary.<\/p>\n

But it wasn\u2019t necessary. The bear\u2019s nose hurt, and he didn\u2019t like the feel of snow in his eyes. He decided quickly that he had had enough of this. With one last menacing roar, the bear turned and lumbered off into the woods. Hoss sagged against a tree in relief. As well as he got along with most animals, he knew that bear hadn\u2019t been in a friendly mood. He was lucky to have been able to drive him off. If he hadn\u2019t been able to discourage that bear, Joe wouldn\u2019t have been the only one in need of a doctor. Hoss checked the rifle, trying to determine why the gun had misfired. He saw the firing pin was bent. The rifle was the one Joe had been carrying when he fell. Hoss had simply grabbed a rifle when he left the cabin, and had the bad luck to grab a damaged weapon. Hoss berated himself for not checking the rifle before he left. As a gun, the rifle was useless. Hoss smiled. The rifle made a pretty good club, though, he thought. The screech of a hawk caught Hoss\u2019 attention and he looked toward the sky. The sky was still clear, still a deep blue. But Hoss frowned as he realized the sun was high in the sky. It had taken him longer than he had figured to get this far down the mountain, and he still had a long way to go. At this rate, he would be lucky to get back to the cabin by nightfall. He stood and started walking through the snow, trying to get down the mountain as fast as he could.<\/p>\n

Adam went deeper into the woods than he had planned, although he still was fairly close to the cabin. He was looking for dry wood, and was having a hard time finding it. The snow had covered all the wood on the ground, soaking it. He was hoping to find wood that wouldn\u2019t take a long time to dry. He need fuel that would burn quickly for the fire. If he had to wait for the wood to dry, the fire would die and the cabin\u2019s temperature would drop. A cold cabin wouldn\u2019t help Joe. Adam spotted a pile of branches a few feet away and hurried over. Putting down the rifle, he began pulling the branches away, hoping to find some dry wood at the bottom of the pile. Suddenly, from the corner of his eye, Adam saw some movement. He turned to see a deer watching him through the trees. The deer was a buck, with a large spread of antlers across its head. Moving slowly, Adam reached down and grabbed his rifle. He slowly pulled the rifle to his shoulder, aimed and fired.<\/p>\n

Joe woke from a deep sleep and turned his head to look around the cabin. His leg still hurt, but the pain was more of a dull ache than the sharp pangs he had felt before. Joe shook his head. His head felt fuzzy, and he couldn\u2019t seem to get his thoughts clear. Joe looked around the cabin, surprised to see that it was empty. A fire burned in the fireplace, but the flames were low. Joe shook his head again, trying to remember where Adam and Hoss had gone. He remembered them saying something to him, but couldn\u2019t seem to get their words straight in his mind. Everything that had happened since the accident was a blur. He remembered bits and pieces, like being carried on the stretcher, and having food forced in his mouth. But for the most part, all he remembered was the pain and feeling tired. Joe heard a shot from outside the cabin. He turned his head and listened again. Another shot rang out. The gunfire didn\u2019t sound like it was too far away. He wondered if Adam and Hoss were in trouble. Maybe that\u2019s why the cabin was empty, he thought. Joe pulled the blanket off and slowly moved his legs across the bed. He groaned at the pain the movement caused. His injured leg felt heavy, and he was surprised to see it splinted with rough wood. Joe frowned, trying to remember when the splint had been put on. Once more, he shook his head, trying to clear it. Then he remembered the shots. He had to help Adam and Hoss, he thought. That was the important thing.<\/p>\n

Joe rolled his body on the cot, then swung his legs on to the floor. He pushed himself up to a sitting position. He felt lightheaded and he rocked back and forth slowly as he sat on the edge of the bed. Joe tried to put his weight on his good leg and push himself up so he could stand. But he was weaker than he thought, and the leg buckled. Joe was thrown off balance and crashed to the floor. He landed on his left side, and curled his body in pain. Joe clenched his teeth as a wave of pain traveled up his injured leg. He was breathing hard, and sweat was running down the side of his face. He closed his eyes for a minute, waiting for the pain to ease. When the pain finally became bearable, he turned onto his stomach. Using his arms, Joe began to slowly drag himself across the floor.<\/p>\n

Joe knew he wasn\u2019t thinking straight, but he felt a desperate need to get to Adam and Hoss. He knew his brothers wouldn\u2019t leave him unless they absolutely had to. They must be in some kind of trouble, he thought. He didn\u2019t have a clear idea about what he was going to do when he found them but he was determined to help them. As Joe neared the door, he saw a rifle laying on the floor. He grabbed the rifle and pulled it toward him. He slowly crawled to the door, dragging the rifle with him. When Joe finally got to the door, he reached up. He stretched to get his hand around the piece of wood that acted as a handle. His fingers closed on the wood. He pulled on the door and opened it. The opening was really just a crack, but it was enough. Joe released the handle and slumped back on the floor. Suddenly, he felt exhausted. Joe rested on the floor for several minutes. For a while, he couldn\u2019t remember where he was going or what he was trying to do. Then he recalled the shots. Adam and Hoss might need him, he thought. He couldn\u2019t just lay here. Joe reached for the door and grabbed the edge. He pulled the door open.<\/p>\n

The cold air came rushing into the cabin. At first, the cold felt good to Joe; he was hot and sweaty. But soon he felt the bite of the cold against his face. He shivered slightly as the cold started to seep through his coat. Joe tried to ignore it as he pushed the door and opened it wider. In his mind, the important thing was to go help Adam and Hoss. Joe started to drag himself out the door. The rifle was left behind; Joe\u2019s thinking was so fuzzy that he had already forgotten about it. All he could think about was that he had to get to Adam and Hoss, although he was beginning to have a hard time remembering why. Joe pulled himself until he was about halfway out the door. Suddenly, his arms felt weak and shaky, and his head began to spin. He fell back to the ground and closed his eyes, trying to gather his strength. But instead, he began to feel as if he were drifting and a dark cloud seemed to be engulfing him. His last thought before he blacked out was he wondered where Adam and Hoss were.<\/p>\n

Adam was feeling pleased with himself as he emerged from the woods. He had the deer slung around his shoulders. He had brought it down on the second shot. The deer would provide more than enough food to last them until Hoss got back. He held the legs of the deer with his right hand, keeping it balanced around his shoulders. His rifle was tucked under his arm. Adam\u2019s left hand and arm clutched several thick tree limbs against his side. The limbs were fairly dry, protected from the snow by the wood that had fallen on top of them. Adam would be able to keep the fire going for several hours. If Hoss wasn\u2019t back by then, he could quickly return to the pile and get more dry wood. He had left several good sized tree limbs behind, unable to carry more because of the burden of the deer.<\/p>\n

As Adam started across the clearing toward the cabin, a frown appeared on his face. The cabin door looked as if it were open, although he couldn\u2019t tell for sure from where he was. He walked faster through the thick snow. As he neared the cabin, he felt his stomach clutch in fear. The cabin door was open. And Joe was lying in the doorway, Adam rushed to the cabin, dumping the wood, deer and rifle in a pile a few feet from the door. He hurried to Joe and knelt beside his brother. Joe was lying face down, the upper half of his body outside of the cabin. His head was pillowed by his hands. Adam grabbed Joe\u2019s shoulders and turned him toward him. He cradled Joe\u2019s head in his arms.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe!\u201d Adam said urgently as he wiped the snow from Joe\u2019s face. There was no response. Joe\u2019s eyes were closed. His skin felt cold. Adam pressed his fingers against Joe\u2019s neck and was relieved to feel a pulse. \u201cJoe!\u201d he said again a bit more louder and gently shook his brother.<\/p>\n

Joe\u2019s eyes opened a bit, hardly more than a crack. His mouth moved, as if he were trying to talk, but no words came out. Joe began to shiver. Adam scooped his brother into his arms, then stood and carried him into the cabin. He carried Joe to the bed, and placed him carefully on the blankets. He grabbed the blanket which Joe had pushed aside and wrapped it tightly around his younger brother. Adam turned quickly to the fire, and was dismayed to see no flames. A few pieces of wood glowed as hot embers, but the rest of the wood had been burned to ashes. Adam rush back outside and grabbed the wood he had dropped. He hurried back into the cabin, slamming the door behind him, and knelt by the fireplace. Pulling the hatchet from his belt, he quickly chopped one of the limbs into smaller pieces. Then he stoked the embers and slowly added wood to the fire. He was desperate to get the fire going again to warm the cabin, but knew he had to be careful not to smother the embers. After several frustrating minutes of nursing the fire, he was relieved to see small flicks of flame sprouting around the wood. Confident that the wood was catching, he turned and walked back to the cot.<\/p>\n

Joe was shivering more violently and he coughed weakly. Adam began to rub Joe\u2019s shoulders and arms through the blanket, trying to warm his brother. He briskly rubbed Joe\u2019s cold cheeks. Adam stopped and sat back. He was trying to remember how long he had been gone. He didn\u2019t think he had been gone too long, but then he had gone deeper into the woods than he had planned. An hour, he thought, maybe a bit more. He wondered how long Joe had been laying in the doorway. Joe coughed again. Adam looked around quickly and spotted the canteen on the floor near the foot of the bed. He reached down and grabbed it. Pulling the top off, he put the canteen to Joe\u2019s slip and trickled some water into Joe\u2019s mouth. The canteen was almost empty. At least we have plenty of water, Adam thought ironically as Joe drank, even if it is in the form of snow.<\/p>\n

Joe\u2019s eyes opened a big wider as he turned his head from the canteen. \u201cAdam?\u201d Joe said in a voice barely a whisper, and then coughed again. \u201cAre you all right?\u201d Joe asked weakly.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m fine,\u201d said Adam. \u201cWhat do you think you were trying to do, kill yourself?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHeard shots,\u201d Joe said softly. \u201cThought you and Hoss were in trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI told you I was going to get some wood,\u201d Adam said. \u201cDon\u2019t you remember?\u201d Joe shook his head, barely moving it. He shivered again. Adam resumed rubbing his brother\u2019s arms and face, hoping to warm him. After a minute, Adam stopped and unbuttoned his coat. He wiggled out of the coat and gently laid it on top of Joe, hoping the extra layer of warmth would help. Adam shivered slightly as he felt the chilly air in the cabin. The temperature in the cabin had dropped, due to the lack of a fire and the door being left open for some time. Adam spent the next ten minutes running back and forth between the cot and the fire. He kept stoking the fire and adding wood to it, trying to turn the small blaze into a roaring fire. Each time, after he added a piece of wood, Adam would return to the bed. He continued to massage Joe\u2019s arms and face, trying to warm his brother. After a few minutes by the bed, he would return to the fire, stoking it and adding wood.<\/p>\n

Finally, Adam returned to the bed and just sat. The fire was roaring and he could feel waves of heat from the hearth. Joe had stopped shivering and his face no longer felt cold. Adam knew there was one more thing he had to do, but he was reluctant to do it. Sighing, Adam decided he couldn\u2019t put it off any longer. Adam slid toward the bottom of the bed. He carefully raised the blanket over Joe\u2019s injured leg and pulled it back. Adam blew out his breath in relief. The splint on Joe\u2019s leg had held together. The bone looked straight, or as straight as Adam could make it last night. The leg was still swollen, but Adam couldn\u2019t see any evidence of further injury to it. He had been afraid that Joe had displaced the bone and he would have to try to set his brother\u2019s leg again. Adam wasn\u2019t sure he could have done it, especially without Hoss. At least he didn\u2019t have to go through that again, he thought in relief. Adam covered Joe\u2019s leg again with the blanket, and turned back to the top of the bed. He studied Joe\u2019s face. Joe was pale, even paler than before if that was possible. His eyes were closed, and his breathing shallow and steady. Adam wasn\u2019t sure if Joe was asleep or unconscious. He wasn\u2019t sure it made any difference. There was really very little more he could do for his brother. Adam decided to go retrieve the deer and rifle from outside. He glanced at Joe as he walked to the door, trying to reassure himself that Joe was not awake. He didn\u2019t want a repeat of what had happened earlier. Adam rushed outside and picked up the rifle he had dropped. He grabbed the legs of the deer and started to drag the carcass to the cabin. Before he opened the door, Adam turned back stared across the clearing. He looked for any sign of Hoss, knowing that it was too soon for Hoss to be back. Hurry Hoss, Adam thought to himself.<\/p>\n

Hoss struggled down the mountain as fast as his weary legs could move through the thick snow. His path was beginning to zigzag, as he walked around deep drifts. He kept a watchful eye as he tramped through the woods. He didn\u2019t want that old bear to sneak up on him again. Hoss was bone-tired and his legs were beginning to ache. He had thought he would be at the Crenshaw place by now, but the snow was thicker and harder to get through than he had figured. The cold air seemed to sap his strength, also. He had been hiking for hours, and still had several miles to cover. Hoss wanted nothing more than to sit down and rest, but he knew he couldn\u2019t. For one thing, he was liable to fall asleep and freeze to death. But even more importantly, he had to get help for Joe. Hoss was determined to let nothing stop him from that. Hoss trudged on. As his fatigue grew, he forgot about watching for the bear. In fact, he forgot about everything except continuing to walk. He concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other. Everything else was unimportant. Finally, he had to stop. He leaned against a tree, panting hard. His breath formed a fine mist. Hoss closed his eyes for a minute and tried to rest. Just rest a minute, he told himself, then go on.<\/p>\n

Hoss thought he imagined the sound he heard. He wanted help for Joe so desperately that he thought the sound of a horse whinnying was only wishful thinking. But then he heard voices. Hoss opened his eyes and looked around. The sounds came from somewhere to his left. Voices called again. Hoss couldn\u2019t make out what they said, but he didn\u2019t care. He only knew that help was close at hand. Hoss hurried in the direction of the sound, afraid that he would miss whoever was calling. He came a small hill and stopped at the edge. Hoss looked down, searching for the source of the sounds. Suddenly, a huge grin split his face. Five riders were working their way slowly up the mountain. The men were shouting as they rode. Three of the riders were leading horses with empty saddles. In the front, leading the men, was a familiar figure on a buckskin horse.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa!\u201d Hoss shouted as loud as he could. He started to hurry down the hill, waving his arms and shouting. He was about three quarters of the way down when he slipped. Hoss landed on his backside, and slid the rest of the way down the hill. He came to an abrupt stop at the bottom of the hill. Hoss laid in the snow, dazed and breathless.<\/p>\n

As he tried to catch his breath, Hoss heard the sound of hoofs crunching in the snow. He looked up to see the legs of a buckskin horse looming over him. \u201cHi, Pa\u201d he said as he gasped for air.<\/p>\n

Ben Cartwright hurriedly dismounted from his horse and knelt by Hoss. \u201cAre you all right, son?\u201d he asked in a concerned voice.<\/p>\n

Hoss slowly moved his arms, then his legs. \u201cYeah, I seem to be in one piece,\u201d he said. He turned to Ben and grinned. \u201cYou sure are a sight for sore eyes,\u201d said Hoss.<\/p>\n

Ben let out of sigh of relief, and patted Hoss on the shoulder. He began looking around, searching the woods above them. \u201cWhere are Adam and Joe?\u201d Ben asked.<\/p>\n

Hoss\u2019 face turned grim. \u201cThere was an accident,\u201d Hoss said. \u201cJoe fell and busted his leg. Adam and I tried to get him home, but the blizzard hit before we could get down the mountain.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s face reflected his fear. \u201cWhere are they?\u201d he asked again.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn an old trapper\u2019s cabin a couple of miles from here,\u201d answered Hoss. \u201cAdam stayed with Joe while I went for help. I was trying to get to the Crenshaw place but the snow slowed me down.\u201d Hoss hesitated, then continued. \u201cPa, Joe\u2019s leg is bad, real bad. He\u2019s going to need a doctor right away.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben nodded. He turned to the men sitting on their horses behind him. \u201cSam, you head back and get Doc Martin. Tell him to wait for us at the Ponderosa. We\u2019ll get there as soon as we can.\u201d One of the men nodded, turned his horse around and rode off.<\/p>\n

Ben turned back to Hoss. \u201cAre you sure you\u2019re all right?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m fine, Pa,\u201d Hoss said. He stood and dusted off the snow. A frown crossed his face. \u201cHow did you know to come looking for us?\u201d Hoss asked curiously. \u201cNot that I ain\u2019t glad to see you, but how did you know?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI ran into Josh Crenshaw last night in Virginia City,\u201d Ben explained. \u201cHe told me he decided to come to town and get supplies because it was starting to snow up here. He was afraid he would get snowed in. I knew you boys were up here someplace, and when he told me about the snowstorm, I thought you might be in trouble. It was pure luck I ran into Josh. Otherwise, I wouldn\u2019t have known about the storm.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss shook his head in amazement. \u201cWe\u2019ve had nothing but bad luck on this trip,\u201d he said. \u201cI guess our luck\u2019s changed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope so,\u201d said Ben anxiously. \u201cThe important thing now is to get to Adam and Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll show you the way,\u201d said Hoss, moving toward one of the riderless horses.<\/p>\n

Adam sat by the fire, clenching his hands in frustration. He wanted to do something, anything to help his sick and injured brother, but he couldn\u2019t think of anything to do. He had dressed out the deer, and carefully roasted some of the meat. But he couldn\u2019t get Joe to eat. He tried to force the food into his brother, but Joe kept saying he was too tired to eat. Joe slept most of the time, exhausted by pain and sickness. When he did wake, he had a hacking cough which worried Adam. All Adam could do was give Joe some water. Adam fed another piece of wood into the fire, keeping the flames high. The wood was almost gone. Adam wondered what he was going to do when he had no more wood. There was nothing left to burn in the cabin. He knew he had to keep Joe warm. But he hated the thought of leaving Joe alone again. Adam stood and began pacing across the floor of the cabin. Where was Hoss? he wondered angrily. Surely he must have reached the Crenshaw place by now. What was taking him so long? Adam knew he was being unfair. He had seen how thick the snow was in the woods. Hoss must be having a hard time traveling on foot through the snow. He was sure Hoss would return as soon as he could. But knowing Hoss was doing his best was of small comfort to Adam. He was worried about Joe and frustrated because he could do so little to help him. Joe stirred on the bed and Adam hastened to the cot. Joe started coughing. Adam raised his brother\u2019s head and shoulders and patted him briskly on the back, trying to help him clear his lungs. When the coughing subsided, Adam grabbed the canteen from the floor and held it to Joe\u2019s lips. He trickled some water into Joe\u2019s mouth, and felt some satisfaction as he watched Joe eagerly drink the liquid. When Joe was finished drinking, Adam slowly lowered his brother\u2019s head back on to the bed.<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks,\u201d Joe mumbled as he began to close his eyes. Within seconds, he had drifted off to sleep again.<\/p>\n

Adam put the canteen on the floor again, then stood. He walked back to the fire and stoked it, not because it needed it but because it gave him something to do. Adam hated the waiting. He was used to taking action, to being in control. It grated on him that all he could do was sit. Adam threw the stick he was using as a poker on the floor in frustration. He walked to the door and pulled it open a bit. He looked across the clearing, searching for some sign of Hoss. But the landscape was as empty as it had been hours ago. Adam started to close the door but stopped suddenly. He froze and listened hard. A faint voice seemed to be echoing across the cold air. Adam pushed the door open again and took a few steps out side the cabin. The air was still and quiet. Then a voice called again.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam!\u201d the voice called from a distant. Adam\u2019s eyes searched the woods in the distance, looking for some movement. He stared at the woods and, after a minute, was rewarded with the sight of horses moving out of the woods. He saw a familiar tall white hat on the lead rider, and a familiar buckskin following the first horse. Hoss cupped his hand to mouth and shouted \u201cAdam!\u201d one more time.<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s body sagged in relief as he watched the small band of riders emerge from the woods. He forced himself to stand by the cabin and wave. What he really wanted to do was sprint across the snow and throw his arms around his brother and father. That group of riders was the prettiest sight he had seen in a long time. Adam waited impatiently as the riders forced their horses through the thick snow to the cabin. He saw the grin on Hoss\u2019 face as the horses neared the cabin. Adam gave him a tired smile.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat took you so long?\u201d Adam demanded as Hoss pulled his horse to a stop outside the cabin and dismounted.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a nice day for a walk,\u201d Hoss said wryly. \u201cI was admiring the scenery.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben scrambled off his horse and rushed to Adam. \u201cAre you all right?\u201d he asked his oldest son, grabbing him around the upper arms. Ben saw the fatigue and strain on Adam\u2019s face.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m fine now that you\u2019re here,\u201d said Adam, the relief evident in his voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow\u2019s Joe?\u201d Hoss asked with concern.<\/p>\n

Adam winced. \u201cNot good,\u201d he said. \u201cC\u2019mon.\u201d Adam turned and led the men into the cabin.<\/p>\n

Ben hurried to the cot as soon as he entered the cabin. He sat on the edge of the bed, alarmed at Joe\u2019s appearance. His son\u2019s face was deathly pale, the only color the bright spots of fever on his cheeks. His hair was plastered to his forehead by beads of sweat. His eyes were closed and his breathing, labored. Ben gently stroked Joe\u2019s head, murmuring his son\u2019s name. He turned toward the bottom of the bed and pulled back the blanket covering Joe\u2019s legs. Ben\u2019s eyes narrowed as he saw the red and swollen leg. He looked quickly over his shoulder at Adam and Hoss who were hovering anxiously behind him. Before Ben could say something, Joe stirred on the bed. He turned his head to look at the figure sitting on the bed. A hacking cough erupted from his mouth. Joe gulped for air.<\/p>\n

Ben laid a hand on Joe\u2019s shoulder. \u201cTake it easy,\u201d Ben said soothingly.<\/p>\n

Joe looked at the figure in confusion. \u201cPa?\u201d he asked in a weak voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m here, son,\u201d Ben said soothingly. \u201cEverything is going to be all right now. You just rest. We\u2019re going to get you home.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPa?\u201d Joe said again, as if he didn\u2019t understand what was being said to him. Joe coughed again. He turned his head and closed his eyes.<\/p>\n

Ben turned to Adam. \u201cHow long as he been like this?\u201d Ben asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe broke the leg yesterday,\u201d said Adam. \u201cHe started coughing a few hours ago.\u201d Adam was reluctant to tell Ben and Hoss how he had found Joe in the doorway. He felt he had done the wrong thing, leaving Joe alone. In fact, he was beginning to think he had done nothing right on this trip.<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss said you set his leg last night,\u201d Ben said. Adam nodded. He didn\u2019t feel good about that, either.<\/p>\n

Ben looked at the men standing behind Hoss and Joe. \u201cYou men get some wood together for a travois. Joe\u2019s not going to be able to sit a horse.\u201d The men quickly left the cabin.<\/p>\n

Ben turned to Adam and Hoss. \u201cGet the bedrolls off the horses,\u201d he ordered them. \u201cI want to pile everything we have on Joe. We have to keep him warm on the trip home.\u201d Adam and Hoss nodded, and rushed out the door. Ben turned back to his youngest son. \u201cYou\u2019re going to be all right, son,\u201d Ben said in a soft voice. He only wished he believed what he was saying.<\/p>\n

The moon was rising in a dark sky when the wagon pulled into the yard of the house at the Ponderosa. It had taken the Cartwrights and their hands awhile to make the travois and get Joe settled on it. Adam had carefully put out the fire and closed the cabin tight. He was grateful for the protection it had offered them, and wanted it to be around in case someone needed it again. Hoss had dragged the rest of the deer meat into the woods. When he saw Adam watching him with a quizzical expression, Hoss had just shrugged and said, \u201cI know an ol\u2019 bear who will be happy to get this.\u201d<\/p>\n

The party of riders had moved slowly down the mountain. The travois had been tied to the horse Ben had brought along for Joe. Ben had led the horse at a walk, trying to make the journey as easy as possible on Joe. Ben was worried that Joe never seemed to wake during the trip. He knew that Joe\u2019s deep sleep was a sign of how sick the boy really was. After what seemed an interminable time, they had finally reached the Crenshaw spread, and transferred Joe to a wagon that Josh Crenshaw had willingly loaned them. Now the tired men were finally home. Hoss was driving the wagon into the yard when the front door opened. Doctor Martin stood in the doorway watching for a moment, then rushed to the wagon as Hoss pulled it to a halt. Ben sat in the back of the wagon with Joe. The doctor took one look at Joe and turned to the men on the horses behind him.<\/p>\n

\u201cGet him into the house quickly,\u201d said the doctor. Even without examining him, the doctor could tell Joe was a sick boy.<\/p>\n

Six men carefully carried the stretcher which had held Joe for the last two days. They transported Joe into the house, up the stairs and into his room. With infinite care, they transferred Joe from the stretcher to his bed.<\/p>\n

\u201cBen, you can stay. The rest of you, out!\u201d barked Dr. Martin. The three hands left immediately. Adam and Hoss lingered, wanting to help. Dr. Martin saw them standing by the door. \u201cYou two get some rest and food,\u201d he said in a gentler tone. \u201cYou both look like you\u2019re ready to drop. I\u2019ve got my hands full with Joe. I don\u2019t need any more patients around here.\u201d Hoss and Adam reluctantly left the room.<\/p>\n

Adam and Hoss were asleep in the living room when Ben and Dr. Martin came down the stairs two hours later. Adam was in Ben\u2019s favorite chair by the fire. Hoss was sprawled across the sofa. Hop Sing made a hot dinner for Adam and Hoss, and both had eaten like starving men. They had fully intended to wait for the doctor\u2019s verdict before getting some rest. But full bellies, a warm fire and the strain of the last two days had proved too much for them. Adam and Hoss had fallen asleep less than half an hour after finishing off Hop Sing\u2019s meal. The sound of footsteps on the stairs roused Adam. He sat up quickly in the chair and rubbed his hands across his face. He looked at the two grim-faced men descending the stairs. \u201cHow\u2019s Joe?\u201d Adam asked with a sinking heart.<\/p>\n

Hoss stirred at the sound of voices. He also noted the expression on his father\u2019s and the doctor\u2019s faces. Hoss held his breath waiting for the reply.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s in pretty bad shape,\u201d said the doctor solemnly. \u201cHe\u2019s got some fluid in his lungs and he\u2019s got a fever. He was already weak as the result of breaking his leg. He must have caught a chill and didn\u2019t have the strength to fight it off. I\u2019ve given him some medicine and wrapped him in every blanket we could find. Now all we can do is wait.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow is his leg?\u201d Adam asked, dreading the answer. \u201cHe was in a lot of pain. I\u2019m not sure I did the right thing setting his leg.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou did exactly the right thing,\u201d replied Dr. Martin. \u201cIn fact, I would have recommended you set it sooner.\u201d Adam looked guiltily at Hoss.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt looks like the broken bone was pressing up against some muscle and nerves,\u201d the doctor continued. \u201cThat\u2019s why he felt so much pain. Despite the splint you put on, the bone moved around some and tore up the muscle and nerves. When you set the bone, you relieved the pressure.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIs his leg going to be all right?\u201d Hoss asked.<\/p>\n

The doctor glanced at Ben before replying. \u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d he admitted. \u201cYou did a good job in setting the leg. The bone is nice and straight. But I can\u2019t tell how much damage there is, or how serious the damage might be. The muscle and nerves may heal. If so, his leg will be fine. If not\u2026well, there\u2019s a number of doctors who specializing in these types of injuries. They might be able to do something. But we can worry about that later. The important thing now is to get him over the sickness.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s shoulders sagged. \u201cIt\u2019s all my fault,\u201d he said in a low voice. \u201cHoss wanted to set the leg right away, but I told him to wait. I should have listened to Hoss.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, you can\u2019t blame yourself,\u201d said Hoss. \u201cNeither one of us was sure what to do. You did what you thought was best.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, but I left him alone in that cabin,\u201d Adam confessed. \u201cHe crawled out of bed, looking for us. I found him half out of the cabin, laying in the snow. It\u2019s my fault he\u2019s so sick.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou left him alone?\u201d said Ben with a frown. \u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were out of wood and food,\u201d said Adam in an low voice. \u201cI thought he was asleep. I was only gone about an hour, getting some wood and I shot that deer. When I got back, I found him. He was laying in the cold.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben walked over and put a comforting hand on Adam\u2019s shoulder. \u201cSounds to me like you didn\u2019t have much choice,\u201d he said. \u201cYou didn\u2019t know he was going to try to come after you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, I made nothing but wrong decisions,\u201d Adam said in a choked voice. \u201cI should have insisted we come home as soon as I felt the temperature dropping. I thought one more day of hunting wouldn\u2019t hurt. Then Joe broke his leg, and the storm came up, and everything I did after that was wrong!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, that\u2019s not true,\u201d insisted Hoss. \u201cWe both were there. You didn\u2019t do anything I wouldn\u2019t have done.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded, but he didn\u2019t find Hoss\u2019 words comforting. If Joe died, or if he was lame, he had no one to blame but himself.<\/p>\n

Doctor Martin cleared his throat. He felt bad for Adam, but in a way, he couldn\u2019t help agreeing with him. Adam had made some wrong decisions, although there was no way he could have known the consequences at the time. \u201cLet\u2019s not worry about something that may not happen,\u201d the doctor said. \u201cJoe may come out of this fine. He\u2019s young, and strong, and he\u2019s come through worse things than this.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben patted Adam on the shoulder. \u201cDon\u2019t blame yourself, son,\u201d Ben said in a comforting voice. \u201cAll any of us can do is what we think is best at the time. You did what you thought was right for Joe. That\u2019s all any of us can expect.\u201d Adam looked at Ben. The anguish on his face told Ben that his words meant little to Adam.<\/p>\n

Ben looked at Hoss and Doctor Martin, but neither man knew what to say. Ben sighed. \u201cI\u2019ll tell Hop Sing to make some coffee,\u201d Ben said. \u201cIt\u2019s going to be a long night.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s words were prophetic. No one at the Ponderosa got much sleep that night, or the next day. Joe\u2019s fever hung on stubbornly, and his cough didn\u2019t seem to ease either. The doctor tried every remedy he knew, from mustard plasters to cold compresses. But Joe didn\u2019t seem to improve. He slept most of the time, and when he did rouse to a state of semi-consciousness, he was quickly exhausted by severe bouts of coughing. When Dr. Martin ran out of new things to try, he tried everything again. Ben managed to get Hoss and Adam to agree to go to bed after they had talked downstairs, but neither of them slept long. Hoss showed up in Joe\u2019s room after a few hours, wanting to help. Adam arrived shortly after Hoss. The doctor finally set a schedule of three hours for each man to help him tend to Joe. Dr. Martin really didn\u2019t need the help; there wasn\u2019t much any of them could do to help Joe. But the set visits kept the room from being constantly crowded. Hoss was sitting with Joe when Adam arrived at the bedroom at midnight for his turn at tending to Joe. He was surprised to see no one else was with Joe. \u201cWhere\u2019s the doctor?\u201d Adam asked with a frown.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s getting some rest down the hall,\u201d replied Hoss. \u201cHe dosed Joe with some medicine about an hour ago, and said there wasn\u2019t anything else he could do for a while. I finally convinced Pa to get some sleep too.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam walked over to take a closer look at his sick brother. Joe was a sleep, and he seemed no better than when they were in the cabin. Adam shook his head slightly. \u201cHe\u2019s not any better,\u201d said Adam, making a statement rather than asking a question.<\/p>\n

\u201cHis fever hasn\u2019t gone up any, and he\u2019s been sleeping for a couple of hours,\u201d said Hoss in a hopeful voice. \u201cThat\u2019s a good sign.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded and continued to stare at Joe, almost willing him to get better. Adam glanced down to the bottom of the bed. Joe\u2019s injured leg was propped up on several pillows. Adam gently pulled back the covers so he could inspect Joe\u2019s leg. He knew it was too soon to see any sign of improvement but he couldn\u2019t seem to help himself. Joe\u2019s leg was splinted and heavily wrapped in white bandages. His toes were visible, and they looked badly swollen. Adam sighed, and carefully covered his brother\u2019s leg again. Hoss watched Adam in silence. He could imagine the worry and guilt Adam felt. Hoss felt the same way. He kept trying to tell himself that they had done the best they could for Joe under very difficult circumstances. But Hoss couldn\u2019t convince himself.<\/p>\n

Adam turned back to Hoss. \u201cYou get some rest,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019ll take over.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss nodded and pulled himself wearily out of the chair. He looked down at Joe and gave his younger brother a gentle pat on the head. Then he turned and walked out of the room. Adam sat in the chair that Hoss had left. He stared for awhile at Joe, hoping to see some improvement, something that he had missed earlier. But Joe looked the same\u2026sick, pale and exhausted. Adam sat back in the chair and crossed his arms.<\/p>\n

The morning sun filtered through the window of the bedroom where Doctor Martin slept fully clothed on the bed. He had slept fitfully, searching his mind for some remedy which he hadn\u2019t yet tried. Twice, he had risen from the bed to give Joe another dose of medicine. He forced himself to rest, knowing that exhausting himself wouldn\u2019t help Joe. He had finally dropped off into a deep sleep near dawn.<\/p>\n

A hard shake on his shoulder woke the doctor. He woke instantly, and looked up at Adam standing over his bed. \u201cJoe?\u201d he asked. Adam nodded. Before Adam could say anything further, Dr. Martin sprang from the bed and rushed out of the room, fearing the worst. He raced into Joe\u2019s room but stopped abruptly as he looked at the scene before him. Joe was sitting up in bed, his eyes open. His gaze was steady and clear. Joe coughed lightly a few times, then smiled weakly. Ben and Hoss were standing next to the bed, grinning.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s going on here?\u201d the doctor demanded.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe\u2019s fever broke,\u201d explained Ben. \u201cHe woke up a little while ago and asked for some breakfast.\u201d<\/p>\n

The doctor walked to the bed and sat on the edge. He put his hand on Joe\u2019s forehead. Then he grabbed the stethoscope from the table next to the bed. Putting the tubes in his ears, he listened for a few minutes to Joe\u2019s breathing. Finally, he pulled the instrument from his ears. \u201cHis fever is way down and his lungs are clearing, \u201c he declared. He looked at Joe. \u201cYou Cartwrights are a tough lot.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTakes more than a little cold to get one of us,\u201d said Hoss, his voice tinged with relief.<\/p>\n

\u201cI told you I was all right,\u201d said Joe in a weak voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re not \u2018all right\u2019 yet,\u201d said the doctor sternly. \u201cBut you\u2019re well on your way. What you need now is plenty of rest and good food, plus regular doses of that medicine.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe made a face when the doctor mentioned the medicine, and everyone laughed. Doctor Martin stood. \u201cI\u2019m heading back to town,\u201d he declared. \u201cI\u2019ve got some sick<\/em> people to take care of. I\u2019ll come out tomorrow to check on you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Doctor Martin walked to the door. As he started to leave the room, Adam grabbed his arm. \u201cWhat about his leg?\u201d Adam asked in a quiet voice. The doctor glanced over his shoulder. Joe\u2019s attention was on Hoss, who was describing their trip home through the snow. \u201cWe\u2019ll just have to wait and see,\u201d answered the doctor softly.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen will we know?\u201d Adam insisted.<\/p>\n

\u201cA couple of weeks, maybe longer,\u201d said the doctor. He put his hand on Adam\u2019s shoulder. \u201cDon\u2019t go buying trouble,\u201d the doctor continued. \u201cLet\u2019s just see what happens.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe slowly regained his strength over the next two weeks. At first, he slept most of the time, but soon he was spending more and more time sitting up in bed. The doctor came every day to check on him, and to examine his leg. At first, Joe didn\u2019t think much about his broken leg. But gradually, he began to realize something was different about this break. Joe had had broken bones before. He knew how it felt when the bone was healing. This time, his leg felt different. It felt strangely numb, almost as if it weren\u2019t there. When Joe asked the doctor and his father about it, they downplayed his concerns. The doctor kept saying it was a bad break and needed time to heal. Joe started to wonder what they might not be telling him. Joe also realized that Adam was spending more time than usual with him. Adam brought him books to read while he recovered, and spent time playing chess with him. His brother\u2019s almost constant presence was beginning to add to Joe\u2019s concerns. Finally, Joe decided he had to find out what was going on. He waited until Adam had the chessboard set up late one afternoon. The board was placed carefully on Joe\u2019s bed, and Adam had pulled his chair close to the bed. Adam moved a white pawn , and then looked up at Joe. He was surprised to see Joe studying him carefully.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s your move,\u201d Adam said.<\/p>\n

Joe didn\u2019t answer at first. Then he said, \u201cAdam, what\u2019s going on?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you mean, what\u2019s going on?\u201d Adam replied, pretending he didn\u2019t know what Joe was asking about. He had been dreading a conversation like this.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know what I mean,\u201d said Joe. \u201cWhat\u2019s really wrong with my leg? Pa and the doc, they won\u2019t tell me anything. They just say it\u2019s got to heal. There\u2019s something different about this break. I know, I can feel it. What\u2019s going on?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPa and Doctor Martin know what\u2019s happening better than I do,\u201d answered Adam lightly. \u201cThey never tell Hoss and me anything!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, I want to know the truth,\u201d Joe said firmly. \u201cIt\u2019s my leg. I should know what\u2019s really wrong with it. Now, tell me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam hesitated. In his own mind, he felt Joe deserved to know their concerns about his injury. But he also felt that it was his father\u2019s place to talk to Joe. If Pa didn\u2019t want to talk about it, maybe that was best.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam,\u201d Joe said again, his voice even firmer. \u201cI\u2019m not a kid. I can tell something is different. I want to know what\u2019s going on.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam chewed his lower lip, trying to decide what to do.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam\u2026.\u201d Joe said one more time.<\/p>\n

Finally, Adam squared his shoulders and took a deep breath. \u201cAll right, \u201c he said. \u201cI guess you\u2019re right. You deserve to know. The doctor is concerned that\u2019s there is muscle and nerve damage to your leg. He\u2019s afraid that once the bone heals, you\u2019ll still not be able to walk on it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe paled and said nothing. Somehow he wasn\u2019t really surprised, but hearing Adam say the actual words scared him more than he thought it would.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s my fault,\u201d Adam continued quickly, his voice tinged with emotion. \u201cI waited too long to set it. Hoss wanted to set your leg right away, but I was afraid I\u2019d mess it up. By the time we did set it, the broken bone had sliced up some muscle and nerves.\u201d Adam looked at Joe with an apologetic expression. \u201cI\u2019m sorry, Joe. I\u2019m sorrier than I can say.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe just nodded. His heart was pounding and he suddenly felt shaky. His mouth was dry. The thought of not being able to walk as before frightened Joe more than anything he could remember. Adam and Joe both looked up as the door opened. Doctor Martin and Ben walked in.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, what\u2019s wrong?\u201d asked the doctor. \u201cYou\u2019re as pale as a ghost.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe tried to answer but couldn\u2019t seem to find his voice. He licked his dry lips nervously.<\/p>\n

\u201cI told Joe about his leg,\u201d Adam said. \u201cI told him that we were worried it wasn\u2019t going to heal correctly.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought we had agreed to wait until we knew for sure,\u201d Ben said in an angry voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t blame Adam, \u201c Joe said, suddenly finding his voice. \u201cI made him tell me. I wanted to know. It\u2019s not Adam\u2019s fault.\u201d Joe looked straight into his brother\u2019s eyes. \u201cNone of it is Adam\u2019s fault.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded gratefully, but he really didn\u2019t feel much better. He still felt guilty about what had happened to Joe.<\/p>\n

Joe turned back to the doctor. \u201cWhen will we know?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

The doctor shrugged. \u201cThat\u2019s hard to say, Joe,\u201d he answered. \u201cMuscles and nerves can take awhile to grow back.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow long?\u201d Joe asked insistently. \u201cA month? A year? What?\u201d<\/p>\n

The doctor shook his head. \u201cThere\u2019s really no way to tell,\u201d he replied.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut you must have some idea,\u201d Joe pressed. \u201cSome indication that things are getting better\u2026or not.\u201d<\/p>\n

Doctor Martin looked at Adam and Ben, then back to Joe. \u201cWell, you should be able to move your toes once the damage nerves begin to heal,\u201d he said reluctantly. \u201cBut there\u2019s no telling how long that might take.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, there\u2019s doctors that specialize in this type of injury,\u201d Ben added quickly. \u201cThey\u2019re discovering new things all the time. It\u2019s too soon to say you won\u2019t be fine.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe nodded distractedly. His mind was reeling.<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe we ought to get a specialist now,\u201d Adam said.<\/p>\n

The doctor shook his head. \u201cNo, we have to wait until that bone heals,\u201d Doctor Martin said. \u201cUntil then, there\u2019s nothing we can do.\u201d He looked at Joe. \u201cI know this is hard, but you\u2019re just going to have to be patient. That\u2019s why we didn\u2019t say anything. We didn\u2019t want to worry you until we knew something for sure.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe nodded once more. \u201cWell, I guess I found out what I wanted to know,\u201d he said softly. He looked at the ceiling, and blinked his eyes several times. His eyes were unnaturally bright. Joe tried not to show the tears he felt forming. Adam patted Joe\u2019s hand. \u201cIt\u2019s going to be all right, Joe,\u201d he said in a reassuring voice. \u201cYou\u2019ll see, everything is going to be all right.\u201d Adam only wished there was some way to make his words true.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, Adam,\u201d Joe said in a choked voice. \u201cSure.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben said in his favorite leather chair, staring into the fire burning in the hearth in the living room. It had been two weeks since Joe had asked about his leg. Since then, Joe had said nothing more about the injury. That worried Ben more than if Joe had been complaining. His son\u2019s silence on the subject made Ben wonder if Joe had already given up. Ben also was worried about Adam and Hoss. They both felt responsible for the extent of Joe\u2019s injury, especially Adam. He could see the guilt and concern on their faces every time the doctor checked Joe and declared Joe was about the same. Ben desperately wished there was something he could do to help all of his sons.<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Cartwright, you eat soon,\u201d Hop Sing said from the dining room. \u201cHop Sing fix special dinner for your birthday. If you don\u2019t eat soon, dinner all ruined.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t feel much like celebrating my birthday,\u201d Ben said grimly.<\/p>\n

\u201cHop Sing make chicken and dumplings,\u201d the cook said firmly. \u201cMr. Adam, he say Hop Sing make all your favorite food. Mr. Hoss tell Hop Sing to make big cake. You eat soon or everything ruined.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben sighed. He knew Adam and Hoss were trying to cheer him up, just as he had been trying to make them feel better. But Ben knew that until Joe was better, none of them would feel good.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou eat soon,\u201d Hop Sing said again.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe can\u2019t eat until Adam and Hoss come down,\u201d Ben explained. \u201cThey\u2019re up with Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben was interrupted by the sound of voices on the stairs. He looked up and was stunned by what he saw. Adam and Hoss were carrying Joe down the stairs. Joe was fully dressed for the first time in weeks, although he wasn\u2019t wearing boots, and his pant leg was split to make room for the bandages and splint on his leg. Adam and Hoss had made a seat by joining their hands, and Joe was perched on their hands. His arms were flung over his brothers\u2019 shoulders.<\/p>\n

\u201cBe careful,\u201d Joe was saying as the trio maneuvered slowly down the stairs. \u201cI don\u2019t want you two to drop me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you would stop squirming, this would be easier,\u201d Hoss said in a slightly disgusted voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust get me down the stairs,\u201d Joe said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re trying, we\u2019re trying,\u201d Adam said, his voice betraying his exasperation. \u201cWe should have never let you talk us into this.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben watched as Hoss and Adam carried Joe down the last flight of stairs. He was afraid to say anything, afraid that he might startle Adam and Hoss and they would drop Joe. He watched with his heart in his throat as Adam and Hoss carried Joe to the blue chair near the fire, and carefully deposited him in the chair.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s going on here?\u201d Ben demanded as Joe settled himself in the chair. \u201cWhat\u2019s Joe doing out of bed?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s all right, Pa,\u201d said Hoss. \u201cWe talked to the doctor and he said as long as Joe didn\u2019t put any weight on his leg, he could get up for a little while.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam brought a stool and pillow over to the chair. He carefully propped Joe\u2019s injured leg on the stool, and slid the pillow under the leg to cushion it.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t want to miss your birthday,\u201d Joe said with a smile.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, there will be other birthdays,\u201d Ben said in a worried voice. \u201cIt\u2019s more important that you take care of yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m fine, Pa, don\u2019t worry,\u201d said Joe. \u201cI was going crazy sitting in bed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s all right, Pa, really,\u201d Adam added. \u201cDoctor Martin, Joe, Hoss and I worked this all out yesterday.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBesides, Pa, I have a trick I want to show you,\u201d Joe said, grinning.<\/p>\n

\u201cTrick? What trick?\u201d Ben asked. He looked at Adam and Hoss, but they just shrugged.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t know, Pa,\u201d said Hoss. \u201cJoe\u2019s being real secretive about this.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust watch,\u201d said Joe, pointing at his foot.<\/p>\n

Joe frowned and pursed his lips. He seemed to be concentrating. Then slowly, very slowly, he bent his toes.<\/p>\n

Ben, Adam and Hoss stood in stunned silence.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know it\u2019s not much of a trick,\u201d said Joe. \u201cI mean, it\u2019s not like in a circus or anything, but I thought it was pretty good.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss let out a whoop and slapped his brother on the back. Ben let out a sigh of relief and closed his eyes in a quiet prayer of thanks. Then he grinned. Adam reached over and put his hands on his brother\u2019s toes. He was overwhelmed with feelings of relief and happiness.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow long have you been able to do this?\u201d Adam said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I managed to move them a bit yesterday,\u201d Joe admitted. \u201cI\u2019ve been practicing all day. I wanted to be sure I could really move them.\u201d Joe frowned and slowly moved his toes again. Then, he looked up at his father. \u201cSorry I didn\u2019t get you a birthday present,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019ve been a little tied up.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, this is the best present I\u2019ve ever had,\u201d Ben said fervently.<\/p>\n

\u201cAmen to that,\u201d added Hoss.<\/p>\n

Joe looked up at Adam. \u201cAdam, I never blamed you for what happened,\u201d he said seriously. \u201cYou and Hoss saved me out there in that storm. You have nothing to feel guilty about.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded gratefully. He felt like the weight of the world had been lifted off his shoulders. Joe turned back to Ben. \u201cWell, are we going to get this birthday party started?\u201d he asked with a grin. \u201cI\u2019ll have to eat in this chair, but if you talk real loud, I\u2019ll be able to hear you from the dining room.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss rubbed his hands together. \u201cYou bet, little brother,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019ll even let you have the first piece of cake.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s the only way I\u2019ll get a piece,\u201d Joe grumbled.<\/p>\n

Ben laughed. \u201cI\u2019ll tell Hop Sing to bring you dinner,\u201d he said. \u201cI have a feeling this is going to be the best birthday I\u2019ve ever had.\u201d<\/p>\n

******End*****<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

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

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

Summary:\u00a0 A hunting expedition leads to a fight for life with Mother Nature.<\/p>\n

Rating:\u00a0 T\u00a0\u00a0 (18,820 words)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10338,"featured_media":13920,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","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],"tags":[14,15,17],"class_list":["post-13919","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-drama","tag-adam-cartwright","tag-ben","tag-hoss","wpcat-23-id"],"a3_pvc":{"activated":true,"total_views":1769,"today_views":1},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Blizzard.jpeg?fit=292%2C167&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":15625,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=15625","url_meta":{"origin":13919,"position":0},"title":"The Silk Handkerchief (by Hart4Ben)","author":"Hart4Ben","date":"October 6, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary: The Cartwright sons are chatting around the campfire on the last night of a cattle drive and looking forward to having some time off. 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Rating:\u00a0 K+\u00a0 (850 words)","rel":"","context":"In "Brothers"","block_context":{"text":"Brothers","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=1009"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":12939,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=12939","url_meta":{"origin":13919,"position":4},"title":"He was Brave that Day (by Robin)","author":"profrobinw","date":"February 2, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0 It all started with Hoss saving the life of a neighbor. 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