{"id":13930,"date":"2006-12-12T12:33:30","date_gmt":"2006-12-12T17:33:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=13930"},"modified":"2025-02-27T12:10:17","modified_gmt":"2025-02-27T17:10:17","slug":"deluge-by-susan-g","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=13930","title":{"rendered":"Deluge (by Susan G)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Summary:<\/strong>\u00a0 Fighting against Mother Nature, all it had to do was stop raining and they could go home.<\/p>\n<p>Rating:\u00a0 T\u00a0\u00a0 (2,535 words)<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Deluge<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The water lapped against the canvas bags as the Truckee River determinedly tried to find an outlet for the melting snow and persistent rain which was swelling it to almost twice its normal size. A dozen men piled sacks along the side of the rushing water, equally determined to prevent the river from growing wide enough to send a torrent of water over the crest of the mountain and into the valley below.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m getting tired of this, Hoss,\u201d Joe Cartwright complained to his brother as he hauled another sand-filled bag toward the barrier. \u201cIt\u2019s rained for ten straight days and it doesn\u2019t look like it\u2019s going to stop any time soon. We\u2019ve been working on this dam for almost three days. I\u2019m tired of being wet, I\u2019m tired of eating beans and bacon, and I\u2019m tired of filling and hauling sacks.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Turning from his perch on a rock next to the wall of canvas bags, Hoss Cartwright scowled at his younger brother. \u201cI\u2019m as tired and wet as you are, Joe,\u201d replied Hoss unsympathetically. \u201cBut we\u2019re all going to be in a heap of trouble if this barrier don\u2019t hold. If the river breaks through, the Ponderosa and everything else at the bottom of this mountain is going to be under ten feet of water and mud. Now hand that sack up to me.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou\u2019re right,\u201d Joe acknowledge grudgingly as he lifted the canvas bag and placed it in his brother\u2019s outstretched arms. He watched Hoss position the sack on the top of the man-made wall, then smiled a bit and added, \u201cI\u2019m just grousing because I think I\u2019ve forgotten what it\u2019s like to be warm and dry.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Nodding a bit, Hoss grinned down at Joe. \u201cI know what you mean. When this is all over, I\u2019m going to plop myself down next to that big fireplace at home and not move for a week. It\u2019s going to take at least that long for me to dry out.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou mean you won\u2019t even come to the table for one of Hop Sing\u2019s hot dinners?\u201d teased Joe.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWell, I\u2019m kinda of hoping that ol\u2019 Hop Sing will take pity on me and bring me my dinner,\u201d Hoss admitted. \u201cNow go get me another sack.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cRight,\u201d said Joe with a sigh as he tugged at first the left and then the right glove which covered his hands. He pulled his sodden hat down a bit tighter on his head and adjusted the oil-skin poncho on his shoulders. The poncho, hat and gloves offered protection from the worst of the rain, but the clothing couldn\u2019t prevent the dampness from seeping into what Joe felt was every part of his tired body.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>With a look of determination on his face, Joe took a step toward the area where five men were digging into the ground and filling sacks with the sandy soil. He stopped, however, when he heard his name being called from the left. Turning, Joe watched as his father and oldest brother walked past the wall of sacks, heading in his direction.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cJoe, how are you doing?\u201d Ben Cartwright asked his youngest son.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m wet, and I\u2019m tired and I\u2019m sick of eating beans,\u201d answered Joe, beginning his list of complaints once more.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think Pa was asking how your portion of the dam is coming,\u201d Adam Cartwright said, giving his brother a wry smile.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOh, um, yeah,\u201d replied Joe, looking a bit embarrassed. \u201cWell, we\u2019re in good shape here.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe sure are, Pa,\u201d added Hoss as he jumped down from the rock on which he had been standing. \u201cThat ol\u2019 river ain\u2019t going to break through here. We got it plugged tight as a drum.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Nodding in agreement, Ben nevertheless walked over to man-made barrier and checked the pile of canvas bags. After assuring himself the wall was as solid as Hoss had boasted, Ben turned back to sons. \u201cGood job, boys,\u201d he complimented Joe and Hoss. \u201cI agree that will hold back the water for quite awhile.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDoes that mean we\u2019re done and can go home?\u201d Joe asked eagerly.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNot unless you can make it stop raining,\u201d Adam answered for his father. \u201cThat wall of sacks may not let the river through, but it won\u2019t stop the water from going over the top of it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou don\u2019t really think the river will go that high, do you, Adam?\u201d said Hoss in alarm. \u201cI mean, it can\u2019t rain much longer, can it?<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf you had asked me that a week ago, I would have said no,\u201d replied Adam. \u201cBut now, well, I just don\u2019t know. We have to be ready for anything.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019ve heard of a time when it rained for forty days and forty nights,\u201d added Ben with a small smile.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOh great,\u201d grumbled Joe. \u201cNext he\u2019ll have us building an ark.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhy don\u2019t you boys head up stream and give Charlie Parsons a hand,\u201d suggested Ben, clapping Joe lightly on the back. \u201cHe was having trouble getting his part of the barrier up.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cRight, Pa,\u201d Hoss agreed. He turned to Joe. \u201cC\u2019mon, little brother. We can start collecting animals two by two along the way.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>**********<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>When Hoss and Joe arrived at the section of the dam being built by two of the Ponderosa ranch hands, they were appalled by the one-sided structure they saw. The canvas bags were placed on top of each other almost eight feet high and three feet deep on one side, but only two bags were on the ground next to the tall pile of sacks. A large gap loomed between half-built barrier and a large boulder which separated the section from the rest of the dam that was being built.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cCharlie, whoever taught you to build a dam?\u201d Hoss asked the ranch hand in an astonished voice.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNobody,\u201d answered Charlie defensively. \u201cI\u2019m a wrangler, not a mud slinger. Adam said to pile the bags on top of each other and that\u2019s what I\u2019m doing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI told him we was doing it all wrong,\u201d chimed in Bill, the other Ponderosa hand. \u201cBut he wouldn\u2019t listen to me.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt didn\u2019t occur to either of you geniuses that the water could run through the break next to the boulder while you were building this tower on the right?\u201d added Joe, shaking his head.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWell, we figured we\u2019d get everything done on one side, and then start on the other,\u201d explained Charlie. \u201cI mean, the river ain\u2019t up here yet so we got lots of time.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cCharlie, that river could rise and get up here in ten minutes,\u201d replied Hoss in an exasperated tone. \u201cAin\u2019t you never heard of flash floods?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cGuess I didn\u2019t think of that,\u201d Charlie mumbled, hanging his head.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLet\u2019s not waste time pointing fingers,\u201d declared Joe. \u201cHoss, I\u2019m going to climb up to the top of this thing and start throwing down bags. You and Charlie start stacking them the right way. Bill, start filling up some more sacks. We\u2019re going to need a lot more than we have here.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>As the four men hurried to their tasks, they heard a distant rumble. None of them paid any attention to the noise; they all thought it was thunder. They didn\u2019t know that the rain had caused the saturated dirt of a tall hill upstream to slip and fall into the raging river below. The mudslide blocked the right side of the river, causing the water to surge to the left and form a large wave.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHere comes another one, Hoss\u201d shouted Joe from atop the tall stack of canvas bags. He threw one of the sacks to the ground and watched as his brother picked it up to move it to the small wall of bags that was now being formed in the open space. Joe stopped for a moment to rest his aching arms before shifting another of the sacks. The rain had soaked the bags, making them heavy and hard to handle.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Suddenly, Joe heard a strange noise \u2013 not exactly a rumble, but a sound loud enough to alert him that something was happening. Frowning, Joe turned and looked upstream. His eyes opened wide in surprise and fear as he saw the large wave of water rushing toward him.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHoss! Flash flood!\u201d yelled Joe.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cJoe! Get down from there!\u201d screamed Hoss. He turned quickly and yelled at Charlie. \u201cWarn the others!\u201d \u00a0Charlie began to run upstream, followed closely by Bill; both men were shouting a warning as they ran.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Wanting to be behind the barrier when the water hit, Joe started scrambling toward the shore-side of the tower of bags. He had just started his descent when the wave of water washed over him.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The force of the surge swept Joe away from the tall man-made structure and\u00a0 toward the ground. But before he reached the solid earth, the wave caught him and pulled him away from the shore. Joe tumbled about in the water like a piece of flotsam, helpless and unable to tell up from down. He tried to keep his mouth closed, but he had already swallowed some water. Joe felt as if his lungs were going to burst as he tried desperately not to cough. The poncho ballooned up and over his head, then floated away in the swirling water.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The wave crashed against the large boulder near the half-built dam, forcing the water to flow back onto itself. With nowhere else to go, the surge turned to the open space between the boulder and the tall pile of sacks. Finding an outlet, the water poured over the small row of bags, thinning itself out in the process.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Joe\u2019s head popped to the surface as the water flowed toward the land. He coughed hard twice and then gulped a lungful of air. Joe clawed desperately for something to hang on to, but the water was too deep for him to reach the bags underneath him. He also was too far away to grab at the tall pile of sacks.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHelp! Hoss!\u201d Joe cried out in terror. He could feel the current of the river pulling him away from the land and back toward the larger part of the waterway. Joe knew he would drown if he ended up in the main flow of the river; his sodden clothes would pull him underwater in minutes. \u201cHelp!\u201d Joe shouted as his arms flailed about.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Suddenly, Joe felt his left arm being grabbed and held in a vise-like grip. He wasn\u2019t sure how it happened, but he knew Hoss had somehow managed to fight his way through the flood and catch his arm.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>As the water receded from the land, a tug of war began, with Joe as the prize. The current pulled Joe back toward the river channel, while Hoss held tightly on to Joe\u2019s arm.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDon\u2019t let go!\u201d yelled Joe, the fear evident in his voice. He could see his brother standing in chest-deep water, bracing himself against the small wall of canvas bags. \u201cHang on, Hoss!\u201d Joe screamed.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>For several minutes, the tug of war continued. Joe felt as if his arm was being ripped out of his shoulder as the current pulled him back while Hoss grimly kept his big hands wrapped tightly around Joe\u2019s arm. Water splashed into Joe\u2019s face and mouth, causing him to cough and gasp for air. Joe tried to bring his right arm forward so he could grasp Hoss\u2019 arm with it, but the current kept forcing it back. His legs were straight out behind him as the water continued to try to drag Joe away. Joe struggled to kick his feet, hoping to propel his body forward, but his water-filled boots made his legs feel as if they were tied to lead weights.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>As if conceding defeat, the surge finally began to recede. Almost as quickly as it had come, the water level dropped. The current lost its strong pull as the remnants of the wave splashed aimlessly against the boulder and the canvas sacks. Like a cork being popped from a bottle, Joe suddenly shot forward. His body crashed into Hoss with enough force to knock the big man to the ground.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Hoss and Joe laid on their backs in a shallow pool of water for several minutes; both were gasping for air and unable to move. Finally, Hoss pulled himself up to a sitting position, and helped Joe do the same.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAre you all right, Joe?\u201d asked Hoss, his voice full of concern.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d Joe answered, still panting heavily. He moved his left arm a bit, and winced in pain. \u201cI think my shoulder is dislocated.\u201d Joe looked Hoss straight in the eyes. \u201cThanks,\u201d was all he said but the word carried a heartfelt sentiment.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI didn\u2019t do nothing but grab you and hang on,\u201d replied Hoss, shrugging a bit.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou saved my life,\u201d insisted Joe. He shook his head slowly. \u201cI don\u2019t think I\u2019ve ever been so scared. I thought sure I was going to drown.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWell, I was scared too,\u201d Hoss admitted. \u201cI was afraid my hand would slip and you\u2019d get away from me. I was scared my last look at you would be as you floated down river.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The sound of running feet made both Hoss and Joe turn their heads to look. Ben and Adam were leading a large group of men toward them.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHoss! Joe! Are you all right?\u201d called Ben as he approached his youngest sons.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cJoe here has a dislocated shoulder, and we\u2019re both soaked to the skin, but I reckon we\u2019re all right,\u201d Hoss told his father calmly. \u201cEverybody else come through it all right?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYes,\u201d answered Ben in a distracted voice as his eyes raked his sons, checking for injuries. \u201cCharlie and Bill were able to warn us in time; we got everyone back from the water.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think you two got the worst of it,\u201d added Adam. His eyes narrowed a bit as they also searched his brothers for signs of damage. Convinced Hoss and Joe were relatively unharmed, Adam grinned at his water-soaked brothers. \u201cNext time, let us know when you two decide to go for a swim,\u201d he said in a teasing voice.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cCharlie, Bill, go get some blankets,\u201d Ben ordered. \u201cSam, get up to the camp and make sure there\u2019s a fire going and some coffee brewing.\u201d As the three men hurried off, Ben turned to Adam. \u201cWe\u2019re going to have to get these two home. Get some horses saddled.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHey, Joe,\u201d said Hoss, his face brightening. \u201cGuess we\u2019re going to get that warm place by the fire sooner than we thought.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYeah,\u201d agreed Joe as he rubbed his sore shoulder. \u201cBut didn\u2019t you notice? It\u2019s stopped raining.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSo it has,\u201d acknowledged Adam, looking up at the clearing sky. \u201cIt looks like the storm has finally passed. The river will stop rising. I doubt if it will even get to the barrier.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou mean, we did all of this for nothing?\u201d exclaimed Hoss in dismay.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNot for nothing, Hoss,\u201d declared Joe. He looked at his brother who had saved his life, and the gratitude shone in his eyes. \u201cI\u2019m never going to forget this day.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>*****End*****<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"pvc_clear\"><\/div>\n<p id=\"pvc_stats_13930\" class=\"pvc_stats all  \" data-element-id=\"13930\" style=\"\"><i class=\"pvc-stats-icon medium\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" version=\"1.0\" viewBox=\"0 0 502 315\" preserveAspectRatio=\"xMidYMid meet\"><g transform=\"translate(0,332) scale(0.1,-0.1)\" fill=\"\" stroke=\"none\"><path d=\"M2394 3279 l-29 -30 -3 -207 c-2 -182 0 -211 15 -242 39 -76 157 -76 196 0 15 31 17 60 15 243 l-3 209 -33 29 c-26 23 -41 29 -80 29 -41 0 -53 -5 -78 -31z\"\/><path d=\"M3085 3251 c-45 -19 -58 -50 -96 -229 -47 -217 -49 -260 -13 -295 52 -53 146 -42 177 20 16 31 87 366 87 410 0 70 -86 122 -155 94z\"\/><path d=\"M1751 3234 c-13 -9 -29 -31 -37 -50 -12 -29 -10 -49 21 -204 19 -94 39 -189 45 -210 14 -50 54 -80 110 -80 34 0 48 6 76 34 21 21 34 44 34 59 0 14 -18 113 -40 219 -37 178 -43 195 -70 221 -36 32 -101 37 -139 11z\"\/><path d=\"M1163 3073 c-36 -7 -73 -59 -73 -102 0 -56 133 -378 171 -413 34 -32 83 -37 129 -13 70 36 67 87 -16 290 -86 209 -89 214 -129 231 -35 14 -42 15 -82 7z\"\/><path d=\"M3689 3066 c-15 -9 -33 -30 -42 -48 -48 -103 -147 -355 -147 -375 0 -98 131 -148 192 -74 13 15 57 108 97 206 80 196 84 226 37 273 -30 30 -99 39 -137 18z\"\/><path d=\"M583 2784 c-38 -19 -67 -74 -58 -113 9 -42 211 -354 242 -373 16 -10 45 -18 66 -18 51 0 107 52 107 100 0 39 -1 41 -124 234 -80 126 -108 162 -133 173 -41 17 -61 16 -100 -3z\"\/><path d=\"M4250 2784 c-14 -9 -74 -91 -133 -183 -95 -150 -107 -173 -107 -213 0 -55 33 -94 87 -104 67 -13 90 8 211 198 130 202 137 225 78 284 -27 27 -42 34 -72 34 -22 0 -50 -8 -64 -16z\"\/><path d=\"M2275 2693 c-553 -48 -1095 -270 -1585 -649 -135 -104 -459 -423 -483 -476 -23 -49 -22 -139 2 -186 73 -142 361 -457 571 -626 285 -228 642 -407 990 -497 242 -63 336 -73 660 -74 310 0 370 5 595 52 535 111 1045 392 1455 803 122 121 250 273 275 326 19 41 19 137 0 174 -41 79 -309 363 -465 492 -447 370 -946 591 -1479 653 -113 14 -422 18 -536 8z m395 -428 c171 -34 330 -124 456 -258 112 -119 167 -219 211 -378 27 -96 24 -300 -5 -401 -72 -255 -236 -447 -474 -557 -132 -62 -201 -76 -368 -76 -167 0 -236 14 -368 76 -213 98 -373 271 -451 485 -162 444 86 934 547 1084 153 49 292 57 452 25z m909 -232 c222 -123 408 -262 593 -441 76 -74 138 -139 138 -144 0 -16 -233 -242 -330 -319 -155 -123 -309 -223 -461 -299 l-81 -41 32 46 c18 26 49 83 70 128 143 306 141 649 -6 957 -25 52 -61 116 -79 142 l-34 47 45 -20 c26 -10 76 -36 113 -56z m-2057 25 c-40 -58 -105 -190 -130 -263 -110 -324 -59 -707 132 -981 25 -35 42 -64 37 -64 -19 0 -241 119 -326 174 -188 122 -406 314 -532 468 l-58 71 108 103 c185 178 428 349 672 473 66 33 121 60 123 61 2 0 -10 -19 -26 -42z\"\/><path d=\"M2375 1950 c-198 -44 -350 -190 -395 -379 -18 -76 -8 -221 19 -290 114 -284 457 -406 731 -260 98 52 188 154 231 260 27 69 37 214 19 290 -38 163 -166 304 -326 360 -67 23 -215 33 -279 19z\"\/><\/g><\/svg><\/i> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" alt=\"Loading\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/plugins\/page-views-count\/ajax-loader-2x.gif?resize=16%2C16&#038;ssl=1\" border=0 \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"pvc_clear\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Summary:\u00a0 Fighting against Mother Nature, all it had to do was stop raining and they could go home.<\/p>\n<p>Rating:\u00a0 T\u00a0\u00a0 (2,535 words)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10338,"featured_media":13931,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"template-full-width-post.php","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[23],"tags":[14,15,17,16],"class_list":["post-13930","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-drama","tag-adam-cartwright","tag-ben","tag-hoss","tag-joe","wpcat-23-id"],"a3_pvc":{"activated":true,"total_views":1493,"today_views":0},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/flash-flood.jpg?fit=800%2C548&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":10417,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=10417","url_meta":{"origin":13930,"position":0},"title":"The Contest (by bahj)","author":"bahj","date":"January 7, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary: Hoss finds out you can be a winner in more ways than one. Rated: Family Friendly \/ Word count: 1085","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Drama&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Drama","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=23"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/serious-Hoss.jpg?fit=269%2C298&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":6197,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=6197","url_meta":{"origin":13930,"position":1},"title":"A Double-Negative Escapade (by Annie K Cowgirl)","author":"Annie K Cowgirl","date":"June 19, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0Take Adam, Hoss, and Little Joe; add a touch of grammar, confusion, and silliness and you end up with.... Rated:\u00a0K+ (985 words)","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Humor&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Humor","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=4"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/Da-brothers-bonanza-16935311-400-264.jpg?fit=400%2C264&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":14374,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=14374","url_meta":{"origin":13930,"position":2},"title":"The Tiger Puzzle (by Robin)","author":"profrobinw","date":"January 1, 2000","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0 The Cartwright brothers come to the aid of sisters; however, will they be able to help the damsels in distress? \u00a0If you know the brothers, you know where this is going -- risque'. Rating: \u00a0T \u00a0(1,135 words)","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Humor&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Humor","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=4"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/ARLE-e1497282889671.png?fit=570%2C416&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/ARLE-e1497282889671.png?fit=570%2C416&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/ARLE-e1497282889671.png?fit=570%2C416&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":6355,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=6355","url_meta":{"origin":13930,"position":3},"title":"Cartwright v, Cartwright (by debpet)","author":"debpet","date":"August 7, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary: \u00a0One of Ben Cartwright's sons is suing another! Rated:\u00a0K \u00a0WC \u00a02600","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Drama&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Drama","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=23"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/VC-Courthouse.png?fit=680%2C512&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/VC-Courthouse.png?fit=680%2C512&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/VC-Courthouse.png?fit=680%2C512&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2983,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=2983","url_meta":{"origin":13930,"position":4},"title":"After the Dragon (by frasrgrl)","author":"frasrgrl","date":"April 24, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0\u00a0This is a WHN for Day of the Dragon. It's my entry for the March Chaps and Spurs challenge along with the Pinecone Trifecta. Word Count: 1,063\u00a0\u00a0Rated: K","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Chaps and Spurs&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Chaps and Spurs","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=39"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/dotd.jpg?fit=476%2C338&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":12133,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=12133","url_meta":{"origin":13930,"position":5},"title":"Frightened Beyond Reason (by DebbieB)","author":"DebbieB","date":"June 1, 2002","format":false,"excerpt":"DebbieB passed away Christmas 2021. Any reader wishing to read this series should e:mail the Brandsters:\u00a0 Brandsters2020@gmail.com","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Drama&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Drama","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=23"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/2-joe.jpg?fit=237%2C221&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13930","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/10338"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=13930"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13930\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/13931"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=13930"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=13930"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=13930"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}