{"id":13932,"date":"2004-12-03T12:39:32","date_gmt":"2004-12-03T17:39:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=13932"},"modified":"2026-07-22T08:26:48","modified_gmt":"2026-07-22T12:26:48","slug":"desperate-ride-by-susan-g","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=13932","title":{"rendered":"Desperate Ride (by Susan G)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summary:<\/strong>\u00a0 Overhearing news of a planned massacre at a Treaty Signing, Joe sets out on an impossible ride in order to save countless lives of Indians, soldiers, settlers, and importantly, Ben Cartwright.<\/p>\n

Rating:\u00a0 T\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 (5,200 words)<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Desperate Ride<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The morning haze was beginning to burn off as two riders lazily started down the trail.\u00a0 Joe Cartwright stopped, stretched and yawned.\u00a0 \u201cHow come we have to look for those strays at the crack of dawn?\u201d Joe asked grumpily.<\/p>\n

\u201cCrack of dawn?\u201d said his brother, Hoss.\u00a0 \u201cIt must be close to ten.\u00a0 If I left it up to you, you\u2019d have stayed in bed until noon.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat sounds good to me,\u201d said Joe with a grin.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe got a lot to do while Pa\u2019s over at Fort Benson,\u201d Hoss said. \u201cThe sooner we get started, the sooner we\u2019ll get everything done.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re a bear for work all of a sudden,\u201d said Joe.\u00a0 \u201cIt couldn\u2019t be because you want to take the day off tomorrow, could it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy would I want to do that?\u201d answered Hoss, with wide-eye innocence.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, \u201c said Joe with a teasing voice, \u201cI heard that Bessie Sue Moran asked you to take her fishing. \u201c<\/p>\n

Hoss blushed.\u00a0 \u201cNow, Joe, you know Bessie Sue is just a friend.\u00a0 And I happen to like fishing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, right,\u201d Joe said with a grin. \u201cWell,\u00a0 you just better be careful that a fish isn\u2019t the only thing that gets hooked!\u201d Joe started laughing and urged his horse forward as Hoss removed his hat and took a swipe at his brother with it.\u00a0 Hoss grinned as he rode after his brother.<\/p>\n

The two men hadn\u2019t ridden very far when Joe abruptly pulled his horse to a stop. \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong?\u201d asked Hoss, stopping next\u00a0 to him.<\/p>\n

Joe pointed.\u00a0 \u201cIsn\u2019t that Charley Scroggins? I thought he was still in jail.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss peered at the figure riding ahead.\u00a0 The man was riding slowly, cautiously, looking around him.\u00a0 Suddenly, the man stopped.\u00a0 With one last look around, he dismounted his horse and disappeared into a thicket of trees and bushes.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, that\u2019s him,\u201d said Hoss.\u00a0 \u201cHe got out a couple of weeks ago.\u00a0 He\u2019s acting awful funny.\u00a0 Maybe we ought to go see what he\u2019s up to.\u201d\u00a0 Joe nodded.<\/p>\n

Joe and Hoss rode down the trail to the thicket.\u00a0 They dismounted and tied their horses to a bush.\u00a0 They moved through the undergrowth as silently as possible.\u00a0 Joe put his hand up to stop his brother, then pointed to their left.\u00a0 Two men were standing in a small clearing.\u00a0 One was Charley Scroggins.\u00a0 Joe and Hoss crouched down and moved closer.<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you sure you can deliver those guns?\u201d asked Scroggins.<\/p>\n

\u201cI already told you they\u2019d be here by the end of the week,\u201d the other man answered.\u00a0 \u201cWhat I want to know is how you can be sure the Piautes will buy them from you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Scroggins laughed.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m sure.\u00a0 Ol\u2019 Red Pony is a friend of mine.\u00a0 He wants to a war chief. And he\u2019s got lots of what he calls \u2018white man\u2019s yellow rocks\u2019 stashed away. \u201c<\/p>\n

\u201cBut, I heard the Piautes are getting ready to sign a peace treaty,\u201d the other man insisted.\u00a0 \u201cThey won\u2019t want to buy guns if there\u2019s peace.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe got that covered, too.\u201d Scroggins said.\u00a0 \u201cThere\u2019s going to be a big explosion at the treaty signing.\u00a0 All the chiefs and most of the Army top brass will be killed. The Indians will blame the Army; the Army will blame the Indians.\u00a0 There will be a war before the end of the week.\u201d Joe and Hoss looked at each other with concern.\u00a0 Their father, Ben Cartwright, was at Fort Benson for the treaty signing.\u00a0 He had helped negotiate the terms of the peace, and he was going to be there to witness the signing.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, if you say so,\u201d the stranger said.\u00a0 \u201cI still think it\u2019s funny that an Army captain would start a war.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t know this Army captain, \u201c replied Scroggins.\u00a0 \u201cHe\u2019s got gambling debts to pay. The gold we get from Red Pony will pay those debts.\u00a0 Besides, with the top brass dead, he figures he\u2019ll get an instant promotion.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss looked at Joe and nodded.\u00a0 They had heard enough.\u00a0 Both men drew their guns.\u00a0 Hoss gestured and Joe nodded.\u00a0 The men moved quietly through the brush, one going to the right, the other to the left.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve got to get going,\u201d Scroggins said.\u00a0 \u201cYou have that wagonload of guns at Willow Lake on Friday.\u00a0 I\u2019ll have Red Pony and the gold there are dawn.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHold it!\u201d yelled Hoss as he burst out of the brush.\u00a0 The two men looked at him with a startled expression.\u00a0 Scroggins reached for his gun, but a shot from the left froze him.\u00a0 Joe emerged from the brush, his gun smoking.<\/p>\n

\u201cPut your hands up and don\u2019t move,\u201d said Hoss.\u00a0 Both men complied.\u00a0 Joe moved cautiously around them, removing the gun from each man\u2019s holster.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s this all about?\u201d said Scroggins.\u00a0 \u201cI haven\u2019t done anything.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, \u201c said Joe with a trace of bitterness.\u00a0 \u201cAll you\u2019ve done is try to blow up our Pa and start an Indian war. We heard what you said.\u00a0 Lucky for you we found out\u00a0 in time.\u00a0 Otherwise, you two would be facing a hangman\u2019s rope for murder.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLook, I didn\u2019t do anything, \u201c said the stranger.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m just selling some guns.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t make any difference,\u201d said Hoss.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re part of this.\u00a0 That makes you as guilty as Scroggins here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss, let\u2019s get these two to Sheriff Coffee in Virginia City and get a wire off to Fort Benton,\u201d said Joe.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can\u2019t,\u201d said the stranger with desperation.\u00a0 \u201cThe wire has been cut in two places. It\u2019s going to take them a week to find and fix the breaks!\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe and Hoss looked at each other.\u00a0 They realized their Pa was in great danger.<\/p>\n

Joe grabbed Scroggins by the front of the shirt and stuck his gun under the man\u2019s chin. \u201cAll right, \u201c said Joe.\u00a0 \u201cYou better start talking and talking fast.\u00a0 What\u2019s going to happen and when.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTell him, Scroggins,\u201d pleaded the stranger.\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t want to hang for murder. Tell him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Scroggins\u2019 eye bulged with fear.\u00a0 \u201cThere\u2019s nothing you can do about it, \u201c he said in a shaky voice.\u00a0 \u201cThe chiefs arrive at the Fort about noon tomorrow.\u00a0\u00a0 Captain Johnson is going to be part of the treaty signing. Once everyone is in the colonel\u2019s office, he\u2019s to find an excuse to leave.\u00a0 When he gets outside, he\u2019s going to light a load of dynamite hidden under the office and\u00a0 walk away. \u201c<\/p>\n

Joe cocked his pistol.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019d better be telling the truth,\u201d he said heatedly.\u00a0 Scroggins licked his lips nervously.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m telling the truth.\u00a0 I\u2019ve got no reason to lie.\u00a0 But you can\u2019t do anything about it.\u00a0 It\u2019s too late.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe released the man with a shove.\u00a0 He turned to his brother.\u00a0 \u201cDo you think you can get these two into town by yourself?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure, but what are you going to do?\u201d asked Hoss.<\/p>\n

\u201cOnly thing I can do.\u00a0 I\u2019m going to ride to Fort Benson and warn them,\u201d answered Joe grimly.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, it\u2019s over a hundred miles to Fort Benson!\u00a0 And through some pretty rough\u00a0 country. You\u2019ll never make it by noon tomorrow,\u201d said Hoss.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve got to try, \u201c insisted Joe.\u00a0 \u201cIf I start now and ride hard, I should make it to Harvey Jones\u2019 place by dusk.\u00a0 I can get a fresh horse there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss shook his head.\u00a0 \u201cJoe, you\u2019ll kill yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou got a better idea?\u201d asked Joe angrily.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWe got to stop them.\u00a0 Pa\u2019s life is involved.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know,\u201d said Hoss with resignation.\u00a0 \u201cAnd I don\u2019t have a better idea.\u00a0 I\u2019ll take these fellows to town and see if I can find another way to get a message to the Fort.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe nodded.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019d better get going.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Joe holstered his gun and started walking rapidly toward his horse.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe!\u201d called Hoss.\u00a0 Joe stopped and turned.\u00a0 \u201cYou look after yourself, \u201c Hoss said quietly.\u00a0 Joe nodded and turned back to his horse. He vaulted on to the back of his pinto and kicked the horse into a gallop.\u00a0 Joe rode hard for hours, stopping only to water his tired horse and himself.\u00a0 Hoss was right.\u00a0 The country he rode through was rough, full of rocks and scrub brush. Joe\u2019s shoulders and legs were beginning to ache from the long time in the saddle.\u00a0 He ignored the soreness, and rode on.<\/p>\n

The sun was starting to go down as he reached Harvey Jones\u2019 ranch.\u00a0 Joe figured he had covered more than fifty miles, going over hills and through rivers. He wished he had some flat ground to cover, so he could pick up some time. But the fastest way to Fort Benson was through some of the roughest country in Nevada.\u00a0 He rode into the Jones place just has Harvey was coming out of the barn.\u00a0 Joe\u2019s horse was lathered with sweat and breathing hard.\u00a0 Joe was in just about the same shape.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe Cartwright!\u201d yelled Harvey as he rode up.\u00a0 \u201cWhat are you trying to do?\u00a0 Kill your horse or kill yourself?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHarvey, I need a fresh horse fast.\u00a0 I\u2019ve got to get to Fort Benson by noon tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, son,\u201d said Harvey ruefully.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019ll never make it.\u00a0 It\u2019s too far.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve got to, \u201c said Joe as he dismounted.\u00a0 \u201cThere\u2019s a captain there who\u2019s going to try and start a war.\u00a0 He\u2019s going to blow up Pa, the Army colonel and the Piaute chiefs just as they\u2019re signing the treaty.\u00a0 If I don\u2019t stop it, this whole country will be a bloody battlefield by the end of the week.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy God!\u201d exclaimed Harvey.\u00a0 \u201cI remember the last time the Piautes went on the warpath.\u00a0 There wasn\u2019t a white man alive for miles around here. I\u2019ll get you a fresh horse.\u201d<\/p>\n

Harvey rushed into the barn.\u00a0 Joe unbuckled the saddle from his tired horse, and gave the animal an affectionate pat.\u00a0 \u201cYou rest, Cochise.\u00a0 I\u2019ll come back and get you.\u201d\u00a0 Joe carried his saddle toward the barn.\u00a0 He stopped at a well near the barn.\u00a0 A bucket of water was on the edge of the well. The handle of a ladle was sticking out of the bucket. Joe pulled the ladle from the bucket, and took a long drink of water.\u00a0 He removed his hat and poured the rest of the water over his head.\u00a0\u00a0 He hoped the water would revive his tired body.<\/p>\n

\u201cHere you go, Joe\u201d said Harvey, leading a roan horse from the barn.\u00a0 \u201cThis is the best horse I got.\u00a0 He\u2019s not as fast as your horse, but he\u2019s got some speed. Better than that, he\u2019s strong; he\u2019ll run all day for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks, Harvey,\u201d Joe said gratefully.\u00a0 He threw his saddle over the horse and started buckling it on.<\/p>\n

\u201cListen, Joe, I\u2019ve been thinking, \u201c said Harvey.\u00a0 \u201cIf you can cut through those woods near Pyramid Lake, you\u2019ll save yourself five or six miles.\u00a0 A friend of mine, Arch Fenner, has a ranch on the other side of the woods.\u00a0 You tell him\u00a0 what you told me.\u00a0 He\u2019ll give you a fresh horse.\u00a0 It\u2019s only about fifteen miles to the Fort from Arch\u2019s place.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe nodded as he mounted.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll do that,\u201d\u00a0 said Joe.\u00a0 \u201cThanks.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo thanks needed,\u201d said Harvey.\u00a0 \u201cI figure you\u2019re trying to save my hide, just as much as your Pa\u2019s.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe nodded again and rode off at a gallop.\u00a0 \u201cGood luck!\u201d shouted Harvey after him.\u00a0 He watched Joe for a minute.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019ll need it, \u201c said Harvey to himself.\u00a0 Joe rode the new horse hard through the open country.\u00a0 The land continued to be hilly, with gullies and trees scattered throughout.\u00a0 He kept his eyes out for holes as he kicked the horse on.\u00a0 A fall now would be a disaster.\u00a0 Not only would it prevent him from getting to the Fort on time but a fall could mean broken bones for him or the horse\u2026or both.\u00a0 Night had fallen and the moon was rising as Joe reached the edge of the woods that Harvey mentioned. Joe stopped and looked doubtfully at the thick growth of trees.\u00a0 He knew the woods went on for miles.\u00a0 It would be difficult to get through them in the dark with any speed.\u00a0 Joe chewed on his lower lip, thinking hard.\u00a0 If he went around, he would add miles to the trip, and might not make it to the Fort in time.\u00a0 He couldn\u2019t travel very fast in the dark, even in open country.\u00a0 Joe slumped in the saddle. He was so tired he could hardly think straight.\u00a0 And he had a long way to go.<\/p>\n

Joe took a deep breath and squared his shoulders.\u00a0 He patted the horse\u2019s neck. \u201cC\u2019mon, boy,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019ll figure out a way to do this.\u201d\u00a0 He kicked the horse forward.\u00a0 He kept the horse at a slow lope as he went deeper and deeper into the woods.\u00a0 It was so dark he could barely see.\u00a0 Joe kept his eyes glued to the ground, looking for rocks, roots, or other debris which could trip the horse.\u00a0 He never looked ahead, trusting the horse to find his own trail.\u00a0 He never saw the branch that hit him in the head and knocked him from the saddle.<\/p>\n

When Joe woke, he found himself on the ground.\u00a0 He had no idea how long he had been unconscious.\u00a0 He sat up slowly.\u00a0 Something was oozing into his left eye.\u00a0 He put his hand to his face and wiped his eye.\u00a0 He looked his hand and saw it was covered with blood.\u00a0 He gingerly touched his forehead, feeling a knot a few inches above the eye.\u00a0 He could feel a cut just below the knot.\u00a0 Joe wiped his arm over his forehead and eye, trying to get the blood out of his eye.\u00a0 He felt the cut again.\u00a0 The bleeding was slow.\u00a0 The cut would probably close itself soon.\u00a0 Joe picked his hat up off the ground and gingerly place it on his head.\u00a0 He peered into the darkness, trying to get his bearings.\u00a0 Suddenly, he heard the snicker of a horse.\u00a0 It came from someplace up the trail.\u00a0 Joe stood, reeling a bit as he got to his feet.\u00a0 Staggering, he started up the trail.<\/p>\n

The horse was about ten yards ahead of him, contentedly chewing on the grass near a small group of trees.\u00a0 Joe approached him slowly.\u00a0 \u201cWhoa, there,\u201d he said soothingly as he neared the animal.\u00a0 The horse lifted his head and looked at Joe.\u00a0 Joe walked slowly to the animal and put his hand on the horse\u2019s neck.\u00a0 Joe slid his hand across the animal\u2019s rump as he walked around him. The horse stood quietly as Joe checked the girth and then climbed into the saddle.\u00a0 A small stream of blood trickled into Joe\u2019s eye.\u00a0 He wiped it away with his sleeve.\u00a0 His head ached and his body seemed to be sore all over.\u00a0 Joe gritted his teeth, and turned his horse.\u00a0 \u201cC\u2019mon,\u201d he said, urging the animal forward. He started riding through the woods again, but this time he kept his eyes moving back and forth between the ground and the trail ahead.\u00a0\u00a0 After what seemed an endless journey, Joe finally emerged from the woods.\u00a0 He was on the crest of the hill. The sky was still dark but the moon shone bright as Joe got his bearings.\u00a0 He saw a trail below him.\u00a0 He urged his horse down the hill, toward the trail.\u00a0 Once he reached the trail, he kicked the horse into a gallop.\u00a0Joe rode as fast as he could down the trail.\u00a0 He could feel the horse under him was tiring.\u00a0 He knew how the animal felt; Joe was so tired he could barely stay in the saddle.\u00a0 But the thought of the pending disaster at the Fort spurred him on.He knew he couldn\u2019t stop, not if he wanted to save his Pa.\u00a0 Joe rode through the dawn and the rising sun.\u00a0 As the sky lightened, he saw a ranch far in the distance, and hoped it was Arch Fenner\u2019s place.\u00a0 Regardless, he would need to get a fresh horse.\u00a0 The roan wouldn\u2019t be able to go much further.<\/p>\n

A man was in the yard, splitting logs as Joe approached.\u00a0 He looked up suspiciously\u00a0 as Joe rode his exhausted horse toward him.\u00a0 Joe was covered with dust.\u00a0 His face was streaked with dirt, sweat and blood. The man dropped this ax and\u00a0 put his hand on the gun hanging on his hip.<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you Arch Fenner?\u201d Joe asked in a tired voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, what of it?\u201d answered the rancher cautiously.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m a friend of Harvey Jones.\u00a0 I\u2019ve got to get to Fort Benson by noon.\u00a0 Harvey said I could get a fresh horse here, \u201c replied Joe.<\/p>\n

Fenner looked Joe over, then studied the horse.\u00a0 \u201cI recognize that roan,\u201d he said. \u201cThat\u2019s Harvey\u2019s horse, all right.\u00a0 But why are you in such an all fired hurry to get to Fort Benson?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe\u2019s body sagged with fatigue.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m too tired to try and explain,\u201d he said wearily.<\/p>\n

\u201cCan I have the horse?\u00a0 You can keep this one until I get back.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fenner put his hand to his chin and studied Joe for a minute.\u00a0 \u201cAll right,\u201d he said finally.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll get you a horse.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe nodded gratefully.\u00a0 He dismounted as Fenner headed toward the barn. Once again, he unsaddled his horse.\u00a0 This time, though, the saddle felt like it weighed three hundred pounds.\u00a0 He wearily dragged the saddle toward the barn. He stopped at a water trough near the barn.\u00a0 Joe knelt and plunged his hand into the water. \u00a0He used his hand as a cup, first to drink and then to splash water onto his face.\u00a0 Finally, he stood, water dripping from his face.\u00a0 Joe couldn\u2019t believe how much effort it took to get to his feet.\u00a0 Fenner led a black horse toward Joe.\u00a0 Joe liked the look of the horse; the animal seemed strong.\u00a0 \u201cHow far is it to the Fort?\u201d Joe asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cAbout fifteen miles if you follow the trail,\u201d answered Fenner.\u00a0 \u201cIf you cut over the hills, it\u2019s only about ten.\u00a0 But that\u2019s a rough ride.\u00a0 You don\u2019t look like you could make it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll make it,\u201d said Joe.\u00a0 He threw his saddle on the black and tightened the girth.\u00a0 He started to mount, but he couldn\u2019t get his tired legs to work properly. Fenner caught Joe as he fell back toward the ground.<\/p>\n

\u201cSon, you better come inside and rest for awhile,\u201d Fenner said with concern.<\/p>\n

Joe shook his head.\u00a0 \u201cNo, I\u2019ve got to keep going.\u00a0 If I stop now, I\u2019ll never get to the Fort on time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know what\u2019s going on, but it can\u2019t be so important that it\u2019s worth killing yourself,\u201d answered Fenner.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, it is,\u201d Joe said grimly.\u00a0 He turned back to the horse, and, using more will power than strength,\u00a0 pulled himself into the saddle.\u00a0 \u201cThanks,\u201d he said as he turned the horse and rode off.<\/p>\n

\u201cFool kid,\u201d muttered Fenner, as he picked the ax he had dropped.<\/p>\n

Joe steered the horse toward the hills, keeping the horse going at a steady pace.\u00a0 He was so tired that he could barely keep his eyes open.\u00a0 He found himself starting to doze in the saddle as the horse slowed to a walk.\u00a0 He tried to urge the horse on at a faster pace, but he couldn\u2019t seem to make his aching muscles work.\u00a0 He slumped forward onto the neck of the horse as the horse walked on.\u00a0Joe woke with a start.\u00a0 He was confused by fatigue and sleep.\u00a0 The horse had stopped and was grazing on the grass.\u00a0 The sun was high in the sky.\u00a0 Joe knew he must have slept for awhile.\u00a0 The nap didn\u2019t seem to have helped him much. He still felt as if he could sleep for a week.\u00a0 Suddenly, he remember his mission.\u00a0 He gathered up the reins and jerked the startled horse\u2019s head up.\u00a0 He kicked the horse hard, sending the animal into a gallop.<\/p>\n

Joe rode over the hills as fast as the horse could run.\u00a0 He urged the horse down a steep hill, and hung on to the pommel of the saddle as the animal plunged down sharply.\u00a0 At the bottom of the hill, Joe reined him to a stop, allowing both of them to catch their breath. Joe looked to his right.\u00a0 In the distance, he could see Fort Benson. He checked the sun. It was close to noon.\u00a0 Once again, Joe kicked the horse into a gallop.\u00a0 A surge of adrenaline raced through Joe\u2019s body now that he could see the Fort. The gates were partially open as he rode up, with two soldiers on guard duty.\u00a0 The soldiers stopped him as he tried to ride into the fort.<\/p>\n

\u201cHold it, mister,\u201d said one of the soldiers, barring Joe\u2019s path.\u00a0 Joe pulled his horse to a stop.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy name\u2019s Joe Cartwright,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cMy father, Ben Cartwright, is in the Fort. I need to see him right away.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSorry,\u201d said the second soldier.\u00a0 \u201cNo one goes in until the Paiutes arrive and the treaty is signed.\u00a0 Orders.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe dismounted.\u00a0 \u201cLook,\u201d he said urgently.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ve GOT to delay that treaty signing.\u00a0 If you don\u2019t let me in, there going to be a massacre.\u201d<\/p>\n

The two soldiers looked at each other, trying to decide what to do.\u00a0 \u201cThe colonel said no one gets in\u201d \u00a0the first soldier finally stated firmly. \u201cYou can\u2019t just ride up here with some wild story and expect us to disobey the colonel.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe was too tired to argue with the men.\u00a0 He turned as if he was going to walk away, then whirled and punched one of the soldiers in the jaw.\u00a0 Before the other could react, Joe shoved him out of the way and started to run through the gates.\u00a0 The two soldiers got up from the ground and started chasing Joe, yelling for him to stop.\u00a0 One caught up with Joe and tackled him.\u00a0 Joe struggled to escape his grasp, as the second grabbed his shoulders.\u00a0 The three struggled and rolled on the ground.<\/p>\n

\u2018What\u2019s going on here?\u201d an authoritative voice shouted.\u00a0 The soldiers let Joe go and stood at attention.\u00a0 Joe looked up wearily and stared into the face of a colonel.<\/p>\n

\u201cColonel, this man tried to break into the fort, \u201c one of the soldiers said stiffly, still standing at attention.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s my son!\u201d a voice said from behind the colonel.\u00a0\u00a0 Ben Cartwright brushed past the colonel and helped Joe to his feet.\u00a0 Several other officers and soldiers hurriedly joined the group.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, what are you doing here?\u201d Ben asked in astonishment.\u00a0 He was alarmed at his son\u2019s appearance.\u00a0 Joe\u2019s eyes were bloodshot and his face was etched with fatigue.\u00a0 Ben noted with concern the bruise over his son\u2019s eye and the streaks of blood on the side of his face. It seemed he could see more dirt than skin on Joe\u2019s face.<\/p>\n

Joe grabbed his father\u2019s arms. \u201cPa, you\u2019ve got to delay the treaty signing.\u00a0 If you don\u2019t, you all are going to be killed,\u201d Joe blurted out.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou two, get back to your post,\u201d the colonel gestured toward the two soldiers. Both saluted and left. The colonel turned toward Joe.\u00a0 \u201cNow, what\u2019s this all about?\u201d asked the colonel sternly.<\/p>\n

Joe glanced at the colonel, and took a deep breath. He looked straight at his father, confident that Ben would believe him.\u00a0 \u201cHoss and I followed Charley Scroggins yesterday morning near Oak Meadow,\u201d he explained.\u00a0 \u201cHe met a man there, and we heard him tell the man that one of the captains here was trying to start a war. Scroggins was going to sell guns to the Piautes once the war started.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cStart a war!\u00a0 That\u2019s preposterous!\u201d the colonel said.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo sir, \u201c Joe said.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s the truth.\u00a0 The captain\u2019s name is Johnson.\u00a0 He\u2019s going to blow up your office once everyone is in it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s ridiculous,\u201d said one of the officers, stepping forward.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m Captain Johnson.\u00a0 That\u2019s the most outrageous lie I\u2019ve ever heard.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you have any proof?\u201d the colonel asked Joe.<\/p>\n

Joe shook his head.\u00a0 \u201cAll I know is he planted a load of dynamite under your office.\u00a0 He was going to leave the office once everyone was in it and light the dynamite.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cColonel, this man is obviously crazy,\u201d Johnson said.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy son doesn\u2019t lie,\u201d said Ben.\u00a0 \u201cColonel, I suggest you send someone to check under your office immediately.\u201d<\/p>\n

The colonel nodded toward one of the officers.\u00a0 The man ran toward the back of the fort,\u00a0 followed by two soldiers.<\/p>\n

\u201cCaptain Johnson,\u00a0 you wouldn\u2019t mind if we searched your quarters, would you?\u201d asked the colonel.<\/p>\n

\u201cSearched my quarters? Why?\u201d said Johnson nervously.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo see if there\u2019s any evidence of what this young man says is true, \u201c answered the colonel.\u00a0 The officer returned with a dozen tightly wrapped sticks of dynamite in his hand. He showed them to the colonel.\u00a0 \u201cWe found these under your office, \u201c the officer said.<\/p>\n

\u201cLooks like at least part of this young man\u2019s story is true,\u201d the colonel said.\u00a0 \u201cMajor,\u00a0 I want you to search Captain Johnson\u2019s quarters immediately.\u201d<\/p>\n

Johnson suddenly bolted toward some horses tied nearby.\u00a0 Several soldiers grabbed him as he neared the horses.\u00a0 Johnson struggled briefly, then stopped. His body sagged in defeat.<\/p>\n

\u201cTake the captain to the guardhouse pending a full investigation,\u201d ordered the colonel.\u00a0 Johnson was led away.<\/p>\n

The colonel turned back to Joe.\u00a0 \u201cLooks like we owe you a big debt of thanks, young man,\u201d said the colonel.\u00a0 Joe started to say something when a sense of fatigue overwhelmed him.\u00a0 His head started to spin and his knees began to buckle.<\/p>\n

Ben grabbed his son\u2019s arm and helped him stand.\u00a0 \u201cJoe,\u201d Ben said in a worried voice.\u00a0 \u201cYou said you and Hoss caught Scroggins yesterday morning.\u00a0 How long have you been riding?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe shook his head wearily.\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t know, \u201c he mumbled.\u00a0 \u201cSince we caught Scroggins.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve been the saddle almost thirty hours!\u201d Ben said in dismay.\u00a0 Joe nodded.\u00a0 He started to sink to the ground again when an officer grabbed his other arm.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m the post doctor,\u201d said the officer.\u00a0 \u201cLet\u2019s get him over the infirmary.\u201d Ben and the doctor half-carried an exhausted Joe across the yard; the colonel followed close behind.\u00a0 The doctor pushed the door of the infirmary open. A row of empty beds lined the wall of a big room.\u00a0 The doctor led Joe to the first bed and laid him across it.\u00a0 Ben lifted his son\u2019s legs onto the bed.\u00a0 The doctor bent over Joe, examining him, while Ben and the colonel hovered anxiously behind him. Joe closed his eyes, already falling asleep. After a few minutes, the doctor straightened and turned toward the men.<\/p>\n

\u201cNothing wrong with him that\u00a0 a nice long\u00a0 sleep won\u2019t fix,\u201d said the doctor reassuringly. \u201cHe\u2019s just exhausted. That cut on his head looks worse than it is. It won\u2019t even need stitches.\u201d<\/p>\n

A soldier suddenly opened the door and poked his head in.\u00a0 \u201cColonel, \u201c he said. \u201cThe Paiutes are here.\u201d<\/p>\n

The colonel nodded.\u00a0 \u201cCome on, Ben, we have a treaty to sign.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben looked at the colonel and then at his sleeping son.\u00a0 A look of uncertainly flickered across his face.<\/p>\n

\u201cGo ahead, Mr. Cartwright,\u201d said the doctor.\u00a0 \u201cThere\u2019s nothing you can do here. Your son will sleep for hours.\u00a0 I\u2019ll clean him up and make him comfortable.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben continued to gaze at Joe.\u00a0 His face was filled with concern.\u00a0 Finally Ben nodded.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAll right,\u201d he said with a tinge of resignation in his voice. \u201cKeep a close eye on him, doctor, \u201c<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t worry,\u201d said the doctor.\u00a0 \u201cHe\u2019ll be fine.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben turned and took a few steps toward the door. He stopped and looked back at his son. He took a deep breath, then left the room.\u00a0 The sound of a bugle and the bustle of the fort starting the day finally woke Joe.\u00a0 He rubbed his eyes and yawned as he sat up in bed.\u00a0 Someone had removed his jacket, shirt and\u00a0 boots, and covered him with a blanket.\u00a0 The dirt and blood had been washed away.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Joe pushed aside the blanket.\u00a0 His body was sore, every muscle aching.\u00a0 His shoulders and legs throbbed.\u00a0 He looked across the room.\u00a0 Ben was asleep in an overstuffed chair\u00a0 by a desk.\u00a0 The bed creaked as Joe slowly swung his legs over the edge of the bed.\u00a0 The noise woke Ben.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe,\u201d he said with a smile.\u00a0 \u201cSo you\u2019re finally awake.\u00a0 How do you feel?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cStiff and sore, \u201c admitted Joe.\u00a0 \u201cHow long have I been asleep?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben walked over to his son.\u00a0 \u201cSince about noon yesterday.\u00a0 For awhile there, I didn\u2019t think you were ever going to wake up.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe took a deep breath.\u00a0 \u201cPa, I don\u2019t think I\u2019ve ever been so tired.\u00a0 But at least I got here in time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben laid his hand gently on his son\u2019s shoulder.\u00a0 \u201cYes, you got here in time.\u00a0 How you did it, I\u2019ll never know.\u00a0 I\u2019m proud of you, son.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe gave him an embarrassed smile.\u00a0 \u201cI guess that stubborn streak you\u2019re always complaining about came in handy this time.\u201d\u00a0 Ben laughed and clapped him lightly on the shoulder.<\/p>\n

\u201cDid you get the treaty signed?\u201d Joe asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes. A lot happened while you were asleep. Captain Johnson confessed after they searched his room and found some more dynamite. The colonel sent a patrol to Virginia City to pick up Scroggins and that other fellow. They\u2019ll let Hoss know everything is all right.\u00a0 And, most important, the Paiutes signed the treaty.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope the treaty works this time,\u201d said Joe.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo do I,\u201d Ben said.\u00a0 \u201cThis one almost cost me more than I bargained for.\u201d<\/p>\n

The door opened and the doctor entered the infirmary.\u00a0 He was carrying a covered tray. \u201cI thought you might be awake by now,\u201d said the doctor with a smile.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m Dr. Williams.\u00a0 You look a lot better than you did yesterday. Hungry?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI could eat a horse, \u201c said Joe, eyeing the tray.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, this is only army chow, but I guarantee it\u2019s better than a horse,\u201d the doctor said.\u00a0 He handed the tray to Joe.\u00a0 Joe whipped off the cover and started eating. He almost shoved the food into his mouth.\u00a0 \u201cSlow down,\u201d said the doctor.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019ll make yourself sick.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe looked up.\u00a0 \u201cI always eat fast, \u201d he said with his mouth full. \u201cYou\u2019ve never been at the table with my brother, Hoss. If you don\u2019t eat fast, you don\u2019t get any food!\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben laughed.\u00a0 \u201cI think this one\u2019s going to be all right,\u201d\u00a0 Ben said. Joe grinned at his father.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, we\u2019ve got some horses to return on the way home, \u201c Joe said as he finished eating.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll take care of it.\u00a0 There\u2019s no rush,\u201d Ben replied.\u00a0 \u201cYou rest for a day or so. We\u2019ll start back then.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe nodded.\u00a0 \u201cLet\u2019s take the easy way back,\u201d said\u00a0 Joe. “I\u2019ve already done it the hard way.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben laughed again.\u00a0 \u201cAnything you say, Joe,\u201d\u00a0 he said, taking the tray from his son.<\/p>\n

Joe eased his legs back on to the bed and sat back against the pillow.\u00a0 It was nice to hear his father\u2019s laugh, he thought.\u00a0 He knew how close he came to never hearing it again.\u00a0 Hearing that laugh was worth what he went through, Joe decided.\u00a0\u00a0 It was definitely worth it.<\/p>\n

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

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

Summary:\u00a0 Overhearing news of a planned massacre at a Treaty Signing, Joe sets out on an impossible ride in order to save countless lives of Indians, soldiers, settlers, and importantly, Ben Cartwright.<\/p>\n

Rating:\u00a0 T\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 (5,200 words)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10338,"featured_media":378,"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,"_members_access_role":[],"_members_access_error":""},"categories":[2,23],"tags":[15,17,16],"class_list":["post-13932","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-actionadventure","category-drama","tag-ben","tag-hoss","tag-joe","wpcat-2-id","wpcat-23-id"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/bonanza-1.jpg?fit=193%2C140&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13932","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=13932"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13932\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/378"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=13932"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=13932"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=13932"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}