{"id":14983,"date":"2000-09-01T12:58:27","date_gmt":"2000-09-01T16:58:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=14983"},"modified":"2026-07-22T08:44:17","modified_gmt":"2026-07-22T12:44:17","slug":"bless-you-by-starlite","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=14983","title":{"rendered":"Bless You (by Starlite)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summary:<\/strong>\u00a0After rescuing a stray calf goes awry, Ben Cartwright’s sons need some tender loving care.<\/p>\n

Rated:<\/strong>\u00a0 G\u00a0 (9,300 words)<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Bless You<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Feeling a slight tickle at the back of his throat, Adam Cartwright cleared his throat and coughed.\u00a0 Finding the dining room go silent as his father suddenly stopped speaking, Adam glanced up nervously, first to glance across the table at his father, then to his brothers.\u00a0 He found his father staring at him intently as though he was an object he was studying in a laboratory experiment.\u00a0 His brothers had slightly amused expressions and were toying with the food on their plates.<\/p>\n

“What?”\u00a0 Adam questioned his family members, still receiving the same penetrating stare from his father quickly added, “I swallowed wrong.”<\/p>\n

Deciding to ignore his father’s glare, Adam shook his head and returned his attention to his own plate.\u00a0 He knew what was going through his father’s mind, his father thought he had a cold.\u00a0\u00a0 What was it with his father, he wondered?\u00a0 Most of the time his father couldn’t tell if he was ill or injured unless he passed out with a fever at his feet or was bleeding all over the rug.\u00a0 Even as recently as last month, his father hadn’t even noticed him hobbling around on a broken foot until he no longer could get his boot on.\u00a0 But let him cough anytime during the winter season and his father was shuffling him up the stairs to bed, armed with a bottle of elixir in one hand and that dreaded pot of mustard chest poultice in the other.<\/p>\n

Ben Cartwright continued to study his oldest son from across the breakfast table.\u00a0 He was worried by his son’s cough.\u00a0 Though Adam was a strong young man, he had always been susceptible to chest colds during the winter months and on several occasions those colds had turned into pneumonia.\u00a0 Ben always felt that Adam’s lungs weren’t as strong as they should be due to his son being born early, and his repeated bouts with illness didn’t help matters much.\u00a0 Knowing that his son was as stubborn as a mule, and wouldn’t admit to being sick until he was in bad shape, Ben decided to pursue the issue anyway.<\/p>\n

“Adam, son, how are you feeling?”<\/p>\n

“I’m fine Pa, really.”\u00a0 Here it comes Adam thought as he mentally braced himself for the coming argument.<\/p>\n

“he he.”<\/p>\n

“Joseph!”\u00a0 Ben shot his youngest a thunderous glare.<\/p>\n

“Sorry, Pa.”\u00a0 Joe offered trying to quell his amusement.\u00a0 He knew where this was heading and always enjoyed his father and oldest brother’s clashes, especially when they differed in opinions and didn’t involve him.<\/p>\n

Hoss concentrated on his plate, purposefully avoiding glancing at either his father or older brother.\u00a0 Though he was usually somewhat entertained by their disagreements, he preferred to watch and listen to them from a distance.\u00a0 Not sitting between them at the breakfast table.<\/p>\n

“You know if you’re not feeling well, you could just stay at home today.\u00a0 Your brothers can handle checking the herd just fine.”\u00a0 Ben continued, returning his eyes to gaze patiently at his oldest son.<\/p>\n

Taking a deep calming breath and glancing sideways first to the left at his littlest brother who was fighting a losing battle to keep from laughing out loud, then to his right as Hoss shoveled a forkful of fried potatoes into his mouth while smirking.\u00a0 Adam made a mental note that they were of no help and he would need to get even later.<\/p>\n

“Really Pa, I’m just fine.\u00a0 Just swallowed wrong.”\u00a0 Adam insisted, fighting the urge to raise his voice.<\/p>\n

Ben Cartwright sighed deeply and shook his head as he turned his attention back to his now cold breakfast.\u00a0 That boy can be so mule-headed, stubborn and exasperating at times he quietly fumed.\u00a0 Why couldn’t he just tell him when he was sick?\u00a0 When Joe was sick he let the whole world know about his misery, but then again, Joe relished the attention and anything to get out of chores.\u00a0 Hoss on the other hand, really never told anyone if he was feeling poorly, it was just easy to spot, Hoss wouldn’t want to eat and anytime Hoss wasn’t hungry his boy was sick.\u00a0 But Adam, that boy had to wait until his was knocking on death’s door before he’d admit to feeling bad, it was almost as if Adam felt it was a personal failing on his part to be ill.<\/p>\n

Hoping that he’d won the battle, Adam downed the last of his coffee.\u00a0 He was really looking forward to going out to check the herd in the winter pasture today.\u00a0 He’d been cooped up for weeks while his foot healed and he really needed to get out of the house before the winter snows set in and they were all housebound.\u00a0 During his recuperation he had balanced the books – twice, read every contract they had ever made and cleaned all the rifles in the gun rack downstairs.\u00a0 Now all he wanted to do was get out into the fresh crisp air and ride his horse, and he wasn’t going to let anything stand in his way, not his father, not the snow and especially not the tickle in the back of his throat.<\/p>\n

“Ready?”\u00a0 Adam announced to his younger siblings as he placed his coffee cup back onto the table and stood up.<\/p>\n

Joe rolled his eyes at his bossy brother and gulped the last of his coffee before following Adam to the front door.<\/p>\n

Hoss shoveled the last of his eggs into his mouth and picked up a piece of bacon as he rose from the table to join his brothers.\u00a0 He stopped when he felt someone grab his right elbow.<\/p>\n

“Hoss.”<\/p>\n

“Yeah, Pa?”\u00a0 Hoss questioned, but he had a feeling he knew what his father was going to say.<\/p>\n

“You keep an eye on that brother of yours, and if he seems sick or if that cough gets any worse, you come straight home.\u00a0 Complaints or no, you bring him straight home.”\u00a0 Ben instructed.<\/p>\n

Hoss swallowed hard and grimaced at his father’s request.\u00a0 He’d rather tangle with a hornet’s nest than try and make his brother come home when he didn’t want to, especially when Adam insisted he wasn’t sick.\u00a0 He surely wasn’t enthusiastic about his father’s request.<\/p>\n

“Yes, Pa.”\u00a0 Hoss replied quietly looking quite unhappy as he made his way to the front door to grab his coat, hat and gun belt.\u00a0 Looking back to his father with a wounded and\u00a0 ‘do I have to’ pleading look in his eyes.<\/p>\n

“Hurry and catch up with them Hoss, and don’t let on to Adam that you’re supposed to be keeping an eye on him.”<\/p>\n

Hoss looked like a lost puppy as he entered the barn to saddle his horse.<\/p>\n

Joe noticed his big brother ‘s lost hound dog expression and chuckled quietly to himself.\u00a0 He was sure glad he was the youngest and didn’t have to baby sit their oldest brother.<\/p>\n

Adam caught the look on Hoss’s face and rolled his eyes in frustration.\u00a0\u00a0 He walked Sport out of the barn and gracefully mounted.\u00a0 Finding his father standing on the porch with both hands firmly on his hips, Adam smugly tipped his hat in farewell before riding away with his two brothers trailing behind.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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

Checking the herd had been uneventful but rewarding.\u00a0 Even after the first snows and last night’s freeze, they had not lost a single cow and the food still seemed in great abundance.<\/p>\n

Hoss dutifully performed his dreaded task of keeping an eye on his older brother, much to Adam’s dismay.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Adam watched as his bigger brother rode over for the umpteenth time in the last hour and steeled himself to remain calm.\u00a0 As his brother pulled up along side of him, Adam clenched then unclenched his hands on the saddle horn, then took a calming breath before addressing his younger brother.<\/p>\n

“No Hoss, I don’t think I need to go home just yet.\u00a0 I’m feeling fine, just dandy in fact.”\u00a0 Adam responded to Hoss’s unasked question.<\/p>\n

Adam believed that Hoss’s persistence could surely try the patience of a saint.\u00a0 He knew Hoss wasn’t trying to be annoying and it really wasn’t his fault.\u00a0 Adam decided he was going to give his father a piece of his mind when they got home.<\/p>\n

Dang your ornery hide older brother, Hoss fumed.\u00a0 It was way past lunch and he was hungry and wanted to go home.<\/p>\n

Joe watched the exchange between his two older brothers.\u00a0 He was past the point of amusement and was getting angry.\u00a0 Out of sheer cussedness he knew that Adam would keep them out there all night just to prove a point to his father, well he would have none of that.\u00a0 Spurring his horse he rode over to Adam and Hoss.<\/p>\n

“Adam, let’s go home.\u00a0 It’s cold out here and I’m hungry.”\u00a0 Joe demanded glaring at his older brother.<\/p>\n

On cue, Hoss’s stomach growled loudly in consent, which brought a round of laughter from the three men.\u00a0 Adam had to admit that he was cold and hungry as well.<\/p>\n

“Alright, let’s go home.”\u00a0 Adam announced, then stopped suddenly hearing a strange sound.\u00a0 “Wait, listen.\u00a0 Do you hear that?”<\/p>\n

Hoss and Joe became silent and cocked their heads in the same direction as their brother.<\/p>\n

Something faint and mournful was heard coming from the direction of the lake.\u00a0 It sounded like a bellowing cry of an animal in pain.<\/p>\n

Not waiting for his brothers, Joe spurred Cochise and took off in the direction of the cry.\u00a0 Seeing their brother charge off into the distance, Adam and Hoss joined in hot pursuit.<\/p>\n

Reaching the ice covered lake, Joe found a small calf that had strayed away from its mother and was now slipping and sliding on the slick surface.\u00a0 Frightened the poor animal was crying for its mother.\u00a0 Joe jumped down from his horse and ran over to the edge of the lake not waiting for his brothers to arrive.\u00a0 He figured he would be able to retrieve the animal with a minimum of difficulty.<\/p>\n

Adam and Hoss rode up to see Joe slowly step onto the icy surface.<\/p>\n

“Wait Joe!”\u00a0 Adam yelled out in warning.\u00a0 He wanted to think the situation through before attempting to rescue the small animal.<\/p>\n

“Don’t fret Adam.\u00a0 If that critter didn’t fall through the ice it should be strong enough to hold Little Joe.”\u00a0 Hoss assured Adam.<\/p>\n

Both men dismounted their horses and walked over to the edge of the lake to offer assistance should their little brother need it.\u00a0 Adam had a nagging suspicion that looks were deceiving and rescuing that calf wasn’t going to be as easy as his younger siblings thought.\u00a0 For once, he kept his opinion to himself and crossed his arms over his chest to watch the rescue unfold.<\/p>\n

Little Joe had almost reached the frightened calf when the calf caught his scent and moved away quickly causing the hoofs to slide on the ice and the animal to stumble away from Joe’s grasp.\u00a0 In desperation, Joe tried to grab onto the little thing before it moved away and now found himself sliding uncontrollably.<\/p>\n

“Ahhh, Ohhh!”\u00a0 Joe’s right foot slid behind him and he tried to right himself with the other which only caused himself to slip even more in a half run half skidding motion.\u00a0 Overbalancing, Joe fell to the ice landing on his backside with a resounding THWUMP.<\/p>\n

Watching the spectacle before them, Adam began to laugh with his other brother guffawing beside him.\u00a0 Both men clung to each other as tears formed in their eyes.<\/p>\n

“Ha, ha, ha.”\u00a0 Joe mimicked sarcastically.\u00a0 “Well are you two just gonna stand there and laugh, or are you gonna give me a hand.”<\/p>\n

Adam turned to look at Hoss, who in turn looked back at him.\u00a0 With smirks displayed across their faces, they turned back to answer their little brother’s question in unison.<\/p>\n

“Laugh,” was the response Little Joe received as his older brothers smiled broadly across at him.<\/p>\n

“Thanks a lot.”\u00a0 Joe griped struggling to regain his footing.<\/p>\n

“Get a rope.”\u00a0 Adam instructed over his shoulder to his brother, Hoss.<\/p>\n

Still chuckling, Hoss complied.\u00a0 Retrieving his rope from his saddle he brought it back and handed it to Adam.\u00a0 Adam shook his head over his youngest brother’s predicament then swung the loop he had just created over his head and flung it out over the lake.\u00a0 The loop landed unceremoniously around the small calf’s neck causing the animal to try and break free from its grasp.\u00a0 Adam quickly tugged on the rope to tighten the loop so that the animal wouldn’t get away, then starting pulling the rope back towards him.<\/p>\n

Frightened by the tug of the rope and its tightness around its neck, the calf fought desperately to free itself and pulled as hard as it could to get away.\u00a0 Adam struggled as the calf pulled him closer to the edge of the lake, he didn’t want to strangle the poor scared animal nor did he want to find himself joining his brother on the ice.<\/p>\n

“Joe, why don’t you try and be useful for a change,” Adam suggested as he saw his brother just watching the struggle with his hands folded across his chest amused over his oldest brother’s difficulty with the small animal.<\/p>\n

“What exactly do you expect me to do?”\u00a0 Joe asked smugly enjoying his brother’s predicament.\u00a0 He loved the fact that the shoe was now on the other foot.<\/p>\n

Hoss just stood to the side and watched with sheer enjoyment, it wasn’t often that someone or something got the best of his older brother.<\/p>\n

“PUSH!”\u00a0 Adam ordered feeling his feet slide on the frozen earth.<\/p>\n

Shrugging his shoulders Joe again approached the bewildered animal.\u00a0 This time he was able to get within arm’s length of the animal before it picked up on his scent.\u00a0 Reaching out he swatted the calf on the rump, which caused the calf to bolt forward in a panic.\u00a0 In the animal’s scrambling haste to escape, it charged forward causing the sudden slack in the rope to catch Adam unaware, he fell back onto the snow-covered ground on his backside.<\/p>\n

Seeing their dignified older more mature brother tumble onto his rear, Hoss began to guffaw even louder than he had before and Joe started to cackle grabbing his ribs when his sides began to ache.<\/p>\n

“Heh, heh.”\u00a0 Adam snarled half-heartedly as he picked himself off of the cold ground.<\/p>\n

Joe continued to whoop loudly until his laughter once again threw his footing off and he began to slid and skid on the slick surface of the lake.\u00a0 He began to take quick running motions with his feet hoping to make it to the snow covered ground without falling.\u00a0 To no avail, he once again found himself tilting backwards and found his legs fly out in front of him as he landed on his butt with a loud TWACK.<\/p>\n

Hoss was now unable to catch his breath as tears streamed down his face.\u00a0 Adam had rejoined him in laughter as they watched Joe once again dance uncontrollably on the smooth exterior.\u00a0 Both men doubled over after they saw Joe seated once more.<\/p>\n

Joe felt an uncomfortable cold wetness seep into the seat of his pants and began to worry.<\/p>\n

“Adam, Hoss, I think I’ve got a problem.”\u00a0 Joe yelled with a tinge of fear in his voice.<\/p>\n

Both men heard the hint of panic in their younger brother’s voice and stopped laughing then looked over to where Joe sat.\u00a0 In the silence, they could hear a slight crackling noise.<\/p>\n

“Don’t move Joe.\u00a0 Just sit still.”\u00a0 Adam ordered the sound of fear in his voice evident.<\/p>\n

Adam knew if Joe attempted to push himself up would just result in the ice breaking away further, and his brother would become totally immersed in the freezing water.<\/p>\n

“The rope, get the rope.”\u00a0 Adam yelled to Hoss trying to find where the calf had strayed.<\/p>\n

Hoss spotted the calf and moved stealthily towards the already frightened animal.\u00a0 He didn’t want to cause the animal to run from them.\u00a0 Grabbing the rope, he pulled the animal towards him and quickly removed the loop from around its neck.\u00a0 Once the calf was freed it bolted through the trees back towards the rest of the herd as Hoss handed the rope over to his older brother.<\/p>\n

“Adam hurry!”\u00a0 Joe pleaded feeling more ice break around him as he sunk lower.<\/p>\n

Adam quickly assessed the situation and realized that he wouldn’t be able to pull Joe from the hole in the ice, as it would only break more of the ice from around his little brother.\u00a0 He needed to get above him some how and pull him up and out.\u00a0 Looking around he spotted a branch that hung over the frozen water not far from where his brother was precariously perched.\u00a0 He did a quick mental calculation and figured the rope was just long enough.<\/p>\n

“Here, hold onto the end of this,” Adam instructed as he handed one end of the rope to Hoss.\u00a0 “When I say Pull, you pull with everything you’ve got, understand?”<\/p>\n

Hoss nodded in response too afraid to speak.\u00a0 He watched as Adam took off at a run towards a tree near the frozen water’s edge.<\/p>\n

Discarding his hat, restricting jacket and slick gloves, Adam began to climb up the trunk.\u00a0 Carefully reaching the desired branch, he slowly crawled out onto the branch praying that it would maintain his weight.\u00a0 When he had reached the location almost directly over his brother.\u00a0 Adam wrapped his legs around the limb, and draped the rope over the branch then dropped the loop down to Joe.<\/p>\n

“Joe, put the loop under your arms.”\u00a0 Adam ordered.\u00a0 He could see that Joe was already beginning to shiver.<\/p>\n

With shaking hands Little Joe complied.\u00a0 Once his brother was secured in the rope’s loop, Adam gave the order.<\/p>\n

“PULL!”<\/p>\n

Hoss instantly threw his weight backward in a strong tug and Joe began to lift from the frigid water.\u00a0 When Joe was free from the ice and water, Adam yelled the next instruction.<\/p>\n

“Hold it, stop pulling.”<\/p>\n

Again, Hoss complied.\u00a0 He wasn’t sure what Adam intended to do with their younger brother now swaying below him.\u00a0 Adam laid his chest down onto the tree limb then grabbed onto the rope from the backside of the branch.<\/p>\n

“Hoss, let out a little of the slack.”\u00a0 Adam instructed.<\/p>\n

Following his brother’s words, Hoss now understand what his brother intended.<\/p>\n

Feeling the tension ease in the rope, Adam pulled with all his might to swing Little Joe onto the ground beneath the tree.\u00a0 Understanding what his brother was attempting to accomplish, Joe kicked his feet out in front of him to help.<\/p>\n

As Joe, sailed below him, Adam felt a shuddering of the branch beneath his body.\u00a0 The branch dipped slightly and Adam released the rope and wrapped his body tightly around the limb.\u00a0 Adam’s eyes opened wide as the branch broke with a large snap and he found himself falling.<\/p>\n

“Whoaaaa!”\u00a0 Adam rode the descending branch.<\/p>\n

Shocked, Adam found himself plunging forward, face first towards the frozen lake. Time seemed to past in slow motion, as the vast whiteness grew ever closer to his face.\u00a0 Deciding it would be better to protect his head, Adam reached out with both hands to break his fall and dove headlong into the icy lake.\u00a0 Due to the force of his descending weight, Adam broke through the ice and found himself plunging deep into the freezing water.<\/p>\n

Landing hard on the frozen earth, Little Joe was winded, his feet had just touched the ground when the frozen branch cracked and broke into under Adam’s weight.\u00a0 Hearing the loud snap followed by Adam’s exclamation of surprise, Joe looked up to see his oldest brother fall from the tree.<\/p>\n

Hoss watched in horror as Adam fell from the broken limb of the tree.\u00a0 He ran towards his little brother to insure that he was safely on the ground and prayed that his other brother would soon surface.\u00a0\u00a0 Hoss reached his younger brother and grabbed Joe turning him to face him.<\/p>\n

“Let me look at ya Joe.”\u00a0 Hoss instructed, giving Joe a quick inspection from head to toe and removed the rope from under the young arms.<\/p>\n

“Adam, we’ve got to help Adam.”\u00a0 Joe pulled away and started for the edge of the lake.<\/p>\n

“I’ll help Adam.”\u00a0 Hoss responded picking up Adam’s coat from the ground and handing it to his younger brother.\u00a0 He had noticed that Joe was soaking wet from waist to mid thigh.\u00a0 “Here, put this on.\u00a0 Stay put!”<\/p>\n

Joe absently followed his brother’s orders never taking his eyes from the newly formed hole in the ice.\u00a0 Hoss grabbed the rope and made his way as close to the edge of the water and as near to the hole as he could get calling out his brother’s name.<\/p>\n

Adam heard a distorted noise that sounded vaguely like his name as he fought and kicked his way up through the cold water.\u00a0 He struggled as he felt his arms and legs rapidly growing numb.\u00a0 His upward momentum suddenly stopped when he struck the top of his head against a very hard surface.\u00a0 Reaching up he felt cold hard ice.\u00a0 Knowing he was almost out of breath, he struck out at the ice with his right fist, then his left to no avail and started to sink.\u00a0 Giving one last swift strong kick of his legs, he propelled his body upwards again and struck the ice with his fists clenched together.\u00a0 He was rewarded by the muffled sound of ice breaking.\u00a0 Reaching out, he grabbed at its sharp edges hoping to stay afloat.<\/p>\n

Hoss watched in amazement as his brother broke through the ice almost at his feet.\u00a0 Momentarily dumbstruck he stared as Adam struggled in the freezing water.\u00a0 Reaching down, he deftly grabbed Adam’s right wrist and easily hefted him out of the water and placed him onto the ground beside him.<\/p>\n

Adam was on his hands and knees gasping for breath trying to get his bearings.\u00a0 Looking up, he mouthed a silent ‘Thanks’ to his brother before a wave of coughing overtook him.<\/p>\n

Joe ran over to join his brothers and to offer his assistance.\u00a0 Hoss looked over to him as he approached before kneeling down to assist Adam.<\/p>\n

“Joe, go and fetch the horses, we’re gonna need to get him home.”\u00a0 Hoss instructed, noting that his little brother was still shaking from the cold.\u00a0 He watched as Joe moved stiffly away and knew it was much too slow a pace for his younger brother.\u00a0 Hoss knew he needed to get both of his brothers home and soon.<\/p>\n

Hoss turned his attention back to Adam whose coughing had finally subsided.\u00a0 He pulled Adam up to his feet and began to unbutton Adam’s soaking wet shirt.<\/p>\n

“Here Adam, we gotta get these wet things off of ya.”\u00a0 Hoss informed Adam, who could only nod resignedly in response.<\/p>\n

Hoss quickly removed Adam’s shirt and undershirt, but left his pants and boots because he had nothing to replace them with.\u00a0 Removing his own coat he helped Adam into it, noting that Adam was shivering violently.\u00a0 Hoss used his shirtsleeves to wipe away as much water from his brother’s face, hair and ears before rubbing his hands up and down his older brother’s arms in a futile attempt to try and warm him.\u00a0 Looking down, he found Adam’s hands battered and bloodied.<\/p>\n

Joe returned with the horses while Hoss was putting his coat around his brother.\u00a0 Knowing that Hoss had things well under control he mounted his horse and waited for his brothers to join him.<\/p>\n

“Are your hands hurting ya?”\u00a0 Hoss inquired as he examined them, there was no use in trying to put Adam’s gloves back on him with his hands in this condition and shoved them into his pant’s pocket.<\/p>\n

“No,” Adam responded quietly and both men knew that wasn’t a good sign.<\/p>\n

Joe whistled softly seeing his brother’s damaged hands.\u00a0 He was having a hard time sitting in the saddle because he couldn’t feel his rump.\u00a0 But feeling they had enough trouble, he kept this bit of information to himself.<\/p>\n

“Here Adam, let’s put those hands into the pockets and I’ll lead Sport on home for ye.”\u00a0 Hoss tucked each of Adam’s hands into a pocket of the coat, and pulled up the coat collar to cover Adam’s ears before placing Adam’s hat low on his head.\u00a0 Then he directed Adam over to his horse where he easily helped Adam into the saddle.\u00a0 Going to his own mount, Hoss quickly hoisted himself into the saddle then grabbed the reins of Adam’s horse.<\/p>\n

“Joe, you lead the way.”\u00a0 Hoss ordered pulling Sport closer to Chubb so Adam rode beside him, it was the only way he knew to keep an eye on both of his brothers.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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

Ben Cartwright paced the large room of the ranch house with his hands stuffed deeply into his pockets.\u00a0 It was nearly suppertime and his boys hadn’t returned home.\u00a0 They should’ve been home before lunch or shortly thereafter and now it was almost dark.\u00a0 He was certain that Adam was probably trying to make some sort of point after he had tried to moddycoddle him at breakfast.\u00a0 Well, he most certainly had no intention of humoring him now.<\/p>\n

He strode quickly to the door and donned his coat as he heard the pounding of hooves from the yard.\u00a0 He had worked up a fair head of steam and intended to give his sons a good talking to about coming home on time.<\/p>\n

Ben was stunned at the sight before him.\u00a0 Joe rode in almost asleep in the saddle wearing Adam’s coat.\u00a0 Adam was asleep in the saddle and was wearing Hoss’s coat with Hoss holding him in place.\u00a0 Hoss was in his shirtsleeves.<\/p>\n

Shocked, Ben froze in his tracks and stared with his mouth open.<\/p>\n

“They fell in the lake.”\u00a0 Hoss answered his father’s unasked question, “can ya help Joe get inside Pa and I’ll see ta Adam?”<\/p>\n

Ben quickly approached his youngest son and helped him from his horse.\u00a0 Looking across to Adam, he was horrified to see his son’s ice covered boots.<\/p>\n

“Hoss, don’t let Adam walk.”\u00a0 Ben warned afraid his son’s feet might be frostbitten.\u00a0 He felt Joe attempt to take a step forwards and grabbed him before stumbled to the ground.\u00a0 Lifting his son into his arms he quickly carried him into the house and laid him on the settee.<\/p>\n

Hoss followed shortly behind carrying a now conscious Adam, who was none too pleased at being carried like an invalid.<\/p>\n

“Hush now, you just let me get ya into the house before I drop you like a bad habit.”\u00a0 Hoss threatened, then made his way to his father’s chair by the fireplace.\u00a0 Bending down, he placed his older brother into the chair and propped Adam’s feet up on the low table.<\/p>\n

“Hoss, don’t try to take those boots off just yet.\u00a0 Let them thaw and then we’ll cut them off.”\u00a0 Ben instructed as he moved to the fireplace and added a couple more logs.<\/p>\n

“Hop Sing!” Ben bellowed turning to assess the damage to his oldest son.\u00a0 Seeing Adam’s injured hands slightly unnerved the older man and he yelled again more urgently, “HOP SING!”<\/p>\n

“Yell, yell, all da time yell.”\u00a0 The Oriental man complained as he appeared in the dining room.<\/p>\n

Ignoring his complaint Ben continued to give instructions, “Hop Sing, bring plenty of warm towels and blankets.”<\/p>\n

Seeing the urgency of the request, Hop Sing turned to scurry away and comply with his employer’s commands.\u00a0 He stopped only when he heard Ben Cartwright address him again.<\/p>\n

“Oh, and bring a clean nightshirt for each of them.”\u00a0 Ben turned his attention back to Hoss, “Son, go and get one of the hands to ride for the doctor and then have another one come and help you move Little Joe’s bed into Adam’s room.”<\/p>\n

Hoss moved to comply with his father’s bidding as he heard both brothers voice their objection to one of his father’s instructions.<\/p>\n

“Move Joe’s bed?”<\/p>\n

“Move my bed?”<\/p>\n

“Yes, it will make it easier to care for the both of you if were not running back and forth.\u00a0 Now be quiet and let me see to things.”\u00a0 Ben ordered.<\/p>\n

Hoss returned several minutes later with one of the hands.\u00a0 He found his father and Hop Sing had things well under control.\u00a0 Adam was now in his nightshirt with a blanket wrapped around his shoulders and his feet soaking in warm water while his father gently treated his hands with liniment.\u00a0 As he passed the settee, he heard his little brother snoring softly, looking down he noted that Joe was also in his nightshirt and was covered with a warm blanket.<\/p>\n

Hoss and the ranch hand descended the stairs about a half-hour later.\u00a0 They had to rearrange some of the furniture in the room to make way for the extra bed.\u00a0 To which Hoss knew his brother would not be amused.\u00a0 He had placed Joe’s bed facing the door, perpendicular to Adam’s so that the feet of both beds were together with just enough room to walk between them.<\/p>\n

Adam’s room was always the warmest in the house because it backed upon the large fireplace downstairs.\u00a0 Hoss guessed that his father wanted both of his half frozen sons to be as warm as possible so he had taken the liberty of starting a warm fire in the room.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

No longer needed, the ranch hand quietly let himself out as Ben and Hoss helped the now sleeping Adam and Joe up to bed.<\/p>\n

Doctor Martin was delayed and didn’t arrive until almost mid-day the following day.\u00a0 Luckily, neither of the Cartwright sons were injured severely for which he was grateful.\u00a0 But both would be mighty uncomfortable for several days to come.<\/p>\n

Adam had several deep cuts and had broken a couple of bones in both hands trying to break through the ice but had suffered no frostbite on them.\u00a0 Now his hands were wrapped like large mittens and Adam found the lack of mobility in his fingers frustrating.\u00a0 His feet were another story, there the doctor found a couple of spots where the tissue had frozen and split open.\u00a0 Now thawed the wounds seeped blood so his feet had to be kept bandaged as well.<\/p>\n

Little Joe had fared better, but his injuries were more of a delicate nature.<\/p>\n

“Froze his butt!”\u00a0 Adam exclaimed and laughed out loud after overhearing the doctor’s diagnosis of his little brother’s condition.\u00a0 He wondered how his brother would fare with the ladies in Virginia City if he literally lost the rear portion of his anatomy.<\/p>\n

Ben shot his oldest a stern glare, as he heard Adam, then Hoss break out into gales of laugher.\u00a0 He too mellowed and began to laugh quietly as he thought of the consequences of Joe’s injuries and his youngest son’s plight.<\/p>\n

Forced to lie on his belly to avoid discomfort, Joe was mortified and chagrined over the possibilities, not to mention his embarrassment over the current situation at being the butt, so to speak, of his family’s unspoken joke.\u00a0 In mock anger, Joe tossed a pillow at his brother lying in the other bed.<\/p>\n

Adam was still laughing with his eyes closed as the pillow struck him full in the face.\u00a0 Now Joe joined Hoss in laughter, as Adam was silenced.<\/p>\n

Adam began to struggle to pick up the pillow with his bandaged hands when his father took the pillow from him and propped it behind his oldest son’s head and shoulders.\u00a0 Shaking his head at Adam followed by a sharp glance at Joe.\u00a0 Ben opened a book and handed it to his son to read, as Hoss produced the checkerboard to play with Joe.<\/p>\n

Chuckling at the sight of Ben’s boys’ short lived pillow fight, the good doctor ordered complete bed rest for both young men.\u00a0 Wishing Ben and Hoss good luck the doctor escaped the room promising to return in a couple of days.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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

 <\/p>\n

Adam struggled to turn the page of his book, which was increasingly difficult with his over-bandaged hands.\u00a0 He was also concentrating on keeping the cough that was forming in his chest from escaping out.\u00a0\u00a0 For the last couple of hours he could feel as his chest begin to restrict with congestion and knew he had a chest cold forming.\u00a0 He had plenty of experience with them and definitely knew when he was coming down with one.\u00a0 If he just kept his concentration and willpower in tact, he could control the urge to cough and keep the dreaded mustard chest plaster and foul tasting elixir at bay.<\/p>\n

“Achoo, achoo, achoo,” Joe sneezed repetitively.<\/p>\n

Three sneezes, not his best effort, Adam noted absently.\u00a0 When his little brother sneezed, he always sneezed more than once in succession.\u00a0 So far, Adam had noted the record to be seven.<\/p>\n

“Adam?”\u00a0 Joe inquired quietly.\u00a0 He was more than bored being cooped up in this room.<\/p>\n

“Hmm?”\u00a0 Adam answered quietly keeping his voice and breathing in control, as he struggled with another page of his book.<\/p>\n

“Adam?”\u00a0 Joe questioned again when he noticed that Adam had not looked up from that infernal book he was reading.<\/p>\n

“Uh huh?”\u00a0 Adam replied, still fussing over turning the page and wishing his brother would leave him alone.<\/p>\n

“ADAM?”\u00a0 Joe insisted, now looking for an extra pillow to toss and to his regret realizing his brother already possessed it.<\/p>\n

“WHAT?”\u00a0 Adam yelled in response and regretted it immediately as it threatened to release the coughing spell he was fighting to contain.<\/p>\n

“Play checkers with me?”\u00a0 Joe asked pathetically.<\/p>\n

“No,” Adam responded.\u00a0 Relieved that he once again had the coughing reflex under control and the blasted page turned.<\/p>\n

“Please just one game?”\u00a0 Joe continued to whine.<\/p>\n

“That’s what you said yesterday, and seventeen games later I was still playing.\u00a0 Why don’t you just read the book Pa gave you?”<\/p>\n

“Cuz it’s boring.\u00a0 Come on, just one game?”<\/p>\n

“NO!”\u00a0 Adam thundered.\u00a0 That did it, Adam’s control was gone and a fit of coughing ensued causing his chest to ache and his sore throat to scream.<\/p>\n

Adam prayed fervently that his father was outside helping Hoss with the chores and hadn’t heard.\u00a0 His hopes were dashed as he listened to heavy footfalls come up the stairs and descend the hall stopping at the open doorway.\u00a0 Turning his full attention to his book, Adam fought the urge to look up.<\/p>\n

“Who was coughing?”\u00a0 Ben Cartwright demanded.\u00a0 He already suspected it was Adam but wanted confirmation first.<\/p>\n

Adam still kept his head downward as though studying the book in his hands, as he glanced with veiled eyes across the room to his brother’s bed.<\/p>\n

“Traitor,” Adam mouthed seeing his brother innocently pointing quietly over at him.\u00a0 His brothers would stand together as one against all comers, but would sell out the other to their father when it came to taking cold remedies.<\/p>\n

Adam watched as his supposedly full-grown brother stuck out his tongue in response.\u00a0 Adam pondered throwing his book at his younger brother, but decided against it for two reasons.\u00a0 One, he doubted he could toss the book effectively with his injured hands and actually hit Joe with it; and Two, he could seriously damage the book, not really caring at this point if he injured his little brother in the process.<\/p>\n

“Pa,” Adam looked up to his father to plead his case.\u00a0 He found his father standing in the doorway with the dreaded pot of mustard poultice in one hand and a bottle of cough elixir in the other, and shuddered.<\/p>\n

Adam hated the mustard poultice his father used on his chest, it never did any good, smelled horribly and caused his chest to itch miserably.\u00a0 Not to mention the aftereffects when the stuff was dried and tangled in his abundant chest hair.\u00a0 Last time he swore that it had actually turned the black hair a shade of brown.\u00a0 The elixir was another matter all together, Adam believed his father had more bottles of it in the wine cellar than bottles of Chardonnay, and unfortunately it didn’t taste as pleasant.<\/p>\n

Hoss stood silently behind his father, he dreaded the task at hand – holding his brother down while his father applied that disgusting poultice to his chest.\u00a0 He couldn’t understand why Adam always put up such a fuss, then remembering his own struggles in the spring when his father fed him his spring fever treatment, he understood.\u00a0 He even sympathized up to a point, until he recalled Adam always seemed to enjoy holding him down.\u00a0 Hoss figured he was owed a little payback and it was time for older brother to pay up.\u00a0 Flexing his fingers and cracking his knuckles, Hoss stepped menacingly closer to Adam’s bed.<\/p>\n

Ben made his way between the beds and over to the nightstand on the right side of Adam’s bed.\u00a0 Placing the poultice pot on the chair behind him, he turned to his son.<\/p>\n

“Open your mouth!”\u00a0 Ben ordered, producing a tablespoon from his front shirt pocket and pouring the thick cough syrup into it.<\/p>\n

Adam winced as he already imagined the taste in his mouth and tried once more to plead for mercy.<\/p>\n

“Really Pa, I don’t need…”<\/p>\n

Seeing an opportunity Ben quickly shoved the full spoon in his son’s mouth and slid it out again.<\/p>\n

“Swallow,” Ben stated in a tone that brook no argument.<\/p>\n

Adam fought the urge to gag and complied, then sputtered over the vile taste it left in his mouth.<\/p>\n

“Ugh, ga, yuck, that stuff tastes\u2026”<\/p>\n

Ben quickly fed his protesting son another spoonful and Adam swallowed it as quickly as possible hoping not to choke.<\/p>\n

“Oh, ugh, ga, terrible.”\u00a0 Adam finished his preceding statement as his eyes began to water.<\/p>\n

Seeing and sympathizing with his son’s discomfort, Ben helped his son to drink a few sips of water to wash the horrid taste from his mouth.<\/p>\n

Little Joe broke out into whoops of laughter over his brother’s predicament.\u00a0 He was greatly amused by Adam’s look of disgust over the vile tasting liquid.\u00a0 Joe was so wrapped up in his cackling he didn’t even notice his father approach his bed with spoon in hand.\u00a0\u00a0 Between gales of giggling, Ben shoved a full spoonful of medicine into his youngest son’s mouth.<\/p>\n

“Swallow!”\u00a0 Ben ordered.<\/p>\n

“What’d you do that for Pa?”\u00a0 Little Joe sputtered in protest as his father handed him a glass of water to drink.<\/p>\n

“You were sneezing.”<\/p>\n

Misery loves company; Adam smiled ruefully hoping his pest of a little brother would get a mustard chest plaster as well.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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

Hours later, Adam was miserable.\u00a0 His father had put a large Dutch oven on to boil in the fireplace, which filled the room with the scent of medicinal herbs and steam.\u00a0 The warm humid room was causing him to sweat, which in turn caused his chest to itch.\u00a0 Adam wished he still had his book, he didn’t want it for reading but to use its hardcover to scratch his irritating chest.\u00a0 Insisting that he sleep, his father had taken his book away.\u00a0 If he wanted him to sleep, he wouldn’t be trying to steam me like a New England lobster, Adam complained to himself.<\/p>\n

Adam looked over to his baby brother and saw him sleeping peacefully.\u00a0 Adam envied Little Joe’s ability to nap so easily, and the fact that Joe had lucked out of receiving a mustard plaster.\u00a0 Of course he really didn’t think Joe would get one as his father saved that special torture for chest colds and Joe had a head cold, but one could always hope.\u00a0 Feeling terrible, Adam threw his bedding down to his feet rolled over onto his stomach briefly before returning to lie on his back trying to get comfortable and failing miserably, he forced his eyes close.<\/p>\n

Ben wandered into the room late that evening and found both sons asleep.\u00a0 He could tell just by looking at his sleeping sons that neither one was feeling well.\u00a0 Little Joe normally was a restless sleeper and tossed frequently whereas; once Adam was settled he slept deeply and rarely moved.\u00a0 Now Joseph was sleeping soundly and Adam had tossed off his covers.<\/p>\n

Walking over, he felt Joe’s head and was relieved to find just a trace of fever.\u00a0 Proceeding to his other son, he pulled up the discarded bedding to cover his son and felt his forehead.\u00a0 Adam was definitely much warmer causing his father more concern.\u00a0 Turning to the nightstand he wrung out a cloth in the cold water and placed it upon Adam’s forehead.<\/p>\n

When Ben checked on his sons the next morning, he was pleased to find both of them awake and hungry.\u00a0 Joe hardly felt warm to the touch, but Adam still ran a slight fever and his voice sounded horrible.\u00a0 It was gravely and deep, not his usual rich baritone.\u00a0 It was painful for him to speak above a whisper and he was difficult to listen to.\u00a0 Though Adam was wheezing when he breathed he wasn’t gasping or struggling for breath which was a good sign.<\/p>\n

After feeding his sons their breakfasts and after the usual protests, Ben completed the tasks of administering the elixir to both sons and applying a new plaster to Adam’s chest.\u00a0 Later he assisted his sons to wash, shave and change into fresh nightshirts before helping Hop Sing with changing the bed linen.\u00a0 Heading downstairs, he went to help Hoss with the daily chores.<\/p>\n

Ben found his middle son sitting at the dining room table looking thoroughly miserable with a full plate of food before him.\u00a0 Before he could speak, a booming sneeze resounded throughout the room and Ben rolled his eyes heavenward.\u00a0 Not Hoss too, he lamented.<\/p>\n

Upstairs, Adam looked across the room at Little Joe and both men chuckled as they recognized the unmistakable sound of a Hoss size sneeze.\u00a0 It looked like they were going to have company.<\/p>\n

Within the hour, Hoss’s bed now occupied the space where Adam’s dresser and drawing table once stood.\u00a0\u00a0 The foot of Hoss’s bed abutted up to the foot of Joe’s bed, both of which were across from the foot of Adam’s.<\/p>\n

Adam was somewhat disappointed that Hoss had a head cold like Joe and wasn’t blessed with the opportunity of receiving a chest plaster.\u00a0 But at least Hoss would spare him of the tedious chore of playing checkers with Joe.\u00a0 Adam looked up from his struggle to turn a page as Hoss’s forceful sneeze actually caused the window above his and Joe’s bed to rattle.<\/p>\n

Adam squinted his eyes and grimaced in disgust as his brother then proceeded to blow his nose with such a loud honking sound he thought it would surely break the windowpane that the sneeze had missed.\u00a0 Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Joe moving pieces on the checkerboard while Hoss’s attention was focused on his nose.\u00a0 Chuckling, Adam fumbled to flip another page.<\/p>\n

“Hey, this board looks funny?”\u00a0\u00a0 Hoss announced returning his attention to the checker game.<\/p>\n

“What’s funny, it just a game of checkers.”\u00a0 Joe countered.<\/p>\n

“It looks different,” Hoss complained, he knew something was amiss but just couldn’t tell what.<\/p>\n

“Of course it looks different, it’s your turn now, go!”\u00a0\u00a0 Joe ordered hiding the pieces he’d secretly removed from the board.<\/p>\n

Adam looked up from his book and chuckled softly at his brother’s fishy eyed stare.<\/p>\n

“You’re cheating!”\u00a0 Hoss accused pointing his finger toward his little brother.<\/p>\n

“Me, I don’t cheat.\u00a0 It ain’t my fault if you’ve got a short attention span.”\u00a0 Joe countered, placing his hand to his chest in defense.<\/p>\n

“I still say you’re cheating, and I ain’t gonna play with you no more.”\u00a0 Hoss pouted folding his arms across his chest.<\/p>\n

Adam rolled his eyes and shook his head returning his attention back to the written words on the page before him.<\/p>\n

“Hey Adam, do I cheat?”\u00a0 Joe pleaded with his brother, raising his voice in emphasis and hoping to draw Adam into the free for all.<\/p>\n

Adam looked up from his reading in mild annoyance and croaked “Leave me out of this.”\u00a0\u00a0 Before attempting to return his concentration to the book resting in his lap.<\/p>\n

“It don’t matter what Adam says, I still ain’t gonna play with you no more.”\u00a0 Hoss stated changing the subject and his attention to his other brother.\u00a0 “Hey Adam, whatcha reading?”<\/p>\n

“A book,” Adam replied in a raspy pain filled voice, “now leave me alone.”<\/p>\n

Most days Adam loved his brothers dearly, but today was not one of those days.\u00a0 Adam thought back to the two days when he was first presented with each of his younger brothers and wondered idly if it was too late to return the gifts.\u00a0 Right now he’d give real money for a little peace and quiet from the two of them.<\/p>\n

Normally, misery loved company, but right now Adam just wanted to be left alone.\u00a0 His chest, hands and feet ached unmercifully and it was taking most of his concentration to keep from coughing or scratching his itchy chest.\u00a0 All he wanted to do was read his book in relative silence.<\/p>\n

“Gee Adam, you don’t have to be so grouchy,” Hoss grumbled.<\/p>\n

“Hey Hoss, wanna play another game of checkers?”\u00a0 Joe asked trying to divert his brother’s attention once more.<\/p>\n

“No, you cheat!”\u00a0 Hoss accused.<\/p>\n

“Not again!”\u00a0 Adam groaned.<\/p>\n

“I don’t cheat, do I cheat?”\u00a0 Joe inquired angelically.<\/p>\n

“YES!”\u00a0 Adam yelled, then regretted it immediately as it was followed by a violent coughing spasm.<\/p>\n

As soon as his coughing spell ceased, Adam noticed the deceptive silence that permeated the room.\u00a0 Glancing up he found his father standing in the doorway patiently stirring a fresh pot of mustard poultice.<\/p>\n

“As if called,” Adam grumbled, rolling over onto his stomach and putting his pillow firmly over his head.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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

 <\/p>\n

Joe inhaled deeply in disgust as he continued to count the squares on the quilt covering his oldest brother.\u00a0 His brother Adam was covered with the quilt he and his brothers referred to as the sick quilt.\u00a0 The covering only made an appearance when one of them was ill and right now it warmed his brother.\u00a0 Joe was busy counting the different colored squares on the starburst pattern quilt hoping that his other big brother would do them all a favor and roll over.<\/p>\n

Adam stared up at the ceiling and counted the nails in the rafter timbers.\u00a0 He’d already finished counting all the knotholes in the wooden beams.\u00a0\u00a0 He was really tired, and wished he could sleep but being a light sleeper he was unable to fall asleep with all the noise his brother Hoss was making.<\/p>\n

Earlier when their father had arrived to dispense the foul tasting elixir and redo Adam’s mustard plaster he’d confiscated Adam’s book and his brothers’ checkerboard and had instructed them all to sleep.\u00a0 Now the only one sleeping was Hoss.<\/p>\n

Hoss was sleeping soundly and snoring loudly.\u00a0 Even when normally asleep, Hoss’s snore could rattle the windows in his room, but sick with a head cold he sounded like a roaring train engine at full steam.<\/p>\n

Adam looked over to his youngest brother to see if he was asleep and found him awake as well.\u00a0 Seeing Adam look at him, Joe raised his hands to his own throat and made a strangling motion causing Adam to chuckle, then stifle a cough.\u00a0 Adam watched as Joe pulled at something on his pillow and realized by the malicious grin that appeared upon Joe’s face that Hoss was in for it.\u00a0 Peering closer, Adam realized that Joe had found a small feather and watched as his youngest brother slowly sidled ever closer to Hoss’s feet.<\/p>\n

Joe slowly pulled the blanket and sheet from between the mattresses of Hoss’s bed, then gently lifted the covers to expose his big brother’s right foot.\u00a0 Joe quickly covered his mouth to keep from giggling out loud and glanced impishly toward Adam who was watching him intently.\u00a0 Seeing that his oldest brother wouldn’t stop him, Joe started to tickle Hoss’s big toe.<\/p>\n

Hoss pulled his foot away as he snorted and huffed.\u00a0 After several seconds, he placed his foot back within Joe’s reach.<\/p>\n

Joe reached out and tickled the underside of Hoss’s large foot.\u00a0 Causing the big man to kick out and snort loudly shifting onto his side.<\/p>\n

Not finished with his tormenting of his big brother Joe sang out in a high-pitched singsong voice.\u00a0 “Ho-oss.”<\/p>\n

“Um hum hum.”\u00a0 Hoss responded dreamily in his sleep almost in the same singsong manner as his younger brother.<\/p>\n

Amused, Adam pursed his lips and held his breath to keep from laughing out loud.<\/p>\n

“Ho-oss.”<\/p>\n

“Ah huh huh.”<\/p>\n

“Shut u-u-p-p, Adam and I wanna sl-eee-ep.”\u00a0 Joe couldn’t hold it much longer and started to giggle wildly rolling on to his side and grabbing his stomach with both hands.<\/p>\n

Adam lost it as well and began to laugh first at Hoss, then at Little Joe’s silly cackle.<\/p>\n

Hoss woke at a start hearing his brother’s raucous laughter and was pretty certain it was directed at him.\u00a0 Finding his feet uncovered, he knew his suspicions were confirmed.<\/p>\n

“Dadburnit you two!”\u00a0 Hoss roared while Joe continued to chortle and Adam’s laughter turned into a racking cough.<\/p>\n

“Jumping Johosivit!\u00a0 What the devil is going on in here?”\u00a0 Ben thundered from the doorway.<\/p>\n

Adam and Joe had been so busy laughing they hadn’t even noticed their father’s arrival.<\/p>\n

“I don’t know Pa, you’ll have to ask those two what’s so dang funny.”\u00a0 Hoss protested.<\/p>\n

“Well Joseph, what have you got to say for yourself?”\u00a0 Ben demanded with his hands firmly planted on his hips.<\/p>\n

The only noise that escaped his youngest son’s lips was a faint yelp in surprise followed by a slight flinch when he found his father glaring at him.\u00a0 Seeing his son properly chastened, he turned his attention to his oldest.<\/p>\n

“Well?”<\/p>\n

Adam anticipated his father’s action, so holding his breath, he raised his eyebrows back at his father and smiled in an imitation of his most innocent expression.<\/p>\n

Seeing that he would get no help from any of his sons, Ben grabbed the bottle of elixir from Adam’s nightstand and began liberally dispensing dosages to each of his sons.\u00a0 Finishing with his task and hearing his sons sputter and complain, Ben turned on his heel to depart from the room while roaring over his shoulder “NOW GO TO SLEEP, BOYS!”<\/p>\n

“Quit calling them boys, they say.\u00a0 They’re men now, they claim.\u00a0 The day they stop acting like small children, will be the day I stop treating them as children!”\u00a0 Ben ranted as he stomped down the hallway.\u00a0 “What am I, a father of three supposedly grown sons or the headmaster of a school for wayward boys!”<\/p>\n

The three Cartwright sons exchanged slightly bemused glances and shrugged their shoulders, as they heard their father’s ranting and raving echoing down the hall and back into their room,<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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

 <\/p>\n

Adam eagerly climbed out of bed, today was the day he was finally being allowed out of his bed.\u00a0 Even though his voice was still gravely and his hands lightly bandaged due to the broken bones, he was feeling much better.\u00a0\u00a0 He had been forced to stay in bed a week longer than both of his brothers due to his severe chest cold but today his strictly enforced incarceration ended, he’d finally received a parole from Doctor Martin.<\/p>\n

Gathering up a fresh set of clothes, Adam hobbled down the hall to the stairs.\u00a0 He had asked Hop Sing to have a bath prepared for him and made his way to the kitchen.\u00a0 The Chinese man directed him to the downstairs guestroom where the tub awaited him.\u00a0 Stripping off his nightshirt and the dreaded towel from the mustard plaster, Adam slipped into the pleasantly hot water.<\/p>\n

“Ahhh,” Adam said aloud, he was not disappointed, the water was just to his liking.<\/p>\n

Ben descended the stairs and crossed the large living room as he made his way to the dining table.\u00a0 Hoss and Joe were already seated waiting for their father and other brother to arrive.<\/p>\n

“Where’s Adam?”\u00a0 Ben inquired noticing Adam’s vacant chair.\u00a0\u00a0 He had expected Adam to join them this morning after Doc Martin had given him the okay to be out of bed.<\/p>\n

“He’s in there taking a bath.”\u00a0 Joe gestured with his thumb over his shoulder at the guest room door.<\/p>\n

“Well, would one of you be so kind to call him for breakfast?”\u00a0 Ben questioned patiently, wondering why he always had to ask his sons to do something instead of them taking the initiative.<\/p>\n

“Hey Adam, time for breakfast!”\u00a0 Joe yelled turning to face the door.\u00a0 Turning back around he winced at his father’s heated stare.<\/p>\n

“When I said I wanted someone to call him, I meant for one of you two to go and get him.\u00a0 Not yell like a banshee!”\u00a0 Ben bellowed at his youngest son.\u00a0 Taking a calming breath, he repeated his request, “Now, would one of you please go and get your brother for breakfast?”<\/p>\n

Joe gave his older brother a “not me” look and Hoss swallowed with difficulty at the unpleasant thought.\u00a0\u00a0 Adam was worse than tangling with a grizzly bear when disturbed from one of his baths.\u00a0\u00a0 Seeing his father’s glare turn in his direction, Hoss reluctantly rose from the table and ambled over to the guestroom door.\u00a0 Knocking first to give his brother a little privacy.<\/p>\n

“Hey Adam?”\u00a0 Hoss inquired carefully as he opened the door and peeked inside.\u00a0 “Time for breakfast.”<\/p>\n

He was answered by a very angry and frustrated yell.<\/p>\n

“Orange!\u00a0 It’s bright orange!”\u00a0 Adam shouted as he stormed out of the guestroom, dressed only in his pants with his shirt clenched in one bandaged fist.<\/p>\n

Hoss jumped back out of the way of his raging brother as Adam stomped over to face his father from across the breakfast table.\u00a0 Ben and Little Joe looked up to confirm Adam’s accusation.<\/p>\n

Hoss and Joe broke out into rib splitting laughter at their brother’s expense.\u00a0 Adam’s chest hair was indeed a very bright shade of orange.<\/p>\n

Ben shrugged his shoulders in apology to his oldest child.\u00a0 He guessed he used too much mustard in the poultice.\u00a0 No longer able to contain his amusement he started to chuckle at his son’s misfortune.<\/p>\n

Adam growled in response and turned on his heel to stomp back up the stairs to his room.<\/p>\n

“Put on your shirt and house shoes before you catch pneumonia young man.”\u00a0 Ben yelled out to his son’s retreating back.<\/p>\n

All three men laughed even harder when they heard Adam’s door slam moments later.<\/p>\n

Later in the day, after Adam had simmered down and regained his composure, he rejoined his family in the room downstairs.\u00a0 He now sat with his feet propped up on the arm of the large blue chair with a book resting in his lap.<\/p>\n

Across from him sitting on the table with the largest and softest pillow in the house supporting his still tender bottom was his little brother Joe.\u00a0 He was playing yet another game of checkers with Hoss who rested on the settee.<\/p>\n

After finishing the barn chores, Ben Cartwright had joined his sons and was reading the newspaper in his favorite chair.\u00a0 Feeling a small tickle in the back of his throat and a slight twitch in his nose, Ben Cartwright coughed then sneezed loudly.\u00a0 Sensing three sets of eyes upon him, he nervously glanced over to his each of his sons.<\/p>\n

Hoss looked at him with just a hint of a small sinister smile, with Joe mischievously grinning impishly while Adam’s face wore a distinctly devilish smirk.\u00a0 Then his three beloved sons chorused in unison with a sickening sweet deceptively innocent tone.<\/p>\n

“Bless you Pa!”<\/p>\n

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

 <\/p>\n

Tags:<\/strong> Adam Cartwright, Ben Cartwright, Hoss Cartwright, Joe \/ Little Joe Cartwright<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Summary:\u00a0After rescuing a stray calf goes awry, Ben Cartwright’s sons need some tender loving care.<\/p>\n

Rated:\u00a0 G\u00a0 (9,300 words)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10520,"featured_media":13931,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","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_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_members_access_role":[],"_members_access_error":""},"categories":[1008,4,41],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14983","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-family","category-humor","category-hurtcomfort","wpcat-1008-id","wpcat-4-id","wpcat-41-id"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/flash-flood.jpg?fit=800%2C548&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14983","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\/10520"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=14983"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14983\/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=14983"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=14983"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=14983"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}