{"id":14986,"date":"2000-09-14T13:56:33","date_gmt":"2000-09-14T17:56:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=14986"},"modified":"2025-02-27T12:04:41","modified_gmt":"2025-02-27T17:04:41","slug":"winkin-blinkin-nod-by-starlite","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=14986","title":{"rendered":"Winkin, Blinkin, & Nod (by Starlite)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summary:<\/strong>\u00a0Hoss negotiates his first big contract, with a little help from his family.<\/p>\n

Rated:<\/strong>\u00a0 G\u00a0 (8,550 words)<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Winkin, Blinkin & Nod<\/strong><\/p>\n

Adam Cartwright rode very slowly into town.\u00a0 He was not a happy man.\u00a0 He’d spent the day out at the branding pits waiting for the arrival of his two younger brothers.\u00a0 His siblings were supposed to have joined him there after picking up the supplies in town.\u00a0 Now, after a long hot miserable day of hard work, his father was sending him into town to retrieve the miscreant misplaced misfits.<\/p>\n

Adam groaned softly as he tenderly shifted position in the saddle and made a conscious effort not to rub a very delicate portion of his anatomy.\u00a0 He gave silent thanks to his horse Sport for giving him such a gentle ride.\u00a0 At least his horse cared.<\/p>\n

Earlier in the day, while branding steers at the pits, a disgruntled calf had head butted Adam in a very sensitive spot and left the man in quite a bit of annoying pain.\u00a0 Even though he could’ve used his brothers’ assistance that day, he was grateful they weren’t around to witness his embarrassment.\u00a0 Then again, maybe it wouldn’t have happened at all if they weren’t shorthanded, Adam thought as his temper increased a notch.<\/p>\n

That ornery little wretched cuss, Adam fumed, referring to both his littlest brother and the wayward steer.\u00a0 Adam was certain that it was Little Joe’s fault for the tardiness of his brothers.\u00a0 Then again, if Pa made Joe act more responsibly, he could be soaking in a nice warm tub now instead of the slow painful ride into Virginia City to ‘fetch them home’!\u00a0 Adam mentally yelled his frustration and kicked Sport into a canter, then grunted over the intense cramp it provided to his nether regions.<\/p>\n

“Smart move old boy,” Adam chastised himself aloud as he rode into the outskirts of town.<\/p>\n

Surveying the landscape, Adam sought out the buckboard.\u00a0 He found the loaded wagon sitting in front of the general store.\u00a0 Riding over, Adam carefully stood in the saddle, then taking his time, swung his right leg up and over the seat and stepped down to the dusty ground.<\/p>\n

Once standing on the street, Adam took a deep breath to settle himself before moving to tie his horse to the hitching rail in front of the store.\u00a0 He was surprised to find the movement wasn’t as painful as he feared, in fact it was a relief to be out of the saddle.<\/p>\n

Glancing about he sought out his brothers.\u00a0 Not seeing them anywhere in the nearby vicinity, Adam headed into the mercantile to inquire as to their whereabouts.\u00a0 As he suspected, his brothers had been there, had picked up their supplies and loaded the wagon, then that was the last the clerk had seen of them since the early afternoon.<\/p>\n

Running a hand through his hair before placing his hat back on his head.\u00a0 Adam thanked the storeowner with barely restrained anger in his voice and headed for where he knew he would find his two younger brothers.<\/p>\n

A very incensed Adam heard piano music, drunken laughter and loud talk as he swung open the swinging doors of the Silver Dollar saloon.\u00a0 Scanning the dusty, smoky, crowded establishment he quickly found what he was looking for.<\/p>\n

There at the bar stood his brother Hoss talking to the barkeep Sam, a fresh mug of beer in his hand.\u00a0 Looking across the room, Adam found Little Joe at a poker table.\u00a0 His left arm encircling the waist of a young saloon girl, as she sat in his lap, with a hand of cards in the other.<\/p>\n

“Oh please,” Adam muttered and rolled his eyes when he saw his youngest brother look up to the painted girl and wink sweetly at her.<\/p>\n

Adam ran a hand across his face to try and calm his nerves with very little success.\u00a0 Taking a deep breath, he strode over to his bigger brother at the bar.\u00a0 Taking the fresh beer from his brother’s outstretched hand, Adam took a sip.<\/p>\n

“Adam!”\u00a0 Hoss exclaimed, blinking his eyes in surprise, then gulping.\u00a0 He knew why Adam was here and he could figure out who must’ve sent him.\u00a0 He could also tell that his big brother wasn’t happy to see him.<\/p>\n

“Yes, or if you prefer, your worst nightmare.”\u00a0 Adam nodded, then replied with an ominous voice.<\/p>\n

Hoss had lost all track of time, he hadn’t realized it had gotten so late.\u00a0 Little Joe had promised that they’d only be a couple of minutes and no one would notice.\u00a0 Well, as usual, Little Joe was wrong, someone had noticed and he was standing before him all dressed in black with a distinctly displeased scowl across his face.\u00a0 Hoss gulped then blinked nervously at his older brother.<\/p>\n

“I’ll go and get ’em,” Hoss offered before making a hasty retreat to the other side of the room.<\/p>\n

Adam nodded in response as he watched his large brother rapidly cross the room to their other brother.<\/p>\n

Adam groaned aloud as he took another sip of Hoss’s beer and watched Little Joe wink at yet another pretty little saloon girl who brought him a fresh whiskey.\u00a0 Adam observed Hoss tapping Joe on the shoulder while he whispered in Joe’s ear before pointing in his direction.\u00a0 Adam smiled menacingly and raised the beer in a small toast, when Joe looked in his direction.<\/p>\n

Adam watched initial panic flood across his baby brother’s face to be replaced by an indignant glare before Joe returned to his game.\u00a0 Hoss stuffed his hands into his pockets and ambled back toward his older brother, he hated being caught in the middle.<\/p>\n

“Uh, Adam, Joe says he ain’t ready to go yet.\u00a0 And he’ll be along when he’s good and ready.”\u00a0 Hoss stammered, concentrating on his boots.<\/p>\n

“Oh, he did, did he?\u00a0 Well I think he’s good and ready right now.”\u00a0 Adam firmly stated, shoving the empty beer mug into Hoss’s hands.<\/p>\n

Adam was almost blinded by fury as he stepped forward toward his youngest brother.\u00a0 A sharp intense pain reminded him to move more slowly.\u00a0 In doing so, Adam was able to reign in some of his fury reducing the heat to a slow boil.<\/p>\n

Joe concentrated and studied the cards he held in his hand, trying to ignore his advancing brother, Adam.\u00a0 He knew the message he’d sent would infuriate his oldest brother, but didn’t care.\u00a0 He was tired of being treated like a child and having people tell him what to do.<\/p>\n

Joe heard his brother stop somewhere behind him and could feel Adam’s intense eyes upon his back.\u00a0 He fought the urge to look.\u00a0 Joe felt a very hot breath on the back of his neck, and closing his eyes he cringed.<\/p>\n

“Game’s over.”\u00a0 Joe heard a deep baritone voice distinctly whisper in his ear.\u00a0 He shook off the cold chill that suddenly grabbed him, as he tried to strengthen his resolve.<\/p>\n

“I’ll go home when I’m good and ready and not before!”\u00a0 Joe angrily warned over his shoulder.\u00a0 Still avoiding his oldest brother’s gaze.<\/p>\n

“Miss,” Adam drawled as he suavely escorted the young bar girl from his brother’s lap.\u00a0 She could sense the animosity that was building and was grateful to be getting out of the way before the war began.<\/p>\n

Joe flinched as he felt his brother’s hand firmly grasp his shoulder.\u00a0 Taking a deep breath to steel his nerves, Joe decided to meet his brother’s gaze in defiance.\u00a0 He was totally caught off guard by his brother’s remark.<\/p>\n

“What no wink for me?”\u00a0 Adam smirked, then joined in the laughter the comment brought at his brother’s expense.<\/p>\n

Little Joe’s face flushed a deep red in anger.\u00a0 Ever defiant he turned back to the table and the poker game.<\/p>\n

“I see your 5 and raise you 10!”<\/p>\n

The other men watched Adam intently, while Joe pretended to study the cards in his hands.<\/p>\n

Not one to give in so easily.\u00a0 Adam stood erect and announced.<\/p>\n

“Well, if you can beat three of a kind, the bet is now ten.”\u00a0 Crossing his arms across his chest, Adam leaned against the wall behind his youngest brother.<\/p>\n

Joe was now infuriated.\u00a0 How dare his brother ruin his hand?\u00a0 Outraged, he flung the cards onto the table and jumped from his chair.<\/p>\n

Adam anticipated Joe’s response, and waited for his brother to throw the first punch.\u00a0 Just like clockwork, Adam watched a left upper cut attempt to make its way to his face.\u00a0 Ducking, Adam caught his brother’s arm, turned him around and kicked him soundly in the backside, sending him sprawling in the direction of the swinging doors.<\/p>\n

Laughter floated over the large room and resounded like war drums in Joe’s ears.\u00a0 Furious over being embarrassed by his brother and the ruined card game, Joe quickly got back to his feet and charged in the direction of his oldest brother.\u00a0 He stopped abruptly when he ran into the immovable force of his brother Hoss.<\/p>\n

“Let me at ’em, Hoss!”\u00a0 Joe yelled, his fists clenched at his sides.<\/p>\n

“Now, Joe, ya know ya oughta just call it a day, while ya still can stand.”\u00a0 Hoss offered sympathetically.<\/p>\n

Joe glared at him in response, wanting revenge on both his brothers now.\u00a0 Joe swung blindly to try and free himself from the bigger man.<\/p>\n

Seeing Joe’s punch approach his head, Hoss ducked his head and released his grip.\u00a0 Joe’s swing went wide and connected with a miner who was just leaving the bar with a fresh beer in hand.<\/p>\n

The miner was none to pleased to be wearing his beer instead of drinking it.\u00a0 Growling, the drenched man converged upon the curly haired young man.\u00a0 The man grabbed the front of Little Joe’s green jacket and flung him across the room in the direction of the piano.<\/p>\n

Little Joe landed on his backside upon a table with another poker game of ranch hands and miners in progress.\u00a0 The table crashed to the floor with coins rolling and bills flying haphazardly around the room. Enraged, the men joined in the melee.<\/p>\n

Seeing Joe crashing to the floor with a resounding thud.\u00a0 Hoss was now enraged at the miner who had accosted his little brother.\u00a0 With a full-force backhand of his own, he sent the grubby miner flying in Adam’s direction.<\/p>\n

Adam watched in satisfied amusement as his youngest brother went sailing across the room.\u00a0 Noticing the miner hurtling in his direction, he gracefully sidestepped the approaching man and let him crash into the wall behind him.\u00a0 Dusting himself off lightly, Adam proceeded for the door.<\/p>\n

Adam had only made it a few steps when a hand clasped his shoulder.\u00a0 Turning, he found himself facing the half-dazed miner and felt a gut wrenching blow to his mid-section that momentarily stole his breath away.\u00a0 Now enraged, Adam joined in on the free for all.<\/p>\n

Hoss watched as his older brother doubled over then righted himself as he clobbered the miner in the face.\u00a0 He smiled broadly and was quite proud of the job Adam did on the man’s nose.<\/p>\n

Hoss’s amusement was short lived as he felt someone jumped onto his back and yelped as sharp pain raced through his ear.\u00a0 Reaching over his shoulder he found a scrawny little cuss of a man, grubby looking like the other miner and assumed they must be friends.\u00a0 Holding the man high in the air by his upper arms, Hoss held his kicking legs at bay.\u00a0 Finally tiring of the little man, Hoss turned and tossed him over the bar with a resounding crash of breaking glass.\u00a0 Brushing off the imaginary dust from his hands, he turned back to the fighting in the room.<\/p>\n

Hoss found his little scrapper of a brother fighting a bigger brute with another advancing upon him.\u00a0 He saw Adam holding his own, taking them down two at a time.\u00a0 Deciding that Little Joe could use his assistance, Hoss pushed his way through the battling masses.\u00a0 He watched as Joe picked up a full bottle of whiskey and hurled it in the direction of an oncoming attacker, who easily ducked the threatening object.<\/p>\n

Intrigued, Hoss followed the flying bottle to see where it landed.\u00a0 In horror, he saw it sail through the air towards Adam.<\/p>\n

“ADAM!”\u00a0 Hoss bellowed, hoping to warn his brother.<\/p>\n

Hearing the panic in his younger brother’s voice, Adam turned his attention to the sound of his name.\u00a0 Blindsided, the bottle crashed into his lower face.<\/p>\n

Joe had looked first at Hoss, then scanned the room for Adam when he heard Hoss’s cry of warning.\u00a0 He winced and swallowed as he watched his recently thrown bottle strike and break when it collided with his brother’s face.<\/p>\n

Stunned, Adam stumbled back into the wall but didn’t fall.\u00a0 Disgusted, Adam held out and shook his dripping arms now sodden by the cheap whiskey, while looking down at his wet shirt.<\/p>\n

All the combatants’ attention was immediately drawn to the front doors of the saloon as a shot rung out.<\/p>\n

“That’s enough for today boys!”\u00a0 Sheriff Coffee announced, holstering his gun.\u00a0 “Sam, who’s the responsible party?”<\/p>\n

Sam the bartender pointed across the room at Little Joe who was still staring at his brother.\u00a0 He didn’t even realize he was now the center of attention.<\/p>\n

“Might’ve known.\u00a0 Whatcha got to say for yourself boy?”\u00a0 Roy Coffee inquired, taking in the room’s devastation.<\/p>\n

Little Joe didn’t even hear the sheriff’s question as he and his brother, Hoss, made their way across the room to Adam.<\/p>\n

Seeing the young man’s direction, Sheriff Coffee followed the two Cartwright boys to the back wall of the saloon where he found the object of their concern.\u00a0 There leaning against the wall stood the eldest Cartwright son, he was drenched in something that smelled like whiskey and the left side of his upper lip was torn and bleeding.<\/p>\n

“Whatcha do to yourself there, Adam?”\u00a0 The sheriff asked, wincing at the man’s injury as he joined the Cartwright brothers.<\/p>\n

“Huh?”\u00a0 Adam replied, squinting his eyes in confusion.<\/p>\n

Seeing his brothers and the sheriff staring intently at something on his face.\u00a0 Adam gingerly touched the back of his hand to his mouth and winced.\u00a0 Lowering his hand, his head began to swim as he saw it covered in blood.\u00a0 In response to his new awareness of his injury, his upper lip and jaw screamed in pain.\u00a0 All tormenting memories of his recent encounter with the wayward steer were soon forgotten.<\/p>\n

Little Joe winced and carefully reached up to touch Adam’s torn lip.\u00a0 Seeing his youngest brother’s action, Adam swatted the offending hand away and glared back at him.<\/p>\n

“Here Adam, hold this agin it.”\u00a0 Hoss instructed, handing a clean handkerchief to his older brother with concern evident on his face.<\/p>\n

Adam carefully did as he was told and held the cloth to his bleeding lip.\u00a0 He felt Hoss grab his other upper arm tightly to keep him from swinging out at Little Joe.<\/p>\n

“Best get him to the Doc’s,” Roy Coffee instructed.\u00a0 “We’ll settle this later.”<\/p>\n

Adam nodded his agreement to the sheriff’s suggestion.<\/p>\n

Little Joe eagerly and helpfully grabbed his brother’s other upper arm.\u00a0 Making sure that in the process, Adam didn’t pull his hand away from his face.\u00a0 He and Hoss quickly escorted Adam across the room.<\/p>\n

Adam groaned and rolled his eyes when he saw Little Joe wink as they passed the little saloon girl that had earlier been adorning his baby brother’s lap.<\/p>\n

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

Just as the sun was setting over the mountains, the Cartwright sons rode into the yard.\u00a0 Adam was sitting on the front bench next to Hoss who drove home.\u00a0 Adam’s mood was so dark that no one had dared to speak on the entire trip home.<\/p>\n

Little Joe was sprawled out asleep on the sacks of grain in the back, with Sport tied to the wagon and bringing up the rear.\u00a0 Adam was so disgusted with Joe he wouldn’t allow him to ride his horse home.<\/p>\n

Hoss stole a quick glance over to his brother as he pulled the horses to a stop in front of the house.\u00a0 It didn’t look that bad, in fact Adam’s lip wasn’t as swollen as he thought, Hoss tried to reassure himself.<\/p>\n

Feeling the horses come to a stop, Little Joe quickly jumped down from the wagon.\u00a0 He didn’t want to be within arms reach of his oldest brother.<\/p>\n

“War do ou thin ou goo lit brudder?”\u00a0 Adam mumbled and winced at the pain the slight movement of his lip caused.<\/p>\n

“Huh?”\u00a0 Joe responded, not really understanding a word his brother said.<\/p>\n

“Aye stad, war do ou thin ou goo lit brudder?”\u00a0 Adam repeated starting to lose his patience.<\/p>\n

“Huh?”<\/p>\n

“Doe, nebbermeint.”\u00a0 Adam said in disgust, putting his hand to his sore face.\u00a0 He wondered if he’d ever be able to talk straight again.<\/p>\n

“Don’t ya go playing dumb Joe.”\u00a0 Hoss threatened.\u00a0 “You get busy unloading these here supplies afore Pa comes out here and tans your worthless hide.”\u00a0 Turning to address Adam, Hoss warned, “And you ain’t ‘spose to be yaking.”<\/p>\n

Adam glared back in response.\u00a0 Pointing first at Hoss, then over to Sport and finally to the barn, Adam waited until Hoss nodded in response to his silent request.\u00a0 Thumbing his hand over his shoulder at the bathhouse, Adam departed.<\/p>\n

Hoss shook his head; for once in his life, he was not looking forward to supper.<\/p>\n

After unloading the buckboard and caring for Adam’s horse for the evening, Little Joe and Hoss joined their older brother in the bathhouse to wash up.\u00a0 Their father wasn’t home yet, but would be joining them for dinner.<\/p>\n

Adam had just finished dressing as his younger brothers entered the room.\u00a0 Even in the dim lighting he could make out the swollen red ear of Hoss’s and the definite black eye of Little Joe.\u00a0 This was going to be a very long and loud evening, Adam surmised.<\/p>\n

A small Oriental man with a long ponytail, angrily sputtering between English and Chinese, interrupted Adam’s musings.<\/p>\n

“Fadda not be happy! Foolishment, Hop Sing no time for the foolishment!”\u00a0 Hop Sing stated staring at each of the men before him in turn.\u00a0 Departing he left a kettle of warm water and fresh towels behind.<\/p>\n

Hoss swallowed and blinked at the little man yelling in Cantonese stomping from the room.\u00a0 He was mighty hungry and hoped that Hop Sing would still feed them supper.<\/p>\n

Adam turned to Little Joe and they both shrugged.\u00a0 Didn’t take much to set their Chinese cook off.<\/p>\n

After completing their cleanup.\u00a0 The three Cartwright boys entered the house and took their places at the dining table.\u00a0 They knew their father would be arriving soon and would be hungry.\u00a0 They also felt that maybe the food would slow down his forthcoming lecture.<\/p>\n

Adam sat in his customary place at the end of the table with Little Joe on his left and Hoss on his right.\u00a0 Each man surveyed the other and winced.<\/p>\n

“Ah, what are we gonna tell Pa?”\u00a0 Joe ventured.<\/p>\n

“Dell, Pooh? Aye’n not dawking, jew are!”\u00a0 Adam exclaimed, pointing his finger accusingly at Joe.<\/p>\n

“Huh?”\u00a0 Both of his brothers’ responded, squinting their eyes back towards Adam.<\/p>\n

“Aye stad, aye’n not dawking, jew are!”\u00a0 Adam attempted again.\u00a0 Wishing sincerely that he hadn’t as his lip painfully protested.<\/p>\n

“What did you say?”\u00a0 Joe looked at his brother and winced as he saw the lip in full light.<\/p>\n

“Doe, nebbermeint.”<\/p>\n

Deciding that silence was the best course of action at this point, Adam put his elbows upon the table and rested his sore chin in the palms of his hands, while extending his fingers to conceal his injured lip.<\/p>\n

Following Adam’s lead, Little Joe leaned his head on his right hand and tried to inconspicuously hide his swollen black eye.<\/p>\n

Hoss glared across the table at the ultimate cause of all their problems before resting his sore ear against his left hand.<\/p>\n

They all knew that hiding their injuries was a short-lived solution, but they were desperate and willing to try anything to avoid the anticipated onslaught of their father’s ire.\u00a0 They didn’t have to wait long, and they all tensed when they heard their father’s heavy footfalls cross the porch and the door swing open.<\/p>\n

“Evening boys.”\u00a0 Ben Cartwright greeted his sons as he strode into the dining room.<\/p>\n

“Evening Pa.”\u00a0 Joe offered in a slightly high-pitched fearful voice unable to look directly at his father.<\/p>\n

“Pa.”\u00a0 Hoss said, swallowing and blinking as he looked to Adam and Joe.<\/p>\n

“Pooh.”\u00a0 Was the best that Adam could do under the circumstances.<\/p>\n

Ben stopped briefly to glance at his eldest, slightly confused as to what Adam had just said.\u00a0 He dismissed it, because Adam was talking with his mouth covered.\u00a0 Taking his seat, he surveyed his sons, all of whom seemed unusually quiet.<\/p>\n

Ben’s attention turned to the Chinese cook as he began to bring in platters and bowls of food, all the time muttering something in Cantonese.<\/p>\n

Ben noticed out of the corner of his eye that his youngest appeared to be holding his head as though he were in pain, and turned a concerned eye to Joe.<\/p>\n

“Joseph, are you not feeling well this evening?”\u00a0 Ben inquired concerned over his youngest son’s downward glance.<\/p>\n

“No Pa, I don’t feel well.\u00a0 I have, I have a headache.”\u00a0 Joe eagerly grabbed at his father’s suggestion, proud of himself for coming up with a quick excuse that really wasn’t a bold-faced lie.<\/p>\n

Little Joe didn’t mind doing without dinner if he could get away from the table.\u00a0 He knew his father would find out sooner or later about the fight in town, but he preferred later and in the safety of his own room.\u00a0 He’d rather leave the dirty work to Adam and Hoss; afterall, it was Adam’s fault anyway.<\/p>\n

“Would you prefer to go and lay down?”\u00a0 Ben offered studying his son.<\/p>\n

YES! Joe quietly rejoiced, but before he could answer he caught Hoss’s angry scowl from across the table.\u00a0 Glancing over to Adam, Adam’s eyes sent a silent warning that spoke volumes, he knew that if he moved from the table it would mean his imminent demise.<\/p>\n

“No, thank you.”\u00a0 Joe cast his eyes downward to his plate in mild fear, as Hoss snorted in disgust.<\/p>\n

Now Ben’s curiosity was piqued, something was definitely up between his sons.\u00a0 He wasn’t sure what, but he could feel the tension in the air.\u00a0 He intended to get to the bottom of whatever the problem was.<\/p>\n

“Then put your hand down from your head Joseph.”\u00a0 Ben ordered, watching his son intently.<\/p>\n

Slowly, Little Joe did as he was instructed.<\/p>\n

Ben continued to look at his young son and noticed that something wasn’t quite right with the young man’s face.<\/p>\n

“Look at me Joseph.”\u00a0 Ben ordered.<\/p>\n

Joe gave a slight grimace and raised his left eyebrow before turning to look with an apologetic face at his father.\u00a0 Seeing the eye, Ben rolled his eyes in displeasure.<\/p>\n

“Nice shiner son.\u00a0 Get that in town today?”\u00a0 Ben asked his youngest.\u00a0 Not waiting for a response he turned his attention to his middle child who also seemed to have a hand to his head.<\/p>\n

“Hoss, would you put your hand down as well?”<\/p>\n

Hoss swallowed, then blinked nervously before looking over to his older brother for consent.<\/p>\n

Adam closed his eyes before nodding in resignation at Hoss’s discomfort and unspoken question.<\/p>\n

Slowly, Hoss lowered his hand and turned to face his father.<\/p>\n

“Nice looking ear you got there, son.\u00a0 Get that in town too?”\u00a0 Ben was beginning to fume.\u00a0 He’d sent those two into town for supplies and they came home with bar brawling wounds.<\/p>\n

“Would someone care to tell me exactly what happened in town today?”\u00a0 Ben asked of no one in particular, straining to keep his voice at a decent level and beginning to fail miserably.<\/p>\n

He stared down the table at his eldest who was being unusually quiet given the circumstances.\u00a0 Adam always seemed to know what his younger brothers had been up to.\u00a0 He’d also noted that both younger sons had sought affirmation from their older brother before complying with his requests.<\/p>\n

“Adam, would you please enlighten me as to how your brothers ended up in their conditions?”\u00a0 Ben demanded as he stared across the table at his first-born.<\/p>\n

Adam shrugged helplessly in response and glanced briefly to each of his brothers’ for assistance.<\/p>\n

Seeing Adam’s predicament, Hoss spoke first.<\/p>\n

“He can’t talk Pa.”<\/p>\n

“What?\u00a0 What do you mean he can’t talk, of course he can talk!”\u00a0 Ben thundered at his middle child.<\/p>\n

“No he can’t.\u00a0 Doc says he ain’t supposed to talk for awhile.”\u00a0 Joe quietly offered and then shied away from his father.<\/p>\n

Deciding it was time to let the cat out of the bag, Adam lowered his hands from his face and heard his father’s sharp intake of air.\u00a0 He noted the look of horror that crossed his Pa’s features and wondered if it really looked that bad.<\/p>\n

Hoss glanced first to his father and seeing his reaction looked over to Adam.\u00a0 Hoss could have sworn that Adam’s lip was more swollen and disfigured then he remembered it looking just minutes before in the bathhouse.<\/p>\n

Joe let out a small whimper and winced as he saw his brother’s face for the first time in the full lighting of the dining room.<\/p>\n

Adam fought the urge to get up from the table and escape from the room as he watched his father rapidly approach him from around the table.\u00a0 His father didn’t look happy.<\/p>\n

Ben reached out and took his son’s face into his hands to examine the injury.<\/p>\n

Adam thought his father would surely twist his head from his neck, as his father’s hands turned his face from side to side to study the swollen and cut lip.<\/p>\n

Ben could see that Adam’s upper left lip had been cut by something and now sported a couple of stitches.\u00a0 The surrounding area and chin were also swollen and bruised.<\/p>\n

“Would someone care to explain this?”\u00a0 Ben demanded still holding Adam’s head and addressing his younger sons over his shoulder.<\/p>\n

“He got hit by a bottle of whiskey.”\u00a0 Hoss stated quietly wincing at his father’s fury.<\/p>\n

“A bottle of whiskey!\u00a0 How did this happen if the two of you were at the General Store getting supplies and checking the mail?”\u00a0 Ben shouted no longer attempting to contain his anger.<\/p>\n

“We wasn’t at the store, we was at the saloon.”\u00a0 Hoss replied wishing he could just disappear and hide.<\/p>\n

“I see.”\u00a0 Ben paused to re-gather his wits about him.<\/p>\n

“Ah, Pooh, da faz.”\u00a0 Adam tried to release his father’s now painful grasp.<\/p>\n

“Huh?\u00a0 Oh I’m sorry son.”\u00a0 Ben replied as he let go of Adam’s head.<\/p>\n

Ben turned to look at his sons, and shook his head in disgust.\u00a0 There sat his youngest in desperate need of a steak for his eye, he wasn’t sure but he could swear there were teeth marks on Hoss’s ear and Adam’s mouth made his own face ache.<\/p>\n

“Lovely, just lovely.”\u00a0 Ben shook his head and addressed no one in general.<\/p>\n

“Doc says Adam’s lip ought to heal just nicely.\u00a0 We’d probably not even notice the scar.”\u00a0 Joe offered helpfully, hoping to alleviate some of his father’s worry.<\/p>\n

Adam closed his eyes and shook his head.\u00a0 Nice going Joe, thanks for reminding me, Adam thought as he squinted his eyes to look up to the imminent explosion of his father.<\/p>\n

“Scar!\u00a0 Someone still hasn’t explained how this happened to begin with!”\u00a0 Ben bellowed his focus now on his youngest son.<\/p>\n

Joe turned slightly green and felt nauseous.\u00a0 He looked to Hoss for help and found the ‘you got yourself into this one’ look.\u00a0 Suddenly feeling the room get very hot as sweat trickled down his neck, Joe gulped, then coughed covering his mouth with his hand before he answered his father.<\/p>\n

“I threw it.”\u00a0 Joe mumbled barely audible.<\/p>\n

“What, what did you say?”\u00a0 Ben pressed, watching his son pale before his eyes.<\/p>\n

“I threw it.”\u00a0 Joe mumbled again, just a little louder this time, while still raking his fingers across his face to conceal his own mouth.\u00a0 He wasn’t sure if Adam knew he was the culprit.<\/p>\n

“Put that hand down and speak up boy so I can hear you!”\u00a0 Ben ordered, getting a little more than impatient with Joe’s mumbling.<\/p>\n

“I threw it Pa.\u00a0 It wasn’t, I mean, I didn’t mean to hit Adam, it just sorta kinda happened.\u00a0 Honest Pa it was an accident.\u00a0 Really Pa.”\u00a0 Joe began to stammer and sputter.<\/p>\n

“Oh, you threw it, did you?”\u00a0 Ben muttered quietly shaking his head in disgust.\u00a0 He really wasn’t expecting his son to answer.<\/p>\n

Seeing Adam begin to rise in fury, Ben put out a restraining hand on his eldest son’s shoulder.\u00a0 Obviously, Adam didn’t know who’d thrown the bottle.<\/p>\n

“Hey, I’m sorry Adam, really I am.”\u00a0 Joe smiled faintly and rolled his shoulders apologetically at Adam.<\/p>\n

Seeing Adam’s raw fury staring back and fearing for his safety, Joe tried to slide back away from his oldest brother.\u00a0 Instead he slid from the seat of his chair and fell onto the floor with a thud.<\/p>\n

Hoss wanted to laugh but didn’t dare in light of the situation.<\/p>\n

“Aye outa beak ou nek,” Adam grumbled at his brother who was struggling to his feet.<\/p>\n

“Huh?” Joe and Hoss asked in unison unable to understand their older brother.<\/p>\n

“Quiet!”\u00a0 Ben ordered.<\/p>\n

Hop Sing entered the room and maneuvered his way between the Cartwrights, he placed a bowl of broth on the table before Adam.<\/p>\n

“Yell, yell, all da time yell.\u00a0 Foolishment, no time for da foolishment.”\u00a0 Muttering in Cantonese he left the dining room for the quiet sanctuary of the kitchen.<\/p>\n

Shaking his head, Ben pushed his first-born son’s chair back closer to the table.\u00a0 Reaching down, he placed the steaming bowl of soup closer to his son.<\/p>\n

“Eat!”\u00a0 Ben ordered then made his way back to the head of the table.<\/p>\n

The evening meal was a quiet and painful affair in many ways.\u00a0 Adam struggled to eat his broth but found getting the spoon into his mouth to be excruciating.\u00a0 Watching Adam’s efforts resulted in sympathy pains from his family, who quickly lost their own appetites and resorted to toying with their food instead.\u00a0 Even Hoss passed on second helpings.<\/p>\n

With the end of the evening ordeal, the men adjourned to the large room, where the sons awaited their impending doom.\u00a0 All during dinner they’d expected some pronouncement of sentence from their father for their actions in town.\u00a0 Now they waited in earnest, with Joe on the settee, Adam in his favorite blue chair and Hoss standing before the fireplace.\u00a0 Sitting in his red leather chair, Ben carefully lit his pipe before scanning the room.\u00a0 All three sons flinched as their father cleared his throat.<\/p>\n

“Well, I hope you boys enjoyed your little excursion in town today\u2026”<\/p>\n

Here it comes, thought Adam, Hoss and Joe.<\/p>\n

“Because of your actions, we now need to change some plans.”<\/p>\n

Adam, Hoss and Joe looked at their father in confusion.\u00a0 What plans?<\/p>\n

“As you know, Adam was supposed to head to San Francisco the day after tomorrow.\u00a0 With his injury, he’s not going to be able to go.”\u00a0 Ben continued, looking intently at his eldest son and saw Adam’s face fall.<\/p>\n

Adam hadn’t even considered that he wouldn’t be able to make the trip to San Francisco as scheduled.\u00a0 He was crestfallen; he was really looking forward to a time away from the ranch.\u00a0 But he understood his father’s reasoning.\u00a0 Without the ability to speak, he wouldn’t be able to effectively negotiate a shipping contract.\u00a0 Maybe he could learn the fine art of ventriloquism in the next 48 hours, then again maybe not.\u00a0 Nodding to his father, he accepted his fate.<\/p>\n

Adam watched as Joe’s chest puffed up like a prized peacock in eagerness.\u00a0 Adam fought the sudden rash urge to punch Joe in the other eye when he noticed Joe wink across the room at Hoss.<\/p>\n

Little Joe’s ears perked up as he heard his father pronounce that Adam’s trip to San Francisco was now available.\u00a0 He was certain he could talk his father into letting him fulfill Adam’s role.<\/p>\n

“Given the circumstances, I will now have to go in his place\u2026” Ben continued, turning his attention to Joe and noticed as he slunk down into the settee in rejection.<\/p>\n

Adam smirked then winced while watching Joe’s reaction.<\/p>\n

“Which means that you Hoss, will need to handle the new railroad contract negotiations for me.”\u00a0 Ben finished, turning his gaze to Hoss who was polishing an apple on his leather vest as he warmed himself in front of the fireplace.<\/p>\n

“What?\u00a0 Me, Pa?”\u00a0 Hoss blinked in confusion at his father.\u00a0 He didn’t know anything about railroad negotiations or contracts.<\/p>\n

“Yes, you son.”\u00a0 Ben supplied gently seeing his son’s bewilderment and slight apprehension.<\/p>\n

“But why not Joe?\u00a0 He sweet talks all the ladies, I’m sure he could handle this better’n me.”\u00a0 Hoss pleaded.<\/p>\n

Adam turned an amused glance from one younger brother to another.\u00a0 He watched as Hoss quietly objected to his father’s decision with fear and confusion displayed plainly across his face.\u00a0 Shifting his gaze to Joe, he watched as Joe’s chest once again puffed up in readiness.<\/p>\n

Joe sat erect, he was certain his father would let him handle the railroad business for Hoss.\u00a0 Afterall, he was a better talker, he might not be as good as Adam at this negotiating business, but he was definitely better than Hoss.\u00a0 Even if it was Virginia City and wasn’t San Francisco, it was still away from the ranch and those smelly old cows.<\/p>\n

“No, I think you’ll do just fine.\u00a0 Besides, Joe has other things to handle of equal importance to me.”\u00a0 Ben stated as he turned his attention to his youngest.<\/p>\n

“Really Pa?”\u00a0 Joe looked to his father, he was certain his father had saved a special task for him.\u00a0 Maybe even that breeding trip to Carson City he’d mentioned a few days ago.<\/p>\n

“Yes Joseph, you son are going to stay on the ranch and insure that every head of cattle is branded and moved to the lower pasture for grazing.”\u00a0 Ben stated with emphasis on every word while pointing his pipe at his careless young son.<\/p>\n

Joe responded with a sick smile and small whimper in response.\u00a0 Adam chuckled at Joe, then grimaced putting a hand to his tender mouth.\u00a0 Maybe Little Joe could use his magical wink on those cows he mused.<\/p>\n

Hoss put back the apple he’d been polishing; his appetite was now gone for good.\u00a0 Satisfied, Ben sat back in his chair, and crossed his legs as he placed the pipe in his mouth then opened the paper.<\/p>\n

“Adam,” Ben spoke from behind the front page, “why don’t you go over the proposals with Hoss.\u00a0 You know them as well as I do.”<\/p>\n

Nodding, Adam rose from his chair and headed over to the large desk where he began to pull papers from one of the drawers.\u00a0 Spreading them out before him, he wondered how Hoss was going to grasp all this information by the day after tomorrow.\u00a0 It wasn’t as though he thought Hoss a stupid man; in fact, Adam thought just the opposite of his giant of a brother.\u00a0 But timber and contracts just wasn’t his brother’s forte.\u00a0 Adam suppressed another painful grin when he heard his brother try another attempt to plead his case.<\/p>\n

“Hey Pa, why dontcha just reschedule these here negat, negototio, this here meeting until either you or Adam can be there?”\u00a0 Hoss suggested hopefully.<\/p>\n

“Sorry son, it’s too late.\u00a0 I’m sure these gentlemen are already on their way.\u00a0 This is a big contract for us and we can’t afford not to be there.”\u00a0 Ben soothed; he had more faith in Hoss than his son had in himself.<\/p>\n

Dejectedly, Hoss stuffed his hands into his pockets and headed for his father’s desk.\u00a0 He grimaced as he saw the pile of paperwork laid out before him.\u00a0 He turned pleading eyes to Adam for assistance.<\/p>\n

Seeing Hoss’s pitiful expression, Adam came around from the desk.\u00a0 Gently, Adam guided the large man over to their father’s chair behind the table.\u00a0 Realizing that Hoss wouldn’t sit, Adam placed both hands tightly upon the big man’s shoulders and pushed as he kneed his brother in the back of the leg, plopping the man solidly into the chair.\u00a0 Slapping his brother on the back to get his full attention, Adam placed the initial outlay into his brother’s hand.<\/p>\n

Ben watched in silent amusement at Hoss’s predicament.\u00a0 Last time he’d seen him that frightened was at his first Saturday night square dance when Adam made him ask that girl, whatever her name was, to do a reel.<\/p>\n

“Weed.”\u00a0 Adam instructed whispering into his brother’s ear.<\/p>\n

“Huh?”\u00a0 Hoss peered up over his shoulder at his brother.<\/p>\n

“Weed!”\u00a0 Adam said more intently, then regretted it.<\/p>\n

“Whatcha say?”\u00a0 Hoss pondered at whatever Adam was trying to say.<\/p>\n

“Doe, nebbermeint!”\u00a0 Adam exclaimed in frustration.<\/p>\n

“No talking!”\u00a0 Ben thundered from across the room, worried about his son’s injured face.<\/p>\n

Adam rolled his eyes in frustration, then turned his brother’s face to the page.<\/p>\n

Understanding Adam’s intentions, Hoss scrunched up his face and began to read the boring text and confusing figures.<\/p>\n

Hours and many pots of coffee later, Adam was still trying to drill the finer details of the plans into his younger brother’s head.\u00a0 Little Joe had given up his book and was watching in amusement as Adam’s frustration built by the minute.\u00a0 Adam had even resorted to drawing pictures to explain the different types of wood that would be required by the railroad, hoping that Hoss would eventually get the idea of what was to be accomplished.\u00a0 Finally at wits end, Adam blurted out while waving a sheet of paper at his head blocked brother.<\/p>\n

“Lock ad dis, dis is wat ou ned do oonterstad!”\u00a0 Adam immediately regretted his digression, as his lip felt like it would rip apart.<\/p>\n

“Adam, no talking!”\u00a0 Ben barked from his chair, he too had been watching in mild amusement over the situation.<\/p>\n

“Dadburnit, I just don’t get what is so all fired important about some dumb wood anyway!”\u00a0 Hoss tiredly exclaimed, all these figures were making his head ache and his eyes cross.<\/p>\n

“ARGH!”\u00a0 Adam exploded, throwing the papers back onto the desk before a stunned Hoss.<\/p>\n

Watching Adam, Little Joe lost his control and began to laugh and cackle loudly.\u00a0 Grabbing his ribs tightly with his hands, he was so wrapped up in his merriment that he fell from the couch to the floor.\u00a0 Never missing a beat he continued to laugh at his oldest brother’s misery.<\/p>\n

Adam was now beyond fury, first he glowered at a very dejected Hoss, then to his hyena of a little brother and finally to his slightly amused father.\u00a0 Deciding that his best option this night was to surrender to defeat, he made his way to the stairs.\u00a0 Reaching the first step, he turned to address his baby brother.<\/p>\n

“Doe shud ut!”\u00a0 Adam commanded Joe.\u00a0 He was tired of his brother’s annoying giggling.<\/p>\n

Adam’s poor attempt to silence him only caused Joe to whoop louder in amusement at Adam’s utter disgust.\u00a0 Reaching the middle landing, Adam addressed the room in general.<\/p>\n

“Ay’ve add id, Dood nighed!”<\/p>\n

“No talking!”\u00a0 Little Joe tittered and Ben ordered in a teasing manner.<\/p>\n

Adam growled loudly back in response as he stomped up the stairs.<\/p>\n

“Good night son.”\u00a0 Ben called out to his son’s retreating form.<\/p>\n

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

The next day was spent in preparation.\u00a0 First, Adam went over the shipping needs with his father.\u00a0 Then both he and his father attempted to instruct Hoss on the timber plans.<\/p>\n

By mid afternoon, Hoss had barely begun to see the light and had just the barest of essentials down.\u00a0 Ben decided that Adam would need to accompany Hoss to assist him in handling the basic negotiations.\u00a0\u00a0 In light of the situation, Adam devised a simple signaling system and coached Hoss on the appropriate responses.<\/p>\n

The following day saw Ben, Adam and Hoss enter town.\u00a0 Ben would be departing on the noon stage westward to San Francisco, while Adam and Hoss would meet the railroad executives in their hotel suite.<\/p>\n

Ben studied the appearances of the young men that stood before him.\u00a0 Adam exuded professional confidence in his black suit, crisp white shirt and black string tie.\u00a0 Hoss on the other hand, look like a frightened young boy all dressed up for church on Sunday.\u00a0 Ben chuckled as Adam swatted Hoss’s hand away from fidgeting with the tie around his neck.<\/p>\n

Adam and Hoss stood on the walkway and listened once again to their father’s instructions regarding the negotiations.<\/p>\n

“Now remember Hoss, don’t let them talk you any lower than the price we discussed.”\u00a0 Ben insisted as he waved a finger in his son’s direction.<\/p>\n

“Yessir,” Hoss replied, watching his father’s finger fly before his face.<\/p>\n

“And remind them we have an excellent reputation in this part of the country for providing\u2026”<\/p>\n

“I know Pa – good timber, quality workmanship and on time.”\u00a0 Hoss quoted his father’s unfinished statement.\u00a0 He’d heard it many times in the last twenty-four hours.<\/p>\n

Adam began to silently chuckle and turned his head to look away before his father saw his reaction.\u00a0 Would his father ever let him grow up?<\/p>\n

“And you?”\u00a0 Ben changed his focus to his oldest son.<\/p>\n

Adam turned back to his father and gave him an exaggerated\u00a0 ‘who me’ expression, placing his hand upon his chest.<\/p>\n

“Yes you.\u00a0 You make sure nothing goes wrong now you hear?”\u00a0 Ben threatened, uncertain if he’d actually made a good choice.\u00a0 This contract would be a great boon to the Ponderosa.<\/p>\n

“Yesh, Pooh.”\u00a0 Adam answered as best he could.\u00a0 He was beginning to wonder if his upper lip would ever work properly again.<\/p>\n

“NO Talking!”\u00a0 Both Ben and Hoss thundered in response.<\/p>\n

Adam rolled his eyes and groaned aloud, grabbing Hoss by the arm he turned to walk away.\u00a0 Adam waved his hand over his shoulder to his father as a departing gesture.<\/p>\n

“You mind what I told ya.”\u00a0 Ben yelled at the retreating forms.\u00a0 Grabbing up his carpetbag, he handed it to the driver before boarding the stagecoach.<\/p>\n

Adam studied the big man that walked down the street with him.\u00a0 He wasn’t sure if the bowler that perched atop Hoss’s head looked better than the slicked down hair that Joe had helped him with that morning.\u00a0 Either way, he liked the plain old Hoss Cartwright version better than the dressed up Eric Cartwright rendition.<\/p>\n

Hoss could feel his brother’s eyes studying him as they entered the hotel.\u00a0 He hated these Sunday clothes and desperately wanted his white Stetson back.\u00a0 Entering the establishment, he turned pitiful eyes to Adam hoping for a last minute reprieve.\u00a0 He swallowed then blinked sorrowfully to his older brother.<\/p>\n

Adam’s eyes twinkled and he gave his brother a half smile with the good portion of his mouth.\u00a0 Then slapping his brother on the back, he directed him up the stairs.<\/p>\n

Hours later found the two Cartwright sons and two railroad representatives deep in heated negotiations.\u00a0 Hoss found his mind begin to wander as some other obscure issue was brought to the forefront in the conversation.\u00a0 He was abruptly brought back to the present when he felt a sharp hard toe boot connect solidly with his shin.<\/p>\n

Darnit Adam!\u00a0 Hoss was beginning to regret the agreement with his brother over the silent signaling system they had worked out.\u00a0 If Adam kicked him one more time, he doubted that he’d be able to walk out of the room.<\/p>\n

Adam had seen Hoss begin to stare out the window, he also knew this was a point that they had only briefly discussed.\u00a0 Seeing that he had his brother’s attention, Adam shook his head slightly.<\/p>\n

“I don’t think that is in our best interest.”\u00a0 Hoss gave the appropriate response that his brother Adam had provided him with the day before.<\/p>\n

“I see.”\u00a0 The executive replied.\u00a0 “This is a very important issue in regards to this contract.”<\/p>\n

Hoss looked to Adam for guidance uncertain as to what would happen next.\u00a0 He saw Adam sitting confidently with one brow raised in mild annoyance.\u00a0 Mimicking his brother, Hoss leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest.<\/p>\n

Adam watched his brother from across the small table and fought the urge to laugh.\u00a0 So far he was pretty impressed with Hoss’s ability to hold his own with the two representatives, but they had yet to discuss dollars and cents.\u00a0 He just hoped their luck would hold out.<\/p>\n

“Would you excuse us gentlemen, we need a moment to confer?”\u00a0 The other representative said as more of a matter of fact than a question.<\/p>\n

Adam nodded his consent as Hoss replied with “Certainly.”<\/p>\n

As soon as the men departed to the adjoining room.\u00a0 Adam quickly rose and strode over to the window to stretch his cramped legs.\u00a0 Hoss followed soon after, hoping to find out if things were going well or not because he wasn’t certain.<\/p>\n

“How we doing Adam?”\u00a0 Hoss quietly asked making sure the door had closed.<\/p>\n

Adam shrugged his shoulders in response and gestured with his hand in a wavy so-so manner.\u00a0 These men were hard to read or get a feel for.\u00a0 He was pretty sure they still had the upper hand, but he’d known things to turn rapidly.<\/p>\n

Minutes later, the door opened and two very solemn men approached the table.\u00a0 Adam stayed by the window while Hoss retook his seat to continue the negotiations.<\/p>\n

“Now about the labor supply issue\u2026” the first representative began.<\/p>\n

Labor supply?\u00a0 Hoss was lost; he didn’t remember either his father or brother mentioning anything about labor.\u00a0 He wasn’t even sure what labor had to do with timber.\u00a0 He blinked rapidly then quickly turned panic stricken eyes to his brother and found a similar expression displayed on Adam’s face.<\/p>\n

Adam was thrown for a loop; he tried to listen intently while ignoring his brother’s silent plea for help.\u00a0 From what he could gather, these men expected the Ponderosa to actually supply workers for building the railroad.\u00a0 Once he understood the suggestion he shook his head sharply.<\/p>\n

Hoss was relieved, and hardened his gaze at the man who’d been speaking earlier.<\/p>\n

“Not possible.”\u00a0 Hoss stated emphatically, he felt a slight trickle of perspiration descend down the middle of his back.\u00a0 He never realized simple talk could be so much hard work.<\/p>\n

Adam once again crossed his arms across his chest and observed Hoss’s behavior.\u00a0 He was duly impressed with his brother’s handling of himself.\u00a0 Through it all, Hoss seemed to be doing quite well.<\/p>\n

“I see.”\u00a0 The senior representative stated.\u00a0 “I guess it’s time to get down to brass tacks as they say.\u00a0 Here’s our offer for your timber.”\u00a0 The man wrote a figure on a slip of paper and slid it across the table to Hoss.<\/p>\n

Adam rejoined the others and stood behind his brother to examine the figure.\u00a0 He placed a reassuring hand on Hoss’s shoulder as Hoss carefully picked up the folded sheet.<\/p>\n

Glancing down, neither man could believe their eyes as to the amount listed on the paper before them.\u00a0 It was several thousand dollars over what they expected to achieve.<\/p>\n

Taking a deep confident breath, Hoss reached out, took the pencil and scratched out the proffered amount replacing it with one of his own, then slid it back across the table to the senior man.<\/p>\n

In doing so, he heard a small inarticulate shriek in his ear and felt a sharp-toed boot once again connect with his leg.\u00a0 Hoss glared up at Adam.<\/p>\n

Hoss thought his brother had gone plumb loco.\u00a0 He was beginning to think that bottle did more damage than anyone realized. Their Pa had instructed Hoss that you never accepted the first bid, which was why it was called negotiating. Hoss looked up and blinked in confusion at Adam.<\/p>\n

Hoss’s attention was drawn back to the table as the paper with a new figure was again passed back to him.\u00a0 Noticing that it was slightly less than the one he had written, but still considerably more than the original offer, Hoss looked to his brother for guidance.\u00a0 Hoss sighed in relief, as Adam first blinked, then winked and finally nodded his acceptance.<\/p>\n

“It’s a deal gentlemen.”\u00a0 Hoss announced and held out his hand to the senior representative.\u00a0 He was relieved the ordeal was almost at an end and desperately wanted a beer and his hat back.<\/p>\n

Adam reached out and slapped his brother proudly on the back.<\/p>\n

Within the hour, Adam and the other representative had drawn up the finer details of the contract.\u00a0 Satisfied with the results and impressed with his brother’s accomplishment, Adam handed the document to Hoss to sign.<\/p>\n

Hoss had never been so proud as he was that day when he signed his name on the bottom of that contract.\u00a0 Adam nodded his consent then folded their copy of the contract and placed it into his brother’s inside coat pocket and patted the large man on the chest.<\/p>\n

“Goot jov!”\u00a0 Adam stated, placing an arm across Hoss’s shoulders as they headed to the saloon for a congratulatory drink.<\/p>\n

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

Two weeks later a very tired Ben Cartwright rode into the yard of the Ponderosa.\u00a0 He had arrived a couple of days later than expected because of problems with making the shipping arrangements.\u00a0 He’d wired his sons to leave Buck stabled in town so they wouldn’t need to check daily for his arrival.<\/p>\n

Hearing their father’s horse ride into the yard, the three sons exited the house to greet their father.<\/p>\n

“Hey Pa.”\u00a0 Hoss announced grabbing his father’s hand firmly in a warm handshake.<\/p>\n

“Pa, How was your trip?”\u00a0 Little Joe asked as he took his father’s cloth bag.<\/p>\n

“Did you get the shipping arranged?”\u00a0 Adam inquired.<\/p>\n

“Hi Hoss.\u00a0 Fine but tiring Joseph.\u00a0 Yes, Adam, I did finally.”\u00a0 Ben replied in turn to each of his sons.<\/p>\n

Ben was greatly relieved to see the stitches were now out of Adam’s lip and most of the bruising and all of the swelling was gone.\u00a0 He did notice that Adam would definitely have a permanent scar and was pleased that it wouldn’t be too obvious.<\/p>\n

“Did you get those cattle branded?”\u00a0 Ben inquired turning his attention back to his youngest.<\/p>\n

“Yessir, Pa.\u00a0 I shore did.”\u00a0 Little Joe replied with a wink.<\/p>\n

“How about that contract, how did that go?”<\/p>\n

“Real well Pa, really well.\u00a0 You’d be proud of Hoss, he did an outstanding job.”\u00a0 Adam praised and motioned for Hoss to hand their father the papers he was holding.<\/p>\n

“Really, that’s good to hear.”\u00a0 Ben replied taking the paperwork from Hoss’s outstretched hand.<\/p>\n

Ben quickly skimmed the document that he’d been handed.\u00a0 His eyes grew wide at the details and the considerable profit for the Ponderosa.<\/p>\n

“Why this is more than we planned!\u00a0 Outstanding job son.”\u00a0 Ben was elated with what he was seeing and clapped his middle son soundly on the shoulder.<\/p>\n

Ben watched his sons, as Joe winked proudly at his brother, while Hoss blinked sheepishly in mild embarrassment and Adam nodded in admiration.<\/p>\n

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

 <\/p>\n

Tags:<\/strong> Adam Cartwright, Hoss Cartwright, Joe \/ Little Joe Cartwright<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

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

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

Summary:\u00a0Hoss negotiates his first big contract, with a little help from his family.<\/p>\n

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