{"id":14988,"date":"2000-09-20T13:56:32","date_gmt":"2000-09-20T17:56:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=14988"},"modified":"2026-07-22T08:46:02","modified_gmt":"2026-07-22T12:46:02","slug":"five-rounds-to-a-quick-recovery-by-starlite","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=14988","title":{"rendered":"Five Rounds to a Quick Recovery (by Starlite)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summary:<\/strong>\u00a0Adam is injured in a freak accident, will his family survive his recuperation?<\/p>\n

Rated:<\/strong>\u00a0 G\u00a0 (7,080 words)<\/p>\n

Five Rounds to a Quick Recovery<\/strong><\/p>\n

Adam Cartwright grunted aloud as he hefted the rail from the back of the wagon and placed it upon his shoulder.\u00a0 He was thoroughly worn out of both his strength and his patience.\u00a0 If his littlest brother complained one more time today about not being able to go into town, he was gonna belt him right in the mouth.<\/p>\n

Walking back over to the break in the fence, he very unceremoniously dropped the rail to the ground causing Little Joe to jump.<\/p>\n

“Hey watch what you’re doing.” Joe threatened glaring over his shoulder at Adam.<\/p>\n

“I am little brother and if you were watching what you were doing, you would have seen me walking up to you.”\u00a0 Adam replied with an over-exaggerated tone of patience.<\/p>\n

“Well, I wouldn’t have to be watching you if Pa had just let me go into town today like I wanted.”\u00a0 Joe griped.<\/p>\n

That was it, Adam’s last nerve snapped, turning to face his baby brother he punched Joe right in the kisser.\u00a0 Adam looked down as he stood over his dazed little brother.<\/p>\n

“Would you like a little cheese to go with that whine?”\u00a0 Adam annoyingly sneered.<\/p>\n

Infuriated by Adam’s actions, Joe jumped up from the ground and charged, running full force into Adam’s chest.\u00a0 Adam and Joe struggled momentarily, then fell backward into the new line of fence they’d just completed and it crashed to the ground beneath them.<\/p>\n

Hoss looked at his two brawling brothers in disgust.\u00a0 He really dreaded breaking up another fight between the two of them today.\u00a0 He sincerely wished that their father had let Joe go into town because they weren’t getting much work out of him anyway.\u00a0 In fact, the only thing that he felt Joe was successful at today, was angering Adam, which was something Joe definitely excelled at.<\/p>\n

In disgust, Hoss threw down the rail he was carrying and made his way over to his brothers.\u00a0 He reached Adam first and hauled him to his feet then he reached down for Little Joe.\u00a0 Joe continued to battle now with his new opponent, he was so mad at everyone and everything, he didn’t even realize that he was now attempting to take on Hoss.<\/p>\n

Stunned and a little angered by a blow to his face, Hoss tossed Joe easily aside where he landed by the wagon.\u00a0 Shocked that he had reacted so violently toward his little brother Hoss quickly moved to help Joe to his feet.<\/p>\n

Adam watched in surprise as Joe flew through the air to land on his backside near the buckboard.\u00a0 Seeing Joe sprawled out on the ground, Adam rushed forward to see if his baby brother was hurt.<\/p>\n

Hoss had just reached Joe and could see that he’d only knocked the wind out of him.\u00a0 Before he could help Joe to his feet, he saw Adam rapidly approaching out of the corner of his eye.\u00a0 Figuring that Adam was coming to continue the battle and weary of the fighting, Hoss swung out a fist striking Adam soundly in the upper chest.<\/p>\n

Joe and Hoss watched in stunned silence as their older brother’s eyes rolled into the back of his head and he collapsed lifeless to the ground.\u00a0 Both men quickly scrambled over to where Adam had fallen.<\/p>\n

“Adam, ya alright?”\u00a0 Hoss asked fearfully trying to shake Adam awake and failing.<\/p>\n

Joe watched while Hoss shook Adam, his panic growing when Adam didn’t awake.\u00a0 He felt his own heart stop when Adam failed to respond.<\/p>\n

“What’s wrong with him?”\u00a0 Joe asked feeling a knot form in his belly.<\/p>\n

“Hush!”\u00a0 Hoss ordered as he lowered his ear to his brother’s chest.<\/p>\n

Hoss’s head began to swim when he didn’t hear a sound coming from his brother’s chest.\u00a0 He placed a hand onto the man’s ribs and panicked when he didn’t feel the expansion of the rib cage.<\/p>\n

“Wake up Adam.\u00a0 Please wake up.”\u00a0 Hoss gave Adam a good hard shake once again and pleaded with him to open his eyes.<\/p>\n

Hoss turned fear ridden eyes to meet Little Joe’s before he ordered.<\/p>\n

“Help me get him into the wagon and to the Doc’s!”<\/p>\n

Lifting Adam gently, Hoss quickly loaded Adam onto the wagon.\u00a0 There was no time to unload the rest of the timbers from the back and he climbed up along side of his brother.<\/p>\n

After helping Hoss get Adam onto the rails in the back of the wagon, Joe raced to the bench and jumped in to grab the reins.\u00a0 With a strong slap of the reins, he encouraged the horses into a gallop down the road only stealing momentary glances back over his shoulder at his two older brothers.<\/p>\n

Hoss sat next to his brother holding one hand over his eyes and the other on Adam’s right arm.\u00a0 In his mind, he kept seeing the horrible event repeating over and over as he began to mumble to himself, “I kilt him.”<\/p>\n

Adam awoke with a groan, his chest ached and his backside was beginning to complain as he was thrown about the back of the buckboard.\u00a0 At a lost as to what was going on, he turned his head to the man sitting beside him. Squinting his eyes in pain and confusion, he couldn’t make out Hoss’s words.<\/p>\n

“What the devil are you jabbering about?”\u00a0 Adam asked.<\/p>\n

Hoss looked up from his misery and grabbed Adam to him.<\/p>\n

“You’re Alive.\u00a0 You’re Alive!”\u00a0 Hoss exclaimed, relieved that Adam was no longer dead.<\/p>\n

“Of course I’m alive, now let me go.”\u00a0 Adam ordered, trying to free himself from Hoss’s intense grasp and almost falling backwards from the wagon when Hoss let go.<\/p>\n

Hearing the sound of Adam’s voice, Joe pulled hard on the reins to stop the charging horses.\u00a0 With the sudden stop of momentum, Adam lunged backward striking the back of his head on rear of the wooden seat.<\/p>\n

“OUCH!”\u00a0 Adam yelped, now with a new pain to add to the others.<\/p>\n

“You’re alive!”\u00a0 Joe shouted turning in the seat to see for himself.<\/p>\n

“Yes it would seem so, at least for the moment.”\u00a0 Adam replied drolly while rubbing the painful bump now forming on the back of his head.<\/p>\n

Joe grinned broadly and eagerly reached out to slap Hoss on the shoulder.<\/p>\n

“He’s alive Hoss.\u00a0 He’s alive!”\u00a0 Joe exclaimed.<\/p>\n

Hoss smiled broadly, so happy that Adam was alive he was unable to speak and could only watch his brother sitting before him.<\/p>\n

“Why do you two keep saying that?\u00a0 Of course I’m alive.”\u00a0 Adam was growing a little tired of the strange behavior of his younger siblings.<\/p>\n

“Because you was dead and I kilt ya.”\u00a0 Hoss answered solemnly, lowering his eyes so that Adam wouldn’t see the guilt on his face.<\/p>\n

“What?”\u00a0 Adam couldn’t believe his ears.<\/p>\n

“It’s true Adam, you were just lying there on the grass not breathing, not moving.\u00a0 You were dead.”\u00a0 Joe added definitively.<\/p>\n

Adam reached up to rub at the bruise that was now forming on his breastbone.\u00a0 Though he really couldn’t understand everything that had happened, he truly believed what his brothers’ were telling him was the truth.<\/p>\n

“Best be getting on to the Doc’s.”\u00a0 Hoss turned to Joe and ordered.<\/p>\n

Joe turned back to the reins and started the horses moving, this time at a more respectable pace.<\/p>\n

“Now wait a minute, Joe, turn those horses around.\u00a0 I don’t need any doctor.\u00a0 I’m just fine.”\u00a0 Adam protested, he had a couple of bruises, but other than that, he was feeling alright.<\/p>\n

“Don’t mind older brother here, just do as I say Joe.”\u00a0 Hoss dictated ignoring Adam’s objections, turning back to Adam he directed.\u00a0 “Now you, you just lie yourself on down, and enjoy the ride.”<\/p>\n

Seeing that he couldn’t win this one, Adam resigned himself to a ride to the doctor’s.\u00a0 It looked like Little Joe was going to get his trip into town today anyway.<\/p>\n

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

Ben Cartwright sat at the large desk working on the ranch’s accounting ledgers when he heard the wagon pull into the yard.\u00a0 It’s about time his sons finished with that fence and were getting home, he grumped.\u00a0 Not looking up he heard his sons enter the house and clomp noisily over to where he sat.<\/p>\n

“Did ya get that fence done?”\u00a0 Ben asked still studying the figures before him.<\/p>\n

Joe and Hoss made their way across the room to stand near the desk of their father’s.\u00a0 Joe stood across the table from where the silver-haired man sat and Hoss stood on the side next to the bookcase.<\/p>\n

“Well, not exactly, Pa.”\u00a0 Joe offered quietly as he leaned away from his father.<\/p>\n

“I kilt him.”\u00a0 Hoss muttered incomprehensibly.<\/p>\n

“What does not exactly mean, Joseph?”\u00a0 Irritated, Ben looked up to his youngest son.<\/p>\n

“Well, we was working on it, but then we needed to go into town.”\u00a0 Joe whimpered then backed a step away from the desk.\u00a0 He looked over to Hoss who was still muttering and could see he would be getting no help from him.<\/p>\n

“I kilt him.”\u00a0 Hoss mumbled again.<\/p>\n

Ben shot his middle child an exasperated glare at his muttering, then turned his angry stare back to Little Joe.<\/p>\n

“So you went into town anyway, hum, young man.”\u00a0 Ben was not impressed with Joe’s direct disobedience.<\/p>\n

Joe winced, then nodded as he shied away from his father, by taking another step back from the desk.<\/p>\n

“I kilt him.”\u00a0 Hoss offered quietly again.<\/p>\n

Joe shot his brother a wilting look, wishing Hoss would just try to be a little more helpful.<\/p>\n

Ben noticed that Adam had not accompanied his other sons into the house, he felt his oldest had some explaining to do for letting Joe go into town.\u00a0 He guessed that Adam was probably avoiding him by putting up the horses and wagon.<\/p>\n

“Where’s Adam?\u00a0 I need him to check over these figures for me?”\u00a0 Ben questioned still watching his youngest’s fearful expression.<\/p>\n

“I kilt him.”\u00a0 Hoss muttered louder this time.<\/p>\n

“What, what are you babbling about?”\u00a0 Ben was beginning to run out of patience with his large son’s jabbering.<\/p>\n

“I kilt him.”\u00a0 Hoss stated plainly as he stood fearfully before his father.<\/p>\n

“What?”\u00a0 Ben uttered as he sunk back into the chair finally comprehending Hoss’s words.<\/p>\n

‘Oh that was helpful’, Joe groaned inwardly seeing his father’s face rapidly pale before him.\u00a0 He quickly tried to explain the situation to his father before he passed out from shock.<\/p>\n

“Well, ya see Pa, that’s why we went into town today.\u00a0 We took Adam to Doc Martin’s.”\u00a0 Joe rapidly spoke hoping his father heard him.<\/p>\n

“Where’s Adam now?”\u00a0 Ben asked almost too stunned to speak.<\/p>\n

“He’s at Doc Martin’s, Doc says you can come by and pick him up tomorrow.”\u00a0 Joe answered confidently, glad that he could answer his father’s question.<\/p>\n

Ben was dumbfounded by Joe’s total lack of sympathy on the passing of his brother.\u00a0 In fact, Joe seemed almost pleased which only baffled him more.<\/p>\n

“I kilt him.”\u00a0 Hoss uttered again.<\/p>\n

Ben glanced over to his large son and his mutterings; at least he seemed a little overwrought by Adam’s demise.<\/p>\n

“Would you stop saying that?\u00a0 You’re upsetting Pa.”\u00a0 Joe demanded glaring over at Hoss.<\/p>\n

Hoss nodded sorrowfully in response and put his hands into his pockets as his gaze fell to the floor.<\/p>\n

Still confused Ben looked to Little Joe for explanation.<\/p>\n

“How?\u00a0 Why didn’t you just bring Adam home in the buckboard?”\u00a0 Ben inquired not understanding his younger son’s actions.<\/p>\n

“Cus, Doc wanted to keep Adam overnight to observe him or something like that.”\u00a0 Joe grinned back at his father.\u00a0 He was pleased with himself for still having the right answers for his Pa.<\/p>\n

Why would the doctor want to observe a dead man?\u00a0 Hadn’t Paul ever seen one before?\u00a0 Ben was totally bewildered and lost, first by Joe’s indifferent attitude and now the town doctor wanting to watch a corpse.<\/p>\n

“Oh dear God in heaven.”\u00a0 Ben mumbled in shock and despair.<\/p>\n

Joe could see the lost and distressed expression upon his father’s face.\u00a0 Now he was bewildered, why would his father be this upset over Adam having to spend the night at the doctor’s.\u00a0 Glancing over to Hoss, he suddenly realized the error.<\/p>\n

“Pa, Adam ain’t dead.\u00a0 Leastwise he wasn’t when we left him.\u00a0 He was for a little while this afternoon, but he was all better by the time we took him to the doc’s.\u00a0 Of course he did have a couple of bruises and a headache.\u00a0 Well that’s all he’d admit to anyway, but those wouldn’t kill him.\u00a0 But there was the one on his chest that Hoss gave him, that\u2019s the one that has the doc all worried\u2026” Joe nervously rambled until his father signaled for him to stop.<\/p>\n

“Slow down son, one thing at a time.”\u00a0 Ben couldn’t follow his son wandering discourse.\u00a0 He spared his middle son a quick look and realized Hoss would be of no help in this discussion.\u00a0 He tried to disseminate what he had just been told.<\/p>\n

“Is Adam alive?”\u00a0 Ben asked patiently.<\/p>\n

“Well like I said, he was, then he wasn’t, but he was again\u2026” Joe offered in way of explanation.<\/p>\n

“No Joseph, a simple yes or no will suffice.”\u00a0 Ben was starting to get a murderous headache.<\/p>\n

“Yes.\u00a0 But he\u2026” Joe tried to add, then shut his mouth quickly when his father waved his hand to silence him.<\/p>\n

“And he’s at Doc Martin’s?”\u00a0 Ben probed as calmly as he could, given the circumstances.<\/p>\n

“Ah huh.”\u00a0 Joe nodded his head in response, happy that his father now understood.<\/p>\n

“And Adam has a headache?”\u00a0 Ben pressed wondering why the doctor would keep his son over just a headache.<\/p>\n

“Yep, and a bruise right here.”\u00a0 Joe replied pointing to the same location on his chest.\u00a0 “Hoss gave it to him.”\u00a0 Joe then looked smugly over at his older brother.<\/p>\n

“I kilt him.”\u00a0 Hoss started to mutter again.<\/p>\n

“Why do you keep saying that son?”\u00a0 Ben turned his attention to address his middle child.\u00a0 He still couldn’t figure out why he kept claiming that Adam was dead and that he was responsible.<\/p>\n

“Cus I did Pa.\u00a0 I didn’t mean to.”\u00a0 Hoss almost cried.<\/p>\n

Little Joe shook his head in disgust at Hoss, why wouldn’t he just keep quiet.<\/p>\n

“You see Pa\u2026” Joe waited until he once again had his father’s full attention.<\/p>\n

Ben turned his baffled expression to Joe, trying to calm his nerves while waiting for his son to continue.<\/p>\n

“What happened was\u2026 Well ya see Adam and I were\u2026 But Hoss just tried to\u2026” Joe began to stutter and stammer realizing his father wouldn’t be pleased to find out that his sons had been fighting.<\/p>\n

“Just out with it Joseph!”\u00a0 Ben thundered no longer able to settle himself.\u00a0 His two sons had just put him through the wringer, and all he wanted to know was what had happened to his eldest son.<\/p>\n

Wincing and raising his hands in a small defensive gesture to protect himself.\u00a0 Little Joe squeaked in response to his father\u2019s ire, which had caused him to unconsciously jump back from the sound of his father\u2019s enraged voice.<\/p>\n

“They was fighting and I tried to stop ’em, that’s how I hit Adam in the chest.”\u00a0 Hoss quietly answered not looking up from the floor.<\/p>\n

Ben looked over to his large son and was grateful that he’d finally gathered enough of his wits together to form a coherent statement.<\/p>\n

“Yeah, and that’s what Doc Martin thinks caused Adam’s heart to stop.\u201d\u00a0 Joe added.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam\u2019s heart stopped?\u201d Ben inquired horrified.<\/p>\n

\u201cAh huh!\u201d\u00a0 Joe grinned thankful that his father was finally catching on.<\/p>\n

Ben paled considerably upon hearing that Adam\u2019s heart had ceased.\u00a0 \u201cOh lord, I need to sit down.\u201d\u00a0 Ben muttered, grasping the arms of his chair.<\/p>\n

Puzzled, Joe frowned then squinted his eyes at his father.\u00a0 He was more than a little concerned over his father\u2019s bizarre behavior, because his father was already sitting in his leather chair.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut we started it again.\u201d\u00a0 Joe helpfully added indicating with a wave of his hand to both himself and Hoss.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd you started it again?\u201d\u00a0 Ben asked, he was thoroughly shocked and confused, unable to believe what he was hearing.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah we did!\u00a0 Well maybe not, Doc Martin thinks that the rough ride in the buckboard probably started it up again.”\u00a0 Joe beamed proudly at his father for remembering what the doctor explained to them.<\/p>\n

Ben nodded thoughtfully as he considered what he just heard.\u00a0 His mind was still reeling over the news.\u00a0 He took a few moments to gather his wits about him before attempting to speak.\u00a0 With a deep calming breath to quell his revolting stomach, he looked first to Little Joe then back over to Hoss.<\/p>\n

“Thank you, now was that so really hard to do?”\u00a0 Ben stated unhappily.<\/p>\n

“Heh,” Joe offered meekly then slunk back when he realized that his father was still very displeased.<\/p>\n

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

Ben and Adam drove into the yard in the buckboard, and were greeted by Hoss and Little Joe as they walked from the porch of the ranch house.<\/p>\n

“Howdy Adam, how ya feeling?”\u00a0 Hoss inquired, hoping his brother was still speaking to him.<\/p>\n

“Fine Hoss, just dandy.”\u00a0 Adam responded happily as he saw his two brothers.\u00a0 He was glad to be home and free from the doctor’s clutches.<\/p>\n

As his father drew the wagon to a stop, Adam stood to jump down.<\/p>\n

“Sit down.”\u00a0 Ben ordered angrily.<\/p>\n

Startled by his father’s behavior, Adam quickly complied.<\/p>\n

“Hoss, come and carry your brother into the house and up to his room.”\u00a0 Ben ordered giving Adam a sharp glare.<\/p>\n

Hoss quickly came forward to do his father’s bidding not questioning his instructions.<\/p>\n

Adam was aghast, he was still reeling from the humiliation in town when he was wheeled out of the doctor’s office in a wheelchair, and then helped into the wagon like some type of invalid.<\/p>\n

“Now Pa, I’m fine\u2026” Adam began to protest but was silenced by his father’s warning glance.<\/p>\n

Ben would brook no argument from his son.\u00a0 What the doctor had told him about Adam had him thoroughly scared about his son’s health.\u00a0 All Ben could remember was his beloved wife Elizabeth and her precarious health due to a weak heart, he was almost certain that their son would now suffer the same fate.<\/p>\n

“Adam, don’t argue with me.\u00a0 You know perfectly well what Dr Martin said.\u00a0 And you’re going to follow his instructions to the letter do you understand?”\u00a0 Ben emphasized his rant by pointing his finger at his son menacingly.<\/p>\n

“Yes sir.”\u00a0 Adam replied and allowed Hoss to lift him from the wagon.<\/p>\n

Hoss dutifully stepped up to the wagon and picked Adam up.\u00a0 He carried Adam across the porch and into the house leaving his younger brother and father outside.\u00a0 As they reached the large room, Adam turned to his younger brother.<\/p>\n

“Hoss, you can put me down now.\u00a0 I can make it from here.”\u00a0 Adam was pretty sure that Hoss would do him a favor.<\/p>\n

Hoss continued to make his way across the room and to the stairs.\u00a0 He would not let his father down and pretended not to hear Adam’s request.<\/p>\n

“Lovely, just lovely.”\u00a0 Adam griped as his brother carried him up the stairs and to his room.<\/p>\n

Ben walked into Adam’s room and found him sitting on the edge of the bed studying his boots.\u00a0 He knew the doctor had ordered complete bed rest for his son as a precaution, and was not too pleased to find Adam not lying in his bed as instructed.<\/p>\n

Adam sat on the bed waiting for his father’s arrival.\u00a0 He knew his father would be up to check on him shortly and wanted to discuss the issue of bed rest with him. He truly felt his father was just trying to punish him for the fight the day before, and was hoping that his father would relent and not enforce the doctor’s dictates upon him.<\/p>\n

“Why aren’t you in bed?”\u00a0 Ben barked as he entered Adam’s room, watching as Adam’s head shot up to look at him.<\/p>\n

“Pa, about this bed rest thing\u2026” Adam began to complain before his father cut him off with a dismissive wave of his hand.<\/p>\n

“You know what the doctor said.”\u00a0 Ben interrupted, his tone barely restrained over the obvious disobedience of his eldest.<\/p>\n

“Pa, it’s just a bruise!”\u00a0 Adam thundered back opening his shirt for his father to see.<\/p>\n

Ignoring his son’s protests, Ben went to the bureau and retrieved a nightshirt for his son.\u00a0 Walking back to his son’s bedside he handed the shirt to his son.<\/p>\n

“Put this on.”\u00a0 Ben ordered his tone still most displeased.<\/p>\n

Seeing that he’d lost this battle, Adam began to undress.\u00a0 He watched as his father bent down and began to remove his boots.\u00a0 For the first time, Adam noted a very strange expression displayed upon the older man’s face.\u00a0 The look seemed to be a cross between extreme sadness and fear with just a hint of anger.<\/p>\n

“Who died?”\u00a0 Adam asked, momentarily flippant over the indignity of the entire situation.<\/p>\n

“That’s not very funny Adam!”\u00a0 Ben thundered back in horror.<\/p>\n

Adam was stuck by the vehemence of his father’s reaction.\u00a0 He was stunned; did his father actually believe he would die?\u00a0 Suddenly repentant for his sarcasm Adam apologized to his father.<\/p>\n

“I’m sorry Pa.”<\/p>\n

Ben nodded in response as he finished with removing his son’s boots, then rising to stand before Adam.<\/p>\n

“Get into bed now son.”\u00a0 Ben instructed quietly as he helped pull back the covers of the bed.<\/p>\n

Offering no more resistance and not wanting to cause his father any more grief, Adam did as he was told for once.\u00a0 He watched as his father went to the bedside table and poured a glass of water, then pulled a small envelope from his pocket and poured the contents into the glass.\u00a0 Adam watched with slight interest as the white powder dissolved into the liquid before his father handed the glass over to him.\u00a0 Without further complaint, Adam downed the contents and handed the glass back to his father.\u00a0 Once his father had empty glass in hand, Adam hunkered down in the bed turning on his side to make himself more comfortable.\u00a0 Adam felt his father reach down and pull the covers up over his shoulders before he patted him upon the arm.\u00a0 Through veiled eyes, Adam watched his father quietly leave his room before drifting off to sleep.<\/p>\n

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

The next day found Adam even grumpier than the day before.\u00a0 He’d spent the previous day and night confined to his bed and was not too pleased to find his imprisonment was to last, until Dr. Martin ventured out to the ranch to declare him fit and well.\u00a0 Adam already knew he was fit and well, why couldn’t his family or the family doctor see it too!<\/p>\n

Though his spirits were lifted by little visits from his brothers and father, they were short-lived due to the necessity of ranch work. Adam’s agitation only grew with each passing minute and he couldn’t even concentrate on the book he was attempting to read.\u00a0 Disgusted with the text, Adam slammed the book shut in frustration and climbed out of bed.\u00a0 Walking over to the bookrack above his desk, he went in search of something more interesting to read.<\/p>\n

“What do you think you’re doing?”\u00a0 Ben shouted, angry that Adam was again out of bed against doctor\u2019s orders.<\/p>\n

Catching him totally off guard, Adam jumped at the sound of his father’s voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow does he do that!\u201d\u00a0 Adam muttered under his breath.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat did you say?\u201d\u00a0 Ben demanded when he heard Adam mumbling.<\/p>\n

“Just getting a book to read, Pa.”\u00a0 Adam explained calmly, trying not to let his father know that he’d just practically scared him out of his wits.<\/p>\n

“Get back in that bed this instant.”\u00a0 Ben boomed pointing at the bed.<\/p>\n

Adam felt like an itinerant child as he complied with his father’s demands, the tone his father had used made him feel like he was five years old.\u00a0 Deciding that two can play at this game, he looked over to his father with sheepish innocent eyes.<\/p>\n

“You’re shouting.”\u00a0 Adam stated sadly.<\/p>\n

Ben’s demeanor quickly softened, the doctor had instructed him that Adam was to be treated calmly and patiently to avoid upsetting him in anyway.\u00a0 Ben was repentant.<\/p>\n

“I’m sorry son.\u00a0 Here’s your lunch.”\u00a0 Ben said as he placed the tray upon Adam’s lap.<\/p>\n

As Adam began to eat, Ben walked over to the bookrack to find his son a book.<\/p>\n

“Which book did you want son?”\u00a0 Ben inquired scanning the titles of the books upon the shelf.<\/p>\n

“Huh?\u00a0 I dunno, what’s over there?”\u00a0 Adam answered with his mouth partially full warranting a slightly displeased glance from his father.<\/p>\n

After reciting the titles to his son, Ben turned with hands placed upon his hips waiting for Adam to answer.<\/p>\n

Adam wrinkled his nose in mild disgust.\u00a0 None of the books in his room seemed interesting at present.\u00a0 In fact, he’d read them all several times over.<\/p>\n

“Is there anything downstairs?”\u00a0 Adam questioned his father.<\/p>\n

“I’ll see what I can find son.”\u00a0 Ben quickly left the room to do his son’s bidding while Adam returned his attention to his lunch.<\/p>\n

Two hours and several book titles later, Ben Cartwright was out of breath from going up and down the stairs trying to find some reading material for his bedridden son.\u00a0 He wondered if the boy hadn’t read everything in the house.\u00a0 He made a mental note to check on ordering Adam some more books the next time he was in town.\u00a0 Finally at wits end, Ben offered his son some of Little Joe’s dime novels to read, and was surprised when Adam replied with \u2018Why not\u2019.<\/p>\n

Leaving his son to his reading, an exhausted Ben Cartwright made his way from Adam’s room and down the stairs to rest on the settee.<\/p>\n

Watching his tired father depart, Adam smirked and chuckled silently to himself.\u00a0 Round one, Adam Cartwright he mused.<\/p>\n

That night Adam conned his brothers into a game of cards.\u00a0 Though Ben Cartwright objected to gambling in the house, he relented and made an exception in this case, due to Adam’s condition.<\/p>\n

Adam usually found poker to be a rather boring game with no real challenge; tonight’s endeavor left him feeling quite satisfied and smug.\u00a0 He now owned Joe’s hunting rifle, which he’d previously lost to Joe over a horse race, two months of wages and a bottle of bay rum cologne.\u00a0 From Hoss, well poor Hoss now owed him three months of chores, six months of pay and had to ask that little girl from the General Store to the next Saturday Social in town.\u00a0 As his brothers angrily departed his room that night, Adam chuckled and smirked to himself.\u00a0 Round two, Adam Cartwright.<\/p>\n

The following day was spent much like the previous one; Adam summoned his father relentlessly over any minute perceived annoyance.\u00a0 The room was too warm, so his father opened the window.\u00a0 The room was too cool, so his father shut the window.\u00a0 The room was cold, so his father stoked the fire.\u00a0 The sun was too bright, so his father drew the shade.\u00a0 The room was too dark, so his father lit the lamp.\u00a0 His pillows too lumpy, his father fluffed them.\u00a0 His pillows still too lumpy, his father brought him new ones.\u00a0 The new pillows to plump, his father retrieved his old ones and brought them back.\u00a0 Ben Cartwright was beginning to believe his heart would fail long before his son’s.\u00a0 Letting his father off the hook for the moment, Adam smirked and chuckled silently.\u00a0 Round three, Adam Cartwright.<\/p>\n

Adam sat planning his next attack on his brothers.\u00a0 He still owed Hoss for that annoying bruise on his chest that ached mercilessly when he breathed, and Joe, he owed Joe for the whole miserable affair.\u00a0 If Joe hadn’t annoyed and pestered him so with his incessant whining about going into town, he wouldn’t be in this mess to begin with.\u00a0 The revenge on his baby brother had to be sweet and swift.<\/p>\n

Carefully and silently Adam crawled out of his bed and made his way across the bedroom floor.\u00a0 Opening his door cautiously so it wouldn’t creak and alert his father, he crept into the hallway.\u00a0 He glanced furtively down the hallway, first to the stairs, then over to his brothers’ rooms.\u00a0 Noting that the coast was clear and knowing his father was the only other person in the house, Adam began to silently steal his way down the hallway to Hoss’s room.<\/p>\n

Entering the room, he made his way over to his brother’s very large bed.\u00a0 Kneeling, he began to crawl under the huge frame and got himself tangled in his nightshirt.\u00a0 He cursed silently to himself as he pulled the shirt free from under him, he really hated wearing nightshirts they reminded him too much of a dress.\u00a0 He made a mental note to get back at his father for making him wear one, maybe a couple of trips down to the kitchen for something.\u00a0 Turning his attention back to the matter at hand, he began to loosen the bed ropes.<\/p>\n

That night Ben Cartwright was totally worn out as he made his way to his room.\u00a0 He had to stay up late working on the ledgers because he’d spent the majority of the day running, totting and fetching for Adam.\u00a0 He couldn’t believe how many trips he’d made to the kitchen that evening when Adam had complained that his soup was too cold, then it was too hot, then it needed salt, then it was too cold again, then it was too hot.\u00a0 ARGH, that boy was driving him batty!<\/p>\n

Ben had just laid his tired head down on his pillow when he heard a thunderous roar.\u00a0 Jumping up from his bed, he grabbed his robe and ran to the door of his room and froze.\u00a0 He had no idea where the sound had come from, or even what it was for that matter.\u00a0 Deciding he would check on his sons anyway, he headed into the hallway.<\/p>\n

There he found his youngest son, cackling and giggling in Hoss’s open doorway.\u00a0 Pushing Joseph to the side, he looked into his middle child’s room where he found Hoss cocooned in his bed.<\/p>\n

“Help me get him out.”\u00a0 Ben ordered as he shot his son an exasperated look over his shoulder.<\/p>\n

Joe scratched his head absently before replying flippantly.\u00a0 “Why don’t we just wait until spring, he’d probably make a pretty big butterfly.”<\/p>\n

Ben was not amused with his son’s remark and shot him a glare that quieted Joe instantly, with a small whimper and a step backwards.<\/p>\n

“Are you quite through?”\u00a0 Ben thundered at Joe.<\/p>\n

Joe nodded meekly in response.<\/p>\n

“Well can we please get your brother out tonight, so we can all get some sleep?”\u00a0 Ben continued to bark.<\/p>\n

Joe quickly made his way to the bed ahead of his father.\u00a0 Both of them grabbed an arm and pulled with all their might.\u00a0 Hoss came free with a slight whoop as both Ben and Joe lost their footing and fell backwards onto the floor.\u00a0 Hoss quickly bent to help Joe and his Pa to their feet.<\/p>\n

“How many times have I told you to check your bed ropes young man.”\u00a0 Ben scolded.<\/p>\n

“Dadburnit Pa, I did just last week and them things was good and tight.”\u00a0 Hoss complained then saw his little brother snickering out of the corner of his eye.\u00a0 He was beginning to see the light and was sure Little Joe had something to do with it.<\/p>\n

All three men were so intent with the situation at hand; they never noticed the amused eyes peeking around the frame of the door.\u00a0 Covering his mouth with his hand, so his chuckling wouldn’t be heard, Adam quickly crept back down the hall to his room.<\/p>\n

Adam had just settled himself back into his bed when his bedroom door swung open.\u00a0 Looking up he saw the unhappy visage of his father.<\/p>\n

“What’s going on out there?”\u00a0 Adam asked innocently, indicating the hall with a nod of his head and barely able to contain his laughter.<\/p>\n

“Nothing son, your brother just fell into his bed?”\u00a0 Ben replied tiredly.\u00a0 He was thankful that for once Adam was following the doctor’s orders and had stayed in bed.<\/p>\n

“Huh?”\u00a0 Adam asked not really understanding his father’s explanation.<\/p>\n

“Nevermind son, I’ll tell you all about it tomorrow.”\u00a0 Ben informed him, then bit his tongue before he asked his son if he needed anything.<\/p>\n

“Goodnight, Pa.”\u00a0 Adam said sweetly as he saw his father turn to depart.<\/p>\n

“Goodnight, son.”\u00a0 Ben replied, then grumbled and muttered all the way down the hall about careless children.<\/p>\n

Hearing his father’s silent tirade, Adam smirked and chuckled.\u00a0 Round four, Adam Cartwright.<\/p>\n

The next day, just as Adam had expected, Hoss sought out his older brother to voice his complaint.\u00a0 Hoss was certain that Little Joe had something to do with the loosening of the bed ropes.\u00a0 Adam not only supported Hoss’s theory; he encouraged it wholeheartedly.<\/p>\n

“But what can I do to get that little varmint?”\u00a0 Hoss complained.\u00a0 He was no good at practical jokes.<\/p>\n

“Don’t know Hoss.\u00a0 I just don’t know.”\u00a0 Adam commiserated; he had a plan in mind but couldn’t look too anxious.<\/p>\n

“Dangit Adam, sometimes I just wish I could tan his giggling little hide.”\u00a0 Hoss fumed.<\/p>\n

Envisioning Hoss’s wish, Adam considered changing his plans and then dismissed the idea.\u00a0 Pa would be furious if Hoss tanned Joe’s backside, besides that was a chore he always relished.<\/p>\n

“You know, you could always fight fire with fire.”\u00a0 Adam hinted mischievously.<\/p>\n

“Huh?”\u00a0 Sometimes Adam’s way of talking thoroughly baffled the plain talking man.<\/p>\n

“You could always play a joke on Joe.”\u00a0 Adam droned emotionlessly seeing his adage was totally lost on Hoss.<\/p>\n

“But what could I do?\u00a0 I ain’t no good at that joke playing stuff noways.”\u00a0 Hoss pouted, while Adam frowned over his poor use of grammar.<\/p>\n

“Well, tell ya what.\u00a0 Seeing as how you’re my brother and all, and Joe is always picking on you.\u00a0 How about I help you out this time.\u00a0 Now only this time mind you.”\u00a0 Adam baited, he knew he’d landed a large fish, a very large one at that.<\/p>\n

Happy that Adam would help him out, Hoss turned eager eyes to his brother.<\/p>\n

Adam stifled a laugh as he watched Hoss practically tiptoe from his room into the hall.\u00a0 In his big brother’s very large hands was one of the new pillows his father had brought for him, and the sugar dish that Adam had acquired from his breakfast tray that morning.\u00a0 Adam hoped that Hoss wouldn’t forget any of the instructions he’d given him, and prayed that he wouldn’t get caught.<\/p>\n

Adam heard Hoss close Little Joe’s door, then begin to trudge his way down the hall.\u00a0 Adam was surprised to hear Little Joe’s voice waft down the hallway.<\/p>\n

“Hey Hoss whatcha up to?”\u00a0 Little Joe asked when he saw Hoss heading down the hall to Adam’s room.<\/p>\n

Hoss swallowed before beginning to stammer and stutter in response.\u00a0 “Well I was just gonna\u2026”<\/p>\n

Hearing the panic in his little brother’s voice, Adam yelled out to help.\u00a0 “Hey Hoss, you found that book for me yet?”<\/p>\n

“Ah no, Adam I ain’t” Hoss answered, grateful for Adam’s quick assist.<\/p>\n

“Well, why don’t you go and get the checkerboard and we’ll play a game of checkers instead.”<\/p>\n

Nodding to his little brother, Hoss pushed his way past Joe to head down the stairs.\u00a0 Hoss exhaled a deep sigh of relief as he descended the stairs, grateful to have escaped without being caught.<\/p>\n

“Humph.”\u00a0 Joe retorted as Hoss quickly left.\u00a0 Even sick, Adam sure knew how to boss people around he thought, before making his way into his room to change his shirt for dinner.<\/p>\n

Ben was relieved that night; his eldest son had actually shown him a little mercy that day and left him virtually alone.\u00a0 Adam had even offered to help with the books, which Ben quickly declined because Adam was to rest and accounting was work.\u00a0 He gave silent thanks for his middle son, Hoss, who had kept Adam company all afternoon, which also helped to keep Adam distracted from his confinement.<\/p>\n

Climbing into bed that night, Ben said a silent prayer for his firstborn son.\u00a0 Tomorrow Paul Martin would be out to check on Adam’s progress and hopefully he would declare Adam healthy.\u00a0 Ben had just dozed off into peaceful slumber when his sleep was shattered by a piercing scream.<\/p>\n

Leaping from his bed, Ben grabbed his robe and dashed to the bedroom door.\u00a0 He was shocked at the sight of what stood before him in the hall.\u00a0 There stood his youngest son covered from head to toe in feathers!\u00a0 Not far away down the hall he heard the distinctive sound of guffawing, looking past the large bird that passed for his child, Ben spied a very bemused Hoss.<\/p>\n

Hearing Hoss laugh behind him, Joe was infuriated and turned to attack.<\/p>\n

“You, you’re the one who did this?”\u00a0 Joe accused advancing on his bigger brother.<\/p>\n

“Now Joe, don’t you go getting your feathers ruffled.”\u00a0 Hoss commented before breaking out into new gales of laughter.<\/p>\n

Ben could confine his amusement no longer and broke out into tears.<\/p>\n

“Pa!”\u00a0 Joe whined, disappointed that his father was laughing at him and not punishing Hoss.<\/p>\n

With tears streaming down his face, a very tired Ben Cartwright turned to make his way back to his room.\u00a0 When he reached the door he yelled back over his shoulder.\u00a0 “Joseph just go downstairs and take a bath.”<\/p>\n

Pushing a bemused Hoss aside, Joe stomped down the hall and over to the stairs.\u00a0 His heavy footfalls resounded in the air behind him, leaving Hoss to laugh even louder.<\/p>\n

Adam quietly watched the entire spectacle from a crack in his door.\u00a0 Carefully he closed the door and made his way back to his bed chuckling the entire way.\u00a0 Oh yes, revenge was definitely sweet he mused.\u00a0 Round five, Adam Cartwright.<\/p>\n

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

The entire Cartwright clan was never happier to see Paul Martin pull his buggy into the yard the next morning.\u00a0 Adam was anxious to be free from the forced bed rest, Joe and Hoss were looking forward to Adam’s help in rebuilding the downed fence and Ben, he was hoping for a little rest, not to mention peace and quiet.<\/p>\n

Paul Martin was a little startled by the overly warm greeting he received from his old friend who quickly led him across the room and up the stairs by the arm.\u00a0 The doctor couldn’t understand a single word Ben muttered as he directed him to Adam’s room.\u00a0 Shrugging his shoulders and offering no resistance, Paul decided to quickly check his patient, so he could look Ben Cartwright over.<\/p>\n

Doc Martin was pleased with what he found.\u00a0 Adam’s color was good, he’d been eating regularly and even though the bruise on his chest still gave him some discomfort, it hadn’t magnified into agonizing pain.\u00a0 Happy with the results, the family doctor declared Adam healthy, and fit enough to get out of bed.\u00a0 He still wanted Adam to take it easy on the work and stay around the house for a few days, but other than that, Adam was good as new.<\/p>\n

Ben Cartwright was never so pleased with the doctor’s prognosis.\u00a0 All his fears and worries over his oldest son were for not.\u00a0 Ben escorted the doctor downstairs to the dining room and offered him a cup of coffee for his troubles, which Paul Martin graciously accepted.\u00a0 Both men were still sitting at the dining table, when Adam came down the stairs to join them.<\/p>\n

Adam no sooner had poured himself a cup of coffee and began to take a sip, when his two younger brothers charged into the room.\u00a0 Each one hollering at the other causing their father to groan aloud.<\/p>\n

“You was the one that loosened my bed ropes!”\u00a0 Hoss thundered pointing his finger accusingly at Joe.<\/p>\n

“Would ya get it through your thick skull already, NO I DIDN’T!”\u00a0 Joe fired back his voice beginning to crack.<\/p>\n

“Well if you didn’t, then who did?”\u00a0 Crossing his big arms over his chest, Hoss figured he had Joe backed into a wall.<\/p>\n

“How am I supposed to know!”\u00a0 Joe squeaked still angry for the bird act he’d performed the night before.<\/p>\n

“See, I knew ya done it!”\u00a0 Hoss concluded, while poking Joe on the chest with his index finger, because Joe didn’t have someone else to blame.<\/p>\n

“Boys, boys please would you just pipe down a minute.”\u00a0 Ben pleaded.\u00a0 He’d listened to this argument all morning and saw no end in sight.\u00a0 He raised a hand to his temple trying to rub away the immense throbbing he found there.<\/p>\n

Paul Martin glanced at the occupants in the room.\u00a0 First he saw Joe red faced and standing on tiptoes to glare angrily into Hoss’s face.\u00a0 Second, he found Hoss equally angry staring his little brother down.\u00a0 Next he noticed Ben rubbing an obvious pain as he began to mutter about books, windows, beds, soup and feathers.\u00a0 Finally his eyes rested upon Adam, Adam’s eyes twinkled in merriment as he glanced back at doctor.\u00a0 He reminded the doctor of the cat that ate the canary.\u00a0 Suddenly feeling uneasy, the doctor rose from the table to make his way quickly to the door.<\/p>\n

Seeing the doctor head for the door, Adam got up from the table to escort him out.\u00a0 Paul Martin stopped briefly at the door and turned to address Adam.\u00a0 He saw a slightly evil grin upon Adam’s face when he looked up to the black-haired man.\u00a0 Glancing back to the three other Cartwrights still scabbling and muttering in the dining room, Paul Martin turned and raised an eyebrow in a silent questioning look at Ben Cartwright’s eldest son.<\/p>\n

Adam had watched the doctor as he surveyed the scene that was taking place in the dining room.\u00a0 Quite pleased with the results, Adam smirked and chuckled before returning his attention to the town physician.\u00a0 Match to the undisputed champion, Adam Cartwright.<\/p>\n

Noticing Paul Martin\u2019s questioning glance, Adam sheepishly shrugged with a self-satisfying smug expression upon his face, before winking back at the doctor in response.<\/p>\n

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

 <\/p>\n

Tags:<\/strong> Adam Cartwright, Family<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Summary:\u00a0Adam is injured in a freak accident, will his family survive his recuperation?<\/p>\n

Rated:\u00a0 G\u00a0 (7,080 words)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10520,"featured_media":23290,"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":[1005,4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14988","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-adam-cartwright","category-humor","wpcat-1005-id","wpcat-4-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\/2019\/08\/Fragments.jpg?fit=577%2C467&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14988","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=14988"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14988\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/23290"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=14988"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=14988"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=14988"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}