SUMMARY:\u00a0 Caught in an ambush, three brothers have a chance to show what’s in their hearts and take on different roles than the usual.\u00a0 The outlaws aren’t going to be easily defeated and rescue isn’t as near as they hoped.<\/p>\n
Rating:\u00a0 T\u00a0 Word count = 6282<\/p>\n
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The Cave<\/strong><\/p>\n With gunfire echoing in the valley behind them, Joe rushed into the shallow cave for cover. When Adam pushed into him from behind, he shoved him to the opposite side of the cave where he landed awkwardly up against the side.<\/p>\n “I was going as fast as I could. I didn’t need you pushing me.”<\/p>\n Coming in behind the two, Hoss turned at the entrance to fire a couple of shots from the meager cover even though he had no targets. “You two stop fighting. We got enough trouble already. We ain’t got no water, no food, and no horses. At least we got enough ammunition that they can’t rush us. Coming up that slope toward us is suicide.”<\/p>\n “What about when it gets dark?”<\/p>\n “Joe, we’ll still see ’em clear enough as soon as they reach that flat area there. Unless it gets so cloudy that there ain’t no light at all, we’ll see ’em outlined against the sky. Ifn it’s too dark for that, I reckon it’ll be too dark for them to find their way up that slope.”<\/p>\n “By morning, Pa should be here with help too.”<\/p>\n “That’s how I see it. We’re gonna have one miserable night, but then we should be all right.” Hoss paused in thought. “One problem though is Pa may think we stayed in town if he thought we saw this weather coming in. There’s storm clouds over the mountains. They’ll be here soon.”<\/p>\n Looking over at Adam who was staring at him, Joe was angry. “I suppose you’re going to say this is my fault. That if we had stayed in town like you wanted and waited for the others, this wouldn’t have happened. Well, they might have done something else. They might have taken Pa and held him as a hostage until you gave them the money. Did you think of that?”<\/p>\n All Joe got was that stare. It only seemed to increase his anger, but to Hoss, that stare was a sign of something wrong.<\/p>\n “Adam, you all right?”<\/p>\n Hoss took the time then to note that although Adam wasn’t talking, he also wasn’t moving even though his position looked uncomfortable. Hoss’ question shook Joe out of his self-absorption. Noting what Hoss had observed, he moved to Adam’s side. HIs voice changed too as he reached his brother.<\/p>\n “Are you hurt?”<\/p>\n There was no answer. Joe’s voice had taken on a completely different tone. Hoss heard it and got worried knowing that Adam had to be hurt not to respond. Joe began to try to move Adam and got the first response from him as he grimaced and said only one thing.<\/p>\n “No.”<\/p>\n “No, you’re not hurt, or no, don’t move you?”<\/p>\n “Joe, he’s hurt. Don’t move him. Here, you watch for them varmints. I’ll help Adam. I kin move him easier than you.”<\/p>\n Moving to the entrance, Joe took the rifle that Hoss had taken in with him and settled in behind the cover that was there. Looking back often, he kept watch as Hoss moved to where Adam still leaned back against the wall. Hoss moved in close in what was mostly a hug and pulled Adam toward him hearing his sharp intake of breath as he did so. Moving back only enough to get Adam on his stomach, he settled him face down and pulled his handkerchief to put under Adam’s face so he wouldn’t be resting in the dirt and detritus on the cave floor. When he smoothed out the handkerchief, he left bloody fingerprints on it so he was not surprised to find a blood-soaked shirt on Adam’s back.<\/p>\n “What happened to you, older brother?”<\/p>\n Not expecting an answer, Hoss gently lifted Adam, reached under, and undid the buttons of his shirt before tugging it from his pants. Lifting it up to his brother’s shoulders, he found a long wound. There was an entry wound, the tunnel wound the bullet had made, and a large exit wound.<\/p>\n “How is he?” Joe knew it was bad by Adam’s lack of response and Hoss’ actions.<\/p>\n “As far as gunshots go, it’s not too bad. As far as being in a cave with no doctor to help, it’s bad enough. From the looks of it, he got shot as we were coming up that hill ’cause it’s right straight up his back. When he fell against you, it was probably all he could do to stay upright any more. The bullet tore a nasty line up his back, and he’s bleeding a lot. Must hurt like a bitch too.”<\/p>\n The expletive use by Hoss signaled to Joe too that it was serious. Wadding up some of Adam’s shirt that he had pulled up, Hoss pressed it against the exit wound knowing how much it would hurt his brother and cautioned him about it before he did it. Nothing can truly prepare a man for agony though, and Adam cried out with the pain of it although he quickly clamped his jaw and sucked in a breath to fight the urge to scream.<\/p>\n “Adam, c’mon, ya gotta breathe.”<\/p>\n Taking jerky breaths through clenched teeth, Adam managed to stay conscious. Hoss stared at the wound and tried to think of a solution. He couldn’t.<\/p>\n “Adam, we don’t have anything to use as bandages. I know we got a couple of shirts we’re wearing, but you really need a wad of bandage pressing down on these two openings to stop the bleeding and to press on the rest of that wound so it don’t fill up with blood. Maybe we should toss that money belt to ’em.”<\/p>\n Shaking his head ever so slightly, Adam managed to tell Hoss what to do even though he couldn’t speak with much volume or for very long. “Don’t give up the money. It’s the only leverage we have. Give it up and they will kill us or leave us here on foot. Use my shirt. Wad it up and have me lay on it.”<\/p>\n Frowning, Hoss thought about that for a moment and understood. “It’s gonna hurt you something fierce ta do it that way.”<\/p>\n “Only way.”<\/p>\n “You’re right about that, I guess.”<\/p>\n “He’s right about what?” Joe was getting more curious about what Hoss and Adam were discussing.<\/p>\n “Joe, we ain’t got no bandages, and we need a lot for Adam. He says to use his shirt and have him lay on it to get the pressure he needs to stop the bleeding. It’s gonna hurt him bad. Don’t think I’m doing something wrong ifn you hear him making a lot of racket back here.”<\/p>\n “Why don’t we give them the money so we can take him home?”<\/p>\n “He don’t want to and I think I know why. I agree with him. They might think it best to kill us or strand us so nobody goes after ’em. We ain’t gonna gain anything by giving ’em the money, and it could get worse.”<\/p>\n Hoss thought his heart would break as he pulled that shirt up and over Adam’s head and from his arms and then pulled the money belt from around his waist. His brother’s whimpers and groans let him know how badly those movements hurt him, but Hoss knew that what came next was going to hurt far more. He folded the shirt into a long narrow rectangle bandage and placed it against the wound furrow on Adam’s back. Then after asking Adam if he was ready and getting only a grunt, he began to move him onto his back repositioning the bandage as needed. At any moment, Hoss thought that Adam would cry out in pain, but he didn’t.<\/p>\n Hoss suspected the reason for the silence was that Adam was doing his best to spare him as much as he could. Knowing how he would suffer doing what had to be done, Adam had decided that he would use every bit of strength he had left to remain as silent as he could. When he was finally settled on that bandage and heard Hoss say it was over, it wasn’t. Waves of pain were still assaulting him and he couldn’t speak and had trouble even thinking. He heard Hoss saying something to him and wanted to respond but darkness was claiming him and with the severe pain, he let it happen. Hoss saw his features relax slightly and his breathing became more regular.<\/p>\n “Adam, you awake?”<\/p>\n Knowing Adam had passed out, Hoss looked toward the entrance and saw Joe staring at him and Adam. The tension and stress of the ordeal affected his judgment. He wasn’t paying attention outside as he should have and one of the outlaws looked up and over the plateau of rock outside their cave. Hoss yelled and Joe whirled and fired in time. That didn’t stop Hoss from being angry.<\/p>\n “Your job is to watch, so watch. They can’t see the opening to this cave from down there so we’re safe enough. But they climb that hill and fire into here, the ricochets could kill us all.”<\/p>\n “I suppose you blame me too.”<\/p>\n “I didn’t say that, but ifn you want us ta get out of this alive, you got to do your part.”<\/p>\n Hoss said no more but began searching the small cave for any wood that had ended up being blown in there or dragged in by hunters or animals. The end result of his scavenging was a small pile that wouldn’t give them more than a few hours of a campfire if they needed it.<\/p>\n “Let’s hope it don’t get too cold in here tonight.”<\/p>\n “Hoss, what if they come up the other side of this hill where we can’t see them?”<\/p>\n “They could, but I’ve hunted this area. In fact, that’s how me and Adam knew about this cave. We used it when we were much younger. The other side of this hill is rocky and a lot steeper. They could climb it but it would take most of a day. I don’t think they could manage it in the dark. Hopefully, Pa’s gonna be looking for us before they have a chance to try that.”<\/p>\n “Hoss, does it feel like it’s getting a lot colder to you?”<\/p>\n “Yeah, it does. That’s why I was looking for wood. I’m hoping it’s that the wind changed direction and not a storm coming in.”<\/p>\n Unfortunately, Hoss was wrong. Cold rain began to fall a few hours later and turned to sleet by midnight. Sometime during the middle of the night when it was too dark to see, it turned over to snow. In the morning, the clouds were a heavy gray and the landscape was covered in white. There was no opportunity for the men down below to approach them because they would stand out no matter what they did.<\/p>\n “Joe, there’s no way they can come up that back side either. It’d be suicide to try to climb it with ice on the rocks and snow over that.”<\/p>\n “It won’t matter. We’re not going to last long in here like this anyhow.”<\/p>\n The two of them had taken off their shirts to cover Adam. All they had for heat was each other and the tiny campfire they had built with the meager supply of wood Hoss had scrounged up in the cave and some that Joe had gotten during dusk when they thought the risk wouldn’t be too great. Once the sleet had begun, Hoss had decided that their best chance of survival was to fight the cold instead of worrying about whether anyone out there was going to try to slip up the slope in the treacherous weather. Shivering nearly uncontrollably, Joe stood and stared at the entrance.<\/p>\n “I’m going out there. I’ll find more wood. Even wet, it’ll be better than nothing. I doubt that they will be able to hit me at this distance even against the snow. It won’t do us any good to hide in here and freeze to death so they can walk in and take the money off our bodies. We’re no good to Adam that way.”<\/p>\n Wanting to disagree, but knowing the truth of what Joe had said, Hoss only told him to be as careful as he could. He was back in less time than Hoss expected.<\/p>\n “I didn’t have to be careful. There’s no sign that there’s anyone down there any more. I think they left and they took our horses too if they did.”<\/p>\n “Damn.”<\/p>\n “Listen, I’ll go out there as soon as we get more of a fire going so I can wear a shirt. I’ll fire a few shots and see if there’s any movement. I’m hoping Pa’s got men out looking for us.”<\/p>\n “I hope they find us soon. Looks like more early snow on the way.”<\/p>\n “Yeah, I’ll see about getting more wood too while I’m out there. Doing that at least helped me feel a bit warmer.”<\/p>\n Outside, Joe fired three shots and watched carefully for any signs of movement down below. There was nothing. The outlaws had apparently given up on them. He set about getting some wood while keeping a watch for any riders who might be on their side. He brought in two armloads of wood and brush before he was able to tell Hoss some good news. He thought he saw riders only a few miles away. Heading back out, he fired three more shots and stood and waited expecting they would see him waving on the hill when they got close enough. As they got closer, he realized it was only some wild horses and that nearly made Joe want to cry. He had to go back in to tell Hoss the bad news. One more trip outside to get wood and brush, and he did have some good news.<\/p>\n “Hoss, I see Sport down there. I’m going down to get him.”<\/p>\n “Joe, be careful. Remember, it could be a trick. I’ll come out with the rifle and cover you.”<\/p>\n As much as he tried to be careful, it wasn’t good enough. Joe got Sport, tied him to a sapling, and brought up the supplies the outlaws had tied to the saddle as they had apparently been using him as a packhorse. Obviously, the feisty animal had broken away and came back to where he had last seen his master. Unbalanced by the load he was carrying, Joe twisted his ankle when he climbed back up. Hoss saw him fall and then limp back up the slope.<\/p>\n “What happened?”<\/p>\n “There was a rock I didn’t see because of the snow. It caught my foot. I’ll be fine.”<\/p>\n Not so sure of that, Hoss opened the sack of supplies to find food and a fry pan. They had hoped for some clothing, but there was no luck there. A slicker had been tied onto Adam’s saddle though and his saddlebags held some minimal supplies like matches and a jackknife. At least Joe got his shirt back when they put the slicker over Adam and put the empty canvas sack under him.<\/p>\n “Joe, I think I need to be the one to ride for home. With that bad ankle, you’re gonna have trouble handling that cantankerous horse of Adam’s.”<\/p>\n Although Joe wanted to argue, he knew Hoss was right. “You’re probably better suited to be out in that cold anyway. I’m still shivering from being out there a half hour. We’re a long way from home. You gonna be able to get there without freezing to death?”<\/p>\n “I’d like ta have that slicker to be shur I’d get home, but Adam needs it more.”<\/p>\n “Hoss, we can get a lot more wood, and I’ll keep that fire going as hot as I can for the next full day. I won’t sleep. If you don’t get home, it won’t matter if he has that slicker on him or not. You take it.”<\/p>\n So that was what they did. They gathered all the wood they could from the hillside even as Joe was hampered by an ankle that grew so bad he finally had to let Hoss do all the gathering. He sat by the fire as Adam woke. Joe told him what they were going to do and his oldest brother agreed the plan was the best they had. When Hoss came in with one last armload of wood, Joe was able to tell him Adam agreed with their plan. Hoss looked to Adam.<\/p>\n “You’re all right with it all?”<\/p>\n A slight smile from his brother was his answer. It reassured him enough though. He left then after taking the slicker that was nice and warm. He knew that Adam must be developing a fever. Hoss began the long ride home and never dismounted.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n By the time Hoss arrived home in the morning, he was unable to dismount and Sport stood quietly outside the house as Hoss summoned up enough voice to call for his father. Ben thought he heard something, but it was Hop Sing who went to investigate and called to him. Of course, his first words were about the obvious even as Ben told Hop Sing to get his coat and placed it around Hoss’ shoulders.<\/p>\n “Tarnation, what are you doing out here in the cold without a coat and gloves? Where are your brothers and why are you riding Sport?” Ben knew he wasn’t going to like those answers as he helped Hoss walk slowly to the house.<\/p>\n “It’s a long story, Pa, but we never expected to have outlaws chasing us and cutting us off. They chased us a far piece. We had to find a place where they couldn’t get at us, and me and Adam knew about this cave. We got to it, but Adam got shot. It ain’t too bad, but he can’t ride. We didn’t have coats or blankets or any extra food. Joe stayed with him.”<\/p>\n “I thought you and your brothers had stayed in town when you saw this weather coming in. At least they’re in a cave so they’re safe from this weather?”<\/p>\n “Pa, I’m worried. What if it was a trick? Adam needs bandages, blankets, and probably we need to clean up that wound too. But we used our shirts to keep him warm and use as a bandage, and all they got is a fire to stay warm. They’re all alone too and they’re outnumbered pretty bad. We need to get going real fast.”<\/p>\n Leaning back on his heels, Ben catalogued the problems in his mind before spelling them out. “You’re not going anywhere. I can see you’ve probably got frostbite already. Now, Adam can’t ride. I’ll get the men to get the sleigh ready. In this weather, that’s going to be slow but we’ll get through. You need to get warm clothing and I’ll get that for Joe and Adam too.”<\/p>\n “Pa, the cave is on Eagle’s Nest.”<\/p>\n “We’ll have trouble getting him down from there. We’ll need ropes and some good luck with the weather. We should bring things that we could use if we get stranded there for a few days.”<\/p>\n Frowning, Ben thought and made up a list in his mind. Then he started ticking off the items. “We’ll need to bring a mattress, that small tinker’s stove, and plenty of food. Of course, blankets as well as the clothing I mentioned already. We should be able to fit all of that in the back of the sleigh. I’m going to the bunkhouse to get the men started on what they can do. You go get warm clothing and then sit down here by the fire. I’m sure Hop Sing will have something for you soon. Son, I’d like to do more for you.”<\/p>\n “I understand, Pa.”<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n As Ben and the others worked to get what they needed so they could head out, a similar conversation was happening in the cave. Adam that morning was running a fever but not so bad that he wasn’t lucid.<\/p>\n “Joe, what if sending Sport back was a trick?”<\/p>\n “A trick?”<\/p>\n “To get one of us to leave and the other two to relax.”<\/p>\n “That would mean they’re probably on the way up here now.”<\/p>\n “And only two of us.”<\/p>\n Looking at the cave entrance and the snow, Joe wasn’t sure what to do. Their fire was doing an adequate job of keeping them warm. He and Adam had slept together under some brush he had woven into a cover at Adam’s suggestion. It was like a low lean-to inside the cave. Resting behind Adam, he had found it picky when his arm or shoulder brushed against it, but it helped hold in more heat so it was worth the slight discomfort. They had even eaten their breakfast huddled together. Food seemed to be helping Adam, but he still wouldn’t be able to do much especially if he got chilled.<\/p>\n “Maybe I’ll go take a look.”<\/p>\n “Be careful.” Joe glanced back at him. “More careful than last time.” He grinned when he said it and at least got a small smile in answer.<\/p>\n It was only a minute and Joe was back even limping as he was. “They’re making their way up the slope. Luckily, it’s hard going. I’m going to go out there and do my best to stop them.”<\/p>\n “Joe, don’t. I think, probably by now, they might have someone who came up the back way. They wouldn’t be so bold as to come up that front way without having some covering fire. You go out there now and you’ll get shot.”<\/p>\n “You do care about me.”<\/p>\n “Of course, I do. Now help me to the entrance. We’re going to have to make our stand there.”<\/p>\n “You think you can do it?”<\/p>\n “I’m not going to lay here and let them come in and kill me after they kill you. Now help me.”<\/p>\n It was a struggle, but the two got to the entrance before any of the outlaws were able to get to the flat plateau in front of the cave. They heard a yell outside as the man Adam had said was there revealed his position. He told them that Joe had seen them. Well, actually he said the skinny one had spotted them.<\/p>\n Joe was surprised even as Adam was amused. “If he saw me, why didn’t he shoot?”<\/p>\n “He was probably so surprised by seeing you that he didn’t get his rifle around and aimed before you came back in. You weren’t out there long and you’re fast even with that limp.”<\/p>\n “So now what?”<\/p>\n “They’ll try to make us an offer that they think we can’t refuse. Don’t buy it. We can’t trust them in anything. Their cover man is off to the right. He might get an angle on you if he moves. Why don’t you come over to this side? If you pull the cover off the lean-to you made, we can share it and stay warmer too.”<\/p>\n “We can’t shoot that way.”<\/p>\n “No, if the shooting starts, then we do what we have to do.”<\/p>\n “Yeah, like we always do.”<\/p>\n The offer came as expected. There was a shot from the man who was giving the outlaws covering fire. That got their attention. Then the offer was yelled. They were to throw out the money and the outlaws would depart but would leave the two Cartwright horses tethered down below.<\/p>\n “What do you think, Joe? Would you trust them not to shoot us as soon as we came down that hill?”<\/p>\n “Maybe not right away. They might wait until we rode close enough so they couldn’t miss.”<\/p>\n “Tell them our answer then.”<\/p>\n Joe yelled out. “Give us some time to think about it, will ya? That’s a lot of money. Pa’s going be real upset if we give it away.”<\/p>\n “All right, but he might be a lot more upset if he loses two sons. You got an hour.”<\/p>\n “Good work, kid. That is a lot more time than I thought we had, but it won’t be an hour.”<\/p>\n “Why do you give me a compliment and call me kid?”<\/p>\n Huddled under the cover and on alert, they weren’t facing each other, but there was an intimacy to the conversation because they were practically wrapped together under that cover. Their voices were low. The situation broke Adam’s natural defenses. He couldn’t use some flippant remark and walk away so he had to be honest.<\/p>\n “I meant no disrespect.”<\/p>\n “It sounds disrespectful.”<\/p>\n For a time, Adam was quiet. “Joe, if you had a brother who was twelve years younger than you, would you possibly think of him as your kid brother especially if he was still only twenty-two and you were thirty-four?”<\/p>\n About to say something, Joe reconsidered. He had to think about that from Adam’s perspective because he was in the same predicament as Adam. He couldn’t make a smart remark and walk away. They were stuck together for at least the next hour.<\/p>\n “I guess I understand it now from how you see it. But from my side, I’m the smallest of the family. I’ve had to fight to prove myself as a man a lot more than any of you did. Heck, everybody thought Hoss was a man probably ten years before he got there. You had to work like a man a lot of years before most do. I know I had it a lot easier than you, but in some ways that made it harder. All of a sudden, at seventeen, I’m supposed to get the men’s respect somehow. It hasn’t been easy.”<\/p>\n It was Adam’s turn to try to think about things from his brother’s perspective. “If I say ‘kid’, it rankles because it reminds you of that struggle, and maybe it’s not over yet?”<\/p>\n “I guess that’s about it. I mean, now I won’t get so mad because I know you don’t mean anything by it, but I still won’t like it.”<\/p>\n “How about if I try not to say it, and you try to forgive me when it slips out?”<\/p>\n “That sounds fair.” Joe shifted a little to peek out the opening of the cave. “Why don’t you think we can trust them on that hour?”<\/p>\n “Experience with greedy men. They’re seldom patient men. I figure they’ll give us enough time until they think we’re relaxed, and then they’ll try to take us. First up will be some shooting from their own personal sniper to get us to duck down. Then the others will come over that lip and rush us.”<\/p>\n “I think I know where that shooter is. When I was getting wood, I found a set of boulders up there that has a natural depression behind them. It’s where I found some of the dry tinder that I brought in. It would make a perfect spot.”<\/p>\n “Get me over to the other side and show me.”<\/p>\n “What are you going to do?”<\/p>\n “When he sets up and takes his first shot, I’m going to try to shoot him in the head when he reloads. You heard the sound of that rifle, didn’t you? That has to be a Sharps rifle, He’ll have to reload. My guess is he’ll be overconfident and not duck down to do it. That will be my one chance. I won’t have much time probably. If he’s good with that rifle, it also means he’s good at reloading it. I’ll have seconds to take a shot.”<\/p>\n “If you miss, he may get you with the next shot.”<\/p>\n “I know. But if I get him, it will buy us quite a bit more time. By now, Pa is on his way. We need that time.”<\/p>\n “Yeah, we do. Thanks.” Joe helped Adam move and then moved back to his position. The two brothers were quiet for a time until Joe had to spit out what he was thinking. “Adam, why do we work together so well when there’s trouble, but we have so much trouble between us when we’re not?”<\/p>\n Keeping his eyes up the slope, Adam shook his head a little and smiled at the strange wording, but he did understand what his younger brother was asking. “Somehow, Joe, it seems we’re always in some kind of competition otherwise. I don’t know why.”<\/p>\n “Yeah, I know, like when you tried to take that gal away from me at the dance last Saturday night.”<\/p>\n Almost angry all over again over that situation, Adam was also curious as to why Joe thought it was his gal. He had to ask. “How was she your gal?”<\/p>\n “I saw her first.”<\/p>\n “You saw her first?”<\/p>\n “Yeah, I saw her getting off the stage in town on Friday. Remember, I told you I saw this real pretty lady when I was in town.”<\/p>\n “That made her your gal?”<\/p>\n “Well, I thought that gave me the first chance at her.”<\/p>\n “Joe, ladies aren’t property. You don’t win them or own first rights because you saw them and so you can stake a claim. I got to the dance ahead of you. I saw her. We talked and found we had some common interests. She agreed to dance with me. We danced a few times, and then you got there.”<\/p>\n “Interests in common?”<\/p>\n “Yes, she’s here to visit with her aunt and uncle. She lives in San Francisco and enjoys the opera and going to the library and bookstores. I had her convinced, I think, that I was civilized enough to spend time with her. Her aunt had insisted she attend the dance. Although she didn’t want to go, she agreed to give it a try. She left soon after you made a scene,”<\/p>\n “I’m sorry. I didn’t know. Maybe you could go explain to her.”<\/p>\n “First impressions mean a lot. I’m not sure what I could say that would erase that image from her mind.”<\/p>\n “I thought you were taking something that belonged to me. I guess you’re right about that competition thing.”<\/p>\n There was no more conversation because Adam was aiming to get his shot. He saw the shooter appear. A moment after that Sharps rifle fired, he got it. As soon as the man’s head appeared to take the shot, he spotted him and began sighting in on him. He didn’t shoot the man in the head as he had hoped, but he hit the rifle in the breechblock shattering it, and the whole mess ended up in the shooter’s face. He screamed once, and then only loud moaning and groaning could be heard. They could hear swearing from the others as they called out to their partner and got no answer. The outlaws needed a new plan, and Adam and Joe now had more time. If anything, the accuracy of Adam’s shot had convinced them that a frontal assault on the cave might be suicidal.<\/p>\n “Now, what do we do?”<\/p>\n “I don’t know. I think the next part is up to you.” Adam put his head down and closed his eyes utterly exhausted.<\/p>\n “Right now, I could use some of those extra twelve years of experience, brother.” Joe spoke to the sleeping Adam knowing there was not going to be any response. Joe got some wood and embers and started a fire at the mouth of the cave so they would have warmth and to create an additional obstacle for the outlaws.<\/p>\n When Adam woke, he was warmer and realized Joe had made a second campfire. Although his first inclination was to say they were going to run out of wood, he wisely stopped himself and looked around at Joe who was sitting at his side and smiling.<\/p>\n “Couldn’t think of a reason to save that wood, and I was cold.”<\/p>\n Nodding, Adam struggled to sit up and asked for help.<\/p>\n “You don’t need to sit up.”<\/p>\n “I do. When they come, I don’t want to be laying down and helpless.”<\/p>\n “So you’d rather be sitting up and helpless?” But even as he said it, Joe was helping him to sit. Then he moved to pull the cover over the two of them again. “You know, this cover isn’t bad camouflage.”<\/p>\n “That’s true. They’ll have to get close to shoot us.”<\/p>\n “When they come, Adam, you take the ones on the left and I’ll take the ones on the right. We’ll get them.”<\/p>\n “Yeah, Joe, we’ll get them.”<\/p>\n Then they heard what could be compared in some circles to the voice of God. It was the thunderous voice of Ben Cartwright when someone threatened his sons. There was an echo in the valley that made them smile.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n “Put down those guns or end your days on that mountain!”<\/p>\n In effect, caught on an open snow-covered slope with men down below who had their horses and two men up above who weren’t going to let them use the only good cover, the single good choice was to surrender. One of the outlaws turned to the others and said all they could be charged with so far was attempted robbery. That wasn’t quite accurate as Sheriff Coffee was likely to add on assault for wounding Adam and horse theft because they still had Cooch and Chub in their possession. It was that last charge that was going to get them the most time. They hadn’t intended to keep those horses so weren’t thinking of that when they surrendered.<\/p>\n Impatient to get up to the cave to find out about his sons, Ben left it to his men with him to get those outlaws in custody. Hoss had insisted on coming along and climbed from the back of the sleigh where Ben had insisted he ride. Even with his bandaged hands, he hefted a large sack of supplies and headed up the slope. Ben took another small sack and a small bedroll before following. There was no arguing with Hoss when he was on a mission. Carefully they made their way up the slope and onto the plateau in front of the cave calling out that they were coming so Adam and Joe wouldn’t shoot. Joe greeted them as they reached the cave entrance.<\/p>\n “How’s Adam?”<\/p>\n “All right. Feisty as ever. C’mon in.”<\/p>\n As soon as they entered, Hoss began emptying the large sack he carried.<\/p>\n “Is that the tinker’s stove you traded to get?”<\/p>\n “Yep, Joe, it shur ’nuff is. It’s the one he had in his wagon, and I traded it for a horse when his went lame. Pa said the stove was too small to be of any use to us, but now we can use it. In fact, it was his idea to bring it along.”<\/p>\n Hoss didn’t add that the lame horse healed, and they had her too. Ben could only shrug. Soon Joe had the bedroll smoothed out and the bandages and medicine ready. The men brought the rest of the supplies inside. Ben and Hoss got Adam to the bedroll. The next step was excruciating for all as they had to wash the wound and irrigate it, put on pressure, and bandage it tightly. When they finished, Adam was exhausted physically and the others were emotionally worn out. Both Adam and Joe now had clean warm clothing and coats to wear as well. A blanket was tucked around each one. Ben told his men to take the outlaws and the body of the one Adam had shot to town.<\/p>\n “Stay at the hotel until tomorrow or until the weather clears. Put in on the Ponderosa tab. What you do on your free time is your business.” Those men were smiling when they left.<\/p>\n One by one, Ben, Hoss, and Joe took turns watching over Adam as the other two set up the cave to be their home until the next day at least depending on the weather. Hoss even had Joe help him hang some canvas to partially block the opening so they had more protection from the outside weather. Ben had to smile when he saw a small chamber pot. Apparently, Hop Sing had thought of everything. With a pot of chicken stew simmering on the low tiny stove, they waited for Adam to wake. It didn’t take long as he was hungry and now warm and comfortable too.<\/p>\n “I hope you saved some for me.”<\/p>\n Staring through the small opening in the canvas at the grayness outside, Ben was startled to hear Adam’s voice. Turning around to see his oldest son, he was gratified to see clear eyes and no sign that Adam was in pain. He could hide things well, but no one could hide all the signs of pain.<\/p>\n “How do you feel, son?”<\/p>\n “I’ve felt better, but not too bad. There are some warning signs telling me not to move too much or too fast, but otherwise all right. Joe took good care of me.”<\/p>\n “That’s shur good ta hear. When I left, I hoped you two wouldn’t get at each other left alone here.”<\/p>\n “What? The two of us? We get along great all the time. Adam, you have any idea why Hoss would say that?”<\/p>\n “No, Joe, no idea at all.”<\/p>\n As the two brothers grinned at each other in some silent communication, Ben and Hoss looked at each other and shrugged. Sometimes there was no understanding the oldest and youngest sons and their unusual relationship.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Tags:<\/strong> Adam Cartwright, Ben Cartwright, Family, Hoss Cartwright, Joe \/ Little Joe Cartwright, SAS, trapped<\/p>\n