Summary:\u00a0 To help Adam’s friend George, Little Joe has impulsively boarded a ship for Boston.\u00a0 Now it’s up to Adam to chase him down and bring him home.\u00a0 Written for BoNaNo challenge (over multiple years).\u00a0 2nd in a series of 3 stories.<\/p>\n
Rating:\u00a0 K\u00a0 (97,504 words)<\/p>\n
East, West:\u00a0 Home’s Best Series:<\/strong><\/p>\n East, West: Home’s Best – The Easterner<\/a> <\/p>\n East, West: Home’s Best–The Westerners<\/strong><\/p>\n Sept. 30, 1860<\/p>\n Leaning on the polished brass rail of the steamship California<\/em>, Little Joe Cartwright stared at the receding shoreline until it disappeared beyond the horizon.\u00a0 He heaved a huge sigh and shook his head at his own foolishness.\u00a0 Even if he had spotted his older brother Adam, there would have been no way for them to switch places, short of \u00a0\u00a0each jumping into the Pacific Ocean and swimming in opposite directions.\u00a0 Though they were both strong swimmers, the California<\/em> had been too far out to make that feasible for at least half an hour; however, he hadn\u2019t been able to turn loose of hope until he could no longer see the faintest rim of land.<\/p>\n Now there was nothing to see but waves, rising and falling, crashing against the black hull of the ship or spinning over its red side paddle.\u00a0 Spinning\u2014suddenly, the whole world felt as though it were spinning, especially his head and his stomach.\u00a0 His hurriedly-eaten breakfast gurgled up his throat, but he managed to swallow it down and, turning away from sight of the waves, lurched across the undulating deck toward the steps that would lead down to his\u2014or rather, Adam\u2019s\u2014stateroom.<\/p>\n He made a desperate grab for the green rope running alongside the stairs as a sudden surge of the ship propelled him forward and then worked his way, hand over hand, down its rough fibers to stagger along the passage below.\u00a0 He paused hesitantly outside the room of Adam\u2019s friend, George Pontpier, but another roiling wave of nausea made him stagger past that door and practically fall through the next.\u00a0 The inevitable consequences of confessing what he\u2019d done would come hard enough without spewing the contents of his stomach over George\u2019s plaster-casted leg to complicate the confrontation.<\/p>\n Little Joe dropped down onto the couch beneath the porthole and soon found himself stretched out, aching head lolling on the pillow.\u00a0 He\u2019d had a short, virtually restless night, most of it spent perched on a window ledge, eyes as fruitlessly craned for sight of his older brother on the street below as they had been on the shore since dashing onto the steamship at the last minute.\u00a0 What on earth had kept Adam from meeting him, as planned?\u00a0 He shook his head at the pointless question and instantly regretted it as the world lurched out of focus.\u00a0 He wasn\u2019t likely to learn the answer for months, if he even remembered to ask after Adam finished ripping him apart for taking his place aboard ship.<\/p>\n What other choice could he have made, though?\u00a0 He couldn\u2019t let George travel alone, not with that broken leg, for which Joe still felt responsible, despite George\u2019s assurances to the contrary.\u00a0 With a sigh he closed his eyes.\u00a0 It helped.\u00a0 He could still feel the ship moving beneath him, but that didn\u2019t seem to bother him as much as seeing it.\u00a0 Maybe it was being so tired that made the motion affect him so strongly, he thought as he surrendered to the weariness and drifted into a light sleep, hoping that both his body and his mind would seem calmer when he woke.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n Leaving the office of the Pacific Telegraph Company, where he\u2019d just sent a terse telegram of instruction eastward, Adam Cartwright ambled slowly back toward the hotel, as good a place as any to have breakfast.\u00a0 He knew, of course, that he should also have wired his father, apprising him that his youngest son was now somewhere on the Pacific Ocean, headed for Panama City and points beyond.\u00a0 In the interest of life and limb, however, he preferred to have that message delivered in an entirely different\u2014and much slower\u2014manner.<\/p>\n When he arrived in the hotel\u2019s restaurant, he perfunctorily ordered bacon and eggs.\u00a0 Though he had no appetite, he had nothing else to occupy his time, and he supposed his stomach deserved something to gnaw on besides itself.\u00a0 The steaming cup of coffee, at least, he appreciated.\u00a0 He\u2019d had a long and tense night, with almost no rest, on that accursed steamboat Asiago<\/em>.\u00a0 Maybe he\u2019d just take a nap to make up for the loss of sleep and then treat himself to a night at the theater before Hoss joined him, hopefully tomorrow.\u00a0 Hope was about all he had of even that going right, since almost nothing else had since he\u2019d left home on the most frustrating trail drive he\u2019d ever bossed.<\/p>\n Slowly he lowered the coffee cup to the table and slumped forward, his head dropping into his left palm as the picture of that empty hotel room filtered back into his thoughts.\u00a0 There\u2019d be no making up lost sleep today, he suddenly realized.\u00a0 What lay in store for him was a rather extensive\u2014and expensive\u2014shopping trip, because for whatever reason, younger brother had elected to take older brother\u2019s steamer trunk on board with him.\u00a0 Adam had not a stitch of clothing, other than what he\u2019d carried in his saddlebags on the trail drive.\u00a0 It simply wasn\u2019t enough for the unexpected ten-day stay in San Francisco, much less the three-week journey to Boston before he caught up with his own carefully packed apparel . . . \u00a0and a skinny neck to wring.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n Hearing eight bells ring, George Pontpier stifled a sigh as he lifted his left leg with two hands and slowly eased it to the floor.\u00a0 The weight of the plaster cast made the maneuver more difficult; for that matter, it made everything more difficult, especially in the confined space of the stateroom.\u00a0 He\u2019d assured Adam\u2019s little brother that he could manage on his own, but truthfully, he knew he\u2019d miss the help the boy had given him over the past couple of weeks.\u00a0 Even more he\u2019d miss Adam\u2019s company and assistance on this long journey.\u00a0 As he rested from the effort to get himself upright from the couch on which he\u2019d been lying, he wondered again what had kept his friend from joining him.\u00a0 Something unavoidable, he was certain.\u00a0 Much as Adam would miss the anticipated trip east, he\u2019d be still more concerned about leaving the irrepressible Little Joe Cartwright on his own in San Francisco.\u00a0 And not without cause.\u00a0 A fond chuckle whistled past George\u2019s lips.\u00a0 No doubt that young rascal was even now exploring the enticements of the Stinking Stilton or some saloon equally unsavory.<\/p>\n A knock sounded on the cabin door.\u00a0 Surprised, since he knew no one here, George called, \u201cCome in.\u201d<\/p>\n The door opened, and a steward stepped in.\u00a0 \u201cDinner is served, sir.\u00a0 I brought your rolling chair and wondered if you might need further assistance in getting to the dining saloon.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s on this deck, isn\u2019t it?\u201d George inquired.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThen that\u2019s all I\u2019ll need.\u201d\u00a0 The chair made getting around much easier, but there was no room for it in the narrow cabin, so this same steward had earlier taken it away for temporary storage.<\/p>\n \u201cVery good, sir,\u201d the steward said.<\/p>\n As he started to leave, however, George asked, \u201cBy the way, did Mr. Cartwright\u2019s trunk get off-loaded before the ship sailed?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHis trunk, sir?\u201d\u00a0 The steward looked puzzled.\u00a0 \u201cI believe it\u2019s still in his room, sir, but won\u2019t he need it on his journey?\u201d<\/p>\n George sighed.\u00a0 \u201cWell, he would, if he\u2019d arrived in time to sail, but since he was evidently delayed . . .\u201d<\/p>\n The steward smiled broadly.\u00a0 \u201cAh, I see what\u2019s confused you, sir.\u00a0 Mr. Cartwright did cut his arrival time dangerously close, but he made it aboard at the last minute.\u201d<\/p>\n George straightened abruptly.\u00a0 \u201cAre you certain?\u201d he asked eagerly.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, yes, sir,\u201d the steward said.\u00a0 \u201cI saw him enter his room.\u201d\u00a0 He leaned close to George and whispered, \u201cI don\u2019t think he\u2019ll be joining you for dinner, sir.\u00a0 Looked a bit peaked, if you catch my meaning.\u201d<\/p>\n George\u2019s brow wrinkled quizzically.\u00a0 It was odd that Adam hadn\u2019t, at least, stepped in to announce his arrival.\u00a0 He surely knew I\u2019d be concerned<\/em>, George fretted.\u00a0 He must really be ill!<\/em>\u00a0 Odd.\u00a0 He\u2019d sailed a number of times with Adam back East and never known him to be seasick.\u00a0 Still, it had been a long time.\u00a0 Perhaps a man lost his sea legs after long absence from the sea, but all that could be discussed later.\u00a0 For now, it was enough that Adam was aboard.\u00a0 Beyond all hope, Adam was aboard!\u00a0 Scarcely able to contain his delight, George said, \u201cI\u2019ll just step in and check on him, so if you could leave my chair outside his room, I should be able to manage from there.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAs you wish, sir,\u201d the steward said, backing out of the cabin.<\/p>\n George reached for his crutches, skillfully placed them under his arms and stood, steadying himself against the roll of the deck beneath his right foot.\u00a0 Then he moved cautiously to the door that connected his room to the adjoining one and knocked softly.\u00a0 \u201cAdam,\u201d he called.\u00a0 \u201cAre you all right in there, old chum?\u201d\u00a0 When a wordless groan met his ear, he opened the door and went inside.\u00a0 \u201cSince when are you subject to seasickness?\u201d he asked as he entered.\u00a0 Then his mouth gaped open as he saw the figure on the couch roll to a seated position.\u00a0 \u201cLittle Joe!\u201d he cried.\u00a0 \u201cWhat in heaven\u2019s name are you doing here, boy?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDying,\u201d Little Joe managed to mumble before folding forward, arms clasped around his stomach.\u00a0 Then he peered up at the bleary figure before him.\u00a0 \u201cYou need help?\u201d he asked weakly.<\/p>\n George\u2019s wide-eyed shock was tempered by a bit of perverse humor at the notion of being cared for by someone who couldn\u2019t hold up his own head.\u00a0 Then his innate compassion took over and he urged, \u201cLie down; lie down, boy; it helps.\u201d<\/p>\n Moaning, Little Joe collapsed onto his pillow.\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t understand,\u201d he gasped.\u00a0 \u201cNever had . . . this . . . before.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhen did you ever sail before?\u201d George scoffed.<\/p>\n \u201cNew World<\/em>,\u201d Little Joe muttered.<\/p>\n \u201cRiverboats don\u2019t count,\u201d George chuckled, recognizing the name of the one he and Joe had ridden from Sacramento to San Francisco.\u00a0 \u201cYou can see land from their decks.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMuch better,\u201d Joe mumbled miserably.<\/p>\n \u201cNo doubt,\u201d George agreed wryly.\u00a0 \u201cWell, you have some explaining to do, young fellow, but being a merciful man, I won\u2019t interrogate you yet.\u201d\u00a0 He leaned over to tousle the boy\u2019s rampant chestnut curls.\u00a0 \u201cYou should feel better tomorrow, so explanations and a well-deserved scolding can wait until then.\u201d\u00a0 Bidding Joe farewell, he exited the cabin and found his rolling chair just outside, as requested.\u00a0 He sank into it and, leaving his crutches at the door to his own cabin, wheeled himself toward the dining saloon.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n When someone again pounded on his door, Little Joe groaned, \u201cGo away,\u201d but the door opened almost immediately.<\/p>\n Carrying a bowl, a stranger in some sort of uniform entered.\u00a0 \u201cYour friend suggested that I bring you a bit of broth, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t want anything,\u201d Joe grunted.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, sir, I understand,\u201d the man said, \u201cbut it does sometimes help to have some small amount in the stomach.\u201d<\/p>\n Feeling too weak to protest further, Little Joe rolled upright and took the steaming bowl from the man.\u00a0 \u201cThanks,\u201d he said, his father\u2019s training in manners bringing forth the automatic response.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re welcome, sir; I hope you\u2019ll feel better soon.\u201d\u00a0 With that kindly wish, the man disappeared.<\/p>\n Little Joe stared into the bowl.\u00a0 Beef broth, piping hot.\u00a0 He didn\u2019t really think he could stomach even broth, but it did smell enticing.\u00a0 Perhaps just a spoonful or two.\u00a0 He savored the warmth in his mouth before swallowing, and when the first taste stayed down, he took another.\u00a0 Slowly, cautiously, he emptied the bowl, which hadn\u2019t been overly full to begin with.\u00a0 Surprised to find that his stomach did feel calmer, he smiled as he again lay down.<\/p>\n At dinnertime the waiter again appeared with the same offering, and this time Little Joe received it with greater appreciation.\u00a0 As he slowly sipped the broth, he felt a vague sense that someone, probably George, had looked in on him that afternoon.\u00a0 Something about that didn\u2019t seem right, as if the shoe were on the wrong foot or the cart before the horse or some such thing, but he didn\u2019t feel inclined to pursue the notion.\u00a0 Closing his eyes, he again drifted to sleep.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Oct. 1<\/p>\n Little Joe woke slowly to the repeated ding of the ship\u2019s bell and a vague awareness that he\u2019d heard that same sound, off and on, throughout the night.\u00a0 Some way of counting time, he supposed, but he didn\u2019t think it worked the same as the grandfather\u2019s clock back home.\u00a0 There never seemed to be enough strokes to mark the hours that way, but he couldn\u2019t be certain that he hadn\u2019t just slept through some of them.\u00a0 The sun was shining through the porthole above his head, so it must be morning, but he had no idea whether it was early or late.<\/p>\n He swung his legs over the edge of the couch and sat up cautiously.\u00a0 When he sensed none of the giddiness which had assaulted him ever since the ship pulled from shore, he smiled in relief.\u00a0 Though his head still ached dully, at least he no longer felt like death warmed over.\u00a0 Finally daring to let his gaze sweep around his accommodations, he wrinkled his nose at the dimensions of the stateroom.\u00a0 Even Roy Coffee\u2019s jail, which he\u2019d had the misfortune to occupy on a few misguided occasions, seemed spacious by comparison, and he almost visibly shuddered at the thought of spending weeks confined in these cramped quarters.<\/p>\n He\u2019d never made it into either of the curtained berths stacked directly across from him, but the couch had been comfortable enough, especially after he discovered that the board across its back could be placed in front to keep him from rolling out while he slept.\u00a0 At the far end of the room, a round mirror was screwed to the wall above a wash stand with sockets for a pitcher, soap dish and brush tray, as well as a few pegs for clothing.\u00a0 Glancing the other direction, he blinked in sudden consternation.\u00a0 \u201cSome caretaker you turned out to be,\u201d he mumbled as he steadied himself and moved toward the door between the two staterooms.\u00a0 Rapping lightly on the door, he softly called the name of Adam\u2019s friend, and when he heard George call back, \u201cCome in,\u201d he entered the adjoining room.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, I must say you look better,\u201d George declared with annoying cheer.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah,\u201d Little Joe muttered.\u00a0 \u201cGuess I got such a shallow share of Pa\u2019s salt water in my veins that it took awhile to show itself.\u201d<\/p>\n George chuckled.\u00a0 \u201cNo doubt Adam took the lion\u2019s share before you came along.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJust like him.\u201d\u00a0 The obligatory grousing might have been more effective without the fond smile tugging at Joe\u2019s lips.<\/p>\n \u201cThink you can manage breakfast this morning?\u201d George asked.<\/p>\n \u201cHope so,\u201d Little Joe said, \u201c\u2018cause I do feel sort of hungry.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBest hurry and dress then,\u201d George advised.\u00a0 \u201cEight bells already sounded.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEight bells,\u201d Joe muttered.\u00a0 \u201cIs that eight o\u2019clock?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIn this case, yes,\u201d George said with a grin, \u201cbut it also means twelve and four.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat doesn\u2019t make any sense,\u201d Little Joe observed with a shake of his head.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll explain it over breakfast,\u201d George promised.\u00a0 \u201cFor now, just remember that almost everything important happens at eight bells: wake-up call, lunch, dinner, tea.\u00a0 And since we\u2019ve just had our wake-up call, breakfast awaits, so get yourself groomed and ready, my boy.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou first,\u201d Little Joe insisted.\u00a0 \u201cAnything I can help you with?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019d be most grateful,\u201d George admitted.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n With a disdainful scowl Adam took his new suit from the armoire in his room.\u00a0 The hotel service had done its best to press the garment, but the faint traces of creases still remaining down the front of each trouser leg all but shouted ready-made to a discerning eye.\u00a0 No help for it, of course.\u00a0 Properly tailored suits took time to procure, even in San Francisco, so unless he wanted to wear his river-soaked range clothes to theaters and fine restaurants, a ready-to-wear suit was his only option for another day or so, at least.\u00a0 He\u2019d refused, on principle, to buy more than one.<\/p>\n He\u2019d had no choice but to purchase that one, of course.\u00a0 His stop by Larrimore\u2019s Emporium the previous morning had led to the predictable and irrefusable invitation to dinner with the owners, old friends from the wagon train with which he and Pa\u2014and in good time, Hoss\u2014had come west.\u00a0 Mr. Larrimore would not have objected to anything Adam wore, but one simply did not dine at Camilla Larrimore\u2019s ornately set table in less than proper attire.\u00a0 Adam\u2019s store-bought suit barely met the grade, even if it had come from their own establishment.<\/p>\n Camilla had openly commiserated with the predicament in which Adam found himself, and at first he had somewhat relished the sympathy.\u00a0 As usual, however, Camilla had taken sympathy one \u201cTsk, tsk\u201d and \u201cWhat was that boy thinking?\u201d too far.\u00a0 Irritated as Adam had been with Little Joe, he didn\u2019t appreciate having his little brother taken to task by anyone else, especially by someone who had been perennially critical of the boy.\u00a0 Besides, he felt that he was as much responsible for the current situation as Little Joe.\u00a0 He\u2019d been so sure that it couldn\u2019t happen, that nothing could keep him from meeting the steamship deadline, that he hadn\u2019t given the boy any instructions regarding what to do if he did not.<\/p>\n He dressed and went down to the hotel dining room for a late breakfast and tried to map out a plan of action as he waited for the meal to arrive.\u00a0 First, he needed to visit a tailor and be measured for a couple of new suits, enough to last until he caught up with his trunk in Boston.\u00a0 He probably would use the one Camilla had recommended, since, judging by the fashionable, well-constructed clothes worn by her own family, French, Wilson and Company were as highly qualified as their newspaper advertisement claimed.\u00a0 Adam had, however, managed to deflect her offer of a personal introduction.\u00a0 He knew full well she wouldn\u2019t stop with a simple introduction, but would want to supervise his selections of fabric, style and accessories, as well, stretching an efficient masculine visit into a full day of shopping bliss for her and hell for him.<\/p>\n He\u2019d purchased extra nightshirts, underwear, socks and street shoes yesterday at Larrimore\u2019s Emporium, and while he could probably get by with what he\u2019d found there, he thought he might stop in at another shop or two this morning and then have lunch somewhere other than the hotel.\u00a0 The food here was fine, as the plate of sausage and hotcakes being slid in front of him demonstrated, but he\u2019d have ample opportunity to eat here, and some variety would be welcome.<\/p>\n As he poured maple syrup over his buttered hotcakes, he pondered how to spend the afternoon.\u00a0 Perhaps a bookstore?\u00a0 After the trials he\u2019d endured just getting to San Francisco, a quiet afternoon, reading in his room or, perhaps, in a nearby park, was appealing, and he\u2019d certainly need to purchase a couple of volumes for the long sea journey.\u00a0 Much as he would have enjoyed an evening at the theater, that would have to wait until tomorrow night.\u00a0 Tonight, he needed to meet Hoss at the steamboat landing.<\/p>\n Poor Hoss was in for a shock when he saw which brother welcomed him to San Francisco.\u00a0 Explanations would have to be made and plans laid or, rather, explained, since he\u2019d already worked out what they each needed to do.\u00a0 Convincing Hoss to face Pa alone might take a bit of persuasion, but he\u2019d soon see that there really was no other option.\u00a0 They certainly couldn\u2019t leave Little Joe on his own back East.\u00a0 The kid would be completely out of his depth, treading water for all he was worth, unless Adam missed his guess, and while Little Joe could swim like a fish in Lake Tahoe, he might easily drown in the sea squall of Eastern culture.<\/p>\n Adam finished his breakfast and stopped by the front desk to see if Hoss had wired his of arrival, but there was no message.\u00a0 Surely, his younger brother hadn\u2019t left booking his passage until the last minute.\u00a0 Maybe he\u2019d been concerned that problems with delivering the cattle to the buyer might delay him and hesitated to send a definite arrival time until he\u2019d finished the job.\u00a0 Goodness knows, there\u2019d been enough delays in getting those recalcitrant beeves to Sacramento to make any man skittish, but since Hoss was expecting Little Joe to be on his own here in San Francisco, Adam knew that nothing short of a major earthquake would keep him from getting here as quickly as possible.\u00a0 Still, earthquakes happened frequently enough in California to make him shudder as he left the hotel for the tailor\u2019s shop.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n Little Joe rolled George\u2019s chair up to the long table in the dining hall, but remained standing, nervously nibbling at his lower lip.<\/p>\n George looked up at him.\u00a0 \u201cThis is where breakfast is served, young fellow.\u201d\u00a0 He tapped the cushioned seat beside him.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, I know, but\u201d\u2014Little Joe cast an anxious eye at the table\u2014\u201cI ain\u2019t sure I should.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSit down,\u201d George said.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019ll feel much better if you eat something.\u00a0 Just stick with something light\u2014scrambled eggs and toast, perhaps.\u201d<\/p>\n Remembering how the warm broth had soothed his queasy stomach the day before, Little Joe took his chair.\u00a0 He ran his hand along the raised ledge surrounding the table.\u00a0 \u201cThis might be hard to get used to.\u201d<\/p>\n George chuckled.\u00a0 \u201cIf we hit a rough sea at mealtime, you\u2019ll be grateful for it.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe grinned.\u00a0 \u201cIf we hit a rough sea at mealtime, you\u2019ll find me lying flat on that couch in my room.\u00a0 This is better than having your plate in your lap, I reckon, but it sure makes it hard to prop your elbows on the table.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGood training for when you sit at table with my beloved sister Madeleine,\u201d George observed dryly.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, boy,\u201d Little Joe groaned.\u00a0 He\u2019d been taught proper table manners, of course, but he wasn\u2019t sure they were proper enough for fancy eastern folks\u2014if he could even remember the ones he\u2019d been taught, for that matter, in the face of the formidable Madeleine.\u00a0 \u201cJust tell me if I do anything scandalous, all right?\u201d<\/p>\n George handed his young friend the menu.\u00a0 \u201cI shall make it my seaboard project.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe scanned the hand-written list of items available for breakfast.\u00a0 Even the thought of sausage, mutton or calves\u2019 liver turned his stomach, and the offer of tripe made it ripple even harder.\u00a0 Beef steak, fried fish and ham at least sounded good, but not for his first meal.\u00a0 Handing George back the menu, he said, \u201cYeah, I think I\u2019ll have a scrambled egg and, maybe, the French roll.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGo easy on the butter,\u201d George suggested, \u201cand I think you\u2019ll do well.\u201d<\/p>\n George\u2019s prediction proved correct, and Little Joe was smiling as he pushed the injured man\u2019s chair away from the table.\u00a0 \u201cYou wanna go back to your stateroom,\u201d he asked, \u201cor, maybe, join some other passengers in the gentlemen\u2019s cabin?\u201d\u00a0 He\u2019d heard another passenger mention going there.<\/p>\n \u201cNeither, thank you,\u201d George replied.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019d like to go on deck.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe visibly paled.\u00a0 \u201cUh, you sure that\u2019s a good idea?\u00a0 I mean, it\u2019s kind of tough on you, going up those stairs, ain\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n George shook his head and offered his companion a maddening grin.\u00a0 \u201cWhy is it I think you\u2019re more concerned about your discomfort than mine?\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe returned a weak, sheepish smile.\u00a0 \u201cMaybe \u2018cause I am?\u00a0 I\u2019d sort of like to get past scrambled eggs and toast and have a decent lunch.\u201d<\/p>\n The maddening grin broadened, and there was a definite twinkle in George\u2019s eye.\u00a0 \u201cGood sea air, just what you need.\u201d\u00a0 He swung his chair around to face his young friend.\u00a0 \u201cI wouldn\u2019t suggest it if I thought it would make you worse,\u201d he said earnestly.\u00a0 \u201cI think it might actually help, but if you should have problems, why, just leave me.\u00a0 Someone will help me get back here.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou put a lot of trust in strangers.\u201d\u00a0 Little Joe exhaled in slow resignation.\u00a0 \u201cOkay, I might as well give it a try.\u00a0 Spending a couple of weeks in that little room would probably drive me crazy.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo one needs to drive you crazy, Little Joe,\u201d George quipped. \u00a0\u201cYou\u2019re already there, as witness to which I have only to point to your very presence on this ship.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHey, I did it for you!\u201d<\/p>\n George reached over to touch Joe\u2019s hand.\u00a0 \u201cI know\u2014and I\u2019m grateful.\u201d<\/p>\n With the assistance of a steward to carry up George\u2019s rolling chair, while Little Joe helped steady the man himself, they made it up the stairs.\u00a0 \u201cWhere you reckon we are by now?\u201d Joe asked as he rolled George, at his request, toward the rail of the ship, while keeping his own eyes glued to the boards beneath his feet.<\/p>\n \u201cAsk one of the sailors,\u201d George suggested.<\/p>\n Weaving unsteadily, Little Joe moved to one, who immediately answered his query.\u00a0 \u201cJust rounding Point Piedras Blancas, sir.\u00a0 Usually a good place for viewing elephant seals.\u201d<\/p>\n Joe hustled back to George, in his excitement over the seals forgetting his fear of the sickening sea waves.\u00a0 He soon spotted the seals, sunning themselves on the sandy shore.\u00a0 \u201cLook at the size of \u2018em!\u201d he cried.\u00a0 \u201cYou ever see the like, George?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOnly on my way here from the East,\u201d George chuckled.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, yeah, guess you would have.\u201d\u00a0 Little Joe shrugged in chagrin.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ve seen \u2018em, too, but it\u2019s been awhile.\u00a0 We don\u2019t often go all the way to the coast, even when we got business in California.\u201d\u00a0 He pointed at an especially large one.\u00a0 \u201cLook at the nose on that fellow.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAll nose and no ears,\u201d George added with a grin.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s quite a look, I must admit.\u201d\u00a0 He paused and then asked, \u201cSo, how\u2019s the stomach?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHuh?\u201d\u00a0 As the question registered, Little Joe laughed in surprise.\u00a0 \u201cHey, no problems.\u00a0 It helps to be able see land, I guess.\u201d<\/p>\n George nodded.\u00a0 \u201cAnd to be focused on other things.\u00a0 So, you think you\u2019ll enjoy your journey, then?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, sure.\u201d\u00a0 He laughed again.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019d better, \u2018cause what\u2019ll be waiting for me when I get back is gonna be anything but enjoyable.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd every bit of it deserved,\u201d George scolded.\u00a0 \u201cI only hope Adam forgives me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat could you have done?\u00a0 Can\u2019t stop what you don\u2019t know about.\u201d<\/p>\n George raised an index finger to indicate making a point.\u00a0 \u201cAh, but Adam will not know that.\u00a0 He\u2019ll only think I didn\u2019t keep proper watch over you\u2014and he\u2019d have reason.\u00a0 I should have seen this coming.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI ain\u2019t that predictable,\u201d Little Joe argued.\u00a0 \u201cJust ask anyone in the family.\u00a0 And I can guarantee Adam won\u2019t be blamin\u2019 you.\u00a0 When things go wrong, he always looks straight at me first before even thinkin\u2019 somebody else might be to blame.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd, of course, you\u2019ve never given him reason for that.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, sure I have.\u201d\u00a0 The words sounded to George more like a boast than an admission of guilt.\u00a0 I think I may have my hands full with this one<\/em>, he thought, and Heaven help me if there are any attractive young ladies aboard<\/em>.<\/p>\n They spent the morning on deck, watching the changing coastline on the port side of the California<\/em> or dolphins sporting off its starboard.\u00a0 Then they made the difficult descent to the dining salon, where George enjoyed a hearty lunch of rib of beef and vegetables, while Little Joe cautiously dipped into a bowl of chicken gumbo.\u00a0 \u201cOne of Mama\u2019s favorites,\u201d he stated, as if that connection, in itself, would assure that the soup stayed down.<\/p>\n \u201cDo you actually remember that?\u201d George asked.<\/p>\n Little Joe looked surprised.\u00a0 \u201cYeah, I think so, but it\u2019s hard to be sure what I remember and what I\u2019ve just been told so many times it seems like I do.\u00a0 You know what I mean?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIn a way, I do.\u00a0 I think we\u2019ve all heard childhood stories told by our elders that have that effect.\u201d\u00a0 George said.\u00a0 \u201cIn my case, however, most of those stories revolve around embarrassing boyish antics that I supposedly perpetrated.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, I get plenty of those, too, especially from Hoss and Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd not a one of them exaggerated, I\u2019ll wager!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou sound an awful lot like those bothersome brothers of mine,\u201d Little Joe scolded, pushing his empty soup bowl aside.\u00a0 \u201cYou think I could still order something else?\u00a0 That sat so well I\u2019d like to try something a little more filling.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOf course.\u201d\u00a0 George signaled the steward, and since it was the one who had been so attentive to the injured man on the first day, he immediately came and took the younger man\u2019s order for a dish of chicken pot pie.<\/p>\n After lunch George elected to sit in the gentlemen\u2019s cabin, but Little Joe wanted to return to the upper deck.\u00a0 He was gone the entire afternoon, and when he came running into the gentleman\u2019s cabin shortly before time for supper, George asked drolly, \u201cElephant seals putting on quite a performance, are they?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sorry,\u201d Little Joe said.\u00a0 \u201cI was enjoying the sights so much, I forgot to come back and check on you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m perfectly capable of rolling this chair to my own cabin, young fellow,\u201d George scolded, \u201cso you needn\u2019t concern yourself on my account.\u00a0 I\u2019ve had an enjoyable afternoon and met some congenial gentlemen.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, good.\u201d\u00a0 Little Joe looked relieved.\u00a0 \u201cI met some nice people, too.\u201d<\/p>\n George laughed.\u00a0 \u201cWell, I didn\u2019t really think those seals would hold your interest all this time!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEight bells comin\u2019 up soon, or so they tell me,\u201d Little Joe said.\u00a0 \u201cYou want to go back to the stateroom to get freshened up before dinner?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMy, aren\u2019t you becoming acclimated quickly!\u201d\u00a0 George smiled as he nodded.\u00a0 \u201cYes, I\u2019d like that\u2014and it will give you a chance to wash behind your ears.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, cut that out!\u201d\u00a0 Little Joe gave the rolling chair a potent push, which elicited nothing but another laugh from George.<\/p>\n Eight bells soon sounded, and the two companions emerged from George\u2019s stateroom.\u00a0 As George was pushed up to the table, he heard a silvery voice call, \u201cHello, Little Joe.\u201d\u00a0 He turned and caught sight of not one, but two rather fetching young ladies, the auburn-haired one twinkling her fingers at the youth, who returned a lively smile.\u00a0 The other nodded demurely and drew her companion toward their own table.<\/p>\n George groaned audibly as Little Joe sat by his side.\u00a0 \u201cAre these the \u2018sights\u2019 you enjoyed all afternoon?\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe was still following the girls with his eyes.\u00a0 \u201cHmm?\u00a0 Oh, yeah.\u201d\u00a0 Seeing George\u2019s skeptical look, he said, \u201cThey are<\/em> very nice.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, I\u2019m sure.\u00a0 Well, at least, they\u2019re an improvement over the Cheshire Cow and the Beaufort Ballerina.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThey were nice, too,\u201d Little Joe said, his eyes dreamy with fond memory of their night at the Stinking Stilton in San Francisco.<\/p>\n George shoved the menu into Joe\u2019s hands.\u00a0 \u201cConcentrate on something other than a pretty face for just a few minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLike baked ham in champagne sauce?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMuch safer.\u201d\u00a0 George shook his head.\u00a0 He\u2019d only thought he was joking when he\u2019d contemplated the possibility of fending off fair maidens earlier that day.\u00a0 He should have known better.\u00a0 Warnings about shipboard romances were a staple of the travelogues he\u2019d read, and Little Joe Cartwright, with his handsome face and ebullient personality, was probably a stronger magnet for single ladies than their customary targets of the ship\u2019s captain and bachelor officers.<\/p>\n Over dinner, Little Joe enthusiastically filled George in on all he knew about the Lawrence sisters, who were traveling to Philadelphia to enroll in finishing school.\u00a0 \u201cI told them their manners were already impeccable,\u201d he said, looking proud of himself for using the twenty-dollar word, \u201cand their bearing so graceful that I didn\u2019t see the need for a finishing school, but I was certainly glad that they were traveling with us.\u00a0 Girls like to hear things like that, George.\u201d\u00a0 The attitude was that of a sage bestowing his years of accumulated wisdom on a youth barely out of knee pants.<\/p>\n George rolled his eyes.\u00a0 \u201cIs there the slightest hope that either of them saw through this substantial slathering of soft soap?\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe frowned.\u00a0 \u201cWell, Miss Margaret\u2014she\u2019s the older one\u2014seemed a mite skeptical, but it\u2019s not soft soap, George.\u00a0 They are graceful and well-mannered!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sure they are.\u201d\u00a0 In truth, the brief glimpse he\u2019d had of the sisters suggested nothing else.\u00a0 \u201cSurely, two such proper young ladies are not traveling alone?\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe sliced off a bite of ham and dragged it through the sauce.\u00a0 \u201cNo, there\u2019s a male cousin on board somewhere, but he doesn\u2019t hang around them much.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHopefully, he didn\u2019t bring a shotgun.\u201d<\/p>\n With a lengthy exhale of exasperation, Little Joe said, \u201cWhy would he need one?\u00a0 I have manners, too, you know.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd far too much charm for your own good, young fellow.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe grinned.\u00a0 \u201cHow can a fellow have too much charm?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSlather it on any thicker,\u201d George said, \u201cand you\u2019re likely to find out.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot a chance.\u201d Little Joe waved the concern aside.\u00a0 Then he pushed back from the table and patted his stomach.\u00a0 \u201cI could use some exercise to work off a meal like this.\u00a0 You wanna go topside again?\u201d<\/p>\n George shook his head.\u00a0 \u201cNo, it\u2019s been a long day; I think I\u2019ll retire for the night.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOkay, I\u2019ll help you get changed and into your berth before I take a little\u2014um, exercise\u2014on deck.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAren\u2019t you afraid you\u2019ll miss your appointment for this moonlight promenade?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, no, Eva will wait.\u201d\u00a0 Little Joe broke off and covered his face with his hand.\u00a0 \u201cThat was supposed to be a secret.\u201d<\/p>\n George wagged his finger under the young man\u2019s nose.\u00a0 \u201cNo secrets.\u00a0 I am responsible for you, and I doubt my friendship with Adam could survive my sending you home engaged\u2014or worse.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, relax,\u201d Little Joe said as he began guiding the rolling chair to George\u2019s stateroom.\u00a0 \u201cI know how to handle women.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, dear,\u201d George sighed, wondering (not for either the first or last time) why fate had saddled him with such a daunting responsibility.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n Saddlebags slung over his shoulder, Hoss walked down the gangplank.\u00a0 His jaw dropped when he saw, not his expected younger brother, but his elder moving toward him, hand languidly raised in greeting.\u00a0 \u201cAdam, what\u2019re you doin\u2019 here?\u201d he asked as they met.<\/p>\n \u201cMeeting you, obviously,\u201d Adam said dryly.\u00a0 \u201cGlad you finally wired me your passage details.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, but\u201d\u2014suddenly the truth hit Hoss.\u00a0 \u201cAw, doggone.\u00a0 You didn\u2019t make it in time?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNope,\u201d Adam answered laconically, as he turned and began to walk away from the dock.<\/p>\n \u201cI knew you was cuttin\u2019 it close,\u201d Hoss said, falling in at his brother\u2019s side, \u201cbut I thought for sure you\u2019d make it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLet\u2019s just say the trip on the Asiago<\/em> highly resembled our drive over the mountains,\u201d Adam grunted.\u00a0 \u201cOne thing after another.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s a shame,\u201d Hoss empathized.\u00a0 \u201cI know you was lookin\u2019 forward to goin\u2019 East with George.\u00a0 He get off okay?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, he\u2019s on his way.\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss shook his head.\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s good, I guess, but I sure hate to think of him goin\u2019 all that way by hisself, the shape he\u2019s in.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, he\u2019s not by himself.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe ain\u2019t?\u00a0 But who?\u201d\u00a0 His eyes flared wide and he stopped dead still on the street.\u00a0 \u201cNo,\u201d he croaked, shaking his head, his very tone a plea to be told that his sudden fear was unfounded.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m afraid so,\u201d Adam said curtly.\u00a0 \u201cOur little brother is on his way to Panama and, ultimately, Boston.\u00a0 You didn\u2019t think I\u2019d just left him back at the hotel, did you?\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss shrugged.\u00a0 \u201cHadn\u2019t give it much thought, one way or t\u2019other.\u00a0 Figured, maybe, he was makin\u2019 an early night of it.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam arched a skeptical eyebrow.\u00a0 \u201cJoe?\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss\u2019s nose scrunched.\u00a0\u00a0 Adam was right: the notion of Joe and an early night in the big city just didn\u2019t go together.\u00a0 \u201cWhat we gonna do, Adam?\u00a0 We cain\u2019t leave that boy driftin\u2019 off to Panama and on, can we?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIf you can think of another option, I\u2019ll be glad to hear it, because I am fresh out of ideas.\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss sighed.\u00a0 \u201cI was hopin\u2019 for a bite to eat, but I reckon we need to talk.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam chuckled.\u00a0 \u201cWe can do both.\u00a0 Feeling confident that no matter how well the steamboat fed you, you\u2019d be ready for a snack, at the very least, I arranged to have some sandwiches delivered to the room.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLead on, then, brother, and let\u2019s see if we cain\u2019t figure some way to get little brother out of this mess he\u2019s made.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAgain,\u201d Adam intoned tartly.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n October 2<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Little Joe wakened to the sound of bells.\u00a0 He wasn\u2019t sure how many there\u2019d been, but by the light through the porthole, he judged that the number was probably eight.\u00a0 Time to get up, but he couldn\u2019t resist lying in his berth a bit longer, dreamily recalling last night\u2019s blissful moonlight promenade.\u00a0 George had been completely correct in calling it that, for the moon had shone throughout the evening, as brightly as the lighthouse on the hilltop at Point Conception when they rounded it to enter the Santa Barbara channel.<\/p>\n Eva wasn\u2019t able to join him in time to see that, but the moonlight had revealed the enchanting shorelines of Santa Cruz and Santa Rosa as, arm in arm, they walked and watched the ship cruise inside the chain of islands of which those were the largest.\u00a0 Even more enchanting was its illumination of her delicate face and dazzling sapphire eyes as they gazed up into his with such allure.\u00a0 Ah, such was the stuff of dreams that he had drifted on through the night.\u00a0 With a sigh he surrendered dreams to the daily responsibilities that dawn presaged.\u00a0 One final luxurious stretch and he rose to dress and hurry in to assist George.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n <\/p>\n In the hotel\u2019s restaurant Hoss ordered as hearty a breakfast as Hop Sing normally served at home.\u00a0 \u201cHow do you do it?\u201d Adam asked with an amazed shake of his head. Having eaten late the night before, his breakfast choices were light by comparison.\u00a0 He smiled.\u00a0 Nothing new about that; his choices were always light, compared to Hoss\u2019s.<\/p>\n \u201cHuh?\u201d Hoss asked.<\/p>\n \u201cSure you can burn all that off?\u00a0 You won\u2019t be punching cows this morning, buddy.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m just a growin\u2019 boy,\u201d Hoss said with a grin, which suddenly turned sour.\u00a0 \u201c\u2018Sides, I cain\u2019t face what I gotta do on an empty stomach.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou don\u2019t have to face it yet,\u201d Adam pointed out as he raised his coffee cup to his lips.<\/p>\n \u201cMaybe not, but the thought of what\u2019s comin\u2019 . . .\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShould not be allowed to spoil the pleasure of the day,\u201d Adam finished for him.\u00a0 He set his coffee down.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m really sorry to lay this on you, Hoss, but I do think it\u2019s the best plan.\u00a0 We can\u2019t leave Joe on his own.\u00a0 One of us has to go and . . .\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd it doggone sure ain\u2019t gonna be me!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhich leaves you the responsibility of telling Pa.\u00a0 We agreed last night that it\u2019s the sort of news he needs to hear in person.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI know all that,\u201d Hoss said.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m just dreadin\u2019 it, that\u2019s all, wishin\u2019 I could put it off for\u2014well, for somethin\u2019 like forever, I reckon.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam laughed.\u00a0 \u201cI can\u2019t give you forever, but you are due some time off.\u00a0 Pa expected you to take it here, so as long as you get home in time for him to send me word if he doesn\u2019t want me to follow Joe, no reason not to enjoy yourself for a couple of days.\u00a0 And considering what\u2019s facing you, I think it\u2019s only right that you be the one to pick what we do while you\u2019re here.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTo make up for stickin\u2019 me with the worst chore?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSomething like that.\u00a0 What strikes your fancy?\u201d<\/p>\n Just then their breakfast plates were delivered, and that distracted both of them for a couple of minutes.\u00a0 Then Hoss said as he sawed into his ham, \u201cBeen a while since I seen the Wentworths.\u00a0 Kind of like to do that this afternoon, maybe take \u2018em to supper.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019ll want an early night,\u201d Adam said.\u00a0 \u201cWould you like to see a play afterwards?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMaybe tomorrow night, if\u2019n there\u2019s a good un playin\u2019.\u00a0 No Shakespeare.\u201d<\/p>\n For far from the first time, Adam poured mental castigation on the unsuspecting head of Abigail Jones, whose syrupy interpretations of Shakespeare\u2019s romances had forever soured both his brothers on the work of the Immortal Bard.\u00a0 \u201cAnd tonight?\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss flashed him a wide-toothed grin.\u00a0 \u201cCain\u2019t you guess?\u201d<\/p>\n Adam groaned, but he, too, was grinning as he did.\u00a0 On his first trip to San Francisco, he\u2019d brought home a carved whale tooth as a gift for his middle brother, and ever since Hoss had gotten big enough to come to the big city himself, no trip was complete without adding a new piece to his collection.\u00a0 \u201cCobweb Palace it is,\u201d Adam said.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n \u201cGuess we\u2019re still in the Channel,\u201d Little Joe observed as he rolled George across the deck after a better breakfast than he\u2019d dared risk the day before.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019d say so,\u201d George agreed.<\/p>\n \u201cHello, Little Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe turned toward a voice well coated with honey.\u00a0 \u201cWhy, hello, Miss Eva.\u00a0 Fancy meeting you here . . . and your lovely sister, as well.\u201d<\/p>\n Though the older sister sent him a chiding glance, a hint of a smile nonetheless graced her lips.<\/p>\n \u201cBut I\u2019m forgetting my manners,\u201d he said quickly.\u00a0 \u201cMy dear ladies, please allow me to introduce Mr. George Pontpier of Boston.\u00a0 George, I know you\u2019ve seen the lovely Lawrence sisters, but as you haven\u2019t properly met, this is Miss Margaret and Miss Eva.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou were pointed out to me at a distance,\u201d George said, \u201cbut a nearer view reveals still more grace and beauty.\u201d<\/p>\n Margaret laughed.\u00a0 \u201cI now see where your young companion learned his charming way with words.\u201d<\/p>\n George shook his head firmly.\u00a0 \u201cOh, no. \u00a0I assure you I am in no way responsible for anything that comes from that lad\u2019s lips . . . although I will try to assure that he doesn\u2019t make a bother of himself.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHow could he possibly?\u201d Eva asked with a pretty pout on her lips.<\/p>\n \u201cThe same way you could, I presume,\u201d inserted her sister.<\/p>\n Little Joe slipped his arm inside the younger girl\u2019s elbow.\u00a0 \u201cMiss Eva, why don\u2019t we take the air on the other side of the ship and leave these old folks to look after each other?\u201d<\/p>\n George made an elaborate choking noise.\u00a0 \u201cOld folks?\u201d\u00a0 He looked at the other girl.\u00a0 \u201cKeep a civil tongue in your mouth when you speak of a lady, you inveterate rascal.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe is, isn\u2019t he?\u201d Margaret said.\u00a0 She waved the two of them away.\u00a0 \u201cRun along, children.\u00a0 I am quite content to share Mr. Pontpier\u2019s company for a while.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cChildren!\u201d Eva snuffled.\u00a0 \u201cI am not . . .\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShh,\u201d Little Joe whispered in her ear.\u00a0 Louder, he said, \u201cYes, Miss Margaret, we\u2019ll run along and play . . . just as ordered.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo one said \u2018play,\u2019\u201d George called as the two youngsters tripped lightly away.<\/p>\n Eva laughingly grasped the opposite rail, once they\u2019d moved out of sight of their elders.\u00a0 \u201cThat was fun,\u201d she said, \u201cbut I\u2019m afraid all the sights are on the port side.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe best sight of all is on this side,\u201d Little Joe, leaning close, said.<\/p>\n \u201cThe empty ocean?\u201d\u00a0 Eva looked skeptical.<\/p>\n He shook his head.\u00a0 \u201cEyes as blue as the ocean, but definitely not empty,\u201d he said, moving closer yet.<\/p>\n She stepped just out of reach.\u00a0 \u201cA pretty compliment, but you\u2019re rather bold, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe chuckled.\u00a0 \u201cAnd you\u2019re a shy, retiring violet?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIn broad daylight with an audience of sailors, I am.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAh, so you\u2019re fishing for another moonlight promenade.\u201d\u00a0 Little Joe\u2019s blue-jay giggle echoed across the waves, turning the heads of fellow passengers strolling nearby.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t fish . . . nor do I need to.\u201d\u00a0 Eva tossed her auburn tresses across one shoulder.<\/p>\n \u201cPity,\u201d Joe said, \u201c\u2018cause there\u2019s some pretty awesome ones right over there.\u201d\u00a0 He pointed oceanward.<\/p>\n Eva clapped her hands in girlish delight.\u00a0 \u201cThey\u2019re flying!\u201d<\/p>\n Heart soaring higher than the fish, Little Joe dreamed of the possibilities the night might bring, when neither daylight nor sailors nor\u2014perish the thought\u2014George or Margaret was around as an audience.<\/p>\n \u201cI suppose we should join the others,\u201d Eva suggested, \u201cor they\u2019ll think we\u2019re up to no good.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe laughed.\u00a0 \u201cYou heard George.\u00a0 He always thinks I\u2019m up to no good.\u201d<\/p>\n Eva linked her arm with his.\u00a0 \u201cAnd are you?\u201d<\/p>\n Naughty twinkle in his eye, he said, \u201cOnly when I get the chance.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDo not say that in front of my sister!\u201d she dictated.<\/p>\n \u201cTrust me for that!\u201d he declared.<\/p>\n \u201cGeorge and I were beginning to worry about you two,\u201d Margaret scolded some time later as the younger couple returned to the port side of the ship.<\/p>\n George now\u2014no longer Mr. Pontpier, Little Joe noticed, with a congratulatory wink at his brother\u2019s friend, and at the very thought that he might be following a poor example, instead of setting a proper one, George blushed radish red.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n The Cartwright brothers slowly wound their way through the clutter that all but clogged the path to the back rooms, where in contrast to the eccentric d\u00e9cor, the finest of imported liquors were served.\u00a0 As Adam ducked to avoid another of the place\u2019s namesake cobwebs, hanging in festoons from an ornate chandelier, he glanced back at his brother and sighed.\u00a0 Hoss had once again stopped to admire part of proprietor Abe Warner\u2019s collection of oddities, and there\u2019d be no budging him until he\u2019d had his fill of chattering to the parrots and watching the antics of the resident monkey.\u00a0 At heart, Hoss was every bit as much a child as the youngsters whom Warner regularly welcomed here to see the animals, though no children were around at this hour.<\/p>\n Adam tried to amuse himself by gazing at one of the thousands of paintings of nude women that adorned the walls, but as with everything else, they were so draped with the gauze of spider webs that whatever allures the ladies held were demurely shrouded.\u00a0 For Adam, the main allure of the Cobweb Palace was in that rear room, and when Hoss was along, it always seemed to take forever to get there.\u00a0 Still, he thought with a fond grin, he wouldn\u2019t have had the big fellow be any other way.<\/p>\n Hoss finally looked up and wrinkled his nose sheepishly when he saw Adam looking at him.\u00a0 \u201cSorry,\u201d he said, catching up.\u00a0 \u201cThey\u2019s just so interestin\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam responded with a half-chiding chuckle.\u00a0 \u201cEverything is interesting to you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAin\u2019t that a good thing?\u201d<\/p>\n Adam acknowledged that it was, but added, \u201cnot if it keeps you from a better one\u201d with a significant cock of his head toward the back.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, I am gettin\u2019 kind of thirsty,\u201d Hoss said.<\/p>\n They found a table in the rear room, and a waiter soon stood before them.\u00a0 \u201cWhat\u2019ll it be, gents?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll have a whisk\u2014hey!\u201d\u00a0 Hoss reached down to rub his aching calf, which had just taken a sharp kick from his brother\u2019s boot.\u00a0 \u201cUh\u2014no, that ain\u2019t what I meant,\u201d he stammered, suddenly recalling that the last time he\u2019d ordered whiskey here, he\u2019d been told in no uncertain terms that if he wanted anything as common as that he should go to a saloon.\u00a0 \u201cUm\u2014I\u2019ll have\u2014uh.\u201d\u00a0 He looked helplessly at Adam.\u00a0 \u201cWhat will I have?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAle,\u201d Adam suggested.\u00a0 \u201cA good English ale for my brother, please, and I\u2019ll have your finest French brandy.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cVery good, sir,\u201d the waiter said with a nod of approval, \u201cand are you dining, as well?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, we\u2019ve already\u2014ouch!\u201d\u00a0 This time it was Adam\u2019s calf that required rubbing.\u00a0 \u201cApparently, we\u2019re still hungry?\u201d\u00a0 He turned an inquiring eye toward his brother.<\/p>\n \u201cJust a mite,\u201d Hoss said.\u00a0 \u201cSort of a bedtime snack, you might say.\u00a0 You got somethin\u2019 small like that, mister, with them crabs or clams you make so tasty here?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI believe we can do that, sir,\u201d the waiter replied.\u00a0 He turned to Adam.\u00a0 \u201cAnd for you, sir?\u201d<\/p>\n Adam started to decline, but decided suddenly that he could find an empty spot or two, even after the hearty meal they\u2019d shared with the Wentworth family.\u00a0 After all, Pacific crabs were prepared to perfection at the Cobweb Palace.\u00a0 \u201cSomething small, to share,\u201d he suggested.<\/p>\n As soon as they\u2019d ordered, Hoss stood.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m gonna go have a look-see at them carvings of ole Abe\u2019s.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cKnock yourself out,\u201d Adam said dryly.\u00a0 Knowing Hoss, he\u2019d have to see each walrus tusk or whale tooth that Abe Warner had etched with some patriotic scene, and Adam was quite content to sit here and sip brandy in the meanwhile.\u00a0 Good thing we ordered food<\/em> after all<\/em>, he mused as Hoss set out on his mission.\u00a0 That, at least, should lure him back sometime before dawn<\/em>.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n \u201cWant me to ask where we are?\u201d Little Joe offered when he brought George back to the deck after supper.<\/p>\n George just laughed.\u00a0 \u201cI know where we are.\u00a0 He pointed across the rail when they reached it.\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s San Diego Bay.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe grinned.\u00a0 \u201cI keep forgetting you\u2019ve been here before.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, not every landmark is as distinctive as this,\u201d George admitted.\u00a0 \u201cIf you look closely, you can see the hide houses at the foot of the hills.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe squinted into the distance.\u00a0 \u201cIf you say so.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI guess it is getting a bit dark.\u00a0 Ever market there?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t think so,\u201d Little Joe said with a shake of his head.\u00a0 \u201cMaybe in the early days.\u00a0 Nowadays we sell the whole beef, not just the hide.\u00a0 \u2018Course, some might end up there, after the buyer gets through with the meat.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou can\u2019t see it well yet,\u201d George said, \u201cbut once we pass the southern shore of the bay, we\u2019ll be very close to Mexico . . . the peninsula, that is.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWow,\u201d Joe said, impressed.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ve barely been outside Nevada, and now I\u2019m gonna see a whole other country.\u201d\u00a0 He sighed softly.\u00a0 \u201cGuess I won\u2019t see much of it, though, just the shoreline like here.\u00a0 One stretch of sand probably looks pretty much like another.\u201d<\/p>\n George chuckled.\u00a0 \u201cOh, I think you might notice a few differences, and we will be making one stop.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe perked up.\u00a0 \u201cYeah?\u00a0 Where\u2019s that?\u201d<\/p>\n George either didn\u2019t hear the question or was distracted by the vision walking toward them.\u00a0 \u201cOh, look, there are the ladies.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah.\u201d\u00a0 Little Joe\u2019s voice was flat.\u00a0 He\u2019d had such hopes for tonight\u2019s moonlight promenade . . . until George and Margaret had announced that they, too, wished to see the play of moonlight on rippling waves and suggested\u2014with all the force of a judicial edict\u2014that the four of them enjoy the sights together.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n October 3<\/p>\n Still weary from the rough cattle drive and a later-than-expected night at the Cobweb Palace, the two older Cartwright brothers indulged in a luxury unknown on the Ponderosa, except to their younger brother: sleeping in.\u00a0 Habit still roused Adam relatively early, but he let Hoss sleep, while he arranged another unaccustomed extravagance, having breakfast delivered to their suite.\u00a0 With anyone else he might have been more cautious, but Hoss was never finicky.\u00a0 As long as the food was plain and plentiful, he\u2019d be satisfied with whatever his brother ordered.\u00a0 Knowing he\u2019d want it hot, however, Adam did wake him when the meal arrived, and though already dressed himself, encouraged Hoss to partake of another bit of absolute decadence, eating in his nightshirt.<\/p>\n Once they\u2019d carved the edge off their hunger, Adam asked, \u201cAny thoughts on what you\u2019d like to do today?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYup,\u201d Hoss said between bites.\u00a0 Finishing off the next, he said, \u201cWon\u2019t sound like much, I reckon, but this bein\u2019 my last day here, I figured to do me some fancy Christmas shoppin\u2019 in the big city.\u201d<\/p>\n Christmas!\u00a0 Adam\u2019s fork hung in midair.\u00a0 With all that had been going on, he hadn\u2019t given a thought to Christmas.\u00a0 \u201cI won\u2019t be here,\u201d he said to himself, but Hoss heard.<\/p>\n \u201cDoggone.\u00a0 I hadn\u2019t thought of that.\u00a0 You sure you cain\u2019t get back in time?\u201d<\/p>\n Adam exhaled gustily.\u00a0 \u201cA month out, a month back.\u00a0 There\u2019s a window to squeeze through, but it\u2019s only open a crack.\u00a0 Maybe that\u2019s why I didn\u2019t think about it before.\u00a0 Leaving on the original date, I probably could have returned in time.\u00a0 Take into account a ten-day delay in departing, and I\u2019d have to cut my visit with the Pontpiers discourteously short to make it happen.\u00a0 And even that\u2019s assuming the weather in the Sierras decides to cooperate.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt don\u2019t tend to cooperate much in December,\u201d Hoss admitted.\u00a0 \u201cYou and Joe both gone for Christmas\u2014Pa sure ain\u2019t gonna like that.\u00a0 Thanks a heap, big brother.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam gave him an ironic smile.\u00a0 \u201cSorry to make your job tougher, buddy, but you can tell Pa I\u2019ll be bringing him home the gift he wants most.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAw, he don\u2019t have to wait,\u201d Hoss said, attention back on his breakfast.\u00a0 \u201cDo your shoppin\u2019 today, same as me, and I\u2019ll tote back whatever you want when I head home.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam laughed.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll do that, too, but I was talking about his baby son.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, yeah.\u201d\u00a0 Hoss felt a moment\u2019s chagrin for not understanding right away what his brother had meant, but his wide-toothed grin was quickly back in place.\u00a0 \u201cBest tie a purty bow on \u2018im, then.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd plop him in Pa\u2019s lap,\u201d Adam said, returning the grin.\u00a0 \u201cPreferably, bottom side up.\u201d<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n Both Little Joe and Eva had been as eager as children with a new toy to sight the shores of Mexico.\u00a0 But a morning of leaning over the ship\u2019s rail convinced them that one sandy beach was, as Little Joe had predicted, much like another.\u00a0 And since George and Margaret stayed in close attendance, neither felt much desire to spend the afternoon in the same way.\u00a0 To George\u2019s shock, over a fine lunch of baked trout in butter sauce for him and roast chicken with sweet potatoes and peas for Little Joe, the younger man asked if there was some book\u2014\u201cnot too boring\u201d\u2014that he might borrow.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re welcome to anything I have, of course,\u201d George said.\u00a0 \u201cI finished Two Years Before the Mast<\/em> on my way out here, and I think you might find that \u2018not boring.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe brightened.\u00a0 \u201cYeah, I\u2019ve heard Pa mention that one; said it kind of whetted his appetite to come to California, though the sight of Nevada changed his mind about that.\u00a0 I\u2019ll give it a try.\u201d<\/p>\n Stating that he preferred to spend some time in conversation in the gentlemen\u2019s lounge, George told his young friend where to find the book, and they went their separate ways for the afternoon.\u00a0 Little Joe became so absorbed in the tale of the sea that the time passed quickly, and he was surprised when he heard eight bells sound again.\u00a0 With some reluctance he put the book aside, brushed his hair and then rapped on the door to the adjoining stateroom.<\/p>\n As they again approached the table, both young men glanced wistfully at the girls on the way to their own table.\u00a0 \u201cSeems a shame we can\u2019t switch eating places,\u201d Little Joe observed.<\/p>\n \u201cWe might be able to join them when we change steamships,\u201d George said.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen do we do that?\u201d\u00a0 That opportunity obviously couldn\u2019t come too soon for Little Joe, nor\u2014he suspected\u2014for George.<\/p>\n Certain he could read the young man\u2019s mind, George laughed.\u00a0 \u201cNot until we reach the other side of Panama\u2014more than a week from now, in other words.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh.\u201d\u00a0 Little Joe shrugged.\u00a0 At least, it was something to look forward to.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n Hoss\u2019s face was flushed with the effort of knotting his tie beneath his collar.\u00a0 Unable to watch the torture any longer, Adam stepped up and deftly maneuvered the loops and pulled them into a perfectly proportioned bow.<\/p>\n \u201cThanks,\u201d Hoss said.\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t see how you stand wearing a fancy neckerchief like that, Adam.\u00a0 Plain string tie \u2018bout strangles me to death.\u201d<\/p>\n Over his brother\u2019s shoulder Adam peered into the mirror, well satisfied with the way the blue brocade cravat gave the ready-made suit a much-needed air of elegance.\u00a0 \u201cAll in your imagination, brother,\u201d he insisted.\u00a0 \u201cNeckties do not strangle.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOnes they use at necktie parties do,\u201d Hoss snorted, \u201cand this thing feels just like \u2018em.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAs you know from vast personal experience, no doubt.\u201d\u00a0 Adam\u2019s arched eyebrow gave him a decidedly snide appearance.<\/p>\n \u201cWell . . . not vast,\u201d Hoss admitted.\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t reckon anybody ever gets vast experience with such as that.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou can say that again!\u201d Adam laughed.\u00a0 He raised a cautioning finger.\u00a0 \u201cBut don\u2019t.\u00a0 You\u2019ve spent so much time primping that we\u2019ll have to walk briskly to arrive before the curtain rises.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLet\u2019s get goin\u2019, then.\u201d\u00a0 Once they were in the cool October air, Hoss said, \u201cI sure hope this play\u2019s a good un.\u00a0 You seen it before?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, it\u2019s new to me,\u201d Adam replied, \u201cbut Maguire\u2019s generally stages good productions.\u201d\u00a0 Though he felt some personal concern about the subject matter of a play called The Octoroon<\/em>, he had nothing better to offer his brother.<\/p>\n Adam\u2019s concerns about the play were fully vindicated with the first words uttered on stage.\u00a0 The character Solon spoke in an atrocious rendition of slave dialect, which Adam had heard often enough during his family\u2019s sojourn in Missouri to recognize the butchery.\u00a0 The second act introduced an Indian speaking a language so foreign to any known tribe that even Hoss looked askance at his brother; however, he, at least, was drawn into the melodramatic plot, a feat Adam could not accomplish.<\/p>\n As Act III ended, however, the drama enacted next to him surpassed anything the stage had to offer.\u00a0 A livid Hoss bolted out of his seat, bellowing, \u201cNo!\u201d and Adam had his hands full restraining his brother from charging the stage to rescue poor Zoe, the title character being sold away from the white family that had accepted her as one of their own, despite her being the offspring of the deceased head of the household and one of his black slaves.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s just a play,\u201d Adam hissed.<\/p>\n Whether it was his brother\u2019s voice or the pull of his arm or the stares of the other theater-goers, Hoss finally got the message and sheepishly took his seat.\u00a0 \u201cSorry,\u201d he whispered, to which Adam gave only a nod before turning his attention back to the stage and praying the rest of the audience would, too.<\/p>\n For Adam, the best part of the play was its end, when Zoe drank a vial of poison because her white lover had said that he would prefer to see her dead, rather than enslaved to the evil man who had purchased her.\u00a0 Hoss, of course, was in tears as they left the theater.<\/p>\n \u201cDid you ever see anything more tragical than that, Adam?\u201d he mourned as they walked to a nearby restaurant for late-night refreshments.<\/p>\n It was all Adam could do to keep from laughing, though he wouldn\u2019t have hurt his brother\u2019s feelings for the world.\u00a0 \u201cWhy, Hoss,\u201d he finally said, a hint of mischief nonetheless creeping in, \u201cI thought you didn\u2019t like Shakespeare.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat ain\u2019t who wrote this,\u201d Hoss scoffed.\u00a0 \u201cHe didn\u2019t know nothin\u2019 about Louisiana.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam chuckled.\u00a0 \u201cNo, but Boucicault has obviously read Shakespeare.\u00a0 You didn\u2019t recognize the similarity to Romeo and Juliet<\/em>?\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss\u2019s nose wrinkled in distaste.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re kiddin\u2019 me, right?\u201d<\/p>\n Adam shook his head.\u00a0 \u201cNot at all.\u00a0 Two more star-crossed lovers I\u2019ve never seen since those two, the girl even dying by her own hand, just like Juliet.\u00a0 The only difference is that Shakespeare killed off Romeo, too.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDoggone,\u201d Hoss said.\u00a0 \u201cMaybe I\u2019ll have to give that old thing another go sometime.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIf it accomplishes that, The Octoroon<\/em> may well become my favorite play of the season,\u201d Adam observed with a wry grin as he held open the door to the restaurant.<\/p>\n Not even pie and coffee could distract Hoss\u2019s attention from the fate of poor Zoe, however.\u00a0 \u201cIs that how it really is down south, Adam?\u201d he asked.\u00a0 \u201cAll that talk of one little drop of blood makin\u2019 all the difference?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m afraid so, Hoss.\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss shook his head.\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t make no sense.\u00a0 Blood\u2019s all the same color.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam forked off a bite of pie.\u00a0 \u201cUnfortunately, the southern aristocracy doesn\u2019t share your respect for common sense.\u00a0 Don\u2019t you remember how it was with Marie?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShe wasn\u2019t like that,\u201d Hoss protested.\u00a0 \u201cAll folks was the same to her.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam smiled sadly.\u00a0 \u201cBut she wasn\u2019t the same to all folks.\u00a0 Don\u2019t you remember?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou mean her bein\u2019 part Creole?\u201d<\/p>\n Adam bit his lip.\u00a0 That was the way Pa had always referred to the situation, at least to Little Joe.\u00a0 Was it possible that Hoss, too, had never been told what lay at its root?<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d Hoss demanded, seeing his brother\u2019s expression.\u00a0 \u201cYou ain\u2019t sayin\u2019 she was . . . like Zoe?\u201d<\/p>\n Adam shook his head.\u00a0 \u201cNo, that\u2019s doubtful.\u00a0 But she couldn\u2019t prove her ancestry, and to aristocrats like her first husband\u2019s family, that meant she might have that one drop of \u2018black blood\u2019 that would have tainted her.\u201d\u00a0 Moistening his lips, he added, \u201cLook, don\u2019t say anything to Little Joe.\u00a0 I\u2019m certain he doesn\u2019t know, and you know how he is about his mother.\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss nodded.\u00a0 All it had ever taken to make Little Joe tear into someone was one word said against his ma, but Hoss had always understood that.\u00a0 He\u2019d\u2019ve done the very same.\u00a0 Just now, however, Adam\u2019s caution only made him more sharply aware that it would be a very long time before he\u2019d be saying anything at all to his little brother.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n October 4<\/p>\n Little Joe and George had barely left the breakfast table the next morning before Eva came running up.\u00a0 \u201cOh, Joe!\u201d she cried.\u00a0 \u201cIsn\u2019t it the most wonderful news ever?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat we can catch a good view of the Benito and Cedros islands if we hurry up on deck?\u201d Little Joe asked playfully.<\/p>\n Eva spatted the hand pushing George\u2019s chair.\u00a0 \u201cYou can be so infuriating!\u00a0 You know I meant the dance.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, that news.\u201d\u00a0 Little Joe winked at her.\u00a0 \u201cYeah, that was pretty wonderful, all right.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI have the most beautiful ball gown,\u201d the girl announced with an enticing smile.<\/p>\n \u201cCan\u2019t wait to see it,\u201d Little Joe said as Eva flounced away in answer to her sister\u2019s call.\u00a0 Margaret kept her distance, though her wistful eyes were fastened on George.<\/p>\n Little Joe pursed his lips.\u00a0 \u201cSorry, George.\u00a0 I guess a dance isn\u2019t exactly good news for you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHmm?\u201d George, whose eyes were still following the older Lawrence girl, asked absently.<\/p>\n \u201cThe dance,\u201d Little Joe said.\u00a0 \u201cCan\u2019t be much fun for you, and I still feel real bad about your leg.\u00a0 Is there somethin\u2019 you\u2019d rather have us do?\u201d<\/p>\n George spun the chair to face his young friend.\u00a0 \u201cMy dear boy, you are not to think of missing that dance out of some false sense of responsibility to me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m only here to help you.\u201d\u00a0 The sacrificial words were the right ones to say.\u00a0 Little Joe knew that, but he couldn\u2019t help wishing he were free to enjoy all the attractions of this trip . . . especially those with eyes of ocean blue.<\/p>\n George just chuckled.\u00a0 \u201cWell, do as you like, but I intend to be at that dance!\u201d<\/p>\n Furrows wrinkled Little Joe\u2019s forehead.\u00a0 \u201cBut you can\u2019t dance.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI can listen . . . and watch . . . and perhaps some fair damsel will take pity and sit with me awhile.\u00a0 Didn\u2019t you give me some such advice back at the Stinking Stilton?\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe laughed then.\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s the spirit!\u00a0 I\u2019m sure the lovely Miss Lawrence will be glad to keep you company.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot the whole time, though,\u201d George insisted.\u00a0 \u201cPromise me you\u2019ll ask her to dance, Joe.\u00a0 I know you prefer Eva, but . . .\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI can\u2019t keep a lady hogtied to me all night,\u201d Little Joe said.\u00a0 \u201cIt ain\u2019t done, George, leastways not in my part of the country.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNor in mine.\u00a0 Now, how about getting me on deck before I miss that tantalizing sight of the passage between the islands?\u201d<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n Adam laughed at the figure of his brother Hoss, standing on the dock with his bag of parcels slung over one shoulder.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re the picture of Santa Claus,\u201d he said in answer to the quizzical look that met his outburst.<\/p>\n Hoss grinned.\u00a0 \u201cFeel like him, too.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou should be used to that.\u201d\u00a0 Almost every Christmas Hoss appeared in his red flannel underwear, sporting a cottony white beard and bearing an even heftier load of gifts for the children from the local orphanage.<\/p>\n \u201cNever hurts to practice,\u201d Hoss said.<\/p>\n Adam held out a sealed envelope.\u00a0 \u201cHere\u2019s another delivery, Santa, but you\u2019d best give this one to Pa early.\u00a0 And no peeking!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, ho!\u00a0 Santa gets a gift of his own, I reckon.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIf he wants one, he\u2019d better deliver the instructions to Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss\u2019s grin soured for a moment.\u00a0 \u201cYeah, I reckon Pa could use somethin\u2019 else to think on besides that other message I gotta deliver.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam nodded.\u00a0 \u201cLook, no matter how Pa reacts, let me know as soon as you can, so I can cancel my passage if . . .\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAw, Adam,\u201d Hoss interrupted, \u201cyou know Pa ain\u2019t gonna want that.\u00a0 He\u2019ll want you to go after Little Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m confident he will,\u201d Adam said, \u201cor I wouldn\u2019t have booked the passage already, but it may go down easier with Pa if we make it clear that the decision is still his to make.\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss cocked his head and examined the other man.\u00a0 \u201cYou know, you can be downright connivin\u2019, older brother.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s been known to help,\u201d Adam said with a smile just shy of smug.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, well, I reckon I can use all the help I can get this time,\u201d Hoss said, \u201cso I\u2019ll put it to him just like you say.\u201d\u00a0 At the cry of \u201cAll aboard,\u201d he stretched his hand toward Adam.\u00a0 \u201cSure hate to think of you all on your own these next few days.\u00a0 Gonna be powerful lonesome and borin\u2019 for you.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam chuckled.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll be fine.\u201d\u00a0 He shook Hoss\u2019s hand and watched him board the Chrysopolis<\/em>, headed for Sacramento.\u00a0 As he watched the steamboat pull away, he shook his head in amusement at Hoss\u2019s concern.\u00a0\u00a0 Now that he no longer had to consider his brother\u2019s taste in entertainment, he could indulge in the more sophisticated attractions San Francisco had to offer, beginning with the opera tonight.\u00a0 Bored?\u00a0 Not likely, but lonely?\u00a0 Yes, he admitted, though with some reluctance, he already missed Hoss and would definitely miss Pa on the long journey ahead of him . . . and, yes, though for a shorter time, even that scamp he\u2019d soon be chasing through the tropics.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n The dining hall of the California<\/em> wasn\u2019t designed for dancing and, in fact, was rarely used for that purpose.\u00a0 However, since a group of musicians happened to be among the passengers on this voyage, an evening of special entertainment was appealing to all, and the evening they would leave the coast of Lower California and strike out for the mainland of Mexico seemed the ideal excuse for a celebration.<\/p>\n Rather than moving the tables, the planners elected to leave them in place, so that passengers could either dance in the open spaces or sit and enjoy the music while eating typical tea-time refreshments.\u00a0 George, of course, chose the latter.\u00a0 He never missed the final meal of the day, even if his young companion scoffed at the notion of eating again four hours after supper, citing lack of exercise as his reason for not requiring or even desiring more food.\u00a0 Well, the lad couldn\u2019t complain of that tonight.\u00a0 Nibbling a macaroon, George watched with interest the untiring energy of one of the most popular partners on the dance floor.<\/p>\n Little Joe had eyes only for his companion of the moment\u2014the pretty ones, that is.\u00a0 While he dutifully danced with the plump dowagers on board, he couldn\u2019t resist peering over their well-padded shoulders to exchange a wink with one of the younger girls, especially the one with eyes of ocean blue.\u00a0 As often as politely possible, though, he swept Eva around the room, and their bright smiles and brisk steps enlivened everyone they passed.<\/p>\n After dancing for about an hour, Eva\u2019s sister Margaret came up to George.\u00a0 \u201cMay I rest with you for a while?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBy all means,\u201d he replied, gesturing toward the chair next to him, \u201cthough I hate to deprive the other gentlemen of so graceful a dance partner.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI greatly regret that you cannot be among them,\u201d she said.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m sure you are a wonderful dancer.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot as good as my young friend,\u201d he said with a nod toward Little Joe, who happened to sashay past them just then with Eva on his arm.<\/p>\n Margaret\u2019s lips tightened slightly.\u00a0 \u201cHe seems nice,\u201d she said, \u201cbut I would appreciate your assurance that he is . . . well . . . trustworthy.\u201d<\/p>\n George took her hand.\u00a0 \u201cImpeccably.\u00a0 Little Joe would never do anything dishonorable, although he\u2019s a bit frivolous in his display of affection.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOne might say flirtatious,\u201d Margaret said, \u201calthough Eva is, as well, I must admit.\u00a0 I would not wish to see her heart broken, but perhaps, she doesn\u2019t take this encounter seriously, either.\u201d<\/p>\n George nodded.\u00a0 \u201cI think that\u2019s the case; I think they\u2019re both just amusing themselves on a long voyage.\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0I wouldn\u2019t worry, Miss Margaret; shipboard romances rarely linger beyond reaching port.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut you wouldn\u2019t say never, would you?\u201d<\/p>\n Looking directly into the eyes fixed meaningfully on his face, George said softly, \u201cNo, I wouldn\u2019t say never.\u201d<\/p>\n Lost in each other\u2019s soulful gaze, neither saw the younger couple slip out of the dining saloon and head down the passage that led to the stairs.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n Adam knotted his silk cravat and stepped back to admire the cut of his new suit in the mirror above his wash stand.\u00a0 Small as it was, it still showed to perfection how the fashionable lines set off his well-proportioned figure.\u00a0 Turning this way and that, he nodded in satisfaction.\u00a0 His old suit had been fine for western purposes and would have been accepted in the Pontpier home, but though he regretted the situation that had occasioned the need for a new one, he was secretly glad that he had something more stylish to wear to social events elsewhere in Boston.\u00a0 Yes, he\u2019d fit right in now.<\/p>\n He laughed lightly.\u00a0 \u201cBut here I am, preening like my peacock of a baby brother, when La Traviata<\/em> is waiting!\u201d\u00a0 Eager for the soul-refreshing strains of Italian opera, he moved briskly toward the door.\u00a0 As he walked down the street, however, he found himself wondering what on earth Little Joe was wearing.\u00a0 Even aboard ship he\u2019d be expected to dress for dinner, and while he had a whole trunk full of his big brother\u2019s clothes, none of them would fit.\u00a0 As for Boston . . .\u00a0 an amused smile quirked at his lips as he contemplated what Madeleine Pontpier would make of whatever getup little brother had managed to piece together for his arrival in Eastern society.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n A duet of lighthearted laughter, the voices differing only in pitch, rippled up the stairs.\u00a0 Suddenly, a bright-eyed, breathless couple burst onto the deck.\u00a0 \u201cWe made it!\u201d Eva Lawrence declared in triumph.<\/p>\n \u201cWas there ever any doubt?\u201d her handsome companion inquired with a twinkle in his eye.<\/p>\n \u201cWith a watchdog like Margaret, there\u2019s always doubt,\u201d the girl insisted.<\/p>\n Little Joe grinned.\u00a0 \u201cI know exactly what you mean.\u201d\u00a0 He had a couple of watchdog brothers every bit as protective as Eva\u2019s sister.\u00a0 A wave of wishing they were here momentarily washed over him.\u00a0 He hadn\u2019t realized until the last few days just how much he depended on the oversight he\u2019d previously viewed as stifling and completely unnecessary.\u00a0 Here, however, with a shipload of strangers, except for one man he\u2019d known only a few weeks, and facing a daunting journey into worlds unknown, he felt truly alone for the first time in his life.<\/p>\n Such worries, though, were better saved for another time, some silent, solitary moment when there were not beautiful eyes to gaze deeply into.\u00a0 He smiled into Eva\u2019s as he took her arm and said, \u201cI think our watchdogs are too occupied with each other to pay us much mind tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n Eva pressed close to his shoulder.\u00a0 \u201cAren\u2019t they, though?\u00a0 I\u2019ve never seen my sister so taken with a man.\u00a0 I\u2019ve always thought she was too bookish to even notice one.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPity my brother Adam missed the boat, if that\u2019s what she favors,\u201d Little Joe, having previously told her how he\u2019d ended up on this ship, confided.\u00a0 \u201cHe\u2019s as bookish as they come, quotes Shakespeare and the like all the time.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd George?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, yeah, him, too,\u201d the young man admitted.\u00a0 He offered her a small pout.\u00a0 \u201cYou can\u2019t imagine what I\u2019ve been through, putting up with the two of them together these last few weeks.\u201d<\/p>\n Eva gave a mock shudder and then smoothed away his pout with a delicate touch of her index finger.\u00a0 \u201cThere!\u00a0 That\u2019s better.\u201d<\/p>\n Her amethyst silk ball gown, with its inviting d\u00e9collet\u00e9, brought out flecks of violet in her eyes that Little Joe found even more enticing than pure blue.\u00a0 He, on the other hand, felt dowdy and underdressed for the occasion.\u00a0 He had brought exactly one suit with him to San Francisco, even that being solely due to the expectation that brother Adam would inflict a night at the opera on him.\u00a0 He\u2019d donned, at least, the jacket for supper each night aboard ship, and he\u2019d had nothing else to dress in for the special occasion of a dance.\u00a0 It wasn\u2019t even his best suit, for he\u2019d spurned the notion of toting that on the trail with no one but a persnickety older brother to impress.\u00a0 Now that he had someone he did care to impress, he regretted the decision.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, look,\u201d Eva said, pointing toward the shore.\u00a0 \u201cIs that Cape St. Lucas?\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe looked past the point of land she was indicating.\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s a lot of ocean past it, so, yeah, I think that might be the big occasion for the dance.\u201d<\/p>\n Eva leaned over the railing.\u00a0 \u201cIt doesn\u2019t feel any different.\u201d\u00a0 When the dance had been announced, the captain had stated that Cape St. Lucas would mark their entrance into the warmth of the tropics.<\/p>\n Little Joe laughed.\u00a0 \u201cWell, maybe we should give it more than a couple of minutes to heat up.\u201d<\/p>\n Eva slapped his chest with the flat of her hand.\u00a0 \u201cKeep that up, and you\u2019ll have me wishing your older brother hadn\u2019t missed boarding!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, he\u2019s not your type at all,\u201d Little Joe returned with cocky confidence, \u201cbut he could definitely give George a run for his money in winning Miss Margaret\u2019s hand.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd then we\u2019d be brother and sister!\u201d Eva chortled impishly.<\/p>\n \u201cUm-hmm,\u201d Little Joe murmured, head bending close, \u201cand then I could give you a brotherly kiss without fear of rebuke.\u201d\u00a0 He nuzzled her inviting neck with a kiss so light and breathy that it tickled her tender flesh.\u00a0 As his lips moved upward to place the promised brotherly kiss on her cheek, the tickle became a shiver of expectation, and then lips pressed to lips in a kiss that was anything but brotherly.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n October 5<\/p>\n When Little Joe entered George\u2019s stateroom the next morning to assist with his daily ablutions, the older man shook his head and clucked his tongue.\u00a0 \u201cDid you forget the captain\u2019s admonition or were you so lost in daydreams of the lovely Eva that you never even heard it?\u201d he chided.\u00a0 Seeing that his youthful companion had no idea what he meant, he asked plainly, \u201cWhy are you still wearing that? \u00a0You\u2019ll swelter in the heat off the Mexican coast.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe scowled at his woolen shirt and trousers.\u00a0 \u201cWhat choice I got?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYour linen suit, of course,\u201d George started to say.\u00a0 Then he slumped in recognition of his own stupidity.\u00a0 \u201cYou don\u2019t have one,\u201d he stated flatly.<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t often need \u2018em in the Sierras,\u201d Little Joe said, his mouth lifting wryly on one side.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, of course not, and you weren\u2019t planning to be anywhere else,\u201d George sighed.\u00a0 Suddenly, he snapped his fingers.\u00a0 \u201cOf course!\u00a0 Borrow Adam\u2019s.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d\u00a0 Little Joe stared at the other man as if he\u2019d sprouted another head.<\/p>\n \u201cLook in Adam\u2019s trunk,\u201d George suggested.\u00a0 \u201cI know he packed his old linen suit that he wore home from college because we discussed it.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe laughed.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019d be a good idea, George, if\u2019n we matched in size a mite better.\u201d<\/p>\n George frowned.\u00a0 \u201cHmm.\u00a0 I know he tried it on, to be certain it still fit\u2014he has bulked up some since our school days.\u00a0 Not as much as I, but\u2014I believe he said it was snug, but he thought it would do until he could replace it with something better.\u201d\u00a0 He appraised Little Joe\u2019s figure, eyeing in particular the impossibly slim waist.\u00a0 \u201cI suspect it will still be loose on you, but I think it might work, Joe, if you use your belt to cinch it up.\u201d\u00a0 He gave the boy a wicked grin.\u00a0 \u201cOf course, you may not cut quite so fetching a figure for the ladies, but sweat isn\u2019t particularly attractive, either.\u00a0 It\u2019s purely a question of pride or practicality, my boy.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHa ha,\u201d Little Joe said with a dry scowl.\u00a0 \u201cWell, let\u2019s get you ready first and then I\u2019ll give it a try, \u2018cause you\u2019re right about the heat.\u00a0 I slept awful warm last night.\u201d<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n Adam sliced off a bite of ham and chewed it slowly as he contemplated how to spend his first full day alone in San Francisco.\u00a0 He\u2019d enjoyed the opera the previous night and already had plans for tonight, but the hours until dusk stretched before him like an endless void.\u00a0 How could he fill them?\u00a0 There were always sights to see around the city, but without a companion, none of them seemed appealing.\u00a0 Now, if he were only on board ship, he\u2019d probably catch sight of the coast of Mexico sometime today, he judged, calculating the days since the California<\/em> had left port.\u00a0 He wondered if Little Joe was appreciating the view.\u00a0 Then he smiled.\u00a0 Of course, he was.\u00a0 The kid was always ready for any new sight.<\/p>\n The smile twisted a bit as Adam asked himself if Joe would equally enjoy the steamy weather of the tropics that he was now entering.\u00a0 He was probably sweltering in his Sierra woolens, Adam thought with a chuckle.\u00a0 Thank goodness, he\u2019d packed his old linen suit and that it still fit him well enough to\u2014shoulders slumping, Adam groaned softly.\u00a0 His linen suit was halfway to Panama by now.\u00a0 Well, at least, he knew how he\u2019d be spending part of this day.\u00a0 Finishing his breakfast, he headed back to French, Wilson and Company.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n \u201cIsn\u2019t he just the cutest little ragamuffin ever?\u201d\u00a0 Eva\u2019s light laughter rippled across the deck as she gave her escort\u2019s arm an affectionate squeeze.<\/p>\n For once, Margaret\u2019s usual veneer of prim disapproval disappeared in favor of a sympathetic, almost motherly smile.\u00a0 \u201cHe does look adorable.\u00a0 All he needs is bare feet to look the part of a sweet little street urchin.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI believe they call them calles<\/em> in this part of the world,\u201d was George\u2019s droll response to the flushed scowl on his youthful caretaker\u2019s face.<\/p>\n \u201cI told you this wouldn\u2019t work,\u201d Little Joe muttered with an impatient tug at his borrowed trousers, which persisted in slipping, no matter how tightly he cinched his belt.<\/p>\n \u201cRelax,\u201d George chuckled.\u00a0 \u201cYou can buy a pair of your own once we reach Acapulco.\u00a0 Only two more days.\u201d<\/p>\n Since the girls were with them, Little Joe kept silent.\u00a0 Had he and George been alone, he might have pointed out that it was hard to buy anything without money, a substance of which he was painfully short.<\/p>\n The Mexican coastline, with its hazy blue mountains as backdrop, was so much more scenic than the dry shores of Lower California, sterile but for a few cacti and stunted shrubs, that the travelers were content to drape themselves, agog, over the ship\u2019s rails most of the afternoon.\u00a0 Shortly before suppertime, George excitedly pointed at the land.\u00a0 \u201cLook!\u00a0 It\u2019s the Volcano of Colima!\u201d<\/p>\n The other three members of his party followed his finger.\u00a0 \u201cIs that smoke?\u201d Eva asked.<\/p>\n George laughed.\u00a0 \u201cNo, just clouds, I think.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh,\u201d the girl said, clearly disappointed.\u00a0 \u201cThen what makes you think it\u2019s a volcano?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShe\u2019s got a point, George,\u201d Little Joe put in, anxious to support his lady friend.\u00a0 \u201cIt looks like any other mountain to me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, I didn\u2019t expect\u2014or want\u2014to see it erupting,\u201d George grunted.<\/p>\n Little Joe and Eva both looked as though that were exactly what they\u2019d like to see\u2014from a safe distance, of course.\u00a0 A colorful volcanic eruption, in their view, would provide a much-needed break from the routine of shipboard life.\u00a0 \u201cThen, how do you know?\u201d Joe finally asked.<\/p>\n \u201cBy its nearness to Manzanillo,\u201d George explained.\u00a0 \u201cI read about it in my travel guide and was disappointed that the clouds were so thick on my previous passage that I couldn\u2019t see it at all.\u00a0 I was later told that it\u2019s quite rare to actually catch a glimpse of it.\u201d<\/p>\n Margaret rested a hand on his forearm.\u00a0 \u201cHow fortunate we are, then, to be seeing it with you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt must have been destiny,\u201d George said softly as he gazed upward into her smiling face, while Little Joe and Eva rolled their eyes, wondering how their elders would respond if they were to display such open affection.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n Since his destination tonight was near the hotel, Adam elected to have supper in its adequate dining room.\u00a0 There were more noted eateries he wanted to visit while he was in San Francisco, but he still had time. \u00a0Besides, there were bound to be temptations to nibble where he was headed after supper.\u00a0 Better to eat a light and simple supper.<\/p>\n He walked the short distance to Jackson St. and purchased his ticket for Dan Rice\u2019s circus, which was set up next to the International Hotel.\u00a0 Bag of roasted and salted nuts in hand, he slid onto a wooden bench surrounding the center ring of packed earth.\u00a0 In a way it seemed odd to him to be attending an event like this alone.\u00a0 He\u2019d always told himself that he only endured such childish entertainment for the sake of his younger brothers, probably because their first trip together had been for exactly that purpose.\u00a0 Virginia City\u2019s first circus had come to town shortly after Marie\u2019s death, during those dark days when Pa had been so lost in his own grief that he couldn\u2019t even see that of his sons.\u00a0 Adam had taken his brothers as a way to distract them from the loss of their mother and, in a very real way, that of their father, too.<\/p>\n Ever since, he\u2019d only attended circuses with his brothers, yet here he sat tonight without either of them around as excuse.\u00a0 Was he just missing them so much that he wanted to revive the nostalgia of that first night?\u00a0 Or was it simply time to admit that he relished rustic entertainment as much as sophisticated drama and music?\u00a0 No, not quite as much, he decided as the first equestrian act pranced into the ring.\u00a0 Tomorrow\u2019s offering was more appealing, but for tonight, he was content to watch the horses and revisit memories.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n October 6<\/p>\n Promptly at 10 a.m. Adam Cartwright entered the just-opened music store, where he was first in line to purchase a ticket for that evening\u2019s \u201cgrand concert.\u201d\u00a0 A night devoted to vocal and instrumental music from a wide variety of genres was not to missed.\u00a0 While there probably was no real rush for tickets, San Francisco being only slightly more sophisticated than Virginia City in its musical tastes, he didn\u2019t get such opportunities often enough that he cared to risk losing it by mere tardiness in laying out the single dollar the evening\u2019s entertainment required.\u00a0 Besides, he had little else to occupy his day.<\/p>\n Spurning the idea of pacing his hotel room as a means of passing the morning, he first browsed around the music store, and though he saw a couple of new songs he\u2019d have otherwise purchased, he elected not to drag them all the way to Boston and back.\u00a0 He could always make that sort of purchase on his return trip, although he could probably find even better selections back East.\u00a0 As it was still somewhat early for lunch, he walked around town, stopping in a store here and there, but making only a couple of small purchases.<\/p>\n When he started to feel hungry, he realized that he was near San Francisco\u2019s first and most famous French eatery, so he stopped in at The Poodle Dog, as all the locals called it.\u00a0 \u201cBonjour<\/em>, Ami<\/em>,\u201d he said, calling the dog by name as he patted its white furry head.<\/p>\n \u201cBonjour, Monsieur<\/em>,\u201d the waiter greeted him.\u00a0 \u201cI see you are acquainted with our chien<\/em>.<\/p>\n \u201cOui.\u00a0 Nous sommes de vieux amis<\/em>.\u201d\u00a0 He didn\u2019t recall the waiter, if this man had even worked here at Adam\u2019s last visit, more than a year ago, but he\u2019d known the white poodle, the pet of the owner\u2019s wife, from the restaurant\u2019s early days of sand floors and meals served on a rough wooden table covered with oilcloth.\u00a0 Now, The Poodle Dog was a fashionable restaurant for gentlemen, but the food remained much the same: delicious, plentiful and reasonably priced.\u00a0 \u201cA pity I didn\u2019t think of this while Hoss was here,\u201d Adam mused while waiting for the first course, a rich peasant soup, to arrive.\u00a0 It was followed by flounder, served with a French sauce reminiscent of one Marie used to make, and that turned his thoughts toward his other brother, who must surely be nearing the port of Acapulco by now.<\/p>\n The meat course was served en bloc<\/em>, and knowing what was to come, Adam sliced himself a fairly small portion, but ate it with a liberal application from the pot of mustard that accompanied the two large dishes of vegetables.\u00a0 Then the chef, with great ceremony, personally served the mixed salad and offered after it a platter of fruits of all kinds, as much as any guest cared to eat.\u00a0 The owner\u2019s claret, pressed and fermented from local mission grapes, accompanied the meal, and Adam willingly paid the extra nickel for a large beer stein of coffee to finish off a lunch that caused him to leave, mumbling to himself, \u201cI\u2019d better eat lightly tonight.\u00a0 I don\u2019t need enough fuel to punch cows, any more than Hoss!\u201d<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n Lunch was the last thing on the mind of Little Joe or that of his friend Eva, for that matter.\u00a0 Older heads prevailed, however.\u00a0 George insisted, and Margaret eagerly concurred, that they sample the native cuisine during the ship\u2019s brief layover at Acapulco.\u00a0 Little Joe looked so solemn at the prospect that George began to wonder whether he was afraid his stomach might turn touchy again.\u00a0 More likely, he decided, the scamp had entertained plans of escaping the scrutiny of anything resembling adult supervision and sampling other native pleasures, whether with or without Eva the older man couldn\u2019t decide.\u00a0 That he could not allow, being fully convinced that, left to himself, Little Joe Cartwright would soon find himself in the hut of some obliging and barely dressed Panamanian se\u00f1orita.\u00a0 His friendship with Adam was on shaky enough ground as it was without weighing that<\/em> into the equation!<\/p>\n Little Joe\u2019s strangely serious attitude, however, had nothing to do with any ideas of which his older brother might disapprove.\u00a0 His mind was absorbed with calculating the contents of his pockets and wondering whether they held enough to pay for his own meal, much less Eva\u2019s, if he were expected to treat her to lunch.\u00a0 He was quite sure that George intended to pay for Miss Margaret\u2019s, and Eva would naturally expect him to follow suit.\u00a0 For that matter, he would have expected it of himself, had his circumstances been different, so it was with enormous relief that he heard George\u2019s insistence that he be given the bill for the entire group\u2019s meal.\u00a0 With that problem solved, Little Joe\u2019s happy smile was back, and he ate with relish the squab and stewed bananas and drank heartily two cups of the best chocolate he\u2019d ever tasted.<\/p>\n \u201cNow to see the town!\u201d Eva exclaimed enthusiastically as they left the restaurant.<\/p>\n \u201cI thought you\u2019d been seeing it,\u201d Little Joe teased, waving his hand toward a line of adobe houses, their neatly white-washed walls contrasting with the pointed roofs covered with red tile.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, I mean the town,\u201d Eva insisted with a light slap of his upper arm.<\/p>\n \u201cShe means the shops,\u201d Margaret said, \u201cand I must say I\u2019m interested in that myself.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTo the plaza, then,\u201d George suggested, \u201cand the first stop we\u2019ll make is whatever passes for a haberdashery.\u201d\u00a0 He chuckled at Little Joe.\u00a0 \u201cYou, my boy, are in serious need of a linen suit that actually fits.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe nibbled his lower lip and then said, \u201cAw, that\u2019s all right.\u00a0 I can make do with this one for a couple of days.\u00a0 We\u2019ll be out of the tropics by then, right?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot quite,\u201d George said slowly, his brow furrowing in bewilderment.\u00a0 He knew for a fact that Little Joe normally tended toward peacock pretentiousness regarding his appearance, especially in the presence of a pretty girl.\u00a0 At the moment he looked very much like the street urchin they\u2019d teased him about aboard ship.\u00a0 In fact, if he\u2019d just roll up his pants\u2019 legs and take off his shoes, he could almost pass for one of the native men strolling the streets.\u00a0 Something was clearly wrong, and with Little Joe, something wrong always bore investigation, George had firmly come to believe.\u00a0 As soon as they reached the plaza and the girls were excitedly examining the coral and conch shells offered by venders on mats spread on the ground, he asked if they could excuse him for a few minutes.\u00a0 \u201cI need my young friend\u2019s help with a private matter,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Margaret blushed a bit, but said, \u201cOf course.\u00a0 We\u2019ll be right here.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe wheeled George away from the girls.\u00a0 Then, leaning over, he whispered, \u201cYou gotta go?\u00a0 I ain\u2019t sure where . . .\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOver there,\u201d George said, pointing to an area near the cathedral that took up one side of the plaza.\u00a0 Once they reached the side, where some shrubbery shielded them from the girls\u2019 gaze, he said, \u201cAll right.\u00a0 What\u2019s the problem?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHuh?\u201d\u00a0 Joe shrugged.\u00a0 \u201cNo problem.\u00a0 I thought you needed . . .\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI needed to talk with you, that\u2019s all.\u00a0 Now, be honest with me, Little Joe.\u00a0 Why don\u2019t you want a suit that fits?\u00a0 Because I can\u2019t believe you honestly prefer to dress like a ragamuffin.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe flushed.\u00a0 \u201cWell, no, of course not, but\u2014well, I guess since it\u2019s just us, you might as well know.\u00a0 I don\u2019t have much money on me, George.\u00a0 Adam was supposed to give me some share of the trail drive profit when he got to town, but . . .\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe never got to town,\u201d George finished for him.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m sorry.\u00a0 I should have realized.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe shrugged.\u00a0 \u201cYeah, well, it is what it is.\u00a0 I don\u2019t even know how I\u2019m gonna pay my way back home. \u00a0I reckon Pa would wire me something for that, but spending money?\u00a0 I\u2019m fresh out\u2014close to, anyway.\u00a0 Dead sure don\u2019t have enough for a suit.\u201d<\/p>\n George shook his head.\u00a0 \u201cJoe, Joe, do you seriously think I would let you do without anything you needed, when you\u2019ve given up so much to help me?\u00a0 I\u2019m not such a cad!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOf course, you\u2019re not, George,\u201d Little Joe protested.\u00a0 \u201cIt don\u2019t reflect on you at all.\u00a0 But I can\u2019t spend what I ain\u2019t got, and that\u2019s the simple truth.\u00a0 Just don\u2019t embarrass me in front of the girls, all right?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou deserve pay for the service you\u2019re rendering me, young man,\u201d George insisted, \u201cso anything you need on this trip\u2014and that includes spending money\u2014we\u2019ll simply consider your salary.\u00a0 Now, let\u2019s get to that haberdashery and secure a decent suit for you.\u00a0 I won\u2019t take no for an answer, so don\u2019t even bother arguing.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t seem fair to you,\u201d Little Joe said, quickly waving off George\u2019s protest, \u201cbut I ain\u2019t in no position to argue, so I\u2019ll just say, \u2018Thanks,\u2019 and if my tab runs higher than you think I\u2019m worth, I\u2019ll get Pa to reimburse you.\u201d\u00a0 His cocky grin was back in place.\u00a0 \u201cHe thinks I\u2019m worth a king\u2019s ransom, you know.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI won\u2019t disabuse him of that notion,\u201d George said wryly, \u201cexaggerated as it is.\u00a0 Let\u2019s get back to the girls and let them know the new plan.\u00a0 I\u2019m sure they\u2019ll be delighted at the prospect of helping a handsome young man select new clothes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI think we could bet on that!\u201d Little Joe laughed.<\/p>\n Eva clapped her hands with glee when told that Little Joe had changed his mind about buying a suit.\u00a0 \u201cOh, this will be such fun!\u201d she declared.<\/p>\n \u201cLike dressing your own dolly?\u201d George teased.<\/p>\n \u201cExactly!\u201d the girl cried to Little Joe\u2019s wry-faced chagrin.\u00a0 However, being dressed like a doll by a beautiful girl was not without its attraction, so he willingly let the girls pick and choose his suit and accessories, checking for George\u2019s affirming nod at each addition to the bill.<\/p>\n As they left the shop, Eva proudly circled the elbow of her newly dressed doll, and it quickly became apparent that she was not the only one attracted to the handsome man, now attired in crisp linen and a colorful native shirt that bespoke Anglo wealth and economic opportunity.\u00a0 Crossing the plaza toward the vendors once again, the party was met by a sun-bronzed beauty in the typical short skirt and embroidered chemise of the local peasant girls.\u00a0 She made a beeline for Little Joe and draped a coral necklace about his neck.\u00a0 \u201cMe give you present, Se\u00f1or<\/em>,\u201d she said and, dropping a low curtsey, she ran away.<\/p>\n \u201cHey, thanks!\u201d Little Joe called.\u00a0 Fingering the necklace, he said.\u00a0 \u201cThat was nice of her, wasn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n George hid his snicker behind his hand, but his young companion had eyes only for Eva\u2019s pretty pout, which disappeared when Little Joe took off the necklace and presented it to her, instead.<\/p>\n As the older man had expected, the peasant girl soon reappeared and boldly approached Little Joe.\u00a0 Seeing her gift around the neck of the white girl made her frown briefly, but she quickly fastened her broad smile on the young man again.\u00a0 \u201cNow you give me present, Se\u00f1or<\/em>, of quarter dollar, s\u00ed?<\/em><\/p>\n Little Joe\u2019s mouth gaped open, but he quickly pulled a quarter from his pocket and gave it to the girl.\u00a0 As she danced away, George burst out laughing.\u00a0 \u201cShe saw you coming.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, I reckon,\u201d the young man admitted with a rueful smile, which became a whole-hearted one as he faced Eva.\u00a0 \u201cStill, it looks mighty fetching on you, Miss Eva, so I don\u2019t mind bein\u2019 fleeced this time.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re very gallant,\u201d Eva said.\u00a0 It was not their only such encounter that afternoon, but with the help of their companions, both men were able to fend off any more unsolicited gifts.\u00a0 Additionally, George and Margaret successfully fended off all suggestions from the younger two members of the party that the group split up.<\/p>\n Far too soon for any of them, the signal cannon sounded.\u00a0 \u201cHalf an hour to get back to ship,\u201d George informed them, \u201cso if you have any last-minute purchases, ladies\u2014or gent\u2014you should make them now.\u201d\u00a0 Everyone professed satisfaction with what they already had, although George did find his convenient lap laden with a little extra fruit and a few bags of nuts as they left the vendors behind.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n Dressed in his newly tailored navy wool suit, complete with burgundy brocade vest and matching silk cravat, Adam took his seat in Platt\u2019s New Music Hall and scanned the program.\u00a0 It was precisely as printed in the Alta California<\/em>, a wide variety of vocal music that included old favorites like arias from Mozart and Verdi, as well as songs of simpler origin, such as the old English ballad, \u201cSally in our Alley\u201d and the more promising \u201cSweet Mountain Home\u201d by Tully.\u00a0 \u201cThat should appeal to a western audience,\u201d he mused as he gazed around the virtually packed room.\u00a0 With a chuckle he wondered whether the crowd was here for the music or for the chance to see Prince Lot Kamehameha, whom the newspaper had announced would be in attendance.\u00a0 For a moment Adam pondered how the Hawaiian prince had felt when his more charismatic younger brother had been chosen as king, instead of him.\u00a0 About like I\u2019d feel if Little Joe were made my boss!<\/em> he concluded.\u00a0 Of course, escapades like his current one should pretty much insure <\/em>that never happens!<\/em><\/p>\n The music began, and by the time a medley from Le Nozze di Figaro<\/em> gave way to Schubert\u2019s Ave Maria<\/em>, Adam was riding waves of nostalgia for the cultured East he\u2019d left behind after college.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Music, literature, art\u2014all so much more available back there than here in the West.\u00a0 At times like this, he second-guessed the choice he\u2019d made to live here.\u00a0 He was a man of two worlds, moving fluidly through both, but never feeling completely at home in either.\u00a0 Where did he belong?\u00a0 Perhaps this trip to Boston would be a good time to reevaluate that choice.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n October 7<\/p>\n Adam was bored.\u00a0 It was the only excuse he could make for his choice of activity that dull Sunday morning.\u00a0 He could, of course, have attended some house of worship, but four years of daily chapel during his college years had effectively filled him brim-full with words of pastoral wisdom.\u00a0 While he attended regularly at home, primarily to please his father and set a good example for his brothers, none of the messages in their local church were as inspirational as those he\u2019d heard back East.\u00a0 He maintained a basic belief in God, but when he was on his own, he generally treated Sunday as a day of pure rest.\u00a0 After a week of hard work, it seemed like the best use of a free day, but since he\u2019d had overabundant time to rest this week, he was only interested in some way to pass the time, and on Sunday that could be difficult to find.<\/p>\n So here he was, boarding the steamer Clinton<\/em> for an excursion to San Quentin.\u00a0 He had no particular interest in touring the prison.\u00a0 (After all, Pa would have disapproved if he dropped Little Joe off there, once he hauled him back to this part of the world.)\u00a0 However, it was something to do, and a carriage ride through the countryside to San Rafael, available for a small additional sum, had prospects of being, at least, a pleasant way to pass the time.\u00a0 For now, he\u2019d just relax and enjoy the music of the onboard band and dream of the soon-to-be day when he\u2019d set sail on his longer journey.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n After attending the onboard worship service in the morning, Little Joe and Eva spent the entire afternoon draped over the ship\u2019s rail, hoping to catch a glimpse of the three volcanoes they were supposed to be passing.\u00a0 The first two were pointed out to them as the California<\/em> cruised the Guatemalan shore, but clouds covered the tops of Fuego and Agua so thickly that they looked like any other mountains.\u00a0 Lost in the beauty of sunset with low-lying clouds in hues of amber-gold, fading into amethyst, then rose and, finally, bronzed green as the eye traveled skyward, they almost missed seeing the volcano of Isalco, but turned toward shore just in time.\u00a0 \u201cLook!\u201d Eva cried, pointing at the columns of fire shooting skyward.\u00a0 Soon the rail was crowded with excited passengers, who squealed their delight as streams of lava streaked down the sides of the mountain only twelve miles from the San Salvador shore.\u00a0 \u201cPerfect ending to a perfect day,\u201d Little Joe whispered, brushing a circumspect kiss next to the girl\u2019s ear under the glow of the copper-tinged horizon.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n Though Adam was tired from his long day of sightseeing across the bay, he still pushed himself to change into more formal wear, have a quick dinner in the hotel restaurant and be in his seat at Maguire\u2019s Opera House well before the curtain rose at 8 p.m.\u00a0 Opera was not on the bill tonight, but a evening of comedy might be just the ticket for the pure relaxation to which this day was devoted.\u00a0 \u201cOur American Cousin\u201d had premiered a couple of years ago back East, and that was about as new as a play got out here.\u00a0 Certainly, Adam had never seen it, but it was reported to be hilarious, and he enjoyed a good laugh as much as anyone\u2014well, with the exception of Little Joe.\u00a0 No one laughed as much or as easily as that light-hearted kid, and suddenly this seemed like a more appropriate place to bring his little brother than the grim prison he\u2019d visited earlier. Wish I could<\/em>, he thought and immediately wanted the same for his other brother, who was probably enduring the anguished fury of Ben Cartwright about now. \u00a0As homesickness once again drew threateningly near, Adam welcomed the rising curtain and eagerly entered the drawing room of an English manor and the lives of its ridiculous inhabitants.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n October 8<\/p>\n Perhaps it was thoughts of home that pulled Adam toward the agricultural exhibition on Monday.\u00a0 Not that he was uninterested in the livestock show.\u00a0 Hoss might have a greater appreciation for cattle breeds, but when it came to horseflesh, there was no better judge than Adam, even if he did say so himself.\u00a0 It was horseflesh that was on offer at eleven that morning\u2014and what horseflesh!\u00a0 Stallions, mares and colts from as far as Vermont, thoroughbreds of the sort his father would never sanction on the ranch. \u00a0Adam had ridden a few such animals, and his thighs ached to feel those powerful flanks once again between his legs.<\/p>\n The urge to ride only grew stronger as he sat in the viewing stands later and watched the races.\u00a0 The first, being a pacing race, didn\u2019t interest him too much, but then came a match between two-year-olds, a bay colt called Wilson Lemon and a filly named Miami, their boyish riders in regular jockey costumes.\u00a0 At the tap of the drum, both horses leaped forward, Miami taking the lead.\u00a0 The colt steadily gained on her, however, and as they came down the stretch and Wilson Lemon drew close, Adam, in common with everyone else in the stands, was on his feet, yelling encouragement to both horses to \u201cGo, go!\u201d\u00a0 Go, they did, but at a signal from her owner, Miami let loose and easily won by three lengths.\u00a0 A race between saddle horses was next, and finally, another horse-in-harness match race easily netted a purse of $500 for the winner and an afternoon of satisfying entertainment for Adam Cartwright, that child of two conflicting, but at times overlapping, worlds.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n Though the clouds overhead threatened rain, the tiny tug Taboga<\/em> deposited its passengers next to a long, covered wharf that led directly to the cars of the Panama Railroad.\u00a0 Little Joe was relieved, as he\u2019d spent the short steamer journey from the California<\/em> staring at those clouds and praying they wouldn\u2019t release a downpour on their hapless heads.\u00a0 For himself, he wouldn\u2019t have minded, and even Eva, who\u2019d possessively latched onto his elbow, could have made a dash for cover, but Joe had feared that George\u2019s rolling chair might become hopelessly bogged down in a sea of soppy sand, ensuring that they all arrived at the train disguised as drenched rats.\u00a0 Thankfully, both the weather and the transportation system had forestalled any resemblance to rodents.<\/p>\n It was every man for himself when they reached the train, since there was no division of the passengers, as there had been on board ship.\u00a0 Here, all paid the same $25, so all were entitled to any seat they chose.\u00a0 Most of the steerage passengers chose to remain with the people they knew, but a few, apparently determined to sample the pleasures of high society, if only for a few hours, mingled boldly with the well-dressed men and women from the first-class staterooms.\u00a0 \u201cPeople should know their place,\u201d George stage-whispered to Margaret, earning only a wrinkle-nosed sneer from the offending passenger, puzzled looks from both ladies in his company and a foreboding frown from Little Joe.\u00a0 Though residents of a larger city, the girls were almost as accustomed as the young rancher to seeing people of all sorts mingling at social gatherings, and George\u2019s well-intended commiseration did nothing but activate their concerns about fitting in back East.<\/p>\n They had barely boarded the train when the clouds discharged a deluge, accompanied by loud thunderclaps and bright jags of lightning that split the sky.\u00a0 \u201cOh, poo,\u201d Eva said with an eloquent pout.\u00a0 \u201cBad enough they don\u2019t give us time to explore the city; now we won\u2019t even see it!\u201d\u00a0 She wasn\u2019t quite right, for just before the train pulled off the side track onto the main line, an enormous burst of lightning briefly revealed the high walls and turrets of Panama City, \u201cbut none of the shops,\u201d she moaned when Little Joe pointed that out.<\/p>\n He laughed.\u00a0 \u201cI doubt they\u2019d be much different from the ones in Acapulco.\u00a0 Besides, who needs shops when you\u2019ve got that to look at?\u201d\u00a0 His hand swept toward the window, through which a grove of exotic trees with dangling yellow and scarlet pods could be seen.\u00a0 \u201cKnow what they are, George?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n \u201cTheobroma Cacao<\/em>,\u201d George replied, eyes twinkling at the dazed stares which met him.\u00a0 \u201cGreek for \u2018food of the gods,\u2019\u201d he explained and then asked merrily, \u201cChocolate, anyone?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPity they don\u2019t serve hot chocolate on this train,\u201d Margaret observed.\u00a0 \u201cI know we\u2019re in the tropics, but that rain makes me shiver, nonetheless.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, the rain isn\u2019t likely to last long,\u201d he assured her, \u201cand the rainy season does bring out some of the most beautiful blossoms, I\u2019m told.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, that\u2019s something to look forward to,\u201d Eva said.<\/p>\n George pointed out the window at a herd of cattle grazing in a field, beyond which a few native huts could be seen through the mist of the dissipating rain.\u00a0 \u201cThere\u2019s a sight to remind you of home, Little Joe.\u201d\u00a0 He instantly regretted bringing up the subject, for although Little Joe nodded, his gaze at the cattle was so wistful that George instantly recognized all the signs of genuine homesickness and from that moment determined to point out every distracting sight the train passed.<\/p>\n There weren\u2019t many at first, as the train passed through terrain that alternated between swamps and cultivated savannahs, but when the road began to climb, the scene became more picturesque.\u00a0 Leaving behind the groves of coconut and other palm trees, the train traveled over ravines and curved around the base of conical hills.\u00a0 They by-passed one station, but when they steamed past the next, as well, Eva protested, \u201cAren\u2019t we ever going to stop?\u00a0 There were passengers waiting at that one!\u201d<\/p>\n George chuckled.\u00a0 \u201cStill thinking of shopping, are you?\u00a0 The steamer trains always go straight through.\u00a0 Local trains stop at each station . . . and those people are probably heading the other direction.\u00a0 We should meet their train soon, and then you might have a few minutes to get off.\u201d\u00a0 He wagged a finger at both her and Little Joe.\u00a0 \u201cBut no wandering off to explore.\u00a0 You might be left behind.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWouldn\u2019t bother me,\u201d Eva announced, turning away with a flounce of her auburn curls.<\/p>\n Little Joe looked as if being left alone with a beautiful girl in a tropical paradise wouldn\u2019t bother him, either.\u00a0 After all, he felt no great desire to reach Boston, and while he would love to have been home, what awaited him there was a prospect he was quite willing to delay.\u00a0 When he glanced at George, however, his romantic dreams melted in the face of the responsibility he owed to the temporarily handicapped man.\u00a0 Paradise would have to wait until his journey home . . . provided Pa saw fit to wire him the price of a return ticket, instead of telling him to go jump in the ocean.<\/p>\n About a mile below the summit, they rounded a cliff of basalt crystals (or so George informed them).\u00a0 To Little Joe, they looked more like a haphazardly stacked pile of logs, ready to topple over onto them at the slightest tremor, much less the clatter and shaking of the iron wheels along the rails.\u00a0 Eva shuddered and inched closer into the shelter of his circling arm.\u00a0 Within minutes, however, they reached the native settlement of Culebra, and from there the track grew smoother and began a gentle descent to the narrow valley of Rio Obsipo.<\/p>\n In the beautiful meadow of Matachin, as predicted, they met the westbound train.\u00a0 Moving onto the side track to allow it to pass afforded the passengers a few minutes to get off and visit the native huts that studded the foreground of a group of conical hills covered with short grass and royal palms.\u00a0 George insisted that he preferred to remain aboard, asking only that Little Joe purchase some juicy oranges, and soon the younger man was escorting both Margaret and Eva from hut to hut, each of which offered something for sale.\u00a0 They came back with their arms loaded with cakes and other dulces<\/em>, as well as a full dozen oranges, which George immediately passed around as the train departed from the station.<\/p>\n Little Joe and Eva nibbled segments of orange, sucking each drop of juice, and watching the passing scene, both laughing heartily when a pair of black-and-tan terriers bounded toward the rails as they passed San Pablo station with an Englishman, obviously the station master, in pursuit.\u00a0 Presumably, he caught them, for the train raced on unimpeded, past a broad, swift river that curved like a horseshoe and through the meadowlands bounded by tall, steep hills.<\/p>\n They crossed a wrought-iron bridge at the halfway point and tickets were collected before they plunged through a dense grove of palms, dotted with funnel-shaped flowers in bright shades of blue, scarlet and pink, that soon gave way to fields of Indian corn.\u00a0 Woven birds\u2019 nests, often as long as three feet hung from the trees, and keeping their eyes fixed on the wide fronds, passengers soon began squealing with delight at the colorful birds and occasional monkeys they spotted.\u00a0 Further along, the track was edged with a profusion of feathery pink blossoms, as well as the flaming scarlet fruit of the wild pineapple.\u00a0 \u201cOnly a great artist could capture such brilliant beauty,\u201d Margaret remarked.<\/p>\n \u201cIndeed,\u201d George murmured, his gaze fixed on her shining eyes.\u00a0 Catching a glimpse of that by-play, Little Joe snickered and Eva tittered, but when the older couple turned to look their way, both were apparently amused by something outside their window.\u00a0 Monkeys, George presumed, but Margaret cast a chiding glance at her younger sister before turning her smile on the gentleman at her side.<\/p>\n The further they traveled, the denser the vegetation became, and the harder it was to spot even a bird.\u00a0 The air grew heavy with moisture, and throughout the cars women fanned themselves and men stalwartly endured the discomfort they feigned not to feel.\u00a0 Worse than the desert, any day<\/em>, Little Joe thought as his linen suit clung to his skin.\u00a0 Small wonder the natives run around half naked.<\/em>\u00a0 He blushed involuntarily at the vision, both exhilarating and worrisome, of Eva\u2019s seeing him in his bare chest.\u00a0 If only he had a physique like that of his brother Hoss . . . or even Adam.\u00a0 Though he viewed himself as a man, in that regard he knew full well he was still a boy.\u00a0 So much for dreams of going native with Eva as his Panamanian princess!\u00a0 They were featherweight dreams, anyway; he was a cowboy at heart and intended to stay one.<\/p>\n They were crossing the Mindee when Eva screamed, though more in excitement than fear.\u00a0 \u201cLook!\u201d she cried.\u00a0 \u201cIsn\u2019t that . . . ?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAn alligator,\u201d Little Joe whispered, staring in awe at the long, leathery beast basking in the sun amidst the sky-sweeping stalks of bamboo that lined the listless stream.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy, look,\u201d George said, \u201cwe\u2019re about to meet another train.\u00a0 Perhaps there\u2019ll be time for you to get out and commune with the creature.\u00a0 I know how you both love exploring.\u201d<\/p>\n The younger people peered intensely down the track, and seeing no sign of another engine, both turned their disgusted gaze on him.\u00a0 George burst out laughing, and Margaret merrily joined in, while Joe and Eva shook their heads at having been taken in so easily.\u00a0 Because they were on their guard after that, they were skeptical when George announced that they were only 3 miles from the end of the line at Aspinwall.\u00a0 In fact, only Margaret\u2019s query about having time to visit the city convinced them the information was accurate this time.\u00a0 \u201cPerhaps, briefly,\u201d George said, \u201cbut we\u2019ll board our new ship almost immediately.\u201d<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n Adam arrived back at his hotel late that afternoon, weary from a full day at the fair.\u00a0 He had all but walked his legs off and wanted nothing more than a hot bath.\u00a0 Careful as always in his planning, he had allowed time for that and a light supper before his anticipated evening of Shakespearean comedy.\u00a0 The exhibits had captured his attention enough to make him a little late, so he crossed the lobby with purposeful stride.\u00a0 He had no sooner reached the foot of the stairs, however, than he heard his name called by the clerk behind the desk.\u00a0 He turned to face the man with an inquiring expression.\u00a0 \u201cYes?\u201d<\/p>\n The man held aloft a thin envelope.\u00a0 \u201cTelegram for you, Mr. Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n The telegram!\u00a0 How could he have forgotten that? \u00a0He was at the desk within seconds.\u00a0 Thanking the clerk, he took the stairs at an even brisker pace.\u00a0 The bath could wait; supper was unimportant; even Shakespeare could be sacrificed.\u00a0 He finally had word from home, his father\u2019s verdict on his upcoming expedition.\u00a0 As soon as he reached his room, he tore open the envelope and scanned the short message:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Regret problems<\/p>\n Stop<\/p>\n Continue east, as planned<\/p>\n Stop<\/p>\n Trust your judgment completely<\/p>\n Stop<\/p>\n Bring both my boys home safe<\/p>\n Stop<\/p>\n Pa<\/p>\n Full Stop<\/p>\n <\/p>\n With a slow exhale of relief Adam sank into the padded chair.\u00a0 Though he\u2019d been certain that Pa would want him to follow Little Joe\u2014leaving him to find his way home on his own was, after all, unthinkable\u2014somewhere in the back of his mind, doubt had niggled, more persistently than he had until this moment realized.\u00a0 Only one more day until he sailed, and now, all uncertainty having evaporated, he could fully enjoy not only Shakespeare tonight, but whatever San Francisco had to offer tomorrow.\u00a0 He felt like celebrating, but he still had time only for the hot bath and light supper he\u2019d planned before.\u00a0 No time to lose, even for that, so he immediately began gathering what he needed to carry to the bathing room down the hall.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n The quartet of travelers spent about an hour looking around the city of Aspinwall, far more than necessary in the eyes of the gentlemen and far less than enough for the ladies.\u00a0 Having been warned that anything beyond the back street was knee-deep swamp, populated primarily by alligators and poisonous water moccasins, even adventurous Little Joe was content to remain in town.\u00a0 They might have toured the shops longer had he not pointed out the looming clouds overhead that suggested rain.<\/p>\n \u201cI think you\u2019re right,\u201d George said, \u201cand I\u2019ve heard it tends to rain every hour or so in the rainy season, so perhaps we should make our way to the ship.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, we won\u2019t melt,\u201d Eva insisted, but Margaret sided with the men, so the younger girl could do nothing but pout as they walked toward the wharf.<\/p>\n They boarded the S. S. North Star<\/em>, a far larger ship than the California<\/em> had been.\u00a0 Margaret gasped as they came into the entrance saloon.\u00a0 \u201cOh, how plush!\u201d she cried, sinking into the crimson velvet of a large circular sofa.<\/p>\n \u201cNothing else on the line compares, miss . . . nothing on any line,\u201d a nearby steward stated proudly.\u00a0 \u201cMr. Vanderbilt used the North Star<\/em> as his personal yacht before dedicating her to this service, so, of course, he chose only the best furnishings for his family.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, of course,\u201d she said.\u00a0 \u201cWhat a pleasure it will be to travel on her.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat is always our aim, miss.\u00a0 Now, may I conduct you to your stateroom or do you wish to rest here awhile?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI suppose we should get our things settled,\u201d Margaret said, rising.<\/p>\n \u201cI think I\u2019d prefer to sit here a few minutes,\u201d George ventured.\u00a0 Though he hadn\u2019t wanted to hinder the others\u2019 exploration of Aspinwall, he\u2019d felt weary from the rail journey to begin with, and the constant bumping of his rolling chair along the rutted dirt streets had left him exhausted.<\/p>\n \u201cThen I shall remain here to keep you company,\u201d Margaret insisted.\u00a0 \u201cEva can arrange our stateroom, and perhaps Mr. Cartwright would be kind enough to accompany her.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSure,\u201d Little Joe said.\u00a0 The exact location of the Lawrence girls\u2019 stateroom was, after all, information he was very interested in learning.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll see Eva settled and then come back to help you down the stairs,\u201d he offered George.<\/p>\n \u201cThank you, my boy,\u201d the other man said, though his gaze was fixed on the lady at his side.<\/p>\n The steward preceded them down the elegant staircase and then led them to the Laurences\u2019 stateroom.\u00a0 Little Joe\u2019s room, the man pointed out, was across the main saloon, and Joe assured him that he would need no further help in finding it.\u00a0 Once the steward had left, he spent a few minutes outside Eva\u2019s door, supple fingers intertwined with her slender ones.\u00a0 Then he slowly raised them to his lips and kissed the tips tenderly.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019d better get back to George,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cSee you after dinner?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOf course,\u201d she whispered.\u00a0 As he turned to leave, however, a thoughtful expression touched her face, and once he was out of sight, she hurried to find the steward.<\/p>\n Anxious to get back to George, Little Joe paid scant attention to his surroundings as he crossed the main saloon, so much larger and more richly furnished than that room on the California<\/em> had been, and scampered up the stairs.\u00a0 He first brought down the rolling chair, then trotted up the stairs again to help George maneuver them on his crutches with Margaret following solicitously behind.\u00a0 Little Joe took George to his stateroom first, as it was on the near side of the saloon, and then escorted Margaret to hers and came back to help George unpack and settle in.\u00a0 \u201cTake a moment to breathe, my boy,\u201d George urged.<\/p>\n Little Joe just grinned.\u00a0 \u201cYou forget I\u2019m not a worn-out old man like you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, you\u2019re an imp with too much energy,\u201d George jibed back.\u00a0 \u201cPerhaps it is best if I keep you so busy you can\u2019t find more mischief in which to indulge.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMe?\u201d\u00a0 Little Joe adopted an air of aggrieved innocence.\u00a0 Then he stuffed his hands in his pockets and whistled as he gazed around the stateroom.\u00a0 \u201cNo bigger than the other,\u201d he said, \u201cbut almighty grand, ain\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDaily lessons in grammar will be available each morning following breakfast,\u201d George suggested dryly and then laughed at the sour expression on his companion\u2019s face.\u00a0 \u201cThe rosewood is \u2018grand,\u2019 as you say.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd lace curtains!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot standard on the line, I\u2019m sure,\u201d George agreed.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah.\u00a0 Well, if you don\u2019t need anything else, I\u2019d better get next door and see to my own gear.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBy all means.\u00a0 I won\u2019t need you until dinnertime.\u00a0 I\u2019m still quite tired, so I\u2019m going to rest here until then.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe went to his adjoining room and put it in order for the week\u2019s journey to New York City.\u00a0 It took little time, for in the previous ten days he\u2019d worked out exactly where to place things to make them easy to access, but stowed to prevent their rolling out of place with each sway of the ship.\u00a0 Since eight bells had not yet rung, signifying dinner, he set out to see what possibilities the larger ship had to offer.\u00a0 He quickly discerned that the North Star<\/em> was the same sort of wooden side-wheeler the California<\/em> had been, and fancy as it was within, it was still a standard steamship in the ways that counted most.\u00a0 The greater length did, however, offer the alluring possibility of \u00a0longer promenades with Eva under the Caribbean moon.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n Little Joe rolled George\u2019s chair up to the table, each place elegantly set with fine silverware.\u00a0 As he looked across the table, his eyes widened in pleasure, for the Lawrence girls were being seated opposite them by a young man, who took the chair between them.<\/p>\n \u201cHigh time you looked up,\u201d Eva pouted.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ve been trying to catch your eye for the last minute.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEva, please,\u201d her male companion chided.\u00a0 \u201cTry to be a lady.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShe always is, sir,\u201d Little Joe said in defense.<\/p>\n To diffuse the uncomfortable air beginning to stir, George spoke up quickly.\u00a0 \u201cWhy, what a wonderful surprise,\u201d he said, smiling at Margaret.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re dining at our table this trip?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cApparently, we are,\u201d she said demurely.\u00a0 \u201cHow fortuitous.\u201d<\/p>\n Eva had no taste for artificial modesty.\u00a0 \u201cI arranged it with the steward,\u201d she boasted.\u00a0 \u201cAren\u2019t you pleased?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cVery,\u201d Little Joe said.\u00a0 \u201cAnd this gentleman?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCousin Horace, of course,\u201d the girl tossed aside lightly.<\/p>\n \u201cYou must be the incomparable Mr. Cartwright,\u201d Horace Lawrence said with a look Little Joe wasn\u2019t sure how to read.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ve heard much about you, young man.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe wished he could return the compliment, but in truth, Eva had said next to nothing about the man who was supposedly chaperoning her and her sister on this trip and who had, to this point, been conspicuous only by his complete inattention to the responsibility.\u00a0 \u201cWell, I don\u2019t know whether to be pleased by that . . . or plumb scared,\u201d Little Joe said.<\/p>\n Horace\u2019s light laugh was completely without mirth.\u00a0 \u201cI suppose that depends on the state of your conscience.\u00a0 I\u2019m simply pleased to finally meet such a paragon of masculine pulchritude.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cUh, it\u2019s a pleasure to meet you, too, sir.\u201d\u00a0 Since he had no idea what \u201cpulchritude\u201d meant, Little Joe didn\u2019t know whether to be insulted or flattered.\u00a0 The soft snicker to his left indicated that George understood his dilemma perfectly, but found it too entertaining to let him off the hook on which he was squirming.<\/p>\n Eva spatted her cousin\u2019s arm.\u00a0 \u201cOh, behave yourself, Cousin Horace!\u201d\u00a0 She smiled across the table at Little Joe.\u00a0 \u201cAnd he scolds me about my manners.\u00a0 Honestly!\u00a0 You mustn\u2019t pay him the least mind.\u00a0 I never do.\u00a0 He\u2019s obviously swallowed a dictionary, just to impress any fancy folk he might meet back East.\u00a0 Do you even know those twenty-dollar words yourself, Cousin Horace?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t see how he could have come up with such an accurate description of my young friend if he didn\u2019t,\u201d George, still barely containing his urge to laugh out loud, observed.<\/p>\n Little Joe again didn\u2019t know whether to be insulted or flattered, but he thought a change of subject was in order.\u00a0 \u201cThis dining saloon is fancy enough, even for Eastern folks, right, George?\u201d<\/p>\n Now George did laugh.\u00a0 \u201cFar fancier than what you\u2019ll see in my home, my boy.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYour home is in Boston, I believe Margaret has said, Mr.\u201d\u2014Horace paused\u2014\u201cPontpier, is it not?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, to both queries,\u201d George replied.<\/p>\n \u201cThe d\u00e9cor here is magnificent,\u201d Margaret agreed, \u201cand I\u2019m sure George knows exactly what the walls are covered in.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cItalian marble,\u201d he said with certainty, \u201cand the darker panels are granite . . . from Naples, I would guess.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPrecisely correct, sir,\u201d their steward said, \u201cand the marble is yellow Pyrenees.\u201d He asked if they were ready to order.<\/p>\n Once that necessity had been attended, Horace remarked, \u201cYou seem very familiar with fine stone, Mr. Pontpier.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOccupational knowledge, Mr. Lawrence,\u201d George said.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m an architect by trade.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAn honorable profession,\u201d Horace observed, although he looked slightly disappointed, as if, Little Joe thought, he had expected more.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy, you\u2019ve never mentioned that, George,\u201d Margaret said.<\/p>\n George shrugged.\u00a0 \u201cI didn\u2019t think to.\u201d\u00a0 A slight blush crept up his neck as he added, \u201cI suppose we were occupied with other things.\u201d\u00a0 The blush deepened.\u00a0 \u201cThe sweeping ocean views, the tropical shoreline . . .\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe moonlight on the waves,\u201d Little Joe suggested cheekily. \u00a0Eva giggled, but a reproaching glare from her cousin silenced both young people.<\/p>\n Their food arrived, served on fine china of ruby and gold finish, and as they ate, Horace asked George to describe his home in Boston.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019re new to the East, you see,\u201d he explained, \u201cand would appreciate knowing what to expect.\u00a0 Is your home typical, would you say?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTo me, of course, it\u2019s extraordinary,\u201d George said, deftly handling a question Little Joe had considered a trap, \u201cbut, then, doesn\u2019t every man feel that way about his own home?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut you, as an architect, are uniquely skilled in describing the building for us, surely?\u201d Horace pressed just as deftly.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, well, yes, if it\u2019s the architecture you\u2019re interested in . . .\u201d<\/p>\n George launched into a description that quickly had Little Joe shooting a look at Eva in expectation that she was as bored as he.\u00a0 Eva, however, had not grown up with an architect for an older brother, and seemed to find the discussion of lines and angles almost as fascinating as the other two Lawrences, especially when the discussion was interrupted with questions that elicited descriptions of the Pontpier home\u2019s luxurious d\u00e9cor and furnishings.\u00a0 By the time he rolled George back to his stateroom, Little Joe was thanking his lucky stars that his architectural brother was a simple Cartwright and not an aristocratic Pontpier.\u00a0 At his worst, Adam had never been as mind-bogglingly boring as this!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n October 9<\/p>\n Adam Cartwright stretched so wide that his long arms and legs practically touched the corners of his overstuffed mattress, and he lay sprawled in bed almost as languidly as his little brother habitually did.\u00a0 It was, after all, his last chance to do so.\u00a0 Whatever else one might say about sleeping on a steamship, one couldn\u2019t sprawl in those narrow berths.\u00a0 He would have, of course, one more night here in a comfortable bed, but tomorrow morning he\u2019d have to get straight up, as was his more usual inclination, and be about the business of boarding the Chesapeake<\/em>.<\/p>\n He had business to attend today, too, although not as much as he\u2019d intimated to Mrs. Larrimore, he admitted as he pulled back the covers and padded barefoot to the washstand.\u00a0 She, with daughter Jewel simpering at her side, had issued him an invitation to attend the Tenth Anniversary Ball for the Eureka Benevolent Society at Platt\u2019s New Music Hall.\u00a0 \u201cSuch a worthy cause,\u201d she\u2019d gushed.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ve been a member for years, of course, and know well the value of their charitable work.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd men who dance as well as you, Adam, are always in short supply,\u201d Jewel had added with a pitiful attempt at a provocative eyelash flutter.<\/p>\n \u201cYou flatter me,\u201d Adam said smoothly, \u201cand I don\u2019t doubt the worthiness of the cause, Mrs. Larrimore, but you realize that will be my last day in San Francisco, and I have a great deal of packing to do.\u201d<\/p>\n Her laugh was almost a snicker.\u00a0 \u201cNow, surely, Adam, you will have finished that by early that evening, if, indeed, you haven\u2019t already!\u00a0 I know what an organized boy you\u2019ve always been.\u201d<\/p>\n She was correct on both counts, but Adam quickly pointed out that the ball would undoubtedly last into the wee hours of the morning.\u00a0 \u201cI need to be up early to board my ship,\u201d he reminded her, \u201cand I\u2019m sure I wouldn\u2019t be able to tear myself away from the company of such lovely ladies until the final dance.\u00a0 No, I\u2019m afraid I must forego the pleasure, but I thank you for thinking of me.\u00a0 You\u2019re always so thoughtful in that way.\u201d\u00a0 That was rather a thick layer of soft soap\u2014dancing with Jewel being anything but a pleasure\u2014but it accomplished the desired goal of getting out of a painfully boring evening without offending them, as well as avoiding the risk of boarding his ship with fractured toes.\u00a0 Wouldn\u2019t he and George make a hobbled pair in that event!<\/p>\n There was truth in the excuse, too, however, enough to keep him also from a night at the theater, much as he would have relished another opportunity to see Julia Dean Haynes perform.\u00a0 She\u2019d been magnificent the night before, and tonight the renowned Junius Brutus Booth was in the cast, as well.\u00a0 One couldn\u2019t have everything, though, and while he\u2019d chafed at the delay in pursuing his errant little brother, he\u2019d enjoyed his ten free days in San Francisco.\u00a0 They had given him a deeper immersion in culture than time had afforded him in years.<\/p>\n Today was best spent in making certain he had everything he needed for the journey, having a leisurely supper, a long soaking bath and an early night.\u00a0 As he would be staying around the hotel most of the day, he dressed in his comfortable range clothes and went down to breakfast in the attached restaurant.\u00a0 He\u2019d probably have lunch there, as well, unless he discovered some item he\u2019d forgotten to purchase, but he wanted one last chance to have dinner somewhere more interesting.\u00a0 While he ate his corned beef hash and over-easy eggs, he mulled the possibilities, and his face lit up as inspiration struck him.\u00a0 Of course!\u00a0 There was a place he hadn\u2019t been yet, where the food was good and the conversation stimulating. \u00a0Where better to take his final dinner than Ma Tanta\u2019s<\/em>?<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n Little Joe was still in his berth when eight bells rang the next morning.\u00a0 With a sigh he rolled out of bed and dressed quickly.\u00a0 Like his brother Adam, George was an early riser, and while he was getting around better now and needed less help, Joe was still uneasy about leaving the man completely to himself.\u00a0 Giving his own face a quick wash and brushing his curls, which the moist sea air seemed to kink tighter than usual, into some semblance of order, he rapped on the door to the adjoining stateroom and entered at George\u2019s invitation.<\/p>\n As always, George expressed appreciation for the help, but then he sat in his rolling chair, head cocked first one way and then the other in apparent study of his young companion\u2019s face.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d Little Joe finally said.<\/p>\n \u201cThere are more amenities on the North Star <\/em>than there were on the California<\/em>,\u201d the older man suggested.<\/p>\n Joe\u2019s puzzled frown deepened.\u00a0 \u201cI noticed.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cA barber, for instance,\u201d George said.<\/p>\n Little Joe stroked his smooth cheek.\u00a0 \u201cAppreciate your willingness to pay for that luxury, but I already shaved this morning.\u201d<\/p>\n George threw his head back in laughter.\u00a0 \u201cI was referring to a haircut, you young rascal, and I think you knew it.\u00a0 I believe I heard your father recommend getting one before you came home.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, I will,\u201d Little Joe assured him with a cocky grin.<\/p>\n \u201cHe expected you to be home by now!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, yeah,\u201d Little Joe admitted, \u201cbut circumstances change, you know, George.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSo does the length of those unmanageable locks,\u201d George snorted, \u201cand not for the better.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI like it long,\u201d Little Joe insisted, adding with an impish twinkle in his eyes, \u201cand so do the ladies.\u00a0 Gives \u2018em somethin\u2019 to twirl around their fingers.\u00a0 You oughta try it sometime.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, thank you,\u201d George said dryly, \u201cand if I were you, I wouldn\u2019t encourage Eva to twirl them.\u00a0 I\u2019m quite certain her sister wouldn\u2019t approve . . . not to mention Cousin Horace.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat stuffed shirt?\u201d\u00a0 Little Joe hooted.\u00a0 \u201cHe don\u2019t seem to pay much mind to what she and Margaret get up to.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMiss Margaret doesn\u2019t \u2018get up to\u2019 anything she shouldn\u2019t,\u201d George snorted, \u201cand I hope the same can be said for you and her sister.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt can,\u201d Little Joe assured him.\u00a0 \u201cYou keep talking about haircuts and such, though, and we\u2019re gonna miss breakfast.\u201d<\/p>\n George, never in favor of missing any meal, quickly decided to curtail any further admonitions about \u201chaircuts and such\u201d in favor of getting to the table on time.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n Adam leaned forward in his saddle to pat the black gelding\u2019s sleek neck.\u00a0 It was a beautiful animal; nothing to compare with his mount back home, of course, but still a handsome, spirited horse.\u00a0 He was glad he\u2019d decided to rent one from a local livery and ride out into the open country south of the city.\u00a0 He really hadn\u2019t needed the full day to finish his packing.\u00a0 As Mrs. Larrimore had said, everything but what he\u2019d need for tonight and tomorrow morning was already stowed in his new steamer trunk.\u00a0 What he really needed, he\u2019d decided after checking and double-checking his gear, was some fresh air and exercise, so he\u2019d ridden out along the old Mission Road, past Mission Dolores and on to the Willows, where he\u2019d eaten a light lunch before heading back toward town.<\/p>\n He hadn\u2019t gone far, however, before he spotted a single man, trying to drive a small group of cattle down the road.\u00a0 He had his hands full, since the beasts, perhaps sensing they were headed to market, appeared to be in a wayward frame of mind.\u00a0 Adam moved his horse to the side of the road to let the cattle pass, but before they reached him, he saw one veer off the road to rush toward a woman, who was holding tightly to the hand of a little boy.\u00a0 He, apparently, was in the same wayward frame of mind as the cow\u2014or, perhaps, just eager to pet her.\u00a0 A child that size, city-bred, probably didn\u2019t realize the danger.\u00a0 Either way, he was insistently pulling his mother toward the animal, while she shouted and pulled the opposite direction.<\/p>\n The owner of the cattle left the rest of the herd to chase after the wild cow, and Adam instinctively urged his own mount to give chase, as well, but before either man could divert her, the cow charged, and the woman thrust herself between it and her boy.\u00a0 Her terrified scream pierced the air as she went down under the cow\u2019s hooves.<\/p>\n Adam waved his hat and shouted at the cow, while others standing nearby rushed forward with clubs to drive her away.\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s not the way,\u201d Adam cried. \u00a0\u201cGet a rope!\u201d\u00a0 Someone did and tossed it to him.\u00a0 He quickly formed a loop and lassoed the cow; then he sprang from his horse to throw the animal and hobble her hooves.<\/p>\n Someone shouted, \u201cThat\u2019s the way to do it!\u201d and the crowd echoed with roars of approval and thunderous applause.\u00a0 Ignoring it, Adam walked over to the woman, who was modestly trying to hold the torn edges of her skirt together, lest her red petticoat excite any of the other beasts.\u00a0 \u201cAre you all right, ma\u2019am?\u201d he asked with a tip of his hat.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d\u00a0 She looked up distractedly.\u00a0 \u201cOh, yes, thank you.\u00a0 Now, what\u2019s become of that boy?\u201d<\/p>\n Adam chuckled.\u00a0 If he knew boys\u2014and he\u2019d had plenty of experience with two homegrown ones\u2014he knew just where to look.\u00a0 Sure enough, the boy, undaunted by the bruises beginning to darken his skin, was bending over the hobbled cow.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll fetch him, ma\u2019am,\u201d Adam said and with long strides reached the boy\u2019s side and scooped him up under one arm.\u00a0 Returning him to his mother, he offered to see them home and to fetch a doctor, if she wished.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, thank you,\u201d she said.\u00a0 \u201cWe ain\u2019t hurt much, and we don\u2019t live far.\u201d\u00a0 Seeing her son squirming in Adam\u2019s arms and remembering her need to hold her skirt together, she exercised a woman\u2019s prerogative to change her mind.\u00a0 \u201cWell, if\u2019n you wouldn\u2019t mind, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo trouble at all,\u201d Adam assured her.\u00a0 \u201cJust let me get my horse.\u201d\u00a0 He swung the boy around to his back and carried him piggyback over to the black gelding.\u00a0 \u201cWant to ride?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah!\u201d the youngster declared.<\/p>\n Having expected that answer, Adam was already swinging the boy into the saddle.\u00a0 He led the horse back over to the woman and then walked beside her.<\/p>\n They had gone only a few steps when a young man about Little Joe\u2019s age came running up.\u00a0 \u201cHey, wait.\u201d\u00a0 Panting at Adam\u2019s side, he said, \u201cName\u2019s Talbot.\u00a0 I work for the Alta California<\/em>.\u00a0 Like to ask a few questions.\u00a0 Can I get your names?\u201d<\/p>\n The woman gave hers, but Adam only said, \u201cJust someone passing through.\u201d\u00a0 When he refused to say more, the woman took her cue from him and also declined further interview, citing her need to get her boy home \u201cto tend his cuts.\u201d\u00a0 The reporter scowled at the man he\u2019d intended to make the hero of his article and huffily stalked back to seek some more publicity-craving subject.\u00a0 Adam delivered his charges to their home, accepted the woman\u2019s thanks and again headed back toward town.\u00a0 \u201cOnce a cowboy, always a cowboy,\u201d he chuckled to himself.\u00a0 Even on vacation, he couldn\u2019t avoid rounding up strays!<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n Little Joe stifled a groan when he saw Horace Lawrence heading toward them in the gentleman\u2019s saloon.\u00a0 All day it had seemed as though the girls\u2019 cousin had latched onto them like a tick on a hound. \u00a0All meals were spent in his company, of course; that was to be expected.\u00a0 However, he\u2019d also accompanied them on deck after breakfast, and if Joe and Eva had thought having two chaperones was bad, three seemed infinitely worse.\u00a0 Having stiff and proper Cousin Horace around was like putting a fifth leg on a dog and a wooden leg at that.\u00a0 The whole group seemed to hobble, instead of stroll, and the easy laughter they had shared was dampened by his dour frown upon anything that smacked of levity.<\/p>\n Little Joe felt certain their added appendage was the reason the girls had expressed a desire to visit with some of the other lady passengers after the noon meal, and he had meekly followed along when George suggested they mingle with the gentlemen for a change.\u00a0 Horace seemed bent on following them, and now he stood with wide-footed stance directly in front of Little Joe in a corner of the room.\u00a0 \u201cI wonder if I might have a word with you, Mr. Cartwright,\u201d he said with an air of authority that banished any thought of refusing, while igniting an intense desire to do just that.<\/p>\n \u201cUh, sure,\u201d Little Joe replied, with noticeable discomfort.\u00a0 Mr. Lawrence didn\u2019t seem exactly hostile, but the expression on his face sure wasn\u2019t friendly, either.<\/p>\n George hesitated a moment, wondering whether he should offer to leave.\u00a0 The discussion might be private, but on the other hand, he did feel responsible for Little Joe, and he, too, had noted the other man\u2019s expression.\u00a0 He decided to stay.\u00a0 He was glad he had when he heard Horace\u2019s first words.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat exactly are your intentions toward my young cousin, Mr. Cartwright?\u201d Horace demanded.<\/p>\n \u201cMy intentions?\u201d\u00a0 Little Joe gulped.\u00a0 \u201cWell, we\u2019re . . . uh . . . friends, Mr. Lawrence . . . just friends.\u201d<\/p>\n Horace\u2019s brows knitted together.\u00a0 \u201cYes.\u00a0 Well, I think that\u2019s how it should remain, don\u2019t you?\u00a0 Perhaps, rather more distant friends than has apparently been the case heretofore.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe frowned, the furrows in his brow deepening.\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t understand.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNor do I,\u201d George put in.\u00a0 \u201cHas either of us caused some offense, Mr. Lawrence?\u201d<\/p>\n Horace floundered for a moment.\u00a0 \u201cYou, Mr. Pontpier?\u00a0 Certainly not.\u00a0 You\u2019ve been a perfect gentleman, I\u2019m sure.\u00a0 My concern is directed solely toward Mr. Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe\u2019s cheeks flamed.\u00a0 \u201cAre you sayin\u2019 I ain\u2019t been a gentleman?\u201d<\/p>\n George laid a restraining hand on his young friend\u2019s arm.\u00a0 \u201cAllow me to assure you, Mr. Lawrence, that Mr. Cartwright has, indeed, comported himself as a gentleman, as I\u2019m quite certain Miss Eva would confirm.\u201d<\/p>\n Horace snorted derisively.\u00a0 \u201cMiss Eva\u2019s confirmation is scarcely to be credited on that subject.\u00a0 But surely you would agree, Mr. Pontpier, that to behave as a gentleman, one must first be one.\u201d<\/p>\n Face even hotter, Little Joe grabbed Horace by his left lapel.\u00a0 Just as he was drawing back his arm, however, George\u2019s sharp, \u201cLittle Joe!\u201d stopped him from delivering the intended punishment for the insult to both himself and Eva.<\/p>\n As the echo of surprised gasps and the movement of chairs died around them, George said with deliberate, but deadly calm, \u201cI think that remark requires explanation, Mr. Lawrence.\u201d<\/p>\n Horace readjusted his jacket.\u00a0 \u201cI should think it would be self-explanatory.\u00a0 In your present situation, Mr. Pontpier, I can understand your traveling with a manservant and even the necessity of having him sit with you at table.\u00a0 However . . .\u201d<\/p>\n George lifted a silencing hand.\u00a0 \u201cObviously, Mr. Lawrence, you have entirely misinterpreted our relationship.\u00a0 Mr. Cartwright is scarcely my manservant.\u00a0 Rather, he is a dear friend, who, knowing my need, elected to travel with me.\u201d<\/p>\n Horace ran a skeptical eye up and down Little Joe\u2019s slight frame.\u00a0 \u201cYour friend?\u00a0 Pardon my perplexity, Mr. Pontpier, but he does seem rather young to be a friend of yours.\u201d<\/p>\n George made a conceding gesture with his hand.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re correct, of course.\u00a0 It\u2019s actually his older brother whom I\u2019ve known for many years and who had originally planned to travel east with me.\u00a0 When he was unable to do so, however, this fine young man offered to take his place . . . at no small sacrifice to his personal business affairs, I might add . . . so that I would not be forced to travel alone in my \u2018present situation.\u2019\u00a0 And that, sir, is the mark not only of a gentleman, but one of great heart and honor, his youth notwithstanding.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe stifled a gulp at that speech.\u00a0 In his view, George had come close to flat-out lying about how and why he\u2019d taken Adam\u2019s place, and he couldn\u2019t help wondering what business affairs he was supposed to have sacrificed to make this completely unauthorized journey.<\/p>\n It was Horace, however, who raised the question that had formed in Little Joe\u2019s mind.\u00a0 \u201cBusiness affairs?\u00a0 But Eva called him a cowboy.\u00a0 What business affairs could a mere cowboy possibly have?\u201d<\/p>\n George forced himself to emit a laugh intended to dissipate tension, while Little Joe\u2019s attempt to also treat the question as a joke only resulted in a tentative and, therefore, twisted smile.\u00a0 \u201cA cowboy?\u201d George chuckled.\u00a0 \u201cWell, the Ponderosa does maintain a sizeable herd of cattle, certainly, and the Cartwrights are not above working with them, but I would not refer to someone who owned a quarter interest in the largest ranch in Nevada as a mere cowboy, Mr. Lawrence.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe bit his tongue and tried to keep his book-readable face from blurting out his almost automatic denial.\u00a0 Oh, it was true enough that a quarter share of the Ponderosa was his . . . or, at least, would be someday, but Pa was keeping most of that in trust until he reached his majority.\u00a0 For the time being, he earned only a ranch hand\u2019s wage.\u00a0 He was, as Eva had rightly said, just a cowboy, but if George wanted to paint a better picture for Cousin Horace, who was Joe to interfere?\u00a0 It looked to be the best way out of this miserable situation that had the eye of every man in the saloon fixed anxiously on them.<\/p>\n Horace had looked increasingly impressed as George\u2019s description progressed.\u00a0 \u201cNot\u2014surely not the ranch that supplies that excellent Ponderosa beef we enjoy in San Francisco\u2019s finest restaurants?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, we sell there and Sacramento and Placerville and, well, all over,\u201d Little Joe added with a shrug.\u00a0 \u201cI reckon it ends up in restaurants.\u00a0 I never gave it much thought.\u201d\u00a0 That final remark was plain truth, as he\u2019d always been more concerned with their beef while it was on the hoof\u2014or their own table\u2014but he had occasionally seen \u201cPonderosa beef\u201d listed on a menu and been pleased to know that their cattle had earned enough respect to warrant special mention.\u00a0 That it was as well known as this he\u2019d been completely unaware.<\/p>\n Little Joe\u2019s nonchalance only heightened his esteem in the eyes of the young San Franciscan.\u00a0 In Lawrence\u2019s experience, only the truly wealthy carried such an air of unconcern about their financial status.\u00a0 \u201cWell, that\u2014that does place things in rather a different light.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes,\u201d George said with a drawl just short of disdainful, \u201cI thought it might.\u201d<\/p>\n Horace offered them a slight bow.\u00a0 \u201cI hope you will excuse me, gentlemen.\u00a0 I felt a natural concern for my impressionable young cousin\u2019s associations, of course, but I see now that my concern was, in this instance, misplaced.\u201d<\/p>\n George regarded him from under veiled eyelids.\u00a0 \u201cI wonder that your natural concern did not lead to such a conversation much earlier, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n Horace flushed.\u00a0 \u201cYes, well, I do see your point, sir.\u00a0 Perhaps I was lax in my responsibilities, but I had made some inquiries and knew you to be a gentleman of some . . .\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSubstance?\u201d George suggested dryly.<\/p>\n The flush deepened.\u00a0 \u201cReputation,\u201d Horace countered quickly.\u00a0 \u201cTherefore, I trusted my cousins in your company, so much so that I may, indeed, have failed to provide them with the proper oversight.\u00a0 It was only when Eva\u2019s conversation seemed to indicate a growing interest in your friend . . . manservant, as I was erroneously told, you must understand . . . that I felt I must, in all conscience, intervene.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOf course,\u201d George said, his tone flat.\u00a0 He looked up at his young companion.\u00a0 \u201cJoseph, I\u2019m afraid I\u2019m feeling rather tired.\u00a0 Perhaps the effects of overindulging at the table.\u00a0 I\u2019d like to rest in my stateroom, if you wouldn\u2019t mind helping me back.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSure,\u201d Little Joe said at once.<\/p>\n \u201cCertainly,\u201d Horace all but blathered, eagerly grasping this easy exit from an embarrassing situation.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll see you at dinner, gentlemen?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cInevitably,\u201d George said.\u00a0 \u201cThat is, I\u2019m certain I\u2019ll have recovered my appetite by then.\u201d<\/p>\n Horace forced a laugh.\u00a0 \u201cIndeed.\u00a0 The cuisine is most tempting, isn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIndeed.\u00a0 Until then, Mr. Lawrence.\u201d<\/p>\n Horace grabbed his hand and pumped it and then gave the same treatment to Little Joe.<\/p>\n Only concern for George\u2019s safety kept Little Joe from racing the rolling chair across the saloon to the stateroom.\u00a0 Once inside, he exhaled a long whoosh of relief.<\/p>\n George, on the other hand, was fuming.\u00a0 \u201cThat insufferable stuffed shirt!\u201d he exploded, borrowing a phrase he\u2019d learned back on the ranch.\u00a0 \u201cOf all the bigoted, mean-spirited . . .\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEase up,\u201d Little Joe said.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ve heard worse.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut he treated you like a . . . like a . . .\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMenial?\u201d Joe asked with a wicked smile.<\/p>\n George\u2019s face reddened, although not quite to the crimson tone Horace Lawrence had earlier exhibited, at the reminder of how he had once spoken of the Cartwrights\u2019 Chinese cook.\u00a0 \u201cWell, yes.\u00a0 I suppose that is what I meant.\u00a0 I\u2019m sorry.\u00a0 Old ways of thinking die hard, my friend, but I thought you westerners were supposed to be above such things . . . more democratic and all that.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe laughed roughly.\u00a0 \u201cNot all of us.\u00a0 And Cousin Horace is, for sure, not the first man who ever wanted to match up a female relative with a rich Cartwright . . . much less a Pontpier.\u201d\u00a0 He ended the sentence with his best imitation of a hoity-toity accent and then burst out in a genuine guffaw at the sour look on George\u2019s face.<\/p>\n \u201cYou don\u2019t think . . . Miss Margaret?\u201d the older man asked, voice trailing off in a gulp past the sudden knot in his throat.<\/p>\n Little Joe laid a hand on the other man\u2019s shoulder.\u00a0 \u201cNot at all,\u201d he assured the other man.\u00a0 \u201cShe doesn\u2019t care any more about such things than Eva would.\u201d\u00a0 Seeing the relief on George\u2019s face, he smiled.\u00a0 \u201cNow, I reckon I\u2019d best help you lie down.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t be ridiculous,\u201d George snorted.\u00a0 \u201cI only said that so we could make our escape from that man.\u00a0 Just hand me my book and then go run around the deck if you like.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe offered the requested volume, but said, \u201cI think I\u2019d just as soon read awhile myself.\u00a0 That book you loaned me is pretty good.\u00a0 Okay if I bring it in here?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOf course.\u00a0 I\u2019d enjoy the company.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe trotted next door and within minutes was stretched on the couch in George\u2019s stateroom, lost in a world that had once been his father\u2019s domain.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n Adam entered the establishment on Washington, just above Kearny, in happy expectation.\u00a0 Though small and not particularly stylish, Ma Tanta\u2019s was special.\u00a0 For one thing it dated almost to the founding of San Francisco.\u00a0 The only earlier restaurants were those opened in the beached ships cluttering the Bay when the discovery of gold had driven everyone mad.\u00a0 A number of those eateries remained the best in the city, and Ma Tanta\u2019s was among them.<\/p>\n A plumpish woman with iron-gray hair bustled over to him, eyes sparkling with delight.\u00a0 \u201cAh, Monsieur<\/em> Cartwright!\u201d she exclaimed.\u00a0 \u201cHow long it has been.\u201d\u00a0 She took his face in her hands and kissed him on both cheeks, a greeting Adam returned in the same style.<\/p>\n \u201cSo long I\u2019m surprised you remember me, Ma Tanta,\u201d he said.\u00a0 Her real name was a closely guarded secret, but she had always been so warm and welcoming to him, as well as to all her other guests, that calling her \u201cmy aunt\u201d had felt natural from his first visit.<\/p>\n \u201cAh, but I never forget,\u201d she returned, wagging a finger, \u201cespecially one who graces my table with such savoir faire<\/em>.\u00a0 Come.\u00a0 You must sit near the head.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou honor me,\u201d Adam said, meaning it, as he followed her and took the seat she indicated at the long table.\u00a0 There was no menu.\u00a0 The food was served like a family meal, and, also like that, one ate what was set before him.\u00a0 But just as was true of Hop Sing\u2019s cooking, he never had to fear that it wouldn\u2019t be good, for Ma Tanta served the finest French peasant food in the city.\u00a0 It always reminded him of the meals Marie had served on the rare occasions when Hop Sing was away.<\/p>\n When it came to parties, Marie could orchestrate an elaborate meal like a master composer, but her own cooking was always simple.\u00a0 Certainly nothing to compare with Ma Tanta\u2019s, or even Inger\u2019s, but then nothing could touch the sacred memory of the woman who had showered him with the first mothering he\u2019d ever known and transformed a father shipwrecked by grief into one capable of warm, affectionate love.\u00a0 Her meals, too, had been simple peasant food to warm the heart and soul, as well as nourish the body.\u00a0 With associations like that, he wondered, why had he always thought his brothers would not enjoy dining here?\u00a0 He resolved in that moment to bring Little Joe for a meal when they passed through on their way home.<\/p>\n Ma Tanta returned from the kitchen, bearing a huge bowl of salad.\u00a0 She passed it to each guest in turn, and each served himself.\u00a0 As the hostess went back to the kitchen, a faint whiff escaped through the doorway to indicate more tantalizing things to come, so Adam was glad he\u2019d resisted the temptation to heap his plate, much as he relished fresh greens.\u00a0 Hop Sing\u2019s garden greens were already dying off in the cooler air of a Sierra autumn, and it would be a long time before they again appeared on the Ponderosa table.\u00a0 Here in California, warm weather meant a longer growing season, and the lettuce and radishes, in particular, were crisp and cold, the way he liked them best.<\/p>\n Soon Ma Tanta bustled back in with an enormous tureen of soup, which she served in the same way.\u00a0 With mounting satisfaction Adam dipped his spoon into the steaming broth and raised it filled with large chunks of root vegetables.\u00a0 Flavored with onions, celery and parsley, the soup was so hearty it almost made a meal in itself.\u00a0 In Marie\u2019s day, in fact, soup very much like this had often served as their entire supper. \u00a0Between it and the long baguettes of bread and creamy butter that accompanied the meal, no one, not even a young, growing Hoss, had ever left the table hungry.<\/p>\n Their hostess kept busy, bringing one course after another to the table: fish, entr\u00e9e, roast and dessert, a delicious dish of flamb\u00e9ed crepes.\u00a0 Finally, Ma Tanta poured black coffee for everyone, and Adam\u2019s favorite part of any meal here began as she seated herself at the table and began to lead a discussion of the topics of the day.<\/p>\n Adam felt better prepared than usual to join in.\u00a0 Oh, he did his best to keep up with national events, but news always came more slowly to Nevada than to San Francisco.\u00a0 Now, however, he\u2019d had the benefit of a ten-day stay in the city, and with little else to do, he\u2019d read the Alta California<\/em> from cover to cover each morning.\u00a0 Tonight he was conversant, not only with the upcoming presidential election and all the issues that bore upon it, but with items of strictly local interest, such as whether the Market Street Railroad Company should be allowed to operate steam cars, even though their charter dictated that only horses or mules could provide power, and whether they should hold their speed down to the required 8 miles per hour.<\/p>\n When those topics were exhausted, each of the diners shared some personal experience.\u00a0 Adam\u2019s ten days in San Francisco had also given him enough time to get over his frustration, and he was able, with just the right touch of wry humor, to relate the tale of the disastrous trail drive that had brought him here mere hours too late to board ship and how his impulsive little brother had sailed off in his place and how he would be leaving the next morning on a chase halfway around the world to bring him back.\u00a0 By the time he finished, the entire table was rollicking with laughter, laced with commiseration.<\/p>\n \u201cAh, Monsieur<\/em> Cartwright, you never fail to entertain,\u201d Ma Tanta said.<\/p>\n He raised her hand to his lips and kissed the knuckles.\u00a0 \u201cAnd you, Ma Tanta, never fail to feed both body and soul at your sumptuous table.\u201d<\/p>\n She blushed as others echoed Adam\u2019s compliment, wishing they had chosen words so apt to ingratiate themselves into her good graces.<\/p>\n When the laughter and compliments faded, a young man from the far end of the table cleared his throat and, once attention turned his way, said, \u201cIt\u2019s a shame, Mr. Cartwright, that you can\u2019t stay one more day.\u00a0 My younger brother had his first article accepted by the Alta California<\/em> this afternoon, and from what he told me, I believe it would interest you greatly.\u201d\u00a0 He went on to describe an incident his brother had observed, in which a woman and her child were almost run down by a charging cow.\u00a0 \u201cAnd would have been, but for the courageous intervention of a cowboy such as yourself, Mr. Cartwright.\u00a0 Perhaps, if you are up and about early enough you might obtain a copy before boarding your ship and derive some entertainment from it on your journey.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo doubt Mr. Cartwright could have handled the situation with even greater aplomb,\u201d another diner suggested, chuckling.\u00a0 \u201cAfter his experience on that trail drive, surely there is no trick any cow could play that he would not have faced already!\u201d<\/p>\n The table again erupted in laughter, but instead of joining in, Adam blushed so feverishly that someone guessed the truth, and soon he was being dubbed a hero by all present.\u00a0 \u201cIt was only one cow,\u201d he protested.\u00a0 \u201cThe greenest hand on the Ponderosa could have managed one cow.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMy brother was most perturbed that you wouldn\u2019t give him an interview,\u201d the man who had related the news item chided, \u201cor, at least, your name.\u00a0 It would really have impressed the editor with his reporting abilities.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam, who also had a heart for younger brothers and their ambitions, apologized quickly.\u00a0 \u201cHad I realized it was his first venture, I would have been more cooperative,\u201d he said, \u201cbut, you see, I\u2019ve had one encounter with a writer who wanted to turn my life into a dime novel, and I wasn\u2019t anxious to repeat the experience!\u201d<\/p>\n That remark, of course, only led to pleas for more tales of the adventures of Adam Cartwright, Courageous Cowman of the West, but pleading the need for an early night, he turned them deftly aside.<\/p>\n \u201cAh, but you must promise to visit me again on your return to San Francisco,\u201d Ma Tanta insisted.\u00a0 \u201cNo doubt you will have even greater adventures to tell us then, mon cher<\/em>.\u201d\u00a0 And her, Adam could not refuse.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n October 10<\/p>\n Adam rested his folded arms on the ship\u2019s rail as the Chesapeake<\/em> pulled away from San Francisco harbor.\u00a0 At last!\u00a0 He was finally on his way, richer in many ways for the delay, but anxious now to reach his journey\u2019s end and reunite with his brother.\u00a0 What, he wondered, had Little Joe felt as he stood in this same position ten days before?\u00a0 Excitement?\u00a0 Fear?\u00a0 A mixture of both, most likely, just as he himself had felt on his first journey east, to attend college.\u00a0 Every mile had offered new sights, new sounds, new challenges, but at least he\u2019d had the support of his family.\u00a0 Little Joe, on the other hand, had felt compelled to leave without their knowledge, and knowing the kid as Adam did, he could easily guess the strain that had placed on him.\u00a0 \u201cBrother\u2019s coming, little buddy,\u201d he whispered to the distant shoreline.\u00a0 Ridiculous, of course.\u00a0 Even if he had shouted, Joe couldn\u2019t have heard those words of reassurance.\u00a0 At least there\u2019d be a telegram waiting for him in New York City, but even that was more than a week away. \u00a0So, foolish as he felt, Adam again flung his whispered message eastward and prayed that, somehow, Little Joe would sense the encouragement he had no hope of actually hearing.<\/p>\n Recognizing the futility of continuing to ruminate over what he could not change, Adam turned and headed for the stairway to the lower level. \u00a0He wanted to get his stateroom set in order for his time aboard and then take a stroll around to see what amenities the ship had to offer, or, perhaps, he might meet some of his fellow passengers in the gentlemen\u2019s saloon.\u00a0 No, they were probably busy settling in, just as he planned, so he\u2019d just stretch out on his couch and start one of the new books he\u2019d purchased and wait until dinner to meet new acquaintances.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n Eva tucked her arm into the crook of Little Joe\u2019s elbow.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m glad Cousin Horace got over his fit of responsibility so quickly,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Little Joe chuckled softly.\u00a0 Horace Lawrence had not only overcome his belated sense of responsibility for his young cousin; he had all but pushed her into Little Joe\u2019s arms, urging them to \u201crun along\u201d and not be held back to the pace of their elders.\u00a0 \u201cOne of the benefits of being more than a \u2018mere cowboy,\u2019 I suppose,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Eva frowned slightly.\u00a0 \u201cDid he say that to your face?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, yeah,\u201d Little Joe said.\u00a0 \u201cThat and more.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, I never said that; at least, I don\u2019t think I did.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe shrugged.\u00a0 \u201cNo harm if you did.\u00a0 I am a cowboy and don\u2019t care who knows it.\u00a0 Like I said, though, owning a quarter share in the Ponderosa . . . someday, at least . . . has its benefits.\u201d\u00a0 It always had, of course, though more with some people than others; he favored most those who didn\u2019t care a whit more than he did.<\/p>\n Perhaps Eva guessed the train of his thoughts, for she said, \u201cI hope you don\u2019t think it matters to me.\u201d<\/p>\n He closed his left hand over the one resting on his other forearm.\u00a0 \u201cI know it doesn\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAre you sure?\u201d she asked, peering at him closely.\u00a0 \u201cYou don\u2019t seem quite yourself today, Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n He smiled a bit sheepishly.\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t feel quite myself, either.\u201d\u00a0 He hadn\u2019t the day before, either, and he\u2019d finally figured out why during this turn about the deck.\u00a0 \u201cTouch of seasickness, I guess,\u201d he said, though he hated to admit weakness.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, you poor dear,\u201d she empathized.\u00a0 \u201cWould you rather go below?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, it\u2019s not bad, honest, not like when I first came on board in San Francisco.\u00a0 I think the fresh air helps, but if you wouldn\u2019t mind sitting down . . .\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOf course!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s all this open sea, I think,\u201d he said as they settled into neighboring deck chairs.\u00a0 \u201cMy brother Hoss would say it gave him the crawly skin.\u00a0 With me, it\u2019s a crawly stomach,\u201d he added with a self-deprecating snicker.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, I know,\u201d she murmured.\u00a0 \u201cWe always had something to look at on the Pacific side of our voyage.\u00a0 Now there\u2019s just . . . nothing.\u201d<\/p>\n Joe nodded.\u00a0 \u201cAll day yesterday, all day today.\u00a0 George says we should spot land around noon tomorrow.\u201d\u00a0 He didn\u2019t add that George had also told him it wasn\u2019t much of a piece of land.\u00a0 His exact words, in fact, had been, \u201cDon\u2019t blink.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n October 11<\/p>\n Small as it was, pear-shaped Navassa Island, all two square miles of it, was a welcome sight to Little Joe\u2019s eyes as he craned over the ship\u2019s rail for a first glimpse.\u00a0 It was a wonder the North Star<\/em> didn\u2019t tip over, he thought, for virtually every passenger was leaning on the rail on that side of the ship.\u00a0 Even Cousin Horace, who had pointedly absented himself from their company the day before, stood beside Margaret and George to Joe\u2019s left, with Eva cozied up to his other side.\u00a0 \u201cIt is small, isn\u2019t it?\u201d she observed.<\/p>\n George leaned across Little Joe to chuckle, \u201cThere\u2019s a park under construction in New York City that\u2019s almost as large\u2014and about twice as appealing.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut this seems pleasant,\u201d Margaret said, \u201cespecially the ring of white cliffs surrounding it and the trees on the ground above.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDecent grassland, too,\u201d Little Joe commented.\u00a0 \u201cGood for cattle.\u201d<\/p>\n Eva tittered and whispered in his ear, \u201cSee?\u00a0 A mere cowboy, after all.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShh,\u201d Little Joe hissed softly with a glance down the line to where Horace stood.\u00a0 Lenient, not to mention downright encouraging, as Eva\u2019s chaperone had been the previous day, he didn\u2019t want her pushing their luck with any ill-advised teasing.\u00a0 Raising his voice, he said, \u201cDon\u2019t suppose there\u2019s a chance we\u2019ll put into port, just to stretch our legs.\u201d<\/p>\n George laughed aloud.\u00a0 \u201cNo port there at all, my friend, reassuring as it might be to touch United States territory again.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe own that?\u201d Little Joe asked, amazed.\u00a0 \u201cWhy?\u201d\u00a0 Sure, it was decent ground for grazing cattle . . . if you could get them there, but it was a long way from the American mainland, the closest land of any nationality being sixty miles away in Haiti or in Cuba, barely visible on the far horizon.<\/p>\n \u201cFor the guano,\u201d George said.<\/p>\n Little Joe and the ladies stared blankly at him, while Horace instinctively held a handkerchief to his nose, a purely symbolic reaction, as the only fragrance was the familiar one of sea air.<\/p>\n George reddened slightly.\u00a0 \u201cWell, to put it as delicately as I can for the ladies, guano is . . . um . . . bat droppings.\u00a0 I believe the intent is to mine it for fertilizer.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMy, isn\u2019t that . . . interesting?\u201d Margaret said, her intent obviously only to ease his discomfort.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, quite,\u201d Horace chimed in.<\/p>\n \u201cWe use horse\u2014oompf.\u201d\u00a0 Little Joe broke off abruptly at the sharp elbow in his right side.<\/p>\n \u201cCowboy, cowboy,\u201d Eva chided softly and then said, again only for his ear, \u201cCousin Horace may have swallowed a dictionary, but sometimes I think your friend George has swallowed every book ever written!\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe grinned wickedly, \u201cYou should hear my brother Adam.\u00a0 He\u2019s worse.\u201d<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n Adam rested his forearms on the rail of the Chesapeake<\/em> as she entered the Santa Barbara Channel.\u00a0 A few other passengers ambled the ship\u2019s deck, but most had remained below, victims of the infamous mal de mer<\/em>.\u00a0 For the same reason the tables had been sparsely populated, both yesterday and today, so he hadn\u2019t met many of his fellow travelers yet.\u00a0 His dining companions had been congenial enough, but not sufficiently scintillating conversationalists that he cared to seek out their company for more of the same.\u00a0 The pages of his book offered better diversion, that and memories.<\/p>\n As they\u2019d passed Monterey Bay the day before, he\u2019d remembered that Rancho Hermoso, home of old friends from the trail, lay just beyond the city.\u00a0 Odd, he mused, how rarely he visited the Paynes, whose company he genuinely enjoyed, and how frequently he found himself in the Larrimores\u2019 stifling parlor.\u00a0 Both business and pleasure took him more often to San Francisco than out-of-the-way Monterey, of course, and then he felt obliged to look in on those old trail companions.\u00a0 Convenience and obligation\u2014nothing more than that and the enticements of the big city had led him to neglect stronger ties and more pastoral pleasures.\u00a0 Maybe it was only because ten days in the big city had thoroughly satiated him, but he regretted not using part of that time to make the trip to Monterey.\u00a0 A lesson learned.\u00a0 In future, he\u2019d make a point of reversing his tendency to slight better friends for obligations to lesser ones.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n October 12<\/p>\n Little Joe was happy as a clam.\u00a0 After a hearty breakfast he escorted Eva on deck without a qualm.\u00a0 During the night they\u2019d crossed the last long stretch of open water, at least for a day or so, and slipped past the eastern edge of Cuba toward a whole string of small islands.\u00a0 With the prospect of land in sight the majority of his day, he relaxed, determined to enjoy his newfound freedom with Eva.\u00a0 She leaned over the rail as eagerly as he when the larger of the two Inaguas islands came into sight.\u00a0 \u201cOh, what beautiful birds!\u201d she exclaimed as a flock of large, brilliant pink waterfowl filled the sky above the center of the island.<\/p>\n \u201cNow, why don\u2019t these ships ever stop at places like this?\u201d Little Joe complained.<\/p>\n She turned toward him with a concerned appraisal.\u00a0 \u201cCrawly stomach again?\u201d<\/p>\n He laughed.\u00a0 \u201cNo, I feel fine.\u00a0 Just wish I could squish my bare toes in that white sand.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, I know,\u201d she sighed.\u00a0 \u201cThat would be heaven\u2014and there\u2019s so much of it!\u00a0 Well, I suppose we can\u2019t expect time to play when we\u2019re carrying the U. S. mail.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAw, what\u2019s a day more or less matter?\u201d<\/p>\n She rested her head on his shoulder.\u00a0 \u201cA day more would always be my choice,\u201d she whispered.<\/p>\n \u201cMine, too,\u201d he replied with a gentle kiss on her upturned brow.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n Adam\u2019s dining table had finally reached full population.\u00a0 In addition to the men he\u2019d already met, he was joined at noon by a banking executive whose paunch had suffered little shrinkage for fasting the last two days and a tall man in owl-rimmed spectacles with the look of a clerk, as well as a mother and her spinster daughter.\u00a0 Mrs. Parker had not actually described her daughter that way, of course, but Adam had seen enough of the breed to recognize a woman with her eye out for a man, in this case for a prospective son-in-law.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat is your profession, Mr. Clarkson?\u201d the mother asked as soon as they\u2019d given their orders to the steward.<\/p>\n The tall man cleared his throat.\u00a0 \u201cWell, ma\u2019am, I worked for D. Appleton & Company, back in the States.\u00a0 Hope to again.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh?\u201d\u00a0 Mrs. Parker looked interested.\u00a0 \u201cWill your travels enable you to add to their fine line of guidebooks?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMe, ma\u2019am?\u201d\u00a0 Mr. Clarkson almost squeaked the question; then he all but tittered his answer.\u00a0 \u201cNo, sorry, ma\u2019am.\u00a0 I didn\u2019t mean to lead you astray.\u00a0 I don\u2019t write for Appleton\u2019s; I was a salesman.\u00a0 Went west to see the elephant.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd did you?\u201d the daughter inquired.\u00a0 \u201cSee an elephant, I mean.\u00a0 Wouldn\u2019t you have fared better at a circus?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s not his meaning, Irene, darling,\u201d the mother scolded.\u00a0 \u201cWere you successful in your mining attempts, Mr. Clarkson?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI saw some color from time to time,\u201d he said, \u201cbut not enough to stay at it.\u00a0 Mining\u2019s hard on a man\u2019s health, you know, so I thought I\u2019d best go back where I belong.\u00a0 I\u2019m not much cut out for the West.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cUm.\u00a0 Unfortunate.\u201d\u00a0 The soup arrived, and for a few minutes she gave her attention to that.\u00a0 Then she cast an appraising eye across the table at the next prospect.\u00a0 \u201cAnd you, Mr. Cartwright?\u00a0 What might be your profession?\u201d<\/p>\n Adam deliberately slurped his soup with uncommon gusto.\u00a0 \u201cMe, ma\u2019am?\u00a0 I punch cows for a livin\u2019,\u201d he drawled, \u201cwhen I can get the work.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, my, how . . . interesting,\u201d she said with slow distaste, convinced now that if there were a single eligible man of means on the entire vessel, he certainly was not sharing the table with her and darling Irene.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n Little Joe and Eva spent most of the day on deck, descending only for meals. \u00a0Perhaps it was passing all those island paradises along the way, but as they reached the eastern curve of Crooked Island, the moonlight playing on white sand, or, perhaps, the threat of Cousin Horace\u2019s brief-lived opposition aroused feelings that seemed more intense than they\u2019d experienced before. One lingering kiss led to another, the intervals spent in interlocked arms.\u00a0 Maybe,<\/em> thought Joe, it is more than just friendship.\u00a0 Maybe<\/em>, but he could think no more, for her lips were again lifted toward his, inviting just one more kiss\u2014or perhaps another . . . and then another.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n The Chesapeake<\/em> was sliding past San Diego when Adam heard a throat deliberately cleared behind him.\u00a0 Turning, he saw the banker with whom he dined earlier.\u00a0 \u201cMr. Peterson,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cTaking a final constitutional before retiring for the night?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPrecisely,\u201d Peterson said.\u00a0 \u201cNow, you must tell me how a cowboy became familiar with a term such as \u2018constitutional.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n Adam grinned.\u00a0 \u201cOh, one picks up terms here and there, you know.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI do, indeed, know,\u201d Peterson said.\u00a0 \u201cYour true identity, that is.\u00a0 My compliments, sir, on your effective ruse.\u00a0 I see now why the Ponderosa has a reputation for savvy negotiation.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam pursed his lips.\u00a0 \u201cHow did you know?\u201d<\/p>\n Peterson\u2019s chin twitched.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ve met your father, so naturally I recognized the name Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAh, I see.\u00a0 Well, thank you for not revealing my \u2018ruse,\u2019\u201d Adam said.\u00a0 \u201cMay I count on your continued discretion?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCertainly, certainly,\u201d Peterson chuckled.\u00a0 \u201cSympathizing with your peril, Mr. Cartwright, you may rest assured that I won\u2019t give you away.\u00a0 However, I may not be the only person aboard who has heard of the Cartwrights and the mighty Ponderosa.\u00a0 I suspect you saw no need to disguise who you were until today.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam acknowledged it with a shrug.\u00a0 \u201cWell, for your kindness thus far, I thank you.\u00a0 May I join you on your constitutional?\u201d<\/p>\n Peterson nodded.\u00a0 \u201cIt would be a pleasure, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n October 13<\/p>\n \u201cTell me, Mr. Cartwright,\u201d Mrs. Parker inquired as she unfolded her napkin into her lap the next morning, \u201chow does a cow puncher find himself on a ship to Panama?\u00a0 I wasn\u2019t aware many cattle were raised there.\u201d\u00a0 With a night to mull over their previous conversation, she had obviously landed on the major crack in his tall tale.<\/p>\n For a moment Adam considered whether to admit his \u2018ruse,\u2019 as Peterson had called it, but decided to maintain his disguise as long as he could.\u00a0 Still, the truth, at least in part, might be the safest, most easily remembered, answer, so he said, in his best imitation of Hoss\u2019s speech patterns, \u201cMission of mercy, ma\u2019am.\u00a0 You see, my young brother took off from home, headed this way, so I sort of felt obliged to give chase.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, dear, how adventurous,\u201d Irene observed, not sounding the least approving of the unknown brother\u2019s adventurous spirit.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, miss, he\u2019s a mite young for adventure, so I thought best to fetch him home.\u201d<\/p>\n Mrs. Parker\u2019s ears seemed to rise at attention.\u00a0 \u201cHome?\u00a0 Is that where you punch your cows, Mr. Cartwright, on your own home place?\u201d\u00a0 The prospect of a landowner, however small his property, held a certain appeal.<\/p>\n Adam immediately realized the pitfall looming before him.\u00a0 \u201cUm, well, yes\u2019m, sometimes, to help out the folks.\u201d\u00a0 He laughed uneasily.\u00a0 \u201cMy pa says I\u2019ve got a wanderin\u2019 foot, though, never quite easy at home.\u201d\u00a0 Those were not exactly Ben Cartwright\u2019s words, but he had, quite truthfully, expressed concern that his eldest might never be completely content on the Ponderosa when an exciting, unexplored world lay just beyond the horizon.\u00a0 To deflect the conversation away from him again, Adam added, with a chuckle, \u201cGuess my baby brother\u2019s got one, too.\u00a0 The folks is right worried about him, so I volunteered to chase him down and drag him back by the ears, so to speak.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMercy, how will you ever find him if he\u2019s off wandering the world?\u201d Irene asked.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, he left word he was headed for Boston,\u201d Adam said quickly.\u00a0 Little Joe had, of course, left no word at all of his plans, but it hadn\u2019t been hard to figure them out.\u00a0 \u201cSo, you see, ma\u2019am, it\u2019s not the whole world I got to search, just the one town.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI should think that would be quite enough, considering the size of Boston,\u201d Mrs. Parker sniffed and turned her attention back to her breakfast.\u00a0 Apparently, Adam Cartwright was both rootless and footloose, neither of them marriageable qualities, and equally apparently, it ran in the family.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n About midmorning the North Star<\/em> moved past the southern tip of Watlings Island.\u00a0 \u201cGeorge says one of these islands we\u2019re passin\u2019 is where Columbus first set foot in the New World,\u201d Little Joe told Eva.<\/p>\n \u201cWhich one?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n Little Joe shrugged.\u00a0 \u201cSeems like no one\u2019s sure, but it might be this very one.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMmm, it\u2019s a shame we can\u2019t spend more time in such a historic spot,\u201d she murmured.\u00a0 The shimmer in her eyes made it clear that she wanted to spend time on the island for reasons that had nothing to do with history.<\/p>\n The same light shone in Little Joe\u2019s eyes as he envisioned himself, hand in hand with the beautiful girl, frolicking in the waves lapping the beach and sipping coconut juice, straight from a shared shell, beneath the palms along the shore.\u00a0 The impression only increased when they spent that afternoon slipping past a couple of other narrow islands in the Bahamas.<\/p>\n As they all dined together that evening, many significant looks were exchanged across the table, and even though they were making the same sort of exchanges themselves, both George and Margaret began to feel a heightened level of concern.\u00a0 Cousin Horace, on the other hand, looked more and more like a crafty cat anticipating the forthcoming consumption of a delectable mouse.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n October 14<\/p>\n A storm broke over the Caribbean the next day, and the queasiness Little Joe thought he\u2019d escaped laid siege and bound him to his berth.\u00a0 This time even the thought of clear broth was nauseating, and he was sure, once again, that death was stalking him, mere steps behind.<\/p>\n Though George would not have wished that misery on anyone, he could not silence the thought that there had never been a timelier storm.\u00a0 He\u2019d noticed the extra stars in Little Joe\u2019s eyes as he and Eva had walked on deck that morning before the sea began to toss\u2014whole new constellations, in fact, as Joe himself had once described his vision after falling from that infernal horse who had also broken George\u2019s leg.\u00a0 Perhaps an afternoon in his berth was exactly what young Casanova Cartwright needed to dim a few stars.\u00a0 \u201cAdam, I\u2019m trying to keep him safe\u2014and single\u2014for you,\u201d George moaned plaintively as he lay on his own berth, \u201cbut it\u2019s the toughest job I\u2019ve ever taken on!\u201d<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n As Adam wandered the sweltering streets of Manzanillo, he wondered what sins he could possibly have committed to merit the unprecedented streak of bad luck that had dogged his trail ever since he\u2019d left the Ponderosa.\u00a0 A disastrous trail drive, a miserable trip on the ill-fated Asiago<\/em>, a ten-day delay in San Francisco, and now he\u2019d been forced to book passage on the one steamship per month that put in at Manzanillo, as well as Acapulco.\u00a0 Oh, the delay was a slight one, and he was pettish to chafe at it, but it had just been delay upon delay for weeks now, until even a small one seemed intolerable.\u00a0 He couldn\u2019t even excuse his peevishness with the need to get to Joe, for his brother was perfectly safe with George.\u00a0 Logic didn\u2019t change his irritability, however, and the sweat dampening his new linen suit only made him touchier.\u00a0 Thankfully, he was soon aboard the Chesapeake<\/em> again, crawling down the coastline in his brother\u2019s long-subsided wake.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n October 15<\/p>\n Little Joe slumped over the ship\u2019s rail, eyes closed, slowly breathing in and out.<\/p>\n \u201cYou can\u2019t enjoy the view that way,\u201d George snickered.<\/p>\n \u201cMuch better this way,\u201d Little Joe insisted, \u201cunless the waves have calmed down any.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOf course, they have,\u201d George said with strained patience, \u201cas you\u2019d know if you\u2019d just look.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe cracked open a single eyelid for a tentative glance.\u00a0 The waves still gave him the \u201ccrawly stomach,\u201d as he\u2019d told Eva, but at least, no bile came up in his throat.\u00a0 \u201cAbout an inch, maybe,\u201d he grunted, but he opened both eyes and kept them firmly fixed on the far shore.<\/p>\n George laughed.\u00a0 \u201cOh, come now!\u00a0 Surely, just the sight of the dear old United States ought to warm your heart.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMy heart\u2019s been plenty warm in the Caribbean,\u201d he said with a touch of his old joviality.<\/p>\n \u201cTruer words never spoken,\u201d George said, shaking his head.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s regrettable that the girls are still not feeling well enough to come on deck.\u201d\u00a0 He secretly considered Eva and Joe\u2019s continued separation propitious; however, during the storm Margaret had also fallen prey to \u201ca slight malaise,\u201d as a green-about-the-gills Horace had phrased it.<\/p>\n Little Joe chuckled.\u00a0 \u201cYeah, I miss \u2018em, but I was talking about the heat.\u00a0 Still warm here, but not like in that island chain.\u00a0 I would\u2019ve thought the storm would cool things down more.\u201d\u00a0 He repeatedly pulled his damp shirt, pinched between two fingers, away from his chest.\u00a0 \u201cJust feels stickier.\u00a0 Is it always like this in the Atlantic?\u00a0 Stormy, I mean.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo more than your so-called Pacific always lives up to its name,\u201d George observed, \u201cbut we are headed for Cape Hatteras, and that has rather a bad reputation for storms.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe groaned.\u00a0 \u201cHow long \u2018til we\u2019re past that<\/em>?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBy tonight,\u201d George promised.\u00a0 He clapped his young friend on the shoulder.\u00a0 \u201cAnd then, my boy, it\u2019s straight on to New York!\u201d\u00a0 A series of seven bells sounded.\u00a0 \u201cOnly half an hour to luncheon.\u00a0 I\u2019d like to freshen up a bit, so would you take me down now?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSure,\u201d Joe said, stepping behind George\u2019s rolling chair.<\/p>\n \u201cI hope you\u2019ll be joining me at the table.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe took a mental inventory of his stomach.\u00a0 \u201cYeah, I\u2019ll try some soup.\u201d\u00a0 As he wheeled George toward the stairway, he dreamed longingly of stepping onto dry land in just a couple of days.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n In complete contrast to the day before, Adam\u2019s mood was as sunny as the glare on the adobe buildings of Acapulco.\u00a0 Here, at least, he had planned to stop, had even looked forward to stopping.\u00a0 Here was an attraction from which not even nubile young nymphs in their off-the-shoulder peasant blouses could deter him.\u00a0 They tried, of course, but he waved them all aside in his single-minded pursuit of his destination.\u00a0 One did manage to delay him just as he caught sight of the prize.\u00a0 She danced in close enough to drop a garland of flowers around his neck and started to dance away again, as was her custom, but long, lean fingers closed around her arm. \u00a0With his free hand Adam deftly removed the garland from his own neck and draped it around hers.\u00a0 \u201cSo much prettier when it has a pretty picture to frame,\u201d he said smoothly.\u00a0 A pout started to form on her lips, but quickly disappeared when he also slipped a silver coin into her palm and released her with a smile to dance off in search of her next target.<\/p>\n Adam moved closer to the old cathedral, examining its graceful lines and curves.\u00a0 A pity he hadn\u2019t thought to pack a sketch book, as one rarely had the opportunity to see such a fine example of ancient Spanish architecture.\u00a0 Well, surely he could find some sort of paper on board the Chesapeake<\/em> and make a rough sketch from memory.\u00a0 Ignoring the temptations offered by the prancing flower girls and the more mundane merchandise of gray-haired venders, he spent his time memorizing each detail and eagerly awaiting the moment he could capture it on paper.\u00a0 When he reached Boston, he could purchase suitable supplies and make a better copy.\u00a0 Properly embellished, it would make an excellent gift to send home.\u00a0 Hoss would enjoy seeing where he and Joe had been, especially if he included a winsome flower girl in the foreground.\u00a0 If he could get it in the mail promptly, it would make a fine Christmas gift for his long-suffering middle brother, who certainly had earned one.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n October 16<\/p>\n Adam sighed as he gave the palm-lined beach a final glance before responding to the bells\u2019 call to dinner.\u00a0 The day had seemed to drag slow feet from dawn to dusk, a sensation only heightened by the sameness of the scenery, beautiful as it was.\u00a0 If he closed his eyes for an hour, he\u2019d open them to the same sights: sand, sea and palm leaves swaying in the placid breeze.\u00a0 It made him feel as if the ship were moving about an inch an hour, and he had nothing to look forward to tomorrow except another day of the same before he could finally disembark at Panama City for the second half of his journey.\u00a0 Of course, he was already actually more than halfway to his destination, in a strict calculation of miles, but Panama marked a change of course from south to finally north, and the sense of progress that would bring made it a goal that he expectantly looked toward.\u00a0 Tomorrow\u2014at long last, tomorrow\u2014he\u2019d finally be moving toward Joe and not just away from home.\u00a0 Purely a matter of semantics, of course, but semantics could affect sentiments.\u00a0 Any well written book demonstrated that.<\/p>\n After freshening his toilet in his stateroom, he took his place at the table and had barely placed his order for roast beef with cauliflower and macaroni au gratin when Mrs. Parker spoke his name.\u00a0 \u201cYes, ma\u2019am?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you wished to travel incognito, Mr. Cartwright,\u201d she said sharply, \u201cwould you not have been wise to do so under an assumed name?\u201d<\/p>\n Adam\u2019s eyebrows drew together.\u00a0 In truth, he was traveling under an assumed name, that of his younger brother, but that was only the name on his ticket.\u00a0 To his fellow passengers, he was merely Mr. Cartwright, so he had no fear of discovery when he answered, \u201cI\u2019m not traveling incognito, Mrs. Parker.\u201d<\/p>\n She tapped her fork impatiently against the table.\u00a0 \u201cIndeed?\u00a0 I can imagine no other reason for styling yourself a simple \u2018cowpuncher\u2019 when I\u2019ve only this afternoon been told that you own one of the largest ranches in the West\u2014some thousand square miles, they say.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam darted a quick glance at Mr. Peterson, who shook his head almost imperceptibly to indicate that the information had not come from him.\u00a0 \u201cYes, well, the Ponderosa is that large, I admit,\u201d Adam said, \u201cbut my father is the actual owner.\u201d\u00a0 He shared in the ranch\u2019s profits, of course, having years ago elected to do so in lieu of salary, but the deed remained in Ben Cartwright\u2019s name.\u00a0 With the level of trust between father and son, there\u2019d never been any need to change the original documentation; it was simply understood that the Ponderosa belonged to all of them\u2014or they all belonged to it.\u00a0 Adam was never sure which.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, really, Mr. Cartwright,\u201d Mrs. Parker snorted, \u201cI do believe you are quibbling over insignificant details.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPerhaps,\u201d Adam conceded, grateful for the interruption occasioned by the arrival of their dinner plates.<\/p>\n \u201cMama, you mustn\u2019t scold,\u201d Irene Parker said.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m sure Mr. Cartwright has his reasons, and I\u2019m certain they are good ones.\u201d\u00a0 She smiled ingratiatingly across the table, while Adam concentrated on cutting his roast beef.<\/p>\n \u201cThe beef is tender, isn\u2019t it?\u201d Mr. Peterson, who had ordered the same entr\u00e9e as Adam, inserted.\u00a0 \u201cNot quite to the standard of Ponderosa beef, which I\u2019ve had the good fortune to sample, but good nonetheless.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI thank you for the compliment to the family standard,\u201d Adam said smoothly.<\/p>\n \u201cI shall order it at the next opportunity,\u201d Irene declared, looking askance at her own platter of sole and cabbage.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd perhaps the gentlemen will be good enough to point out the superior qualities of Ponderosa beef,\u201d Mrs. Parker suggested.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019d be most interested in the \u2018family standard,\u2019 Mr. Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam stabbed a floret of cauliflower, wondering as he dragged it through the sauce of his macaroni au gratin whether it would be considered indelicate to emphasize the role good manure played in fertilizing his father\u2019s favorite alfalfa field.\u00a0 If it discouraged further contemplation of the ranch\u2019s possibilities as a potential honeymoon home for darling Irene, it might well be worth the risk of being labeled less than a gentleman.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n As the North Star<\/em> slipped into New York harbor, George and Margaret said their final goodbyes, reluctant to separate, but each certain of meeting again, hopefully soon.\u00a0 A short distance away Little Joe and Eva stood facing each other, each clasping both of the other\u2019s hands.\u00a0 Her eyes were awash with tears, while he was certain that the dampness in his own was merely a sympathetic reflection of her emotion.\u00a0 As his arms closed around her, he told himself he was only taking advantage of a good opportunity to hold a beautiful girl.\u00a0 He knew from experience that he had enough Lothario in him to do that, but when he felt her trembling against him, his embrace instinctively tightened in genuine comfort and Lothario transformed into someone more closely resembling Brother Hoss.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, Joe,\u201d she sighed.\u00a0 \u201cI wish this trip could last forever.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe couldn\u2019t share that sentiment.\u00a0 He could scarcely wait to set foot on solid land again, but, again instinctively, he said the right words: \u201cI\u2019ll miss you, too,\u201d and was surprised by how sincerely he meant them.\u00a0 He\u2019d told himself again and again that Eva was merely someone with whom to while away a long journey, but he realized, more deeply than before in these final moments together, that she\u2019d become more than that.\u00a0 She\u2019d become, perhaps not a sweetheart, but certainly someone he cared about, at the very least a close personal friend.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m so scared,\u201d she whispered with a furtive glance to make sure no one else overheard.<\/p>\n Surprised, for Eva hadn\u2019t shown an ounce of any sort of squeamishness aboard ship, Little Joe asked, \u201cOf what?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFinishing school,\u201d she confided with a shudder.\u00a0 \u201cI never wanted to come east, Little Joe.\u00a0 It was all Mama\u2019s idea; she wants to make ladies of us.\u00a0 Margaret will do well, I\u2019m sure\u2014she\u2019s already a lady\u2014but I\u2019ll never fit in with these eastern snoots.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe understood the feeling all too well.\u00a0 He had concerns, as well, about how he\u2019d fit into eastern society, but he quickly said, \u201cAw, you\u2019ve got nothing to worry about, Eva.\u00a0 You\u2019re already a lady, same as Margaret.\u00a0 No eastern snoot can lay a finger on you, so don\u2019t ever let \u2018em make you feel like you\u2019re less than we know you are.\u201d\u00a0 He lifted her tucked chin.\u00a0 \u201cHold your head up, little western gal; you got nothing to fret about.\u201d<\/p>\n Eva smiled up at him.\u00a0 \u201cHow is it you always know just what to say?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t,\u201d Little Joe said, gently stroking her cheek.\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t know how to say goodbye.\u00a0 I\u2019d say \u2018so long,\u2019 except I don\u2019t know when we\u2019ll ever meet again.\u201d\u00a0 The thought pinched harder than he\u2019d ever thought it would.<\/p>\n \u201cGeorge said something about inviting us for Christmas,\u201d Eva confided.\u00a0 \u201cOf course, Mama and Papa will have to approve, but I\u2019m certain Cousin Horace will support the plan, and I suspect they\u2019ll listen to him.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, I\u2019m certain,\u201d Little Joe chuckled.\u00a0 \u201cWell, that\u2019s great for George and Margaret, but I\u2019ll be long gone by Christmas.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, I suppose so,\u201d she sighed again.\u00a0 Then, with effort, she brightened.\u00a0 \u201cBut you\u2019ll write to me, won\u2019t you?\u00a0 George has our address.\u201d<\/p>\n He winced.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m not much hand at letter writing, Eva.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, Joe, please,\u201d she urged.\u00a0 \u201cIt will help me so much . . . to feel less alone.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll try,\u201d he said, \u201cbut don\u2019t expect pure poetry.\u00a0 That\u2019s my brother Adam\u2019s territory, not mine.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t want poetry,\u201d she laughed.\u00a0 \u201cI expect to be drowning in it at that tiresome old finishing school.\u00a0 Just tell me how you get on with your own set of eastern snoots.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMaybe they won\u2019t be,\u201d Little Joe said, fairness outweighing whatever fears he felt.\u00a0 \u201cGeorge ain\u2019t, and it\u2019s his family I\u2019ll be with.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTell me all about them, then.\u201d\u00a0 She leaned closer to whisper in his ear.\u00a0 \u201cAfter all, they may become part of my family, the way things are going.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe nodded.\u00a0 The only people on board who seemed to be having more trouble parting than he and Eva were George and Margaret.<\/p>\n Ultimately, it was Cousin Horace who pointed out that they were at risk of becoming the last to leave the ship.\u00a0 \u201cAnd we aren\u2019t captains, and it isn\u2019t even sinking,\u201d he quipped dryly.<\/p>\n Weak smiles met the feeble joke, but they all dutifully filed down the gangplank and said one last final farewell.\u00a0 Both George and Little Joe were so fixed on the departing figures of the Lawrence sisters that neither of them, at first, heard the call of a messenger boy: \u201cTelegram for Mr. Cartwright!\u00a0 Mr. Adam Joseph Cartwright!\u201d<\/p>\n The name caught George\u2019s attention first.\u00a0 He reached up to pluck his companion\u2019s sleeve.\u00a0 \u201cJoe, I think that\u2019s you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHuh?\u201d Joe said.<\/p>\n \u201cTelegram for Mr. Adam Joseph Cartwright!\u201d\u00a0 The words registered with Little Joe this time, but his forehead creased with puzzlement.\u00a0 \u201cAdam Joseph?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n \u201cOdd, I admit,\u201d George agreed, \u201cbut I think it has to be you, my boy.\u00a0 There is no other Cartwright aboard.\u201d\u00a0 He raised his hand and called, \u201cHere!\u201d<\/p>\n The messenger made his way through the crowd of departing passengers and those meeting them on shore.\u00a0 \u201cMr. Cartwright?\u201d he inquired when he finally spied the man in the rolling chair.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s this gentleman,\u201d George said, slipping the man a coin to reward his efforts.<\/p>\n \u201cVery good, sir, and thank you, sir.\u201d\u00a0 He handed the telegram to Little Joe and began to weave his way back through the crowd.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, open it,\u201d George insisted.<\/p>\n Scratching his head, Little Joe tore open the envelope and scanned the contents before handing it on to George:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n STAY PUT<\/p>\n STOP<\/p>\n I\u2019M COMING<\/p>\n STOP<\/p>\n OLDER BROTHER<\/p>\n FULL STOP<\/p>\n <\/p>\n George broke into a wide smile.\u00a0 \u201cAdam\u2019s coming!\u201d he cried.\u00a0 \u201cWhat wonderful news!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFor you,\u201d Little Joe moaned.\u00a0 \u201cI thought I could avoid a raking over the coals until I got home.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s not why he\u2019s coming, you little fool,\u201d George chided.\u00a0 \u201cHe\u2019s concerned about you.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe smiled wryly.\u00a0 \u201cYeah.\u00a0 I sort of figure he\u2019s gonna be addressing that concern to the seat of my britches.\u201d<\/p>\n George laughed as he punched the boy\u2019s arm.\u00a0 \u201cAnd well deserved if he does.\u00a0 Come along, you scamp, and see if you can\u2019t hire us a carriage to the hotel.\u201d<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n \u201cWhy, dear Mr. Cartwright,\u201d Irene Parker exclaimed as she approached the handsome young man at the rail.\u00a0 \u201cHow fortuitous to meet you here.\u00a0 Out for a final stroll beneath the stars, are you?\u201d<\/p>\n Adam moaned inwardly, but managed a polite smile for the lady, although her sudden appearance on deck, unescorted, after dark, was not the sort of behavior in which ladies normally indulged.\u00a0 She must truly be desperate to engage . . . well, given her impending old-maid status, to engage herself to any reasonably suitable man.\u00a0 \u201cA little fresh air before retiring for the night,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, yes, my thoughts exactly.\u201d\u00a0 She worked her fingers into the crook of his elbow.\u00a0 \u201cDo you mind if I join you?\u201d<\/p>\n He did mind, immensely, but saw no gentlemanly way to refuse.\u00a0 It was all too obvious, now that the Parkers knew of the wealth and status of the Cartwrights of the Ponderosa, that he\u2019d become the target he\u2019d feared from his first meeting with mother and daughter.\u00a0 Suddenly, New York City and its promised release from the leech on his arm seemed much further than mere miles could measure.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n Swallowed up in Adam\u2019s nightshirt, Little Joe perched in the window of his room at the 5th<\/sup> Avenue Hotel.\u00a0 A rueful smile lifted one side of his mouth as he recalled his last such vigil.\u00a0 That, too, had been in a hotel window, back in San Francisco, and then, too, he\u2019d been thinking of Adam.\u00a0 He\u2019d been hoping and praying throughout that long, sleepless night that his brother would come by morning, but he didn\u2019t bother with prayers this night.\u00a0 For one thing, there was no way Adam could get here that quickly; steamships just didn\u2019t make the trip every day.\u00a0 Even if they had, there was no point in praying unless a man knew what to pray for.\u00a0 Any familiar face would have thrilled Little Joe\u2019s homesick heart, Adam\u2019s no less than Pa\u2019s or Hoss\u2019s.\u00a0 Well, maybe a little less than Pa\u2019s; there was no one like Pa to fill up an empty heart, but Adam would have worked just fine for that.\u00a0 On the other hand, Adam was much more likely than either Pa or Hoss (way more likely than Hoss!) to lay the heavy hand of judgment on him, and there was no way Little Joe could pray for that to come a minute sooner.<\/p>\n So, Joe perched tonight, not for a prayerful vigil, but to stare at the forest of tall buildings outlined against the dark sky.\u00a0 He\u2019d never seen the like of it before, not even in San Francisco, and frankly, he figured he could have died content without ever seeing it, without ever feeling this closed in and breathless.\u00a0 This forest didn\u2019t give off the fragrant scent of pine on the breeze that always refreshed him, no matter how tired he might feel; this forest, what little he could sniff of it through the barely cracked window, seemed almost void of scent, except for a faint whiff of smoke, wafting from a thousand chimneys or more.\u00a0 George had apologized that they\u2019d only be here one night, not enough to show him the marvelous sights of New York City, but Little Joe figured he\u2019d seen all he cared to on the short carriage trip here from the wharf.<\/p>\n Why anyone would want to live, packed tight, in a place like this was beyond him, but lots of folks obviously did.\u00a0 Adam had once been one of them and could so easily be again, Little Joe feared.\u00a0 Keeping his brother far from that temptation had been the silver lining amidst all the seasickness and fear of the unknown and dread of the repercussions once he got back home.\u00a0 Joe would like to have said that the East had nothing to offer, but he had to admit he\u2019d enjoyed eating in the elegant (and ridiculously expensive) restaurant George had treated him to for supper.\u00a0 Delmonico\u2019s had, by far, the finest French cuisine he\u2019d ever tasted, and that sort of food always warmed him inside and out with memories, however vague, of his beloved mother.\u00a0 And, for Adam, cities like New York and Boston offered more than just fancy food.\u00a0 He could feast on opera and classical music and art museums and high-brow playacting every night, instead of once in a blue moon, like he settled for back home.<\/p>\n Just thinking about all those temptations and how they might lead his brother astray, now that he was sure to be exposed to them again, kept Little Joe wakeful for several hours, despite George\u2019s warning that they\u2019d need to rise early to catch the train, but weariness eventually set him yawning.\u00a0 He crawled under the sheets and sank into the comfort of the down-filled mattress and pillows.\u00a0 Although at first it felt odd not to have the bed swaying beneath him, he soon drifted off.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n October 17<\/p>\n It was half-past seven when the hired carriage deposited George and Little Joe in front of the depot at the corner of 4th<\/sup> Avenue and 27th<\/sup> Street.\u00a0 Though it was only a few blocks from their hotel, a distance Little Joe would gladly have walked, it was too far for George, even in his rolling chair.\u00a0 Getting that thing in and out of a carriage was a nuisance, and it probably wouldn\u2019t fit well on the train, either, but Joe dutifully maneuvered it up the steps to the ticket office.\u00a0 From that point George took over.\u00a0 As the man with both the experience and the money, it only made sense.<\/p>\n Though they\u2019d rushed through breakfast as if time were short, they\u2019d actually arrived early.\u00a0 \u201cI hope you don\u2019t mind taking the morning train,\u201d George said as they sat in the waiting room.\u00a0 \u201cThe evening route is more comfortable, of course, but I am anxious to get home.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe shrugged.\u00a0 \u201cEither one\u2019s fine with me.\u00a0 I hear they got sleepin\u2019 cars in some trains.\u00a0 Is that what you meant by more comfortable?\u201d<\/p>\n George chuckled.\u00a0 \u201cWell, sleeping is what I meant, yes, but not on a train.\u00a0 We would have taken the evening boat to Fall River and then boarded the train for Boston.\u00a0 Since it doesn\u2019t leave until 5 p.m., sleeping accommodations are provided, of course.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe\u2019s eyes narrowed as he cast a side glance at the other man.\u00a0 \u201cA boat?\u201d he squawked, bile rising in his throat at the suggestion.\u00a0 \u201cHow could you even think of putting us on another boat, George?\u201d<\/p>\n At that, George positively guffawed.\u00a0 \u201cWell, knowing your great love for seafaring, I thought you\u2019d want to extend the experience as long as possible.\u00a0 It really is more comfortable to sleep away a good portion of the journey, but I selfishly elected to speed home via the railroad.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBe selfish all you want,\u201d Little Joe snorted, \u201cso long as it\u2019s on land.\u201d<\/p>\n A porter entered just then to announce that the New York and New Haven Railroad was now boarding.<\/p>\n \u201cThat us?\u201d Little Joe asked, seeing George straighten in his chair.\u00a0 \u201cI thought we were going to Boston.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cVia New Haven, Hartford, Springfield and more,\u201d George said.\u00a0 \u201cTrains wait for no man, my boy, so let\u2019s get on board.\u201d<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n Adam was aboard the little tugboat Taboga<\/em>, which would take him from the Chesapeake<\/em> to the train depot in Panama City.\u00a0 By skillful maneuvering he\u2019d managed to avoid the same boatload as the Parker ladies.\u00a0 Hopefully, by the time he boarded the train, they\u2019d already be seated, and he could easily avoid taking his own place anywhere near them.<\/p>\n The boat docked and he dawdled his way toward the train.\u00a0 He paused for a longing look at the city, wishing he could walk its ancient streets and savor the architecture of its cathedral, as he had in Acapulco, but trains waited for no man.\u00a0 Finally, realizing that his choice of seats grew more limited with each passenger who boarded before him and fearing that, however unlikely, \u00a0his only option might be next to the man-hungry women, he hurried onto the train and breathed a sigh of relief as he spied the objects of his avoidance and took a seat as far from them as possible.<\/p>\n He settled in for the four-hour journey, relishing the delightful tropical scenery as much as the other passengers oohing and ahhing over each colorful blossom, bright-feathered bird or monkey cavorting through the trees.\u00a0 After the slow, almost lazy days on the steamship, he felt as though he were racing across the isthmus, the train gobbling up miles like a voracious beast.\u00a0 Watching the jungle flash past, he wondered what would come of all the talk of a transcontinental railroad and how it might change transportation across the United States.\u00a0 On this frantic chase after his brother he would have welcomed the decrease in travel time a railroad could provide.\u00a0 Had this been, however, the pure pleasure trip he\u2019d originally envisioned, the slower steamboat would probably have been preferable.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n After about three hours on the train Little Joe began to understand the appeal of taking the steamer route.\u00a0 Not only could he have slept through most of the journey, but he could have avoided the hassle of getting both himself and George and all their gear transferred to a second rail line.\u00a0 Well, maybe not, since he\u2019d have had to change from boat to train, but the seating was bound to be less crowded aboard ship and having some place to walk other than the narrow aisle would have kept him less fidgety.\u00a0 Thank goodness the railroad handled their checked luggage, so he didn\u2019t have to wrestle with two heavy trunks, in addition to carpetbags, crutches and the rolling chair.\u00a0 Once all that and George were comfortably settled aboard the New Haven, Hartford and Springfield Railroad, he stole a few minutes to stretch his legs before the whistle blew and hopped on board, just in time to ease George\u2019s anxiety that he\u2019d be left behind.<\/p>\n The journey wasn\u2019t even half done, here in New Haven, but though his body was tired of traveling, Little Joe frankly wished he could extend the trip beyond the eight or nine hours George had predicted.\u00a0 He had assured Eva that George\u2019s folks would probably be as friendly as he himself, but the closer Joe came to Boston, the less sure he felt of his welcome.\u00a0 After all, he was arriving, unannounced, on their doorstep.\u00a0 Worse than that, they were expecting Adam, and he and his older brother had next-to-nothing in common.\u00a0 Adam, with his education and sophistication, always fit in just fine with fancy folks, while Little Joe tended to feel like his collar had suddenly shrunk two sizes when he had to mingle with the posh people of Virginia City or, worse yet, San Francisco.\u00a0 He had a real fear that even those people would seem like rubes to Bostonians, much less a country boy like him.\u00a0 He finally voiced his concern to George, concluding, with an uneasy laugh, \u201cWell, maybe they won\u2019t mind.\u00a0 I guess one Cartwright is pretty much like another, huh?\u201d<\/p>\n His perverse mood still prevailing, George pretended to give the matter serious consideration before finally say, \u201cActually, I\u2019ve come to feel that each Cartwright is pretty much nothing like any of the others.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe grimaced as the truth of that remark struck him.\u00a0 All three Cartwright brothers were as different from each other as night and day\u2014well, maybe just a daybreak-and-noontime difference between him and Hoss\u2014but, still, no one who didn\u2019t already know ever took them for brothers at first glance.\u00a0 They didn\u2019t look like kin, and a lot of the time they didn\u2019t even act like they\u2019d been raised in the same house.\u00a0 And as for Pa\u2014well, each of his sons reflected some sliver of his image, but none of them was a mirror image.\u00a0 Not that anyone ever could be, \u2018cause Pa was a man without equal.<\/p>\n Seeing the somber mood of his companion, a boy whose normal attitude was lighthearted and laughing, George laid a consoling hand on Little Joe\u2019s arm.\u00a0 \u201cMy parents will welcome you with open arms,\u201d he promised, \u201cespecially when I tell them all you\u2019ve done for me.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe smiled tentatively.\u00a0 Wonder what they\u2019ll think when they find out what I did to him<\/em>, he mused, the image of Meteor flashing into his mind.\u00a0 It was days later before he realized that George had not included his sister in that promise of welcome.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n As soon as the train stopped at the end of the line, Adam sprinted toward town with all the urgency of a little boy in need of the outhouse after a long Sunday sermon.\u00a0 After four hours he had that need, of course, but it could wait.\u00a0 His greater goal was simply to get away.\u00a0 He wanted to take a stroll about the town before boarding the new ship, and he wanted, desperately, to take it unencumbered by anyone frilly attached to his elbow.\u00a0 As his seat was near the exit, he safely made his getaway and was soon walking the unpromising streets of Aspinwall.\u00a0 The town had none of the charm of its sister on the other end of the railroad and definitely none of its history or architectural interest, for it was the creation of the railroad, built on a swampy, alligator-infested island only ten or so years before.<\/p>\n Adam pitied anyone ever detained here overnight.\u00a0 The only hotels available were constructed with a flimsy framework of pine boards, completely unlike the Ponderosa\u2019s solid log structure, and he had a feeling the meals would be of commensurate worth.\u00a0 All this and mosquitoes, too.\u00a0 With a shudder he turned his steps toward the wharf and climbed aboard the Ariel<\/em>.\u00a0 He moaned as he reached the deck and found two ladies waiting there.<\/p>\n \u201cAh, dear Mr. Cartwright,\u201d Mrs. Parker said, \u201cwe were concerned that some mishap had detained you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThank you for your concern,\u201d Adam said, \u201cbut as you can see, I\u2019m fine.\u00a0 I was merely stretching my legs before boarding.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHad I but known, I would have accompanied you,\u201d Irene announced.\u00a0 \u201cI would have enjoyed seeing the sights of Aspinwall.\u201d\u00a0 She did not add \u201cwith you,\u201d but the additional phrase was clearly inferred by the batting of her eyes.<\/p>\n \u201cBelieve me, you didn\u2019t miss anything,\u201d Adam assured her.\u00a0 \u201cIt isn\u2019t much of a town.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe enjoyment would have been in the company, of course,\u201d the girl returned smoothly, apparently fearing her eyes had not communicated as well as hoped.<\/p>\n Adam nodded his head in silent acceptance of the compliment, which spared him the necessity of returning it.<\/p>\n \u201cI believe we are again dining together,\u201d Mrs. Parker told him.\u00a0 \u201cIsn\u2019t that fortuitous?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, isn\u2019t it?\u201d\u00a0 Adam was not sure, and never could be, whether that seating was simple convenience on the part of the steamship line or whether it was the result of crafty maneuvering by the woman who clearly dreamed of becoming his mother-in-law.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n Huddled inside his lightweight green jacket, Little Joe stood before the massive stone steps, leading up to a wide double door.\u00a0 He craned his neck back, trying to see the top of the red brick building and whistled as he counted four floors, including the street-level one, with a couple of dormer windows bowing out above the fourth that probably went with a cloud-high bedroom.\u00a0 Each tall window, as well as the front door, had some sort of fancy stonework over it, just for show.\u00a0 \u201cQuite a place,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s home,\u201d George said, \u201cno different than the Ponderosa.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe looked askance at him.\u00a0 The place was palatial.\u00a0 He immediately thought how proud Miss Jones would be of him for remembering that twenty-dollar word from some long-ago vocabulary list. \u00a0He\u2019d never needed it before, but nothing else would come close to describing this house, and if George didn\u2019t know that, he was some kind of fool.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s some different,\u201d he finally said.\u00a0 \u201cWho do you put in all them rooms?\u201d<\/p>\n George laughed.\u00a0 \u201cYou should talk.\u00a0 How many extra bedrooms does the Ponderosa have?\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe gave him a sheepish grin.\u00a0 \u201cMore than we need for just us,\u201d he admitted, \u201cbut folks do need a place to stay when they\u2019re too far from home to make it there by nightfall.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019d like to show you the inside, as well,\u201d George said wryly.<\/p>\n Little Joe laughed.\u00a0 \u201cOkay, I can take a hint.\u201d\u00a0 He plopped his carpetbag into George\u2019s lap, swiveled the rolling chair so he could back it up the steps and soon had it at the front door.\u00a0 He had only tapped the knocker a single time when the door was opened by a man in a dark suit.\u00a0 \u201cMr. Pontpier?\u201d he asked tentatively.<\/p>\n \u201cIndeed, not.\u201d\u00a0 The man\u2019s face registered momentary surprise at sight of the man in the chair, but he recovered quickly and said, \u201cMaster George!\u00a0 Welcome home, sir.\u201d\u00a0 He swung the door wide, and Little Joe wheeled his friend inside.<\/p>\n \u201cThank you, Horace,\u201d George said.\u00a0 He indicated the carpetbag in his lap.\u00a0 \u201cCould you please see that this is placed in the guest room prepared for Mr. Cartwright?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCertainly, sir,\u201d the butler said, relieving the young master of his burden and taking, as well, George\u2019s own carpetbag.\u00a0 He moved toward the stairs.<\/p>\n A rustle of skirts announced the arrival of two women and a tall, well-dressed man who looked exactly like an older, slimmer copy of George himself.\u00a0 \u201cGeorge, darling,\u201d said the older of the two women, hurrying to kneel before him, \u201cwhatever has happened to you?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cA slight accident, Mother, nothing to worry about,\u201d he assured her.\u00a0 \u201cThe leg\u2019s broken, but well on the mend.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNow, you see,\u201d scolded the younger woman, \u201cthis is exactly why I objected to your making that ill-timed trip to the West.\u201d<\/p>\n George\u2019s eyes twinkled playfully.\u00a0 \u201cYou predicted I would break a leg, Madeleine?\u00a0 I never realized you were clairvoyant.\u201d<\/p>\n The girl flushed.\u00a0 \u201cI predicted you would be delayed and endanger your being here for the anniversary.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, you were wrong,\u201d her brother said.\u00a0 \u201cI have obviously made it home in time for the party.\u201d<\/p>\n His father clapped a hand on his shoulder.\u00a0 \u201cSo you have, my boy, so you have.\u201d<\/p>\n Madeleine ran an appraising glance up and down the figure of the rustically clothed youth standing awkwardly beside her brother.\u00a0 \u201cWell, what are you gawking at, boy?\u00a0 Have you not been paid for your services or were you hoping for a larger tip?\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe\u2019s mouth dropped open, but he could think of nothing to say.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s not a servant, Madeleine,\u201d George said, mouth twitching.\u00a0 \u201cThis is our houseguest.\u00a0 May I introduce Mr. Joseph Cartwright?\u00a0 Little Joe, my parents, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Pontpier and my sister Madeleine.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe swept his hat from his head.\u00a0 \u201cPl-pleased to meet you, sir . . . ma\u2019ams.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut\u2014but your letter said . . . Adam,\u201d Madeleine stammered, her disappointment obvious.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a long story,\u201d George said, \u201cbest told after we\u2019ve settled in, but in short, Adam was unable to come, and since I needed assistance on the journey, this young fellow volunteered to take his brother\u2019s place.\u201d<\/p>\n George\u2019s mother rose to her feet.\u00a0 \u201cWhy, how thoughtful,\u201d she declared, approaching Little Joe and kissing him on both cheeks.\u00a0 \u201cThank you so much, Mr. Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, ma\u2019am,\u201d he said, \u201cit was the least I could do, seein\u2019 as how . . .\u201d<\/p>\n George\u2019s loud clearing of his throat cut off Little Joe\u2019s intended explanation.<\/p>\n \u201cWe were just sitting down to tea,\u201d Mrs. Pontpier said.\u00a0 \u201cWill you join us or would you prefer to rest from your journey?\u201d\u00a0 Her gray eyes swept from one traveler to the other.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, thanks, ma\u2019am.\u00a0 I\u2019m not thirsty,\u201d Little Joe said.<\/p>\n Everyone stared at their young guest.\u00a0 Then Madeleine said, \u201cI suppose westerners aren\u2019t familiar with the social tradition of teatime.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, you meant the meal,\u201d Little Joe said, crimson creeping up his neck.\u00a0 \u201cThey served that on ship; I just figured folks on land were too busy workin\u2019 to eat an extra meal in the middle of the afternoon.\u00a0 I mean, we are at home, but I reckon when folks are as rich as you, they don\u2019t . . . have . . . to . . . work.\u201d\u00a0 He bit his lower lip, stared at the floor and then lifted his head to look forthrightly at his hosts.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m sorry.\u00a0 That was an awful thing to say.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s quite all right,\u201d Mr. Pontpier said.\u00a0 \u201cAs you surmised, tea is becoming more difficult for those who must travel into the city proper for work.\u00a0 However, my employment is nearby, and as they say, I keep banker\u2019s hours, so we maintain the older tradition of tea.\u00a0 The ladies like it.\u201d<\/p>\n Mrs. Pontpier touched Little Joe\u2019s elbow.\u00a0 \u201cNow that you understand the question better, will you join us for tea, Mr. Cartwright?\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe shook his head.\u00a0 She was being kind; they all were, but he was embarrassed and wanted nothing more than to escape to whatever room they planned to stow him in.\u00a0 \u201cNo, thank you, ma\u2019am.\u00a0 I\u2019m really not hungry.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGeorge?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll take tea, of course,\u201d George said.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m positively famished!\u00a0 You know how difficult it is to obtain proper nourishment on a long train ride.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe stared at him in disbelief.\u00a0 He\u2019d managed to get ham sandwiches and hard-boiled eggs for both of them at one of the stations, and there\u2019d been boys walking up and down the aisles with baskets of apples and hand-held pies all through the journey\u2014certainly more than he\u2019d ever had offered on a stagecoach!\u00a0 He\u2019d felt full-up with the nourishment available on the train, and George had eaten at least twice as much as he had.<\/p>\n George\u2019s mother laughed lightly.\u00a0 \u201cMy poor boy.\u201d\u00a0 She turned to the butler, who had just returned.\u00a0 \u201cHorace, would you please show Mr. Cartwright to the room we prepared for his brother?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCertainly, madame.\u00a0 This way, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n Just as Little Joe was mounting the broad spiral stairway, he heard Madeleine say, \u201cReally insufferable.\u201d\u00a0 She probably hadn\u2019t meant to be overheard, but her piercing voice carried.<\/p>\n \u201cI found his openness and naivet\u00e9 refreshing,\u201d her father said, loud enough that he, quite possibly, had meant to be overheard.\u00a0 Whether more was said, Little Joe never knew, for he passed out of ear range.\u00a0 He followed the butler up two flights of stairs and entered the room to which the man opened the door.<\/p>\n \u201cWill there be anything else, sir?\u201d Horace inquired.\u00a0 On assurance that nothing was needed, he added, \u201cI\u2019ll send your trunk up as soon as it arrives from the station, sir, and if you desire assistance in unpacking it\u2014or require anything else, simply pull the bell.\u201d\u00a0 He indicated a tapestry pull near the bed.\u00a0 \u201cDinner will be at eight, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe heaved a heavy sigh of relief once he was alone.\u00a0 He stood in the middle of the room and with a low whistle surveyed his new domain.\u00a0 The size alone was staggering.\u00a0 The bedrooms at the Ponderosa were good-sized, larger than those in most of his friends\u2019 homes, in fact, but this one dwarfed them.\u00a0 The four-poster bed was massive, big enough for three or, maybe even four fellows Joe\u2019s size.\u00a0 He had thought the one at the hotel represented the height of luxury, but he\u2019d obviously been wrong.\u00a0 The mattress here was thicker than any he\u2019d ever seen, and it was piled with four fluffy feather pillows.<\/p>\n He walked around the room, running his hand over the smooth, polished walnut of the bed and the cool, marble top of the dressing table, opening the tall armoire, before which sat his carpetbag, and fiddling with the writing materials on the desktop, until he finally came to the window. He pulled aside the drapes and looked out the window, pleased to see that it overlooked the oval park he\u2019d seen when they arrived.\u00a0 His forehead wrinkled in curiosity, however, as he saw the decorative cast iron grating outside the window.\u00a0 So, there was a balcony.\u00a0 Only it was so shallow that there wasn\u2019t really room for a man to go out on it.\u00a0 Just for show, then.\u00a0 Easterners really went in for show.<\/p>\n He fingered the thick, green damask drapes as he closed them.\u00a0 They\u2019d keep out the cold, for sure.\u00a0 Not that it was cold in the room.\u00a0 A fire had been lit in the marble-mantled fireplace, and while that struck Joe as odd, this early in the evening, he was grateful.\u00a0 He\u2019d been shivering all through this gray, damp day, though he\u2019d tried to hide it from George.\u00a0 His green jacket wasn\u2019t heavy enough for the fall weather here in New England, but it was all he had, except for his suit coat.\u00a0 In this room, however, he felt warm enough to take it off. \u00a0Still, he\u2019d need something warmer, unless he stayed indoors all the time and that was unthinkable.\u00a0 Maybe, he mused as he gave in to a wide yawn, Adam had packed a winter coat in his trunk.\u00a0 Like all his brother\u2019s clothes, it would be too large, but coats didn\u2019t need to fit snugly to keep a fellow warm.\u00a0 He hadn\u2019t dug that deeply in the trunk before, but he\u2019d check when it arrived.\u00a0 For now, that bed looked too inviting to resist.\u00a0 He\u2019d gone to bed late the night before and awakened earlier than he liked, so he pulled off his boots, stretched out on top of the satin spread and was soon oblivious to all Eastern luxury except the softness of the welcoming mattress.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n The sun was just setting, and the ocean was aglow with shimmering red-orange ripples.\u00a0 The Ariel<\/em> was underway at last, headed for . . . Adam was surprised by the word that sprang into his thoughts: home.\u00a0 It was odd, but he felt as though he were headed home, not away from it.\u00a0 Certainly, the Ponderosa was his home\u2014by heritage, by choice, by inclination . . . yet the East was home, too.\u00a0 Maybe that explained the restlessness he often felt: home lay in two opposite directions, and he was constantly being pulled one way or the other.<\/p>\n Then a soft smile touched his lips.\u00a0 It wasn\u2019t the pull of the East he was feeling; it was simply that he was headed toward Joe.\u00a0 Maybe for some people, home was a place; for him, it was family.\u00a0 Maybe it was all that time when home was just a wagon and Pa had been his whole world, but for Adam, Pa was home and Hoss was home, and now, lying ahead of him, it was Little Joe tugging him homeward, just as the three of them had pulled him back from the East years ago.<\/p>\n He knew he\u2019d feel the same tug when he headed back the opposite direction; in fact, he\u2019d feel it more strongly, because then his brother would be at his side, both of them yearning to be back on the Ponderosa.\u00a0 A lot of days and a lot of miles lay ahead before he reached that final destination, but any way you looked at it, Adam was headed home.\u00a0 Then, laughing at how philosophical he\u2019d become in the fading light, he took a final stroll around the deck before descending to the dining salon.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n \u201cSir?\u00a0 Sir?\u201d<\/p>\n The tentative voice finally filtered through Little Joe\u2019s dreams of lying on fluffy clouds, floating in a sky of azure blue over Lake Tahoe.\u00a0 \u201cHmm?\u201d he asked, eyelids fluttering.<\/p>\n \u201cSir, the family was wondering if you were joining them for supper or if you\u2019d prefer a tray in your room.\u201d<\/p>\n Supper?\u00a0 Though Little Joe was still drowsy, the word stabbed him sharply awake.\u00a0 Surely, he hadn\u2019t slept all the way to suppertime, but the darkness of the room indicated that he had.<\/p>\n \u201cSir?\u00a0 A tray, perhaps?\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe sat up.\u00a0 \u201cNo, I\u2019m gettin\u2019 up now.\u00a0 I\u2019ll be there in two shakes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTwo shakes?\u201d<\/p>\n Even in the dim light Little Joe could see the man\u2019s bewilderment.\u00a0 \u201cRight away,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n The servant nodded.\u00a0 \u201cVery good, sir.\u00a0 I\u2019ll tell them you will be down directly.\u201d\u00a0 Before leaving, he drew the curtains and turned up the wall-mounted light to illuminate the room in soft haze.<\/p>\n Little Joe stared at the glowing glass globe.\u00a0 Gas light?\u00a0 In the house?\u00a0 He\u2019d seen gas used for street lamps in New York City, but to put such a thing in a house seemed amazing . . . and a mite reckless, though maybe no more so than coal oil or kerosene.\u00a0 He had no time, however, for such speculations.\u00a0 The fact that they\u2019d sent someone to check on him probably meant that he was already late for supper.\u00a0 No time to do more than splash water on his face and run a comb through his tousled curls.\u00a0 As he dug into his carpetbag to get what he needed, he pondered whether easterners\u2014fancy ones like these, at least\u2014dressed for dinner, like the first-class passengers had on the boat.\u00a0 Well, they did that, even at the Ponderosa, when they had special guests. \u00a0Though he didn\u2019t feel particularly special, he decided he should, at least, wear his string tie.\u00a0 Digging it out and looping it quickly, he headed downstairs at a sprightly trot.<\/p>\n The moment he entered the dining room, he knew the tie wasn\u2019t nearly dressy enough.\u00a0 The two men were wearing suits, different from the ones they\u2019d worn earlier, and the ladies were in dresses that Sunday-best didn\u2019t even come close to describing.\u00a0 Still, Mr. and Mrs. Pontpier welcomed him, inquiring whether he\u2019d been able to rest and hoping his accommodations were satisfactory.<\/p>\n \u201cSatisfactory?\u201d Little Joe sputtered, as he took the seat they indicated to him.\u00a0 \u201cThat bed is about the softest thing I ever floated on, ma\u2019am.\u201d\u00a0 He addressed his remark to Mrs. Pontpier, for in his experience it was the lady of the house, when there was one, who managed such things.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m glad you found it comfortable, Joseph,\u201d she said.\u00a0 \u201cI may call you Joseph, may I not?\u00a0 We want you to feel like one of the family while you\u2019re here.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThen you\u2019d better call him Little Joe,\u201d George said with a twinkle in his eye.\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s what the family calls him at the Ponderosa.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHow quaint,\u201d Madeleine said.\u00a0 The slight titter in her voice, which had begun with his description of the bed, had a tinny ring.<\/p>\n \u201cI think it\u2019s charming,\u201d Mrs. Pontpier said.\u00a0 \u201cMay we call you that, young man?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cUm, yes, ma\u2019am,\u201d Little Joe said.\u00a0 He wanted to tell her just to call him Joe, but she was looking at him so kindly, so . . . motherly . . . that he couldn\u2019t have said no if she\u2019d wanted to call him Francis, instead, and he really hated his middle name.\u00a0 Anyway, it had never bothered him for his family to call him Little Joe, and since he much preferred to be considered family here, instead of an unexpected and unwanted interloper, the Pontpiers\u2019 use of the family nickname might help.<\/p>\n A petite girl, white cap partially covering her auburn curls, entered the room, carrying a large tureen.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m afraid Cook planned a menu of George\u2019s favorites, in honor of his homecoming,\u201d Mrs. Pontpier said.\u00a0 \u201cI hope our New England fare won\u2019t be too foreign for your taste, Little Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI eat \u2018most anything, ma\u2019am,\u201d Little Joe assured her.\u00a0 \u201cExcept dog,\u201d he added, recalling a dish with which Chief Winnemucca had once presented him.\u00a0 \u201cI had a hard time chokin\u2019 that down.\u201d\u00a0 Seeing the shocked expressions around the table, he hurried to say, \u201cThe soup smells right tasty.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s New England chowder,\u201d George said, sniffing the air appreciatively.\u00a0 \u201cWith cod, Mother?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBridget?\u201d his mother inquired of the young girl serving each of them a bowl of the soup.<\/p>\n \u201cI believe so, mum,\u201d the girl said.<\/p>\n \u201cMadame\u2014or mistress,\u201d Madeleine corrected her.<\/p>\n The girl bobbed her head.\u00a0 \u201cYes, miss.\u201d\u00a0 She ladled chowder into Little Joe\u2019s bowl.<\/p>\n \u201cThank you, Miss Bridget,\u201d he said, flashing her the smile that made girls back home swoon.<\/p>\n Fortunately for the heavy tureen she carried, the servant girl didn\u2019t swoon, but her eyes sparkled as she said, \u201cMe pleasure, sir.\u201d\u00a0 Seeing Madeleine frown at her, she hurried out.<\/p>\n \u201cHonestly, it is so difficult to train these Irish girls to serve properly,\u201d Madeleine declared in a stage whisper that might easily have been heard in the next room.<\/p>\n \u201cShow some patience, my dear,\u201d her mother urged.\u00a0 \u201cThe girl is quite new,\u201d she explained to Little Joe.<\/p>\n Little Joe couldn\u2019t see that the girl had done anything wrong, but felt too new here himself to say anything. \u00a0He decided to just dip into the creamy broth, swimming with fish and vegetables.\u00a0 It was delicious and he said so.<\/p>\n For a few minutes the family ate in silence.\u00a0 Then Madeleine cleared her throat and said, \u201cPerhaps you\u2019re unaware, Joseph, but if any of your clothing\u2014your dinner suit, for instance\u2014requires refreshing, you have only to pull the bell at your bedside, and someone will attend you.\u201d<\/p>\n Flushing, Little Joe set down his spoon and turned to Mrs. Pontpier.\u00a0 \u201cI apologize, ma\u2019am, for coming to table in my shirt sleeves.\u00a0 I\u2014I can see it\u2019s not how you do things here.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo need,\u201d George said sharply and then looked at his sister with piercing eyes.\u00a0 \u201cHonestly, Maddie, how could you?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy, George, there\u2019s no need to take umbrage with me,\u201d Madeleine said, looking genuinely surprised.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m sure your own things need refreshing after your long journey, and it\u2019s no insult to assume that your young friend\u2019s may, as well.\u00a0 I was merely telling him how to rectify that need.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cStill,\u201d he protested, \u201cto take up such an issue with a guest at the dinner table . . .\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShe\u2019s right, though,\u201d Little Joe said.\u00a0 \u201cTruth is, ma\u2019am,\u201d he continued, addressing himself to Mrs. Pontpier, \u201cI only have the one suit\u2014well, except for the linen one George bought me for the tropics, and I don\u2019t think that would be proper for dinner, either.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cScarcely,\u201d Madeleine said with a roll of her eyes.\u00a0 \u201cBut how can you have only one suit, Joseph?\u00a0 I know your trunk was delivered, along with George\u2019s, and why would you need one, if not for suits and . . . whatever else gentlemen require for long journeys?\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe gave her a rueful grin.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s not my trunk, ma\u2019am; it\u2019s Adam\u2019s.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAdam\u2019s?\u201d she queried.<\/p>\n \u201cI told you, Maddie,\u201d George explained with strained patience.\u00a0 \u201cAdam planned to come with me, but did not arrive in time.\u00a0 We had already loaded his trunk, and then this young fellow decided at the last minute to take his place.\u00a0 So, yes, there is a trunk full of appropriate suits . . . and whatever else gentlemen require for long journeys . . . but they belong to Adam, and I assure you they will not fit Little Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCertainly not,\u201d his father said with a chuckle.\u00a0 \u201cThough it\u2019s been years since I\u2019ve seen Adam, I well recall his height and broad shoulders.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThen you have . . . nothing?\u201d Madeleine asked, her dismay evident.<\/p>\n \u201cTwo suits\u2014if you count the linen,\u201d Little Joe began.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, ma\u2019am, I understand.\u201d\u00a0 He shrugged.\u00a0 \u201cBut that\u2019s what I\u2019ve got, and like I started to say, I\u2019ve worn the one suit almost every day since I left home, and when Miss Madeleine says it might need . . . um . . . refreshing . . . well, that\u2019s an understatement.\u201d\u00a0 After almost constant wear in the humidity of the ocean voyage, the suit, not new to begin with, was drooping with wear.<\/p>\n \u201cYou must remember that he packed only for a trip to San Francisco and directly home again,\u201d George reminded them.<\/p>\n Mrs. Pontpier smiled kindly at her guest.\u00a0 \u201cWell, you\u2019ll certainly need more for your stay here, so we\u2019ll just have to take you shopping!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy, yes,\u201d Madeleine agreed, looking excited at the prospect of a shopping trip.\u00a0 \u201cOur Boston stores will have whatever you need.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cExcept money.\u201d\u00a0 Little Joe flushed a deeper crimson, but though he was embarrassed to tell them, he saw no point in hiding what would soon become obvious.\u00a0 \u201cAnother sad consequence of leaving so unexpected-like is that Adam never got there with my wages, so I\u2019ve kind of landed on your doorstep with the clothes on my back and not much else.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe will gladly provide whatever you need while you\u2019re here, young man,\u201d Mr. Pontpier said.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve already told him that,\u201d George said.<\/p>\n \u201cHow could we do less after all you\u2019ve done for our son?\u201d Mrs. Pontpier, eyes glowing with gratitude, put in.<\/p>\n Little Joe cut a reproving stare at George.\u00a0 \u201cWhat have you been telling these people?\u201d he asked.\u00a0 Then he faced the two older Pontpiers and said, \u201cLook, if George has made me out some kind of hero, just because I came along to help him on the trip, and if you think you owe me anything because of that, then I think you ought to know that I\u2019m the reason he was hurt in the first place.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, you were not,\u201d George said firmly.<\/p>\n \u201cYou know better,\u201d Little Joe chided, \u201cand they deserve to know the truth.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve told them the truth!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut perhaps not the whole truth?\u201d Madeleine suggested with a suspicious look at both young men, who were seated side by side across from her and her mother.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, not the whole truth,\u201d Little Joe agreed.\u00a0 He hurried to give the explanation he felt the Pontpier family was due before George tried to stop him again.\u00a0 \u201cThe whole truth is that I didn\u2019t want George on the Ponderosa, and I did my best to make him feel unwelcome.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut why?\u201d the mother asked in surprise.<\/p>\n \u201cJust bein\u2019 childish, ma\u2019am,\u201d Little Joe admitted.\u00a0 \u201cI was plumb jealous and, well, kind of scared he might make Adam want to leave and live back here again.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI see,\u201d she said, her face softening.<\/p>\n \u201cFeelin\u2019 that way, I said things I shouldn\u2019t\u2019ve, the worst bein\u2019 that I taunted him about not pullin\u2019 his weight on the drive to San Francisco.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDrive?\u201d Madeleine asked, looking confused.<\/p>\n \u201cLet the boy finish, Madeleine,\u201d her father said.<\/p>\n \u201cThank you, sir,\u201d Little Joe said.\u00a0 \u201cIt was to prove me wrong that George tried to ride that green-broke horse, and that\u2019s how he busted his leg, so you see, it was \u2018cause of me he got hurt, and comin\u2019 along to help out was the very least I could do.\u00a0 You got nothing to thank me for, and frankly, I wouldn\u2019t blame you if you threw me out in the street, instead.\u201d\u00a0 Only a nervous nibble of his lower lip betrayed his concern that they very well might.\u00a0 He hoped they\u2019d put up with him, if only for Adam\u2019s sake, because he really had no other options.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, my dear child,\u201d Mrs. Pontpier said, stretching her arm across the table toward him, \u201cof course, we shall do nothing of the sort.\u201d\u00a0 When Little Joe took her offered hand, she turned toward her husband. \u00a0\u201cArthur?<\/p>\n \u201cCertainly not,\u201d her husband agreed, adding with a twinkle in his eye, \u201cand I believe, young man, that I shall accept my son\u2019s evaluation of your character and actions, rather than your own.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHear, hear!\u201d George chimed in.<\/p>\n Only Madeleine said nothing, but her taut-mouthed scrutiny of Little Joe\u2019s face might have frozen Lake Tahoe on a summer day.<\/p>\n \u201cPlease, everyone, let\u2019s finish our soup before it grows cold,\u201d Mrs. Pontpier urged.\u00a0 Seeming grateful for the break in tension, everyone complied, and it was not until the first course was being cleared that she again opened the conversation.\u00a0 \u201cAs I said earlier, Little Joe, we will need to take you shopping to supplement your wardrobe.\u00a0 I wish it could be tomorrow, dear, but I feel I must be here when the doctor attends George.\u00a0 We will, of course, send for him first thing in the morning, but I don\u2019t know at what hour he may be able to come.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNow, Mother, I don\u2019t need a doctor,\u201d George protested.\u00a0 \u201cThe leg is healing nicely.\u00a0 It doesn\u2019t even hurt anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m glad to hear that, my boy, but I really won\u2019t feel assured until our personal physician has examined you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAll right, Mother,\u201d he said, giving in to the inevitable.\u00a0 \u201cDay after tomorrow, then, for the shopping trip?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, I believe that is the best we can do,\u201d she said.\u00a0 \u201cIf you\u2019ll give your suit to Bridget tonight, Little Joe, the staff should be able to freshen it for you by tomorrow evening.\u00a0 In the meantime, as you are will be quite acceptable.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThank you, ma\u2019am,\u201d Little Joe said, \u201cbut about that shopping trip . . . I just can\u2019t let you folks foot the bill for that.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou can and you will,\u201d Mr. Pontpier stated in his own version of Ben Cartwright\u2019s no-argument voice.<\/p>\n Little Joe argued anyway.\u00a0 \u201cNo, sir, I can\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou apparently had no trouble in letting George \u2018foot the bill\u2019 for a linen suit,\u201d Madeleine observed frostily.<\/p>\n \u201cThat was different,\u201d Little Joe insisted.\u00a0 \u201cI worked for that, helping him with his\u2014uh\u2014personal needs and such.\u201d\u00a0 He brightened suddenly.\u00a0 \u201cHey, that\u2019s it!\u00a0 I can just go on tendin\u2019 him and work off the price of\u2014well, whatever you figure I need for how you do things here.\u00a0 Good idea, huh?\u201d<\/p>\n With the possible exception of George, whose expression was more difficult to read, all four Pontpiers stared at him, aghast.\u00a0 \u201cWe are not in the habit of treating our guests like menials,\u201d Mr. Pontpier said firmly.<\/p>\n George winced.\u00a0 He well remembered how Little Joe had reacted to that word when he himself had used it to describe the Cartwrights\u2019 employees.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, we Cartwrights are in the habit of working for a living,\u201d Little Joe said, straining, but failing, not to sound testy.\u00a0 \u201cThere\u2019s no shame in it.\u00a0 Like I said, it\u2019s no different from how I helped George on the trip.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat was a necessity,\u201d Madeleine said curtly.\u00a0 \u201cWe have servants for such duties here.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI appreciate your work ethic, young man,\u201d the father said with a gesture of restraint toward his daughter.\u00a0 \u201cIt gives honor to your upbringing.\u00a0 However, I would no sooner require a guest to work for his upkeep while in our home than I\u2019m sure your father would have considered charging George for anything he required\u2014medical attention for a broken leg, for instance\u2014while he was your guest.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGeorge helped out,\u201d Little Joe said, though weakly, for he knew their guest had done only what he chose to do and Ben Cartwright would have been just as disinclined to require chores of a guest as Mr. Pontpier.<\/p>\n George laughed.\u00a0 \u201cVery little, only enough to get a taste of western life, and I have a feeling even that was more hindrance than help.\u00a0 Give it up, Little Joe.\u00a0 You\u2019re being treated to a new wardrobe, like it or not.\u201d<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n \u201cHow pleasant to dine daily with old friends,\u201d Mrs. Parker observed.\u00a0 She tittered in a manner obviously put on for effect.\u00a0 \u201cI suppose, after a journey of two weeks in such close quarters, we may consider ourselves old friends, Mr. Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNothing like an ocean voyage to accelerate acquaintance,\u201d Adam said.\u00a0 Unfortunately<\/em>, he added to himself.\u00a0 \u201cIs the soup to your taste?\u201d he inquired to redirect the conversation to a safer topic.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s satisfactory,\u201d she said.\u00a0 \u201cI see that you ordered the cream of celery.\u00a0 Irene did, as well, you may have noticed.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes.\u201d\u00a0 And judging by the timing of her selection, darling Irene had deliberately copied his own choice.\u00a0 To demonstrate their affinity, even in matters of culinary taste?\u00a0 The Parker ladies were nothing if not blatantly obvious in their pursuit of his attention.<\/p>\n \u201cThis ship seems more elegantly appointed than the Chesapeake<\/em>, don\u2019t you think, Mr. Cartwright?\u201d Irene asked.<\/p>\n Adam ran an appraising eye over the mirrored walls, the richly carpeted floor and the large columns of patterned glass that stretched from the floor to the skylight above them.\u00a0 \u201cYes, definitely.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPerhaps you prefer your d\u00e9cor more rustic?\u201d Mrs. Parker probed.<\/p>\n With an enigmatic smile and a decided preference for keeping his true tastes unknown, he replied, \u201cPerhaps I do.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, I think I do, as well,\u201d Irene quickly said.\u00a0 \u201cSo much more a reminder of home, don\u2019t you think?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIf your home is a log cabin,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Her laugh bore a marked resemblance to her mother\u2019s forced one.\u00a0 \u201cWell, my home is not quite that rustic.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cA pity,\u201d Adam said.\u00a0 \u201cMine is.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh.\u201d\u00a0 She appeared uncertain whether to take him seriously.\u00a0 Surely, people as rich as the Cartwrights were reported to be did not live in a log cabin.\u00a0 On the other hand, they were ranchers and mere men, so perhaps they had no idea what could be done with a proper home. \u201cWell, I suppose that is a classic example of western architecture.\u00a0 Are you interested in architecture, Mr. Cartwright?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, a bit,\u201d he said, his expression more inscrutable than before.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n Little Joe had been in his room no more than a minute before a rap sounded on the door.\u00a0 Before he could reach it, the door opened, and the girl who had served at supper bobbed a curtsey.\u00a0 \u201cThey said as how you\u2019d be havin\u2019 a suit in need of cleanin\u2019, sir,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cYou do that, too?\u201d Little Joe asked.<\/p>\n \u201cI do a bit of everything, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n He chuckled.\u00a0 \u201cA Jack of all trades, huh?\u00a0 Though, I guess, it\u2019s a Jill in your case.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t take your meanin\u2019, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, sorry,\u201d Little Joe said.\u00a0 \u201cI guess you haven\u2019t been here long enough to know every American saying.\u00a0 It means, well, that you do a bit of everything, just like you said.\u201d<\/p>\n She smiled then.\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s me, then, a Jill of all trades. \u00a0Mostly, I clean the upstairs rooms and serve table, but I do what I\u2019m told, sir.\u00a0 You do have a suit to give me?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI do,\u201d he said, walking toward the wardrobe.\u00a0 He opened it and removed his decidedly limp jacket and trousers.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m not sure what you can do with it.\u201d<\/p>\n She giggled.\u00a0 \u201cSure \u2018n\u2019 I\u2019ll be doing nothing but givin\u2019 it to those who do know what to do with it.\u201d<\/p>\n He handed it to her.\u00a0 \u201cI could have taken it if I just knew who that person was.\u00a0 No need to make you trot up here after all the work you\u2019ve already done.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201c\u2018Tis me job, sir,\u201d she said, laying the suit across her arm.<\/p>\n \u201cThank you, then . . . Bridget, isn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n She stole a glance behind, apparently to check if she could be overheard and then said, \u201cIt\u2019s not me name, not really.\u00a0 It\u2019s just what Americans call all Irish serving girls . . . or so I\u2019ve been told, findin\u2019 it hard to remember our real names, I\u2019m supposin\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n His bright grin flashed.\u00a0 \u201cWhat is your real name, then?\u00a0 I promise I\u2019ll remember.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s Aideen, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s beautiful,\u201d he whispered, \u201calmost as beautiful as you.\u201d<\/p>\n Her cheeks flamed in guilty pleasure.\u00a0 \u201cGo on with you,\u201d she said, \u201cmakin\u2019 me live up to its meaning like this.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh?\u00a0 What\u2019s that?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAideen?\u00a0 It means \u2018little fire,\u2019\u201d she replied.<\/p>\n He laughed.\u00a0 \u201cAnd are you? \u00a0A little fiery, that is.\u00a0 I\u2019m supposin\u2019 you are.\u201d<\/p>\n She backed toward the open door.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s me ears that\u2019ll be burnin\u2019 if I stay here a minute longer.\u00a0 If your suit is ready by morning, you\u2019ll find it hangin\u2019 in your wardrobe.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cUh, okay,\u201d he said.\u00a0 He didn\u2019t much like the idea of anyone coming into his room while he was sleeping, but apparently that was how things were done here.\u00a0 \u201cThank you, Miss Aideen.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201c\u2018Tis welcome you are, sir.\u201d\u00a0 Then she vanished on swiftly tripping feet.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n October 18<\/p>\n Smiling in his sleep, Little Joe snuggled under the thick covers.\u00a0 Wasn\u2019t it good of Pa to let him sleep in like this?\u00a0 That didn\u2019t happen often!\u00a0 Frown lines slowly creased his brow.\u00a0 No, it didn\u2019t, especially not when Pa was as mad as he had been earlier in . . . his dream.\u00a0 With a sigh Little Joe cracked an eyelid and confirmed the niggling suspicion that he wasn\u2019t really back home on the Ponderosa.\u00a0 The realization of where he actually was filtered in more slowly: George\u2019s house, Boston, nowhere close to home.<\/p>\n He opened his eyes, yawned and stretched.\u00a0 Though the room was dark, thanks to the drawn curtains, he felt so well rested that he knew it must be past his regular rising time, much less the even earlier hour that Pa and older brother Adam always thought the day should start.<\/p>\n He got out of bed, walked to the window and pulled back the drapes.\u00a0 He dropped them in shock as his eyes squinted in the bright morning light.\u00a0 Good lands!\u00a0 How late was it?\u00a0 Why hadn\u2019t someone wakened him?\u00a0 Well, \u2018cause that\u2019s not how folks treated guests, of course, but he felt appalled by his own lack of courtesy and, suddenly aware that he was starving, assaulted by the fear that he\u2019d missed breakfast altogether.\u00a0 He hastily donned the shirt and pants he\u2019d worn the night before, splashed water on his face and brushed his hair.<\/p>\n Peeking out the door and finding the hallway clear, he bolted for the stairs and trotted down the steps.\u00a0 Maybe, just maybe, the family would still be in the dining room and take pity on his empty stomach.\u00a0 If not, maybe he\u2019d spy that cute little servant girl, Aideen, and could sweet-talk her into scrounging something for him from the kitchen.\u00a0 Even bread and butter would do!<\/p>\n \u201cGood morning, Master Joseph.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe careened to a halt as he landed in the ground floor entry.\u00a0 \u201cOh, uh, hi\u2014I mean, good morning, Mr. Horace\u2014isn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n For a moment the butler looked confused.\u00a0 Then, deciding that the young man\u2019s query probably referred to his name, rather than the quality of the morning, he said, \u201cSimply Horace, sir.\u00a0 May I direct you somewhere?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cUm, well, where is the family just now?\u201d Little Joe asked awkwardly.<\/p>\n \u201cThe family, sir?\u201d\u00a0 The butler straightened.\u00a0 \u201cThe ladies and Master George have not come down as yet, but Mr. Pontpier is in the dining room.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, great,\u201d Little Joe said, relief evident on his face.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll join him there, if that\u2019s okay.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCertainly, sir,\u201d the butler said after a moment\u2019s hesitation to ponder why a guest seemed to be seeking his permission to go where he pleased.\u00a0 Surely the boy was not answerable to those in service at his own home.<\/p>\n Mr. Pontpier lifted his eyes when he heard footsteps approaching the dining room and smiled with pleasure when he saw to whom they belonged.\u00a0 \u201cGood morning, Little Joe.\u00a0 My, you\u2019re up early!\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe blinked.\u00a0 \u201cEarly?\u201d he squeaked.<\/p>\n Mr. Pontpier laughed.\u00a0 \u201cI suppose it isn\u2019t early at all to a westerner.\u00a0 Rise with the sun, do you?\u201d<\/p>\n Grinning, Little Joe shook his head.\u00a0 \u201cNot if I can help it, though I\u2019m pretty sure Pa and Adam beat it up, most days.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAh, yes, I should have remembered from Adam\u2019s visits with us.\u00a0 Well, make yourself at home, young man.\u00a0 Have some breakfast.\u201d\u00a0 He waved toward the sideboard.\u00a0 \u201cI hope you\u2019ll find something you like.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe\u2019s eyes lit up at the sight of the row of covered dishes lining the sideboard.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m sure I will, sir.\u201d\u00a0 He was fairly confidant that would prove true with so much to choose from, but if it didn\u2019t, he\u2019d do his best to choke down whatever eastern oddities he might find.\u00a0 After all, it couldn\u2019t be any stranger than things he\u2019d been offered by the Paiutes back home.\u00a0 At least, he hoped not.<\/p>\n All anxiety on that point vanished when he lifted the first lid and found a plate full of flaky pastries.\u00a0 After further explorations he heaped his plate with those, as well as the equally familiar bacon, sausage and eggs he was used to back home.\u00a0 Bringing that back to the table, he seated himself next to the older man.<\/p>\n Though conversation was, at first, awkward, Little Joe and his host were soon chatting companionably.\u00a0 Little Joe rarely met a stranger, since he was curious by nature and honestly interested in everyone he met, and Mr. Pontpier was flattered by the questions about his work.<\/p>\n \u201cDo you always have breakfast alone?\u201d Little Joe asked as he polished off his final pastry.\u00a0 Accustomed as he was to a table full of family at virtually every meal, the prospect of eating alone seemed incredibly lonely and, frankly, wrong.<\/p>\n \u201cGeorge usually joins me on days he goes into his office,\u201d Mr. Pontpier replied, \u201cand Madeleine occasionally makes it down in time for me to see her before I leave.\u00a0 My wife prefers to have a tray in her room, but she\u2019s always awake before I come down.\u201d\u00a0 He paused.\u00a0 \u201cOf course, if you like, you\u2019re welcome to take breakfast in your room, as well.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, no,\u201d Little Joe said at once.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019d much rather join you.\u201d<\/p>\n Mr. Pontpier looked pleased.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll look forward to that, then.\u201d\u00a0 He dabbed his mouth with a napkin.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m afraid I must be leaving now, though.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCould I walk a ways with you?\u201d Little Joe asked.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019d like to stretch my legs a mite.\u201d<\/p>\n Mr. Pontpier smiled broadly.\u00a0 \u201cThat would be most pleasant, my boy.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe dashed up the stairs to get his jacket and bounded down them again to meet an amused Mr. Pontpier at the door.\u00a0 They walked out together, beginning a routine that would continue throughout Little Joe\u2019s stay in Boston.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n Adam felt better than he had in days.\u00a0 Apparently, the Parker ladies were among those passengers who could not face an open sea without their stomachs turning queasy, so he could promenade the decks at will without fear of encountering them.\u00a0 Of course, there wasn\u2019t much to see today, except beautiful blue water, reflecting a nearly cloudless sky, but the salt-tipped breeze was refreshing and the atmosphere could not have been more heavenly had the air been filled with the song of angels.\u00a0 Breakfast, with only the solid male company of Mr. Clarkson and Mr. Peterson to divert him, was sheer bliss.\u00a0 Each had the exquisite good sense not to so much as hint at matrimony, much less suggest that some young lady of their acquaintance would make the perfect mate for the oh-so-eligible Mr. Adam Cartwright of the famous Ponderosa.\u00a0 Both, on the other hand, could make reasonably intelligent comments on either politics or business or the popular literature of the day, even if Clarkson\u2019s taste ran more in line with that of Little Joe than his older brother.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n Cheeks reddened by the crisp air, Little Joe let himself back into the house.\u00a0 \u201cHey, Horace,\u201d he said when he saw the butler in the entry. \u00a0\u201cAnybody up yet?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe ladies are in the parlor, sir,\u201d Horace replied.\u00a0 \u201cMaster George remains in his room, no doubt weary from his long journey.\u201d\u00a0 He paused, for he suddenly realized that the young man standing before him had been on the same long journey without any visible loss of energy.\u00a0 Indeed, so very much visible energy.\u00a0 Would it become a problem in this sedate household?<\/p>\n \u201cMaybe I oughta wake him up,\u201d Little Joe offered.<\/p>\n An excess of energy, indeed<\/em>. Horace drew himself stiffly erect.\u00a0 \u201cI would think not, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe bit his lower lip.\u00a0 \u201cJust wouldn\u2019t want him to miss breakfast,\u201d he muttered.<\/p>\n \u201cHave no concern, sir,\u201d Horace assured him, immediately thinking better of the boy.\u00a0 \u201cMaster George will be provided for.\u00a0 Would you wish to join the ladies?\u201d<\/p>\n A slight shudder shook the younger man, who then sighed, \u201cI guess so.\u201d\u00a0 As Little Joe moved toward the room that the butler indicated by gesture, Horace permitted a small smile to curve his lips.\u00a0 Clearly, their energetic young guest did not anticipate spending the morning with the ladies, and Horace could scarcely blame him.<\/p>\n Taking a deep, bolstering breath, Little Joe plunged into the parlor.\u00a0 With cheeriness he far from felt, he said, \u201cGood morning, ladies!\u00a0 Sure is a fine one.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGood morning, Little Joe.\u201d\u00a0 Mrs. Pontpier greeted him with a welcoming smile.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m so pleased you have returned safely.\u00a0 I was concerned when Horace said you\u2019d gone out.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe cocked his head quizzically as he took a seat near her.\u00a0 \u201cWhy, ma\u2019am?\u00a0 Is Boston that dangerous a city?\u201d<\/p>\n Madeleine laughed mirthlessly.\u00a0 \u201cBoston, I assure you, is a completely civilized city.\u201d\u00a0 She didn\u2019t add, \u201cCompared to where you\u2019re from,\u201d but Little Joe heard it as clearly as if she\u2019d spoken aloud.<\/p>\n Seeing him bristle, Mrs. Pontpier quickly said, \u201cNo, dear.\u00a0 I was only concerned because you\u2019re unfamiliar with our streets, and I feared you might lose your way.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe laughed lightly.\u00a0 \u201cMa\u2019am, I only went a few blocks . . . and I was with your husband, goin\u2019 at least.\u00a0 All I had to do was retrace my steps.\u00a0 Didn\u2019t even have to call up my Indian tracking skills.\u201d<\/p>\n His attempt at a joke fell flat when Madeleine met it with a skeptical look.\u00a0 \u201cDo you have such skills, in addition to a taste for . . . canine cuisine?\u201d she asked in a tone that clearly communicated her opinion on the value of having either.<\/p>\n \u201cSince I was a youngun, Miss Madeleine,\u201d he said, adding with a wink, \u201cthough I think they was more used to track me than by me.\u201d<\/p>\n Again, his humor was lost on her.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m sure,\u201d she said dryly.\u00a0\u00a0 Though she had, of course, never met Adam\u2019s nemesis Mrs. Parker, she would have readily shared her opinion that the boy now in her home was footloose by nature and felt that a firm leash, rather than tracking skills, might have been more practical in keeping up with him as a child.<\/p>\n \u201cYou had a good breakfast before you left, dear?\u201d Mrs. Pontpier inquired.<\/p>\n Little Joe flashed her a genuine smile.\u00a0 \u201cOh, yes, ma\u2019am!\u00a0 The only thing that could\u2019ve made it any better was your pretty face at the table.\u201d<\/p>\n Though Mrs. Pontpier blushed like a young girl, she laughed gently.\u00a0 \u201cI can see you are the flatterer of the Cartwright family.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJust speakin\u2019 the truth, ma\u2019am, like my pa always taught me.\u201d\u00a0 The quip reminded him of another truth that begged being spoken.\u00a0 \u201cI was just askin\u2019 Horace if\u2019n I should wake ole George up, so\u2019s he don\u2019t miss breakfast.\u00a0 He said not to worry, but I sort of do.\u00a0 I sure hope he ain\u2019t tired enough to sleep in this late.\u00a0 You reckon I should check on him, ma\u2019am?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI \u2018reckon\u2019 not,\u201d Madeleine said with a sniff.<\/p>\n Mrs. Pontpier laid her slender hand on Little Joe\u2019s arm.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s good of you to be concerned, my dear, but there\u2019s no need.\u00a0 I\u2019m responsible, you see.\u00a0 I told George I thought it best he remain in bed until the doctor had seen him.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe gulped.\u00a0 \u201cAll day, ma\u2019am?\u00a0 That\u2019s gotta be hard on him, don\u2019t you think?\u201d\u00a0 He knew how he\u2019d feel if an edict like that had come from Ben Cartwright!<\/p>\n Madeleine gave a most unladylike snort at this query.\u00a0 \u201cYou must remember, young man, that Boston is nothing like the untamed West.\u00a0 It does not take all day to have a doctor in attendance.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI sent for Dr. Lewis first thing this morning,\u201d Mrs. Pontpier said with a chiding glance at her daughter.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m certain he\u2019ll come as soon as he\u2019s able; in fact, I\u2019m waiting here in anticipation of his arrival at any moment.\u201d\u00a0 Seeing his strained smile, she said, \u201cYou needn\u2019t, of course, wait with us, if there\u2019s anything you\u2019d rather\u201d\u2014she laughed abruptly\u2014\u201cOh, you poor boy, there\u2019s really nothing for you to do here, is there?\u00a0 At least, nothing you\u2019re accustomed to.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, no, ma\u2019am, not much,\u201d he answered honestly.\u00a0 \u201cYou do have a nice little park across the street.\u00a0 Maybe I\u2019ll take a look at it, once it warms up a mite.\u201d<\/p>\n She was suddenly aware of his corduroy jacket.\u00a0 \u201cMy dear child, is that the only coat you have?\u201d<\/p>\n He gave her a sheepish look.\u00a0 \u201c\u2018Fraid so, ma\u2019am, except for Adam\u2019s winter coat.\u00a0 I\u2019m assumin\u2019 he packed one, and I reckoned to make do with that \u2018til he comes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201c\u2018Reckon\u2019 again,\u201d Madeleine said, pursing her lips and shaking her head.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, that won\u2019t do at all,\u201d Mrs. Pontpier said.\u00a0 \u201cNow that we know Adam is coming, as well, you\u2019ll need your own.\u00a0 Well, we\u2019ll just have to add that to our shopping list tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, ma\u2019am,\u201d Little Joe insisted with a stubborn set of his jaw.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re doin\u2019 too much as it is.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNonsense,\u201d Madeleine said.\u00a0 \u201cYou can scarcely face Boston weather in that<\/em>.\u201d\u00a0 The derisive inflection of her voice indicated her opinion of the homely work jacket, which, to Little Joe, was sufficiently dressy, even for a dance, if he added a string tie.<\/p>\n \u201cI so wish we could make our shopping trip today,\u201d Mrs. Pontpier said, \u201cbut I must be here to consult with the doctor.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOf course!\u201d Little Joe declared.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m in no hurry, ma\u2019am, trust me.\u201d<\/p>\n She laughed then.\u00a0 \u201cOh, I can well believe that.\u00a0 It\u2019s always an ordeal to get either Arthur or George to a clothing store, isn\u2019t it, Madeleine?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cA characteristic of the male species, I suspect, Mother,\u201d Madeleine said with a scowl at the only representative of the species in the room.\u00a0 It fell somewhat short of being playful, although Little Joe hoped that had been her intent.<\/p>\n \u201cGotta admit I\u2019d rather hunt down a cougar,\u201d Little Joe said, and his attempt at a joke this time met with amused titters from both women.<\/p>\n \u201cI trust we won\u2019t encounter any of those tomorrow,\u201d Madeleine finally snickered.<\/p>\n Glad to see her in a better mood, Little Joe quipped back, \u201cDon\u2019t worry, ma\u2019am; I\u2019d protect you.\u201d<\/p>\n Her eyebrow raised a bit at that, but she still smiled as she nodded before returning to whatever she was recording in the lined book before her.\u00a0 Just so\u2019s it ain\u2019t a list of my faults<\/em>, Little Joe thought.\u00a0 Bad enough she was probably keeping that list in her head.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n It was barely mid-morning when Dr. Lewis arrived, proving either that medical care was much more prompt in the East or, Little Joe suspected, that money talked.\u00a0 He immediately felt ashamed of the thought and wondered whether it wasn\u2019t equally true where he came from. \u00a0Lots of people in Virginia City, whether tradesmen or professionals, were more willing to serve people like his family or the even wealthier mine owners than the hard-working men who toiled to produce the riches.\u00a0 At least, Pa always saw to it that anyone working for them had any medical care he needed, but even he, much to Little Joe\u2019s frequent displeasure, sent for the doctor more quickly when it was a son.<\/p>\n Madeleine laid aside her pen and closed her book when the butler ushered the doctor in.\u00a0 As Mrs. Pontpier rose to greet him, Little Joe, too, set aside the newspaper he\u2019d been trying to make himself read and stood.\u00a0 He wasn\u2019t family, but he was as eager as they to hear the doctor\u2019s verdict on George\u2019s leg.\u00a0 Hopefully, the craziness of traveling, often in uncomfortable circumstances, hadn\u2019t done him any harm, though Little Joe was more concerned that irreparable harm might have been done earlier.\u00a0 He yearned to hear that his misguided taunts had not cost George any permanent injury.<\/p>\n \u201cGood morning, my dear Mrs. Pontpier,\u201d the dapper doctor said.\u00a0 \u201cNow, how, pray tell, has George managed to break his leg?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIn an encounter with a rogue horse, apparently,\u201d Madeleine said tersely with a cutting glance at Little Joe.<\/p>\n \u201cNot rogue, ma\u2019am,\u201d Little Joe inserted quickly, \u201cjust not full-broke.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cA pity we cannot say the same for my poor brother\u2019s leg,\u201d she countered sharply.<\/p>\n \u201cOn his trip out West,\u201d Mrs. Pontpier amplified.\u00a0 \u201cHe returned home only yesterday, doctor, and I, of course, sent for you at the earliest opportunity.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cQuite right,\u201d Doctor Lewis said with an approving smile, \u201cand how long ago was this?\u201d<\/p>\n Both ladies turned toward Little Joe, who did a quick calculation in his head.\u00a0 \u201cI reckon about eight weeks ago . . . or close to.\u201d<\/p>\n The doctor looked concerned.\u00a0 \u201cThat long?\u00a0 Well, I hope it was set properly, as it will certainly be knit in whatever position it was placed by this time.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDoc Martin\u2019s the best,\u201d Little Joe declared loyally.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, well, perhaps I should examine my patient now, and then we can determine the best course of action.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll show you to his room,\u201d Mrs. Pontpier said.\u00a0 As she exited the parlor, Little Joe ignored Madeleine\u2019s unwelcoming glare and fell into line behind the others.\u00a0 He needed to know the verdict every bit as much as George\u2019s mother, if for different reasons.<\/p>\n Like ducklings in a row, they all traipsed up the stairs, down the hall and into George\u2019s room, where they found him still in bed, his empty breakfast tray on a table beside him.\u00a0 He chuckled when he saw the entourage.\u00a0 \u201cI feel like the star attraction in a carnival sideshow.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNaturally, Mother and I are concerned about you,\u201d Madeleine said.<\/p>\n \u201cMe, too,\u201d Little Joe murmured, swallowing the mammoth knot in his throat.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you prefer us to leave, George, of course we will,\u201d his mother said.\u00a0 \u201cI am concerned, but I don\u2019t wish to make you uncomfortable.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not,\u201d George assured her.\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t expect we\u2019ll be doing anything that requires privacy, will we, Dr. Lewis?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJust an examination to begin,\u201d the doctor replied.\u00a0 \u201cIf any treatment is needed, we can ask the ladies to leave then.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd the gentleman,\u201d Madeleine said pointedly.<\/p>\n \u201cUm, yes, of course,\u201d Dr. Lewis, picking up on her displeasure, said.\u00a0 \u201cNow, if I could have a little room . . .\u201d<\/p>\n They all stepped back as the doctor drew back the covers and began his examination of George\u2019s leg.\u00a0 \u201cHave you tried putting any weight on it?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n \u201cA little,\u201d George replied.\u00a0 \u201cI hesitated to, but it was easier to get around my stateroom when I did.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOnly proving what a ridiculous undertaking the entire trip was,\u201d Madeleine muttered.<\/p>\n George gave no indication that he had heard, although Little Joe suspected the comment had been more directed at him.\u00a0 For once he felt completely free from guilt, since it was George himself who had insisted on making the trip, come hell or high water.\u00a0 Recognizing the aptness of that phrase to an ocean voyage, Joe chuckled, earning himself another frown of disapproval from George\u2019s sister.<\/p>\n \u201cThe cast has been properly applied,\u201d Dr. Lewis observed, \u201cand the leg appears straight.\u00a0 Any pain when you stood on it?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cA little at first,\u201d George admitted, \u201cbut none for a week or so, at least.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGood.\u00a0 Let\u2019s test your stance now.\u201d\u00a0 He assisted George in getting out of bed and then stepped back to evaluate him.\u00a0 \u201cWell, everything looks favorable, my boy.\u00a0 Of course, we have no way of seeing how well the bone has mended\u2014can\u2019t see through skin, much less the cast, you know\u2014but judging by what I can see, I\u2019d say our next step would be to remove the cast, so perhaps it is time to ask your family . . . and friend . . . to retire.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBy all means, Doctor,\u201d Mrs. Pontpier said at once.\u00a0 Madeleine nodded and followed her mother to the door.<\/p>\n Little Joe, however, said, \u201cI\u2019m not squeamish.\u201d\u00a0 It wasn\u2019t exactly the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, like folks swore to in court, since the sight and smell of blood tended to turn his stomach.\u00a0 Unless the doctor got clumsy with his saw, though, this procedure shouldn\u2019t involve any, and he really needed to know the verdict as soon as possible.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, really!\u201d Madeleine expostulated.<\/p>\n \u201cI have no objection,\u201d George said quickly.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019ve been through it before, right, old chum?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cRight,\u201d Little Joe said, determination evident in both his tone and the set of his jaw.<\/p>\n The ladies departed, Mrs. Pontpier with a kindly smile and Madeleine with an exasperated roll of her eyes.<\/p>\n Despite his determination, Little Joe did find himself averting his eyes as the sawing began, though there was really no reason.\u00a0 The only disconcerting sight was his first view of George\u2019s leg, and that was only troubling because of its thinness and pasty color.\u00a0 Little Joe knew from personal experience, however, that both of those problems would resolve themselves in time.\u00a0 \u201cSo, how\u2019s it look, Doc?\u201d he asked, trying to keep his voice light.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, young man, I\u2019d say your confidence in your personal physician was well founded,\u201d the doctor said.\u00a0 Turning to his patient, he added, \u201cThe leg will need strengthening, of course, so don\u2019t try too much walking at first.\u00a0 Some massage and exercises will be beneficial.\u00a0 If you have a man attending you, I could show them to him before I leave.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCouldn\u2019t I do it?\u201d Little Joe asked.<\/p>\n \u201cNo reason at all, if Mr. Pontpier finds that agreeable,\u201d the doctor replied.\u00a0 The more he saw of George\u2019s earnest young friend, the better he liked him.<\/p>\n \u201cI could find no one more agreeable,\u201d George said.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n Lunch aboard the Ariel<\/em> was as female-free (and therefore, for Adam, simply free) as had been breakfast.\u00a0 He celebrated by indulging in a luxury he would never have risked had the Parker huntresses been on the prowl: he spent the afternoon on deck, stretched out in a chair, book in hand.\u00a0 Remaining stationary would have made him too easy a target on most days, but today he could relish the relaxation.\u00a0 While the only scenery was still open ocean, the warm sunshine and the balmy breeze brushing his hair from his face made this afternoon his most refreshing since boarding ship.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n Little Joe had never passed an afternoon more slowly or, at least, not since he\u2019d spent that first afternoon listening to George snore after being assigned to his care, back at the Ponderosa.\u00a0 Mr. Pontpier was still away at work, and both his wife and Madeleine were completely wrapped up in preparations for the upcoming anniversary party.\u00a0 It was beginning to sound more like a fancy dress ball with the mention of each new detail, recorded in that mysterious book Madeleine had used earlier.\u00a0 Not that they were talking to him, of course.\u00a0 His opinion was worthless in such matters; for that matter, not even George\u2019s was much more welcomed.\u00a0 At least, he had something to occupy his time.\u00a0 He\u2019d been asked by Madeleine (ordered was the more correct word) to make a list of whatever clothing and accessories he thought Little Joe would need and to develop a plan of action for hitting the stores the next morning.\u00a0 Again, Joe\u2019s opinion was deemed worthless.<\/p>\n Little Joe\u2019d been busy enough at first, learning the exercises the doctor had outlined for George and then working through their first session together.\u00a0 That had taken them to luncheon, as Madeleine called it. \u00a0George had eaten with relish, like a man set free, which, based on personal experience, Little Joe figured was exactly how he felt.\u00a0 He himself had eaten lightly, restrained by the knowledge that both teatime and dinner awaited him on a day when he\u2019d done almost nothing to work up an appetite.\u00a0 After luncheon they\u2019d all ended up back here in the parlor, where Little Joe had completely run out of anything to occupy his mind and his time.\u00a0 He\u2019d scanned one of the books lying on a side table and found it even worse than the newspaper, which was about people and places completely unknown to him.<\/p>\n Finally, unable to sit still any longer, he stood up.\u00a0 \u201cIf\u2019n nobody minds, I thought I might could stretch my legs some in that pretty little park you got.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBy all means!\u201d Madeleine said with a look that made him feel like a puppy persistently underfoot.<\/p>\n \u201cCertainly, dear,\u201d Mrs. Pontpier agreed with a gentle smile.\u00a0 \u201cIt is, as you say, a lovely little park, and I\u2019m sure you\u2019ll find a walk there most refreshing.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPerhaps I\u2019ll join you,\u201d George said.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, George, I don\u2019t think so, not on your first day,\u201d his mother protested.\u00a0 \u201cThe doctor did say you should take things slowly, and we have a long day ahead tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBesides, you still have work to do,\u201d Madeleine added crisply, pointing to the list in front of him, which looked far too short to be complete.<\/p>\n George sighed.\u00a0 \u201cYes.\u201d\u00a0 With a wry smile at Little Joe, he said, \u201cSorry, chum.\u00a0 Looks like you\u2019re on your own this time.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNext time,\u201d Little Joe said, looking cheery for George\u2019s sake.\u00a0 With as little as there was to do in this place, he felt certain there\u2019d be a next time . . . and a next . . . and a next for visiting that pretty little park.<\/p>\n \u201cHonestly, Maddie, how could you?\u201d George scolded when Little Joe had left.<\/p>\n Madeleine looked up at him.\u00a0 \u201cHow could I what?\u00a0 Ask you to help?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI was referring to your rudeness to my friend,\u201d George said.<\/p>\n Madeleine looked genuinely puzzled.\u00a0 \u201cI only agreed with his idea of taking a walk.\u00a0 Perhaps I was thinking of myself as much as him, but it\u2019s difficult to concentrate when someone is fidgeting as frenetically as that boy!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe poor boy must find us very boring,\u201d Mrs. Pontpier said. \u00a0\u201cWe must think of ways to entertain him.\u00a0 Perhaps he\u2019d enjoy seeing some of our historic sights?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cProbably,\u201d George said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe can\u2019t possibly manage a sightseeing tour until after your anniversary,\u201d Madeleine said.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s only two days from now, and it\u2019s quite enough to try to fit in a shopping trip with all I have to do!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI agree,\u201d Mrs. Pontpier said, \u201cbut please try to be a little more patient, my dear.\u00a0 I\u2019m afraid that George is correct in feeling that your sharpness made our guest feel unwelcome.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd that will scarcely enhance your chances with his older brother,\u201d George added with a wicked grin.<\/p>\n \u201cGeorge!\u00a0 What a brazen thing to suggest!\u201d Madeleine protested, although her sudden blush testified that his dart had hit its mark.\u00a0 \u201cWell . . . well . . . as mother suggests, I will try to be more patient with the boy.\u00a0 As for you\u201d\u2014she pointed at him with her pen\u2014\u201cfinish that list!\u201d<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n Adam was glad when suppertime arrived.\u00a0 He\u2019d thoroughly enjoyed his peaceful afternoon, but too much of anything, even peace and quiet, was not necessarily a good thing.\u00a0 Not that he yearned for the return of the Parker ladies!\u00a0 He was quite content to see that, while a few of the stricken passengers had made it back to the tables that evening, that particular duo was still keeping themselves to their stateroom.\u00a0 In all likelihood, they\u2019d be back tomorrow, so Adam relished his final opportunity to linger over a meal with men only.\u00a0 It was, to a degree, reminiscent of table talk at home, though he missed the happy banter with his brothers that typically seasoned supper at the Ponderosa.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n October 19<\/p>\n Adam stifled a moan as he saw Irene Parker approaching the breakfast table.\u00a0 He immediately rebuked himself for the uncharitable reaction.\u00a0 He had no appreciation for her company, of course, but he wouldn\u2019t wish mal de mer<\/em> on anyone . . . well, with one possible exception.\u00a0 He had to admit he might take perverse pleasure in seeing that particular problem visited upon a certain errant little brother.\u00a0 \u201cMiss Parker,\u201d he said as she took her seat, \u201cI\u2019m glad you\u2019re feeling able to join us this morning.\u201d\u00a0 He found that he meant it, though for her sake, rather than his own.<\/p>\n She, too, seemed surprised.\u00a0 \u201cWhy, thank you, Mr. Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYour mother is still unwell?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI fear so,\u201d she replied.<\/p>\n Though Adam didn\u2019t wish Mrs. Parker ill will, either, he felt some relief that it was the straightforward Irene he\u2019d have to contend with today, rather than her more subtly suggestive mother.\u00a0 \u201cA pity,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cOf course, you\u2019ll want to spend most of your day attending her.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI suppose.\u201d\u00a0 She cocked her head pensively.\u00a0 Was it possible that the attractive man (in both looks and social standing) had actually missed her?\u00a0 Perhaps her chances were better than she\u2019d supposed!\u00a0 In that case, her mother would without doubt prefer that she attend upon him, instead of her.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n Little Joe stopped, stunned, in the doorway to the dining room.\u00a0 He\u2019d looked forward to the man-to-man company of Mr. Pontpier over breakfast, but he was surprised, not too pleasantly, to see Madeleine sitting at her father\u2019s left hand, especially since he\u2019d been told that she rarely made it down before her father left for work.<\/p>\n She looked equally surprised, but she bestowed on him a rare approving smile.\u00a0 \u201cGood morning, Joseph,\u201d she said.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m gratified to see you up so early on what will be such a busy day.\u00a0 If only George would take the matter so seriously!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNow, Madeleine, you know your mother is concerned about George,\u201d Arthur Pontpier said. \u00a0\u201cI\u2019m sure she urged him to get extra rest before starting \u2018such a busy day.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, I don\u2019t doubt that!\u201d his daughter returned.\u00a0 \u201cShe spoils him so.\u201d\u00a0 With a rough laugh, she added, cocking her head in Little Joe\u2019s direction, \u201cThe son and heir, you know.\u201d<\/p>\n Mr. Pontpier\u2019s laugh sounded more sincere.\u00a0 \u201cMothers will fret.\u201d\u00a0 Noticing that their guest was still standing at the entrance to the room, he said quickly, \u201cWell, come in, my boy; come in.\u00a0 You know where the food is.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe nodded and moved toward the sideboard, as much to cover the emotion in his face as to satisfy his hunger.\u00a0 Though his own mother had been with him only a short time, he remembered her loving touches, how she\u2019d fussed over his little hurts or even just his rumpled curls.\u00a0 Yes, mothers would fret, and it didn\u2019t take a long acquaintance to recognize that Mrs. Pontpier was the genuine article.\u00a0 He envied George.\u00a0 Pa could be just as genuine a fretter as any mother hen, but there was a difference, and he found himself missing his mother\u2019s touch.<\/p>\n By the time he\u2019d filled his plate and taken a seat on the other side of Mr. Pontpier, Little Joe had fought down the sudden surge of emotion to a level that could be disguised by keeping his attention on the food.<\/p>\n \u201cI do hope the son and heir won\u2019t stay abed too late,\u201d Madeleine said to her father.\u00a0 \u201cI was planning an early start.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot as early as you\u2019d hoped, ma\u2019am,\u201d Little Joe said.\u00a0 \u201cYour mother did pretty much say what your father guessed, but George and me talked it over.\u00a0 He\u2019s gonna take breakfast in his room, like she wanted, but I\u2019m gonna go up as soon as I finish mine and help him with his exercises, so\u2019s we can get an earlier start.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, thank you,\u201d she responded, again with an approving smile.\u00a0 \u201cThat will be helpful.\u00a0 I have so much to do here that I\u2019m anxious to get back and begin the decorating this afternoon.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe set down his fork.\u00a0 \u201cI sure hate to be taking your time like this, Miss Madeleine, and far as I\u2019m concerned, this can wait \u2018til next week.\u201d\u00a0 Or forever, even<\/em>, he added silently.<\/p>\n \u201cYou need a dress suit for tomorrow night\u2014and for church on Sunday,\u201d she insisted firmly, \u201cso it will have to be today.\u201d<\/p>\n He swallowed hard. \u00a0\u201cWell, I could . . . just stay in my room . . . I guess.\u201d\u00a0 His voice tapered off at sight of both their faces.<\/p>\n \u201cCertainly not,\u201d Mr. Pontpier said with a foreboding glare at his daughter.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, of course not,\u201d Madeleine murmured, though Little Joe thought he\u2019d caught just the slightest glint of relief when he made the suggestion.\u00a0 Either she didn\u2019t dare oppose her father or, more charitably, her own instincts as hostess had taken over.<\/p>\n Mr. Pontpier\u2019s right hand reached out to cover Little Joe\u2019s left.\u00a0 \u201cIt wouldn\u2019t be the same without you, my boy.\u201d<\/p>\n His smile was so sincere that Little Joe grinned in response.\u00a0 It had been a hard offer for him to make, for there was little he enjoyed more than a good party, and the thought of dancing in the fancy ballroom upstairs that George had described back on board ship made his toes tingle in expectation.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n Little Joe pushed George through his exercises and helped him dress in record time, though to be honest, George was also anxious to complete his necessary preparations and get out and about as quickly as possible.\u00a0 He wasn\u2019t in the least concerned about all that needed to be done that day\u2014he had full confidence that his sister could manage everything with aplomb, no matter the challenges that came her way\u2014but he was eager to do something besides rest and take care of his leg after his long confinement.\u00a0 He wanted fresh air and a sense of life returning to normal, even if his mother insisted that he use that confounded rolling chair for a lengthy excursion like the one planned this morning.<\/p>\n When they arrived downstairs, they found both ladies bonneted and ready to go.\u00a0 While Horace fetched their coats, Madeleine took a few minutes to outline their attack on the stores.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019ll begin at Janes and work our way back down Washington St.,\u201d she announced.\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s for your suit, Little Joe.\u00a0 Since we want it by tomorrow, we need to arrange that first.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe\u2019s brow wrinkled with worry.\u00a0 \u201cJane\u2019s, ma\u2019am?\u00a0 Womenfolk do your tailoring here?\u201d\u00a0 Sure, women made good seamstresses, but tailoring?\u00a0 That was for men!<\/p>\n George laughed.\u00a0 \u201cH. B. Janes and Company,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cThey are one of the best establishments in Boston.\u00a0 Both Father and I use them exclusively.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, okay,\u201d Little Joe said, looking relieved as the image of frills and ruffles on his cuffs faded away.<\/p>\n Madeleine cleared her throat.\u00a0 \u201cAs I was saying, we\u2019ll work our way home, stopping at Clapp\u2019s for hosiery and gloves and then at Bacon\u2019s\u2014which sells shirts, not pork belly, Joseph\u2014and finish with appropriate footwear at William Collier\u2019s, near here on Shawmut Ave.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe opened his mouth to protest that his own boots suited him just fine, but at a warning shake of the head from George, he decided not to bother.\u00a0 Experience had taught him that when a woman was as determined as Madeleine, it was best to just let her take the reins.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n Adam settled into a deck chair and breathed in the salt air with deep contentment.\u00a0 Since there was still nothing to see but open ocean, he\u2019d elected to spend the morning reading on deck.\u00a0 It might, after all, be his last chance to do so in blessed solitude.\u00a0 Undoubtedly, more passengers would find their sea legs today, and sooner than he\u2019d like, he\u2019d probably be fending off the unwanted attentions of the Parker ladies.\u00a0 Congratulating himself on how deftly he\u2019d cited daughterly duty to divert darling Irene from joining him this morning, he opened his book and began to read.<\/p>\n He\u2019d had no more than half an hour of that peaceful pursuit, however, when he heard a sharp voice he knew all too well.\u00a0 \u201cWhy, there you are, Mr. Cartwright!\u00a0 If I didn\u2019t know better, I\u2019d think you were hiding yourself away.\u201d<\/p>\n He closed his eyes to gather his strength and opened them again after taking a long, slow breath and exhaling at an even slower pace.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m in plain sight, Miss Parker.\u00a0 But I thought you were spending the morning with your mother.\u201d<\/p>\n She moved closer.\u00a0 \u201cShe\u2019s napping now and urged me to take in the ocean air\u2014so invigorating, you know.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAh, yes.\u00a0 Well, do enjoy it,\u201d he said, turning back to his book.<\/p>\n The chair next to him was unfortunately vacant, and Irene needed no invitation to seat herself beside him.\u00a0 \u201cWhat are you reading?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n Adam stifled a sigh.\u00a0 \u201cA Tale of Two Cities<\/em> by Charles Dickens.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, I do love Dickens!\u201d she declared.\u00a0 \u201cDear little David Copperfield and Oliver Twist. \u00a0How I wept over their tragic little lives.\u00a0 I haven\u2019t read this one, however.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s relatively new,\u201d Adam said.\u00a0 \u201cI would, of course, be happy to lend it to you once I\u2019ve finished.\u201d<\/p>\n She laid an imploring hand on his arm.\u00a0 \u201cOh, dear Mr. Cartwright, I\u2019m sure I would enjoy it much more if you were to read it aloud.\u00a0 Just hearing you speak, I know you must have a marvelous reading voice.\u00a0 And you\u2019ve barely started it, I see.\u00a0 Could we not share the pleasure together?\u201d<\/p>\n Adam had been told many times, even by audiences as critical as his two younger brothers, that he had an excellent reading voice, and ordinarily, he loved to read aloud, to make the material come alive for the listener.\u00a0 Today, however, he had no desire whatsoever to \u2018share the pleasure\u2019 of his new book.\u00a0 In all good conscience, though, he had no reason, other than selfish ones, to deny her request, so he turned back to the beginning of the book and began to read, \u201c\u2018It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. . ..\u2019\u201d\u00a0 He had a feeling as he read the words that, for him, the worst of times had just begun.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n Little Joe faced the door to the esteemed H. B. Janes and Company with a fair amount of trepidation.\u00a0 It wasn\u2019t the establishment itself that gave him almost as crawly a stomach as he\u2019d felt on board ship.\u00a0 If he\u2019d had money in his pocket, he\u2019d have enjoyed exploring a fancy store and buying himself a new suit of clothes.\u00a0 He\u2019d even enjoyed that day in Acapulco when Eva and Margaret had dressed him up like their new dolly, but he was quite certain the same experience in Madeleine Pontpier\u2019s hands wouldn\u2019t be a quarter as pleasurable.\u00a0 Determined to make the best of it, if only for sweet-hearted Mrs. Pontpier\u2019s sake, he followed the ladies in, pushing George\u2019s rolling chair.<\/p>\n The proprietor came to greet them as soon as they entered.\u00a0 \u201cMy dear Mrs. Pontpier,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cHow delightful to see you again.\u00a0 You did not need to pick up Mr. Pontpier\u2019s new suit, however; we planned to deliver it this afternoon, as requested.\u201d<\/p>\n Mrs. Pontpier smiled at him.\u00a0 \u201cMy husband hadn\u2019t told me he\u2019d ordered a new suit, Mr. Janes, but as long as we\u2019re here, we might as well take it with us and save you the trouble of delivering it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo trouble at all,\u201d Mr. Janes assured her.\u00a0 \u201cI see that this is a family occasion.\u00a0 Miss Madeleine, a pleasure.\u201d\u00a0 His brow wrinkled as he noticed George in his chair.\u00a0 \u201cOh, my, I trust you are not ailing, Mr. Pontpier.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo,\u201d George said at once.\u00a0 \u201cRecovering from a broken leg and giving in to overly solicitous ladies.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIndeed, we are not!\u00a0 We have much to do and cannot be delayed by your inability to keep up,\u201d Madeleine declared, \u201cbut you mustn\u2019t distract us from our principal purpose here, George.\u00a0 Mr. Janes, I apologize profusely for the short notice, but we are in need of a second suit, and I\u2019m afraid we must have it by tomorrow evening.\u00a0 Will that be possible? \u00a0Your establishment is our first choice, of course, but if you\u2019re unable to accommodate us, I\u2019m afraid we will have to try elsewhere.\u201d<\/p>\n For a moment Mr. Janes looked nonplussed, but he quickly composed himself.\u00a0 \u201cAs you say, Miss Madeleine, it is short notice, but we will do our utmost to meet your need.\u00a0 You are such valued customers.\u201d\u00a0 A look of concern crossed his face.\u00a0 \u201cOh, dear, I hope I wasn\u2019t giving away a surprise when I mentioned Mr. Pontpier\u2019s suit; he did say it was for a special occasion.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt is,\u201d Mrs. Pontpier replied with a smile.\u00a0 \u201cOur anniversary.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAh, yes, that is something to celebrate,\u201d he almost cooed, \u201cand may you share many more years of felicitous union together.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThank you,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cNow, are you able to stand for measurements, Mr. George?\u201d the tailor asked.\u00a0 \u201cI do have your previous ones if you are not.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMy gracious, the suit isn\u2019t for him,\u201d Madeleine said with a distinctly unladylike snort.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s for this boy.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOur houseguest, Joseph Cartwright,\u201d Mrs. Pontpier said warmly.\u00a0 \u201cHe hadn\u2019t expected to be here for our party and, therefore, did not come prepared.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot even for a simple dinner at home,\u201d Madeleine muttered, but fortunately Mr. Janes was so intent on assessing the young man\u2019s ridiculously slight figure that he didn\u2019t hear her.\u00a0 Less fortunately, Little Joe did.<\/p>\n \u201cI see,\u201d Mr. Janes said.\u00a0 \u201cWell, if you\u2019ll come with me, young man, we will soon have your measurements taken, and then you can select the fabric for your suit.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ll see to that,\u201d Madeleine said.\u00a0 At a look from George, she added, \u201cIt\u2019ll save time.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, ma\u2019am,\u201d Little Joe said and escaped into the safety of the fitting room.\u00a0 When he returned, Madeleine showed the tailor the fabric she had chosen.<\/p>\n \u201cAn excellent choice!\u201d Mr. Janes fairly gushed.\u00a0 A cynic might have assumed that his enthusiasm was based on the price of that particular fabric, but he was as much pleased to be working with such quality material as he was with making a sizable sale.<\/p>\n Just how sizable was soon revealed when Mrs. Pontpier called Little Joe to her side.\u00a0 She showed him two pieces of fabric, one a rich brown wool and the other a moss green tweed with thin gold threads woven throughout.\u00a0 \u201cWhat do you think of these?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n Little Joe fingered them and liked the feel of both.\u00a0 \u201cThey\u2019re nice, ma\u2019am.\u00a0 You thinkin\u2019 of orderin\u2019 \u2018em for your husband?\u201d<\/p>\n She laughed lightly.\u00a0 \u201cNo, my dear\u2014for you.\u201d<\/p>\n He leaned closer.\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t wanna make trouble between you and your daughter, ma\u2019am, but I kinda think she\u2019s set on that black piece.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOf course,\u201d she said gently, \u201cbut that\u2019s for special occasions.\u00a0 You\u2019ll need something simpler for dinner and for church.\u00a0 You do attend services?\u201d<\/p>\n He nodded.\u00a0 \u201c\u2018Most every Sunday, but you don\u2019t need to buy me a second set of duds, ma\u2019am.\u00a0 I got this.\u201d\u00a0 He pinched the lapel of the suit he was wearing between the thumb and index finger of his left hand.<\/p>\n \u201cWhich, as you correctly said, is very nearly worn out,\u201d she clucked.\u00a0 \u201cNow, which of these do you prefer, or would you like something different?\u201d<\/p>\n He had a feeling arguing would be pointless.\u00a0 \u201cEither one would be just great.\u00a0 You probably know better\u2019n me what\u2019s proper here in Boston, so you choose, please.\u201d<\/p>\n She laid her cool palm against his cheek.\u00a0 \u201cI intend to purchase both,\u201d she said, \u201cbut if you have a preference, we\u2019ll have Mr. Janes make that one first.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThree new suits?\u201d Little Joe croaked.\u00a0 \u201cMa\u2019am, that\u2019s too much.\u00a0 After all, Adam\u2019ll be here soon, and . . .\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI insist,\u201d she said firmly.\u00a0 \u201cNow, which first?\u201d<\/p>\n He surrendered to the immovable force of womanhood and murmured uncomfortably, \u201cThe green, please.\u201d<\/p>\n Taking both bolts of fabric, she approached the tailor.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019ll take two more suits to the same measurements, Mr. Janes,\u201d she said crisply.\u00a0 \u201cWould it be possible to have the green one by sometime next week?\u201d<\/p>\n Mr. Janes looked relieved that he was not expected to produce all three by the following afternoon.\u00a0 Women, he had come to believe, could be far more demanding about such things than any man.\u00a0 Thanking his lucky stars that this one was more reasonable than most, he assured her that he could easily produce the second suit by midweek and the other shortly thereafter.<\/p>\n Then George showed the tailor his own choice of fabric, but said, \u201cNo hurry.\u00a0 Put Mr. Cartwright\u2019s suits first.\u00a0 I just couldn\u2019t resist that rich wool.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cA wise decision,\u201d Mr. Janes said.\u00a0 \u201cYou won\u2019t find the like of that anywhere else.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPrecisely,\u201d George said, \u201cas is always true of your shop.\u00a0 Thank you, Mr. Janes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, thank you,\u201d Madeleine said with a significant look at her brother.\u00a0 \u201cCome along now, George; we have other errands, you may recall.\u201d\u00a0 As soon as they\u2019d exited the shop, she dictated, \u201cOn to Bacon\u2019s\u2014and no dawdling, gentlemen!\u201d<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n Irene Parker returned to her shared stateroom with a pout that in no way enhanced her meager looks.\u00a0 She\u2019d spent a most wonderful morning, of course, sitting side-by-side with the eligible Mr. Cartwright, but she\u2019d been denied a privilege about which she\u2019d dreamed throughout their reading session.\u00a0 She\u2019d pictured herself being admired by everyone they met as she entered the dining salon on his arm.\u00a0 How proud Mother, in particular, would be!\u00a0 But that dream had shattered when he\u2019d closed the book a full forty-five minutes before the ship\u2019s bells chimed for luncheon.<\/p>\n And when she\u2019d urged him to continue, he\u2019d said, \u201cWe\u2019re at a good stopping place, and no doubt you wish to freshen up before dining.\u00a0 I know I do.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI couldn\u2019t argue with that,\u201d she explained to her mother, who demanded every detail of how the quest had gone as soon as she entered.\u00a0 \u201cIt wouldn\u2019t have seemed genteel.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not sure how genteel Mr. Cartwright is,\u201d Mrs. Parker said, \u201cbut you were right, of course.\u00a0 It\u2019s always the task of the lady to bring her man up to her standards.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThank you, Mother.\u201d\u00a0 Praise from her mother was much rarer than criticism, so Irene felt both relieved and pleased.<\/p>\n \u201cDid you remember to thank him for his time?\u201d the mother asked.<\/p>\n \u201cOf course, Mother!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd to gush over his reading skill?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGush!\u201d\u00a0 Irene shook her head in consternation.\u00a0 \u201cOh, Mother, how could I?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMy dear, there is nothing men wish more to hear sung than their own praises,\u201d Mrs. Parker declared.\u00a0 Index finger tapping her lips, she mused for a moment.\u00a0 \u201cWell, perhaps it\u2019s better that you didn\u2019t\u2014while you were alone, that is.\u00a0 He\u2019ll no doubt respond more favorably if you say it at luncheon, when there\u2019s an audience.\u00a0 Men are so vain that way.\u00a0 And it will make it more difficult for him to refuse when you request the pleasure of hearing him read again.\u201d\u00a0 Stars or, perhaps, dollar signs swam before her eyes as she mulled the possible result of her daughter spending each day between here and New York in the company of Mr. Adam Cartwright.\u00a0 \u201cYes,\u201d she concluded decidedly.\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s just what you must do.\u201d<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n Adam, meanwhile, had splashed his face with cool water and given his windblown hair a quick brushing and then spent the remainder of his time until eight bells in determining how to avoid a repetition of this morning\u2019s torture.\u00a0 Actually, he\u2019d wasted a good portion of that time in cursing his poor judgment.\u00a0 Why had he assumed that he had one more free morning to indulge his enjoyment of reading in the open air?\u00a0 Women, as he should well have remembered, were perverse creatures, often doing the exact thing a man was certain they would not.<\/p>\n He\u2019d done his best to keep his voice little better than a monotone, but the material was so interesting to him that, despite his intentions, he\u2019d reverted to form and allowed the emotion he was feeling to color his reading.\u00a0 He wasn\u2019t sure, for that matter, that an absolutely dry rendering would have discouraged Miss Parker; therefore, it was imperative that he come up with something, anything that would distract her from continuing the novel.\u00a0 He certainly couldn\u2019t take another week with darling Irene as his sole companion.<\/p>\n He entered the dining salon and took his seat.\u00a0 \u201cMrs. Parker,\u201d he said on seeing the older lady seated across from him and beside her daughter, \u201cI trust you are feeling better.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSomewhat, Mr. Cartwright,\u201d she replied, \u201calthough I intend to eat only lightly.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cA wise decision, I\u2019m sure,\u201d he said.\u00a0 He nodded a greeting to her daughter, hoping that would suffice and spoke briefly to the other gentlemen at the table.\u00a0 Conversation was sparse and inconsequential until each diner had made his or her choice from the handwritten menu.<\/p>\n As soon as that necessary business was out of the way, Irene cleared her throat and said, \u201cI must tell you again, dear Mr. Cartwright, how very much I enjoyed your reading to me this morning.\u00a0 Never have I heard such a vivid rendering of the written word.\u00a0 Why, it was just as if Mr. Dickens himself was reading his work!\u201d<\/p>\n Adam\u2019s eyebrow arched slightly.\u00a0 He knew he deserved no such compliment for the morning\u2019s efforts, though how the young lady could possibly have any notion of Charles Dickens\u2019 reading skills was beyond him.\u00a0 Since he didn\u2019t wish to pursue the subject, however, he simply said, \u201cThank you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI do hope we can continue with the next chapter after luncheon,\u201d she said.\u00a0 Then, seeing his reaction, she added quickly, \u201cUnless your voice is too tired, of course.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy, I\u2019m certain it isn\u2019t, Irene dear,\u201d her mother inserted.\u00a0 \u201cA strong, healthy young man like Mr. Cartwright must certainly find reading easier work than punching cows.\u201d\u00a0 She tittered lightly and smiled coquettishly, as if to imply that she was merely teasing.<\/p>\n \u201cWhich of Mr. Dickens\u2019 works are you reading, Mr. Cartwright?\u201d Mr. Peterson asked.<\/p>\n Blessing the banker for his timely interruption, Adam grasped at the chance to talk to anyone except the Parkers.\u00a0 \u201cA Tale of Two Cities<\/em>.\u00a0 Have you read it, Mr. Peterson?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, I haven\u2019t, and I generally enjoy his work very much.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI have, before I went west,\u201d Mr. Clarkson put in.\u00a0 \u201cAs an employee at Appleton\u2019s, I often get first crack at new books.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI envy you,\u201d Adam said in simple honesty.<\/p>\n \u201cAs I was saying,\u201d Irene said, raising her voice, \u201cI do hope we can continue the story this afternoon.\u00a0 After all, there\u2019s little else to do when there\u2019s nothing around us but water.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe should be almost to Navassa by the time we finish eating.\u00a0 You wouldn\u2019t want to miss that!\u201d Adam said in desperation, for he well knew that particular island had almost nothing to offer scenically.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sure Irene would be delighted to delay the reading briefly, Mr. Cartwright, if you could point out the attractions of the island for her,\u201d Mrs. Parker said with a crafty smile.<\/p>\n Adam felt trapped.\u00a0 At this point he really couldn\u2019t admit that Navassa had no attractions.\u00a0 Not only would that reveal his subterfuge, but it would inevitably land him right back in a deck chair, reading to his personal ball and chain for the afternoon.<\/p>\n It was then that Mr. Peterson spoke up.\u00a0 \u201cIf it isn\u2019t asking too much, Mr. Cartwright, perhaps you wouldn\u2019t mind sharing your reading with a larger audience.\u00a0 I know I would enjoy hearing this new novel by Mr. Dickens, and no doubt there would be others, as well.\u00a0 Perhaps the captain might arrange a gathering in the evenings, when there are no fascinating islands to see.\u201d\u00a0 His discreet wink indicated that he knew exactly how fascinating tiny Navassa Island would be.<\/p>\n Grasping the suggestion like a rope tossed to a man washed overboard, Adam said that he\u2019d be delighted.\u00a0 \u201cAnd that will leave the afternoons free for the ladies to do their needlework or whatever they might choose in the ladies\u2019 salon,\u201d he added.\u00a0 \u201cYes, that\u2019s an excellent plan, Mr. Peterson.\u201d\u00a0 Their dinners were served just then, and a relieved Adam ate with relish.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n Little Joe hopped out of the carriage as soon as it pulled up before the Pontpier home in Union Square.<\/p>\n \u201cMy goodness,\u201d Madeleine said as he handed her down to the sidewalk.\u00a0 \u201cIf you must take the role of a servant, Joseph, you should, at least, wait until the horses stop . . . for safety\u2019s sake.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re always safe with me, ma\u2019am,\u201d he assured her with a twinkle in his eye.<\/p>\n \u201cNo doubt,\u201d she said dryly.<\/p>\n His charms evidently lost on George\u2019s sister, Little Joe reached up to assist Mrs. Pontpier, who returned his smile warmly and thanked him for his assistance.\u00a0 Ordinarily, men saw to their own descent, but since George was looking tired after the lengthy excursion, Little Joe gave him a hand down, as well, while the driver brought the rolling chair to them.\u00a0 \u201cIf you\u2019ll give me the packages,\u201d he told the man, \u201cwe can just plop \u2018em here in ole George\u2019s lap and I\u2019ll wheel the whole lot in.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI scarcely think we need . . .\u201d Madeleine began.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019ll save time, ma\u2019am,\u201d Little Joe said with a cheeky grin, for he\u2019d heard so many lamentations over all she needed to do that morning that he simply couldn\u2019t resist teasing, even so straitlaced a target as Madeleine Pontpier.<\/p>\n Confused, the driver raised his eyes to Mrs. Pontpier for guidance.\u00a0 \u201cLet them plop,\u201d she tittered.\u00a0 At Madeleine\u2019s reproving look, she said, barely containing her mirth, \u201cWell, it will save time, my dear.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou are a bad influence,\u201d Madeleine declared to Little Joe.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, ma\u2019am, sure am,\u201d he chuckled in response.<\/p>\n \u201cInsufferable,\u201d she muttered as she turned sharply on her heel and headed up the steps, apparently not wanting the neighbors to associate her with the scene about to be created.<\/p>\n When the pile of packages reached the tip of his nose, George protested, \u201cLeave me room to breathe!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJust one more,\u201d Little Joe said, tucking a small package alongside George\u2019s right hip.\u00a0 He stepped back to survey his work and shook his head in dismay.\u00a0 It was ridiculous what ladies thought a man needed for a short stay in Boston.\u00a0 Of course, a couple of the packages belonged to George, but the bulk of the pile was destined for Little Joe\u2019s wardrobe.\u00a0 He\u2019d tried to talk them out of some things, just to keep the bill down, but the Pontpiers seemed to have no concern whatsoever for money, and he\u2019d finally given up trying to talk them out of spending it on him right and left. \u00a0It was a hard concept to wrap his head around, having that much, when he\u2014and Hoss, for that matter\u2014found it hard to pay for a beer by the end of the month.\u00a0 Pa and Adam always had plenty, of course, but they were still frugal, almost penny-pinching, in comparison to these city folks.<\/p>\n He slowly turned George\u2019s chair so he could back it up the stairs.\u00a0 \u201cHang on tight,\u201d he ordered.\u00a0 \u201cIt won\u2019t save any time if you spill it and we have to start over.\u201d<\/p>\n George mumbled something indecipherable through the packages piled in front of his mouth, but Little Joe accepted it as \u201cMessage heard\u201d and started rolling the chair up to the front door, one step at a time.<\/p>\n Holding the door for them, Horace looked appalled and immediately began unearthing his young master.<\/p>\n \u201cMost of those are mine,\u201d Little Joe said.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll just trot \u2018em up to my room real quick and . . .\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, dear,\u201d Mrs. Pontpier objected.\u00a0 \u201cHorace will see to them, although I\u2019m sure he would appreciate your telling him which go to your room and which to George\u2019s.\u00a0 Oh, that large one is for Mr. Pontpier, Horace.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cVery good, Madame,\u201d the butler replied.\u00a0 \u201cIf you\u2019ll allow me, sir . . .\u201d\u00a0 He took two packages from Little Joe, who released them with another shake of his head.<\/p>\n \u201cWould you take me in to luncheon, please, Little Joe?\u201d Mrs. Pontpier asked, extending her hand to the young man.<\/p>\n He took her arm.\u00a0 \u201cMy pleasure, ma\u2019am, and I sure appreciate all you did for me today.\u201d<\/p>\n She patted his forearm with her free hand.\u00a0 \u201cAh, that was my pleasure, my boy.\u201d\u00a0 Looking over her shoulder, she added, \u201cComing, George?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, Mother,\u201d George said.\u00a0 Ignoring her mild frown, he rose from the chair and walked slowly behind them into the dining room.<\/p>\n Madeleine was already there.\u00a0 George moved to hold her chair, while Little Joe did the same service for the lady on his arm.\u00a0 Once they were all seated, Madeleine said, \u201cKnowing we\u2019d be eating late, I told cook this morning that we\u2019d want only a light luncheon.\u00a0 It won\u2019t be long until tea time, so this is only meant to sustain you until then.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSomehow, we\u2019ll manage to survive, won\u2019t we, Little Joe?\u201d George said with a wink.<\/p>\n \u201cI will,\u201d Little Joe responded cheekily.\u00a0 \u201cI can\u2019t be sure about you, George.\u201d<\/p>\n The Irish servant girl, Aideen, brought in a large tureen. \u00a0Carrying it to each place, she ladled in a cup or so.\u00a0 Then Madeleine said, \u201cLeave it, please, Bridget; the gentlemen may want more, and they can serve themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, miss,\u201d Aideen said, setting down the tureen and dropping a curtsey.\u00a0 \u201cWill you be wantin\u2019 the rabbit right away or will ye ring?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cRight away,\u201d Madeleine said, \u201cand it\u2019s rarebit, not rabbit.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAs you say, miss.\u201d\u00a0 Aideen dropped another half-curtsey and moved quickly into the kitchen.<\/p>\n Little Joe started to correct George\u2019s sister about the young maid\u2019s name, but when he saw the strain on her face, he decided not to.\u00a0 \u201cThe soup looks good, ma\u2019am,\u201d he said.\u00a0 He took a sip and looked up, puzzled.\u00a0 \u201cTomato?\u00a0 Kind of late in the season for them, at least where I come from.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHere, too,\u201d Mrs. Pontpier said.\u00a0 \u201cNo doubt this is one of Mr. Huckins Hermetically Sealed Soups. They\u2019re still relatively new here, so I doubt they\u2019ve made their way west yet.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSoup in a can?\u00a0 No, ma\u2019am, we don\u2019t have anything like that,\u201d Little Joe admitted.\u00a0 It wasn\u2019t as good as Hop Sing\u2019s fresh concoction, of course, but it tasted pretty good, and seemed like a good choice to go with the cheesy Welsh rarebit that Aideen brought in moments later.\u00a0 \u201cYou couldn\u2019t have picked a better lunch, Miss Madeleine, if you\u2019d tried all day,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m glad it meets with your approval,\u201d she replied, \u201cespecially since I certainly didn\u2019t have all day to spend on its selection.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMadeleine,\u201d her mother said with a cautionary tone.<\/p>\n \u201cI meant nothing by it, Mother,\u201d Madeleine said, \u201cbut it is a busy day.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019d be glad to help, any way I can,\u201d Little Joe said. \u00a0\u201cLeast I could do after takin\u2019 up all your time this morning, and I\u2019m right good at climbin\u2019 ladders and puttin\u2019 up decorations.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, dear, no,\u201d Madeleine protested, a look approaching horror crossing her face.\u00a0 She quickly composed herself.\u00a0 \u201cThank you, Joseph, but we have servants to do the actual work.\u00a0 I have to supervise, and there\u2019s really nothing you could do in that area.\u201d<\/p>\n The look of horror transferred itself to Joe\u2019s face at the mere thought of supervising the house\u2019s d\u00e9cor for the special event.\u00a0 \u201cOh, no, ma\u2019am,\u201d he said at once.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was kind of you to offer, though, wasn\u2019t it, Madeleine?\u201d her mother put in.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d\u00a0 Madeleine took the hint.\u00a0 \u201cOh, yes, thank you for the thought, Joseph.\u00a0 Perhaps you\u2019d like to spend the afternoon practicing your dance steps,\u201d she suggested with a light laugh.\u00a0 Then her hand inadvertently rose to cover her mouth.\u00a0 \u201cOh, dear,\u201d she sighed.\u00a0 \u201cPlease tell me you can dance.\u00a0 I really don\u2019t have time to add dancing lessons to the schedule.\u201d<\/p>\n Perhaps Little Joe had heard that complaint one time too many, but he was suddenly hit with a spark of orneriness.\u00a0 \u201cWhy, shore, ma\u2019am,\u201d he drawled.\u00a0 \u201cI can do-si-do and swing my partner with the best of \u2018em.\u201d<\/p>\n Madeleine paled.\u00a0 \u201cIs that some sort of . . . folk dance?\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe beamed with pleasure at her perception.\u00a0 \u201cYes, ma\u2019am, and ain\u2019t nothin\u2019 I like better\u2019n a good square dance.\u201d<\/p>\n She began rubbing her forehead.\u00a0 \u201cI can\u2019t,\u201d she murmured to herself.\u00a0 \u201cI simply can\u2019t; there\u2019s no time.\u201d<\/p>\n Though he was enjoying the exchange immensely, George took pity on his overwrought sister.\u00a0 \u201cHe\u2019s pulling your leg, Maddie,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Her head came up sharply.\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t have time for that, either!\u201d she sputtered.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, my poor girl,\u201d Mrs. Pontpier said, trying to restrain her temptation to laugh.\u00a0 \u201cI fear you may have taken on too much.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s my fault, ma\u2019am,\u201d Little Joe said.\u00a0 \u201cI shouldn\u2019t have teased.\u00a0 Yes, Miss Madeleine, I can dance,\u201d he added, returning to the original question.\u00a0 \u201cPa and Adam saw to that.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, Adam, at least, I can trust,\u201d Madeleine declared with a reproving glare at both men.<\/p>\n \u201cI shall look forward to sharing my third dance with you, Little Joe,\u201d Mrs. Pontpier said. \u00a0\u201cThat is, unless George is unable to take the second, in which case that will go to you, my dear boy.\u201d<\/p>\n George reached for her hand.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll be able; I wouldn\u2019t yield my place for the world, Mother.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd with two older brothers, I\u2019m used to takin\u2019 third place, ma\u2019am, sometimes even on bath water,\u201d Little Joe put in.\u00a0 \u201cDancing with you will be a heap more worth waiting for than that!\u201d<\/p>\n Three people at the table laughed, one at his own joke, while Madeleine could only shake her head in weary forbearance of those who had time for such frivolity.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n Despite knowing how little there was to see, Adam Cartwright stood at the rail, staring at Navassa Island like the majority of passengers.\u00a0 After two days of nothing but open sea, any land whatever was a welcome sight.<\/p>\n As he\u2019d feared, Irene Parker soon inserted herself into the space beside him at the rail.\u00a0 \u201cI must say,\u201d she said, \u201cI was expecting something a bit more scenic after your insistence that I see this, Mr. Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n Before coming on deck, Adam had developed a plan of action he hoped might disillusion her regarding his prospects as a marriageable man.\u00a0 \u201cWell, now, ma\u2019am,\u201d he drawled.\u00a0 \u201cScenery ain\u2019t everything.\u00a0 This island here\u2019s got attraction beyond pretty sights.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh?\u201d \u00a0Encouraged by his atypical attention, Irene leaned closer.\u00a0 \u201cWhat is that, Mr. Cartwright?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy, the guano, ma\u2019am.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGuano?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe bat droppings, ma\u2019am,\u201d he explained, employing all his acting skills to keep a straight face.\u00a0 \u201cGreat source of manure, I hear.\u00a0 \u2018Course, I don\u2019t know if\u2019n it\u2019d be as useful as what our horses produce, but it\u2019d be a right interestin\u2019 study, don\u2019t you reckon?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2014uh\u2014couldn\u2019t say.\u201d\u00a0 Her nose wrinkled as if she\u2019d caught a whiff of something unpleasant.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, Miss Irene, you got no notion how important manure can be to the proper running of a ranch!\u201d he declared with enthusiasm.\u00a0 \u201cWhy, I could tell you . . .\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m afraid you\u2019ll have to enlighten me another time, Mr. Cartwright,\u201d she said hastily.\u00a0 \u201cI really must check on mother, so if you\u2019ll excuse me . . .\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy, sure, ma\u2019am,\u201d he said and somehow managed to contain his glint of glee until she\u2019d started down the stairs to the lower deck.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n Little Joe shook his head at the pile of parcels perched atop Adam\u2019s steamer trunk at the end of his bed.\u00a0 His room had seemed like a safe place to escape Madeleine\u2019s anniversary madness, but now he could only stare and wonder where he was supposed to put it all.\u00a0 It reminded him of a picture he\u2019d seen in one of his schoolbooks, the Leaning Tower of\u2014where was that thing?\u00a0 Adam would know, of course; he never forgot anything he\u2019d read.\u00a0 Even Pa probably knew \u2018cause he\u2019d sailed all over the world.\u00a0 Wherever it was, it had lasted for centuries, even tipped like it was, but frankly, he was afraid that if he pulled one package off this leaning tower of menswear, the whole thing would topple over.\u00a0 Well, he\u2019d just have to pick it up if it did.<\/p>\n He gingerly took the top package off the pile and set it on the bed to open it.\u00a0 It turned out to be underwear.\u00a0 Thank goodness, the ladies had let him and George shop for that on their own!\u00a0 They sure knew how to shop, though, even if they did seem to feel a fellow needed a lot more clothes than he thought necessary.\u00a0 He\u2019d tried to convince them that he only needed enough to see him through until Adam arrived.\u00a0 \u201cAdam\u2019ll get me whatever I need when he comes,\u201d he\u2019d told them confidently, for he was certain that, no matter how mad Adam was, he wouldn\u2019t let his kid brother run around Boston half-naked.\u00a0 He might threaten to, but he wouldn\u2019t do it.\u00a0 His protests hadn\u2019t daunted the ladies\u2019 shopping fervor one bit, and Little Joe was sure he had enough clothes to last him through a six-month visit, long past the time they\u2019d be heading home.<\/p>\n Hearing a tap at the door, he called, \u201cCome in,\u201d and wasn\u2019t surprised to see a servant enter.\u00a0 He was pleasantly surprised to see that it was Aideen.\u00a0 \u201cHey!\u00a0 Through in the kitchen already?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFor now, sir,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s Joe.\u00a0 How can I help you, Miss Aideen?\u201d<\/p>\n She giggled.\u00a0 \u201cSure an\u2019 it\u2019s me that\u2019s come to help you.\u00a0 The Miss sent me for your shirt for the party tomorrow, so it can be ironed.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh,\u201d Little Joe said.\u00a0 He waved a hand toward the leaning tower of packages.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s in there somewhere.\u00a0 I just started unpacking.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLet me help you with that, then.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThanks!\u201d he said, brightening.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m not sure what to do with it all.\u00a0 Did you ever see the like?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, yes,\u201d she said, moving briskly toward the packages and lifting one from the pile.\u00a0 \u201cThe grand folks have closets and drawers bulging with such things.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe snickered.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll bet they do, especially the ladies!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEspecially the ladies,\u201d Aideen agreed with a smile.\u00a0 Opening the package, she lifted out a shirt.\u00a0 \u201cIs this it, then?\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe shook his head.\u00a0 \u201cNo, that\u2019s one of the everyday shirts.\u00a0 The one we\u2019re looking for has got frills all down the front and ruffled cuffs.\u00a0 Keep looking.\u201d<\/p>\n She giggled again.\u00a0 \u201cYou don\u2019t seem like a frills- and ruffles-kind of lad.\u201d<\/p>\n He shrugged.\u00a0 \u201cNah, but I don\u2019t mind \u2018em for a party.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201c\u2018Tis going to be a grand one, it is,\u201d she said as she spread the shirt on the bed and reached for another box.\u00a0 \u201cYou should see the ballroom, all flower-bedecked it is.\u201d\u00a0 With a darting glance toward the door, she whispered, \u201cThough if I were you, I\u2019d be keepin\u2019 me distance from it, at least until the Miss finishes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, believe you me, I\u2019m keepin\u2019 my distance from Miss Madeleine today,\u201d Little Joe confided with a grin.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ve been enough bother already, and I\u2019ve got sense enough to stay clear when someone\u2019s frettin\u2019 herself silly, like she is over this party.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI wish I could do the same,\u201d Aideen said with a little sigh, \u201cbut I\u2019ve been told to help.\u00a0 \u2018Twas glad I was to be sent to you, instead!\u201d<\/p>\n He lightly stroked her cheek.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m glad, too.\u00a0 Maybe, if we go a little slower, you can avoid her altogether.\u201d<\/p>\n Aideen blushed.\u00a0 \u201cI dare not.\u00a0 If she has to come lookin\u2019, \u2018twill be the worse for me!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll take the blame,\u201d Little Joe said.\u00a0 \u201cBelieve me, she won\u2019t have a bit of problem finding fault with me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019d not like seein\u2019 that, either,\u201d she said.\u00a0 She continued to unpack boxes and lay the garments on the bed, sorted as to type.\u00a0 Finally, she opened the last one and pulled out a linen shirt so fine and frilly that she\u2019d have been proud to wear it herself.<\/p>\n \u201cWouldn\u2019t you know it would be the last one?\u201d Little Joe chuckled.<\/p>\n \u201cIt matters not,\u201d she said.\u00a0 \u201cThey all need to be put away.\u00a0 Now, if you\u2019ll tell me where each goes, I\u2019ll . . .\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d Little Joe said.\u00a0 \u201cI put my nightshirt in that top drawer, but everything else is still in my carpetbag.\u201d<\/p>\n She shook her head as if to imply that she\u2019d expect nothing better from a gentleman, even if this one seemed less afraid of work than the eastern gents she\u2019d seen.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll put things away, then; you can watch so you\u2019ll know where to find whatever you need.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s a great plan,\u201d he said with relief, adding with a naughty wink, \u201cand it\u2019ll keep you away from Miss Madeleine\u2019s mania awhile longer.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know this word \u2018mania,\u2019\u201d she said, carrying his new nightshirt toward the drawer he\u2019d pointed out earlier.<\/p>\n \u201cCraziness,\u201d Little Joe told her.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not crazy,\u201d she said pertly.\u00a0 \u201cShe\u2019s doin\u2019 it to honor her parents, and it\u2019s worthy they are.\u00a0 I\u2019ve not been here long, but long enough to see that.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re right,\u201d he said. \u00a0\u201cThey\u2019re fine folks.\u00a0 I\u2019m looking forward to the party.\u00a0 How about you?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMe?\u201d she asked in surprise as she looked back over her shoulder.\u00a0 \u201cSure \u2018n\u2019 why would I be lookin\u2019 forward to it?\u00a0 \u2018Tis only extra work to me.\u00a0 Not that I mind doin\u2019 it, mind you. \u00a0It\u2019s happy I am to have such folk to work for, but it\u2019s still work, not a party, to me.\u201d\u00a0 She put the nightshirt into the drawer, but before she could close it, she felt his hand on her elbow as he turned her around.<\/p>\n \u201cI was hoping for a dance with you,\u201d he said softly.\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t you think you could spare five minutes from your work for that?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot if I\u2019m wantin\u2019 to keep me job,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t see why they\u2019d mind,\u201d he returned, leaning a little closer.\u00a0 \u201cI could ask . . .\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAh, no!\u201d she cried.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m beggin\u2019 you, sir, not to put me job at risk.\u00a0 I need it!\u201d<\/p>\n He stepped back.\u00a0 \u201cEasy, easy,\u201d he said, patting the air in a calming gesture.\u00a0 \u201cI won\u2019t say a word.\u201d\u00a0 He flashed her a naughty grin.\u00a0 \u201cMind you, I\u2019m not above sneaking into the hallway for a private little sashay down the hall, if you\u2019re willing.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re a wicked lad,\u201d she said, but she was smiling as she did.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n Adam smoothed his dark locks into place and then, lowering the adjustable round mirror mounted on the wall, stepped back so he could examine the rest of his attire.\u00a0 Ordinarily, he dressed in fresh clothes before the evening meal, but tonight he\u2019d saved his best for his performance.\u00a0 With a final adjustment of his blue silk cravat, he took a deep, bolstering breath and moved toward his stateroom door.\u00a0 He was confidant in his ability as a reader, of course; anyone who could keep as fidgety an audience as Hoss and Little Joe captivated had to possess some signature ability in that department.\u00a0 And he\u2019d had experience in reciting and even acting, both in college and in local Virginia City productions, so he wasn\u2019t inclined to stage fright.\u00a0 Still, he felt a certain degree of nervousness.\u00a0 This was his first performance before strangers, and the audience here might be less tolerant than one composed of schoolmates, family, friends and neighbors.\u00a0 On the other hand, after such a long time aboard ship, his fellow passengers might also be more in need of diversion than audiences he\u2019d faced before.\u00a0 That could easily work in his favor.<\/p>\n The crowd was larger than he had expected, which Adam took as a sign that the passengers were, indeed, in dire need of diversion.\u00a0 Dickens was a popular author in America, of course, and A Tale of Two Cities<\/em> was relatively new, especially to westerners, but being unknown himself, he certainly didn\u2019t credit the attendance as a personal compliment.\u00a0 From the introduction the captain gave, however, the casual listener might have assumed that Adam Cartwright was a dramatic reader of national renown.\u00a0 Surely, Dickens himself would have rated no less lavish an introduction!\u00a0 Determined to live up to the sterling description, if only to save both himself and the captain from embarrassment, Adam approached the lectern provided for him, opened his book and began to read once again of the best and worst of times in France.<\/p>\n This time, unlike his reading to darling Irene, he gave it his all.\u00a0 How could he not with such a rapt and responsive audience?\u00a0 It wasn\u2019t long before they were leaning forward in their seats, hanging onto every word.\u00a0 That, of course, only encouraged Adam to put even more feeling into his reading.\u00a0 He came to the end of a chapter and closed the book.\u00a0 \u201cThat seems like a good place to stop,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cIf you would care to continue the story tomorrow evening . . .\u201d<\/p>\n Thunderous applause, complete with standing ovation, provided the answer, and Adam soon found himself surrounded by gushing ladies and more reserved, but equally complimentary gentlemen.\u00a0 Somehow, Irene Parker pressed her way through the crowd.\u00a0 \u201cOh, darling, you were magnificent!\u201d she loudly proclaimed as she beamed and took his arm to stake her claim.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m so glad I prevailed upon you to share your gift with the world.\u201d\u00a0 She turned to smile at the other ladies.\u00a0 \u201cHe\u2019s so shy about public performance, but you\u2019d never guess, would you?\u201d<\/p>\n The ruse\u2014suggested by her mother, of course\u2014proved effective.\u00a0 Those young enough to be rivals murmured their compliments and drifted away, and soon only the married ladies and widows remained to challenge Irene for the attention of what appeared to be her beau.<\/p>\n And that, Mr. Dickens<\/em>, Adam mused, is how to turn the best of times into the worst of times!<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n October 20<\/p>\n Returning from his morning walk with Mr. Pontpier, Little Joe cracked opened the front door and peered through the narrow opening.\u00a0 \u201cIs it safe?\u201d he asked the butler.<\/p>\n Horace gazed at him with cocked head and, though tempted to feign ignorance of the young man\u2019s intent, smiled wryly and gave him as direct an answer as he deemed appropriate.\u00a0 \u201cMiss Madeleine is in the ballroom, I believe, Master Joseph.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGreat!\u201d\u00a0 Little Joe raced toward the stairs, not bothering to protest about that exalted term of address.\u00a0 He\u2019d pleaded for what he was sure must be fifty times since his arrival in Boston to be addressed simply as Joe and knew he\u2019d get no better response than a slight rolling of the eyes.\u00a0 Boston ways, apparently, were not to be questioned, and today escape was more important than any difference in standards.<\/p>\n As previously arranged, he went directly to George\u2019s bedroom to begin the exercises on his leg.<\/p>\n \u201cDid you run back all the way?\u201d George asked as Little Joe turned back his covers.<\/p>\n \u201cHuh?\u201d Joe asked in blank-eyed return.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re out of breath.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh.\u201d\u00a0 Little Joe gave him a sheepish grin.\u00a0 \u201cDashed up the stairs and down the hall to stay out of sight, if you know what I mean.\u201d<\/p>\n George grinned, then, far more broadly than his young friend.\u00a0 \u201cI do, indeed, and I have a proposal to that effect.\u00a0 How would you like to go shopping with me this morning?\u201d<\/p>\n Hands cupping George\u2019s flaccid calf muscle, Little Joe gulped.\u00a0 \u201cShopping?\u201d\u00a0 He\u2019d had about all the shopping a man could tolerate earlier that week, but he certainly couldn\u2019t say that!\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t know, George,\u201d he said, struggling to find an acceptable alternative.\u00a0 \u201cI mean, you folks\u2019ve been so doggone generous already that I don\u2019t need a thing.\u201d<\/p>\n George shook his head in a chiding manner.\u00a0 \u201cDid it ever occur to you that I might?\u201d<\/p>\n All pretense at social nicety plummeted earthward as Joe\u2019s jaw dropped.\u00a0 \u201cWell, no,\u201d he said as George\u2019s packed trunks on ship, his bulging armoire here and every lavish trinket populating the house flashed before him.<\/p>\n Apparently reading Joe\u2019s mind, George rolled his eyes.\u00a0 \u201cNot for myself, of course.\u00a0 I have plenty.\u00a0 However, there is one particularly urgent item I need and that I haven\u2019t had a good opportunity to search out, given the way both mother and Madeleine have hovered over me since we arrived.\u00a0 I could scarcely shop for my parents\u2019 anniversary gift with Mother at my side, now could I?\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe snickered.\u00a0 \u201cNot that I\u2019ve had any experience, but I\u2019d say no.\u201d\u00a0 With a perverse lift of the left side of his mouth, he said, \u201cI\u2019m sure Miss Madeleine would be pleased as punch to do that for you, though.\u00a0 It ain\u2019t like she\u2019s got a thing else to do.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou are a wicked and cruel man,\u201d George declared with narrowed eyes.\u00a0 \u201cIt would serve you exactly right if I left you behind, but as I wish to maintain my family\u2019s reputation for being \u2018doggone generous,\u2019 I offer you the choice.\u00a0 Will you come with me or do you prefer to remain here to face . . . the madness of Madeleine?\u201d\u00a0 His voice dropped dramatically as his waving fingers arced eerily through the air, suggesting the all-encompassing nature of said madness.<\/p>\n Having already had a taste of her party-planning insanity, Little Joe shuddered.\u00a0 \u201cAnything but that.\u00a0 Where you want to go?\u201d<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n That morning Adam discovered that his newfound notoriety brought with it both benefits and annoyances.\u00a0 Heretofore he had kept largely to himself on his morning promenades, at least when he could escape the ever-seeking eye of Miss Parker.\u00a0 His demeanor had apparently transmitted an inclination for solitude, for few of his fellow passengers had done more than give him a cordial nod or a short phrase of greeting, which he had returned in similar fashion.\u00a0 Now, however, almost every person he passed stopped him to say how much he or she had enjoyed the previous night\u2019s reading.\u00a0 \u201cYou will continue, won\u2019t you?\u201d each had invariably asked.<\/p>\n \u201cAs long as people are interested enough to listen,\u201d he modestly assured one and all.\u00a0 He could not have been more flattered, although he couldn\u2019t credit all of them with strictly literary interest.\u00a0 The men he, of course, assumed were speaking their honest opinions, and he generally accepted the older women\u2019s praise as equally sincere.\u00a0 Neither of those groups had any reason to dissemble; as for the younger ladies, he tended to view their remarks, especially the gushing, Parker-like ones, with a profoundly skeptical eye.<\/p>\n A couple of the younger women made such astute comments on Dickens\u2019 work that he had no concern that delusions of shipboard romance lay throbbing beneath their lace-edged and beribboned bodices.\u00a0 In one case he rather regretted that.\u00a0 Miss Lily Ann Jennings was lovely, both of face and demeanor, and spoke so knowledgeably of recently published books that he felt her to be a true kindred soul.\u00a0 They were conversing about their mutual regard for Henry David Thoreau when Irene Parker showed up and begged him to explain a certain point in the previous night\u2019s reading.\u00a0 Miss Jennings courteously excused herself and left him in the grasping clutches of his chief annoyance on this endless voyage.\u00a0 Unfortunately, his performance of the night before had netted him at least three other admirers so like darling Irene that they might have been quadruplets.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n Seated across from George at a small table in the Cornhill Coffee House, Little Joe leaned back in his chair in apparent need of more room for his expanding stomach.\u00a0 \u201cThat was some feed,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cI sure hope Miss Madeleine is planning on light refreshments for the party tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFor after the dancing, of course,\u201d George said, \u201cbut there\u2019ll be a full meal before that.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe groaned.\u00a0 \u201cHow do you do it?\u00a0 Breakfast, lunch, tea and supper, plus refreshments later.\u00a0 Even Hoss would be hard put to keep up with all that, and a full table don\u2019t usually daunt him none.\u201d<\/p>\n George laughed.\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t I know it!\u00a0 I don\u2019t see why you\u2019re complaining, though.\u00a0 I thought you\u2019d be famished after our morning\u2019s exercise, and all you ordered was sandwich and soup.\u201d\u00a0 George himself had indulged in turtle soup, lobster salad and veal cutlets in tomato sauce, along with the vegetables and bread that accompanied each plate.<\/p>\n \u201cExercise!\u201d\u00a0 Little Joe sniffed derisively.\u00a0 \u201cTraipsin\u2019 through a few shops don\u2019t count as exercise, George.\u00a0 Back on the Ponderosa, Pa considers that a rest break after<\/em> a full day\u2019s work.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPerhaps I feel it more than you, then,\u201d George conceded, absently reaching down to rub his leg.<\/p>\n Little Joe slumped in self-reproach.\u00a0 How could he have forgotten?\u00a0 George had refused the rolling chair today, and now was apparently paying for it.\u00a0 \u201cAw, doggone, I wasn\u2019t thinkin\u2019 about your leg.\u00a0 Did we overdo it?\u00a0 Maybe we shouldn\u2019t have made that extra stop at the bookstore.\u00a0 I mean, I appreciate the new book and all, but . . .\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t be ridiculous,\u201d George interrupted him.\u00a0 \u201cI was as interested as you in finding something new to read, and Spencer\u2019s is only a short distance from here, anyway.\u00a0 I do think we\u2019d better head home after this, however.\u00a0 If I\u2019m to have any energy left for dancing, I probably shouldn\u2019t ask any more of the leg this afternoon.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDancing?\u201d\u00a0 Little Joe almost choked on his hot coffee, recently refreshed by the waiter.\u00a0 \u201cUh, George, maybe that\u2019s not such a good idea, huh?\u00a0 You\u2019ve barely started walking, after all.\u201d<\/p>\n George\u2019s face set like granite.\u00a0 \u201cI will dance with Mother on her anniversary.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe\u2019s head wagged from side to side.\u00a0 \u201cWhat is it with you Yankees?\u00a0 You and Adam both are the stubbornest, orneriest . . .\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou should talk!\u201d George laughed.\u00a0 \u201cFrom what I\u2019ve seen, Hoss is the only Cartwright that doesn\u2019t describe!\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe smiled fondly at the thought of his big brother.\u00a0 \u201cYeah, I reckon.\u00a0 Well, I guess we had better head back to the house, then, though I sort of wish we could stay away the rest of the afternoon.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou can hide in your room, curl up with your new book.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe shook his head.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m afraid that might be a little too close to the insanity for comfort. \u00a0That ballroom\u2019s right over my room, you know.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s over everyone\u2019s room,\u201d George snorted.\u00a0 \u201cIt extends the length of the house, after all.\u00a0 You do have a point, however.\u00a0 We probably will be able to hear Madeleine\u2019s manic screeches through the ceiling.\u00a0 So much for thoughts of an afternoon nap.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201c\u2018Fraid so.\u00a0 You ready?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, no,\u201d George said.\u00a0 \u201cWe haven\u2019t had dessert yet.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe closed his eyes.\u00a0 \u201cTell me you\u2019re joking.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCertainly not!\u00a0 At least a lemon ice cream.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI think you\u2019re trying to kill me,\u201d Little Joe sighed.<\/p>\n \u201cI shall leave that pleasure for Adam,\u201d George said with a smirk, and that effectively silenced his young companion.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n Adam cautiously stepped on deck.\u00a0 He\u2019d spent the morning in his cabin, preparing for the evening\u2019s reading and was in need of fresh air and exercise; however, there were other things on deck that he fervently hoped to avoid.\u00a0 Then he saw her: a vision of loveliness with golden hair and eyes a similar shade of blue to Hoss\u2019s.\u00a0 Darting a quick glance around to make sure no danger lurked nearby, he moved to her side and said, \u201cGood afternoon, Miss Jennings.\u00a0 Are you enjoying the island views?\u201d<\/p>\n She turned and smiled a warm welcome.\u00a0 \u201cIndeed, I am, Mr. Cartwright!\u00a0 How could one not with such beauty of nature to be seen?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNatural beauty is, as you say, a most welcome sight.\u201d\u00a0 He took her hand and bowed to give it a continental kiss.<\/p>\n Having perceived the intended compliment, she blushed, but her eyes sparkled.\u00a0 \u201cWill you not join me in its enjoyment?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThank you, I will, as your company will certainly enhance my enjoyment of the scene,\u201d he returned.<\/p>\n \u201cIf that is so, I am pleased, for you have certainly enhanced my enjoyment of our voyage\u201d\u2014realizing the words might be misunderstood, she flushed a deeper shade of pink and added quickly, \u201cby your delightful reading of Mr. Dickens, that is.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019ll be in attendance tonight, then?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, yes,\u201d she said breathlessly.\u00a0 Then, apparently fearing she\u2019d revealed too much of her admiration, she turned toward the island beside which they were gliding.\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t believe I\u2019ve ever seen such exotic and vibrantly colored birds,\u201d she commented.<\/p>\n \u201cFlamingoes,\u201d Adam said.<\/p>\n She smiled up at him.\u00a0 \u201cYes, I know.\u00a0 I\u2019ve seen them pictured in books, of course, but I\u2019d never imagined them in such numbers.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOr such striking color,\u201d Adam agreed.\u00a0 \u201cNo printer could do them justice.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, that would take a true artist.\u00a0 Do you enjoy art, Mr. Cartwright?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cVery much,\u201d he said, \u201calthough I get little opportunity to see truly fine art in Nevada.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, is that your home?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt is.\u00a0 And yours?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m from Boston,\u201d she replied.<\/p>\n A slow smile spread across his face.\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s wonderful,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s where I\u2019m going.\u00a0 Perhaps you could tell me some of your favorite galleries.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019d be delighted, Mr. Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n They stood, side by side at the rail, throughout the afternoon, chatting of art galleries and museums and the historic sights of Boston.\u00a0 Adam shared that he had attended school there and was familiar with some of the places she mentioned, while the others were pleasures he would look forward to seeing on his current visit.\u00a0 Time and even the exotic beauty of the islands passed barely noticed, as did the frowning attention given them by a woman whose narrowed-eye appraisal increasingly sharpened the edges of her already angular face with each circuit she made of the deck.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n Little Joe stood before his mirror, turning this way and that as he tried to view his image from every angle possible, in a maneuver Adam generally referred to as preening like a peacock.\u00a0 He looked proud as a peacock, too.\u00a0 \u201cUm, um,\u201d he said in satisfaction.\u00a0 \u201cThat is one fine figure of a man, if I do say so myself.\u201d\u00a0 The new suit fit him like the proverbial glove and was far more stylish than anything he\u2019d ever had before.\u00a0 Not even clothes tailored for him in San Francisco could hold a candle to this, and he felt enormous gratitude to the Pontpier ladies for seeing him so fashionably turned out.<\/p>\n The afternoon had seemed long, but then time always did drag its feet when a fellow had nothing to do except hide from whatever was keeping people scurrying above his head from the time he and George returned from their shopping trip until now, almost time for supper.\u00a0 He had insisted on skipping tea.\u00a0 With the dessert George had insisted he try, luncheon had been larger than he needed, and supper was apt to be grander than usual, too, since a number of close friends had been invited to partake of it with the celebrating couple.\u00a0 Adding in the refreshments scheduled to follow the dancing, Little Joe simply couldn\u2019t face the extra meal.<\/p>\n So, after putting George through his afternoon exercise routine, he\u2019d stayed in his room.\u00a0 Fortunately, that new adventure book George had bought him (the kind Adam insisted on deriding as dime novels) had been a real page-turner, but he\u2019d finished it so quickly he almost wished he had asked for another.\u00a0 He\u2019d been ashamed to, though, after all George\u2019s family had spent on him this week, and he\u2019d been so hard put to find anything to occupy himself that he\u2019d finally done the unthinkable and lain down for a short nap.<\/p>\n Now, he took one last appraisal of his appearance and gave the mirror a nod of satisfaction before heading downstairs.\u00a0 The smile with which the butler greeted him at the foot of the stairs was all the confirmation he needed that his appearance, at least, would not disgrace the family tonight.\u00a0 As for his behavior, he had to admit he was nervous about picking up the wrong fork or some such failing, but nothing more.\u00a0 Pa had taught him good manners, and he expected they would stand him in good stead, especially if he steered clear of Madeleine\u2019s fault-finding eye.<\/p>\n His eyes widened as he entered the dining room, for its already elegant appearance had been transformed into a spectacular sight with garlands and bouquets of fresh flowers and the most elaborate, silver-embellished table setting Little Joe had ever seen in his life.\u00a0 Not even the silver kings of Virginia City ever set a table as grand as this!<\/p>\n Mr. and Mrs. Pontpier stood near the doorway, greeting each visitor as they entered, and when Little Joe approached, she reached toward him with both hands.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m so glad you could be with us tonight,\u201d she said, brown eyes glowing.<\/p>\n He knew she meant it.\u00a0 By all rights, she should have been put out with having an unexpected guest, penniless to boot, land on her doorstep on the eve of such a special occasion; she should have been disappointed, as Madeleine clearly was, that he wasn\u2019t Adam, the Cartwright she knew and had expected, but she\u2019d welcomed him with warmth and generosity.\u00a0 She was just that kind of person.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m glad I can, too,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cI can\u2019t think of anyone who deserves all this more than you do, ma\u2019am.\u201d<\/p>\n She smiled as her cool hand came to rest tenderly on his cheek.\u00a0 \u201cThank you, my dear.\u00a0 Do enjoy yourself tonight.\u201d\u00a0 Then she turned to greet the next guest arriving.<\/p>\n Feeling awkward in the roomful of strangers, Little Joe moved into the room.\u00a0 He spotted Madeleine, who had transformed herself, as well, from the frantic shrew of the afternoon into an elegantly attired and determinedly gracious hostess.\u00a0 Though he somewhat dreaded coming under her scrutinizing purview, she deserved some well-earned words of praise, and now seemed the best time to say them.<\/p>\n He took a deep breath and walked over to her.\u00a0 \u201cMiss Madeleine, you look lovely tonight,\u201d he said, \u201cand what you\u2019ve done to this room\u2014well, given how much of your time I took up, you\u2019ve worked miracles.\u00a0 You\u2019ve done your folks proud.\u201d<\/p>\n She flushed with pleasure at the compliment.\u00a0 \u201cWhy, thank you, Joseph,\u201d she said.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s been a labor of love.\u00a0 They deserve all this\u2014and more.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, ma\u2019am, that\u2019s easy to see, even on short acquaintance.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThank you,\u201d she said, \u201cand though it may seem that I\u2019m praising myself, let me say that you make a fine appearance yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n He chuckled.\u00a0 \u201cTake all the bows you want, ma\u2019am.\u00a0 It\u2019s all your doing, and I thank you for it.\u201d\u00a0 He leaned close to her ear.\u00a0 \u201cWhere do I sit tonight?\u201d<\/p>\n She smiled, pleased that he was showing concern for how to behave properly.\u00a0 \u201cNear your usual place,\u201d she said.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019ll find a name card.\u00a0 We\u2019ll be sitting soon.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThanks.\u00a0 I\u2019ll let you get back to greeting your guests,\u201d he said, giving her a slight bow before moving on.<\/p>\n As he circled the room slowly, he purposely passed the area where he\u2019d sat at every meal and spotted his name, written in beautiful script on a white card with a narrow silver border.\u00a0 Obviously, it had been done at the last minute, but it fit in so well with the professionally printed ones that no one would guess.\u00a0 He was a little surprised that he was seated near the head of the table with the family.\u00a0 Surely, that place should have gone to an honored guest, someone who\u2019d known the family for years, not an interloper of a few days\u2019 acquaintance.\u00a0 He supposed it was because he was a guest in their home and wondered if he should volunteer to take another seat.\u00a0 He didn\u2019t really know how to make that offer without embarrassing them, though, and could only hope he didn\u2019t cause offense to some friend of much longer term.<\/p>\n Little Joe saw Madeleine whisper something in George\u2019s ear.\u00a0 He smiled back and walked over to his mother.\u00a0 Raising his voice, he said, \u201cThank you all for joining us on this joyous occasion, as we honor the greatest parents with which a man\u201d\u2014he nodded toward his sister\u2014\u201cor a woman has ever been blessed.\u00a0 Please take your seats now and enjoy the meal.\u00a0 All thanks is due to my sister Madeleine, and knowing her as I do, I am sure we are all in for a feast that will long linger in our memories.\u201d\u00a0 He took his mother by the arm and led her to the head of the table, cater-corner to her husband, who was escorted to his place by Madeleine, as the other guests applauded warmly.<\/p>\n When Madeleine moved to her seat, Little Joe pulled out her chair for her.\u00a0 \u201cWhy, thank you, Joseph,\u201d she said, the note of surprise in her voice clearly telling him that she hadn\u2019t expected him to have any grasp of good table manners.<\/p>\n \u201cMy pleasure, ma\u2019am,\u201d he said, though he feared that sitting next to her for the dinner might be anything but pleasurable.\u00a0 Then he had a sudden, shame-filled thought that sitting next to him was probably not the pleasure she had envisioned when she planned this party, either, and he vowed to be a gracious dinner partner to reward her for her sacrifice.<\/p>\n Glancing to his other side, he smiled at the white-haired lady seated there.\u00a0 \u201cHow do you do, ma\u2019am?\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m Joe Cartwright, and I\u2019m pleased to meet you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd you, as well, Mr. Cartwright,\u201d she replied.\u00a0 \u201cAre you a friend of Madeleine\u2019s?\u201d\u00a0 Though the question was asked politely, she could not hide a hint of disapproval at the idea of Madeleine\u2019s taking up with a boy far too young for her.<\/p>\n \u201cMore one of George\u2019s,\u201d Little Joe responded, \u201cand he\u2019s really more a friend of my older brother.\u00a0 I\u2019m just visiting here . . . from Nevada.\u201d\u00a0 As much for his hosts\u2019 sake as his own, he left the circumstances of his visit unstated.<\/p>\n The woman looked relieved.\u00a0 \u201cOh, of course.\u00a0 I seem to remember George\u2019s having a friend in such a place.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019ve known the Pontpiers a long time, then,\u201d Little Joe said.<\/p>\n \u201cIndeed.\u201d\u00a0 And she launched into a recitation of their years together that soon had Little Joe wondering if he\u2019d be able to keep his resolution to be attentive to Madeleine.\u00a0 However, the woman, a Mrs. Grayson he learned, had been well schooled in appropriate dinner behavior and soon turned her attention to the gentlemen on her right.<\/p>\n Knowing that he was expected to converse with Madeleine, Little Joe turned toward her with a nervous smile.\u00a0 \u201cIt sure looks like you\u2019ve done a fine job of planning this party for your parents, Miss Madeleine.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy, thank you, Joseph,\u201d she said with a blush that made her look almost pretty.\u00a0 \u201cI trust you won\u2019t find the French cuisine tonight too strange to your western palate.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMy mother was French,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cDid Adam never mention that?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe may have,\u201d she replied.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m afraid I don\u2019t recall much of the family history.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s okay,\u201d Little Joe said.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s your family history that matters tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n She smiled.\u00a0 \u201cThank you.\u00a0 You\u2019ve eaten French dishes before then?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cUm, yes, some kinds,\u201d he said, looking at the bowl of clear soup that had just been placed before him, \u201cbut I don\u2019t recognize this.\u00a0 Beef broth?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cConsomm\u00e9 de boeuf<\/em>,\u201d she said.\u00a0 \u201cA richer, deeper flavor than simple broth, I think you\u2019ll find.\u00a0 We wanted to keep dinner relatively light, since we\u2019ll be dancing afterwards.\u00a0 There will, of course, be refreshments later in the evening.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat sounds like a good plan,\u201d he complimented her.\u00a0 He dipped his spoon into the broth and discovered what she meant by its \u201cricher, deeper flavor.\u201d\u00a0 Normally, he only ate broth when he was ailing and thought this variety would probably give a sick man a lot more strength that what Hop Sing usually cooked up.\u00a0 He had to bite his tongue when his dinner plate was served, however.\u00a0 This might be Madeleine\u2019s idea of a light meal, but it fit his description of Sunday dinner . . . provided they were expecting the governor for dinner.\u00a0 It consisted, as she helpfully told him, of filet de boeuf au vin de Mad\u00e8re<\/em> with sides of pommes de terre, en gratin<\/em>, and haricots verts<\/em>.\u00a0 Most of those words he had recognized on his own, but he thanked her politely nonetheless and assured her that a meal like this would be a treat for him, as well as her other guests.\u00a0 Thankfully, dessert actually was light, a single poached pear, swimming in dark chocolate sauce.<\/p>\n It was during dessert that the toasts began.\u00a0 George went first, inviting all the guests to raise their glasses in honor to his parents.\u00a0 A number of other gentlemen then stood and spoke warmly of their affection for and enduring friendship with the elder Pontpiers.\u00a0 Though he\u2019d never offered a toast in his life, Little Joe impulsively sprang to his feet.\u00a0 Lifting his glass, he said, \u201cTo the most gracious hosts who ever welcomed an unexpected guest and treated this stranger like someone they\u2019d known all their lives.\u00a0 Thank you!\u201d \u00a0The speech raised not a few quizzical eyebrows and had a number of people whispering to their dinner companions on either side, but no one could provide the slightest clue to who the young man was.\u00a0 The responsive smiles from the head of the table, however, indicated the family\u2019s acceptance, and the other guests took their cue from the honorees. \u00a0As George announced that dancing would soon begin in the grand hall upstairs, several of the ladies resolved to renew their acquaintance with gossipy Mrs. Grayson.\u00a0 If anyone knew who the self-styled stranger was, she would.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n Adam delayed leaving his stateroom that evening out of sheer cowardice, or, at least, so he accused himself.\u00a0 He did need to keep his focus on the reading, of course, but he knew perfectly well the delay was actually an effort to avoid another encounter with darling Irene, who had seemed irked at dinner, despite assuring him that she would be sitting front and center for his performance.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019ll have no trouble finding me afterwards,\u201d she said with a stiff smile and flint-edged eyes.<\/p>\n As he approached the crowd awaiting him, however, his eyes avoided front and center, in favor of searching the rows of chairs, more tonight than before, for one lovely face.\u00a0 He finally spotted Miss Jennings, sitting, unfortunately, in the second row and sent a warm smile in her direction.\u00a0 He immediately sensed danger, for while she returned his smile with equal warmth, so did another lady, one he had no desire of attracting.\u00a0 Irene Parker had carried out her promise (threat, in his opinion) and was seated in the front row, so he would have to get past her in order to reach the lady he wished to see when his reading concluded.\u00a0 That, he foresaw, would be a sizeable challenge, despite Irene\u2019s spindly form.<\/p>\n After another glowing introduction from the captain, laced with genuine appreciation for the previous night\u2019s performance, Adam took his place at the lectern.\u00a0 \u201cI see we have a larger group tonight,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cI hope that is a sign of favorable word-of-mouth reports and not simply that you\u2019re all bored by the prospect of viewing the Inaguas islands in the moonlight.\u201d\u00a0 After the ripple of laughter, followed by a loud call or two of \u201cNo, indeed!\u201d he smiled and said, \u201cSince there are a few new faces, I\u2019ll begin with a brief synopsis of the previous chapters.\u201d\u00a0 He kept that summary brief, for the sake of those who had already heard that portion of the story and then opened the book and began to read.\u00a0 The synopsis did dual duty: not only did it bring newcomers up to date; it also gave him a chance to collect his disturbed mind and enter into the spirit of the drama.<\/p>\n As he closed the night\u2019s reading, loud and exuberant applause thundered through the room.\u00a0 Adam was again surrounded by those eager to compliment him, and he accepted the accolades graciously, without blushing.\u00a0 He knew he\u2019d done well and saw no reason for the prevarication of false modesty.\u00a0 When one of his admirers made an insightful comment about the material, however, he was just as quick to compliment the other person or to invite speculation of what the author might have planned for the next development.<\/p>\n As he conversed, however, he kept an eye on the movements of a certain golden-haired lady and had just managed to excuse himself to seek her out when a sharp voice said, \u201cWe really must be going, Adam dear.\u201d\u00a0 Irene Parker sidled up to him, wagging a bony finger in his face.\u00a0 \u201cYou are such a naughty boy to mention in public our moonlight stroll to view the Inaguas islands!\u201d\u00a0 She tittered to tell those still clustered around him that she wasn\u2019t too put out with him, despite her chiding words.\u00a0 With a few chuckles and a couple of completely unwarranted winks from male travelers, the crowd faded away.<\/p>\n Irene latched onto his elbow with a triumphant smile.\u00a0 \u201cAre you ready for our moonlight promenade, my dear?\u201d<\/p>\n Adam exhaled his frustration.\u00a0 \u201cMadam, we have no such appointment,\u201d he said bluntly.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, but surely, you\u2019re not bored with the Inaguas islands yourself,\u201d she teased, maintaining her hold.<\/p>\n \u201cWith the islands, no.\u201d\u00a0 His voice sharpened as he pulled his arm from her grasp.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m sorry, Miss Parker, but I have other plans this evening.\u201d\u00a0 And every evening<\/em>, he added to himself, as well as every morning, noon and nighttime!<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cWith her?\u201d Irene demanded haughtily.\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t think I haven\u2019t seen you making eyes all through your reading at that\u2014that hussy in violet!\u00a0 I thought we had an understanding.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI have not been \u2018making eyes\u2019 at anyone,\u201d he hissed under his breath, \u201cand we have no such understanding, Miss Parker.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, if my company is undesired,\u201d she began.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is,\u201d he interrupted sharply in a complete departure from the manner in which he\u2019d been instructed to treat women from childhood up. \u00a0\u201cI regret being so blunt, but you leave me little choice.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPray excuse me, then!\u201d\u00a0 With a swish of her skirts and an air of offended dignity, she swept from his presence.<\/p>\n Adam took a deep breath of relief, quickly followed by one of deflated disappointment.\u00a0 Not only was he dissatisfied with his poor handling of the situation, he felt even more disgruntled with how long it had taken.\u00a0 The lovely Miss Jennings was nowhere in sight.\u00a0 He hurried on deck, hoping to find her there, but apparently neither the Inaguas islands nor the prospect of his company appealed to her.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n Little Joe gasped as he entered the third-floor ballroom.\u00a0 Madeleine Pontpier had provided a fine dinner in an elegantly decorated setting, but that triumph was nothing, compared with what awaited guests upstairs.\u00a0 The hall itself, which Little Joe had not before seen, was magnificent.\u00a0 Ornate gaslights adorned the walls of the long room, papered in panels of gold brocade, which were separated by arched frames of dark mahogany.\u00a0 Tiered chandeliers, sparkling with hundreds of lights, hung from the ceiling, which was painted with classical figures, floating amidst the clouds of a clear blue sky.\u00a0 Long tables, cloaked in silver-embroidered cloths anchored each end of the room, one almost buried with gifts for the celebrating couple and the other set up for serving refreshments, although all that was on offer this early in the evening was a large bowl of punch.\u00a0 In one corner, near the refreshment table, a small orchestra was already playing as the guests entered.<\/p>\n Instead of dancing, however, all the guests left the center of the room empty, and following their lead, Little Joe also found a place to stand at the edge of the room.\u00a0 Back home, everyone would have just started dancing to the music, but evidently things were handled differently here in the alien East.\u00a0 Feeling unsure what to do, he decided to wait and see what everyone else did.\u00a0 When George\u2019s parents walked, hand in hand, to the center of the room and began to dance, he happily joined in the applause that greeted them, and he wasn\u2019t surprised when George and Madeleine waltzed onto the floor next.\u00a0 The applause slowly dissipated, as a few other couples and then the rest began to dance.<\/p>\n Since Little Joe politely waited to give every man a chance to dance first with the lady he\u2019d come with, there was no one his age left for him to choose from.\u00a0 Where he came from, though, there was always a shortage of women, so he was quite used to dancing with ladies of all ages, whomever was available at any given moment.\u00a0 He normally set his sights a little younger than the gray-haired ones, but since they appeared to be the only ones without a partner, he did the gentlemanly thing and went over to one and asked if she would care to dance.\u00a0 A girlish flush brightened her cheeks as she waltzed off with the handsome young stranger.<\/p>\n The unattached ladies quickly gathered around Mrs. Grayson, demanding that she reveal everything she\u2019d learned about the young man during dinner.\u00a0 Happy to be the center of attention, she gossiped cheerily with her friends, who were just as happy to spread the news to daughters and granddaughters, and by the time a few partners had been exchanged, Little Joe found himself the target of a number of young ladies dangling their dance cards in his vicinity.\u00a0 He was happy to fill in a line on each one offered and began to thoroughly enjoy himself.\u00a0 Not since he and George had visited the Stinking Stilton<\/em> together had he had as much fun.<\/p>\n Finally finding himself unattached for a dance, he visited the refreshment table for a glass of whatever was in that crystal bowl and was pleased to find his friend Aideen manning the ladle.\u00a0 \u201cWell, this is a pleasant surprise,\u201d he said with a smile.<\/p>\n \u201cSure \u2018n\u2019 I told you I\u2019d be workin\u2019 the party, did I not?\u201d she returned with a smile of her own.<\/p>\n \u201cSure \u2018n\u2019 you did,\u201d he teased.<\/p>\n \u201c\u2018Tis makin\u2019 fun of me, you are,\u201d she scolded lightly.<\/p>\n \u201cNot at all,\u201d he assured her.\u00a0 \u201cI love the way you speak.\u00a0 I just wish I could copy it better.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThank you, kind sir.\u201d\u00a0 There was a twinkle in her eye, and her smile sparkled all the more.\u00a0 \u201cMay I offer you a glass of the punch, sir?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIf you tell me what\u2019s in it,\u201d he chuckled.<\/p>\n \u201cTaste and guess,\u201d she thrust back as she dipped and poured a glass for him, \u201cbut only a sip at first.\u201d<\/p>\n Accepting the challenge along with the glass, he lifted it.\u00a0 Unfortunately, he ignored her advice and took a sizable swallow, and the bubbles went straight up his nose. \u00a0Coughing and laughing at the same time, he said, \u201cAh, champagne.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019ve had it before, then,\u201d she said.\u00a0 \u201cI should have known, you bein\u2019 rich and all.\u201d\u00a0 She touched her fingers to her lips.\u00a0 \u201cOh, dear.\u00a0 I\u2019m thinkin\u2019 that was rude.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot at all,\u201d her assured her, \u201cand I\u2019m not rich\u2014well, maybe a little, but not like the Pontpiers or the silver kings back home.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m that surprised that you have champagne back home,\u201d she giggled.\u00a0 \u201cI thought you were from the wild west.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot that wild,\u201d he chided with a grin.\u00a0 \u201cI have had champagne, but only once before . . . and Pa doesn\u2019t know about that one.\u201d<\/p>\n Madeleine glided up to Little Joe\u2019s side, frowning at both maid and guest.\u00a0 \u201cThere are other guests to be served, Bridget,\u201d she said firmly.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, mum\u2014miss, I\u2019m meanin\u2019.\u201d\u00a0 She quickly ladled another glass of punch and handed it to the mistress of the house.<\/p>\n Madeleine nodded curtly and then turned to Little Joe with a mildly forced smile.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re enjoying yourself, Joseph?\u00a0 I believe you\u2019ve danced with a number of partners.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cUm, yes,\u201d he replied cautiously.\u00a0 He leaned close and whispered, \u201cIs that all right or does it go against some eastern way of doing?\u201d<\/p>\n Her response stopped just short of an unladylike roll of the eyes.\u00a0 \u201cOf course not,\u201d she said.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re quite a good dancer, from what I\u2019ve observed, and it\u2019s gracious of you to\u2014well, to . . .\u201d<\/p>\n Seeing her at a loss for the right words, he cheekily provided, \u201cTo spread my talents around?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cInsufferable,\u201d she said, though far less sharply than she\u2019d said the word in the past.<\/p>\n \u201cYou only say that because you haven\u2019t sampled them yet,\u201d he chuckled.\u00a0 Then, holding out his hand, he asked, \u201cMay I have this dance, Miss Madeleine?\u201d<\/p>\n She hesitated only a moment.\u00a0 \u201cYes, of course.\u00a0 Thank you.\u201d\u00a0 Wishing to be free to oversee the occasion, she had paid little attention to filling her own dance card.\u00a0 She was open for the next dance, and young Joseph Cartwright was, after all, a guest, deserving the same gracious response she would have given any other man there.<\/p>\n As he led her to the dance floor, the music began.\u00a0 \u201cOh, dear,\u201d she murmured.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s a mazurka.\u201d\u00a0 Then, blushing, she added, \u201cIt\u2019s just, well, such a vigorous dance.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIf you\u2019re not up to it, ma\u2019am,\u201d he said with a wicked twinkle in his eye, \u201cI could always ask Mrs. Grayson.\u201d<\/p>\n Madeleine frowned.\u00a0 Subtlety was obviously lost on this insufferable boy.\u00a0 \u201cIf you\u2019re sure you know what you\u2019re about, then . . .\u201d<\/p>\n He only laughed and twirled her under his arm into position.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, my,\u201d she gasped.\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s not a mazurka step.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cReally?\u201d he asked, managing to look innocent.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, really.\u00a0 I knew I should have taken time to instruct you, but\u2014oh!\u201d\u00a0 she gasped again as he began the lively steps that made up the mazurka polka.\u00a0 A few seconds into the dance she gave him a chiding smile.\u00a0 \u201cYou are a tease, sir.\u00a0 You know the correct steps perfectly well.\u00a0 I suppose Adam saw to your education in that.\u201d<\/p>\n He laughed.\u00a0 \u201cHe helped some, but it was mostly Pa.\u00a0 He\u2019s a really good dancer.\u00a0 Of course, if you want to see how vigorous we can be in the \u2018wild West,\u2019 I could ask the orchestra to speed up the tempo a mite.\u201d<\/p>\n Not knowing whether to take him seriously, she at once said, \u201cNo, thank you; that won\u2019t be necessary.\u201d\u00a0 When she saw his grin, she realized he was teasing again and decided it was best to play along with the silly boy.\u00a0 \u201cAfter all, the pace might be too much for dear Mrs. Grayson.\u201d<\/p>\n Delighted that she was getting into the spirit of his banter, he grinned even more broadly as he guided her\u2014vigorously, of course\u2014around the room.\u00a0 When the dance ended, he led her off the dance floor and bowed deeply.\u00a0 \u201cI trust that was vigorous enough for your eastern taste,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cQuite,\u201d she replied, somewhat breathlessly.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m surprised you have the energy . . . after your long journey.\u201d<\/p>\n He chuckled.\u00a0 \u201cMa\u2019am, you\u2019re not the first person who\u2019s said something like that.\u201d<\/p>\n She smiled, saying with a shake of her head, \u201cI\u2019m sure I\u2019m not.\u00a0 Thank you for the dance, Joseph.\u00a0 Now, run along, like a good boy and \u2018spread your talents\u2019 among the other ladies.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMy pleasure, ma\u2019am,\u201d he said and with another bow he set off in search of new hearts to conquer.\u00a0 They were easy to find, and he only failed to dance when he wanted to visit the punch bowl.\u00a0 On one such trip he whispered to Aideen, \u201cI thought they were serving something a little more solid somewhere along the line.\u201d<\/p>\n She giggled.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s hungry you are, then?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cA night of dancing requires fuel,\u201d he replied with a wink.\u00a0 \u201cAny chance something\u2019s coming or should I sneak down to the kitchen and put on my best pitiful puppy look?\u201d<\/p>\n Lips pressed together to keep from laughing aloud, she shook her head.\u00a0 \u201c\u2018Twill not be needed.\u00a0 There\u2019ll be sandwiches and sweets and a grand tiered cake served at midnight.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMust be near that now,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve no watch, but I\u2019m thinkin\u2019 you\u2019re right; I\u2019ll be told when to fetch things up,\u201d she offered, \u201cso when you see me leave, you\u2019ll know \u2018tis coming soon.\u201d<\/p>\n He grinned.\u00a0 \u201cAnd when I see you leave, that\u2019s when we\u2019ll have our dance.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShh,\u201d she said, leaning close.\u00a0 \u201cYou know I canna do such a thing.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOf course, you can,\u201d he insisted.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll just follow you out into the hall\u2014discreetly, of course\u2014and we\u2019ll have its whole length for our frolicking.\u00a0 No one will notice if you take a few minutes more to bring up those sandwiches and such.\u201d\u00a0 He returned his glass to her and said, with the naughty twinkle so typical of him, \u201cWell, back to work, I guess.\u00a0 Now, don\u2019t go running off until I\u2019ve had at least one more dance.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201c\u2018Tis a tempter you are,\u201d she chided softly.\u00a0 \u201cOff with you, then.\u201d<\/p>\n Laughing, Little Joe went off to offer his services to his dinnertime friend, Mrs. Grayson, and since the next dance was a slow waltz, she gladly accepted.\u00a0 As he returned her to her seat along the side of the room with other older ladies, he saw Aideen slowly making her way toward the door.\u00a0 He let her get well ahead of him and then slipped through a different doorway into the hall.\u00a0 He found her waiting near the head of the stairs.<\/p>\n \u201cOnly the one dance,\u201d Aideen insisted with a nervous glance toward the hall.<\/p>\n \u201cOnly the one,\u201d he promised.\u00a0 \u201cI wish it could be more.\u201d\u00a0 The music started.\u00a0 \u201cUm, a schottische,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cYou know it?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo,\u201d she whispered.<\/p>\n He smiled.\u00a0 \u201cThen, we\u2019ll improvise, like we do back home.\u201d\u00a0 He took her hands and, as the music was lively, led her down the hall at a trot.\u00a0 She quickly caught on to the simple steps, and her cheeks reddened with both the effort and the pleasure of the dance.\u00a0 Caught up in their enjoyment, neither noticed the frowning observer of their frolic.\u00a0 As the music came to an end, Little Joe leaned in and pressed a kiss to Aideen\u2019s willing lips.<\/p>\n \u201cEnough!\u201d proclaimed a voice in strident protest.<\/p>\n The young couple broke apart, and Aideen\u2019s hand flew to her mouth, while Little Joe gulped. \u00a0\u201cI can explain,\u201d he said hastily.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m quite capable of judging what my own eyes have seen,\u201d Madeleine said sharply.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2014I meant no disrespect, miss,\u201d Aideen said.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd you consider this a respectful way to behave?\u201d the other woman demanded.\u00a0 \u201cI most certainly do not!\u00a0 You will, of course, leave immediately, and your services will no longer be required.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou can\u2019t do that,\u201d Little Joe protested.\u00a0 \u201cThis is all my doing, not hers.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve no doubt of that,\u201d Madeleine replied haughtily, \u201cbut I have no control of your behavior.\u00a0 I do, however, have the right to exercise it over our staff.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut it\u2019s the middle of the night,\u201d Little Joe protested.\u00a0 \u201cYou can\u2019t turn a girl out on her ear at midnight.\u00a0 That\u2019s inhuman!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou may stay in your room until morning,\u201d Madeleine amended.\u00a0 \u201cOf course, I would not send a girl into the streets at this hour, especially one obviously vulnerable to the charms of strange men.\u00a0 When I said, \u2018Leave immediately,\u2019 I was only referring to leaving the area.\u00a0 I will not have my parents\u2019 anniversary party disturbed by any further breech of conduct.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt was only a dance . . . and a kiss,\u201d Little Joe said, only adding the final phrase in response to Madeleine\u2019s disbelieving cock of the head.\u00a0 \u201cIt won\u2019t happen again,\u201d he promised.<\/p>\n \u201cIndeed, it will not,\u201d Madeleine decreed, \u201cas Bridget here is going directly to her room.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s not her name,\u201d Little Joe hissed, mindful that those in the next room must not hear this dispute.<\/p>\n \u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter, sir,\u201d Aideen said.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll\u2014I\u2019ll do as you say, miss, but oh, please, do not take me job.\u00a0 Me aged mother depends on me wages.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou should have thought of that before you took liberties with a member of the household,\u201d Madeleine said with disdain.<\/p>\n \u201cShe didn\u2019t take liberties with me; I took them with her!\u201d Little Joe protested, his voice rising.<\/p>\n \u201cBe quiet,\u201d Madeleine hissed.\u00a0 \u201cI will never forgive you if you spoil this evening.\u00a0 The final decision will rest with Mother, of course, but not until morning. Please go now, Bridget.<\/p>\n Aideen ran past Little Joe\u2019s outstretched hand and up the stairs.<\/p>\n \u201cWould you like me to leave, as well?\u201d Little Joe asked.<\/p>\n \u201cYou may do as you wish,\u201d Madeleine returned haughtily.\u00a0 \u201cAs I said, I have no control over your behavior.\u00a0 If you can avoid kissing every woman in sight, certainly you may return to the festivities.\u00a0 In fact, it might raise questions if you did not!\u201d\u00a0 She turned her back and strode briskly away.<\/p>\n Little Joe stood in the hall for several minutes.\u00a0 The last thing he wanted at that moment was to return to the dance floor, but he knew she was right about questions being raised if he left abruptly.\u00a0 Perish the thought, but Mr. and Mrs. Pontpier might notice his absence and become concerned about him, and not for the world would he detract from one moment of their enjoyment of their special evening.\u00a0 They\u2019d done so much for him and had welcomed him so sincerely, and that would be a poor way to repay all their kindness.<\/p>\n Still, he wasn\u2019t sure he was capable of hiding his feelings well enough that questions wouldn\u2019t just as likely be raised if he did return to the ballroom.\u00a0 He decided to make a quick dash down to his room and splash some water in his face.\u00a0 Then, he\u2019d take a good look in the mirror and decide whether he could conjure enough party spirit to come back.\u00a0 He made a brief stop at the water closet on his way down the hall, figuring that was an excuse readily acceptable to anyone who noticed his absence and queried him about it.<\/p>\n He returned to the ballroom, a much-subdued young man, compared to the one who had scampered around the floor for hours before.\u00a0 He made his way to the refreshment table and slowly began to fill a plate with sandwiches.\u00a0 It seemed safer than returning directly to the dance floor, and it was, after all, what most of the guests were doing.\u00a0 George came up to him.\u00a0 \u201cHaving fun?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, yeah, sure,\u201d Little Joe said. \u00a0\u201cIt\u2019s a great party, George.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re quite the hit with the ladies, you know.\u201d\u00a0 He laughed.\u00a0 \u201cFortunately, most of them are too old to have fathers who carry shotguns.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cVery funny,\u201d Little Joe said.<\/p>\n George cocked his head.\u00a0 \u201cYou don\u2019t seem quite yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTired, I guess,\u201d Little Joe excused.\u00a0 \u201cYou know, long trip and all.\u201d\u00a0 He flushed a bit in the sudden realization that if anyone had the right to feel tired, it was George.\u00a0 \u201cHow\u2019s the leg holding up?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n \u201cIt aches,\u201d George admitted.\u00a0 \u201cI haven\u2019t done nearly as much dancing as you, of course.\u00a0 Don\u2019t feel as though you have to stay until the end, chum; your bed awaits, if you need it.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe smiled, then, his heart warmed by another demonstration of his hosts\u2019 kindness and consideration\u2014with the exception of one member.\u00a0 He was confident he\u2019d never hear another kind word from Madeleine and equally concerned that he didn\u2019t deserve one.\u00a0 He\u2019d known he was nudging a toe over the line by inviting Aideen into the hall for a private dance, but he\u2019d done it anyway, and then he\u2019d taken a giant leap across it by planting an uninvited kiss on her winsome mouth.\u00a0 He couldn\u2019t let her lose her job over his foolishness.\u00a0 He had to make it right.\u00a0 And, at least for tonight, he couldn\u2019t.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n October 21<\/p>\n Breakfast for Adam was a stiff and uncomfortable meal.\u00a0 Both of the Parker ladies favored him with frosty looks and icy silence.\u00a0 The silence should have been a blessing, especially if it signaled a loss of interest in him as a matrimonial prospect; instead, it seethed with anger and simply felt . . . uncomfortable.\u00a0 The gentlemen at his table could not help but notice.\u00a0 Mr. Peterson looked mildly amused, as if the entire scenario had been nothing but a welcome diversion from the monotony of shipboard life; Mr. Clarkson, on the other hand, looked gleeful\u2014or was the correct word \u2018hopeful\u2019?\u2014at the eligible Mr. Cartwright\u2019s apparent loss of favor with the ladies, who had openly fawned over him before.\u00a0 Was it possible the young book salesman was jealous of the attention Mrs. Parker and darling Irene had slathered on their reluctant prey? If so, he was welcome to it!\u00a0 Adam would be more than happy to advance Miss Parker\u2019s cause with anyone actually interested in paying her court.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n Pacing the thick carpet at the foot of his bed in his bare feet, Little Joe debated what seemed the only course of action open to him.\u00a0 He couldn\u2019t allow Aideen to lose her job because of his actions, but Madeleine had made her position clear.\u00a0 There was little to be gained by appealing to her again.\u00a0 On the other hand, she had said the final decision would rest with her mother, and Mrs. Pontpier seemed to be a woman with a heart.\u00a0 Little Joe was sure she would, at least, listen, but he felt he needed to speak to her alone, to put his case before her without interference, and as soon as possible.\u00a0 If he waited until after breakfast, the Irish serving girl, upset as she was, might well have fled.<\/p>\n That\u2019s where the rub came in, for Mrs. Pontpier took her breakfast in her room, and Little Joe rarely saw her downstairs before mid-morning.\u00a0 That left, as far as he could see, only one option open to him, yet it was one so out of keeping with acceptable behavior, even back home where social standards were less restrictive, that he wasn\u2019t sure he dared risk it.\u00a0 It might only result in both him and Aideen being thrown out on their ears.\u00a0 Fair enough, in his case, but totally unjust in hers.<\/p>\n No help for it, then; he had to do it.\u00a0 Thrusting his feet into the fur-lined slippers Mrs. Pontpier had bought him, he wrapped the equally new quilted brocade robe around him and walked to the door of his room.\u00a0 He opened it and took a cautious peek into the hall.\u00a0 It wouldn\u2019t do at all to be caught before he\u2019d done this awful thing; afterwards, well, all he could do was throw himself on the mercy of the court, so to speak.\u00a0 Heaven help him if Madeleine was acting as judge.<\/p>\n He tiptoed down the hall\u2014needlessly, of course.\u00a0 The carpet down its length was almost as plush as that in his bedroom and effectively muffled all sound.\u00a0 Everything about this mission, however, demanded secrecy and stealth, and it felt instinctive to use them, even when it didn\u2019t matter.\u00a0 Finally, he stood outside the door he sought, but only the fear that a different one might open before he could work up the courage to enter made him raise his knuckles and rap, rather feebly.<\/p>\n At first there was no response, and then a husky voice called, \u201cCome in.\u201d<\/p>\n Mr. Pontpier! \u00a0Little Joe panicked at the unexpected sound.\u00a0 He\u2019d expected the man to have left for work by this time.\u00a0 Then he struck his palm to his forehead at his own stupidity.\u00a0 Of course, Mr. Pontpier was still here: it was Sunday, not a work day, and after the late hours he\u2019d kept the night before, he had probably been indulging in the unaccustomed luxury of sleeping in.\u00a0 Little Joe wished he could run back down the hall and hide in his room, but that would accomplish nothing.\u00a0 He opened the door and came hesitantly in.\u00a0 Mr. Pontpier was knotting the belt of his robe, while, still in bed, his wife drew the covers up to her chin.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sorry,\u201d Little Joe said.\u00a0 \u201cI forgot it was Sunday, and I just plain wasn\u2019t thinking.\u00a0 I shouldn\u2019t be bothering you this early, but it\u2019s kind of important.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIs something wrong, young man?\u201d Mr. Pontpier inquired.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, yes, something is wrong,\u201d Little Joe said.\u00a0 \u201cI was wanting to speak to Mrs. Pontpier about it, but I guess I\u2019ve gone about it all wrong.\u201d\u00a0 Like everything else<\/em>, he chided himself silently.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd it won\u2019t keep, will it?\u201d Mrs. Pontpier surmised, her voice gentle.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m afraid to let it,\u201d Little Joe admitted.\u00a0 \u201cPlease, ma\u2019am, it\u2019s all my fault, but it ain\u2019t\u2014I mean, isn\u2019t\u2014right for the innocent to suffer for what I did.\u00a0 You wouldn\u2019t want that, I\u2019m sure.\u00a0 You\u2019re just not that kind of person.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI hope not,\u201d she said, \u201cbut, Little Joe, you\u2019re making no sense, dear.\u00a0 Perhaps if you\u201d\u2014but before she could continue, another knock sounded on the door.<\/p>\n \u201cApparently, we\u2019re popular this morning,\u201d Mr. Pontpier observed dryly, and then he again called, \u201cCome in.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe moaned as Madeleine breezed into the room.\u00a0 So much for seeing Mrs. Pontpier alone.\u00a0 All it needed was George to make the audience complete.\u00a0 Maybe they should just let the whole Pontpier staff, butler and all, in on the show, too!<\/p>\n \u201cWhat are you doing here?\u201d Madeleine demanded as soon as she caught sight of the young visitor.\u00a0 \u201cThis really is insufferable, even for you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMadeleine!\u201d her father interjected.\u00a0 \u201cThat is no way to speak to a guest.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNormally, no, Father,\u201d she replied, \u201cbut I think it might be quite the right way to speak to this one!\u00a0 Nothing less would penetrate his thick western skull.\u201d\u00a0 She rounded on Little Joe.\u00a0 \u201cI suppose you\u2019re here to play on my mother\u2019s sympathies on behalf of your little amour<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe flushed.\u00a0 \u201cShe isn\u2019t that.\u00a0 She\u2019s a good, decent girl, and she doesn\u2019t deserve what you\u2019re planning to do.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWho are we talking about?\u201d Mr. Pontpier demanded.<\/p>\n \u201cBridget, of course,\u201d Madeleine snuffled disdainfully.<\/p>\n \u201cYou don\u2019t even know her name,\u201d Little Joe charged.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s Aideen, not Bridget.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt scarcely matters,\u201d she said with a perturbed roll of her eyes.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, then, let\u2019s just call you Bridget or\u2014or Brunhilda or something,\u201d Little Joe snapped.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s enough, both of you,\u201d Mrs. Pontpier said firmly.\u00a0 \u201cMercy, Madeleine, this reminds me of how you and George used to squabble when you were younger.\u00a0 Now, one of you needs to tell us what this is about.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll be pleased to,\u201d Madeleine said.\u00a0 \u201cThis ignorant rustic . . .\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo name calling,\u201d her mother interrupted sharply.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s ill-mannered and I won\u2019t stand for it.\u201d<\/p>\n Madeleine took a deep, sighing breath.\u00a0 \u201cYes, of course; I\u2019m sorry, Mother, but no one\u2014absolutely no one in our circle of friends would have been so gauche, so completely\u2014forgive the word\u2014ignorant of proper behavior as to do what this boy did last night.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI observed no improper behavior,\u201d her father inserted.\u00a0 \u201cIn fact, I believe young Joseph was quite well received last night\u2014and not without cause.\u00a0 He made himself attentive and congenial to one and all.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat was true in regard to our guests,\u201d Madeleine admitted.\u00a0 \u201cUnfortunately, in his case, \u2018one and all\u2019 includes those it should not.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe flashed her a cheeky grin.\u00a0 \u201cWell, you did say I should spread my talents around, Miss Madeleine.\u201d\u00a0 The grin, which had helped him get by with a myriad of failings back home was completely wasted on the daughter of the house.<\/p>\n \u201cOoh!\u201d\u00a0 Madeleine fumed.\u00a0 \u201cDo you see what I mean?\u00a0 No sense of propriety, and further, he has no concept whatsoever of how to behave toward a menial.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe started to protest her use of that hated word, but one look from Mrs. Pontpier made him bite his tongue.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat exactly happened?\u201d Mrs. Pontpier asked.\u00a0 \u201cLittle Joe, you begin this time, please.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe gave her a grateful smile.\u00a0 \u201cThank you, ma\u2019am.\u00a0 Miss Madeleine is right about one thing: it was entirely my fault, the whole thing.\u00a0 I\u2014I talked Aideen into having a dance with me\u2014out in the hall, so it wouldn\u2019t bother your guests.\u201d\u00a0 His egalitarian sensibilities couldn\u2019t be held in any longer, and he suddenly burst out, \u201cWe wouldn\u2019t have had to hide back home, \u2018cause out there we really do believe \u2018All men are created equal,\u2019 but I guess it\u2019s some sort of crime here, \u2018cause when Miss Madeleine caught us, she fired Aideen on the spot and wouldn\u2019t listen when I tried to tell her it was all my doing.\u201d\u00a0 He gave Madeleine a hard look.<\/p>\n Madeleine returned it with equal severity.\u00a0 \u201cHe isn\u2019t telling you the whole story.\u00a0 There was more than just a dance; they were . . .\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cKissing,\u201d Little Joe admitted.\u00a0 \u201cI gave her a kiss when the music stopped.\u201d\u00a0 Accusing eyes fixed on Madeleine, he hit his chest with the fingers of his left hand.\u00a0 \u201cI gave a kiss to her, not the other way around.\u201d\u00a0 He turned back to Mrs. Pontpier, his eyes pleading this time.\u00a0 \u201cSo, don\u2019t blame Aideen; don\u2019t punish her for my mistake.\u00a0 If you really think a little kiss is such a crime, then I\u2019m the one you should put out on the street, not the innocent girl I committed it on.\u00a0 Maybe you don\u2019t know what it means to be poor and in need of a job . . .\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNor do you,\u201d Madeleine said with a sniff.<\/p>\n \u201cNo,\u201d Little Joe readily admitted, \u201cbut I\u2019ve seen what it means to other people, and for someone like Aideen, with a widowed mother to support, it means everything.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, I didn\u2019t know about that,\u201d Madeleine said awkwardly.<\/p>\n \u201cYou didn\u2019t even know her name,\u201d Little Joe retorted.\u00a0 \u201cTo you, she\u2019s just a\u201d\u2014he bitterly uttered the hated word\u2014\u201ca menial, someone beneath you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI believe I understand the situation now,\u201d Mrs. Pontpier intervened.\u00a0 \u201cI realize our ways are unknown to you, Little Joe, and may be different from your own, but we don\u2019t encourage excessive familiarity with our staff.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThen throw me out, not her,\u201d he said earnestly.<\/p>\n A chuckle interrupted his earnest plea.\u00a0 \u201cAnd where, exactly, would you go, Joseph?\u201d Mr. Pontpier asked.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d Little Joe said.\u00a0 His face fell for a moment, but then rose in earnest determination.\u00a0 \u201cWherever men go to look for work in this town, I guess, but that don\u2019t matter.\u00a0 Better me than an innocent girl.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShe wasn\u2019t entirely innocent,\u201d Madeleine inserted.\u00a0 \u201cShe knew better; you yourself said she did.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut I\u2019m a guest here; that gives me a certain power over her, don\u2019t it?\u201d Little Joe pressed.\u00a0 \u201cMakes it hard for her to say no.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI doubt she wanted to.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI doubt any woman from Mrs. Grayson down would have wanted to,\u201d Mr. Pontpier offered, trying without much success to keep from laughing.\u00a0 \u201cI can\u2019t remember when I\u2019ve seen her sashay down a room with such . . . energy.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe flushed.\u00a0 \u201cI hope it wasn\u2019t too much for her.\u201d<\/p>\n Madeleine rolled her eyes.\u00a0 \u201cThis boy\u2019s charms, inspiring as they may be, have nothing to do with the matter at hand.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo.\u201d\u00a0 Her mother sent a chiding glance toward her husband.\u00a0 \u201cIt is a serious matter, my dear, if a young woman\u2019s livelihood\u2014and the support of a widowed mother\u2014is in question.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPlease, no,\u201d Little Joe said, and the sad puppy eyes he turned to her were completely uncontrived and, therefore, all the more winsome than usual.<\/p>\n She smiled gently as she stretched out her hand.\u00a0 \u201cCome here, dear.\u201d<\/p>\n With an uneasy look toward her husband, Little Joe slowly approached her bed and took her hand.\u00a0 Talk about inappropriate!\u00a0 He\u2019d started all this hullabaloo with a simple kiss of an unattached young woman, and now he was holding hands with a married lady in her bed.\u00a0 Why was this acceptable when the other was, apparently, such an outrage?\u00a0 It made no sense.\u00a0 Back home, kissing a girl wouldn\u2019t have raised an eyebrow, while walking into a married woman\u2019s bedroom might get a man\u2019s head raised from his shoulders.\u00a0 He was careful to keep an arms\u2019 length away from Mrs. Pontpier\u2019s actual bed.<\/p>\n Mrs. Pontpier gave his hand an encouraging squeeze.\u00a0 \u201cTell me honestly, my dear, just how deeply are you involved with this girl?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, not at all, ma\u2019am,\u201d he quickly said over the rising lump in his throat.\u00a0 He\u2019d caused all this ruckus, and yet it was him she was concerned about; he could see it in her eyes, and the tender concern reflected there almost undid him.\u00a0 \u201cShe\u2019s been kind to me\u2014helpful, I mean\u2014and I\u2014well, I guess I wanted to pay her back for that, with the dance.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd a kiss?\u201d she pressed with an inquiring tilt of her head.<\/p>\n Little Joe\u2019s face reddened.\u00a0 \u201cThat wasn\u2019t planned, ma\u2019am.\u00a0 She\u2019s just so doggone pretty that I . . . just . . . did it.\u00a0 Not thinking.\u201d\u00a0 Under the warmth of her gaze, an involuntary smile flickered on his lips.\u00a0 \u201cNot thinking things through\u2014Pa would tell you it\u2019s one of my worst faults, but like I said, the consequences should fall on me, not on Miss Aideen.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIf we allow this young woman to stay, can you assure me that there will be no more of this . . . not thinking?\u201d she asked.\u00a0 \u201cI feel I have a duty of care to your father while you are with us, my dear, and I\u2019m quite sure he would prefer that you not form any unexpected attachments during your visit.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe made the promise easily, primarily for Aideen\u2019s sake, but also because he knew his feelings for the Irish maid were only casual.\u00a0 He\u2019d considered her a \u00a0friend, nothing more, and if he needed to be more circumspect, even with that, then he would.\u00a0 \u201cThank you, ma\u2019am,\u201d he said as she released his hand.<\/p>\n \u201cIt isn\u2019t settled yet,\u201d she cautioned.\u00a0 \u201cI want to speak to the girl first, but I promise I will take into consideration all you\u2019ve said.\u201d\u00a0 She looked toward her daughter.\u00a0 \u201cIs there anything further you need to add, Madeleine?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, Mother, except that I\u2019m sorry to have disturbed you so early this morning.\u00a0 I felt it was necessary, but I do regret if anything has diminished your enjoyment of your special occasion.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNothing could, my darling,\u201d she said warmly.\u00a0 \u201cYou planned everything to perfection, and your father and I could not be more grateful.\u00a0 I do hope you will allow yourself a well-earned day of rest now, especially as it is the Sabbath, and let us deal with this small matter.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOf course, Mother.\u201d\u00a0 She approached the bed and kissed her mother\u2019s cheek.\u00a0 As she turned away, her eyes fell on Little Joe and his lips instinctively hardened into a straight line.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m\u2014I\u2019m sorry I disturbed you, too,\u201d Little Joe said, backing toward the door, \u201cand I\u2019ll let you get back to . . . uh, whatever you were doing before.\u00a0 I should get dressed for breakfast, I guess, or . . . church?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe normally attend morning services,\u201d Mr. Pontpier said, his eyes chuckling, \u201cbut given the lateness of the party last night, we thought we\u2019d attend the 2 p.m. service today, so take your time about dressing.\u00a0 Pull the bell when you want breakfast served.\u00a0 I think the rest of us will be eating in our rooms this morning, so you might as well indulge, too, my boy.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe kept backing toward the door.\u00a0 \u201cYes, sir; I\u2019ll do that.\u00a0 Thanks . . . and thank you again, ma\u2019am.\u00a0 I mean, I know it\u2019s not settled, but . . . thanks, anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re welcome, Little Joe.\u201d\u00a0 Only years of training in self control enabled Mrs. Pontpier to keep from giggling and, then, only until her young houseguest had exited the room, backing up all the way.\u00a0 \u201cOh, he is a charmer,\u201d she tittered almost as soon as the door closed behind him.<\/p>\n \u201cSo, you won\u2019t blame the little maid for succumbing to that kiss?\u201d her husband asked, restraining his own urge to laugh aloud.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, I imagine not,\u201d she said.\u00a0 \u201cI think I might find it quite irresistible myself . . . though I will always prefer yours, of course.\u201d\u00a0 There was no missing the invitation of his sweetheart of twenty-five years, and he was quick to take advantage of it.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n Adam was thoroughly frustrated with his morning\u2019s turns about the deck.\u00a0 His one hope was to encounter Miss Jennings and further his acquaintance with her, but so far, he\u2019d been completely unsuccessful.\u00a0 They were like ships passing in the night, even though the sun shone brightly in a clear sky of Caribbean blue.\u00a0 The one time he\u2019d spotted her, strolling on the arm of a man as white-haired as Pa, he\u2019d been in a discussion of Dickens with another admirer of his reading and could not, without being rude, leave the man to approach the lovely lady.\u00a0 He considered only briefly the option of simply remaining still until she and her escort, presumably her father, circled the deck back to him, but that was too risky to consider.\u00a0 There were admirers of another sort that he wished to avoid, even if the Parkers were currently spurning him, and staying in one place made him too easy a target for their unwanted attentions.<\/p>\n He finally decided to slow his pace of walking and keep to one side of the steamship.\u00a0 That, he surmised, would double his chances of crossing her path, and within a quarter hour he saw her and quickened his steps to intercept her.\u00a0 \u201cMiss Jennings,\u201d he said, \u201chow pleasant to meet you again.\u00a0 May I assume that this gentleman is your father?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe is,\u201d she said coolly.\u00a0 For a moment she seemed disinclined to introduce them, but then she did.\u00a0 \u201cMr. Abraham Jennings.\u00a0 Father, this is Mr. Adam Cartwright, the reader whom I mentioned yesterday.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAh, a pleasure, Mr. Cartwright,\u201d the other man said cordially, extending his hand.\u00a0 \u201cI regret that my early hour of retirement prevents my enjoying your reading of Mr. Dickens.\u00a0 He is a favorite of mine.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPerhaps we might discuss him sometime in the gentleman\u2019s salon,\u201d Adam suggested, returning the handshake warmly.\u00a0 \u201cFor now, may I join you in your stroll about the deck?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI think not,\u201d Miss Jennings said, a bit abruptly.\u00a0 Turning to her father, she added, \u201cI\u2019m growing a bit chilly, Father.\u00a0 I\u2019d like to return below, if you don\u2019t mind.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOf course, my dear,\u201d Mr. Jennings returned.\u00a0 With a nod, he said, \u201cAnother time, Mr. Cartwright\u201d and guided her toward the stairs to the lower deck.<\/p>\n Adam stared at their departing backs, wondering what had so changed her attitude toward him.\u00a0 The slight breeze was anything but chilly, yet chilly perfectly described her demeanor toward him. \u00a0She had obviously used that complaint as a subterfuge to leave his company, which she had appeared to enjoy the day before.\u00a0 What had changed her opinion of him?\u00a0 Speaking with her, preferably alone, became all the more imperative.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n Normally, Little Joe would have felt uncomfortable in such a large, ornate church.\u00a0 The vaulted ceilings of such places made God seem far off and unreachable, but today He was as close as Joe\u2019s overflowing heart and easy to give thanks to.\u00a0 He had plenty of thanks to give, too.\u00a0 He\u2019d seen Aideen serving lunch, smiling in relief, her eyes sparkling with joy, though she was careful to avoid his own, and he\u2019d known in that moment that her job was safe.<\/p>\n He kept his eyes from wandering where they shouldn\u2019t, too, but now, here in the quiet of the church, he found release for the emotions throbbing in his breast.\u00a0 He\u2019d thank Mrs. Pontpier later for her gracious reprieve, but now his thankful praise rose to God, who had created a woman with such a merciful heart and had brought both him and Aideen within its all-encompassing grace.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n Adam felt a sudden surge of thankfulness at almost the same moment his little brother was feeling it in Boston.\u00a0 She was standing at the rail, the ribbon on her straw bonnet trailing in the light breeze, and she was alone.\u00a0 He stepped quickly to her side.\u00a0 \u201cMiss Jennings,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n There was no attempt to disguise the frosty eyes she turned upon him.\u00a0 \u201cMr. Cartwright,\u201d she said flatly, without a hint of encouragement, and she immediately returned to viewing the coast of San Salvador.<\/p>\n Obviously, something had changed between them, and he wanted\u2014needed\u2014to determine what it was as quickly as possible.\u00a0 Since this was no simpering Parker femme, playing hard to get to further tempt his notice, he spoke directly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMiss Jennings, I perceive that I have in some way offended you,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cI hope you will tell me what it is, so I may make amends.\u201d<\/p>\n She faced him, her pursed lips parting to take a determined breath.\u00a0 \u201cAs you wish,\u201d she said.\u00a0 \u201cI dislike dissembling, Mr. Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAs do I.\u201d<\/p>\n She cocked her head.\u00a0 \u201cDo you?\u201d she asked skeptically.\u00a0 \u201cThen, though you may find it unladylike, let me say forthrightly that I had felt drawn to you.\u00a0 However, at the time I believed you to be unattached.\u00a0 Now that it seems otherwise, I have no interest in taking your time or attention away from the lady of your choice.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam suddenly grasped the problem.\u00a0 \u201cI am unattached, Miss Jennings.\u00a0 I assure you of that.\u00a0 Although I do seem to have drawn some unwanted attention from a few other ladies, one in particular, it is not of my seeking.\u00a0 The only lady whose attention I have sought and whose respect I pray I have not lost is . . . you.\u201d<\/p>\n She gazed into his face for long moments, and then her lips relaxed into a smile.\u00a0 \u201cI recognized some of that attention as admiration for your excellent reading . . . and person,\u201d she said, \u201cbut one of the ladies seemed more familiar, even possessive, in a way that suggested a stronger connection.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMiss Parker,\u201d Adam replied with a sober nod.\u00a0 \u201cI have shared a table with her and her mother since leaving San Francisco, and their attempts to curry my attention have become increasingly burdensome.\u00a0 I realize it is ungentlemanly to say that so frankly, but I, too, wish to be forthright.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI noticed some separation between the two of you today,\u201d she said, blushing at this admission of the covert glances she\u2019d taken at both him and Irene Parker throughout the day.<\/p>\n \u201cA permanent one, I hope,\u201d he said with a wry lift of one side of his mouth.\u00a0 \u201cI had no wish to hurt her, but I finally felt I had to tell her directly of my lack of interest, and I did that last night after the reading.\u00a0 Meal times today have been\u2014to say the least\u2014uncomfortable.\u201d<\/p>\n She laughed lightly then.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m sorry for your discomfort\u2014and Miss Parker\u2019s, as well, for that matter.\u00a0 However, I must admit to a certain satisfaction in observing the distance between you, both this morning and this afternoon.\u201d<\/p>\n His smile was full and broad.\u00a0 \u201cAnd I take satisfaction in your satisfaction.\u00a0 May I join you, dear Miss Jennings, in viewing this beautiful island?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPlease do,\u201d she said, gazing warmly into the depths of his hazel eyes, \u201cand please call me Lily . . . Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n His hand covering hers on the rail accepted the offer and hoped for so much more.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n October 22<\/p>\n Sitting up in bed, his breakfast tray across his lap, George heard a tap on his door and called out, \u201cCome in, Little Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n As the door opened, his visitor called out, giggling, \u201cI\u2019m not Little Joe, but may I come in, anyway?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOf course, Maddie,\u201d her brother replied.\u00a0 \u201cI wasn\u2019t aware you ever arose this early . . . when there wasn\u2019t an anniversary party to plan, at least.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThank goodness, that\u2019s over,\u201d Madeleine said, \u201calthough I do think it came off well . . . despite your young friend\u2019s best efforts to make himself the center of attention.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI doubt that was his intention,\u201d George said.<\/p>\n \u201cYou know, then, about his escapade?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe told me.\u201d<\/p>\n Madeleine seemed surprised.\u00a0 \u201cWell . . . good,\u201d she finally said.\u00a0 \u201cIt makes things easier if you already know the problem.\u201d<\/p>\n George chuckled.\u00a0 \u201cI thought the \u2018problem\u2019 was resolved.\u201d<\/p>\n His sister shook her head.\u00a0 \u201cThe problem to which I was referring is what to do with that boy.\u00a0 Obviously, we can\u2019t leave him to his own devices for diversion.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, no,\u201d George agreed, laughing even harder.\u00a0 \u201cI can assure you that would be a mistake.\u201d\u00a0 Images of the Stinking Stilton and its renowned entertainers, the Beaufort Ballerina and the Cheshire Cow, floated across his memory.\u00a0 If there was such a place in Boston, he felt certain that Little Joe Cartwright, left to his own devices for diversion, would be sure to find it.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m glad we\u2019re in agreement,\u201d Madeleine said, \u201cbut what on earth shall we do with him?\u00a0 I don\u2019t suppose he shares any of his older brother\u2019s taste for orchestral music or the opera?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cUh . . . no.\u201d<\/p>\n She sighed.\u00a0 \u201cI was afraid of that.\u00a0 He\u2019s probably had his fill of shopping, too.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDefinitely,\u201d George agreed, \u201cwith the possible exception of another dime novel.\u201d<\/p>\n Madeleine shuddered.\u00a0 \u201cGhastly.\u00a0 What about historic sights?\u00a0 I believe they were mentioned the other day.\u201d<\/p>\n George nodded.\u00a0 \u201cYes, I think he\u2019d enjoy those.\u00a0 I can take him around to a few, so you won\u2019t be bothered.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThank you.\u201d\u00a0 Madeleine favored him with a grateful smile.\u00a0 \u201cThat should keep him busy during the day, at least.\u00a0 As for the evenings, I suppose we\u2019ll have to settle for parlor games or conversation.\u201d\u00a0 The idea of spending an entire evening talking to the uneducated Westerner elicited another sigh.\u00a0 \u201cI had so hoped you might escort me to the ballet.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOf course, I will,\u201d George said.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd leave that boy to run rampant through the servants\u2019 quarters?\u201d Madeleine scoffed.\u00a0 \u201cI think not!\u201d<\/p>\n George laughed. \u00a0\u201cI think he\u2019s learned his lesson, Maddie, but we can take him with us.\u00a0 I doubt he\u2019s ever seen a ballet, and it would do him good to absorb a little Boston culture while he\u2019s here.\u00a0 In fact,\u201d he added, picturing Little Joe\u2019s likely response to a dozen shapely legs dancing across the stage on tiptoe, \u201cI think he might actually enjoy it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cReally?\u201d his sister asked skeptically.<\/p>\n As the image in his mind grew clearer, George smiled and said, \u201cReally.\u201d<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n Amazing how suddenly a man\u2019s perspective can change<\/em>, Adam thought as he strolled the deck with the beautiful Lily Ann on his arm.\u00a0 Even yesterday, all I could think of was how soon I\u2019d reach New York, how quickly I could escape the Parker clutches and reunite with Joe.\u00a0 Now, I wish we weren\u2019t approaching the east coast.\u00a0 I wish we could cruise these islands another month or so or, perhaps, find ourselves shipwrecked on some isolated island, where I could play Adam to her Eve, darling Irene and her mother, alas, having gone down with the ship.<\/em><\/p>\n He instantly rebuked himself for the wicked thought.\u00a0 No, not even on them would he wish such a fate; they could simply drift to a different island, along with all the other passengers.\u00a0 He smiled and shook his head in response to Lily\u2019s inquiring look.\u00a0 Someday, perhaps, he might be willing to admit the places his imagination could take him, someday when they\u2019d known each other for years.\u00a0 For now, he was content to spend this final day in the Bahamas at her side, discovering what they had in common and relishing their complementary differences.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n Madeleine sighed in contentment as the dancers entered to begin their performance.\u00a0 She couldn\u2019t remember the last time she\u2019d had a more relaxing day.\u00a0 Certainly not since that boy had come.\u00a0 She blushed at her unfairness, for she had to admit she\u2019d been in a tizzy far longer than that, perhaps since the day she\u2019d begun planning the anniversary celebration for her parents.\u00a0 She\u2019d probably worked too hard at making things perfect, but they deserved so much, and she didn\u2019t resent a moment of the work, just the fretfulness that had come with it.\u00a0 Some of that she might fairly lay at the doorstep of young Joseph Cartwright, but most just came with her natural disposition.\u00a0 A character flaw she should probably work on, and perhaps the best way to begin was to set aside any concerns she had about the boy for this one night and simply enjoy the beauty set before her.<\/p>\n Perhaps the concerns were needless, anyway.\u00a0 George had done a marvelous job of keeping their young guest occupied throughout the day.\u00a0 She wasn\u2019t sure what masculine mischief they might have gotten up to, and frankly, she didn\u2019t want to know\u2014at least, not tonight.\u00a0 George had insisted that he needed to check in at his office after his long absence, and he\u2019d taken his friend along with him, although an architectural office couldn\u2019t possibly hold much attraction for the young westerner.\u00a0 They\u2019d come home with a package or two, so she assumed there\u2019d been more shopping, though she shuddered to think where.\u00a0 The packages had been small, so perhaps they contained a few items gentlemen need that she and her mother had overlooked, and the gentlemen had been reluctant to mention in front of them.\u00a0 Ladies needed personal things, and so, she presumed, might gentlemen, though she couldn\u2019t imagine\u2014and didn\u2019t want to\u2014what they might be.<\/p>\n The historic sights of Boston might keep that impossible boy occupied and out of mischief for the few days remaining before Adam arrived to take charge of him.\u00a0 Adam!\u00a0 She couldn\u2019t keep the smile from her lips at the thought of seeing him again.\u00a0 If only he could be persuaded to remain in Boston permanently\u2014perhaps as partner in George\u2019s firm?\u00a0 Then she might again entertain thoughts of blissful union with the handsome and debonair man she remembered from his college years.<\/p>\n Seeing her smile, George leaned close to her ear.\u00a0 \u201cEnjoying the dance?\u201d<\/p>\n Though startled, Madeleine quickly collected herself.\u00a0 \u201cOh, yes.\u00a0 Very much.\u00a0 Thank you, George.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMy pleasure,\u201d he whispered and returned his attention to the ballet.<\/p>\n Oddly enough, Madeleine observed, the impossible boy seemed to be enjoying the ballet, as well.\u00a0 Perhaps there was a bit of his brother in him, after all, or, more likely, Adam had managed to cultivate a drop of more refined taste into his young brother.\u00a0 She\u2019d compliment him on that, for though people said the stomach was the way to a man\u2019s heart, she\u2019d come to believe that flattery was the shorter route.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n Adam couldn\u2019t remember when he\u2019d spent a more enjoyable day, even though he hadn\u2019t done much except walk the deck and view the sites.\u00a0 With a beautiful, intelligent, charming woman.\u00a0 That made all the difference, of course.\u00a0 By the end of the day Miss Jennings had become not just Lily, but \u201cmy Lily,\u201d and they had both begun talking about plans to see one another again, once they reached Boston.<\/p>\n When he took his place behind the lectern for the night\u2019s reading of A Tale of Two Cities<\/em>, Adam saw his Lily seated front and center, in the place Irene Parker had previously appropriated.\u00a0 Her smiling presence there was both an inspiration and a distinct distraction, as he stumbled over his words for the first time.\u00a0 Only once, however, as he quickly took possession of his errant mind. \u00a0He had an obligation to his devoted audience, after all, as well as a fervent desire to merit his Lily\u2019s continued admiration.<\/p>\n Darling Irene was there, too, glaring her displeasure and snorting at his one slip of the tongue.\u00a0 That was a distraction, too, of course, but though he regretted having incurred her ill will, in a way he felt he deserved it.\u00a0 He should have been more honest with her in the first place, rather than using the subtle subterfuges he\u2019d employed in an attempt to avoid her without hurting her feelings.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n October 23<\/p>\n By everyone\u2019s estimation, George did an outstanding job of keeping Little Joe occupied the next day.\u00a0 At supper that evening the young westerner, though still looking hale and energetic, declared that they had seen every inch of Boston.\u00a0 The Pontpiers had chuckled indulgently over that, while Madeleine had almost emitted a most unladylike hoot.\u00a0 \u201cThat would scarcely be possible,\u201d she said.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m sure you barely touched the surface of all Boston has to offer.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cProbably, ma\u2019am,\u201d Little Joe admitted, \u201cbut he made a fair try at walking my legs off.\u201d<\/p>\n Good<\/em>, she thought.\u00a0 Anything to keep the boy from running after every pretty maid on the premises.<\/em><\/p>\n No one noticed her look of satisfaction, however, for George was laughing out loud.\u00a0 \u201cI might have done just that,\u201d he finally said, \u201cif my own legs had been up to it.\u201d<\/p>\n His mother looked instantly concerned.\u00a0 \u201cOh, my boy, I hope you haven\u2019t overdone.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, I\u2019m fine, Mother,\u201d he assured her.\u00a0 \u201cWe didn\u2019t push ourselves, regardless of what this one says.\u201d\u00a0 He inclined his head toward Little Joe.\u00a0 \u201cWe only covered a few of the major historic sights.\u00a0 We\u2019ll see more tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n Mrs. Pontpier smiled then.\u00a0 \u201cWhat impressed you most, Little Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnything to do with Paul Revere,\u201d George answered for the young man to his right.\u00a0 \u201cAll that fast riding, you know.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMaybe,\u201d Little Joe admitted.\u00a0 \u201cI always liked the stories about him when I was in school.\u00a0 I did like seein\u2019 his house and the Old North Church, where they hung those lamps that set him off ridin\u2019.\u00a0 That and the monument at Bunker Hill\u2014or, Breed\u2019s, I guess it is, though that still don\u2019t make a lick of sense to me.\u00a0 I thought you Bostoners were pretty set on getting things right.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe do our best,\u201d George snorted.<\/p>\n \u201cNo doubt it was some western visitor who named it in error,\u201d Madeleine added almost in concert.<\/p>\n Little Joe met the comments with a little grin.\u00a0 He doubted that Madeleine had forgiven their own western visitor for his errors yet, but it was good to see some friendly repartee between her and her brother, even if it did make him a little homesick.\u00a0 Back at the Ponderosa, he was likely to be the target of concerted efforts by his two big brothers to keep him in his place, but he gave as good as he got and he kind of missed the back-and-forth banter and battle that sometimes took place at the dinner table.\u00a0 He just flat-out missed his brothers.\u00a0 And Pa.\u00a0 He couldn\u2019t begin to describe the ache in his soul that only Pa could fill.\u00a0 They said Adam should be here any day now, though, so maybe he\u2019d soon be on his way home.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n For Adam, the day had been his most relaxing since boarding ship.\u00a0 Pleasant as the southeastern shoreline of the United States was, it didn\u2019t create the sort of exotic awe of the Caribbean islands he and Lily had savored the day before.\u00a0 She had also confided that she felt remiss in leaving her father so completely alone, though she seemed reluctant to leave Adam\u2019s side, as well.<\/p>\n \u201cLet\u2019s join your father, then,\u201d Adam had suggested to her sparkling-eyed delight.<\/p>\n While he\u2019d intended the gesture as a kindness to the old man, Adam found that he was the beneficiary. \u00a0Abraham Jennings was as cultured and well read as his daughter, coupled with a practical wisdom that reminded Adam profoundly of his father, and he was a delight to converse with.<\/p>\n It wasn\u2019t until he retired that night, after another much-lauded reading of Dickens that Adam realized that this was the first day he had spent not either worrying about reaching his wayward little brother or in active avoidance of the attentions of a man-hungry woman.\u00a0 Today, instead of pacing the deck, driven by one or the other of those needs, he\u2019d just relaxed in good company, and it had felt wonderful.\u00a0 Why, or why, in the confines of a ship, had it taken him so long to find the Jennings?\u00a0 Now, he had only one more day to enjoy the newfound friendship before they docked in New York City and separated, at least for a few days.\u00a0 The Jennings were staying over in the city for a day or so, to do some shopping and see friends, and while Adam was tempted to come up with some excuse to do the same, he didn\u2019t want to do his own friends the discourtesy of further delaying his arrival in Boston.\u00a0 He had exchanged addresses with the Jennings, however, and been given a promise that they would notify him when they arrived home, which significantly eased the pinch of a few days\u2019 deprivation.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n October 24<\/p>\n Adam scowled at the clutter covering every surface of his small stateroom.\u00a0 It was amazing how much repacking he needed to do before debarking this afternoon.\u00a0 A man liked to spread out and make himself comfortable, even in a temporary home, but he was still surprised by how much his things had spread across . . . well, everything. \u00a0It was likely to take the better part of the morning to put them in order, when he\u2019d much rather spend it with Lily Ann.\u00a0 With a lopsided grin he shook his head.\u00a0 If he thought he\u2019d made a mess of his belongings, how much repacking would a lady be likely to need?\u00a0 Ladies typically traveled with more accoutrements than practical men, and his Lily, while more sensible than most, probably had greater need of spending time in her stateroom than he in his.<\/p>\n It wouldn\u2019t have mattered if they could have had the afternoon together, but when several of his regular audience for the evening readings had implored him to give an extra one that afternoon, so that they might hear the end of the story, he\u2019d felt obliged to agree.\u00a0 He well understood the irritation of an unfinished story and could not willingly inflict it on anyone, when it lay in his power to assuage it.\u00a0 So, there went the afternoon, for it would take the better part of it to reach the climactic end of the novel.\u00a0 Having read into the wee hours the previous night, he knew what a treat awaited his readers.\u00a0 At least, he should have the pleasure of Lily\u2019s smiling face in the audience.\u00a0 No sensible woman could need more than a morning to pack up a stateroom, could she?<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n Little Joe spotted George sitting on a bench ahead of him and with a relieved grin hurried down the grass-lined path and dropped down next to him.<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t tell me you\u2019re tired,\u201d George chuckled.\u00a0 \u201cI know<\/em> that can\u2019t be true.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe shook his head.\u00a0 \u201cNaw.\u00a0 That\u2019s for old men . . . like you and Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n George slapped the young man\u2019s sturdy thigh.\u00a0 \u201cThat for your cheek, you bottomless pool of energy.\u00a0 I won\u2019t concede the \u2018old\u2019 part, but I freely confess to being tired.\u201d\u00a0 He rubbed his leg, the one that until a few days ago had been encased in plaster.<\/p>\n Seeing the movement, Little Joe slumped.\u00a0 \u201cOh, boy, I\u2019m sorry, George.\u00a0 Why didn\u2019t you say something sooner?\u00a0 I\u2019ve been walking your legs off the last couple of days.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMore yours than mine today,\u201d George said.\u00a0 Unlike yesterday\u2019s tour, which had taken them all over Boston, they\u2019d kept close to Boston Common, where they now sat, for today\u2019s excursion.\u00a0 They\u2019d begun with Old South Meeting House, where the patriots had met to plan the Boston Tea Party and then walked a short distance down School Street to City Hall, mostly so Little Joe could see the immense bronze statue of Benjamin Franklin there.\u00a0 The western youth had been less impressed by the information that the street had been named in honor of its being the location of the first public school in the United States.\u00a0 From the look on his face, Little Joe apparently would have preferred that no one had ever thought of that innovation to American society.<\/p>\n They\u2019d walked through Granbury Cemetery and paid their respects at the graves of Samuel Adams and Paul Revere, the patriot most revered by the proficient western rider, who rewarded George for the groan-worthy pun with a punch in the arm. \u00a0Then they\u2019d made a brief stop by the State House\u2014well, brief for George at any rate.\u00a0 He\u2019d only stayed long enough to point out the stately statue of George Washington in the entrance hall and to direct Little Joe to the staircase that would take the young man up to the dome for a spectacular view of the city.\u00a0 George himself had begged off, the climb being too much for his already abused leg, and walked across the street to the Common after giving his young friend directions on how to find him.<\/p>\n It was that view from the top of the State House that had shaken Little Joe\u2019s confidence in his ability to find his way around town and given rise to the relief with which he\u2019d sighted George.\u00a0 Not until he\u2019d seen that sweeping panorama had he realized just how large a place he\u2019d landed in, and while he thought he could probably have found his way back to the Pontpier home in Union Square, he\u2019d still been glad to see his guide once again.\u00a0 This was definitely not the Ponderosa, where he practically knew every rock and pinecone.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n Almost every passenger aboard the Ariel<\/em> lined her deck as she pulled into New York harbor.\u00a0 Some waved exuberantly to people awaiting them on shore, while others, including Adam, simply drank in the sight of the great city\u2019s skyline.\u00a0 Most were excited to leave the ship and either get back to their lives or begin the adventure of a visit.\u00a0 Adam, however, was torn between two emotions.\u00a0 He was pleased, of course, to reach his destination, and eager to reunite with Little Joe, as well as to see George\u2019s family again, but the ship\u2019s docking meant that he could no longer spend almost every waking moment with Lily Ann.\u00a0 And that, he was finding, bothered him immensely.<\/p>\n At least, they would have one final meal together here in New York; he and the Jennings had already made plans to meet for supper this evening at Delmonico\u2019s.\u00a0 They had also exchanged their Boston addresses with promises to see one another there, hopefully on many occasions, although Adam, of course, could not slight his hosts.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, Mr. Cartwright,\u201d a voice at his elbow said, breaking into his reverie, \u201cit would seem our separation is upon us.\u00a0 We shall miss the pleasure of your company.\u201d<\/p>\n The coolness of the tone belied the flattering words, but Adam responded to the literal words with civil courtesy.\u00a0 \u201cThank you, Mrs. Parker.\u00a0 You and your daughter have been gracious table companions on this long voyage.\u201d\u00a0 A stretch, but he could afford to be generous now.<\/p>\n Irene Parker sidled up to him to say enthusiastically, \u201cOh, yes, Mr. Cartwright!\u00a0 Your company has made the miles simply fly.\u00a0 They are ending far too soon.\u201d<\/p>\n That, of course, was totally opposed to Adam\u2019s own sentiments.\u00a0 He would be only too happy to part company with the man-hungry Mrs. Parker and her darling Irene.<\/p>\n Irene, however, was rattling on, blissfully unaware of his inner recoil.\u00a0 \u201cHow I wish we might have the same pleasure on our return voyage.\u00a0 And perhaps we shall!\u00a0 When do you return, dear Mr. Cartwright?\u201d<\/p>\n Adam moistened his suddenly dry lips.\u00a0 \u201cI can\u2019t be sure yet,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cThere are a number of factors to consider.\u201d\u00a0 To be honest, he hadn\u2019t given the timing of his return to Nevada any consideration, but even had he known the exact date and the name of his westbound ship, he would have kept them close to his vest, at least from this pair.\u00a0 He had an all too realistic fear that his departure date would instantly become theirs, regardless of their present plans.<\/p>\n As the gangplank was lowered and passengers pressed toward it, he managed to distance himself from the two women.\u00a0 After making arrangements for his luggage to be sent ahead to the Astor House, he fulfilled his first and most important duty by sending a telegram to Boston, apprising his hosts of his expected time of arrival the next day and another to tell Pa he\u2019d arrived safely.\u00a0 Then he hailed a hansom cab and headed to his hotel to take a long, leisurely bath and dress for dinner with his new friends.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n Dinner at the Pontpier table no longer featured the sedate sharing of the day\u2019s events that had characterized it before the arrival of a certain young guest from the West.\u00a0 Little Joe met each day with such exuberant enjoyment and overflowing zest that it could not but infect the others, as well, for he seemed able to find adventure, even in a simple walk down the street, much less the grand tour of Boston he\u2019d made with George the last two days.\u00a0 Once again, he had arrived home bubbling over with enthusiasm for what had become mundane to the family, and the Pontpiers found themselves seeing their home town with fresh eyes.<\/p>\n He paused politely, however, when the butler entered, carrying an envelope on a silver tray, and although the Pontpiers were yet to realize it, Little Joe\u2019s egalitarian treatment of all, a result of his upbringing at the hand of Ben Cartwright, had begun to rub off on them, as well.\u00a0 Every fork dropped and every head turned to listen cordially to whatever the butler had to say.<\/p>\n Horace, perhaps noticing the change of attitude more than his employers themselves, seemed unsure how to react, but he quickly returned to form.\u00a0 \u201cI am sorry to interrupt you at table, sir,\u201d he said, \u201cbut this being a telegram, I thought it might be urgent.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cQuite right,\u201d Mr. Pontpier said with encouraging grace as he reached for the envelope.\u00a0 \u201cThank you, Horace.\u201d<\/p>\n As the butler bowed and backed out of the room, Mr. Pontpier opened the envelope and pulled out the message, while everyone else sat silent, waiting with the sudden breathlessness with which most people met a telegram.\u00a0 Telegrams were costly and, therefore, rarely used for anything but emergencies.\u00a0 While that was less true for people as wealthy as the Pontpiers or even the Cartwrights, the reaction seemed almost inbred in the human race.\u00a0 Everyone breathed a sigh of relief when the head of the house smiled at them and said, \u201cIt\u2019s all right; it\u2019s from Adam.\u00a0 He\u2019ll be arriving tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, how exciting,\u201d Madeleine enthused.<\/p>\n \u201cIt will be so good to see dear Adam again,\u201d her mother said, adding with a smile across the table, \u201calthough we\u2019ve had a fine representative of him with us for several days.\u201d<\/p>\n By rote, Little Joe smiled back at her.\u00a0 He was grateful for her warmth and kindness, of course, but he still felt himself in a measure of disgrace in this household.\u00a0 No one could convince him he\u2019d ever be as welcome here as his older brother so obviously was.\u00a0 One had only to look at Madeleine\u2019s face to see how very much more welcome Adam would be.<\/p>\n He heard the news with mixed emotions.\u00a0 Of course, he wanted his brother to arrive.\u00a0 Any familiar face would have been a gift, and though he would never have admitted it to Adam\u2019s face, he knew he\u2019d feel relieved to have his older brother\u2019s guidance and advice to help him avoid the pitfalls of eastern society.\u00a0 On the other hand, he couldn\u2019t help feeling nervous about Adam\u2019s reaction to his impulsive decision to accompany George here, without so much as a by-your-leave from anyone in authority.\u00a0 He\u2019d done what he thought was right, but he couldn\u2019t be sure whether Adam would applaud him for a job well done or throttle him for taking on more than he should.\u00a0 He\u2019d seen it go both ways on previous occasions when he was sure he\u2019d done what was right, only to learn the hard way that older brother thought it anything but.<\/p>\n \u201cUm, could one of you tell me how to get to the station?\u201d he asked.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019d like to meet Adam\u2019s train, and I\u2019m not sure I remember how to get there.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCertainly,\u201d Mr. Pontpier started to say, but was interrupted by his daughter.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat a wonderful idea!\u201d Madeleine proclaimed.\u00a0 \u201cWe can all go and surprise him!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNow, Madeleine, we can\u2019t all go,\u201d her father teased.\u00a0 \u201cSome of us have to work, you know.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t mean you, of course, Father,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cI think it would be best if I remained here to welcome him to our home,\u201d her mother said.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, of course, Mother,\u201d Madeleine said with strained patience.\u00a0 \u201cI was referring to us young folk.\u00a0 Don\u2019t you think it will please Adam to have a welcoming party, George?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPerhaps,\u201d George conceded. \u00a0Glancing to his right, he noticed an expression on his young friend\u2019s face that he couldn\u2019t quite read, but which concerned him.\u00a0 \u201cUnless, that is, you\u2019d prefer to meet him on your own, Little Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t be ridiculous, George,\u201d Madeleine hastened to insert.\u00a0 \u201cWhy would he?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, he might tell you if you gave him a moment to wedge in a word,\u201d George chided.<\/p>\n All eyes turned expectantly on Little Joe, who flushed and muttered that it would be fine.\u00a0 As anyone on the Ponderosa could have told them, \u201cfine\u201d was not a word to be taken literally when uttered by Little Joe Cartwright, but they all accepted it at face value.\u00a0 Only George considered that the young man might not have been completely forthright, but he hesitated to embarrass him by further inquiry in front of the others.\u00a0 Something did seem to be bothering the boy, but now was not the time to bring it up. He thought he might find an opportunity before bedtime, but he didn\u2019t think of it again until after he was in bed, and the night\u2019s sleep completely wiped it from his mind.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n October 25<\/p>\n Little Joe was edgily pacing the length of the waiting room at the depot.\u00a0 Madeleine, sitting primly beside her brother on a polished oak bench, pursed her lips and shook her head.\u00a0 \u201cDo something,\u201d she finally whispered to George.<\/p>\n The next time Little Joe passed near them, George called out, \u201cJoe, come here.\u201d<\/p>\n It took a pace or two for the message to register, but Little Joe then dutifully walked over and stood before the other man.\u00a0 \u201cYou need something, George?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n \u201cSit down,\u201d George said bluntly.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, please,\u201d Madeleine added with sharper urgency.\u00a0 \u201cMercy, boy, I\u2019ve seen caged tigers who were less restless.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSorry,\u201d Little Joe muttered as he dropped down on the bench beside George.\u00a0 \u201cDidn\u2019t mean to embarrass you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou didn\u2019t,\u201d George assured him, although Madeleine didn\u2019t look as though she agreed, \u201cbut the train won\u2019t get here any sooner for all the energy you\u2019re expending.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe exhaled forcefully.\u00a0 \u201cI wasn\u2019t tryin\u2019 to rush it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAh!\u201d George chuckled with sudden insight.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re not still afraid Adam will kill you, are you?\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe shrugged.\u00a0 \u201cNaw.\u00a0 He might want to, but he won\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCertainly not!\u201d Madeleine exclaimed.\u00a0 \u201cAdam would never resort to violence!\u00a0 He\u2019s too much a gentleman.\u201d<\/p>\n The remark brought an arch to Little Joe\u2019s eyebrow worthy of any either his father or older brother had ever sported.\u00a0 Obviously, Miss Madeleine had never seen older brother with his bull-of-the-woods horns on or she\u2019d never have said anything so patently ridiculous.\u00a0 Given the right provocation, like a threat to his home or family, Adam was fully capable of violence, and Little Joe had personally been on the receiving end of it, mostly verbally, but on occasion accompanied by a slap to the face or, when younger, a swat on the seat of his britches.\u00a0 He wasn\u2019t really afraid of any physical response now, but almost terrified of what Adam might say.<\/p>\n Somehow, the Pontpier siblings managed to keep the caged tiger confined to the bench until the train pulled into the station.\u00a0 Then they all rose together and made their way to meet the arriving passengers, with Little Joe, in a sudden burst of atypical timidity, lagging behind the others.<\/p>\n \u201cThere he is!\u201d cried Madeleine, the first to spot Adam, as he stepped off the train.\u00a0 \u201cAdam!\u00a0 Oh, Adam!\u00a0 Over here!\u201d\u00a0 She hurried forward and grasped him by the forearm.\u00a0 \u201cOh, Adam, how good it is to see you again.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThank you, Maddie,\u201d Adam said with a genuine, if cautious, smile.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s good to see you again, too.\u201d\u00a0 His smile broadened as he caught sight of George.\u00a0 \u201cGeorge,\u201d he said, extending his hand.\u00a0 \u201cWonderful to see you walking on your own two feet again!\u00a0 You suffered no ill effects from your journey, then?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNone,\u201d George assured him, adding with a quick glance toward Little Joe, hesitantly coming up behind him, \u201cthanks, largely, to the help a certain young stowaway rendered me on board ship.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAh, yes, the stowaway,\u201d Adam chuckled, all his intentions to wring his little brother\u2019s neck having flown out the window at first sight of him.\u00a0 A closer look at the nervous face made him open his arms wide and say, \u201cCome \u2018ere, kid.\u201d<\/p>\n And Little Joe came, his head resting against his brother\u2019s broad chest as he clutched onto him like a drowning sailor grabbing a board from a sinking ship.<\/p>\n As Adam\u2019s arms circled his brother\u2019s slender frame, he felt the boy shaking, and immediately his mouth moved close to Little Joe\u2019s ear as he said soothingly, \u201cEasy, little buddy.\u00a0 Everything\u2019s all right now: brother\u2019s here.\u201d\u00a0 He was gratified to feel both the trembling and his brother\u2019s heartbeat slow.<\/p>\n Little Joe pulled back, grinning with relief.\u00a0 \u201cI really am glad to see you, brother.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam clapped him on both shoulders and stepped back. \u00a0\u201cWell, tell me now,\u201d he said with a wink toward George, \u201cjust how big a nuisance has this rascal been?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, about what you\u2019d expect,\u201d George teased.\u00a0 \u201cSeriously, though, he\u2019s been very helpful.\u00a0 I don\u2019t know what I\u2019d have done without him on the trip home.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam nodded and looked satisfied; he did not, however, miss the tight set of Madeleine\u2019s lips and suspected there was something he might need to question George about more fully, once they were alone.<\/p>\n As they moved toward the exit, Little Joe proved his mercurial nature, having in the last half hour transformed from caged tiger to frightened rabbit and now into something resembling a tail-wagging puppy, bouncing around his master\u2019s legs.\u00a0 He would, of course, have vehemently rejected any suggestion that Adam was his master, but in every other way the analogy fit, or so George thought.\u00a0 Madeleine, without benefit of longer acquaintance with the youngest Cartwright, just looked stunned.<\/p>\n When they neared the door to the street, however, Little Joe managed to catch them all, older brother included, by surprise.\u00a0 \u201cHey, since we\u2019re so close, maybe we ought to book our passage home,\u201d he told his brother.\u00a0 \u201cWe could even get the train tickets before we leave here, unless you\u2019re afraid we can\u2019t get passage on the next ship, bein\u2019 late as it is.\u00a0 Or do you think we ought to go by the steamer office and get that settled first?\u201d<\/p>\n Adam stared at him.\u00a0 \u201cJoe, what are you babbling about?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGoing home,\u201d Little Joe said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.<\/p>\n \u201cBut you just got here, Adam,\u201d Madeleine protested.\u00a0 \u201cYou can\u2019t possibly be thinking of leaving already.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOf course not,\u201d Adam assured her, eyes fixed on his little brother\u2019s falling face.\u00a0 \u201cJoe, the next ship leaves in just five days.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, I know.\u00a0 I been keepin\u2019 track in the paper,\u201d Little Joe replied.\u00a0 After one nervous flick of his eyes toward Madeleine, he plunged on, \u201cI know it\u2019s close, but I can be packed and ready, and you\u2019re already packed and . . .\u201d\u00a0 His voice died off as the stares of the other three finally took their toll on his tail-wagging happiness.\u00a0 \u201cYou don\u2019t want to go,\u201d he said slowly.<\/p>\n \u201cNot that soon, no,\u201d Adam said with a bemused shake of his head.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019d like to visit with my friends a little longer than I spent just getting here.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOf course!\u201d Madeleine chimed in enthusiastically.\u00a0 \u201cMother and Father are so looking forward to seeing you again.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd I, them,\u201d Adam responded with a gracious and genuine smile.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, yeah, sure,\u201d Little Joe mumbled.\u00a0 Swallowing down his disappointment, he let his ebullient nature rise to the surface again.\u00a0 \u201cNext after that, then.\u201d<\/p>\n Madeleine\u2019s laugh sounded a bit forced.\u00a0 \u201cOh, don\u2019t be ridiculous.\u00a0 That\u2019s still much too soon.\u00a0 You must let us keep you long enough for a proper visit, Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThank you,\u201d Adam said.\u00a0 After a quick, courteous smile in her direction, he looked back at his brother.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019ll discuss it later,\u201d he said with a sober enough tone that Little Joe knew the subject was closed until they were alone.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, then, how about stopping by Cornhill Coffee House for lemon ice cream,\u201d George suggested, hoping to lighten the mood.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, George, you can\u2019t be serious,\u201d Madeleine objected.\u00a0 \u201cYou know Mother is preparing a special tea in Adam\u2019s honor.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI can accommodate both,\u201d George chuckled.<\/p>\n Adam joined him.\u00a0 \u201cI think I can, too.\u201d<\/p>\n Madeleine caught their enthusiasm.\u00a0 \u201cWell, then, lemon ice cream all around!\u201d\u00a0 She linked her arm with Adam\u2019s as they headed out the door with Little Joe trailing behind, still like a puppy following his master, but no longer bouncing with joyful energy.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n It was wonderful to have Adam in their home again. \u00a0All the Pontpiers said so, Madeleine most enthusiastically and persistently of all.\u00a0 He fit back into the family with easy grace, as if he\u2019d never left.\u00a0 In fact, as they gathered for tea, their pleasure in having him at their table so entranced them that at first no one was aware of the change in their other houseguest.<\/p>\n Finally noticing, Mrs. Pontpier\u2019s face reflected her concern.\u00a0 \u201cLittle Joe,\u201d she said, \u201care you not feeling well, my dear?\u201d<\/p>\n It took a moment for it to register with him that he was being spoken to.\u00a0 Looking up, he gave her a nervous smile before saying, \u201cI\u2019m fine, ma\u2019am.\u00a0 Just not very hungry\u2014after stopping for ice cream and all.\u201d<\/p>\n Mrs. Pontpier clucked her tongue, though her tone was indulgent as she said, \u201cOh, you naughty children, spoiling your appetites that way!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWay to go, Joe,\u201d George chided, winking at Adam as he did.\u00a0 \u201cJust toss us all under the buggy wheels.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBuggy wheels?\u201d\u00a0 Madeleine emitted an uncharacteristic snort.\u00a0 \u201cHow terribly quaint.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe flushed.\u00a0 \u201cI didn\u2019t mean it that way.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOf course, you didn\u2019t,\u201d Mrs. Pontpier assured him soothingly.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m glad you\u2019re not feeling poorly, and I can only wonder how the others are managing to eat with such relish after their naughty escapade.\u00a0 I\u2019m sure you all enjoyed the treat, however.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe hadn\u2019t particularly enjoyed the ice cream, mostly because of the turmoil brewing inside.\u00a0 He\u2019d felt rather left out of the conversation of the other young people, as they shared reminiscences of old times in Boston during Adam\u2019s previous sojourn.\u00a0 If there was anything Little Joe didn\u2019t want Adam to dwell on, it was how much he\u2019d enjoyed living in this big eastern city, with all the temptations it had to offer a man like him.<\/p>\n \u201cMother,\u201d Madeleine said brightly, \u201cdo help George and I persuade Adam to pay us a nice, long visit.\u00a0 We haven\u2019t been able to get a commitment from him yet.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCan you, Adam?\u201d Mrs. Pontpier asked.\u00a0 \u201cI know you have responsibilities at home, but we would be delighted to have you\u2014and Little Joe, of course\u2014remain with us as long as possible.<\/p>\n \u201cThank you,\u201d Adam said, gracious, but still noncommittal.\u00a0 \u201cWe really haven\u2019t had an opportunity to discuss our plans.\u00a0 I only hope we won\u2019t overstay our welcome.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot possible, my boy,\u201d Mr. Pontpier declared decisively.<\/p>\n \u201cIndeed not!\u201d Madeleine declared enthusiastically.\u00a0 \u201cThink what fun we could have over the holidays with you here.\u201d\u00a0 She paused and dutifully echoed her mother, \u201cAnd Little Joe, as well.\u201d\u00a0 Her fervor rose again as she entreated, \u201cOh, do say you\u2019ll stay until the New Year!\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe, who had been making an effort to eat to assuage Mrs. Pontpier\u2019s concern, almost choked on the bite of scone in his mouth.\u00a0 \u201cNew Year!\u201d he protested.\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t joke about a thing like that, Miss Madeleine.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not joking,\u201d she said.\u00a0 \u201cI think it\u2019s a splendid idea.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe turned pleading eyes to his brother.\u00a0 \u201cShe\u2019s joking, right?\u00a0 She has to be joking.\u201d<\/p>\n A wry smile played at Adam\u2019s mouth.\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t think so.\u201d<\/p>\n Something grabbed at Joe\u2019s chest.\u00a0 \u201cBut you wouldn\u2019t,\u201d he said in a tone like that of a medieval serf petitioning his liege.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2014I mean, we\u2014couldn\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, we could, of course,\u201d Adam started to say.<\/p>\n \u201cNo!\u201d Little Joe cried.\u00a0 \u201cMiss both Thanksgiving and<\/em> Christmas?\u00a0 That\u2019s crazy, Adam.\u00a0 I mean, a joke\u2019s a joke, but this isn\u2019t funny!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ll discuss it later.\u201d\u00a0 Adam\u2019s voice, while low, came out almost as a growl.<\/p>\n \u201cI want to know now!\u201d Little Joe demanded.\u00a0 \u201cTell me now you\u2019re not serious!\u201d<\/p>\n Adam took a slow breath.\u00a0 \u201cWe will discuss it later,\u201d he repeated tersely, \u201cand if you are unable to keep a civil tongue in your mouth, I would suggest that you go to your room.\u201d<\/p>\n Heart pounding and mind racing, Little Joe suddenly bolted from the table and stormed out.\u00a0 Yet even in his turmoil, he caught, from the corner of his eye, both the tender commiseration on the face of Mrs. Pontpier and the taut-lipped nod of approval her daughter directed toward his older brother.<\/p>\n In the wake of Little Joe\u2019s departure, a heavy silence fell over the room.\u00a0 Then Adam raised his napkin and dabbed his lips before setting it to the right of his still half-filled plate.\u00a0 \u201cI apologize for this unpleasantness,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cIf you will excuse me, there is a matter I must attend to without delay.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n The adamant command was all the more riveting for having come from the person at the table least likely to raise her voice.\u00a0 George and Madeleine could have testified, however, that when their mother spoke with that level of authority, no one had ever been known to withstand her.\u00a0 Even without that prior understanding, Adam was reluctant to do so, but he felt he had no choice.\u00a0 \u201cI am sorry to cause you any grief, dear lady,\u201d he said, \u201cbut I cannot permit such rudeness to go unchallenged.\u00a0 My father would never countenance that sort of behavior at our table, and I will not excuse it at yours, so if you will pardon me . . .\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, Adam.\u201d\u00a0 The words were spoken more softly this time, but just as intensely.\u00a0 As the young westerner fixed his attention on her, Mrs. Pontpier\u2019s lips softened sympathetically, and she said, \u201cIt isn\u2019t rudeness, Adam; it\u2019s pain, shock and pain, and you cannot scold a child out of either.\u201d<\/p>\n Moistening his lips, Adam slowly nodded.\u00a0 \u201cI understand what you\u2019re saying, but even so, the situation must be addressed.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIn anger?\u201d she pressed.<\/p>\n He smiled wryly.\u00a0 \u201cI will try to restrain my inclination to throttle him, but I don\u2019t feel this should wait.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy not send an emissary?\u201d she suggested.\u00a0 \u201cIn my experience, pain generally calls for a mother\u2019s touch.\u00a0 I know you\u2019ve had little opportunity for that in your life; nor has that boy, but I think it may achieve more than a brother\u2019s anger, even restrained.\u00a0 May I try, please?\u201d<\/p>\n The mention of mother triggered, as it always did, the image of a blond-haired, blue-eyed personification of love, stooping to lay her hand against his fevered brow\u2014his first memory of Inger Borgstrom.\u00a0 What a change her mother\u2019s touch had brought into his life!\u00a0 How richly and deeply he had been loved, though for all too brief a time.\u00a0 And while she\u2019d been entirely different from Hoss\u2019s mother, Marie D\u2019Marigny, too, though once a stranger, had restored to his life a mother\u2019s touch.\u00a0 Now, it was her son who needed what all the Cartwright boys had known far too briefly, and again it was a loving stranger offering it.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019d take her up on it, Adam,\u201d George advised, with a heartening grasp of his friend\u2019s upper arm.<\/p>\n At first Adam was appalled at the idea of foisting his responsibility off on anyone else, much less this gracious lady, but as he gazed into her loving eyes, he knew she was right.\u00a0 No matter how much he tried to restrain himself, the anger would seep out, and he and Joe would find themselves at each other\u2019s throats.\u00a0 He suddenly found himself remembering words he\u2019d first heard at his father\u2019s knee: \u201ca soft answer turneth away wrath.\u201d\u00a0 Soft words were more likely to win Little Joe, and Adam knew he was incapable in this moment of uttering them.\u00a0 \u201cI hate to give you such a thankless task,\u201d he finally said, \u201cbut if you wish, then, yes, please be my emissary.\u201d\u00a0 His face tightened again momentarily.\u00a0 \u201cBut take no disrespect from him.\u201d<\/p>\n She shook her head as she stood to her feet.\u00a0 \u201cThere won\u2019t be any,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n The caged tiger was back, this time pacing a serpentine circuit of the guest room and giving the carpet more wear than it had seen since it was laid.\u00a0 Little Joe moaned when he heard the rap on his door.\u00a0 Of course, Adam had followed him.\u00a0 No surprise there, except for the minor one of his older brother\u2019s having shown enough courtesy to not simply throw open the door and barge in unannounced.\u00a0 If he thinks I\u2019m gonna invite him in to rake me over the coals, he\u2019s the one in for a surprise<\/em>, Joe snorted inwardly.\u00a0 He stopped pacing, folded his arms across his chest, to better fortify himself against attack, and awaited the inevitable.<\/p>\n He was prepared to face the worst Adam could bring; he was not prepared for who actually peeked around the door as it slowly opened.<\/p>\n \u201cMay I come in, dear?\u201d Mrs. Pontpier asked with a tender smile.<\/p>\n For a moment Little Joe couldn\u2019t say anything; then he babbled out, \u201cIt\u2019s your house, ma\u2019am.\u201d<\/p>\n She laughed lightly.\u00a0 \u201cNo, my dear.\u00a0 This is your room, your private domain, where you are its sovereign ruler.\u00a0 So . . . may I come in?\u201d<\/p>\n He grinned then.\u00a0 \u201cYes, please enter, your majesty.\u201d\u00a0 He gave her a bow worthy of royalty.<\/p>\n She entered, closing the door softly behind her, and came straight to him.\u00a0 Placing her cool hands on each of his feverish cheeks, she pulled his head down toward her and kissed his forehead.\u00a0 \u201cThere,\u201d she said, stepping back and lavishing him with her warm gaze.\u00a0 \u201cBetter now?\u201d<\/p>\n His lower lip began to tremble, kindness having undone him as no sharp rebuke could have.\u00a0 \u201cOh, ma\u2019am,\u201d he choked out, \u201cI\u2019m so sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShh,\u201d she said, again taking his face in her hands.\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s all past now.\u00a0 Come sit with me and let\u2019s talk.\u201d\u00a0 She sat down companionably on the edge of his bed and patted the mattress beside her.<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t mean anything against you,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cI know,\u201d she said and again patted the mattress. \u00a0This time he came and sat beside her.\u00a0 \u201cYou were hoping to go home soon?\u201d<\/p>\n For a moment he could do nothing but nod; then the dam burst.\u00a0 \u201cIt isn\u2019t anything to do with you,\u201d he said again, desperate that she understand.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019ve been great, just great, but . . . but . . .\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut this isn\u2019t home?\u201d she suggested.\u00a0 \u201cAnd you do miss home, don\u2019t you, my child?\u00a0 More than we realized, I think.\u00a0 More, perhaps, than even you realized.\u201d<\/p>\n Traitorous tears swam in his eyes, and again the struggle to hold them back made him temporarily unable to speak.\u00a0 When he thought he had a measure of control, he said, \u201cI thought we\u2019d be going home as soon as Adam got here.\u00a0 Stupid of me, of course.\u00a0 I should have known he\u2019d want to visit with you awhile . . . and that\u2019s only right and proper, I know . . . but it was a disappointment, and then Miss Madeleine started talking about holidays, and that was something I hadn\u2019t even thought of.\u00a0 I suddenly realized that if we didn\u2019t leave right away, I wouldn\u2019t get home in time for Thanksgiving, and then she said New Year\u2019s, and all I could think of was not spending Christmas with Pa and Hoss and . . . I\u2019m sorry.\u201d\u00a0 The words had come out in a rush, and now he was spent, practically gasping for breath.<\/p>\n She stroked light fingers up and down his arm.\u00a0 \u201cOf course,\u201d she said.\u00a0 \u201cHave you ever been apart during the holidays?\u201d<\/p>\n He shook his head, and then self-corrected, \u201cWell, I\u2019ve been apart from Adam before . . . when he was back here for his schooling, you know?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, I know,\u201d she said, \u201cbut never away from your father, your other brother?\u00a0 Not for this long . . . ever?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNever,\u201d he whispered.\u00a0 He looked up, his eyes pleading for understanding.\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t know if I can,\u201d he confided.<\/p>\n She took his hand.\u00a0 \u201cI do understand,\u201d she assured him, \u201cbut it\u2019s not my decision to make.\u00a0 It\u2019s yours and Adam\u2019s, and the two of you need to talk, the sooner the better, I believe.\u00a0 I won\u2019t try to influence the decision either way, other than to say that I would take great pleasure in having you here for as long as you both care to stay.\u201d\u00a0 She reached up to cup his cheek in her hand.\u00a0 \u201cAnd I do mean you, Little Joe, not just Adam, dear as he is to us.\u00a0 I would love to have more time to get to know you better\u2014I\u2019m not likely to get another chance, after all\u2014and if you stay, I promise to make your holidays a happy time, perhaps even an adventure to remember all your days.\u00a0 If you don\u2019t, I shall just have to bear it as bravely as I know you will, should the decision go differently than you hope.\u201d<\/p>\n Again, his heart was too full for words, especially when her arms came around him, and as she held him close, for a few, brief minutes, he remembered what it was like to have a mother.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n Little Joe paused, pen in hand, when he heard another knock on his door a couple of hours later.\u00a0 No mistaking that firm sound for the tap of a lady\u2019s dainty knuckles!\u00a0 It was bound to be brother Adam this time, and Joe was no more inclined to receive him than before.\u00a0 His conversation with Mrs. Pontpier had pointed out the obvious, however: he and Adam had to talk. \u00a0So, despite the sudden rise in his heart rate, he called out, \u201cCome in,\u201d but didn\u2019t bother getting up.\u00a0 Keeping the writing table between them seemed like a good idea.<\/p>\n Adam entered. \u00a0\u201cAre you feeling better?\u201d he asked, as if the reason for Joe\u2019s sudden departure from the tea table had been an unexpected attack of queasiness.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d Little Joe said cautiously.\u00a0 As his brother approached, he turned over the letter he\u2019d been writing, so only its blank backside showed.\u00a0 \u201cI guess that depends on what you\u2019re here to say.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t have a prepared speech,\u201d Adam said, \u201cbut I think we need to come to an understanding about how long a visit to make here.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou know how long I want it,\u201d Little Joe grunted.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, but I hardly think leaving on the next available ship is fair to me\u2014or to our hosts, do you?\u201d Adam pressed, striving to keep a caustic tone out of his voice.<\/p>\n Little Joe sighed as he ran a hand through curls so tousled they must have been subjected to the same treatment several times already.\u00a0 \u201cI reckon not.\u00a0 I can understand you wantin\u2019 to spend time with \u2018em, like you planned, but that don\u2019t have to mean me, too, does it?\u00a0 I mean, they\u2019ve seen plenty of me\u2014some might say more than enough\u2014so you could just put me on a ship for home and stay here yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam laughed forcefully, without a trace of humor.\u00a0 \u201cI most certainly could not!\u201d he declared.\u00a0 \u201cYou may think you\u2019re now an experienced traveler, but I am not about to answer to our father for sending you off on such a long journey by yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPa don\u2019t have to know,\u201d Little Joe countered.<\/p>\n Adam arched an eyebrow.\u00a0 \u201cYou don\u2019t think he\u2019ll notice when you get off the ship alone?\u00a0 Besides, Pa already knows that the principal reason I came was to bring you back safely.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe stared at him.\u00a0 \u201cYou told him that?\u00a0 You went home and then back to San Francisco in what . . . a week?<\/p>\n \u201cOf course not.\u201d\u00a0 Adam couldn\u2019t stop the roll of his eyes at the ridiculous idea.<\/p>\n \u201cHow, then?\u201d<\/p>\n Adam smirked a bit.\u00a0 \u201cHandy little invention we have now.\u00a0 It\u2019s called the telegraph, and I heard back from him, too, via the same means.\u00a0 My instructions are quite clear.\u00a0 We go back together, little brother\u2014no argument.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe slumped as he accepted the inevitable.\u00a0 \u201cOkay, but you\u2019re not serious about stayin\u2019 all the way to New Year\u2019s, are you?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know.\u00a0 I really hadn\u2019t settled on a specific departure date,\u201d Adam admitted.\u00a0 \u201cBefore we left home, I planned to stay about a month, which would have put me here for Thanksgiving, and with my delayed departure from San Francisco, I did make certain preparations in regard to being away from home at Christmas, too.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe groaned. \u00a0\u201cBefore you left?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, but\u201d\u2014Adam held up a hand when he saw Joe about to protest\u2014\u201call I mean is that I purchased some Christmas gifts and had Hoss take them home with him, in case I didn\u2019t make it back in time.\u00a0 I haven\u2019t checked the ship schedules, so I don\u2019t even know if that\u2019s possible.\u00a0 I suppose that\u2019s our first step.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe suddenly brightened.\u00a0 \u201cI already picked one up, when I was out walking one day.\u201d\u00a0 He opened the center drawer of the writing desk, slipping his letter inside at the same time, and took out a pamphlet.\u00a0 He unfolded it and spread it on the desk top.\u00a0 Adam came around the desk, so he, too, could read it.\u00a0 \u201cSee?\u201d\u00a0 Joe said, pointing at the departures\u2019 column, \u201cThe first ship leaves a week from today, and then there\u2019s one on the eleventh of November.\u201d\u00a0 He bit his lower lip.\u00a0 \u201cI guess you think that\u2019s still too soon, huh?\u201d<\/p>\n A smile twitched at the corner of Adam\u2019s mouth.\u00a0 \u201cI still do, yes, and the next would be the 21st. <\/sup>\u00a0Frankly, I\u2019d prefer to spend Thanksgiving here, rather than on board ship, wouldn\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe fidgeted in his chair.\u00a0 \u201cI guess so.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI think they\u2019re counting on it,\u201d Adam said.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah.\u201d \u00a0Joe sighed in resignation; then he purposely lifted his head.\u00a0 \u201cSo, December 1st<\/sup>, then?\u00a0 We could make it home by Christmas if we left then, couldn\u2019t we?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cProbably, if everything goes precisely as planned.\u201d\u00a0 He fixed his eyes on his brother\u2019s face.\u00a0 \u201cYou know as well as I that there can be problems\u2014a storm at sea, for instance\u2014and problems can lead to delays.\u00a0 Even if everything goes according to plan, we\u2019d be arriving in San Francisco on the 22nd<\/sup>, which leaves only three days to get over the mountains and back home.\u00a0 We could end up spending Christmas in San Francisco or, worse, trapped in the mountains by a sudden storm.\u00a0 Are you sure you want to risk that?\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe\u2019s gaze was as steady as his brother\u2019s.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m sure,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cChances are just as good and probably better that everything\u2019ll go just as it should and we\u2019ll be home, with Pa and Hoss, for Christmas.\u201d<\/p>\n If there had been any doubt in Adam\u2019s mind before, the sudden choke in Joe\u2019s voice when he said \u201cPa and Hoss\u201d dispelled them.\u00a0 \u201cAll right,\u201d Adam said quietly.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019ll leave on the first.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGood,\u201d Little Joe said, not trusting anything more to get past the lump in his throat.<\/p>\n Adam patted his brother\u2019s arm as he passed him and walked over to perch on the side of the bed. \u00a0\u201cGeorge and I have been talking,\u201d he began, \u201cmaking plans for how to spend our time, and I think it\u2019s only fair I share that with you.\u201d<\/p>\n Fire sparked in Little Joe\u2019s glinting green eyes.\u00a0 \u201cYou and George think you can make plans for me, do you?\u00a0 Without even talking to me first?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m talking to you now,\u201d Adam pointed out.\u00a0 Hearing the sharpness creep into his voice, he deliberately chose a more conciliatory tone.\u00a0 \u201cActually, we only discussed our own plans, but unless you intend to spend every waking moment in this room, our plans will inevitably affect your own.\u00a0 Do you want to hear them or not?\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe leaned against the writing desk, facing his brother.\u00a0 \u201cPutting it that way, I guess I better.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDue to his physical problem, as well as the need to entertain a certain young houseguest,\u201d Adam began again, \u201cGeorge has fallen behind on some of his work projects, and he\u2019s asked me to help him catch up.\u00a0 It seems the least I can do, so I\u2019ve agreed to go into the office with him three days a week, on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe closed his eyes, while at the same time looking away.\u00a0 Having seen that reaction on other occasions, Adam recognized it for what it was: an attempt to block out something painful or upsetting, while at the same time attempting to hide the hurt from prying eyes.\u00a0 \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong?\u201d he asked.\u00a0 \u201cAfraid of being left on your own that much?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, course not,\u201d Little Joe sputtered, opening his eyes.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m not a little kid, Adam!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSomething\u2019s bothering you,\u201d Adam said plainly.\u00a0 \u201cI can read the signs, little buddy, so why not save us both a lot of trouble and tell big brother about it, huh?\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe nervously moistened his lips.\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t, okay?\u201d<\/p>\n Adam shook his head, clearly bewildered.\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t what?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t go to work with George,\u201d the younger boy said, a quaver in his voice.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t understand,\u201d Adam said.\u00a0 \u201cWhy would that possibly bother you?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201c\u2018Cause I don\u2019t want you stayin\u2019 here!\u201d\u00a0 The words came gushing out.\u00a0 \u201cIf you spend half your time here workin\u2019 with him, you\u2019ll get all wrapped up in bein\u2019 an architect again and you\u2019ll never leave!\u201d<\/p>\n Adam was tempted to laugh, because, to him, the idea was ludicrous.\u00a0 Seeing that his little brother was genuinely troubled, however, he merely smiled.\u00a0 \u201cJoe,\u201d he said softly, \u201cPa expects me to bring you home, remember?\u00a0 We leave on December 1st<\/sup>\u2014together.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPromise?\u201d Little Joe barely whispered.<\/p>\n \u201cWord of honor,\u201d Adam responded, hand raised as if taking an oath in court.\u00a0 \u201cNow, as to the remaining days of the week, I\u2019m free to spend them as I please.\u00a0 I do have other friends in the area whom I would like to visit, but I thought you and I could spend most of them together.\u00a0 In addition to all there is to see here in Boston, I also thought we might make a couple of short trips.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe\u2019s face perked up.\u00a0 \u201cTrips?\u00a0 Where?\u201d<\/p>\n Adam laughed at the sudden transformation.\u00a0 Even though it was the norm with his quixotic little brother, he was quite sure he\u2019d never get used to the rapid-fire change of emotions that could arc through the life of Little Joe Cartwright in a single day\u2014or a single hour, for that matter.\u00a0 \u201cWell, with Thanksgiving coming up, I wondered if you might enjoy a jaunt over to Plymouth Rock, for instance.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe\u2019s mouth gaped.\u00a0 \u201cPlymouth Rock.\u00a0 The real one?\u201d<\/p>\n Adam arched an eyebrow.\u00a0 \u201cIs there an imitation?\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe flushed.\u00a0 \u201cNo.\u00a0 I just never thought . . . is it close?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cClose enough,\u201d Adam said, \u201cand I don\u2019t know whether you\u2019ll want to accompany me for this or not, but I thought I\u2019d swing over to New Bedford, lay a flower on Mother\u2019s grave.\u00a0 I\u2019d be pleased to have you come with me, but you can stay here if you prefer.\u201d<\/p>\n A smile softened Little Joe\u2019s lips.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll come with you, Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGood.\u201d\u00a0 Adam stood.\u00a0 \u201cNow, I would suggest that you freshen up and change for dinner.\u00a0 I need to do the same, so I\u2019ll see you there.\u201d<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n Little Joe stood just outside the door to the dining room, chiding himself for his cowardice, but still unable to take those final steps that would open him to the view of those who had seen his precipitous exit from the previous meal.\u00a0 Then he heard a gentle voice\u2014her voice\u2014ask, \u201cIsn\u2019t Little Joe joining us?\u201d\u00a0 That moved him a step closer, but he still couldn\u2019t round the corner into the room until he caught a glimpse of the butler, appraising him with a quizzical cock of his head.\u00a0 Trapped between two awkward situations, he instinctively moved toward that gentle voice.\u00a0 She, at least, had already forgiven him for his egregious behavior, as had his older brother.\u00a0 Mr. Pontpier would probably do the same, and George knew him well enough by this time to overlook it as another Joe Cartwright foible.\u00a0 As for Madeleine, she still hadn\u2019t forgiven him for messing up that anniversary ball, so there wasn\u2019t any hope from that quarter, anyway.\u00a0 He might as well just gather up his courage, face her stern stare and get it over with.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, there you are,\u201d Mrs. Pontpier said as he tentatively entered.\u00a0 \u201cI wondered if I might need to send up a tray.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sorry I\u2019m late,\u201d Little Joe said as he took his place beside Adam, his own position at the table having moved down a seat upon his brother\u2019s arrival.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re only just starting, dear,\u201d she said.\u00a0 \u201cYou haven\u2019t delayed us at all.\u201d\u00a0 Looking toward the doorway into the kitchen, where a young maid stood waiting, she called, \u201cYou may serve now . . . Aideen, isn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes\u2019m,\u201d the girl said.<\/p>\n \u201cMadame,\u201d Madeleine instinctively corrected.<\/p>\n Little Joe kept his eyes studiously off the young Irish servant.\u00a0 He\u2019d caused enough ruckus today without reminding everyone of the previous one, and while Adam didn\u2019t seem too perturbed with him, he\u2019d just as soon that tale didn\u2019t come leaking out anytime soon\u2014or ever, for that matter.\u00a0 He smiled inwardly, however, in realization that he had affected some slight change in the Pontpier household.\u00a0 At least, someone had begun to see the servants as people who deserved to be addressed by their own names, not some label attached to everyone of their national background.\u00a0 Maybe, someday, even Madeleine herself might be bothered to call an Irish girl something other than Bridget.<\/p>\n As soon as the soup was served, Adam said, \u201cJoe and I have had a chance to discuss our plans now, and we feel it would be best if we sailed on the ship that leaves the first of December.\u00a0 That will give us the opportunity of being home in time for Christmas, while, hopefully, departing before you are overly eager to boot the two of us out.\u201d<\/p>\n His attempt to end on a note of humor sent a chuckle around the table.\u00a0 \u201cWe would never feel that, my boy,\u201d Mr. Pontpier said, while his wife smiled softly at Little Joe, pleased to see that harmony had been established between the two brothers.<\/p>\n Only Madeleine\u2019s face reflected any disappointment, but she kept it discreet as she said, \u201cWe shall miss having you through the entire holiday season, of course, but at least this will give you an opportunity to experience a true New England Thanksgiving.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam merely smiled, but Little Joe, whose face tended to register every emotion he felt, couldn\u2019t keep his stunned surprise from showing.\u00a0 What on earth did she think they usually had?<\/p>\n Madeleine, of course, caught the boy\u2019s expression, and given their previous history, naturally read it as criticism.\u00a0 \u201cHave I said something amiss?\u201d she asked with an exasperated sigh.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, ma\u2019am, it\u2019s fine,\u201d Little Joe said quickly, but not convincingly enough to avoid quizzical looks all around.<\/p>\n Adam cleared his throat.\u00a0 \u201cI think my brother was simply surprised by the idea that we hadn\u2019t already experienced Thanksgiving in true New England style, given the fact that our father comes from here,\u201d he explained, leaving Little Joe to wonder how on earth his brother always managed to read him so accurately.\u00a0 The mind reader in the carnival had nothing on Adam!<\/p>\n Madeleine looked flustered.\u00a0 \u201cWell, of course, I meant no disrespect to your father.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, no, ma\u2019am,\u201d Little Joe said at once.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019d never think that of you.\u201d\u00a0 That testimonial, so obviously genuine, drew a smile, even from Madeleine.\u00a0 \u201cI guess I just figured Thanksgiving was the same all over.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI see,\u201d she said, although she really didn\u2019t.\u00a0 That idea simply didn\u2019t fit with her conception of the state of culture in the wild West.\u00a0 \u201cI merely thought it might be difficult to obtain the\u201d\u2014she struggled for the right way to express herself\u2014\u201cthe proper ingredients for the traditional meal.\u201d<\/p>\n In an effort to lighten the conversation, Adam chuckled. \u00a0\u201cAnd what, precisely, did you think we managed to put on the table at Thanksgiving, Maddie?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell . . . buffalo, perhaps?\u201d she suggested.<\/p>\n Little Joe grabbed his napkin and tried to stifle his sudden fit of giggles, but they just wouldn\u2019t stifle.\u00a0 \u201cNo, no,\u201d he finally found breath to say.\u00a0 \u201cWe don\u2019t have any of those roamin\u2019 around, any more than you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAntelope, perhaps,\u201d Adam said with a chuckle, \u201calthough their population was greatly reduced during the early days of the silver rush.\u00a0 We usually manage to bag a turkey and serve it up with cranberry sauce.\u00a0 The berries, I admit, we must ship in.\u201d\u00a0 He gave the girl a wink across the table.<\/p>\n Pleased, as always, to be the focus of Adam\u2019s attention, she laughed lightly.\u00a0 \u201cPerhaps I\u2019ve formed the wrong impression.\u00a0 At any rate, we shall enjoy having you here for Thanksgiving, and perhaps, it will be all the more pleasant for you if the table offerings do look familiar.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWithout a doubt,\u201d he said suavely.<\/p>\n \u201cYou must tell us if there\u2019s anything we can do to enhance your enjoyment of the holiday,\u201d Mrs. Pontpier said.<\/p>\n \u201cSeeing you across the table is enough to achieve that,\u201d Adam said warmly.<\/p>\n Little Joe echoed him with a hearty, \u201cAmen to that!\u201d that brought another round of chuckles.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s good,\u201d Mr. Pontpier inserted, \u201cbecause I believe we\u2019d be hard put to find antelope in the local butchery.\u201d\u00a0 And the soup course ended on a merry note.<\/p>\n They were halfway through the entr\u00e9e when George said, \u201cOh, I say.\u00a0 I think I\u2019ve thought of the perfect way to enhance the enjoyment of the holiday\u2014for Little Joe, at least, and most certainly for me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, don\u2019t keep us waiting in suspense, George,\u201d Madeleine scolded.<\/p>\n Ignoring her, George turned toward his father.\u00a0 \u201cYou recall my mentioning the young ladies we met on board ship?\u00a0 We\u2019d discussed inviting them here for Christmas, but since Little Joe would not be able to see his friend if we waited that long, I wondered if we might invite them for Thanksgiving, as well.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThey won\u2019t wish to be with family?\u201d his mother asked.\u00a0 \u201cMost people do, after all.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe only family they have here is their cousin Horace,\u201d George said, \u201cand I\u2019m not even sure he\u2019s still in town.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIf he is, I guarantee he\u2019d like nothing better than spending some time in this house,\u201d Little Joe said, remembering all the questions Horace had put to George about his home, as well as to Joe himself about the furnishings at the Ponderosa.<\/p>\n \u201cBy all means invite them, then,\u201d Mr. Pontpier said.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m looking forward to meeting this young lady you\u2019re so taken with.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, as am I, George,\u201d Adam put in with a wry smile.\u00a0 He flicked a glance toward his younger brother.\u00a0 \u201cNot to mention the latest fish on the string of young Casanova Cartwright.\u201d\u00a0 He had a sudden suspicion that the letter his little brother had been so anxious to hide earlier was addressed to this mysterious young lady from the ship.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, you don\u2019t have to wait for that,\u201d George said, \u201cor look any further than the next room.\u201d\u00a0 He gave a discreet nod toward the kitchen.<\/p>\n Little Joe moaned.\u00a0 So much for keeping anything from older brother.\u00a0 When it came to letting cats out of the bag, George was worse than Hoss!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n October 26<\/p>\n When Little Joe entered the dining room the next morning, he was stunned to see three men already at the table.\u00a0 To this point, only he and Mr. Pontpier had risen early enough to breakfast together.\u00a0 It was no real surprise to see Adam there, of course.\u00a0 Older brother had always been an early riser, but George definitely was not; yet here he sat, halfway through a full plate.\u00a0 \u201cWhat\u2019s up?\u201d Little Joe asked.<\/p>\n Adam, quicker to discern what his brother meant than the others, replied, \u201cIt\u2019s Friday, remember?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, I know, but\u201d\u2014he suddenly understood.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re going to work today?\u00a0 I didn\u2019t think you\u2019d be starting until next week . . . after the long trip and all.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPrecisely why I\u2019ll only be staying half a day,\u201d Adam said.\u00a0 \u201cThat and the need to purchase a few personal items.\u00a0 I wondered if you might like to meet me for lunch and do a little shopping yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSure,\u201d Little Joe said at once.\u00a0 He couldn\u2019t imagine what he had any need of, after all that had been so generously supplied him by the Pontpiers, but the thought of an afternoon alone with Adam was a welcome one.<\/p>\n \u201cDo you know where the Tremont House is?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo,\u201d Little Joe admitted.<\/p>\n \u201cYou walked right past it the other day,\u201d George chuckled.\u00a0 Seeing Little Joe\u2019s blank look, he said, \u201cJust beyond the cemetery where Franklin is buried\u2014corner of School and Tremont streets.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh.\u201d\u00a0 The young man still looked uncertain.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you\u2019re still planning to walk with me this morning,\u201d Mr. Pontpier said, \u201cI can show you where to take the horsecars.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOf course, I am, sir,\u201d Little Joe said.\u00a0 \u201cI wouldn\u2019t miss it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThen you\u2019d better fill your plate, young man,\u201d the head of the house said, a pleased twinkle in his eye.<\/p>\n With a grin Little Joe moved to the sideboard and did as directed.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n Little Joe stared up at the impressive granite-faced building, soaring four stories into the sky.\u00a0 It was a hotel, of course, in addition to being a restaurant, so the additional floors made sense. \u00a0He glanced up and down the street, but saw no sign of his older brother, who was ordinarily the most punctual of men.\u00a0 Would he have gone inside?\u00a0 Deciding that was more likely than that he would stand outside on this windy day, Little Joe entered the building.\u00a0 At first, he saw only a mass of people milling about the large reception area, but then he noticed one rising to his feet and beckoning him forward.\u00a0 With a grin of relief, he joined his brother.<\/p>\n \u201cYou had no trouble finding it, then?\u201d Adam inquired.<\/p>\n \u201cNot much,\u201d Little Joe said.\u00a0 He had, in fact, missed his stop, but had spotted the hotel in time to get off at the next and walk back.\u00a0 Explaining that to Adam, he said, \u201cSorry if I was late.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo problem,\u201d Adam assured him.\u00a0 \u201cWe have the entire afternoon.\u201d\u00a0 He led the way into the dining room and requested a table near the windows on the Beacon Street side of the room.\u00a0 \u201cOrder whatever you like,\u201d he said when the Negro waiter handed them menus, \u201calthough I might suggest the canvas-backed duck.\u00a0 George says it has an excellent flavor, which it absorbs from the wild celery it feeds on along Chesapeake Bay.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGood as anything,\u201d Little Joe said with a shrug.\u00a0 A large part of the menu was in French, so he had no idea what those dishes were and didn\u2019t care to ask.\u00a0 The items in English were pretty plain, and that suited him better for a midday meal anyway.\u00a0 He figured if he ate too many of those French delicacies, he\u2019d soon pack as much meat on his bones as George, maybe even Hoss.<\/p>\n The meal began with the soup course, in this case a creamy clam chowder.\u00a0 As soon as it was served, Adam said, \u201cI noticed at breakfast that you seemed unsure how to get here.\u00a0 Have they given you any instruction on how to find your way around the city?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot really,\u201d Little Joe admitted.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ve always been with someone whenever I was out.\u201d\u00a0 He uttered a short, nervous titter.\u00a0 \u201cThey seem to think I need a keeper.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, you do,\u201d Adam said with a chuckle, \u201cbut that\u2019s neither here nor there.\u00a0 You should be able to find your way around, so I\u2019ll give you a brief lesson on that while we eat.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe shrugged again.\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t much matter, Adam.\u00a0 I\u2019ve got about a dime to my name, which kind of makes it hard do anything on my own, anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam nodded.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019ll stop by the bank and get you some spending money.\u00a0 I was supposed to give you your pay when we met up in San Francisco, if you recall.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe rewarded him with a bright smile.\u00a0 \u201cThanks!\u00a0 I hated to mention it, after all the extra expense I caused you, but it\u2019ll sure feel good not to be owin\u2019 someone for every little thing.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t spend it all in one place,\u201d Adam cautioned.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s got to last you until you get home, and I\u2019m assuming you\u2019ll want to spend some portion of it on Christmas gifts . . . unless, of course, you have them already purchased and squirreled away back home.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cUh . . . no,\u201d Little Joe said, frowning at the obvious lack of surprise on his brother\u2019s face.\u00a0 \u201cYou think I ought to do that here, not wait \u2018til San Francisco?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWider selection here, and our tight schedule won\u2019t leave much time in San Francisco,\u201d Adam observed, \u201cbut it\u2019s up to you.\u00a0 We can do that another day.\u00a0 Is there anything in particular you need now?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, I could use some decent reading material,\u201d Little Joe said tentatively.<\/p>\n Adam almost choked on his chowder.\u00a0 \u201cThere\u2019s a library full of remarkably decent reading material at the house.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIf you say so,\u201d Little Joe said with a sour skew of his mouth.\u00a0 \u201cWhat I saw looked to be more your style than mine. \u00a0George bought me a couple of books, but I polished them off kind of fast.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam sighed.\u00a0 \u201cMeaning dime novels, I presume.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMeaning something with a little action to it, yeah,\u201d Little Joe snorted.\u00a0 \u201cEssays by Emerson don\u2019t cut it, big brother.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ll stop by the bookstore, so you can purchase whatever you like,\u201d Adam said with a resigned shake of his head, \u201cbut I also intend to show you a few better choices at the house, which should have enough action in them to hold even your flighty attention.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe set down his soup spoon and fastened a hard gaze on his brother.\u00a0 \u201cThat why you asked me out, to dress me down for not bein\u2019 like you?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u00a0 Not at all,\u201d Adam said quickly, although his first instinct was to box the touchy child\u2019s ears.\u00a0 \u201cJust thought you might be open to broadening your horizons a bit, but if not, then so be it.\u00a0 Now, eat your soup before it gets cold.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, Pa,\u201d Little Joe returned in a singsong voice, whose taunting quality was tempered by the slight smile with which he followed the words.<\/p>\n Adam chose to respond with a chuckle and a mild shake of his head.\u00a0 \u201cTouch\u00e9, mon fils<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n The slight smile widened into a genuine grin.\u00a0 That much French Little Joe understood, and he enjoyed a good rejoinder whenever he and Adam had a verbal sparring match. \u00a0He lifted his spoon and began to eat.\u00a0 \u201cThe chowder\u2019s good,\u201d he said amiably.<\/p>\n Nodding his agreement, Adam launched into his tutorial on transportation around Boston between bites.\u00a0 \u201cHowever,\u201d he added with a smirk, \u201cyou are not to misconstrue this as permission to scout the city, looking for skirts to chase.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI haven\u2019t been doing that!\u201d Little Joe sputtered.<\/p>\n \u201cOh?\u00a0 What\u2019s this about a little friend you made on board ship?\u00a0 Someone named Eva, I believe George said.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe rolled his eyes.\u00a0 \u201cGeorge is a blabbermouth,\u201d he groaned.\u00a0 Setting aside his soup spoon for a minute, he said, \u201cWe\u2019re just friends, Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam quirked a half-smile at his brother.\u00a0 \u201cA friend with whom you correspond regularly, if I\u2019m not mistaken.\u00a0 Knowing how rarely you take pen to paper, I\u2019d say that indicates a rather serious relationship.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt ain\u2019t been all that regular.\u201d\u00a0 Little Joe shrugged.\u00a0 \u201cShe asked me to.\u00a0 She\u2019s lonely, bein\u2019 so far from home, that\u2019s all.\u00a0 Probably found a whole string of beaus by now.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAh, so it\u2019s a broken heart you\u2019re nursing, then,\u201d Adam teased.<\/p>\n Little Joe scowled across the table.\u00a0 \u201cThought you was gonna teach me how to get around this big ole city,\u201d he grumbled.<\/p>\n Adam chuckled.\u00a0 \u201cAh, yes.\u00a0 I am being derelict in that duty.\u201d\u00a0 He began again to map out the grid of streets and explain the transportation system.<\/p>\n By the time the duck arrived, Little Joe felt that he had a chance of maneuvering through the streets of Boston on his own and was ready to make a stab at it.\u00a0 He\u2019d have to wait until the next week, of course. \u00a0With the weekend upon them, Adam would be with him until then, so he wouldn\u2019t have need of finding his own entertainment until Monday.\u00a0 As he raised his first bite of fowl to his mouth, he caught a whiff of its fragrance.\u00a0 \u201cHey, you can even smell the celery,\u201d he said.\u00a0 Popping it into his mouth, he chewed it tentatively and then grinned.\u00a0 \u201cNot bad.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot bad,\u201d Adam scoffed.<\/p>\n \u201cDelicious,\u201d Little Joe admitted.\u00a0 \u201cThanks for the suggestion.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam gave him a maddeningly superior smile, mitigated only by the twinkle in his eye.\u00a0 \u201cYou can never go wrong doing as older brother suggests.\u201d<\/p>\n With a grinning shake of his head, Little Joe inquired, \u201cSo what does older brother suggest for tomorrow?\u00a0 Where we goin\u2019?\u201d<\/p>\n Adam almost choked on his duck.\u00a0 \u201cGoing?\u00a0 Who said we were going anywhere?\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe stared at him.\u00a0 \u201cYou did.\u00a0 Weekends for trips to places like Plymouth and New Bedford, remember?\u00a0 Did you pick one of those or do you have something else in mind for tomorrow?\u201d<\/p>\n Adam\u2019s chin dropped dramatically.\u00a0 \u201cOh, boy of boundless energy.\u00a0 No wonder they\u2019ve all been desperate to keep you occupied.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt is what you said,\u201d Little Joe insisted.\u00a0 His voice took on an edge.\u00a0 \u201cOr was it all just talk?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, of course not,\u201d Adam said sharply.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019ll do those things. \u00a0Just not tomorrow, all right?\u00a0 I\u2019ve only just got here, Joe, and while you may be rested up and ready to tackle another journey, I am not.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, yeah.\u201d\u00a0 Little Joe kept his embarrassed gaze on the tablecloth.\u00a0 \u201cSorry.\u00a0 I wasn\u2019t thinking.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI would like to keep things loose and easy tomorrow,\u201d Adam said.\u00a0 \u201cNothing more strenuous than a call on friends, perhaps, during the day, but I thought we might take in some sort of entertainment in the evening.\u00a0 In fact, I\u2019d like to invite all the Pontpiers to be our guests, as minor repayment for all their kindness.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019d be great,\u201d Little Joe said.\u00a0 His nose wrinkled suddenly.\u00a0 \u201cJust not opera, though, huh?\u201d<\/p>\n Adam\u2019s eyes rolled.\u00a0 \u201cNot opera, though they would enjoy it.\u00a0 We\u2019ll take a look at the advertisements and see what\u2019s on offer.\u00a0 Now, can we get back to enjoying our duck?\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe\u2019s answer was to pop another bite into his mouth, running the tip of his tongue across his lips as he closed his eyes in exaggerated ecstasy.\u00a0 Adam sent up a silent prayer that none of the other diners would notice the performance.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n October 27<\/p>\n Little Joe sat in a corner of the parlor, oblivious to however the rest of the household was occupying themselves in the same room.\u00a0 Either reading, like him, or catching up on correspondence, which is what he probably should have been doing.\u00a0 He still hadn\u2019t finished the letter to Eva, begun the evening of Adam\u2019s arrival, but that could wait.\u00a0 It was more important to keep turning page after page of the book his brother had taken from a shelf after luncheon and handed to him.\u00a0 \u201cTry one chapter,\u201d was all he\u2019d said.\u00a0 In a display of what he was sure qualified him for sainthood, Little Joe had accepted the book without comment and settled into the padded chair.\u00a0 One chapter had led to another until he was forced to admit that there was, at least, one decent book in the Pontpiers\u2019 library.\u00a0 This one about a fellow named Edmund Dante had all the adventure of the best dime novel he\u2019d ever read.<\/p>\n \u201cLittle Joe,\u201d George said, raising his voice, since the first two times he\u2019d called the boy\u2019s name had met no response.<\/p>\n \u201cHmm?\u201d\u00a0 Little Joe tore his eyes from the page to see the young master of the house towering over him.\u00a0 \u201cYou need something, George?\u201d<\/p>\n George chuckled.\u00a0 \u201cWe both do\u2014to dress for the theater.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAlready?\u201d<\/p>\n Clucking his tongue, George took the book and gazed at the title.\u00a0 \u201cAh, The Count of Monte Cristo<\/em>, an old favorite.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOf yours?\u201d\u00a0 Little Joe gave him a cheeky grin.\u00a0 \u201cWho\u2019d\u2019ve figured.\u00a0 It\u2019s not Shakespeare or even Emerson.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cUnfortunately, I don\u2019t have time to properly chastise you for your insult to my taste, young fellow.\u00a0 The ladies went up half an hour ago, and while I, at least, don\u2019t need as much time as they to change into evening clothes, I do require a few minutes.\u00a0 You, my fine peacock, can scarcely get by with less.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCan when I need to,\u201d Little Joe said, getting to his feet.\u00a0 \u201cAdam back yet?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo,\u201d George said, moving through the doorway into the foyer.\u00a0 Then, as he glanced behind him, he saw the concern on his young friend\u2019s face.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m sure he\u2019ll be here soon.\u00a0 I\u2019ve never known Adam to anything less than punctual.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cUh-huh.\u201d\u00a0 Little Joe couldn\u2019t contradict that, especially in light of the numerous lectures older brother had issued him on that very subject, but he wasn\u2019t about to sing Adam\u2019s punctual praises, either.\u00a0 He climbed the stairs behind George and opened the door to his own room.<\/p>\n \u201cYou have about forty-five minutes,\u201d George advised.\u00a0 \u201cMeet you downstairs.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll be there,\u201d Joe promised.\u00a0 He turned to find a fresh suit laid out on the bed and wondered who had ordered that done.\u00a0 Mrs. Pontpier, perhaps, fearing he might not know what sort of dress was proper for the theater or maybe Madeleine, from the same concern, though with far less kindly motive.\u00a0 Mrs. Pontpier would have wanted to spare him any embarrassment; Madeleine, on the other hand, would be concerned solely for her own.<\/p>\n Switching suits took no time at all.\u00a0 Smoothing his unruly curls into perfect placement was, as usual, a much more time-consuming task . . . which didn\u2019t make him a peacock, no matter how many times George or Adam might toss that accusation at him.\u00a0 Little Joe frowned as his brother\u2019s name crossed his thoughts.\u00a0 Where on earth had older brother taken off to this afternoon?\u00a0 He\u2019d just accepted Adam\u2019s description of visiting friends at face value until George had asked if it were anyone he knew and suggested that he might go along if it were.<\/p>\n Adam had only said that it wasn\u2019t a mutual acquaintance, but he\u2019d looked downright mysterious and hadn\u2019t even mentioned the name of the person he intended to call on.\u00a0 It was like he didn\u2019t want any of them to know what he was up to, and that, of course, did nothing but arouse Little Joe\u2019s curiosity.\u00a0 Then he\u2019d gotten lost in that book and forgotten all about older brother\u2019s cagy behavior.\u00a0 Now, with time to think as he preened before the mirror, the questions returned.\u00a0 Who was Adam with that would keep him away until the last minute on a night that he himself had planned? \u00a0Grinning at his reflection in the mirror, he gave himself a knowing nod.\u00a0 A woman; it had to be.\u00a0 Wouldn\u2019t do to come right out and ask, but Little Joe determined to keep his eyes and ears open.\u00a0 Secrets, especially a brother\u2019s, were made for ferreting out, and no one did that better than Joe Cartwright, he told himself as he smiled in satisfaction at the image in the mirror and laid down the hair brush.<\/p>\n Almost at once there was a rap on his door.\u00a0 Before he could cross the room, however, it opened and Adam came in, already changed into his evening clothes.\u00a0 \u201cAh, you are ready,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cGeorge laid odds that you\u2019d stay so long at your mirror that we\u2019d miss the first act of the play.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHow much did you bet on me?\u201d Little Joe asked.\u00a0 He stroked his chin.\u00a0 \u201cSeems like I ought to get a share of the winnings.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam clucked his tongue.\u00a0 \u201cI didn\u2019t accept the bet, of course.\u00a0 I certainly couldn\u2019t take unfair advantage of our host.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cToo bad that fairness don\u2019t ever extend to younger brothers.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, it does.\u201d\u00a0 Adam smiled as he arched an eyebrow.\u00a0 \u201cI would never take unfair advantage of Hoss.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe groaned.\u00a0 \u201cI give up.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam laughed.\u00a0 \u201cWise decision.\u00a0 Come on; it\u2019s time we headed for the theater.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah.\u00a0 You came close to bein\u2019 the one to make us miss the first act,\u201d Little Joe scolded.\u00a0 \u201cYou must have really enjoyed your visit with your friend.\u201d<\/p>\n The eyebrow arched again as Little Joe, with a smirk, preceded Adam out the door.\u00a0 The boy had put a certain emphasis on his final word that seemed to give it extra significance . . .\u00a0 almost as if he knew exactly what sort of friend Adam had seen that afternoon.\u00a0 But that wasn\u2019t possible, Adam assured himself.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n Little Joe was completely awed by the vast size and sweep of the Boston Museum.\u00a0 The granite building extended from Tremont Street to Court Square, with three balconies running the entire length of the building.\u00a0 Inside, the first floor contained a number of large stores, as well as the entrance to the museum itself, with its promise of a multitude of wonders to delight the eye.\u00a0 \u201cCan we?\u201d Little Joe eagerly asked his brother.<\/p>\n \u201cAnother time,\u201d Adam chuckled.\u00a0 Not all the featured exhibits were worth seeing, some being outright hoaxes, but he could remember his own wonder at his first sight of some of the art, artifacts and taxidermic species he\u2019d never seen in real life.\u00a0 No doubt it would be modestly educational and enjoyable for his younger brother some afternoon, but tonight he hoped for better fare.\u00a0 \u201cWe need to get upstairs for the theater presentation.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOkay,\u201d Little Joe, easily assuaged with the promise of a future visit, said.<\/p>\n As they began their climb to the upper level, however, it was Adam who delayed them when he stopped midway up the flight to gaze at a large painting hung at the top of the staircase.\u00a0 \u201cAn old friend,\u201d he explained when he became aware that the rest of the party had halted beside him.<\/p>\n \u201cIndeed,\u201d said George, \u201cand how easily we allow familiarity to make us overlook him.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGeorge Washington, isn\u2019t it?\u201d Little Joe asked.<\/p>\n \u201cOf course,\u201d Adam replied with a chuckle.\u00a0 \u201cLooking completed composed on the eve of battle.\u201d\u00a0 He lifted a quizzing eyebrow at his brother, but when Joe merely shrugged, he amplified, \u201cIt\u2019s Thomas Sully\u2019s Passage of the Delaware<\/em> . . . and the battle is . . ?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTrenton,\u201d Little Joe answered quickly.\u00a0 \u201cChristmas night, 1776.\u201d\u00a0 He\u2019d always enjoyed the adventurous bits of history, and even the date had been easy to remember for this important moment in the Revolutionary War. \u00a0\u201cThought we needed to get upstairs, though,\u201d he reminded his brother with a cheeky grin.<\/p>\n \u201cWe do,\u201d Adam admitted.<\/p>\n Madeleine stepped to his side and slipped an arm through the crook of his elbow.\u00a0 \u201cStill, it\u2019s good to remember old friends,\u201d she said, smiling up into his face as if to remind him that they, too, were old friends.\u00a0 The look clearly communicated how much she, at least, would like to not only renew, but reinvigorate their friendship.<\/p>\n Barely restraining a scowl, Little Joe started up the stairs ahead of the others.\u00a0 If there was one thing he didn\u2019t need, it was to see any woman, particularly this one, fawning over his older brother.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n October 28<\/p>\n The Cartwrights attended church the next morning with the Pontpiers and dined at home around two o\u2019clock.\u00a0 The remainder of the afternoon was spent in quiet pursuits, keeping the Sabbath in true New England, almost Puritan, tradition.\u00a0 The gentlemen kept to the parlor, either reading or writing, while the ladies retired to their rooms, doing whatever ladies did on a quiet afternoon.\u00a0 Becoming bored with the silent pursuits, Little Joe went up to his room after a couple of hours and, removing his shoes, stretched out on the bed.\u00a0 By the time he woke he suspected it was nearing teatime, so he straightened his attire, brushed his curls into place and returned downstairs.\u00a0 Finding the parlor empty, he hurried on to the dining room, where everyone but Adam was already at the table.<\/p>\n \u201cSorry I\u2019m late,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cLooks like Adam\u2019s even later.\u00a0 Maybe I should wake him?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYour brother stepped out earlier,\u201d Mr. Pontpier said.<\/p>\n \u201cAdam\u2019s not here?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, son, but I\u2019m sure he\u2019ll be back shortly.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhere\u2019d he go?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe didn\u2019t say,\u201d George put in.\u00a0 \u201cJust said he had a call to make and would be back later.\u201d\u00a0 He raised an eyebrow in his best imitation of Adam.\u00a0 \u201cGetting to be quite mysterious, isn\u2019t he?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sure Adam is entitled to his privacy,\u201d Madeleine said in his defense.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd you aren\u2019t the least bit curious, are you, Maddy dear?\u201d George tossed back with a teasing smile.<\/p>\n \u201cPerhaps the least bit,\u201d she admitted, returning the smile, \u201cbut I\u2019m sure Adam will tell us in his own good time.\u00a0 It\u2019s his way.\u201d<\/p>\n That remark made Little Joe give her a second look.\u00a0 Apparently, Miss Madeleine Pontpier knew his brother a lot better than he\u2019d given her credit for.<\/p>\n The meal ended, and they all gathered in the parlor, each finding some way to occupy his time, all of them lifting their eyes at the slightest sound beyond the open doorway.\u00a0 Adam, contrary to his usual character, did not arrive until the sun had begun to slip below the horizon, and each exhaled in unspoken relief when they finally heard him greeting the butler by name.<\/p>\n He came at once into the parlor, his aspect apologetic.\u00a0 Before he could make that apology, however, Madeleine cried, \u201cOh, Adam, where have you been?\u00a0 Your poor brother has been so concerned!\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe stared at her, wondering how she could have guessed at his concern when he\u2019d not expressed a word of it.\u00a0 As he looked at her, however, it was obvious that she was only using him as a shield for concerns of her own.\u00a0 For once, he was quite willing to play along with her device.\u00a0 \u201cYes, brother,\u201d he said promptly.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ve been most concerned about your safety on these busy city streets . . . and your whereabouts, of course, since you told no one where you were going.\u201d<\/p>\n Had they been alone, Adam would have just as promptly replied that his whereabouts were none of his younger brother\u2019s business.\u00a0 In the presence of his gracious hosts, however, he immediately tendered his planned apology.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m sorry for any concern I\u2019ve given any of you,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cI hadn\u2019t intended to stay out so late, but I was invited to stay to dinner and then persuaded to linger for further conversation.\u201d\u00a0 He did not, of course, mention how little persuasion it had taken when it was his Lily doing the asking.<\/p>\n \u201cMay we inquire whom you were visiting?\u201d Madeleine pressed.\u00a0 \u201cPerhaps we know the family.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPerhaps,\u201d Adam conceded with a smile that said he saw straight through her.\u00a0 He turned to Mr. Pontpier.\u00a0 \u201cAre you acquainted with Mr. Abraham Jennings?\u201d\u00a0 Personally, he doubted it, since the Jennings had not seemed to recognize the name of his hosts when he mentioned it, but it would make a certain planned request simpler if they were known, at least by reputation.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, I don\u2019t believe I\u2019ve had the pleasure,\u201d Mr. Pontpier replied.<\/p>\n Adam fairly leaped at the opening.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m hoping you will soon.\u00a0 I hadn\u2019t intended to make my request tonight, but I learned this evening that the Jennings have no family here in Boston, nor any desire to travel so soon after their recent journey.\u00a0 Since both George and my younger brother have invited guests coming for Thanksgiving, I was wondering whether I might beg the same privilege for my friends.\u00a0 I\u2019ve said nothing to them, of course, so if it\u2019s at all inconvenient\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot at all,\u201d Mrs. Pontpier said at once.\u00a0 \u201cHow large a family are they?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJust the two of them,\u201d Adam said, \u201cand you\u2019ll find them most congenial, I assure you.\u201d<\/p>\n She smiled.\u00a0 \u201cI think we might have guessed that, simply from knowing they were your friends.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cRecent ones, I take it?\u201d George inquired.<\/p>\n Adam chuckled.\u00a0 \u201cWe met on board ship. \u00a0Mr. Jennings is a retired businessman, very cultured and well read. \u00a0You\u2019ll like him, George.\u201d<\/p>\n Mrs. Pontpier brushed her lower lip with a thoughtful finger.\u00a0 \u201cRetired, you say?\u00a0 An older couple, then?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMr. Jennings is about my father\u2019s age,\u201d Adam said.\u00a0 For the time being he chose to keep Lily\u2019s much younger age his personal secret.\u00a0 The elder Pontpiers and George would enjoy the joke, once it was revealed, while Madeleine didn\u2019t need to know yet that she had a rival, and throwing the ever-inquisitive Joseph Cartwright off the scent had even greater appeal.<\/p>\n \u201cI was only concerned that an older couple might have dietary needs to be considered,\u201d Mrs. Pontpier said with an inquiring cock of her head.<\/p>\n \u201cThe fare on the table tonight certainly would not indicate it,\u201d Adam said, \u201cbut I can make inquiries if it would ease your mind.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, please,\u201d she replied.\u00a0 \u201cIf there are changes to the menu needed, it\u2019s best to tell cook about them as soon as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAh, yes. \u00a0Having seen Hop Sing\u2019s reaction to similar changes of menu, I can well understand your situation,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cHop Sing?\u201d Mrs. Pontpier queried.\u00a0 \u201cYour cook?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCook and fifth member of the Cartwright family,\u201d George put in quickly.\u00a0 He tossed Joe a wink and got one back in response, as well as a roll of the eyes from his sister, who well remembered how little appreciation the youngest Cartwright had for distinction between the classes.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n October 29<\/p>\n On Monday, Little Joe tried shopping alone in downtown Boston.\u00a0 He\u2019d decided the best time to find a Christmas present for Adam would be while his older brother was safely tucked away in George\u2019s office.\u00a0 Selecting the right gift for him, though, was always a challenge.\u00a0 Older brother had the most peculiar tastes of anyone Joe had ever seen.\u00a0 In years past he\u2019d just picked out the most boring-looking book he could find in Virginia City on the assumption that Adam would think it was great, but he had a feeling that wasn\u2019t really fair to Adam.\u00a0 After all, his brother had picked out a right interesting book for him to read.\u00a0 Maybe that Alexandre Dumas fellow had something new out that Adam hadn\u2019t read yet.<\/p>\n When he asked at the bookstore, however, he was shown the two most recent works by Dumas and quickly decided neither one would suit his older brother.\u00a0 The first, a book called The Wolf Leader<\/em>, was about some supernatural monster called a werewolf, and although the clerk assured him the other was not on the same topic, The She Wolves of Machecoul<\/em> sounded so similar he wasn\u2019t willing to take the chance.\u00a0 He finally settled on a book of folk songs, planning to add something else later.\u00a0 He didn\u2019t find it that day, though, and after a light lunch he returned to the house, hid the songbook in his room and stretched out on the bed with The Count of Monte Cristo<\/em> until time for tea.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n October 30<\/p>\n Little Joe practically sprang out of bed the next morning.\u00a0 Today was his first full day out with Adam in Boston! \u00a0He couldn\u2019t really explain why he was so excited about that.\u00a0 He\u2019d already walked about the city quite a bit, after all, and had been shown any number of historic sights by his hosts, so he doubted Adam would show him much different today.\u00a0 And he\u2019d never particularly envisioned his older brother as a purveyor of good times, either.\u00a0 Not that Adam didn\u2019t enjoy a good time; he did, but his idea of fun often came across to Joe as boredom, at best, and hard labor, at worst.\u00a0 So, why was he looking forward to the day, then?\u00a0 Maybe, he decided, because he could be himself with Adam.\u00a0 He felt like he\u2019d been on his best company behavior for weeks now, and while minding his manners involved no real hardship, it kept him sort of stretched tight, for fear he\u2019d break some back-East rule he knew nothing about.\u00a0 If he did, Adam would tell him in no uncertain terms, but he wouldn\u2019t hold a grudge over a simple mistake.\u00a0 Neither would most of the Pontpiers, for that matter, but he did feel obliged to try harder for them.\u00a0 With Adam, he could breathe.<\/p>\n Although he was up early by Pontpier standards, Adam was already halfway through his breakfast when Little Joe entered the dining room.\u00a0 Good!\u00a0 That meant Adam was rested up from his trip, so they could make a full day of it, and he knew exactly what he wanted to do.\u00a0 After they both walked Mr. Pontpier to his streetcar stop, a bubbling Little Joe suggested that they visit the waxworks at the Boston Museum.\u00a0 \u201cI thought they looked real interesting,\u201d he said, \u201cand probably educational, too, don\u2019t you think?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot highly,\u201d Adam replied, arching an eyebrow in amusement.<\/p>\n \u201cBut we\u2019ll never have time if we\u2019re there for a play,\u201d Little Joe said, a small pout puckering his lips.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019d be better to go there in daylight, don\u2019t you think?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, all right,\u201d Adam chuckled, \u201cbut not today, Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy not?\u201d Joe demanded.\u00a0 \u201cWhat you got planned so special it can\u2019t wait?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt could wait,\u201d Adam said, \u201cbut the museum isn\u2019t open today.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh.\u201d\u00a0 The younger boy\u2019s disappointment was almost palpable.<\/p>\n \u201cIt would be open on Wednesday,\u201d Adam observed.\u00a0 \u201cPerhaps, if it doesn\u2019t inconvenience George, we could alter our schedule next week and have our outing on Wednesday, instead . . . unless, of course, it\u2019s just so special it can\u2019t wait.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt can wait,\u201d Joe agreed, all smiles again.\u00a0 \u201cSo, what were you thinkin\u2019 of for today?\u201d\u00a0 He winced.\u00a0 \u201cNo opera or anything like that, okay?\u201d<\/p>\n Adam shook his head.\u00a0 \u201cOpera is generally reserved for evening entertainment,\u201d he observed wryly.\u00a0 \u201cIt may not excite you, but I thought we\u2019d do some Christmas shopping this morning, and I have a luncheon spot picked out that I think you\u2019ll enjoy.\u00a0 While we eat, we\u2019ll decide what to do this afternoon.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI did some shopping yesterday,\u201d Joe told him, \u201cbut I could stand to do some more.\u00a0 Maybe you could help me with an idea for Pa?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI have to think of one for myself first!\u201d Adam laughed.\u00a0 Then, wrapping a long arm around his brother\u2019s slender shoulders, he started down the street.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n Several rows of long tables, covered in plain red-checked cloths, lined the rectangular hall where Little Joe sat across from his brother in an eatery as simply appointed as one might find in Virginia City or even smaller towns back home.<\/p>\n \u201cNot what you were expecting?\u201d Adam asked, chuckling at the look on his brother\u2019s face.<\/p>\n Little Joe offered a chagrined shrug.\u00a0 \u201cNot for Boston, no.\u00a0 I thought they went in for fancy.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot in the marketplace,\u201d Adam said.\u00a0 \u201cI think you\u2019ll enjoy the food, though, simple as it is.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI like simple,\u201d Little Joe said.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re the fancy man, remember?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAh!\u201d\u00a0 Adam nodded.\u00a0 \u201cWill you let this fancy man order for you, then?\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe looked irritated until he caught the twinkle in his brother\u2019s eye.\u00a0 Still, he felt obliged to say, \u201cI\u2019m a big boy now, Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes,\u201d Adam readily agreed, \u201cbut I brought you here for a specific experience, and if you\u2019ll put yourself in my hands, I think you\u2019ll be pleased with the result.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe stroked his smooth chin as if the request demanded great consideration.\u00a0 \u201cWell,\u201d he finally drawled, \u201cI guess I could do that . . . provided you put yourself at my mercy the next time we eat out.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy, you little\u201d\u2014Adam laughed abruptly.\u00a0 \u201cOh, all right . . . with the further provision that you order for yourself the same meal your mercy allots me on that occasion.\u00a0 That\u2019s what I intend to do here.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFair enough,\u201d Little Joe said with his characteristic grin.\u00a0 \u201cBring on your delicate Eastern tidbits.\u201d<\/p>\n It was Adam\u2019s turn to smile.<\/p>\n When the \u201ctidbits\u201d were served, Little Joe gaped at the plate put before him, with a cut of prime rib so large it hung over the plate.\u00a0 \u201cYou seriously expect me to eat that?\u201d he protested.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s huge!\u201d<\/p>\n Adam chuckled.\u00a0 \u201cI thought you were a big boy now.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBig, maybe,\u201d Little Joe said, shaking his head, \u201cbut I\u2019m not Hoss.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam laughed loud enough to make heads turn.\u00a0 \u201cOh, come on.\u00a0 I\u2019ve seen you eat Hoss under the table a time or two.\u201d\u00a0 He stroked his chin line with his thumb.\u00a0 \u201cAnd never look a pound heavier for it, either.\u00a0 As our hearty brother would agree, that is definitely not fair.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo one eats Hoss under the table,\u201d Little Joe scoffed, \u201cbut the times I\u2019ve come close were always after a hard day\u2019s work, something that don\u2019t never happen here.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDrop the double negative, please,\u201d Adam said, \u201cbut if your unplanned excursion east has given you an appreciation for hard work, I\u2019ll consider it well worth the annoyance of chasing after you.\u201d\u00a0 Seeing his brother\u2019s puckered mouth, he laughed and reached across the table to give Joe\u2019s forearm a couple of light pats.\u00a0 \u201cJust eat what you want,\u201d he said, \u201cbut be sure to save room for the Indian pudding.\u00a0 You won\u2019t want to miss that.\u00a0 We can eat light at tea or skip it altogether, if we\u2019re still full.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHate to be rude,\u201d Little Joe muttered as he sliced into the meat.<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t worry about it,\u201d Adam said.\u00a0 \u201cOnce I tell them we\u2019ve been to Durgin-Park, they\u2019ll understand.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n October 31<\/p>\n Somewhat later than usual, Little Joe sauntered into the dining room the next morning.\u00a0 He was early enough for breakfast and his daily walk with Mr. Pierpont, and that was all he cared about. \u00a0After all, he had nothing else to do the whole livelong day, and much as he liked that Monte Cristo book, a man couldn\u2019t do nothing but read.\u00a0 He greeted the other three men at the table and moved languidly to the sideboard.<\/p>\n Adam exchanged a knowing smirk with George, who cleared his throat and said, \u201cYou\u2019d better get a move on, youngster, if you\u2019re to do all Adam has planned for you today.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe turned slowly, and though he smiled, his whole aspect was that of a man resigned to a day of complete boredom.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re a day late . . . or, maybe, early, George.\u00a0 Had my day with Adam yesterday.\u00a0 He\u2019s working with you today, remember?\u201d<\/p>\n George grinned back maddingly, but said nothing.<\/p>\n Taking pity on his brother, Adam swallowed his current bite of food and said, \u201cChange of plans.\u00a0 George feels he\u2019d have more use for my services tomorrow, so if you\u2019ve no objection, we could switch and have another day together.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe looked skeptical.\u00a0 \u201cIs this a trick?\u201d<\/p>\n Adam cocked his head quizzically.\u00a0 \u201cA trick?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, it is Halloween,\u201d Little Joe said dryly.\u00a0 \u201cYou know, trick or treat?\u201d<\/p>\n Adam laughed.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019d forgotten the date.\u00a0 It was meant to be a treat, little brother.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThen we can see the museum?\u201d Little Joe asked with eager expectation.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you insist.\u201d\u00a0 Adam\u2019s dry tone clearly said he knew that Joe would.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, yeah!\u201d<\/p>\n Never had a countenance changed so quickly, except, of course, for that of Joseph Francis Cartwright the last time a day had gone from dark and stormy to radiant with sunlight in a moment\u2019s time.\u00a0 Even Mr. Pontpier couldn\u2019t resist a chuckle at the sudden transformation.<\/p>\n When they reached the Boston Museum, Little Joe hurried over to the giraffe that loomed near the entrance to the collection of stuffed animals and then proceeded to gawk at the two huge elephants that dominated the area.<\/p>\n \u201cPity you can\u2019t see living animals,\u201d Adam observed.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve seen elephants,\u201d Joe reminded him.<\/p>\n Adam nodded, smiling softly at the fond memory of Joe\u2019s first encounter with the huge pachyderm.\u00a0 Shortly after Marie\u2019s death, he had taken his younger brothers to a traveling circus, and there had been others since, of course, but he sensed that Joe, too, was remembering that first time.\u00a0 \u201cThey\u2019re planning a zoological park in Philadelphia, first true one in America,\u201d Adam told him. \u201cYou could see much more than just elephants there, in the flesh, but it isn\u2019t built yet.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThey got one here,\u201d Little Joe said, brightening.<\/p>\n Adam laughed outright.\u00a0 \u201cNo, no.\u00a0 I\u2019ve seen the advertisements, too, but those are mere menageries by comparison.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe could try it, though,\u201d Joe said, but his attention had already gone to the next unfamiliar creature.\u00a0 They moved through the other taxidermic wonders, the animals getting progressively smaller, through small mammals and on to colorful tropical birds and, finally, to an endless succession of cases of insects.<\/p>\n When Joe had taken all of that he could stand, he said bluntly, \u201cI\u2019m not Hoss.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHmm?\u201d Adam queried absently.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s the only one I know that gets excited over bugs.\u00a0 Well, except for that guy that came scoutin\u2019 them out and got mixed up with them others lookin\u2019 for gold on the Ponderosa.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAh, Dr. Lovejoy, the entomologist.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, him.\u201d \u00a0It was a bad memory, since Dr. Lovejoy had gotten himself shot, just an innocent casualty caught between greedy men and the Cartwrights, who only wanted to protect their land.\u00a0 Funny that it\u2019s them who shot the bug man and we\u2019re the ones that feel bad<\/em>, he thought.\u00a0 \u201cCan\u2019t we move on?\u201d he said with eloquent sigh, wanting no bad memories to color this day.<\/p>\n \u201cOh.\u00a0 Of course.\u00a0 This is your day.\u201d\u00a0 A smile lifted one corner of Adam\u2019s mouth.\u00a0 \u201cAnd though I seem to be accused of that mistake on a daily basis, I do know you\u2019re not Hoss\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe grinned then.\u00a0 \u201cGood to know.\u00a0 Anything else to see here.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWaxworks, perhaps?\u201d\u00a0 Adam thought they weren\u2019t particularly well done, but Joe might find them interesting.<\/p>\n He did, at least at first.\u00a0 The pirates\u2019 cabin excited his sense of adventure, and he had a good laugh at the schoolroom scene with its strict schoolmaster and the funny- faced scholars.\u00a0 However, Adam\u2019s remark that the boy wearing the dunce cap in the corner reminded him of a certain younger brother was met with a frown that quickly turned into a smirk.\u00a0 \u201cYou ought not talk about Hoss when he ain\u2019t here to defend himself,\u201d Joe jibed.<\/p>\n Adam laughed.\u00a0 \u201cOh, I wasn\u2019t.\u00a0 I have been thoroughly warned against confusing you with Hoss and have assured you I know the difference.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, you\u2019re funny,\u201d his younger brother insisted, unable to come up with a better comeback, but he said it in good humor. \u00a0The tour began to deteriorate from there, however, until a set of tableaus featuring the stages of intemperance made Joe decide to agree with Adam about the quality of this particular part of the waxworks.<\/p>\n When Adam suggested they visit the art gallery next, Little Joe said that, maybe, he\u2019d had enough for one day.<\/p>\n \u201cOr,\u201d Adam said with an amused quirk of his mouth, \u201cI suppose we could see the matinee, instead.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe, whose spirits had been dragging, immediately perked up.\u00a0 \u201cYeah, let\u2019s do that.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIf you\u2019re sure you\u2019re not too tired,\u201d Adam said dryly.<\/p>\n \u201cUh, well, we\u2019d be sitting down, after all.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd not bored?\u201d\u00a0 Adam laughed at the chagrinned expression on Joe\u2019s face.\u00a0 Then he threw an arm around his brother\u2019s shoulders and said, \u201cCome on.\u00a0 It\u2019s a comedy, so hopefully, we can finish up the afternoon with a few good laughs.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe grinned, then, and let himself be led upstairs to the theater.\u00a0 It was a good day, he decided, in spite of the bad waxworks and the boring insects.\u00a0 Little did he know that he would soon think of it as the last good day he had with Adam, the last one not covered with a cloud of dread.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n November 1<\/p>\n Those figurative clouds began to form the next day, but no one could have predicted the storm from the early signs.\u00a0 Little Joe found that his long, boring day of nothing to do had only been delayed, and the sky that first day of November seemed to reflect his gloomy attitude.\u00a0 It was overcast, though not threatening, just a dull gray haze that hung heavy with a premonition of rain that didn\u2019t come.\u00a0 His early morning walk with Mr. Pontpier was not nearly as enjoyable as usual, for a chilly wind was blowing, not the bracing breeze he\u2019d experienced before.\u00a0 He stayed indoors the rest of the day without even the respite of a brief walk through the neighborhood park.\u00a0 Instead, he spent the afternoon in the parlor with the ladies.<\/p>\n Having written to Eva in the morning, he was enjoying The Count of Monte Cristo<\/em> when George came in.\u00a0 He noticed that Adam was not with his friend, but didn\u2019t say anything at first, for Mrs. Pontpier had immediately risen from her chair to greet her son with her customary kiss on the cheek.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re home early, my dear,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe finished the project early, and it was too late to start anything new,\u201d George explained.<\/p>\n \u201cThen where is Adam?\u201d Madelaine inquired, saving Little Joe the trouble.<\/p>\n \u201cSince it was early, he decided to pay a call on friends, the same ones he\u2019s inviting to Thanksgiving, I believe.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThose old folks?\u201d Little Joe said, face scrunching in a way that obviously said he couldn\u2019t imagine what Adam saw in them.\u00a0 He liked some older people himself\u2014there were some real characters in Virginia City\u2014but on the whole he found them set in their ways and, well, boring.<\/p>\n \u201cHe mentioned he was reading to them.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh.\u00a0 Well, that\u2019s good of him,\u201d Little Joe murmured.\u00a0 He liked to hear Adam read himself, although he generally had to be sick to get that luxury.\u00a0 Adam always put a lot of feeling into the words.\u00a0 Why, he could even make Shakespeare sound full of life!<\/p>\n \u201cYes, that will be a treat for an elderly couple,\u201d Madelaine said, but though the words sounded considerate, Little Joe had a feeling she would prefer that Adam were treating her to the dramatic reading, instead.\u00a0 Give it up, Maddie,<\/em> he thought, barely managing to keep a smirk off his face.\u00a0 Adam\u2019s got better sense than to hook up with you.<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/em>Madeleine, of course, did not hear him and hadn\u2019t the sense to take good advice if she had.\u00a0 Therefore, when Adam returned, just in time for dinner, she immediately suggested he do a reading for them.\u00a0 Even her mother\u2019s gentle chiding that Adam\u2019s voice might be tired after reading all afternoon barely dissuaded the girl.\u00a0 \u201cPerhaps another time would be better,\u201d Adam suggested.\u00a0 Therefore, the family spent Friday evening listening to Adam\u2019s melodious voice.\u00a0 Little Joe wasn\u2019t discontent, except for the fact that Madelaine had won a victory in her quest for his brother\u2019s attentions.<\/p>\n So she thought, at any rate, and while Joe had no fears on that score, he didn\u2019t realize that on an entirely different front, the storm clouds were rolling in and would break the following evening.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n November 3<\/p>\n At supper the previous night Adam had suggested they all see \u201cSpeed the Plough\u201d at the Howard Athenaeum on Saturday evening.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s been around since the 18th<\/sup> century,\u201d he said, \u201cso, perhaps, you\u2019ve already seen it.\u00a0 Neither Joe nor I have, of course.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNor I,\u201d said George.<\/p>\n Madelaine quickly said that she had not, either, and even if she had, she was sure seeing it with Adam would enhance the experience.<\/p>\n Mr. and Mrs. Pontpier had seen the play before and said they would prefer to leave the evening to the young people and be well rested for the Sabbath.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019ll be missed,\u201d Adam said.\u00a0 \u201cI was planning to ask the Jennings, as well.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThose old folks?\u201d Little Joe said, looking puzzled.\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t know, Adam.\u00a0 Aren\u2019t you afraid they\u2019ll be . . . uh . . . reluctant to stay up that late.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLittle Joe just called you old,\u201d George dryly informed his parents.<\/p>\n \u201cNo such thing!\u201d Little Joe protested.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re both spry as spring chickens.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, dear.\u201d\u00a0 Mrs. Pontpier tittered into her hand. \u00a0\u201cI\u2019m sure that\u2019s a compliment.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe\u2019s shoulders slumped.\u00a0 \u201cI meant it as one,\u201d he said with a tinge of chagrin that made her stretch a consoling hand toward him.\u00a0 Smiling, he gave it a squeeze and turned back to his brother. \u201cAnyway, I pictured your friends bein\u2019 a lot older, Adam.\u00a0 They might not make it through the play!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, I think they\u2019ll manage,\u201d Adam said with a mysterious smile. \u00a0\u201cThey\u2019re spry as spring chickens, too.\u201d<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n It was all Little Joe could do to keep from restlessly pacing the lobby of the theater.\u00a0 Adam had purchased the tickets earlier in the day, so they could have taken their seats, but no one suggested it.\u00a0 Since it was beginning to rain, Adam had taken the Pontpiers\u2019 carriage to pick up his friends, and it seemed only polite to wait until the party was complete.<\/p>\n Though the waiting seemed interminable, Adam actually arrived well ahead of the opening curtain, but everyone gaped at the \u201cold folks\u201d he had brought with him.\u00a0 Mr. Jennings did look surprisingly spry for an older man, and as for the lady on Adam\u2019s arm, she was anything but old\u2014no older than Adam, in fact\u2014and beautiful to boot.\u00a0 He had a twinkle in his eye as he introduced them to his brother and his two friends.<\/p>\n \u201cYou sly dog,\u201d George said, giving his arm a subtle fist thump.\u00a0 \u201cYou let us believe your friends were pushing ninety.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, Adam, you didn\u2019t,\u201d Lily chided, but her voice was mirthful.<\/p>\n \u201cI never mentioned their ages,\u201d Adam chuckled.\u00a0 \u201cI am scarcely responsible for any wild assumptions you made.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTechnically, no,\u201d George admitted, laughing, \u201cbut you did infer it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou certainly did,\u201d Madeleine, who was definitely not laughing, scolded.<\/p>\n Little Joe said nothing, but from the expression on his face, he clearly was not amused, either.<\/p>\n \u201cI apologize for the misconception,\u201d Adam said, looking not the least bit sorry.<\/p>\n \u201cI hope we aren\u2019t too much of a disappointment,\u201d Lily said.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, indeed,\u201d George replied.\u00a0 \u201cYou, my dear, are a welcome surprise, even if Adam is a blackguard for springing it on us this way.\u00a0 And you, sir, are exactly as advertised, spry as a spring chicken.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAt my age, that\u2019s definitely a compliment,\u201d Mr. Jennings said.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m pleased to meet you, young sir, and am looking forward to spending Thanksgiving with your family.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAllow me to introduce my sister Madelaine,\u201d George said.<\/p>\n Adam proceeded to introduce his brother, and Lily gave Little Joe a warm handshake.\u00a0 The one he gave her in response was a little tepid, but she chalked that up to a lingering sense of shock.<\/p>\n They took their seats, with Adam sitting between Lily and Little Joe with her father on her other side.\u00a0 Madeleine, much to her displeasure, was seated between Little Joe and her brother.\u00a0 Joe gave her a small smile of commiseration: the evening wasn\u2019t going the way he\u2019d anticipated, either.<\/p>\n Sometime during the first act, Adam glanced to his right and was surprised to find his brother\u2019s eyes fixed on him, instead of the comedy on stage.\u00a0 \u201cYou all right, buddy?\u201d he leaned close to ask.<\/p>\n \u201cSure,\u201d Joe said.\u00a0 He spoke softly, and had it not been for the way he clipped the word, Adam would have thought he was only being respectful of others in the theater.\u00a0 The way he said it, though, made it sound as though he meant the exact opposite of what he\u2019d said.\u00a0 Something was definitely not all right, but Adam couldn\u2019t imagine what.\u00a0 Surely, Joe wasn\u2019t that irritated by the surprise his older brother had sprung.\u00a0 Why, the kid usually could take a joke, even one at his own expense, better than anyone, with the sole exception of Hoss.\u00a0 Adam certainly hoped the boy wasn\u2019t coming down with something.\u00a0 On the other hand, the plot was involved and one character\u2019s feigned Swedish accent so broad that he was hard to understand.\u00a0 Oh, that must be it; his little brother was merely bored and not breeding an illness.<\/p>\n Little Joe could have told him it was neither.\u00a0 He was too taken up with staring at the handsome couple to his left as they softly chatted throughout the play.\u00a0 They seemed in complete accord, fitting together like hand in glove, and a dark fear, worse than any illness, began to breed in the young man\u2019s soul.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n November 4<\/p>\n By the time they\u2019d exited the theater the previous night, the rain had turned into a severe storm out of the northeast, and the temperature had dropped to a chilly forty degrees, but it cleared off by Sunday morning, and the weather remained pleasant throughout the day. \u00a0The same could not be said for Little Joe\u2019s attitude, which had not benefited in the slightest from attendance at the worship service.\u00a0 Of course, the minister had not preached a sound message on repentance, which Adam felt was exactly what his young brother needed, not that he was likely to respond by appropriately hitting his knees.<\/p>\n \u201cDo you have a cold coming on, dear?\u201d Mrs. Pontpier asked the boy that afternoon as the family gathered in the parlor after luncheon.\u00a0 \u201cSuch terrible weather to be out in last night.\u201d\u00a0 She didn\u2019t lay a hand on his forehead, though she was sorely tempted.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, ma\u2019am, I\u2019m fine,\u201d Little Joe said and from that moment tried to present a better attitude, though solely for her sake.<\/p>\n \u201cThe play was scarcely worth the late hours we kept,\u201d Madeleine observed, \u201cat least, in my opinion and, I assume, in yours, Adam, since you spent most of the evening talking to your young lady friend.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t understand,\u201d Mrs. Pontpier said.\u00a0 \u201cI thought you had invited the Jennings, Adam.\u00a0 Was there someone else in the party?\u201d<\/p>\n Before he could answer, Madeleine hastened to say, \u201cOnly the Jennings, Mother, who were not quite as they have been described to us . . . or did you not intend to let my parents in on your little joke until your guests arrived for Thanksgiving dinner, Adam?\u201d\u00a0 Though she tried to cover it, the frost in her tone was evident.<\/p>\n Little Joe sent her a discreet, slightly conniving smile.\u00a0 Who\u2019d have ever thought that he and Madeleine Pontpier would ever be aligned together, but they were obviously of one mind regarding Adam and his \u201cyoung lady friend.\u201d\u00a0 Even had he himself not been put out with Adam, Little Joe would have enjoyed seeing his big brother squirm to explain himself, but now he listened with positive relish.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n November 5<\/p>\n Monday morning dawned, clear and pleasant, and Adam had never been more glad to greet a fresh day of work in a nice, calm architectural office, where the only stress was an occasional deadline.\u00a0 Today, he wasn\u2019t even facing that, so he was happy to escape the house, where almost everyone was, in some measure, upset with him. \u00a0His little joke had plainly not struck anyone else as funny, with the exception of George, and while Mr. and Mrs. Pontpier had quickly forgiven him, she had hinted that she always appreciated knowing in advance just who her guests might be.\u00a0 \u201cAt least, I now know that Miss Jennings will be dancing at the ball and not in need of some quieter entertainment,\u201d she\u2019d said with just the slightest trace of annoyance.<\/p>\n Madeleine, of course, had been more than annoyed, but that was to be expected.\u00a0 She naturally wouldn\u2019t welcome a rival for Adam\u2019s attentions, even though she should know by this time that she had no chance of becoming their focus.\u00a0 \u201c\u2018Hope springs eternal,\u2019 I suppose,\u201d he muttered beneath his breath, quoting Alexander Pope, although in her case, there was no chance she was ever \u201cto be blessed.\u201d<\/p>\n And then there was Joe.\u00a0 Everyone else\u2019s reactions he could understand, from the mild to the strong, but Joe\u2019s was inexplicable.\u00a0 \u201cWhat else is new?\u201d he muttered as he bent over the architectural rendering before him.\u00a0 When had his little brother been anything less than inexplicable?<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n That evening as the family gathered in the parlor after dinner, Madeleine said, \u201cDid you not find the poem by Mr. Whittier in the Transcript<\/em> most inspiring, Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n Responding to the more congenial tone, Adam replied, \u201cI haven\u2019t had an opportunity to read it as yet, Madeleine.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh?\u00a0 May I read it to you, then?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBy all means,\u201d Adam said, though he would have preferred to read it himself.\u00a0 It seemed important to reestablish friendly relations with her, as well as the other Pontpiers.<\/p>\n She read \u201cThe Eve of Election\u201d aloud and then repeated a single stanza:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cNot lightly fall<\/p>\n Beyond recall<\/p>\n The written scrolls a breath can float;<\/p>\n The crowning fact<\/p>\n The kingliest act<\/p>\n Of freedom is the freedman\u2019s vote!\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n She laid aside the paper with an eloquent sigh.\u00a0 \u201cIt so makes me wish women had the vote\u2014in this important election, particularly.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cA woman such as you should have it,\u201d Adam said, and it was not mere flattery, but something he earnestly believed.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re intelligent and well-informed and would vote more wisely than many men.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy, thank you, Adam,\u201d she said, relishing the attention from him that was her main goal in speaking in the first place.\u00a0 \u201cThere is a clear choice this year, and while I wish that I, too, might cast a vote in favor of freedom, I know I can rely on Father and George and you, as well, to cast yours for Abraham Lincoln.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam looked awkward for a moment; then he gave her a wry smile and said, \u201cI\u2019m afraid not.\u201d<\/p>\n A ripple of shock ran around the room, not least in the heart of Adam\u2019s young brother, for all the Cartwrights had been impressed with Lincoln since they read his \u201cHouse Divided\u201d comments in the Territorial Enterprise<\/em>.\u00a0 And of them all, Little Joe would have thought his New England-born brother, who\u2019d spoken vociferously about the evils of slavery, would have backed the man everyone either hoped or feared would end it.<\/p>\n Only Madeleine was bold enough to voice such thoughts, though they were in everyone\u2019s minds.\u00a0 \u201cBut you can\u2019t mean it,\u201d she gasped.\u00a0 Her face hardened.\u00a0 \u201cAre you having another bad joke at our expense?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMadeleine!\u201d her father said sharply.\u00a0 Then he turned to Adam.\u00a0 \u201cI apologize for this introduction of politics into civil conversation, Adam.\u00a0 Madeleine knows better.\u201d\u00a0 He gave his daughter a severe, rebuking glance.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, please don\u2019t apologize,\u201d Adam quickly said.\u00a0 \u201cThe fault is entirely mine, and while I wasn\u2019t joking, I\u2019ve left you with a false impression and should have spoken more quickly to correct it.\u00a0 I simply meant that because I am not a resident of Massachusetts, I cannot vote for Abraham Lincoln, much as I would like to.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, of course,\u201d George said.\u00a0 He gave a short laugh.\u00a0 \u201cYou had me going for a moment there, chum.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI was hasty in my response, as well,\u201d Madeleine said.\u00a0 \u201cDo forgive me, Adam.\u201d She was certain the sophisticated Miss Jennings never would have made such a mistake.<\/p>\n \u201cOf course,\u201d he said readily.\u00a0 \u201cFriends again?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, always, dear Adam.\u201d\u00a0 And how she wished it could be more!<\/p>\n Mrs. Pontpier ended the subject when she said, \u201cI don\u2019t involve myself in politics, but it is so good to know you are all in agreement.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAlways in agreement with you, dear lady,\u201d Adam said, his hazel eyes warm with affection.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n November 6 \u2013 Election Day<\/p>\n With some reluctance, Adam knocked on Little Joe\u2019s door the next morning.<\/p>\n The look on his brother\u2019s face, when he answered, was scarcely welcoming.\u00a0 \u201cYou want something?\u201d Joe asked, suspicion clouding his eyes.<\/p>\n \u201cJust to talk with you,\u201d Adam said.<\/p>\n The suspicion darkened as Joe\u2019s eyes narrowed.\u00a0 \u201cWhat about?\u201d<\/p>\n Frankly, there was an attitude adjustment he\u2019d very much like to discuss with his irritable young brother, but now, clearly, wasn\u2019t the time.\u00a0 \u201cAbout our plans for the day,\u201d he answered simply.<\/p>\n \u201cOh.\u201d\u00a0 There being no fault to be found with that, Little Joe opened the door wide enough to allow Adam into the room.\u00a0 \u201cYeah, what did you have planned for today?\u201d\u00a0 Whatever it was, it represented a chance to get Adam back on the right track, so he was prepared to take it, even if it was an art museum or the dreaded opera.<\/p>\n Adam sighed.\u00a0 \u201cWell, I had thought we might visit the zoological offerings, such as they are, but the weather may turn inclement, so I was wondering if you\u2019d prefer to just stay indoors.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo,\u201d Joe said at once, as Adam might have predicted.\u00a0 Not only was staying indoors alien to his vocabulary, but he had reason to fear how Adam might occupy himself if they weren\u2019t out together.\u00a0 \u201cNo, the zoo sound great.\u201d<\/p>\n Glad to hear a little of Joe\u2019s customary enthusiasm back in his voice, Adam nodded agreeably.\u00a0 \u201cI do think a wise first stop might be a store that sells rain gear\u2014a slicker, at least.\u201d<\/p>\n Joe grinned agreeably.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m all for wisdom, big brother\u2014for both of us.\u201d<\/p>\n There was something more than slickers and umbrellas behind those words, but Adam was loathe to delve too deeply into dark caverns.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n Adam insisted on full raincoats for both of them.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019ll be warmer,\u201d he insisted.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019ll thank me later.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe shrugged, although he had to admit that New England cold was different from the cold of home\u2014wetter, more apt to cling to a man.\u00a0 He probably would be glad of better protection, especially if the skies let loose the storm that seemed more and more likely.\u00a0 \u201cHow come you thought of the zoo for today?\u201d he asked as they walked along the street.\u00a0 \u201cI thought you\u2019d be more likely to want one of the political rallies mentioned in the paper.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam gave a harsh laugh.\u00a0 \u201cI prefer the animals behind cages to the ones marching in the streets.\u00a0 You have no idea, boy, what a political campaign back here is like.\u201d<\/p>\n Joe bristled.\u00a0 \u201cYou think they\u2019re tamer, back home in the Wild West?\u201d\u00a0 He elongated the \u201cWild\u201d as his fingers waggled eerily.<\/p>\n Adam snorted.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019ve been listening too much to Madeleine.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWho\u2019ve you been listening to?\u201d Joe retorted.<\/p>\n Adam stared at him a moment and then shook his head.\u00a0 \u201cI have no idea what you mean.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNever mind,\u201d Joe said, fearing he\u2019d already said too much.\u00a0 \u201cI didn\u2019t mean anything.\u201d<\/p>\n But he had and Adam knew it.\u00a0 A cold, wet street wasn\u2019t the place for any kind of discussion, however.\u00a0 \u201cOf course, if you\u2019d prefer a political rally . . .\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNope.\u00a0 I prefer the animals in cages, too,\u201d Joe said with a quick grin.<\/p>\n They had the zoo almost to themselves; most of the animals, in fact, had sought shelter wherever it was available, making them less visible.\u00a0 Joe seemed determined the spend the entire day out in the wet, though, until Adam finally called enough.\u00a0 \u201cWe can come back a better day,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cPromise?\u201d Joe asked.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, of course, I promise . . . if there is a better day.\u00a0 Weather can be unpredictable this time of year.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEverywhere,\u201d Joe agreed.\u00a0 \u201cYeah, I guess I\u2019m ready to call it a day.\u201d<\/p>\n As they walked home, there were less people milling about the streets than Adam had expected.\u00a0 Of course, the weather was atrocious, but even that could not keep people from voting in this election.\u00a0 Adam was pleased to see the heavy turnout despite the prevailing rainstorm that seemed intent on keeping men from the polls.<\/p>\n The next day the election returns began to come in, and the household was happy to see that Boston had given their votes to Abraham Lincoln.\u00a0 Results for the rest of the country would trickle in over the next few days, and the wait would be even longer to learn how the far West had voted.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n November 8<\/p>\n Thursday morning Adam again approached Little Joe in his room.\u00a0 \u201cThis is getting to be a habit, older brother,\u201d Little Joe said.<\/p>\n Adam shrugged.\u00a0 \u201cJust thought I should apprise you of my plans for the day.\u201d\u00a0 In truth, he had wanted to avoid an explosion in front of their hosts, which he feared would be Joe\u2019s response to those plans.<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t you mean our plans?\u201d Little Joe asked, the back of his neck prickling with suspicion.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re welcome to come along if you like,\u201d Adam said, \u201cthough I\u2019m not certain you\u2019d find it interesting.\u00a0 I\u2019m going over to Cambridge to see the college, maybe catch up with a few old professors of mine.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe scowled.\u00a0 \u201cSounds like pure torture.\u00a0 But I thought this was our day.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJoe,\u201d Adam said with strained patience.\u00a0 \u201cI do think I\u2019m entitled to a day for my own pleasure once in a while.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe had the grace to blush.\u00a0 \u201cWell, sure.\u00a0 It\u2019s just I thought . . . never mind.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPerhaps I should have told you earlier,\u201d Adam conceded.\u00a0 \u201cOf course, if you\u2019re planning to accompany me this weekend, you might have a few things to take care of yourself.\u00a0 I thought I would make the trip to New Bedford tomorrow evening.\u00a0 Of course, you may find that as much \u201cpure torture\u201d as the trip to Cambridge, in which case I\u2019ll gladly excuse you, but you had indicated you wanted to come.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI do,\u201d Little Joe said.\u00a0 \u201cSure I do.\u201d\u00a0 He\u2019d forgotten all about the visit Adam had mentioned when they first discussed things to do back East, and while he felt a little embarrassed to tag along on such an emotional journey, especially since he and Adam were somewhat at odds now, he still wanted to be there for his brother.\u00a0 No one should have to visit his mother\u2019s grave alone.\u00a0 A shadow crossed his face.\u00a0 \u201cUnless you\u2019d rather go alone,\u201d he said quietly.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, not at all,\u201d Adam said.\u00a0 In all honesty, given the mystifying friction between him and Joe the last few days, he had somewhat been hoping his brother would decline the trip.\u00a0 Nothing should disturb this sacred venture, but perhaps, away from the Pontpiers, they\u2019d have the chance to discuss whatever was bothering Joe and find their way back together.\u00a0 After all, they weren\u2019t so far apart, were they?\u00a0 He\u2019d known times when the distance between them seemed much greater and icier by far.<\/p>\n \u201cHave you finished your Christmas shopping?\u201d Adam asked.<\/p>\n \u201cNot quite,\u201d Little Joe said, cocking his head at the abrupt change of subject.\u00a0 It really wasn\u2019t one, as he soon saw.<\/p>\n \u201cI thought we\u2019d mail our gifts home on the way to the depot tomorrow,\u201d Adam explained, \u201cso you should finish up today, if possible.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI figured we\u2019d just take them on the ship,\u201d Little Joe said, looking puzzled.<\/p>\n Adam laughed.\u00a0 \u201cDo you really want to be loaded down with that every time you change from train to hotel to ship to stage to . . .\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI get the picture,\u201d Little Joe said with a grin.\u00a0 \u201cYeah, probably better to mail them.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEspecially if we should be delayed for any reason,\u201d Adam said.\u00a0 \u201cHopefully, we won\u2019t, but it\u2019s possible.\u00a0 Okay, so you\u2019ll have plenty to do, getting those things ready and packing for the trip, although you\u2019ll have most of tomorrow, too, if you need it.\u00a0 No need to pack heavy, but do remember your raincoat.\u00a0 Being on the coast, New Bedford is, at best, damp and, at worst . . . well, it could be worse.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGreat,\u201d Joe, who\u2019d had enough of rainstorms on his trip to the zoo, said.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n November 9<\/p>\n Little Joe spent most of Thursday shopping for his final Christmas gifts, mostly for something else to suit Adam. \u00a0In a way it seemed pointless, since no matter what kind of delay they had to deal with, he and Adam would be together on Christmas.\u00a0 Frankly, Little Joe didn\u2019t think there would be one, and he had just about convinced himself that the whole idea had been an excuse not to spend time with him.\u00a0 Not that he could blame Adam much; he hadn\u2019t exactly been easy to get along with the last few days.<\/p>\n He thought he\u2019d finally found something sure to please in the same place he\u2019d earlier bought a new set of ivory chessmen for Pa.\u00a0 For Adam, he\u2019d selected a chess set meant for traveling by rail or ship.\u00a0 To get the best use of it, though, he\u2019d probably need to give it before Christmas, to use on their journey, so he\u2019d also put together a few things to ship home, so his brother would have something to open when they were all together: the book of folk songs, a silk cravat and a book.\u00a0 He\u2019d wrap all that in the morning, along with Pa\u2019s chessmen and Hoss\u2019s stereoscope with views of Egypt, Italy and Holland, as well as American landmarks.<\/p>\n He had started to feel more magnanimous toward Adam when he went downstairs for tea and learned something that again hardened his heart.\u00a0 Instead of coming home after his visit to his old college, Adam had gone to see that girl again and wasn\u2019t expected home for dinner, either.\u00a0 Clearly, older brother was becoming much too drawn to someone who was totally wrong for him, and he\u2019d hidden his plans to boot.\u00a0 He\u2019d as good as lied about them, and Little Joe could feel his heart icing over again.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n November 10<\/p>\n Adam found the train ride to New Bedford unpleasant, to say the least.\u00a0 Not only had a prevailing rainstorm, with fierce winds out of the northeast, dropped the temperature outside the car, it was still more frigid inside, sitting next to that icicle formerly known as his younger brother.\u00a0 Other than one frosty question at breakfast this morning\u2014\u201cDid you have a good time with your college friends, older brother?\u201d\u2014Joe had been as silent and unyielding as a sculpture in ice.\u00a0 Since he obviously disdained his brother\u2019s company, why had he even bothered to come along?\u00a0 Well, Adam was not about to put up with it, not on this trip.\u00a0 Joe could sulk all he wanted; he\u2019d just ignore him.<\/p>\n Though it scarcely seemed possible, Little Joe got quieter as the evening went on, and they both went to sleep in the hotel with the barest of good-nights.\u00a0 Inside Joe, however, a battle was raging between anger and fairness.\u00a0 He was angry with his brother, but when he faced why, shame began to outstrip anger in his heart.\u00a0 Adam was falling for a girl. \u00a0That much was clear, but had the same thing happened back home, it wouldn\u2019t have bothered Joe one bit.\u00a0 He might have teased, but he\u2019d have been secretly glad that older brother had found someone to come up to his exacting\u2014and, at times, downright peculiar\u2014standards.\u00a0 Not many girls did.\u00a0 Most of the girls in Virginia City were too\u2014well, frothy was the word that came to mind\u2014for Adam.\u00a0 He liked his women serious and bothered about all sorts of subjects most girls didn\u2019t give a fig about.\u00a0 He liked them pretty, too, of course, but even that wasn\u2019t as important as that they be deep thinkers, like him.<\/p>\n Little Joe had told himself that Miss Jennings was all wrong for Adam, but that wasn\u2019t true.\u00a0 She was exactly the right kind of girl for Adam, and that made her dangerous.\u00a0 She was just the kind to make him think about packing up and moving back East forever.\u00a0 Little Joe remembered the night in New York City, when he\u2019d sat in the window and wondered if just being here would stir too many yearnings inside Adam.\u00a0 As he lay in bed that night in New Bedford, Joe acknowledged, clearly for the first time, that Lily Ann Jennings might be just what it took to push his brother over that cliff . . . and it terrified him.<\/p>\n Why, he couldn\u2019t have said.\u00a0 He\u2019d felt that fear for the first time when he\u2019d been a tiny boy, who\u2019d just lost his mother, had seemed to lose his father for a time and then was losing the stay of his life to something called college.\u00a0 He\u2019d developed a deep and abiding hatred for whatever college was as he waved goodbye to Adam, aboard the stage that took him away.\u00a0 He\u2019d never go there himself and hurt the people left behind, no matter how many times Adam tried to convince him that it was a wonderful thing.<\/p>\n He\u2019d felt it again, inexplicably, when his brother came home and he\u2019d reluctantly let Adam back into his heart.\u00a0 Once back, he couldn\u2019t let him leave and go through all that hurt again.\u00a0 College wasn\u2019t even a threat any more, so the fear had attached itself to the whole stinking East\u2014and now to Lily Ann Jennings as its representative.\u00a0 The patent unfairness of that was what shamed him throughout the endless night.<\/p>\n He decided to breach the subject at breakfast the next morning.\u00a0 \u201cAdam, could I talk to you?\u201d he asked over his crab cakes and eggs, one allure of the East he had come to thoroughly appreciate.<\/p>\n Adam\u2019s response, a terse \u201cNo,\u201d took him off guard.<\/p>\n \u201cI just wanted to say . . .\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo,\u201d Adam interrupted to say.\u00a0 \u201cNot today, Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe bit his tongue.\u00a0 He wanted to apologize and to offer an explanation, if he could somehow find the words, and the earnestness of that desire had made him forget \u00a0what he\u2019d plainly known before, that this day, this trip was special to Adam, and nothing, absolutely nothing, should be allowed to intrude until he\u2019d paid his respects to his mother.\u00a0 He was owed that, so Joe mumbled, \u201cSorry,\u201d and went back to his breakfast.<\/p>\n Adam was surprised by the easy concession.\u00a0 It wasn\u2019t in Joe\u2019s nature to give in so easily, but he wasn\u2019t about to look a gift horse in the mouth.\u00a0 Not today.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n At least, it wasn\u2019t raining.\u00a0 When it rained at funerals, people sometimes said that heaven itself was crying over the loss.\u00a0 \u2018Course, they weren\u2019t at a funeral, only a cemetery; still, a sense of loss hovered over the graveyard, which was empty except for the two Cartwright brothers.\u00a0 Was it only the overcast sky that fed the feeling of loss or was it something Adam was feeling that clouded the whole atmosphere with quiet grief?<\/p>\n Adam had never known his mother, but that made no difference.\u00a0 Little Joe knew that from his own experience.\u00a0 He\u2019d only known his own mother briefly, but at times he felt her loss keenly in a way that went beyond anything he actually remembered.\u00a0 She\u2019d become, for him, a kind of ideal, but sometimes he wanted more than that.\u00a0 He wanted someone real, however imperfect, and at those times he grieved for the mother he\u2019d known such a short time.\u00a0 Adam had never had anything but the ideal, so he probably yearned for the real even more than Little Joe did.<\/p>\n It was a shame his big brother couldn\u2019t visit his mother\u2019s grave more often, as Joe did, couldn\u2019t feel the comfort of pouring out his heart to someone who represented pure, non-judging love, but Adam had never had that privilege.\u00a0 He\u2019d always lived too far from his mother\u2019s resting place to make that possible.\u00a0 Except for those years he\u2019d lived back here.\u00a0 Was that another pull the East had on him? \u00a0It didn\u2019t matter; it only mattered that Joe had almost spoiled it for him, and realizing that brought a mist to his eyes that had nothing to do with the mist in the air, which threatened at any minute to become a downpour.<\/p>\n They hadn\u2019t exchanged more than ten words since breakfast, so Little Joe swallowed hard before walking up to his brother and laying a hand on his shoulder.\u00a0 He felt his brother flinch, so the hand dropped as he asked, \u201cDo you want to be alone with her?\u201d\u00a0 He wasn\u2019t sure Adam would feel the same way he would have, but he\u2019d have wanted a few moments to speak to his mama in private, and he had to offer, even if Adam thought he was overly sentimental.<\/p>\n Adam hesitated a long minute, as if he were considering the suggestion, but then he softly said, \u201cNo.\u201d\u00a0 He hesitated a moment longer and added, \u201cBut thanks.\u00a0 I, uh, won\u2019t be much longer, Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTake all the time you need,\u201d Little Joe said and stepped back, putting a little distance between them, just in case Adam wanted to whisper goodbye.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n The gray clouds overhead began to release their moisture just as the Cartwright brothers were leaving the cemetery, but it remained no more than a light drizzle until they arrived back at the hotel and sat down to dinner.\u00a0 Then it came down like a torrent.\u00a0 \u201cLooks like we won\u2019t be doing much sight-seeing today,\u201d Adam observed, testing the waters of a different sort.<\/p>\n \u201cUm,\u201d was the only response he got.<\/p>\n The silence was back, but somehow it seemed different, more contemplative than irritated, perhaps more approachable.\u00a0 Adam decided to take his life in his hands and dive in.\u00a0 \u201cI believe you wanted to speak with me this morning?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n Little Joe lifted his head from his bowl of clam chowder, but just as quickly ducked it.\u00a0 \u201cNever mind,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n He might as well be killed for a lion as a lamb.\u00a0 \u201cCome on, Joe,\u201d Adam pressed.\u00a0 \u201cSomething\u2019s been bothering you for days.\u00a0 Obviously, we\u2019re going to have to talk about it at some point, and unless you plan to wait until December, this is probably our best chance to be alone.\u201d\u00a0 Little Joe kept his head down, but he stopped eating, so Adam knew something was going on in his brother\u2019s impenetrable head.\u00a0 He waited.<\/p>\n Finally, Little Joe looked up, licked his suddenly dry lips and said, \u201cDon\u2019t.\u201d\u00a0 Just that and no more.<\/p>\n Apparently, \u201cimpenetrable\u201d was stating it mildly.\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t what?\u201d Adam asked.<\/p>\n Little Joe took a visibly deep breath.\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t fall for that girl.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam missed the slightly plaintive tone in his brother\u2019s voice.\u00a0 He bristled as he said, \u201cI scarcely consider that any of concern of yours.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI just think . . .\u201d\u00a0 He wanted to say, \u201cShe\u2019s wrong for you,\u201d but knowing that wasn\u2019t true, he couldn\u2019t, and he finished, instead, with a lame \u201cyou shouldn\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam stiffened his spine.\u00a0 \u201cI am not in the habit of consulting my baby brother about my love life\u2014nor do I intend to start.\u201d<\/p>\n His tone would have set Joe\u2019s teeth on edge, even without the added emphasis on \u201cbaby.\u201d\u00a0 The fact that it was said at all, much less so strongly, refueled the anger Little Joe had strived to keep under control all weekend.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019d be better off if you did,\u201d Little Joe declared.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, let me see if I understand this,\u201d Adam said with that lofty and irritating arch of his eyebrow he habitually sported.\u00a0 \u201cYou can have a shipboard romance that extends to dry land, but I cannot.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t have a shipboard romance,\u201d Little Joe said through gritted teeth.\u00a0 \u201cI told you, Eva and I are just friends.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWho says Lily and I are more than \u2018just friends\u2019?\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe rolled his eyes and then said as if talking to a three-year-old, \u201cShe\u2019s the marrying kind, Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n The eyebrow arched still higher.\u00a0 \u201cAnd Eva\u2019s not?\u00a0 Pa will be interested to hear that his youngest is consorting with a woman who is not the marrying kind.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s not what I meant and you know it!\u201d Little Joe said hotly.\u00a0 \u201cOf course, she\u2019s the marrying kind, just not with me.\u00a0 Lily is interested in you, and I don\u2019t mean just as a friend.\u00a0 She wants a husband!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, maybe I want a wife,\u201d Adam thrust back.<\/p>\n Joe felt like he\u2019d taken an arrow, straight to the heart.\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t,\u201d he said, unable to say more.<\/p>\n Adam rolled his eyes.\u00a0 They were back to that.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t know whether Lily and I have a future together, but that\u2019s a decision we will make for ourselves\u2014and I\u2019ll thank you to keep your opinions to yourself.\u00a0 Now, finish your dinner; we have a train to catch.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe responded by pushing his plate away and his chair back from the table.\u00a0 As he stalked from the dining room, Adam briefly wondered whether the kid had gone back to their room or out into the pouring rain.\u00a0 At the moment, he didn\u2019t much care.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n November 11<\/p>\n It was still raining when they arrived back in Boston, and the storm continued throughout the night and all the next day.\u00a0 No one considered braving the deluge to attend church that Sunday, but it seemed almost as stormy inside with two thunderclouds sitting in the parlor.\u00a0 Everyone could feel the tension between the two Cartwright brothers, but not wanting to risk being struck by lightning, no one asked until George did the following morning on the way to work.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n November 12<\/p>\n Adam was only too glad to fill his friend\u2019s sympathetic ears with a rant about his unreasonable little brother.<\/p>\n \u201cHas he ever objected to a woman you\u2019ve been seeing before?\u201d George asked.<\/p>\n Adam shrugged.\u00a0 \u201cNot really.\u00a0 Not unless . . .\u201d\u00a0 He looked up at George sharply.\u00a0 \u201cOh, good lands.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou don\u2019t suppose he wants her for himself,\u201d Adam said, aghast.<\/p>\n George laughed.\u00a0 \u201cNo,\u201d he said, trying to control what threatened to become a genuine guffaw.\u00a0 \u201cShe\u2019s not his type.\u201d\u00a0 The Cheshire Cow at the Stinking Stilton back in San Francisco seemed a better match for Little Joe Cartwright than a sophisticated woman such as Lily Jennings.\u00a0 \u201cWhy not just ask him?\u201d he suggested.<\/p>\n Adam snorted. \u00a0\u201cI already tried that.\u00a0 No, I believe I\u2019ll just let sleeping Joes lie.\u00a0 I don\u2019t know what to do about tomorrow.\u00a0 Maybe I\u2019ll get lucky, and there\u2019ll be another storm to keep us from going anywhere together.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n November 13<\/p>\n But Tuesday dawned clear and pleasant, and while neither Cartwright brother particularly wanted to spend time with the other, Adam didn\u2019t want to go back on his word, and Little Joe didn\u2019t want to leave his brother free to spend even more time with the enchanting Lily.\u00a0 So, they stayed together, choosing to visit the Pine Street Fair, which opened that morning.\u00a0 Fortunately, the exhibits were interesting: antiquities like spinning wheels and old-style looms in full operation, with hand-crafted items for sale and plenty of refreshments, including ice cream, cakes and oysters, while Gilmore\u2019s band provided entertainment.\u00a0 All the profits were going to build a new church, so it even felt virtuous to indulge themselves, and by the time they left the Cartwright brothers seemed to be at peace with one another.\u00a0 It was an uneasy peace, however, dependent on neither of them bringing up their main topic of contention.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n November 14<\/p>\n On Wednesday Adam was back at work, and Little Joe paid another visit to the Pine Street Fair.\u00a0 A choir of one thousand children was supposed to be singing that afternoon, and Madeleine hinted that she would like to see them.\u00a0 The hint was probably directed at Adam, but when he pointedly ignored it, Little Joe took up the gauntlet and offered to escort her. \u00a0For a moment she looked disappointed; then she thanked him for the gracious offer and accepted.\u00a0 To his wonderment, he found that Madeleine could actually be an enjoyable companion, and he got along well with the one person in the household to whom he\u2019d taken an almost instant dislike.\u00a0 Joe began to wonder if she wouldn\u2019t be a worthy ally in keeping Adam away from Lily.\u00a0 Though he didn\u2019t dare suggest it, he suspected it would probably take little to point her in that direction.\u00a0 His brother, though, could probably use a push.<\/p>\n That evening he approached Adam in his room.\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t know what you have planned for tomorrow,\u201d Joe began.<\/p>\n Adam sighed.\u00a0 \u201cNothing as yet, as least with you.\u00a0 What would you like to do?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNothing,\u201d Joe said. \u00a0\u201cI was kind of thinking we could take a day off.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam looked surprised\u2014and relieved.\u00a0 \u201cWell, if that\u2019s what you want, sure.\u00a0 We have been keeping up a pretty steady round of activity.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, sure,\u201d Joe said, \u201cand I was thinking you might prefer to take Madeleine somewhere\u2014you know, an art gallery or some such thing you more educated types like.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not interested in Madeleine, Joe,\u201d Adam said.\u00a0 He instinctively sensed that his brother was trying to distract him from the lady he was really was interested in.<\/p>\n \u201cI know that,\u201d Little Joe said with a slight roll of his eyes.\u00a0 Goodness knows, he\u2019d never have put her forward if he\u2019d thought there was the least chance that she could wind her way into his heart.\u00a0 \u201cI just mean, you\u2019re friends and all, and you haven\u2019t spent much time with her, and it would mean a lot to her, and it seems like the polite thing to do, don\u2019t you think?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPerhaps,\u201d Adam said cautiously.\u00a0 \u201cI wouldn\u2019t want to lead her on.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, no, \u2018course not,\u201d Joe said.\u00a0 \u201cI just thought you might want to give her a little enjoyment . . . as a friend.\u00a0 She really doesn\u2019t get out much, and a lady has to have an escort, you know, if she\u2019s a proper lady, I mean, and George is busy with work, so he can\u2019t very often.\u00a0 I know she appreciated me takin\u2019 her to the fair yesterday, but you could take her somewhere more suited to a high-class lady.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJust as a friend?\u201d Adam said slowly.<\/p>\n \u201cOf course, just as a friend\u2014like I will with Eva, when she comes.\u201d\u00a0 Little Joe adopted the voice of a teacher instructing a rather dull student.\u00a0 \u201cYou don\u2019t have to be smitten with someone to show them simple courtesy, Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI suppose not,\u201d Adam admitted.\u00a0 He had a feeling he was falling prey to Joe Cartwright\u2019s infamous power to manipulate people\u2014Pa, to be precise and, even more frequently, Hoss. \u00a0Adam had always considered himself immune to those powers, but he had no argument to counter what seemed like perfectly sound reasoning.\u00a0 Madeleine was a friend, she didn\u2019t get out much, and it would be simple courtesy to show a little gratitude to their hosts by escorting the daughter of the house somewhere.\u00a0 \u201cAll right, I\u2019ll\u2014I\u2019ll do it,\u201d he conceded and was rewarded by his brother\u2019s bright smile of approval\u2014or was that self-satisfaction?<\/p>\n <\/p>\n November 15<\/p>\n If Madeleine had any hope that her afternoon with Adam indicated that he was finally responding to her as she had long dreamed he would, his actions that evening disabused her of the notion.\u00a0 After a pleasant excursion to the art gallery, he announced at supper that he\u2019d be escorting Miss Jennings to Chapman Hall that evening for a dramatic reading in French, and there was no mention of making it an outing for all the young people.<\/p>\n The only person, besides Madeleine herself, who seemed disturbed by Adam\u2019s announcement was his younger brother, and that wasn\u2019t likely because he wished to go himself.\u00a0 Madeleine couldn\u2019t imagine the frontier youth knew more than a smattering of French, despite his mother\u2019s heritage.\u00a0 Her own grasp of the language was rusty from lack of use, and that boy surely couldn\u2019t remember much from time he was four.\u00a0 Or was he five when he\u2019d lost his mother?\u00a0 Either way, it scarcely mattered.\u00a0 It wasn\u2019t enough to follow the dialogue in Scribe\u2019s comedy.<\/p>\n Why had Adam taken her out that afternoon, then?\u00a0 She\u2019d hoped\u2014but she supposed she\u2019d been foolish to hope that she could ever be more to him than the spinster sister of his good friend.\u00a0 He\u2019d probably meant it to be kind, and it was, but she wanted so much more than kindness from him, and she feared it was never to be.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n \u201cYou seem pensive, Adam,\u201d Lily remarked over a plate of Charlotte Russe, which she and her escort were enjoying after the reading.\u00a0 \u201cAre you thinking of the play?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIn a way,\u201d Adam said.\u00a0 \u201cI was thinking of my little brother and how I should like to have shared it with him.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cInstead of me?\u201d she asked playfully.<\/p>\n Adam reached across the table to hold her hand.\u00a0 \u201cDefinitely not.\u00a0 I suppose it\u2019s the title that made me think of Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cVatel ou Les Fils d\u2019un Grand Homme?\u201d she laughed.\u00a0 \u201cDoes that describe him?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe Son of a Great Man?\u00a0 Oh, yes, we both are.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re very fond of him, aren\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOf Pa?\u00a0 Of course,\u201d Adam said, being deliberately obtuse.<\/p>\n Her laughter was warm.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m sure,\u201d she said, \u201cbut I meant your brother.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh.\u201d \u00a0Adam shrugged.\u00a0 \u201cSometimes I am; sometimes he\u2019s . . . impossible, more that than the other lately.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve often wished I had a brother or sister, so you must not spoil my fantasies of that exquisite pleasure.\u201d\u00a0 Her voice tinkled with humor.<\/p>\n \u201cI shall try not to prick that bubble with too much truth, Mademoiselle,\u201d he said, \u201cthough you may be less kindly disposed toward him after I tell you that he convinced me to escort another young lady to the art gallery this afternoon.\u201d<\/p>\n For a moment she looked disappointed, but quickly covered it with a smile.\u00a0 \u201cYou are, of course, free to escort any lady of your choice to any destination, Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n He\u2019d caught the glint of jealousy in her eye, however, and it sent a quiver of excitement down his spine.\u00a0 \u201cIt was only Madeleine,\u201d he explained, \u201cand she\u2019s just a friend, but Joe gave me a running spiel about how I should take pity on her and take her out.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sure he didn\u2019t put it that way,\u201d Lily chided.<\/p>\n \u201cAlmost,\u201d Adam chuckled, \u201cbut, no, he\u2019s a little more subtle than that.\u00a0 That boy can talk in circles until you\u2019re dizzy and find yourself saying yes when you know you should say no.\u201d\u00a0 Seeing that Lily had finished her dessert, he asked, \u201cShall we go?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI suppose we should,\u201d Lily said, \u201cthough I wish the night need never end.\u00a0 I\u2019ve enjoyed it thoroughly, Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt doesn\u2019t have to end yet,\u201d Adam whispered in her ear as he helped her on with her cape.\u00a0 \u201cThe weather\u2019s pleasant, and we could walk home; it\u2019s not that far.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, please,\u201d she whispered back.<\/p>\n As they walked along the street together, her golden head came to rest on his broad shoulder in a confident way that made Adam wish the walk were far longer than it was.\u00a0 Her ease with him spurred his own confidence, and they ended the night with a lingering kiss filled with expectation and anticipation.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n November 16-20<\/p>\n Friends and family alike soon suspected something had changed for Adam.\u00a0 George later reported that his friend had seemed distracted at work on Friday, and when a discussion arose that night about some activity they could all share for the weekend, Adam expressed his regrets, saying that he already had plans with Miss Jennings.\u00a0 He didn\u2019t even share what they were lest someone (not to mention Madeleine or Joe) should consider making a large party of it.\u00a0 And when he also declined to attend church with the rest of them on Sunday because he had elected to visit the Jennings\u2019 church, everyone knew.<\/p>\n Everyone, with two exceptions, accepted it with good feeling.\u00a0 George thought Lily was perfect for Adam, and having found romance himself aboard ship, he thought it highly appropriate that his best friend had done the same.\u00a0 Mr. Pontpier frankly wasn\u2019t concerned one way or the other, while his wife was torn between happiness for Adam and concern for her daughter, who, she knew, still harbored unrealistic dreams of a future with Adam.\u00a0 Well, perhaps the sooner Madeleine realized that was never to be, Mrs. Pontpier thought, the sooner she might look elsewhere and find the happiness of married life herself.<\/p>\n Little Joe\u2019s worst fears were fulfilled: Adam was falling in love with an Eastern girl, someone he\u2019d be willing to give up the Ponderosa and his entire family for.\u00a0 In his heart, Joe was four years old again, and Adam was leaving him, just as his mother had.\u00a0 No amount of telling himself that he was being childish changed the feeling, but instead of making him sad, it made him angry.<\/p>\n Adam wasn\u2019t entirely oblivious to the waves of emotion washing around him, but they all faded when he thought of how much he had enjoyed the piano forte soiree with lovely Lily at his side.\u00a0 How he missed the opportunity to hear fine music!\u00a0 Especially in company with someone who didn\u2019t merely tolerate the experience, but relished it as much as he.\u00a0 He hadn\u2019t really been thinking of marriage when Little Joe first brought it up.\u00a0 Now he was.<\/p>\n The following Tuesday he planned another outing with Lily.\u00a0 And, of course, he couldn\u2019t wait until the last minute to ask her, so he\u2019d gone there in the morning to ask if she\u2019d like to attend the chamber concert that night at Chickerings\u2019 new Piano Saloon.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s the Mendelssohn Quintet Club,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cI know nothing about them, so I can\u2019t promise they\u2019re good.\u00a0 Perhaps you do?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI haven\u2019t heard them, either,\u201d Lily said, \u201cbut I\u2019m willing to chance it if you are, Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam grinned.\u00a0 \u201cLet\u2019s live adventurously, then.\u201d<\/p>\n She smiled warmly into his face.\u00a0 \u201cI welcome adventure with you.\u201d<\/p>\n It wasn\u2019t until later that he realized this was supposed to be a day spent with his brother.\u00a0 Well, what could he possibly do with the boy anyway?\u00a0 It was becoming increasingly hard to come up with activities to amuse the impossible child, and so easy to find cultural events to share with Lily.\u00a0 Probably Joe was getting bored with city pleasures and, besides, they\u2019d be going to Plymouth over the weekend, so that should give the kid enough to look forward to.\u00a0 Yes, Joe would be fine with that.<\/p>\n That night was the coldest of the season, which might have suggested to a discerning man that his young brother wouldn\u2019t be thawing anytime soon.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n November 22<\/p>\n Adam\u2019s suggestion that Joe spend Thursday packing for the weekend excursion was instantly spurned.\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t need two days to pack for an overnight trip,\u201d he declared firmly.\u00a0 \u201cI want to go to Goodwin\u2019s Zoological.\u00a0 They got baby animals, just born, a monkey and three lion cubs.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, I read it, too,\u201d Adam said, feeling somewhat perturbed.\u00a0 \u201cWouldn\u2019t you just as soon see them alone?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019ve got plans with that girl again,\u201d Little Joe accused.<\/p>\n \u201cNo,\u201d Adam admitted, although he certainly would have preferred Lily\u2019s sweet smile to the sullen face before him, \u201cnot that it\u2019s any business of yours if I did.\u201d\u00a0 How heartily he wished he did! \u00a0\u201cIf the weather cooperates, we can see the monkey this afternoon.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd the lion cubs,\u201d Joe added with a stubborn outthrust of his lower lip.<\/p>\n \u201cI hadn\u2019t forgotten them,\u201d Adam said tersely.\u00a0 He wondered momentarily if he could get Little<\/em> Joe into the zoo at the ten-cent child\u2019s rate, since he was acting like one, but with the accumulated wisdom an elder brother develops in dealing with children, he managed to stop himself from actually suggesting it.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n November 23<\/p>\n Though they left Boston on Friday evening in the midst of a severe southeast windstorm, by the time they reached Plymouth, the weather was windy, but otherwise clear.\u00a0 Maybe it was the excitement of a trip or that it was only the two of them making it, but Little Joe made an effort to be pleasant.\u00a0 Not much more than that, but it was, at least, an improvement for which Adam gave thanks.\u00a0 Or, at least, tried to.\u00a0 One ought to be thankful with less than a week to the holiday itself, but he still felt disgruntled.\u00a0 With so little time left with Lily, to spend even one day squiring around his brother, instead of her, felt like a terrible waste.<\/p>\n Arriving after dark, they settled for a simple supper at their hotel and a quiet evening indoors.\u00a0 Adam had brought a new book with him, and he was glad to see that Joe had, too, although it was probably one of those mind-sapping dime novels he was absurdly fond of.\u00a0 Adam wasn\u2019t about to inquire. \u00a0At the moment he didn\u2019t care what his brother read, so long as it kept the kid quiet and occupied.\u00a0 They wouldn\u2019t really have that much to do tomorrow.\u00a0 Plymouth was a small town without much to see, scarcely worth the trip, but he\u2019d promised, back in the days when he\u2019d wanted to help Joe through the long stay here in the East.\u00a0 At least, they\u2019d be able to catch an early train back to Boston and shorten the misery of spending time together.<\/p>\n The moment that thought passed through Adam\u2019s mind, he regretted it.\u00a0 He loved his brother; of course, he did.\u00a0 He just wasn\u2019t feeling it much at present, but he resolved to try to make the excursion enjoyable\u2014and, perhaps, educational\u2014for Joe.\u00a0 As for the source of their conflict, Joe would just have to learn to accept Lily\u2014or not.\u00a0 If, in fact, he even needed to, if he himself had a future with her.\u00a0 When they had their next outing alone, he\u2019d ask her a significant question, and then he\u2019d know, one way or another.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n November 24<\/p>\n \u201cThe Pilgrims couldn\u2019t possibly have landed on that puny thing,\u201d Little Joe protested.<\/p>\n Adam grinned.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s possible there\u2019s more legend than history in the tradition of Plymouth Rock,\u201d he said, \u201cbut the man who started it was born while many of the Mayflower<\/em> Pilgrims were still living, and he was very insistent.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cToo small,\u201d Little Joe insisted, \u201cand too far from the sea.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAh, yes, I see,\u201d Adam agreed with a nod, \u201cbut neither was true before it was moved.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThey moved it?\u00a0 Why?\u201d<\/p>\n Adam scratched his head.\u00a0 \u201cWanted to build a wharf, as I recall.\u00a0 Anyway, the top part of the rock broke away then, and they just built the wharf over the bottom part.\u00a0 Originally, it was supposed to weigh something like twenty tons, which was quite large enough.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI reckon!\u201d Little Joe said, impressed.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re planning to move it back to the original location, according to George, join it up with the bottom part, but there\u2019s not much to see there yet.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut we could see the place, the actual place?\u201d<\/p>\n There was no denying the eagerness in his brother\u2019s eyes.\u00a0 \u201cWe could,\u201d Adam agreed.\u00a0 And though, when they reached the actual place, all they could see was the beginnings of a Victorian canopy which would one day shelter the rock, the surf crashing on the shore gave them both a sense of the hazards their forefathers had encountered in coming to this land, and sharing it together brought them a little closer together, and the unity, tenuous as it was, stayed with them throughout the day and the journey back to Boston.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n November 25<\/p>\n Sunday dawned clear, but cold and stayed at or below freezing all day.\u00a0 Still, the Pontpier family and their guests braved the cold to attend church.\u00a0 A collection was being taken to give the poor a bountiful Thanksgiving, and Mrs. Pontpier, especially, wanted to make a contribution.\u00a0 Adam, of course, had money to add to the offering plate, but even Little Joe, who had far less, wanted to do his part.\u00a0 Little as he had wanted to spend Thanksgiving away from Pa and Hoss, he was reminded afresh that many others had far less to be thankful for, and he resolved there in the pew that he would find some way to slip a small gift to Aideen, the little Irish maid he\u2019d stolen a kiss from early in his residence in Boston.\u00a0 She and her widowed mother weren\u2019t as impoverished as those to whom the church baskets would be delivered, but he was sure they\u2019d be glad of a little extra to make the day special.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n November 26<\/p>\n \u201cYou might as well know that I\u2019ll be spending every day this week at the office . . . until Thanksgiving, that is,\u201d Adam informed his brother in his room Tuesday morning.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s a short week, and there are projects I need to finish up for George before we leave for home Friday night.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSure, Adam,\u201d Little Joe said.\u00a0 His voice was subdued, but grateful to receive no argument, Adam took the words at face value and went down to breakfast.<\/p>\n Little Joe, who hadn\u2019t been fully dressed when his brother arrived, sat on the edge of his bed with a small sigh.\u00a0 He didn\u2019t really mind that Adam wouldn\u2019t be taking him anywhere.\u00a0 He understood the reason, and it would have been only one more excursion together, anyway.\u00a0 Besides, he\u2019d already seen enough of Boston to last him a lifetime.\u00a0 It was only that he knew Adam didn\u2019t want to spend time with him that hurt, and that was pretty much his own fault.\u00a0 He shouldn\u2019t have said what he did about Lily, and it hadn\u2019t even been necessary, since it seemed that his brother\u2019s feelings for her weren\u2019t any stronger than his own for Eva.<\/p>\n At the thought of his shipboard friend, he smiled.\u00a0 Eva would be here tomorrow evening, and he was looking forward to seeing her again.\u00a0 Thinking of that reminded him that he really needed to spend his suddenly freed day packing up and being ready to go on Friday, for as soon as Eva and her sister came, his days would be full until it was time to go home.\u00a0 Home!\u00a0 Pa!\u00a0 Hoss!\u00a0 The Ponderosa and Cochise!\u00a0 With a new spring in his step, he quickly finished his morning ablutions and hurried down to breakfast.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n November 27<\/p>\n What Adam hadn\u2019t told Little Joe was his plans for Tuesday evening, and there might be hell to pay when the kid found out.\u00a0 He\u2019d left that job to George, who had quickly pointed out the contradiction in being given such a thankless task so near Thanksgiving.\u00a0 \u201cBut I\u2019ll be giving thanks to you,\u201d Adam had just as quickly countered and was rewarded with a conspiratorial grin from his friend.<\/p>\n \u201cMake the best of your time with Miss Jennings, then,\u201d George said. \u00a0\u201cI, in the meantime, will enter the lion\u2019s den on your behalf.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou are a veritable Daniel, my friend.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSuch flattery will get you somewhere, but not far.\u201d\u00a0 George clasped his friend\u2019s shoulder.\u00a0 \u201cSeriously, Adam, good luck.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam arched an enigmatic eyebrow.\u00a0 \u201cLuck isn\u2019t required for a mere supper engagement.\u201d<\/p>\n George tried, but failed, to imitate the expression.\u00a0 \u201cAh, but it might be for another type of engagement.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t suggest that at home!\u201d Adam exclaimed.<\/p>\n \u201cTo the lion?\u00a0 My lips are sealed . . . and so, I pray, will be the lion\u2019s, if I really am a veritable Daniel.\u201d\u00a0 Laughing sturdily at his own joke, George lifted a hand in farewell.<\/p>\n Adam sobered as his friend walked away.\u00a0 In a sense he, too, felt he would be facing a lion tonight.\u00a0 Not Lily, of course.\u00a0 It was ridiculous to describe her that way, but the subject he wished to discuss with her was as daunting as an encounter with a wild beast, especially when he wasn\u2019t even sure how far he wished to explore the possibilities of . . . well, some sort of engagement, as George had surmised.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n \u201cDid you not enjoy the play?\u201d Lily asked as they dined after their trip to the Howard Athenaeum.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, I did,\u201d Adam said, idly stirring his coffee.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was a bit melodramatic,\u201d Lily said, \u201cbut an exciting mystery, I thought.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cUm-hmm,\u201d Adam murmured absently.\u00a0 \u201cOh, I\u2019m sorry, what was?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201c\u2018The Lady in White,\u2019\u201d Lily said with the patient smile women were often required to offer men, although rarely before this to Adam.\u00a0 \u201cDid you find it too melodramatic?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh.\u00a0 Well, a bit,\u201d he admitted.\u00a0 \u201cI confess, my mind kept drifting elsewhere.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI sensed as much,\u201d she said, her smile softening.\u00a0 \u201cWere you thinking of home?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIn a way,\u201d he said, \u201cbut I\u2019m not homesick, if that\u2019s what you meant.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI know you must be, at least somewhat,\u201d Lily said with a sigh, \u201cbut I so regret that this is our last evening together\u2014just the two of us, I mean.\u00a0 I\u2019ll see you Thanksgiving, of course, but there\u2019ll be . . . others then.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, others.\u201d\u00a0 Adam moistened his suddenly dry lips. \u00a0\u201cI think I shall be just as homesick for you as I am for the Ponderosa,\u201d he said softly.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat a lovely thing to say!\u201d she softly cried.\u00a0 \u201cAnd I feel the same, as if . . .\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAs if what?\u201d Adam pressed.<\/p>\n She dipped her chin demurely.\u00a0 \u201cIt isn\u2019t ladylike to say.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam lifted her chin with two fingers.\u00a0 \u201cSay it anyway.\u201d\u00a0 His voice was soft, a seductive purr.<\/p>\n She took a deep breath. \u00a0\u201cAs if a part of me were going with you, as if something will be irretrievably lost once you\u2019re gone.\u00a0 I shall miss you, Adam!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd I, you.\u201d\u00a0 He, too, felt the need for a bracing breath.\u00a0 \u201cWhich leads me to ask a, perhaps, ungentlemanly question: could you see yourself living out West, dearest?\u201d<\/p>\n She blushed and dropped her gaze, but then lifted her eyes and faced him frankly.\u00a0 \u201cIs this a proposal, Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPerhaps,\u201d Adam said.<\/p>\n She frowned slightly. \u00a0\u201cI don\u2019t know how to answer a perhaps proposal.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam laughed lightly.\u00a0 \u201cPerhaps with \u2018perhaps.\u2019\u00a0 I warned you it might be ungentlemanly.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSince I\u2019ve never known you to be anything but a gentleman, I can\u2019t accept that.\u00a0 Speak plainly, please, Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAll right, I will, and thank you for being the kind of girl who welcomes that.\u00a0 Lily, I honestly don\u2019t know whether we have a future together or not, but I sincerely hope that we do. \u00a0I feel we haven\u2019t known each other long enough for me to propose marriage.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI agree,\u201d Lily said at once, \u201cthough I, too, have hopes, Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s why I asked as I did, whether you could even entertain the idea of living in my part of the world,\u201d Adam explained.\u00a0 \u201cCould you?\u201d<\/p>\n She smiled sadly.\u00a0 \u201cI enjoyed my visit to the West, Adam, but I don\u2019t think I\u2019d make a very good pioneer.\u00a0 The East is all I know, and I love my life here: the music, the plays, the lectures.\u00a0 I don\u2019t know that I could give all that up for the frontier.\u201d<\/p>\n He reached for her hand.\u00a0 \u201cThe West is becoming less a frontier all the time, Lily.\u00a0 Believe it or not, we have opera and dramas and gifted speakers ourselves, even if some of them are rather homespun.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIn Virginia City?\u201d\u00a0 She looked skeptical.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, more in San Francisco, of course, but even Virginia City, while it\u2019s still rather rough at the edges, does have things to whet a cultural appetite.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDoes it satisfy your appetite?\u201d she asked, her head cocked.<\/p>\n With her, he had to be honest.\u00a0 \u201cNot fully,\u201d he admitted.<\/p>\n \u201cThen could you consider moving back East?\u201d she said.\u00a0 \u201cWouldn\u2019t we both be more content here?\u201d<\/p>\n He leaned back. \u00a0\u201cI\u2019ve often asked myself that.\u00a0 Perhaps someday, Lily, but I don\u2019t think I\u2019m ready to take that step yet.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThen we\u2019re neither one ready for marriage, Adam,\u201d she said, \u201cfor if we were truly in love, we wouldn\u2019t care where we lived, as long as we were together.\u201d<\/p>\n He nodded at her clear perception.\u00a0 \u201cI suppose not, but I do hope that we can remain friends.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOf course!\u00a0 Close friends, I hope, Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cVery close,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019d like it if we could correspond, Lily.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019d like that, too,\u201d she said, her eyes shining, \u201cand who knows what the future may hold, Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWho, indeed?\u201d\u00a0 He reached across the table and took both of her hands, and they smiled into each other\u2019s eyes as the waiter passed by, nodding knowingly and leaving them discreetly alone.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n November 28<\/p>\n Little Joe woke Wednesday morning after a night of troubled sleep.\u00a0 He\u2019d felt fine until Adam failed to show up for supper, and George had hinted to the family that Adam was contemplating engagement to their soon-to-be house guest.\u00a0 He had misunderstood his friend\u2019s intentions, of course, but Little Joe had believed it and was angry that Adam had not told him.\u00a0 But, then, he was just as angry at himself because he\u2019d made his own company so distasteful that Adam hadn\u2019t felt he could.\u00a0 The swirling mixture of guilt and anger kept him tossing and turning throughout the night.\u00a0 He probably should have gone to Adam to talk it out, but he didn\u2019t trust himself not to make matters worse, so he just dressed and dragged himself down to breakfast.<\/p>\n Both George and Adam, as well as Mr. Pontpier, were already at the table, and the audience effectively guaranteed that the Cartwright brothers wouldn\u2019t settle anything that morning.\u00a0 George had just finished filling his plate at the sideboard when Little Joe walked in.\u00a0 \u201cYou were out quite late,\u201d he said cheerily to Adam.\u00a0 \u201cAny news to share?\u201d<\/p>\n With hooded eyes, Adam said only one word: \u201cNo.\u201d\u00a0 Clearly, he didn\u2019t want to talk, and George wisely backed off.<\/p>\n Little Joe felt perplexed.\u00a0 Did that single word mean there was no news to share or was Adam still reluctant to share it with his brother?\u00a0 The noxious stew of anger and guilt turned his stomach into a churning cauldron, and he only nibbled at his breakfast, a sure sign of inner turmoil had anyone bothered to look.\u00a0 The thought of Eva\u2019s arrival that evening consoled Joe.\u00a0 At last, someone he could talk to, someone who would understand without judging.\u00a0 Of course, he thought wryly, he could probably get that from Madeleine, as well, but he wasn\u2019t sure he was ready to bare his soul to the one person probably more disturbed about an impending engagement for Adam than Joe himself.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n \u201cLittle Joe!\u201d\u00a0 The girl threw herself into his arms.<\/p>\n Joe laughed and lifted her into the air before bringing her down for a quick embrace.\u00a0 \u201cGood to see you, too, Eva.\u201d<\/p>\n Two other young women rolled their eyes.\u00a0 One was Eva\u2019s sister Margaret, who though she had always known that instilling Eastern manners in Eva was a lost cause, still blushed at her impropriety; the other was Madeleine Pontpier, who smiled patronizingly at the new Westerner in their midst.\u00a0 And now we\u2019ve a matched pair<\/em>, she told herself. \u00a0Surprisingly, that did not bother her as much as it would have earlier.\u00a0 After all, the Cartwright boy, whom she\u2019d once thought insufferable, had proven to be a thoughtful lad, and perhaps he had picked up some wisdom along the way.\u00a0 After all, hadn\u2019t he come to her for advice about a beneficence to bestow on that little Bridget\u2014no, Aideen, it was\u2014and her mother?\u00a0 A generous heart and the sense to seek advice about what was proper.\u00a0 Little Joe Cartwright wasn\u2019t up to his brother\u2019s standard, of course\u2014who was?\u2013 but a good lad, nonetheless.<\/p>\n \u201cMother, Father,\u201d George said when the hubbub subsided, \u201cMay I introduce Miss Eva Lawrence and her sister, my intended, Miss Margaret Lawrence?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDelighted, my dear,\u201d Mr. Pontpier said, taking her hand warmly.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve so looked forward to meeting you,\u201d said Mrs. Pontpier, \u201cand your charming sister, as well.\u201d<\/p>\n The charming sister suddenly remembered her manners and broke away from Little Joe to greet her hosts for the weekend.\u00a0 \u201cThank you for inviting us,\u201d she said sincerely.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019ll be so much more pleasant to spend Thanksgiving in a real home, instead of the school dormitory.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI hope you\u2019ll think of this as your home, my dear,\u201d Mrs. Pontpier said graciously, \u201cand not only for the weekend.\u00a0 You are soon to become family, after all.\u00a0 Little Joe, perhaps you could show your friend to her room, so she can refresh herself after her journey, and, Madeleine, I\u2019m sure you\u2019ll want to afford the same courtesy to Miss Margaret.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, please, just Margaret,\u201d said the older Lawrence sister.\u00a0 \u201cWe are, as you say, soon to be family.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMargaret it is, then,\u201d Madeleine put in.\u00a0 \u201cGeorge and Adam are finishing up some tiresome project, or he\u2019d have been here to meet you,\u201d she said as she led the way upstairs.<\/p>\n \u201cI believe they\u2019ve met before,\u201d Eva breathed in Little Joe\u2019s ear as they, too, headed upstairs.<\/p>\n \u201cShh.\u00a0 Behave yourself,\u201d he whispered back.<\/p>\n She giggled.\u00a0 \u201cLike you do.\u201d<\/p>\n He grinned.\u00a0 \u201cBetter than that.\u201d\u00a0 He escorted her to the door of her bedroom and entered far enough to set down the carpetbag he\u2019d been carrying for her, Horace having done the same service for her sister.\u00a0 \u201cMaybe sometime this evening we could take a walk or something?\u00a0 I sure could use a friendly ear.\u201d<\/p>\n She closed the door behind them.\u00a0 \u201cNo time like the present.\u201d<\/p>\n He chuckled.\u00a0 \u201cYou haven\u2019t learned a thing about propriety at that finishing school, have you?\u201d<\/p>\n She lifted her chin with a stubborn jut.\u00a0 \u201cI didn\u2019t need a finishing school to teach me that friendship comes first.\u201d<\/p>\n He gave her cheek a quick kiss.\u00a0 \u201cLove you for it, but you\u2019re tired from your trip, and they\u2019ll serve tea soon, anyway.\u00a0 Better later if you don\u2019t mind the cold.\u00a0 There\u2019s a nice little park across the street.\u201d<\/p>\n She grinned.\u00a0 \u201cAnd I could profess an unquenchable desire to see it in the moonlight.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe made clucking sounds as he shook his head.\u00a0 \u201cLeave off the moonlight,\u201d he advised.\u00a0 \u201cSome people here already think I\u2019m a rake who pursues every female in sight.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNow,
\nEast, West: Home’s Best – The Westerners<\/a>
\nEast, West: Home’s Best – The Journey Home<\/a><\/p>\n