Summary:\u00a0 The Cartwrights discover dangerous and unwanted company hiding out on the Ponderosa.<\/p>\n
Rating: PG<\/p>\n
Word Count: 7,031<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
I’ll Wait<\/strong><\/p>\n Chapter 1<\/strong><\/p>\n It was a cold morning in early spring and the winter snows had already melted away.\u00a0 Joe rode through the Ponderosa pines as he noticed the ground was still hard and not yet softened from recent spring rains.\u00a0 Bushes had started sprouting green leaves and wildflowers had begun to peek up from the ground to bloom.<\/p>\n Pa had sent Joe and his brothers and some of the ranch hands out to check fences.\u00a0 Each was assigned a certain section of the fence that surrounded the Ponderosa.\u00a0 As Joe approached his section of the fence he noticed a thin wisp of gray smoke rising up from the trees in the distance.\u00a0 It appeared to be coming from where one of the line shacks was located.\u00a0 Maybe a weary traveler had started a fire in the fireplace of the cabin.\u00a0 Still Joe knew he needed to make sure a forest fire hadn\u2019t started.\u00a0 He decided the fence checking would have to wait.<\/p>\n Joe reined Cochise away from the fence line and toward the smoke.\u00a0 As they followed a trail that lead to the line shack a teenage boy, who looked to be about 15 or 16, stepped out of the bushes with a rifle aimed right Joe.\u00a0 Joe immediately pulled Cochise to a stop.<\/p>\n \u201cNot so fast, stranger!\u201d The boy exclaimed with a proud smile like he was doing something big.<\/p>\n Joe replied, \u201cYou are trespassing on private property!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh is that so?\u00a0 We found an abandoned cabin near here.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat cabin was not abandoned!\u201d\u00a0 Joe sensed his anger start to rise.\u00a0 \u201cWe keep it stocked for our ranch hands to use.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cRanch hands?\u00a0 Is this supposed to be some kind of ranch?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThis is the Ponderosa you\u2019re standing on.\u201d<\/p>\n The boy sneered, \u201cThe Ponderosa?\u00a0 We\u2019ve heard of the Ponderosa.\u00a0 Some rich family owns it.\u00a0 They\u2019re full of money and like to throw their weight around.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLike I said you\u2019re trespassing on private property,\u201d Joe answered.\u00a0 \u201cWho are you and who\u2019s \u2018we\u2019?\u201d<\/p>\n The boy questioned, \u201cAnd who are you?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m Joe Cartwright.\u00a0 My family owns this land.\u00a0 Now who are you?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSo it\u2019s your family who owns the Ponderosa.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWho are you?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m Toby Denson.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDenson?\u201d\u00a0 Joe thought the name sounded vaguely familiar.<\/p>\n \u201cMaybe you\u2019ve heard of my pa and my uncle, Miles and Grant Denson.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe Denson gang?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat be us.\u201d<\/p>\n Joe remembered hearing of the Densons a few times in the past.\u00a0 He had heard that they were a gang of brothers who occasionally robbed banks and stagecoaches across the west with posses always losing their trail.\u00a0 They had also killed several people over the years.\u00a0 Now they were here on the Ponderosa.\u00a0 Joe swallowed hard while wondering what he should do next.\u00a0 He knew it was not a good time to do anything foolish or rash.\u00a0 He also didn\u2019t know where the rest of the gang was.\u00a0 Someone could be hiding in the bushes right now watching this scene.<\/p>\n \u201cNow drop your gun belt and your rifle,\u201d Toby commanded like he was trying to be tough.\u00a0 \u201cOr I\u2019ll blow your head off!\u201d<\/p>\n Joe slowly dropped his gun belt and rifle to the ground.\u00a0 Toby kept his rifle pointed at Joe as he picked up Joe\u2019s gun belt and rifle, and slung them over his shoulder.<\/p>\n Toby added, \u201cAll right get down slow and easy.\u201d<\/p>\n Joe carefully slid down off of Cochise to the ground.<\/p>\n \u201cStart walking toward the cabin.\u201d<\/p>\n Joe started walking up the trail toward the line shack and glanced back over his shoulder.\u00a0 \u201cWhat about my horse?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s fine where he is,\u201d Toby replied as he followed behind Joe.\u00a0 \u201cKeep moving.\u201d<\/p>\n They continued walking through the trees.<\/p>\n Toby questioned, \u201cHow many of you Cartwrights are there here?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFour. Why?\u201d\u00a0 Joe answered.<\/p>\n \u201cI was just wondering.\u00a0 So there\u2019s only four of you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s that supposed to mean?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh nothing.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHow many are in your gang?\u00a0 Is it just you and your pa and your uncle?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo there\u2019s four of us too.\u00a0 I guess that makes it even don\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n Joe thought about that for a moment as he remembered the ranch hands and replied, \u201cMaybe.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat do you mean \u2018maybe\u2019?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJust maybe.\u201d<\/p>\n Silence followed before they stepped into the clearing that was in front of the cabin.\u00a0 Joe did not see anyone outside, but he spotted four horses tied to the hitching rail beside the cabin.<\/p>\n Toby called out, \u201cHey, Pa!\u00a0 Look what I found!\u201d<\/p>\n Joe quietly watched three men walk out of the cabin with their guns drawn.\u00a0 Two of them were gray-haired with angular faces and looked similar like they were related.\u00a0 The third man was white-haired and appeared to be a little older than the other two.\u00a0 They all had hardened looks to them and their eyes were very cold.<\/p>\n Joe wondered how he was going to get out of this one.\u00a0 He realized this gang of outlaws had apparently holed up in the cabin during the winter.\u00a0 He tried to remember all of the details he had heard about the Denson gang.\u00a0 Joe mustered all the courage he could show in his face.\u00a0 He did not want them to know he was afraid and worried.\u00a0 He also wondered what was going to become of himself, his family, all of the men who worked the ranch, and the Ponderosa.<\/p>\n \u201cWho\u2019s this?\u201d\u00a0 One of the gray-haired men asked.<\/p>\n Toby replied, \u201cHe says he\u2019s Joe Cartwright and this is his ranch.\u201d<\/p>\n Joe added as firmly, \u201cThis is the Ponderosa and you are trespassing.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh is that so?\u201d\u00a0 The gray-haired man answered in a mocking tone.\u00a0 \u201cWe found this cabin abandoned.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt was never abandoned!\u201d\u00a0 Joe almost spit.\u00a0 \u201cWe keep it stocked for our ranch hands to use if they need it.\u00a0 You found food, supplies and firewood didn\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes we did.\u00a0 We spent the winter here.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWho are you?\u201d<\/p>\n The man smiled a crooked smile like he was somehow proud of himself.\u00a0 \u201cI am Miles Denson.\u201d\u00a0 He motioned to Toby.\u00a0 \u201cThat there is my boy Toby.\u201d\u00a0 Then he motioned to the other gray-haired man.\u00a0 \u201cThis is my brother Grant and our old friend TJ.\u00a0 Perhaps you\u2019ve heard of us.\u00a0 We\u2019re the Denson gang.\u201d<\/p>\n Joe answered, \u201cI\u2019ve heard of you.\u00a0 Like I said you\u2019re trespassing.\u00a0 We would like for you to leave.\u201d<\/p>\n The four outlaws all laughed.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s so funny?\u201d\u00a0 Joe questioned.<\/p>\n \u201cSo this is the Ponderosa,\u201d Miles replied.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019ve heard it\u2019s the biggest ranch in Nevada and you Cartwrights are very rich.\u201d\u00a0 He glanced around at the others.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019re standing on a gold mine and you, Mr. Cartwright, are our prisoner!\u201d<\/p>\n Joe glared at Miles as he sensed mixed feelings surging inside of him.\u00a0 He wanted to turn and start fighting these guys, but they all had guns and he didn\u2019t.\u00a0 He also wanted to run back to Cochise and ride away, but what good would that do if they shot him while he was trying to get away?\u00a0 Joe felt strongly he needed to carefully watch his every move with these guys.\u00a0 He remembered a long time ago Adam once told him to not do anything foolish if he ever found himself in a dangerous situation.<\/p>\n Joe decided he had better wait until a more opportune time.\u00a0 Still he wondered how to let his family know what was going on.\u00a0 Would they know he was in big trouble?<\/p>\n Miles asked, \u201cHow many of you Cartwrights are there?\u201d<\/p>\n Joe remained silent while he thought it might be a good idea to not give the gang any information.\u00a0 He remembered there were times when Adam did not answer questions when he was in a threatening situation.<\/p>\n Toby answered, \u201cHe said there\u2019s four of them.\u201d<\/p>\n After a pause TJ said to Miles, \u201cI once heard someone say to never mess with the Cartwrights.\u201d<\/p>\n Miles smiled.\u00a0 \u201cAnd we\u2019ll just prove them wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMiles, we\u2019ve hit small ranches before and even a big one,\u201d Grant said.\u00a0 \u201cBut we\u2019ve never even hit one as big as the Ponderosa.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat makes no difference.\u201d\u00a0 Miles chuckled like it was a joke.\u00a0 \u201cI seem to remember hearing the name Ben Cartwright.\u00a0 Who\u2019s he?\u201d<\/p>\n Joe carefully informed, \u201cHe\u2019s my father.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, we\u2019ll just round you four up and make one of you give us all of your money.\u00a0 Then we\u2019ll be gone.\u201d<\/p>\n At that moment Joe noticed movement up out of the corner of his eye.\u00a0 He looked to see two squirrels jump out of one of the Ponderosa pines and onto the cabin roof.\u00a0 The outlaws all turned and looked as the squirrels chased each other around the roof.<\/p>\n \u201cThose two have been after each other all week,\u201d Toby commented.<\/p>\n Joe replied, \u201cThey do that.\u201d<\/p>\n The squirrels ran across the roof and disappeared on the other side.<\/p>\n ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<\/p>\n It was late morning as Ben sat at his desk while he looked at a couple of timber contract bids that he and Adam had looked at the night before.\u00a0 Hop Sing walked up with a pot of coffee.<\/p>\n \u201cCoffee, Mr. Cartwright?\u201d\u00a0 Hop Sing asked.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, please.\u201d\u00a0 Ben lifted up his nearly empty cup.\u00a0 \u201cThank you.\u201d<\/p>\n Hop Sing poured coffee into the cup, and Ben set the cup down on the desk.\u00a0 Then a horse\u2019s hoof beats sounded from outside in the yard.<\/p>\n \u201cWho could that be?\u201d\u00a0 Ben asked as he got up.<\/p>\n They both stepped over to the study window and looked out.\u00a0 There Cochise trotted across the yard with Joe nowhere in sight.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat the \u2026\u201d Ben said and hurried out the door with Hop Sing following behind him.\u00a0 He rushed up to Cochise and grabbed the horse\u2019s reins while he looked for any sign of Joe.<\/p>\n \u201cJoe!\u201d\u00a0 Ben lead Cochise back across the yard.\u00a0 \u201cJoe!\u201d<\/p>\n There followed silence except for some birds chirping and singing in the trees.\u00a0 Ben wondered what could have happened to his youngest son.\u00a0 Then he noticed the rifle scabbard was empty.\u00a0 Now what could that mean?<\/p>\n \u201cHis rifle is gone,\u201d Ben said aloud.\u00a0 \u201cJoe must have run into some kind of trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n Hop Sing replied, \u201cSomething bad happen.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI need to go find him!\u201d<\/p>\n Ben tied Cochise to a hitching rail.\u00a0 Then he rushed into the barn to get Buck.<\/p>\n ~~~~~~~<\/p>\n The cabin was just one room with a table, chairs, two sets of bunk beds, a stove, fireplace and shelves with food and supplies.\u00a0 Joe\u2019s hands were tied behind his back as he sat on the floor next to the back wall.\u00a0 The back window was almost right above him.\u00a0 Toby was inside the cabin with Joe while TJ had stepped outside to take a break after playing a game of checkers with Toby.\u00a0 Miles and Grant had gone off to wait out on the trail for a Cartwright to come looking for Joe.<\/p>\n Joe questioned Toby, \u201cHave you ever thought about someday owning your own land and working it?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, a little bit.\u201d\u00a0 Toby shrugged his shoulders.\u00a0 \u201cBut Pa says no man should be a slave to the soil.\u00a0 It\u2019s a whole lot easier to hit banks and stagecoaches and even ranches.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEasier?\u00a0 How easy is it to have to always stay at least one step ahead of the law?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPa says he always loves a good cat and mouse game.\u201d<\/p>\n Joe stared incredulously at Toby.<\/p>\n Toby continued, \u201cHe knows how to lose a posse real quick.\u00a0 Have you traveled around and seen different parts of the country and the beauty of it?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes I have,\u201d Joe replied.<\/p>\n \u201cPa knows how to hit a bank real quick and get the heck out of town before anyone knows what happened.\u201d<\/p>\n Joe thought he wanted to show Toby that there was a better way of life than robbing and killing people.\u00a0 \u201cMy pa worked real hard for a lot of years to make this ranch what it is.\u00a0 He started with buying land and cattle.\u00a0 Now he has men working for him.\u00a0 He loves ranching.\u201d<\/p>\n Toby shook his head.\u00a0 \u201cMy pa says our way is a lot easier.\u00a0 Why wait years?\u00a0 Is your pa any good with a gun?\u00a0 My pa once dropped a man who was a mile away.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGee I wonder what that man\u2019s family thought?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThey probably figured he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.\u00a0 That\u2019s what Pa always says.\u00a0 He shouldn\u2019t have been there.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd how was he supposed to know that?\u201d\u00a0 Joe tried to reason.\u00a0 \u201cI wonder if he had children at home who were waiting for their pa to come home and he never came home.\u201d<\/p>\n Toby laughed. \u00a0\u201cYou sound as bad as my ma!\u00a0 She always tried to change my pa and she never could.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhere\u2019s your ma?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShe owns a saloon back in Wyoming.\u00a0 I lived with her until about three years ago.\u00a0 Pa came and got me and said I need to learn to be a man.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat did she say about that?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShe begged me to stay and not go with him.\u00a0 My pa is a very great man \u2013 better than yours slaving from the soil or whatever he does.\u201d<\/p>\n Hot anger started to rise within Joe as he considered getting up and lunging into Toby until he noticed Toby\u2019s gun laying on the table.\u00a0 Then from outside a creature\u2019s loud chattering sounded.\u00a0 Joe recognized it as the sound of a squirrel scolding someone or something.<\/p>\n \u201cIs that a squirrel making a fuss?\u201d\u00a0 Toby questioned as he looked over at the door.<\/p>\n \u201cYes,\u201d Joe answered.<\/p>\n Right then TJ stepped inside the cabin.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s that racket out there?\u201d\u00a0 Toby asked him.<\/p>\n \u201cOh some squirrel in a tree.\u201d\u00a0 TJ sat down at the table.\u00a0 \u201cIt doesn\u2019t like something.\u00a0 Shall we play another game?\u201d<\/p>\n ~~~~~~~~~~~<\/p>\n Ben slowly rode along on Buck with Cochise following behind them.\u00a0 From time to time he stopped and called out Joe\u2019s name several times, and no one answered.\u00a0 He wondered where his youngest son could be and what had happened.\u00a0 Ben hoped that Joe had not been attacked by some wild animal or had some kind of terrible accident.\u00a0 Cochise showed no signs of any kind of injuries.\u00a0 They soon reached the section of fence that Joe had been assigned to.\u00a0 He looked carefully around and saw no sign of Joe anywhere.<\/p>\n \u201cJoe!\u201d\u00a0 Ben yelled loudly.\u00a0 \u201cJoseph!\u201d<\/p>\n There was still no reply.\u00a0 All he heard were birds chirping in the trees.<\/p>\n Then Ben saw smoke rising from distant trees.\u00a0 He remembered there was a line shack in that area.\u00a0 Was somebody in the cabin?\u00a0 What was the meaning of this?\u00a0 Ben soon found the trail that lead to the cabin while he continued carefully looking around.\u00a0 Then two gray-haired men stepped out of the bushes with their rifles pointed at him.\u00a0 They both looked similar like they were brothers.\u00a0 Ben and the horses came to a stop.<\/p>\n \u201cGoing somewhere, stranger?\u201d\u00a0 One of the men asked.<\/p>\n \u201cI am Ben Cartwright and this is my land you\u2019re on!\u201d \u00a0Ben bellowed.\u00a0 \u201cWho are you?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re the Denson gang.\u00a0 Perhaps you\u2019ve heard of us.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben recognized the name of the Denson gang.\u00a0 He tried to remember what he had heard about them.\u00a0 And where was Joe in all of this?<\/p>\n The man continued, \u201cWe found an abandoned cabin over here.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat cabin is one of our line shacks for our ranch hands to use,\u201d Ben informed.\u00a0 \u201cIt was never abandoned.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s what another man told us.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat have you done with my son?\u201d<\/p>\n The man softly chuckled like he thought this was a little game.\u00a0 \u201cDrop those guns of yours slow and easy, and get off of your horse slow and easy.\u00a0 Then you\u2019ll find out, Mr. Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben felt like he could kick himself for allowing himself to go into a trap.\u00a0 He hoped Joe was all right and nothing bad had happened to him.\u00a0 He hoped that Adam and Hoss would figure out that there was serious trouble here and they would somehow get help.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Chapter 2<\/strong><\/p>\n It was late afternoon as Hoss rode Chub into the yard and noticed Buck and Cochise tied to one of the hitching rails.\u00a0 Then Hop Sing came running out of the ranch house.<\/p>\n \u201cMr. Hoss!\u201d\u00a0 Hop Sing yelled as he hurried over while Hoss got down from Chub.\u00a0 \u201cMr. Cartwright Mr. Joe trouble!\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss looked around.\u00a0 \u201cWhat?\u00a0 Where?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat do you mean you don\u2019t know?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHorses come home.\u00a0 No Mr. Joe.\u00a0 No Mr. Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss thought about that for a moment and replied, \u201cNow wait a minute.\u00a0 Pa sent us out to check fences and he was staying home to work on paperwork.\u00a0 Maybe you had better start from the beginning, Hop Sing.\u00a0 How did this whole thing start?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCochise come home.\u00a0 No Mr. Joe.\u00a0 Mr. Cartwright go find him.\u00a0 Take Cochise.\u00a0 Both horses come home.\u00a0 No Mr. Joe.\u00a0 No Mr. Cartwright.\u00a0 Trouble I tell you!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt certainly sounds like it.\u201d\u00a0 Hoss glanced over at Buck and Cochise.\u00a0 \u201cWhen did Cochise come home the first time?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBefore lunch.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAbout late morning?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd when did both horses come home?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAbout an hour ago.\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss walked over to Buck and Cochise.\u00a0 \u201cWere they limping at all?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss looked carefully over both horses.\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t see any scratches or anything like that on them.\u201d\u00a0 Then he noticed the rifle scabbards on the horses were both empty.\u00a0 \u201cWait a minute.\u00a0 Their rifles are both missing.\u201d\u00a0 He turned back to Hop Sing.\u00a0 \u201cWas Joe\u2019s rifle there when Cochise came home the first time?\u201d<\/p>\n Hop Sing shook his head.\u00a0 \u201cNo.\u00a0 Gone.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI sure wish I had been paying attention when Pa told Joe where to go.\u201d\u00a0 Hoss paused as he looked around.\u00a0 \u201cHas Adam come home yet?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI think he\u2019ll be home soon.\u00a0 I\u2019m sure he knows where Pa sent Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n ~~~~~~~~~~<\/p>\n It was still late afternoon when Adam arrived home.\u00a0 As he rode Sport into the yard he noticed Buck, Chub, and Cochise all tied to one of the hitching rails.<\/p>\n \u201cAdam!\u201d\u00a0 Hoss yelled as he ran out of the ranch house with Hop Sing right behind him.\u00a0 \u201cPa and Joe are in some kind of trouble!\u201d<\/p>\n Adam got down off of Sport.\u00a0 \u201cWhere?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat we don\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat do you mean you don\u2019t know?\u00a0 Their horses are right there.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTheir horses both came home without them.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n Adam listened as Hoss and Hop Sing both told him about Cochise coming home without Joe and his rifle, Pa leaving with Cochise, Buck and Cochise coming home without Pa and Joe, and both of their rifles missing.\u00a0 Hoss had come home about a half hour ago.\u00a0 He checked the horses over carefully, walked them around and saw no signs of injuries from falling or even stumbling.\u00a0 Adam looked over at the horses while he quietly thought about the whole situation.<\/p>\n Hoss asked, \u201cI\u2019m sure you know where Pa sent Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes I know exactly where Pa sent him.\u201d\u00a0 Adam turned toward the house.\u00a0 \u201cI want to look at that map.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam walked into the house with Hoss and Hop Sing following behind him.\u00a0 In Pa\u2019s study they gazed at the map of the Ponderosa that always hung on the wall behind Pa\u2019s desk.<\/p>\n Adam pointed at a far boundary line.\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s where Pa sent Joe.\u201d\u00a0 Then he remembered something.\u00a0 \u201cWait a minute.\u00a0 There\u2019s a line shack right near there.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, there sure is,\u201d Hoss replied.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m getting a strange feeling that Joe ran into some uninvited company, and Pa went right into a trap thinking Joe was hurt somewhere.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI think you might be right.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIf a trap has been set up for us we\u2019re not going into it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cRight.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam pointed at a nearby spot on the map.\u00a0 \u201cThere\u2019s an arroyo in here.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah there is.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIf I remember right there\u2019s a couple of good vantage points where we can go up and have a good look at what\u2019s going on over there.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah I think there are.\u201d<\/p>\n Out of the study\u2019s window they noticed foreman Hank Meyers ride into the yard at that moment.\u00a0 Adam turned and ran out of the house with Hoss and Hop Sing right behind him.<\/p>\n \u201cHank!\u201d\u00a0 Adam called out.<\/p>\n Hank pulled his horse to a stop.\u00a0 \u201cYeah?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI want you to round up about five men who are real good with guns.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll get right on it.\u00a0 We have trouble?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes.\u00a0 Pa and Joe\u2019s horses came home with them, and their rifles are missing.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat doesn\u2019t sound good.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe have some riding to do tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n ~~~~~~~~~~~<\/p>\n Now Joe and Pa both sat together against the back wall with their hands tied behind their backs.\u00a0 The outlaws sat at the table while they quickly ate a dinner of beef jerky and bean soup.\u00a0 They offered no food to Joe and Pa.\u00a0 A couple of times now Joe had noticed that the rope around his hands had not been tied real tight after he had been allowed outside to relieve himself.\u00a0 He wondered if he could wriggle his hands out to free himself and Pa.\u00a0 When would be a good time to do that?<\/p>\n Joe also remembered for a long time he had wanted to tell Pa how he felt about him as a father.\u00a0 Now was not the time to do it with outlaws listening in.\u00a0 Joe hoped they could get out of this situation so that he could finally tell Pa what a wonderful father he was.\u00a0 He wished he had told him long before this.<\/p>\n Soon Miles and Grant got up apparently to resume watch out on the trail.<\/p>\n \u201cI expect your other boys will be along soon looking for their pa and their brother,\u201d Miles told Pa.<\/p>\n Pa replied, \u201cMaybe.\u201d<\/p>\n Joe added, \u201cIt\u2019s not unusual for us to be gone working the ranch for two or three days or so before we return home.\u201d<\/p>\n Miles questioned, \u201cWhat if your horses return without you?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMy sons would be concerned,\u201d Pa answered.\u00a0 \u201cBut our horses may or may not return home.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThen we\u2019ll just wait for those boys of yours to show up looking for you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDo you have any idea how big the Ponderosa is?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh I\u2019ve heard about your little Ponderosa.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI have over 100 men working all over this ranch.\u00a0 It\u2019s not going to take them very long to figure out that something has happened to us.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd by the time they figure it out we\u2019ll be long gone,\u201d Miles said matter-of-factly.\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s the thing about you ranchers and cowboys.\u00a0 You\u2019re not really as bright as you like to think you are.\u00a0 One of your first mistakes was abandoning this cabin.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI have told you repeatedly this cabin was never abandoned!\u00a0 You had to climb a fence to get here!\u201d<\/p>\n Miles shook his head as he and Grant stepped out the door.<\/p>\n ~~~~~~~~~~~~~<\/p>\n Adam, Hoss, Hank and five ranch hands slowly rode beside the shallow creek of an arroyo during dusk.\u00a0 Adam looked around and motioned for everyone to stop.\u00a0 Then he, Hoss and Hank got down from their horses and climbed up the near slanting wall of the arroyo.\u00a0 When they reached the top Adam pulled out his binoculars and peered through it at the trees below.\u00a0 He looked and looked until in the distance he saw a man\u2019s head sticking up out of the bushes.\u00a0 Then he noticed another man\u2019s head sticking up as well.\u00a0 It appeared both men were sitting down in the bushes.\u00a0 Adam stared at them as he tried to determine in the gathering darkness if they could be Pa and Joe, but he had a strange feeling that they weren\u2019t.<\/p>\n \u201cTell me what you see.\u201d\u00a0 Adam handed the binoculars to Hoss.<\/p>\n Adam watched his brother look through the binoculars at the trees.<\/p>\n Hoss asked, \u201cDo I see two guys sitting down in the bushes?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes.\u201d\u00a0 Adam nodded.\u00a0 \u201cDo they look familiar?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWith it getting dark it\u2019s hard to say.\u00a0 I have a funny feeling they\u2019re not Pa and Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI have the same feeling.\u00a0 I\u2019m going to quietly go down there and have a look.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou be careful, Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI will.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam slowly climbed his way down through the trees in silence.\u00a0 Soon he heard voices whom he did not recognize.\u00a0 No those men were definitely not Pa and Joe.\u00a0 Who were they and what were they doing here?<\/p>\n Adam carefully stepped closer as one of the men said, \u201cYeah those Cartwrights are as dumb as they come.\u00a0 Soon enough we\u2019ll get them all rounded up and get their money.\u00a0 Then we\u2019ll kill them and we\u2019ll be long gone before anyone knows that anything happened.\u00a0 It\u2019ll be easy just like all of the others.\u00a0 You\u2019ll see.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI hope so,\u201d The other man replied.\u00a0 \u201cI just have this worry we\u2019re biting off more than we can chew.\u201d<\/p>\n The first man laughed.\u00a0 \u201cYou worry too much, Grant.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam decided it was obvious the two men knew where Pa and Joe were.\u00a0 Now where were they?\u00a0 In the cabin?\u00a0 Adam carefully returned back up to where Hoss and Hank were waiting for him.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat did you find out?\u201d\u00a0 Hoss asked.<\/p>\n Adam replied, \u201cWell, they\u2019re not Pa and Joe.\u00a0 One of them said something about rounding up the Cartwrights, taking our money and killing us.\u00a0 The other one is not so sure about the whole idea.\u00a0 It also sounded like they\u2019ve done this before, and the name of one of them is Grant.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGrant? I don\u2019t know anybody by that name.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t either.\u201d<\/p>\n The group continued riding down the arroyo for a little ways and stopped while dusk had turned to darkness.\u00a0 Once again Adam, Hoss and Hank climbed up to the top of the arroyo wall.\u00a0 Off through the trees Adam could make out the lighted windows of the cabin.\u00a0 He also noticed what looked like four horses tied to a hitching rail beside the cabin.<\/p>\n \u201cFour horses,\u201d Adam said.\u00a0 \u201cI take it we must have four uninvited visitors to deal with.\u00a0 Come on, Hoss, let\u2019s check this out.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOkay,\u201d Hoss answered.<\/p>\n \u201cHank you stay here and wait for us.\u201d<\/p>\n Hank nodded.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll do that.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam and Hoss carefully climbed down through the trees in silence.\u00a0 When they were close to the cabin they sat down in the bushes and hid.\u00a0 Then they each repeatedly made owl hooting calls.\u00a0 They only did two hoots at a time signaling Pa and Joe that they were there.<\/p>\n Over the years the Cartwrights had developed a series of secret signals with bird calls for each other.\u00a0 Two owl hoots meant \u201cI\u2019m here\u201d and three owl hoots meant \u201cHelp is here\u201d.<\/p>\n Now Adam whispered to Hoss, \u201cI\u2019m going to go and look in the back window.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSure you want to do that, older brother?\u201d\u00a0 Hoss whispered back.\u00a0 \u201cThey might see you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t plan for them to see me.\u00a0 I\u2019m just going to take a quick look.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam slowly moved through the bushes and made his way around to the backside of the cabin.\u00a0 Then he carefully stepped to the back window and looked in.\u00a0 First he noticed an older man and a teenage boy playing a game of checkers at the table.\u00a0 Then he saw Pa and Joe sitting down on the floor almost below the back window.<\/p>\n ~~~~~~~~~~~~~<\/p>\n Joe had heard owls hooting outside while Toby and TJ played their checkers game.\u00a0 After about a couple of minutes he realized the \u201cowls\u201d were only making two hoots at a time.\u00a0 Adam and Hoss were here!\u00a0 They didn\u2019t fall into the trap!\u00a0 Joe gazed over at Pa who was gazing at him with recognition in his dark-brown eyes.\u00a0 Then they both looked back at Toby and TJ.\u00a0 Joe felt encouraged that his brothers were out there somewhere.\u00a0 He knew his brothers would find a way to somehow help him and Pa get out of this situation.<\/p>\n Toby looked up at the door.\u00a0 \u201cThe owls are a little noisy tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSometimes they have a lot to say,\u201d Joe replied.<\/p>\n TJ said, \u201cIt\u2019s your move.\u201d<\/p>\n Toby and TJ continued their game.\u00a0 The hooting lasted for a few more minutes and stopped.\u00a0 A little while later TJ happened to glance over at the back window.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat!\u201d TJ stood up with widened gray eyes.\u00a0 \u201cWhat was that?\u201d<\/p>\n Then everyone looked over at the window as Toby asked, \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSomething was at the window!\u201d<\/p>\n Pa calmly replied, \u201cIt could have been one of the owls.\u201d<\/p>\n Joe added, \u201cProbably.\u00a0 Owls have sometimes shown up at my bedroom window before.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI know I saw something move outside the window!\u201d\u00a0 TJ rushed over to the back window and looked out.\u00a0 \u201cIt almost seemed like a human face.\u201d<\/p>\n Toby replied, \u201cWe\u2019ve seen owls at the windows here before.\u00a0 Or could it have been one of those squirrels?\u201d<\/p>\n Joe smiled a little wryly.\u00a0 \u201cMaybe one of the squirrels couldn\u2019t sleep?\u00a0 Who knows.\u201d<\/p>\n TJ walked out the door with gun in hand.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m going to look around.\u201d<\/p>\n Joe and Pa watched Toby stand in the doorway while TJ disappeared outside.<\/p>\n \u201cIs there somebody out here?\u201d\u00a0 TJ\u2019s voice called.\u00a0 \u201cYou had better show yourself!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt was probably just one of those owls or one of the squirrels,\u201d Toby responded as he stepped outside and disappeared as well.<\/p>\n Joe looked over at Pa who was gazing at him.\u00a0 There was something about Pa\u2019s eyes that said he knew who was probably at the window.<\/p>\n Joe whispered very low, \u201cThat was probably Adam or Hoss wasn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI believe so,\u201d Pa whispered back.\u00a0 \u201cNow they know where we are and they know we\u2019ve got trouble here on the Ponderosa.\u201d<\/p>\n ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<\/p>\n Adam moved through the bushes as silently as possible as the older man stepped out of the cabin calling out for whoever was out in the darkness.\u00a0 He was very glad that the ground was still hard enough that he was not leaving footprints anywhere \u2013 especially under the cabin\u2019s back window.\u00a0 Adam soon reached Hoss and they both stayed low in the bushes.\u00a0 They watched the man walk around the cabin and continue to call out for several minutes.\u00a0 The teenage boy had even stepped outside and insisted that the man had probably only seen an owl or a squirrel.\u00a0 Then the man and the boy returned inside the cabin and closed the door.<\/p>\n \u201cThat was too close,\u201d Hoss whispered.<\/p>\n Adam nodded.\u00a0 \u201cYes it was.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDid you see Pa and Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes they\u2019re in there.\u00a0 Come on.\u00a0 Let\u2019s go.\u201d<\/p>\n They returned to where Hank still waited for them.\u00a0 Then the three of them climbed back down into the arroyo to join the other men.<\/p>\n \u201cDid you see your pa and your brother?\u201d Hank asked Adam.<\/p>\n Adam replied, \u201cYes they\u2019re both being held prisoner inside the cabin.\u00a0 I want you to take one of the men with you and go and get the sheriff and bring him back here.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAll right.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe rest of us will wait right here.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Chapter 3<\/strong><\/p>\n It was in the middle of the night when Hank and one of the ranch hands returned with Sheriff Roy Coffee and one of his deputies.\u00a0 Hoss knew he and Adam were both glad to see Roy.\u00a0 Now how were they all going to free Pa and Joe?<\/p>\n All night long Hoss had tossed and turned on his bed roll without even a blink of sleep.\u00a0 His mind churned through one scenario after another of what could possibly happen.\u00a0 He hoped that Pa and Joe could be safely rescued.\u00a0 Hoss knew he would feel lost without his pa and his brothers.<\/p>\n \u201cHank says you heard the name Grant,\u201d Roy told Adam.<\/p>\n Adam replied, \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019ve heard of the Denson gang?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes I\u2019ve heard of them a couple of times.\u00a0 They\u2019re two or three brothers?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re two brothers named Grant and Miles Denson.\u00a0 They have an old friend TJ and Miles\u2019 boy Toby with them.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat sounds like who we saw.\u00a0 They usually hit stagecoaches?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThey sometimes hit stagecoaches and banks.\u00a0 Once in a while they\u2019ve hit a ranch where they\u2019ve killed the owners and their families, and then they rounded up the cattle and sold them.\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss asked, \u201cHave they ever been caught?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo.\u201d\u00a0 Roy shook his head.\u00a0 \u201cThey\u2019re very good at eluding posses.\u00a0 Besides we never know where they\u2019re going to turn up.\u00a0 They\u2019ve been robbing and killing all over the west.\u00a0 Now they were spotted back in November outside of Reno where they robbed a stagecoach and killed the driver.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThen they must have found this place and holed up for the winter.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam added, \u201cIt sure sounds like it.\u201d\u00a0 He paused a moment.\u00a0 \u201cSometimes when someone has been getting away with things for a long time they start to get careless.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes they do.\u00a0 Now we are going to be careful about the moves we make,\u201d Roy informed.\u00a0 \u201cFirst we\u2019re going to wait until daylight when we can see \u2026\u201d<\/p>\n ~~~~~~~~~~~~<\/p>\n It was sometime before dawn when Ben heard what sounded like a couple of owls hooting.\u00a0 Then he noticed that the hoots came in threes.\u00a0 He knew Adam and Hoss had returned.\u00a0 This time the message was that they had help.\u00a0 He started to have a very good feeling that his two older sons had gotten Roy here.\u00a0 Ben nudged Joe, and Joe nudged him back.\u00a0 Though the cabin was totally dark he could somehow sense that his youngest son was smiling.\u00a0 He smiled too.<\/p>\n Ben glanced over at the bunk beds where three of the outlaws were asleep while the fourth one sat at the table snoring.\u00a0 The night before Miles had told Ben that he didn\u2019t think his other boys would come looking for him and Joe in the middle of the night.\u00a0 Still Ben secretly understood that Miles Denson didn\u2019t know Adam Cartwright and he certainly didn\u2019t know Sheriff Roy Coffee.<\/p>\n ~~~~~~~~~~~~~<\/p>\n Sunrise had started while the outlaws sat at the table eating a breakfast of eggs and pancakes.<\/p>\n \u201cMind if my pa and I have some?\u201d\u00a0 Joe asked.<\/p>\n \u201cYes I do!\u201d\u00a0 Miles replied.\u00a0 \u201cNo you two aren\u2019t getting any!\u201d\u00a0 He turned toward Pa with a mouthful of eggs.\u00a0 \u201cAs soon as we have the rest of your boys rounded up me and Grant are taking you to get money out of your safe.\u201d<\/p>\n Pa answered, \u201cWe have a bunkhouse that\u2019s right there near the house.\u00a0 Some of our ranch hands are bound to be there.\u00a0 Don\u2019t you think they\u2019re going to notice what\u2019s going on?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s no problem.\u00a0 We\u2019ll take care of anybody who\u2019s there.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMr. Denson, I told you I have over 100 men working this ranch.\u00a0 What\u2019s two of you against even 10 or 20 of them?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ll take care of them.\u00a0 We always do.\u201d<\/p>\n TJ laid down his fork and sighed like he was already starting to question this whole thing.\u00a0 \u201cMiles, Mr. Cartwright has a very good point.\u00a0 Maybe we should just leave him and his boy here and just get out of here.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAre you turning yellow on us?\u201d\u00a0 Miles had a grave look on his face.<\/p>\n \u201cNo.\u00a0 I just don\u2019t like being a fool.\u00a0 Remember I told you that I once heard someone say to never mess with the Cartwrights?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes I do.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m starting to think they were right.\u201d<\/p>\n Grant added, \u201cYou know I\u2019ve always looked up to you, Miles, but this time I agree with TJ.\u201d<\/p>\n Miles became silent for a few moments while he appeared to glare at both his brother and their friend.<\/p>\n Toby said, \u201cPa\u2019s right.\u00a0 He\u2019s always right.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s my boy,\u201d Miles replied.<\/p>\n The outlaws finished eating their breakfast in silence.\u00a0 Then Grant and TJ left to presumably take their places watching the trail.\u00a0 Joe and Pa watched Miles and Toby sit down at the table and play a game of checkers.<\/p>\n Several minutes later a very familiar voice called from outside, \u201cMiles and Toby Denson!\u201d<\/p>\n Miles and Toby both stopped and looked toward the door.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is Sheriff Roy Coffee of Virginia City!\u00a0 We\u2019ve just arrested Grant and TJ!\u00a0 We have this whole cabin surrounded!\u00a0 Both of you come out with your hands up!\u201d<\/p>\n Joe and Pa watched as Miles and Toby immediately grabbed their guns, broke the front windows and pointed their guns out the windows.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ll do no such thing!\u201d\u00a0 Miles shouted back.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s no way you\u2019re going to win this!\u00a0 This is the end of the line!\u201d<\/p>\n Joe started to pull against the ropes that bound his hands behind his back.<\/p>\n Miles answered, \u201cNo one tells me it\u2019s the end of the line!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMiles, think about that son of yours!\u00a0 Is this what you really want for him?\u201d<\/p>\n Miles fired out the window and Toby followed suit.\u00a0 They both ducked as bullets came back through the windows.\u00a0 Then they fired again.<\/p>\n Joe started trying to pull his hands out of the ropes while the shootout continued.\u00a0 He hoped he could get himself and Pa both untied.\u00a0 The next thing he knew Miles grabbed Pa and lead him right out the door!<\/p>\n \u201cYou let us all go or I\u2019ll shoot Mr. Cartwright!\u201d\u00a0 Miles called out.<\/p>\n Roy\u2019s voice responded, \u201cYou know we can\u2019t let you go!\u00a0 You have killed a lot of good people over the years!\u00a0 You will be held accountable for that!\u201d<\/p>\n One of Joe\u2019s hands finally slid out of the ropes.<\/p>\n Meanwhile outside Adam and Hoss quietly made their way through the bushes up to the side of the cabin.\u00a0 Adam signaled for Hoss to stop and then he carefully looked around the front corner of the cabin.\u00a0 There he saw Miles standing out front with a gun pointed at Pa\u2019s head.<\/p>\n \u201cI mean it!\u201d\u00a0 Miles said.\u00a0 \u201cYou let us go or else!\u201d<\/p>\n Roy answered back from the bushes ahead, \u201cThere are several guns trained on you!\u00a0 If you so much as raise a hand against Ben you\u2019re dead!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou don\u2019t scare me, Mr. Sheriff!\u201d<\/p>\n Pa happened to look around and as he looked over his shoulder his eyes met Adam\u2019s for a brief moment.\u00a0 Then he looked away as what sounded like a couple of squirrels chattering loudly came from the trees. \u00a0Miles looked up at the trees and Pa suddenly dropped to the ground.\u00a0 Miles appeared to stumble almost off balance and pointed his gun again at Pa.\u00a0 Adam immediately raised his gun and fired.\u00a0 Miles fell to the ground motionless.<\/p>\n Back inside the cabin Joe finally got his hands out of the ropes and he started to get up on his feet.<\/p>\n Toby screamed, \u201cPa!\u201d<\/p>\n Joe lunged at Toby and they both rolled and scuffled out the door.\u00a0 Joe somehow managed to knock the gun out of Toby\u2019s hand.\u00a0 Then Toby crawled over to his father\u2019s lifeless body.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, Pa!\u201d\u00a0 Toby cried.\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t leave me.\u00a0 Please don\u2019t leave me.\u201d<\/p>\n Joe crawled over to Toby\u2019s side as he realized that Miles\u2019 gun was laying close by.\u00a0 He noticed Adam walking over and helping Pa up and starting to untie the ropes that bound his hands.\u00a0 He also saw Roy and some of the ranch hands stepping out of the bushes.<\/p>\n Toby looked up at Adam and yelled, \u201cYou killed my pa!\u201d\u00a0 He grabbed his father\u2019s gun and started to swing his arm around to shoot.\u00a0 \u201cYou killed my pa!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo you don\u2019t!\u201d\u00a0 Joe pushed Toby to the ground.<\/p>\n Toby pushed him off and sat up with the gun pointed at Joe.\u00a0 A gunshot sounded from the direction of where Roy stood.\u00a0 Toby fell back to the ground and laid motionless beside his father.\u00a0 For a few brief moments Joe stared in shock at him.\u00a0 He was just a kid and he had tried to kill Joe\u2019s brother!<\/p>\n Hoss seemed to appear out of nowhere and stood beside Joe.\u00a0 \u201cYou okay, little brother?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m fine,\u201d Joe replied.<\/p>\n Hoss helped Joe back up on his feet while Roy and the ranch hands walked up to the Cartwrights.<\/p>\n \u201cI sure am glad to see you two!\u201d\u00a0 Hoss said to both Joe and Pa.<\/p>\n Pa answered as he glanced back and forth at Hoss and Adam, \u201cAnd we\u2019re mighty glad to see you two!\u201d<\/p>\n The Cartwrights momentarily hugged each other.<\/p>\n Then Hoss gazed down at Toby.\u00a0 \u201cHe was just a boy!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cUnfortunately,\u201d Roy added with sad dark eyes.<\/p>\n Joe informed, \u201cHis mother is back in Wyoming somewhere.\u00a0 She needs to know what happened.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll take care of that, son.\u201d\u00a0 Roy nodded.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll take care of it.\u201d<\/p>\n ~~~~~~~~~~~~<\/p>\n Joe sat down on his bed after he had changed into his nightshirt.\u00a0 Memories of Toby crossed his mind as he wondered how someone could look up to a father who had apparently thought nothing of killing several innocent people over the years.\u00a0 Then he noticed movement at his bedroom window.\u00a0 He looked over to see an owl looking in.\u00a0 Joe stood up and the owl fluttered off into the darkness of night.\u00a0 He decided then to go talk to Pa.\u00a0 Joe walked out to Pa\u2019s bedroom door and found it closed.\u00a0 He knocked softly on the door.<\/p>\n \u201cCome in!\u201d\u00a0 Pa\u2019s voice answered.<\/p>\n Joe opened the door and stepped inside.\u00a0 He noticed Pa sitting in bed with a book in his lap.<\/p>\n \u201cYou need to talk?\u201d\u00a0 Pa asked.<\/p>\n Joe pulled a chair over next to the bed and sat down.\u00a0 \u201cYeah I do.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s troubling you, Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI keep thinking about Toby.\u00a0 He was convinced his father was this wonderful man who could do no wrong. \u00a0I tried to reason with him, but he wouldn\u2019t listen.\u201d<\/p>\n Silence followed for a few moments before Pa replied, \u201cYou talked to him, and that\u2019s what counts.\u00a0 When all someone sees are muddy streets they think that\u2019s all there is.\u00a0 When they finally lift their eyes and see the mountains they know there\u2019s more.\u201d<\/p>\n More silence followed.\u00a0 Then Joe remembered he had long wanted to tell Pa how he felt about him.\u00a0 Now was finally the right time.<\/p>\n \u201cPa, there\u2019s something that I\u2019ve been wanting to tell you for a very long time,\u201d Joe said.\u00a0 \u201cI think you\u2019re the greatest father anyone could ever have.\u00a0 I know I haven\u2019t always acted like it, but I\u2019ve always looked up to you.\u00a0 You\u2019re always there to listen when something is troubling us, and you\u2019re always there to help whenever we\u2019re not sure what we should do.\u00a0 I really do want to be like you in so many ways.\u201d<\/p>\n Pa smiled with moist dark eyes.\u00a0 \u201cThank you, son.\u00a0 I\u2019ve always tried to do right by you boys.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou always have, Pa.\u00a0 You always have.\u201d<\/p>\n ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<\/p>\n Tags: Joe Cartwright, Ben Cartwright, Adam Cartwright, Hoss Cartwright, family<\/p>\n Author’s Note: This was written for a challenge on Bonanza Boomers.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n