{"id":3271,"date":"2009-04-25T09:05:57","date_gmt":"2009-04-25T13:05:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=3271"},"modified":"2026-07-22T13:54:33","modified_gmt":"2026-07-22T17:54:33","slug":"at-the-hands-of-strangers-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=3271","title":{"rendered":"At the Hands of Strangers (by Camera Chic)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summary: \u00a0<\/span>A prequel. A revengeful hired hand kidnaps Little Joe, who discovers a new friend in an unlikely place. \u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Rated:<\/span>\u00a0K+ (13,805)
\n<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

At the Hands of Strangers Series:<\/strong><\/p>\n

At the Hands of Strangers<\/a>
\nFriends and Strangers<\/a><\/p>\n

At the Hands of Strangers<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u201cJoe! Hey Little Joe! Dinner!\u201d<\/strong> Hoss yelled outside. He shut the door and turned and walked into the dining room, frowning slightly. \u201cHey Adam?\u201d he said as he sat down at the table. \u201cYou notice Little Joe\u2019s been actin\u2019 sorta peculiar recently?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam shrugged. \u201cNot particularly. Although I haven\u2019t really seen him today. Other than when he stormed out of here earlier. I figured he\u2019s just cooling off somewhere.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI guess so,\u201d Hoss replied. Adam and Little Joe had gotten into a fierce argument today. Joe had been in the wrong, but that hadn\u2019t mattered to him. Hoss sighed. He hoped Ben would be back from his trip soon; or at least before there was a serious fight between his two strong-willed and stubborn siblings.<\/span><\/p>\n

Both of them looked up as Little Joe slammed the front door open and ran inside, not even bothering to close it, and tore up the stairs. As he reached the top, Adam admonished, \u201cJoseph! Go back and close that door!\u201d Little Joe stopped at the top of the stairs, his back to his brother. Under normal circumstances, the ten year old would have grumbled and rolled his eyes before going back down the stairs; but today he just stood frozen at the top. \u201cJoseph, did you hear me?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Little Joe turned and ran down the stairs to the door, trying to hide his face from his older brothers. It didn\u2019t work. As soon as Joe had shut the door, he turned to find Adam in front of him, curiously observing the angry tears on the boy\u2019s cheeks. \u201cJoe\u2026? What\u2019s the matter?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNothing,\u201d he replied sullenly and ran past Adam up the stairs to get changed for dinner.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam and Hoss looked at each other, puzzled. It was unusual for the boy to remain so angry about getting into trouble this long. Something else had to be bothering him.<\/span><\/p>\n

A few minutes later Little Joe sulked into the dining room and sat on the edge of his chair, tilting it forward. Adam cleared his throat. \u201cJoe, sit properly,\u201d he said, and started cut the beef. Joe slammed the chair back and leaned on the table with his arms crossed. Adam closed his eyes for a couple of seconds, and then put the knife down and looked at his younger brother. \u201cSomething you want to share?\u201d he asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe didn\u2019t look up at him or respond.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam sighed. \u201cJoe, I know you\u2019re probably still upset about this afternoon-\u201c<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShows what you know,\u201d muttered Little Joe.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss looked up in surprise. \u201cJoe! What\u2019s eating you? Come on, out with it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe chewed his lower lip for a couple of seconds, and then looked up at Hoss. \u201cOne of the hands got mad at me,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhy?\u201d Hoss asked. \u201cWhat happened?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe shrugged. \u201cI was watching them breaking some horses, and one of them said I was a little kid, and I shouldn\u2019t be there \u2018cuz it was dangerous.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam frowned. Little Joe knew how to stay safe while watching them work the horses. He loved watching but he never got too close to the fence. Usually he climbed up on something near the ring and watched from a safe distance and to keep out of the way. Most of the hands knew this. \u201cJoe, was anybody else around when he said this?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe shook his head.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTell us exactly what happened, Joe,\u201d Hoss said. He knew as well as Adam it had to have been one of the new men that saw their brother as being in the way. Most of the others were tolerant and even pleased by his keen interest.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I was sitting a little ways away from everything, like I\u2019m supposed to, and one of the men came up to me when everyone else was watching them break that new horse we just got. He grabbed my arm and told me to get out of there. I said I was allowed to be here as long as I wasn\u2019t causing problems, and he got real mean. He called me a couple of names and said some words I\u2019m not allowed to repeat, so I left.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWho did it?\u201d Adam asked. He frowned as Little Joe immediately looked away and shrugged. He could tell Joe knew but wasn\u2019t going to tell them, and he wondered why.<\/span><\/p>\n

Little Joe looked up. \u201cI\u2019m not hungry\u2026can I leave, please?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam sighed and nodded. As Joe got up, Adam called out, \u201cTomorrow is Sunday and we\u2019re going into town. I told Hop Sing to get a bath ready, and I expect you to be done by your bedtime.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe just muttered as he went up the stairs.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam looked at Hoss, and the rest of their meal was spent trying to figure out who could have gotten angry at their brother.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam opened the door to the guest room where Little Joe was taking his bath. Adam raised his eyebrows in surprise at seeing Joe fully dressed for bed already and brushing his hair. \u201cWell, that was fast,\u201d he commented. Little Joe shrugged. Adam walked forward and grabbed Joe\u2019s wrist.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHey!\u201d Little Joe loudly protested.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam examined his hand. \u201cJoe, did you even get in the tub?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you mean?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou still have dirt under your nails, and your skin isn\u2019t even wrinkled.\u201d Adam released his hand.<\/span><\/p>\n

Little Joe glared at him. \u201cThe water was too hot.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam dipped his hand in the tub. \u201cWell, it\u2019s not too hot now- Joseph\u2026\u201d he said threateningly as Little Joe backed away from him and the tub. \u201cGet over here now. I\u2019m not playing.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Little Joe squirmed away as Adam tried to grab him and ended up standing with his back against the tub. \u201cFine, I\u2019ll take a bath.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam waited a few seconds and then said, \u201cWell?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell what?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam gritted his teeth. \u201cJoseph, I\u2019m not leaving this room until you get in the tub.\u201d Little Joe just looked at him, and Adam could tell he was trying to decide whether or not he was serious. Adam decided to make up his mind for him, and he quickly moved forward and grabbed the cuffs of Joe\u2019s nightshirt. Joe\u2019s cry of protest was muffled by the nightshirt coming over his head. Adam frowned at what he saw, and reached out and gently turned Joe around. He gasped slightly as he fully saw the boy\u2019s back. There were about eight bright red welts on his back. The skin wasn\u2019t broken, but it looked bad enough to become pretty bruised.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam took hold of the boy\u2019s shoulders and turned him to face him. Joe\u2019s head was still bowed. \u201cWho did it?\u201d Adam asked. Joe didn\u2019t look up or answer. Adam tried again. \u201cJoe\u2026was this done by the same guy that yelled at you?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe barely nodded.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen did this happen?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cToday\u2026\u201d Joe whispered. \u201cHe whipped me with the cinch from Sport\u2019s saddle.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam slowly inhaled and then picked up a towel and wrapped it around the boy\u2019s waist. He had taken apart all the pieces of his saddle this morning so he could thoroughly clean them after a muddy ride the day before, and he hadn\u2019t put them back together yet. Adam bit his lip as he thought of how painful being whipped by the strip of leather must have been, even if it didn\u2019t leave cuts. \u201cWhat happened?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Little Joe shrugged. \u201cI ran in the barn this afternoon, and he was checking the shoe on one of the horses and it kicked him and knocked him down. He got really mad.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJoe\u2026\u201d When the boy didn\u2019t raise his head, Adam reached out and took hold of his chin, and then forced him to look up at him. \u201cWhy didn\u2019t you say anything? Why didn\u2019t you tell us?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe swallowed before answering. \u201cI was afraid too, Adam.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe said that I deserved the whipping, and I better not get him in trouble.\u201d Joe looked away. \u201cI knew you would do something about it\u2026but now that I\u2019ve told you, please don\u2019t. It\u2019s not that important\u2026I\u2019ll just stay away from him and try not to get him mad at me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJoe\u2026tell me who did this.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, no! I don\u2019t want you to talk to him. It was my fault for spooking the horse anyway\u2026you\u2019ve told me a hundred times not to go charging into places\u2026\u201d Joe stopped and looked up as Adam pulled him closer.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJoe. What he did was wrong\u2026that\u2019s why he didn\u2019t want you to tell. He had no right to hit you\u2026it doesn\u2019t matter what you did. Tell me who did it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe looked at the floor for a few minutes. \u201cIt was one of the guys we hired last week. Harker,\u201d he said quietly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThanks,\u201d Adam said. \u201cDon\u2019t worry about it. Let\u2019s get you cleaned up so you\u2019re presentable for prayer meeting tomorrow.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Monday morning Joe was in the barn saddling his horse, Midnight, so he could go to school. He finished tightening the last buckle and turned to leave the stall, but as soon as he saw the man standing outside of the stall he gasped and backed up.<\/span><\/p>\n

Harker took a couple steps forward and patted the horse on the back. \u201cNice animal you have here,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe stood flat against the back of the stall, staring at the man in front of him. \u201cWhat do you want?\u201d he asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

Harker looked at him in surprise. \u201cWhy, I\u2019m not doing anything wrong, am I?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Little Joe looked down and shrugged. \u201cI guess not.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The man smiled. \u201cI mean, I wouldn\u2019t want to do anything to get myself fired. I like this job,\u201d Harker moved closer to Joe, who pressed himself flatter against the wall. \u201cI like this job a lot,\u201d he continued. \u201cNo sir, I wouldn\u2019t want to get fired.\u201d He stepped closer to Joe.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFired\u2026?\u201d asked Joe, suddenly getting a very bad feeling. \u201cWhat are you talking about?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhy, your brother of course. He had a little talk with me this morning.\u201d Harker moved closer to Joe and held his shoulder. Any trace of the smile he had before was now completely gone. \u201cWhat\u2019s the matter, boy? You don\u2019t look happy. Maybe you\u2019re remembering the rest of the conversation we had. About what would happen if you told anybody.\u201d The man held up his other hand and Joe bit his lip as he saw the belt.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe ran through the schoolyard, knocking a kid out of the way. He took careful aim and kicked the ball hard, sending it to its goal amidst cheers from his teammates. He grinned at them, but carefully ducked out of their reach and ran for the water trough next to the schoolhouse. As he dunked his head in the water to cool off, he became aware of somebody standing behind him. He stood up and shook his head, and then looked back. It was William, the kid he had knocked over to win the game.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you think you were doing?\u201d William asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPlaying,\u201d replied Joe.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t you mean cheating?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Little Joe\u2019s temper immediately flared. \u201cI was not!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou were too! You deliberately tripped me. That\u2019s not allowed in the game.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI did not!\u201d was Joe\u2019s indignant reply. \u201cYou\u2019re just a sore loser!\u201d The next second, Little Joe found himself on the ground, grimacing in pain. He put his hand to his bleeding nose as Miss Jones came running towards the scene.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is going on here?\u201d she called, and some of the children quickly explained what had happened. She bent over Little Joe and looked at his nose. \u201cIt\u2019s bleeding heavily. Everyone, go inside and wait quietly for me. I\u2019ll be back from the doctor\u2019s in a few minutes. I expect you all to behave.\u201d She ushered Little Joe down the street and into the doctor\u2019s office. \u201cDoctor Martin?\u201d she called.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBack here,\u201d he replied.<\/span><\/p>\n

She pushed Joe into the back, where Doc Martin and Roy Coffee, a longtime friend of both the good doctor and Ben Cartwright, had been talking.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, what\u2019s this?\u201d said the doctor as he lifted Joe onto the exam table. \u201cYou in a fight today?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Miss Jones quickly outlined what had happened, and then she excused herself to go back to her class. Doc Martin helped Joe tip his head back to stop the bleeding, then he got a damp cloth to clean up the blood.<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe was concentrating on getting his nose to stop bleeding, and he didn\u2019t notice what the doctor had stopped to look at until he felt him grab his wrist and pull his sleeve down. \u201cHey!\u201d Joe yelped, dropping the cloth he had been holding under his nose.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat happened?\u201d Doc Martin asked with a worried frown. Joe looked at the bruises on his wrist, and then at the floor. \u201cDid Adam or Hoss do this?\u201d Doc Martin asked. Little Joe shook his head. Doc Martin glanced up at Roy, and then looked back at Joe. \u201cOkay, son, how about you take off your shirt. I want to get a good look at your arm.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe looked up in panic. \u201cNo,\u201d he said and tried to think of some reason not to. Nothing was coming.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCome on, I just want to have a look.\u201d When Joe didn\u2019t move, he glanced up at Roy.<\/span><\/p>\n

As the other man walked behind him, Joe tried to jump off the table but Doc Martin gently held his arms.<\/span><\/p>\n

Roy carefully pulled up his shirt. \u201cPaul, come have a look,\u201d he said. Doc Martin released Joe and walked around the bed. He gently examined Joe\u2019s back, and then looked at Roy. \u201cThere must be about a dozen cuts here.\u201d He carefully pulled the shirt over Joe\u2019s back, and then he and Roy walked around to the front of the bed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, how did this happen?\u201d Doc Martin asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe didn\u2019t answer.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDoes Adam or Hoss know?\u201d asked Martin.<\/span><\/p>\n

Little Joe\u2019s only response was a shrug.<\/span><\/p>\n

The two men exchanged looks, and then Roy helped Joe down from the bed. \u201cCome on, youngen\u2019,\u201d he said and gently nudged him to the door. \u201cI\u2019m going to take you home. You can\u2019t go back to school looking like this.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

It was a quiet trip back to the Ponderosa. As soon as they arrived in the yard Adam came outside, curious as to who would be visiting this time of day. Upon seeing the bloodied clothes of his younger brother, Adam rushed across the yard. He lifted his brother out of the saddle, and then inspected his face. Joe angrily pushed his hand away. \u201cI\u2019m all right, Adam! Leave me alone.\u201d Joe turned and bolted into the house.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam looked over at Roy. \u201cThanks for bringing him home,\u201d he sighed.<\/span><\/p>\n

Roy dismounted and tied the reins to the post. \u201cHow are things going out here?\u201d he asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam frowned. \u201cWell, fine Roy. Why do you ask?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Roy shrugged. \u201cNo reason in particular. Is the youngen\u2019 behaving himself?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam smiled. \u201cAs usual,\u201d he chuckled. \u201cLoud and stubborn as ever.\u201d Suddenly Adam frowned as he sensed more to what he was asking. \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Roy saw no point in dodging the issue. \u201cAdam, did you see his back?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam frowned. \u201cTwo days ago. Joe said one of the hands hit him.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, if I were you I\u2019d do something about it. Doc and I saw it today, and it looks pretty bad. He\u2019s got a lot of cuts and bruises.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2026?\u201d Adam turned and strode inside with Roy following him. They went into Joe\u2019s room to find him lying face down on the bed. As soon as Joe realized they were in the room he scrambled up. Adam reached out and caught him, and then with much fighting and yelling on Joe\u2019s part, he wrestled Joe\u2019s shirt up. Joe stopped fighting the moment he realized it wouldn\u2019t do any good anymore. Adam gently pulled him up and sat on the edge of the bed. \u201cJoe, what happened?\u201d Little Joe didn\u2019t move. He just stood in front of him with his head down. Adam gently held the back of his head and pulled him close to his ear. \u201cJoe\u2026what happened? It\u2019s a lot worse than it was before,\u201d he said into his ear. He strained to hear the answer, and then looked up at Roy and Hoss, who had come in at the start of the scuffle. He pulled the boy onto his lap, taking care not to touch his back where he had been hurt.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat did he say?\u201d Roy asked quietly.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam looked up at them. \u201cBecause I told you. That\u2019s what he said\u2026because I told you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss gasped. \u201cYou mean Harker did this because Joe told you about the whipping?\u201d Adam nodded grimly. \u201cWhat are we going to do?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam thought for a few moments, and then looked up at Roy and Hoss. \u201cWe can\u2019t keep him on, even though we\u2019re shorthanded.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe looked up at him. \u201cPlease don\u2019t fire him\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhy, what did he say?\u201d asked Adam.<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe shrugged. \u201cNothing\u2026exactly. He said he\u2019d get really mad if he got fired, and if it was because of me\u2026he said he\u2019d know where to come looking,\u201d he finished quietly.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam looked up at Roy. \u201cCan anything be done?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The man shook his head. \u201cI wish there could\u2026but you can\u2019t put a man in prison for having a mean temper.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam caught his meaning\u2026if Harker actually seriously hurt or killed Joe, then they could do something. That would never happen, Adam decided. \u201cWell, then we won\u2019t let Joe, or else Harker, out of our sight until Pa comes back.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Pretty soon it was Saturday, a day that all three boys dreaded for different reasons. When Ben was there, he usually made sure things went off without any problems. But now that he was on the trip, Little Joe had taken to questioning Adam\u2019s authority. Adam hated Saturday because it meant fighting with Little Joe all day to get him to do his extra chores, and Joe hated it just as much because it meant extra chores that he didn\u2019t have time for during the week. Hoss tried his best to stay out of the way of his brothers, but he disliked seeing either of them get so angry and frustrated.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam took a deep breath as Little Joe stomped into the dining room for breakfast. Hoss groaned quietly and exchanged a look with Adam. Not two minutes after they had started eating, Little Joe started complaining.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDo I\u00a0have<\/em>\u00a0to clean out the barn today? It\u2019s not fair; it takes forever to do. Why can\u2019t I do something else instead? I\u00a0always<\/em>\u00a0have to clean out the barn.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam focused on the eggs and bacon in front of him.\u00a0Do not get angry, do not get angry<\/em>, he kept telling himself. He took a deep breath. \u201cJoe, everyone has different chores. If you were bigger and older, you could do something different, but you can\u2019t. I\u2019m sure I would love to trade some of my jobs for an easy one like cleaning out the barn, but I can\u2019t. Now stop complaining and eat your breakfast.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut Adam-\u201c<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJoseph, I am in no mood to argue with you. I have a lot of work to do, so I strongly suggest you finish your breakfast and then get to work on your chores.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Little Joe sulkily started eating. He knew when Adam talked like that, he meant it. And he was in no mood to receive any sort of punishment; not after the two recent beatings. He quickly finished eating and then asked to be excused. Without waiting for the answer, he left the table and stormed outside.<\/span><\/p>\n

A couple of seconds later he stormed back into the house. When Adam and Hoss looked curiously at him, he snapped, \u201cWell, I\u2019m not going outside by myself.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam glanced up at Hoss, and then went back to his breakfast. Today was going to be long.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMeyers and Johnston, I want you two to round up any strays you can find in the south pasture. Some of them got scattered last week, and I think there\u2019s still a good amount of them not back with the main herd,\u201d Adam said.<\/span><\/p>\n

The two men nodded, and Adam looked around him. \u201cWell, everyone has their orders, let\u2019s get-\u201c Suddenly he stopped as a loud banging noise came from the barn, at the same time a horse could be heard neighing and Little Joe was yelling, \u201cWhoa boy!\u201d There was the sound of hooves, and then a big brown horse ran out of the barn. For a second, Adam thought it was Sport, but then he realized it belonged to one of the hands. Hoss quickly grabbed the halter as the horse slowed to a stop in front of the group of men. Adam was just about to ask for the owner of the horse when one of the men rushed forward. Adam groaned silently when he saw who it was.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s my horse!\u201d snapped Harker as he pulled the lead rope from Hoss\u2019 hand.<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe came running out of the barn and up to the horse, oblivious to the man holding it. \u201cI\u2019m sorry, Adam, Sport got spooked and he\u2026got away\u2026\u201d he trailed off as he realized his mistake.<\/span><\/p>\n

Harker suddenly and viscously backhanded the boy, knocking him to the ground. \u201cWhat do you think you were doing!\u201d he yelled as he jerked the sobbing child off the ground by the front of his shirt. Immediately Adam and Hoss were in front of him, with the rest of the hands moving forward as well.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLet him go!\u201d Adam said sharply.<\/span><\/p>\n

Harker released the boy, who immediately took cover behind Adam. \u201cHe had no right taking my horse out!\u201d Harker yelled.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t know! I thought it was Adam\u2019s horse!\u201d sobbed the child.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou brat! If you ever dare touch my horse again, I\u2019ll whip you good!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam felt Little Joe cringe, and he angrily glared at the larger man. \u201cNo you won\u2019t; because you\u2019re fired,\u201d said Adam. \u201cYou have one hour to get your things. I\u2019ll have your five days of pay ready in 15 minutes. And if you ever step foot on Ponderosa land again, I\u2019ll shoot you myself.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Harker stiffened, and then turned and walked into the bunkhouse. Hoss looked down at Joe, who was still quietly crying. \u201cYou okay?\u201d he asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe shrugged. He was greatly embarrassed by fact that all the hands had seen him crying. \u201cI\u2019m all right,\u201d he whispered. \u201cBut now what? He\u2019s gonna come after me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t worry about it,\u201d said Adam. \u201cI don\u2019t think he\u2019ll ever show his face here again.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For the next few days, Adam and Hoss took turns riding with Little Joe to and from school. Joe was afraid to go by himself, and they didn\u2019t blame him.<\/span><\/p>\n

On Thursday morning, Little Joe came down to breakfast a little late as usual. Adam looked up at him. \u201cHey, Joe? You think you can make it back from school all right today? Hoss and I have to ride out to check the herd; one of the hands found cat prints, and we need to track it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Little Joe shrugged. \u201cI guess so,\u201d he said quietly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJoe,\u201d said Hoss, almost reading his thoughts. \u201cHe left town the day after we fired him, and he hasn\u2019t been seen since. You\u2019ve got nothing to worry about.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe nodded. \u201cI know. I\u2019ll be okay.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Both Hoss and Adam frowned as they heard the tremor in his voice, but there was nothing that could be done. \u201cSure you will,\u201d said Adam, and tried to smile reassuringly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam tiredly walked through the front door and dropped his hat on the credenza. It had been a long day, but they had managed to track down the wildcat. He looked up and was startled when Hop Sing ran around the corner, yelling in Chinese. \u201cHop Sing, what\u2019s wrong?\u201d he asked. Adam listened closely, and as he began to comprehend what Hop Sing was saying he felt a knot forming in his stomach. He turned and grabbed his hat, and then ran outside into the darkening evening. \u201cHoss! Hoss!\u201d Adam burst into the barn, his heart pounding. \u201cHoss!\u201d he almost screamed. \u201cJoe didn\u2019t come home today! Hop Sing hasn\u2019t seen him all day!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss immediately started to saddle Chubb again. He had a feeling of dread starting to form, and he hoped that he was wrong.<\/span><\/p>\n

The brothers rode into town as fast as they could, and came to a stop outside Miss Jones\u2019 home. Adam took the steps two at a time, and knocked loudly on the door. A few moments later, a window opened upstairs. \u201cWho\u2019s there?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss looked up. \u201cIt\u2019s Hoss and Adam Cartwright, ma\u2019am. Miss Jones\u2026did you see Little Joe today?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Abigail Jones shook her head. \u201cNo, I didn\u2019t. He didn\u2019t come to school today\u2026why, is something wrong?\u201d She watched worriedly as Adam leapt onto Sport and rode quickly away.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI hope not, ma\u2019am,\u201d answered Hoss, and he quickly followed Adam. He spotted his horse a few minutes later outside Roy Coffee\u2019s house. As Hoss stepped to the open door, he heard Roy say, \u201cI\u2019ll see what I can do,\u201d and then Adam rushed past him.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdam?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam looked back. \u201cHe\u2019s getting some men together. We\u2019re going to look around before it\u2019s too dark. Maybe his horse threw him or something,\u201d Adam tried to sound optimistic, but the idea that his brother lying hurt in the desert somewhere was a happy substitute for what they both feared didn\u2019t offer any reassurance. He and Hoss quickly mounted, and, with a lantern in hand, Adam led the way.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It was well past dark when the two brothers arrived back at the ranch. It was impossible to see any tracks in the dark, so they decided to go back and get supplies and maybe a few hours of sleep, and then start out in the morning as soon as it got light. They led their horses into the barn, and started to remove the saddles. \u201cAdam.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam looked to where Hoss was pointing. Little Joe\u2019s horse, fully saddled, was standing in the middle of the barn. Adam and Hoss nervously approached it and checked the saddle and gear for any signs of blood or foul play. There was nothing. Adam began to go through the saddlebags. \u201cNothing in this one.\u201d Adam walked to the other side. \u201cHere, I found something\u2026it\u2019s Joe\u2019s shirt.\u201d As Adam pulled the shirt out it fell open. The two men stared at it silently. Hoss looked at the ground, his eyes brimming with tears. The shirt was dirty and torn, and in one spot there was a large dark stain. Adam looked at it carefully. It was a blood stain, surrounding a long, narrow cut in the fabric right above the pocket. Adam noticed something in the pocket, and took out the piece of paper, his hands shaking. There were just two words on the paper.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s dead.\u201d Adam dropped the paper. \u201cThat\u2019s all it says, \u2018He\u2019s dead\u2019.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss started angrily. \u201cNo! That can\u2019t be! How could he do this?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam walked towards his horse. He began to put the saddle back on.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdam?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam finished tightening the gear, and started to mount.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdam!\u201d Hoss reached out and pulled him away from the horse. \u201cAdam, what are you doing?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam angrily pulled away. \u201cI\u2019m going to find Harker. He\u2019s not going to get away with this. I\u2019m going to make him tell me what he did with\u2026\u201d Adam\u2019s voice broke, and he paused for a couple of seconds. \u201cI\u2019m going to kill him.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Adam, you can\u2019t do that.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe killed Joe! Hoss, don\u2019t you understand? He murdered our brother!\u201d Adam started to sob, and collapsed in tears in the floor. \u201cOh, Joe\u2026\u201d he sobbed. \u201cI\u2019m so sorry\u2026we should never have let him go by himself\u2026\u201d Hoss quickly knelt next to him and embraced him, and began to cry along with him. The two brothers remained there for some time, sharing in their grief.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Little Joe squirmed against the ropes. His bottom was starting to get very numb after the hours of sitting in one spot. He had long ago given up trying to get free from the ropes that bound him to the tree in the little clearing. He had given up yelling for help, too. He was too far away from any paths or roads. The only way anyone would find him is if they knew where to look. Harker had chosen the spot very carefully, but Joe didn\u2019t know why. The man hadn\u2019t said very much after he had taken Joe. He forced him to change into a rather large and worn out shirt, and then brought him here and tied him up. He had been gone the rest of the day, and it was now almost night.<\/span><\/p>\n

Little Joe froze as he heard a horse approaching, and looked up as Harker rode into the clearing. The man jumped off his horse and tied the reins to a branch at the edge of the clearing. Joe frowned. \u201cWhere\u2019s my horse?\u201d he asked quietly.<\/span><\/p>\n

Harker looked back at him. \u201cYour horse?\u201d He laughed nastily, and Joe shuddered. Harker walked up to him and knelt down. \u201cI left it in front of your house for your brothers to find.\u201d Harker held something up, and then waited until Joe recognized that he was holding a large, bloody knife. \u201cAfter I killed it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Little Joe squeezed his eyes shut and dropped his chin to his chest. Why would he do that? How could he be so cruel?<\/span><\/p>\n

Harker laughed, and then left the clearing. Joe watched him leave with angry tears in his eyes. It wasn\u2019t fair\u2026Midnight didn\u2019t do anything; why should he have to die? Suddenly Joe got a cold chill\u2026he hadn\u2019t done anything either. What was going to happen to him? He looked up fearfully as Harker walked back into the clearing. The man dumped an armful of wood on the ground, and then started to build a fire. \u201cWhat are you going to do with me?\u201d Joe asked quietly.<\/span><\/p>\n

Harker barely glanced up at him and finished adding wood to the fire. \u201cI haven\u2019t decided yet.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou won\u2019t get away with this. My brothers-\u201c<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShut up!\u201d Harker snapped and looked over at him. \u201cKeep quiet or I\u2019ll kill you right now.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Little Joe bit his lip and shrank back against the tree. He knew the man had a violent temper when he was angry, and Joe didn\u2019t want to upset him. Maybe he could try to talk his way out of this later. Or else keep alive long enough for Adam and Hoss to find him.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A week later, Adam and Hoss were standing in front of the hotel, waiting quietly for the stage to come in.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHowdy, boys.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

They looked up. Both of them had been so lost in their own thoughts, they failed to see Doc Martin\u2019s approach.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHi Doc,\u201d replied Hoss glumly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYour Pa get back today?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam nodded silently. They had received a telegram two days ago telling them when he would arrive. But that\u2019s all it had said. Adam dreaded seeing his father. Of all the things that could possibly have gone wrong at the ranch, Little Joe being murdered was not one that Adam ever would even have dared imagine. He had no idea what he was going to say.\u00a0Sorry,<\/em>\u00a0didn\u2019t mean anything; he had seen danger, Joe had alerted him to the depth of it, and yet he had done nothing. He should have made Joe stay home from school, or made sure somebody rode with him. He had been stupid and naive to think that a violent man would just let things go.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAny word from Roy?\u201d Hoss asked, interrupting Adam\u2019s thoughts.<\/span><\/p>\n

The doctor shook his head. \u201cThey haven\u2019t found any trace of Harker. Just\u2026just the clearing. The tracks disappeared into rocks soon after. But they\u2019ll find him.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss blinked back tears. He and Adam hadn\u2019t been to the clearing the posse had found. It had been not very far from the ranch, but it was very secluded. The only way the posse had found it was by the number of tracks leading in and out of the woods there. There wasn\u2019t much in the clearing; just the remains of a campfire and a large bloody knife. There were no other signs of what had happened, and no signs of Joe. Roy had thought that if Harker murdered their brother in the clearing, there would have been more evidence.<\/span><\/p>\n

Both Hoss and Adam were saddened that their brother wouldn\u2019t get a proper burial or grave. They hadn\u2019t spoken this out loud, but it was an underlying thought for both of them. There should at least have been a place to mourn their brother\u2019s tragic death.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam looked up as the stagecoach rounded the end of the street. He looked at Hoss, and then took a deep breath. The coach came to a stop, and a man jumped out. He reached in and helped a little girl out, and then they both went into the hotel. Another man followed them out of the coach, and then finally Ben Cartwright exited. In Adam\u2019s eyes, he looked to have aged ten years since he left. There was great sadness about him, and Adam was at a complete loss for words. Tears sprang to his eyes as his father reached for him.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdam,\u201d whispered Ben, giving him a brief but warm hug. He turned to Hoss and hugged him as well. He smiled briefly, and then turned and picked up his bag.<\/span><\/p>\n

Paul Martin reached out and clasped Ben\u2019s hand. \u201cBen, if there\u2019s anything I can do for you or your family, please let me know.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben nodded, and then he and his two sons got on the wagon and began the ride back to the ranch. Once they arrived, Ben insisted on knowing all the details. Adam\u2019s telegram to him had been necessarily brief.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd\u2026that\u2019s about it,\u201d Hoss finished. \u201cThey can\u2019t find any trace of Harker\u2026the posse\u2019s been searching for days.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

There was silence in the room for a few minutes, and then finally Adam cleared his throat. \u201cPa\u2026I\u2026I don\u2019t know what to say\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdam,\u201d Ben breathed. \u201cI know what you\u2019re thinking\u2026but please don\u2019t blame yourself. Nothing good could come of that.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam nodded, but the dark cloud that had settled into his thoughts didn\u2019t disappear. As he looked into the faces of his father and brother, he wondered if there would ever be joy in this house again.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Several hundred miles away\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

Harv Benson walked out of the backroom muttering under his breath and buckling his belt. The man at the bar, an old friend of his, Peter Randal, chuckled as he finished his beer. \u201cI guess he won\u2019t be breaking anymore glasses, eh?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Harv frowned at the smirk on Peter\u2019s face. \u201cWhy I ever let him talk me into taking that kid\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhy did you?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Benson picked up Pete\u2019s empty glass and refilled it. \u201cI\u2019ve known Harker awhile. He didn\u2019t explain very much, but I think he was in trouble. Probably tried to ransom the kid and the family would have nothing to do with it. I don\u2019t know\u2026\u201d Benson slid the beer across the bar.<\/span><\/p>\n

Pete picked it up. \u201cSo what are you supposed to do with him?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Benson shrugged. \u201cKeep him while he\u2019s useful. If he gets to be any trouble I\u2019ll sell him as a cabin boy to some ship.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAh\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The two men turned and looked as the ten year old walked out of the backroom and behind the bar. He had tear streaks on his face, and his eyes were red from crying. He began to pick up the glass shards from the floor, taking care not to cut himself. He found the last of the big pieces, and then went to get a broom. As soon as he was finished sweeping up the shards, he put the broom away and then came out of the back to continue wiping the glasses. As he walked by Benson, the man reached out and took hold of his shoulder.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell,\u201d Benson said. \u201cDone cleaning up the mess, are you? If you ever break another one, you won\u2019t be able to sit for a week. Understand?\u201d With this, the man gave him a shake and turned back to the man at the bar. Little Joe bit his lip to keep the tears from falling again. He highly doubted he\u2019d be able to sit now. Besides, the broken glass hadn\u2019t been his fault. A man at the bar had tossed it at him when he was done. But Joe didn\u2019t bother to explain this. He knew it would only earn him a harsher punishment.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHere, sir,\u201d Little Joe said and put the beer down on the table. The man barely looked up; he was so intent on the poker game. Joe walked to the other side of the table to set the other beer down. As he reached out to place the mug on the table, the man sitting next to him tossed his cards down in disgust. Joe\u2019s arm was bumped and he dropped the beer. The entire glass spilled, its contents soaking the money, cards, and papers on the table. Little Joe could feel his face pale, and he slowly backed away from the table. It took a couple of seconds for the half drunk players to realize what had happened, but as they did they jumped up and turned angrily to the boy. One of them, the one who had won the now wet money on the table, reached out and grabbed Little Joe\u2019s arm. \u201cI\u2019ll teach you to be clumsy!\u201d he yelled, and started to drag the child outside.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, no! It was an accident!\u201d Joe pleaded, but the man didn\u2019t listen. Suddenly there was a person in front of them, and Little Joe found himself being pulled away from the man.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLeave the kid alone.\u201d Joe looked up at the speaker, a tough looking man with the beginnings of a beard. His hair was dark, and his skin was rough and tanned. He stood unwavering, holding Joe\u2019s arm, until the drunken poker player had gathered his winnings and left. The man guided Joe to the bar, and then let go of his arm. Little Joe walked around the back and looked up at the man. \u201cThanks, mister.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGet me a beer,\u201d he replied.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes sir,\u201d he said as he quickly poured the man\u2019s drink. He looked up at the man, expecting to see him toss money on the counter and leave, but to Joe\u2019s surprise the man handed him the money and then leaned on the bar. Joe went to get the man\u2019s change.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhy aren\u2019t you in bed?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d Little Joe froze and looked up at the man.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIsn\u2019t it a little late for a kid your age to still be up?\u201d When Joe didn\u2019t move or say anything, the man asked, \u201cHow old are you?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Little Joe shut the drawer and walked back to the bar. \u201cI\u2019m ten,\u201d he said as he handed the change to the man.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd you\u2019re still up this late? How do you manage to get up for school?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2026don\u2019t go to school,\u201d Joe said quietly, and glanced towards the back door. There was no sign of Benson yet; he had gone to the root cellar to get another keg. Joe looked back as the man leaned over the counter.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou in some kind of trouble, kid?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe frowned. The last thing he wanted was for this man to start asking Benson questions. Although\u2026he seemed like he had wanted to help. He had protected Joe from getting beaten\u2026or killed. What if he wanted to help? What if he could? Joe looked at the back door again, and then he nodded.<\/span><\/p>\n

The man nodded thoughtfully. \u201cYour family\u2026do they know where you are?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Little Joe shook his head, and then turned away from the man as Benson came in with a barrel. The man glanced at him, and then smiled and saluted him with the beer and went back to his table in the back.<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe watched him for the rest of the night. He sat in the back of the room. He ordered a couple more drinks, but Benson filled the orders. There was another man sitting with him, but he didn\u2019t drink anything or talk to anyone else. Mostly he just seemed to observe. There were a few other men who came in and talked to the two men, and then went out again.<\/span><\/p>\n

After a while, most of the customers had gone for the night, and Joe began to clean up. While he was mopping, he happened to glance up at the table in the back and he discovered the men were gone. He frowned as he realized he wasn\u2019t sure when they had left. He was pretty certain they had been there when Benson had yelled at him for spilling a bottle of whiskey\u2026but he wasn\u2019t sure if they left before or after a poker game turned into a brawl resulting in two broken chairs and a shattered lamp. Joe shook his head as he realized it didn\u2019t even matter. He didn\u2019t know why he cared; he knew he\u2019d never see that man again.<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe shoved the back door open and stumbled into the alley with the bucket of dirty water. He dumped it out in a clump of bushes, and then turned to go back inside. Before he realized what was happening, someone had covered his mouth and was pulling him down the alley. Little Joe dropped the bucket and started to struggle, but the man hissed \u201cBe still.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Little Joe was pushed through a door of one of the buildings in the alley. There was a pile of sacks on the floor, and Joe was pushed face down onto them. Very briefly he saw a couple of men standing nearby amidst piles of boxes, and then a cloth was tied over his eyes. \u201cStay down and keep quiet,\u201d a man said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Little Joe obeyed, and pressed his face into the sack. He was scared. He heard the man walk away and talk quietly with someone else. Who were these men? Joe knew it was dangerous here; that men were kidnapped a lot for work on ships, but he hadn\u2019t thought he\u2019d be in any danger of that. He was too young to really work on a ship. But if they didn\u2019t take him for that, what then? Little Joe struggled to hold back tears as he tried to push those thoughts out of his head. He heard a couple of people walk up to him, and he stiffened.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHey, I\u2019m not going to hurt you,\u201d a man said. \u201cJust answer some questions for me. Are you a runaway?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe shook his head, but then realized they probably couldn\u2019t see that. \u201cNo,\u201d he whispered.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow did you get here?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Little Joe took a deep breath. He didn\u2019t know who this man was, but he didn\u2019t see any way out of this right now other than to answer him\u2026 \u201cOne of the hands that worked on my family\u2019s ranch kidnapped me out of revenge, and he gave me to Harv Benson to work.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYour family has a ranch? You\u2019re not from around here.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe bit his lip. Why did he tell them that? He had given too much away. Now they would know that his family was wealthy.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow long have you been here?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHere\u2026about a week.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhy didn\u2019t you try to get help before?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe shook his head. \u201cThere was no one to get help from.\u201d It was true- there was no law in this town. At first Joe had tried to ask a couple of people for help, but they just laughed at him and told Benson. Joe had been afraid to try again after the last beating.<\/span><\/p>\n

Someone came into the room. \u201cIt\u2019s not clear yet; a couple of people went into the bar and they realized he\u2019s gone.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDamn\u2026\u201d hissed the first man under his breath. \u201cLet\u2019s get him out of those clothes.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe stiffened as he felt hands grab him, and then he was pulled up to his knees. He felt someone start to undo the buttons on his shirt, and he began to protest and struggle. Immediately someone said, \u201cStop it. Be still.\u201d Not being able to see or fight back in any way, Joe reluctantly obeyed. He felt the shirt being pulled off, and then he was pushed to the floor again. After a couple of seconds someone said, \u201cThe pants too.\u201d Joe felt his face get red as his shoes and then pants were pulled off. He felt a blanket being tossed over him, and he was grateful for both the warmth and privacy it offered. A few minutes passed by, and then someone walked into the room. The blanked was removed, and Joe was pulled to his feet. \u201cHere,\u201d someone said, and a couple of men helped him pull on a pair of pants. He gratefully fastened the last button, and then the men helped him put on a shirt and his shoes. Both the shirt and the pants felt clean and new, and Joe wondered who these people were. He couldn\u2019t imagine why they would give him new clothes if they only intended to hurt him.<\/span><\/p>\n

A door opened. \u201cIt\u2019s clear,\u201d someone whispered, and then Joe was ushered out of the room and outside. After they had gone about 30 steps, Joe could tell he was being led into another building. This time he was taken up stairs and finally into a room where he was pushed onto a bed. The blindfold was removed, and Joe rolled over to see five men in the room. Two of them were the men from the saloon.<\/span><\/p>\n

The man who had talked to him in the saloon sat on a chair next to the bed. \u201cOkay, kid. Why don\u2019t you tell us your name and how you got to be here.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe frowned. \u201cWhy? What do you want with me?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The man raised his eyebrows. \u201cTo help you. This here is Marshal Bill Naylor, and he\u2019s here to introduce some law into this town. We just happened to be in the saloon and saw what happened. We thought you might need help.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The frown on Joe\u2019s face lessened, but he remained wary. \u201cMy name is Little Joe and my family owns a ranch near Lake Tahoe in Nevada. One of the new hands we hired got mad because my brother fired him and so he kidnapped me. He brought me here\u2026and I don\u2019t know\u2026that\u2019s about it. What do you mean, help me? Why did you bring me here?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The man glanced up at the other men in the room. The marshal walked over to him and said, \u201cLook kid. It\u2019s gonna be pretty dangerous in this town for the next few days. We\u2019ve gotten all the women and children out of here\u2026not that there were very many of them. You don\u2019t have any business in this town, so Jack here will see that you get home, all right?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe nodded, and the man turned and gestured at the other men in the room. Everyone left except the man who had first talked to him, Jack.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jack stood up and held his hand out. \u201cLet\u2019s do this proper. I\u2019m Jack Trent.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe got off the bed and shook the man\u2019s hand. \u201cLittle Joe Cartwright,\u201d he responded.<\/span><\/p>\n

The man let go of his hand and frowned thoughtfully. \u201cCartwright\u2026in Nevada? Your father is Ben Cartwright?\u201d he asked slowly, stating it more as a statement than a question.<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe shifted his weight uneasily. Suddenly he was very scared. He quickly turned and, as there was no other path to the door, bolted over the bed. It caused him to lose several seconds, and as a result, Jack reached the door at the same time he did. Joe felt the man\u2019s strong arm wrap around his waist, and he was lifted off of the ground. \u201cNo! No! Let-\u201c Joe was cut off as Jack\u2019s hand covered his mouth.<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe was carried, kicking and fighting, back to the bed where he was held down. \u201cCalm down, son. That\u2019s enough. I\u2019m not going to hurt you,\u201d Jack kept repeating in his ear, and finally Joe was completely tired out. As he stopped fighting, the man slowly let go of him.<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe rolled over, trying to catch his breath. He stared up at the man with tears in his eyes.<\/span><\/p>\n

The man sighed and sat on the edge of the bed. \u201cKid, I\u2019m not going to hurt you. I\u2019m going to take you home, just like Bill said.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow do you know my father?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u00a0were<\/em>\u00a0good friends many years ago. Then we went our separate ways.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t like him.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The man snorted. \u201cHow very perceptive. We had our disagreements. Nothing that will get in the way of me doing my job.\u201d Jack chuckled. \u201cI\u2019m kind of curious to see how Ben Cartwright will react when Jack Trent rides up to the Ponderosa with his youngest son.\u201d Jack laughed to himself for a few seconds, and then looked back up. \u201cAre you the youngest? How many siblings do you have?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Little Joe sat up and leaned against the headboard. \u201cI\u2019m the youngest. I have two older brothers.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHoss and Adam, right?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe nodded, but then as he thought of his brothers, he looked down. He knew they had to be sick with worry. He had been missing two weeks; they must have thought that he was dead by now. And Pa\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

Jack watched him carefully. He had seen the change of expression, and he realized the kid must be terribly homesick. He stood up. \u201cYou stay here, and I\u2019ll go get you some food. You look like you haven\u2019t had a decent meal in awhile. Don\u2019t leave this room, okay?\u201d The man looked at him for a few moments, and then left the room.<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe stood up and went to the window. He half considered sneaking out, but then he realized he had no money and nowhere to go. He was stuck here. With a man who obviously disliked his father. There was no way he would trust him. Joe pulled the curtain aside carefully and looked into the street. He could see the mercantile, and the livery. He suddenly realized he was in the hotel down the street from the saloon. He saw the marshal and his men walking down the street. The marshal yelled to someone and the person he yelled to responded by shooting. Pretty quickly, the street was filled with gunfire and muffled shouts. Joe heard the bedroom door behind him open and a man walked across the room and tugged Little Joe away. \u201cStay away from the window,\u201d Jack said. \u201cWe don\u2019t need you to get hit by a stray bullet.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe sat down on the edge of the bed as the sound of the gunshots ceased, and Jack handed him a tray of food. \u201cWhen I come back, I expect all of that to be gone,\u201d he said. Joe watched as he left the room, and then started to hungrily eat. He couldn\u2019t remember the last time he\u2019d actually had a full meal. Joe finished the last of it and then put the tray down on the table next to him. He started to yawn, and slumped down on the bed. Almost instantly he started to drift into sleep. He tried briefly to fight to stay awake, but after the warm meal he was losing the battle. He finally drifted into sleep, a better sleep than he had experienced since he was first kidnapped.<\/span><\/p>\n

A few minutes later Jack came back in. \u201cOkay, son, are you\u2026\u201d he trailed off as he saw the sleeping child. He stood looking down at the boy for a few minutes. He didn\u2019t really look anything like his father. He wondered if Ben Cartwright was still the way he remembered him- stubborn and opinionated. Always doing the right thing. Jack chuckled to himself. For once,\u00a0he<\/em>\u00a0was doing the right thing. He wondered if Ben would appreciate it\u2026or would he refuse to see past the conflict that had separated them all those years ago.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jack sighed and bent down and removed Little Joe\u2019s shoes. He gently tugged the blankets from underneath the sleeping child, and then pulled them over the top of him. \u201cGet some rest son, and don\u2019t worry about anything,\u201d he said quietly. \u201cYou\u2019re safe here, and no one\u2019s going to hurt you.\u201d Jack picked up the tray, and then blew out the lamp next to the bed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHere.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Little Joe looked across the fire at Jack Trent, who was holding out a plate of food.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019d better come over here and get this, because I\u2019m not moving,\u201d Jack said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Little Joe got up and walked around the fire. He went back to his bedroll with plate in hand, and then sat and quietly ate. When he finally looked back up, he found Jack watching him, an amused look on his face. \u201cWhat?\u201d Joe said, irritated.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jack shook his head, laughing. \u201cYou. You\u2019re confusing me, kid. You haven\u2019t said three words to me since we left this morning. You didn\u2019t even say thank you.\u201d Jack stood up and took the empty plate from Joe, and then walked into the woods to rinse the plates and pan in the nearby stream.<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe frowned. He knew he hadn\u2019t said that much. He was still afraid of Jack\u2026Joe blinked. No, it wasn\u2019t Jack he was afraid of. Jack was the only person in two weeks that hadn\u2019t hurt him somehow- either by physical abuse or lack of concern. Jack had saved his life. So why was it so hard to trust him, or even give him a chance? Joe stood up angrily. He knew why\u2026but his father had had the falling out so long ago; maybe things had changed.<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe leaned against a tree at the edge of the clearing, and then watched as Jack came back. The man sat down and set about pulling out a bag of tobacco and a pipe, and then he started to smoke. \u201cYou just gonna stand there?\u201d he asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

Little Joe shrugged. \u201cI\u2019m fine,\u201d he said. He watched Jack for a few minutes. The only thing that could be heard was the crackling of the fire and some night creatures in the darkness outside the lit clearing. The silence started to become awkward, and Joe tried to think of something to say.\u00a0Nice night,<\/em>\u00a0seemed too forced, even though it was a nice evening. Unseasonably warm, actually. Joe sighed. All he wanted to talk about was home, but he wasn\u2019t sure if Jack would get angry. He looked up at the man, who seemed to be lost in his own thoughts, ignoring Little Joe.<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe hesitantly cleared his throat. \u201cI\u2026I really\u2026I mean\u2026\u201d he stuttered, not really sure what he wanted to say. He walked back to the fire, and stood in front of Jack, who raised his eyebrows. \u201cYes\u2026?\u201d said Jack.<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe took a deep breath. \u201cWhat I mean is thanks. I didn\u2019t mean to not thank you, it\u2019s just\u2026 I really do appreciate you taking me all the way back home,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jack nodded. When he didn\u2019t say anything, Little Joe awkwardly shrugged and started to turn away.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHey.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe turned back.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jack held up the pipe. \u201cWant a puff?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe just stared at him, until Jack laughed and said, \u201cI\u2019m just kidding. Come here, have a seat.\u201d Little Joe sat down a few feet from Jack, on a log near the fire. \u201cSo, tell me about yourself. What are your brothers like now? I haven\u2019t seen them since\u2026wow, let\u2019s see\u2026since Hoss was four.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh,\u201d Little Joe said. \u201cWell, Hoss is sixteen now, and Adam is twenty-two. Adam went to college. He just got back last year. He\u2019s\u2026I don\u2019t know\u2026I guess he\u2019s really smart. He won\u2019t help me with my schoolwork, though. He says it\u2019s better if I do it myself. Pa said I have to go to school until I\u2019m at least sixteen, even though Hoss hasn\u2019t gone since he was fourteen.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhy is that?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe shrugged. \u201cHe\u2019s more help around the ranch, I guess. He\u2019s almost as big as a full grown man. He\u2019s really good with the animals.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow about you?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe smiled. \u201cI want to learn to break horses. Adam and Pa won\u2019t let me; they say I\u2019m too little.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Jack nodded and puffed on his pipe. \u201cYou miss them, huh?\u201d he said nonchalantly.<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe bit his lower lip and stared into the fire. \u201cYeah,\u201d he said quietly. \u201cIt seems like it\u2019s been forever.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll bet; especially considering the circumstances. Kidnapped out of revenge\u2026\u201d Jack paused, hoping Little Joe would elaborate. The boy hadn\u2019t said anything else about the situation since the first night, and Jack would have pressed him for more details before agreeing to take him if he hadn\u2019t known who he was. He was a careful man- it kept him alive. He never got into a situation unless he knew exactly what he was doing.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYeah\u2026\u201d Little Joe said. \u201cIt was kind of my fault, though. I know Adam said it wasn\u2019t, but\u2026\u201d Joe sighed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow can something like that be your fault?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I got one of the new men mad at me. Adam found out he had whipped me, and he got fired.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s not your fault.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHarker told me he\u2019d come after me if he got fired. He told me not to tell Adam about the whipping.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Jack shook his head. \u201cThat\u2019s not your fault, kid.\u201d Jack leaned over and grabbed Joe\u2019s arm to get his full attention. \u201cListen, if anyone ever tells you to keep something from your family, don\u2019t do it. Never let anything come between you and your family.\u201d Little Joe stared back at him with solemn eyes, and Jack lightly patted his cheek and smiled. \u201cGet over there and go to sleep. We\u2019ve got another long day tomorrow.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Little Joe nodded and walked to the other side of the fire. He kicked off his shoes and climbed into the blankets, and then lay down on his side, watching Jack Trent for a few minutes. It was so hard to tell what he was going to say or do next. It puzzled Joe. He frowned and rolled over, and was asleep in minutes.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jack stayed up for awhile, thoughtfully puffing his pipe. When he finally did lie down, he drifted into a very light sleep. He had managed to train his body to wake up at the slightest noise. There were many times he had closely escaped death because of his ability. Tonight, his light sleep alerted him in another way. Every time the kid woke up or stirred, Jack was wide awake in seconds. The boy left the campsite for a couple of minutes once, but he also woke up crying out a few times. Each time Jack carefully watched him through almost closed eyes until the boy went back to sleep.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The next morning, Little Joe awoke to the smell of bacon.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMorning, sleepy,\u201d Jack said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe sat up. \u201cMorning,\u201d he replied.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBreakfast will be done in a few minutes. Go on down to the stream and get yourself cleaned up.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Little Joe nodded, and walked a little ways through the woods to the stream to wash up. When he came back to the clearing, Jack had served up two plates of breakfast. He handed one to Joe, and then watched with amusement as the boy sat down on the other side of the small fire to eat.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSo what are you so afraid of?\u201d Jack asked after a few minutes.<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe stopped with the fork in his mouth, and glanced guardedly up at the man, who continued to eat. Joe frowned for a few seconds, and then put the fork down. \u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d he said. Jack snorted. Little Joe licked his dry lips. \u201cWhat did you and my father fight about?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Jack looked up. \u201cNow that\u2019s not really any of your concern, is it?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Little Joe looked down and shrugged. \u201cNo, sir.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPlus, I don\u2019t think knowing what our disagreement was would lighten any fears you have.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe finished the last of his breakfast.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cEspecially,\u201d Jack continued, \u201cBecause your concerns are about trusting someone whom your father had a disagreement with many years ago. Is that right?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Little Joe looked up from his empty plate and nodded. \u201cI\u2026don\u2019t know what he would say.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Jack smiled slightly. \u201cYou know kid, I don\u2019t think that yelling at you is going to be the first thing he does when he sees you,\u201d he said quietly.<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe blinked and looked away.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPlus, do you always like or dislike people just because your father or brothers do? I think a lot of times you would, but you have to have some friends that your father and brothers don\u2019t exactly\u2026approve of.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe looked up and smiled slightly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s not the only thing bothering you, though. You gonna tell me the rest?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe bit his lip and shrugged. \u201cI\u2019m just a little confused. You\u2019ve already said how you feel about my father. Why would you take me all the way back home when it\u2019s such a long trip? You don\u2019t do something like that for someone because you dislike them.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Jack nodded. \u201cYou\u2019re right, kid. Here,\u201d Jack stood up and piled a plate, cup, kettle, pan and handful of spoons on top of the plate Joe was holding. \u201cWe have to get going; why don\u2019t you go clean these up?\u201d Joe looked from the dirty pile in his arms to the back of the man as he started to put out the fire. After a few seconds Joe turned and went thoughtfully into the trees.<\/span><\/p>\n

As Little Joe started to wash off the plates, he replayed the conversation in his head and tried to understand what had been said. It didn\u2019t make sense. Was Jack really taking him home because he didn\u2019t like Pa? Wouldn\u2019t it have made more sense to just leave him in the town? Or if it was his job to take him home, to leave him somewhere else so his boss wouldn\u2019t know? Doing it this way, he would have to see Pa\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

Suddenly Joe got a chill. What if Jack\u00a0had<\/em>\u00a0just left him? He finished washing the last utensil, and then ran back to the clearing with an armful of wet dishes. He ran into the open and came to a dead stop. Everything was cleaned up\u2026and Jack was sitting on a log waiting for him. \u201cAbout time,\u201d Jack said, and he got up and took the dishes from the boy.<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe stood watching him pack them, and played out the conversation in his head once again.\u00a0You don\u2019t do something like that because you dislike a person\u2026<\/em>\u00a0Suddenly Joe\u2019s mouth fell open as he understood what the conversation had really been about. Jack wasn\u2019t doing this for Pa; he was doing it for him. That\u2019s what he must have meant when he agreed he wasn\u2019t taking Joe home because he disliked Ben. Joe bit his lip thoughtfully as Jack stood up and turned around to get the last few things.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jack frowned slightly as he saw the wistful look on the boy\u2019s face, but then to his surprise and amusement Little Joe smiled at him. Jack grinned back. \u201cGo get your horse ready,\u201d he said, and turned and packed the rest of the supplies.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jack turned back a few minutes later to see the boy standing a few feet away with his back to him. \u201cKid\u2026?\u201d he said and walked up to him.<\/span><\/p>\n

Little Joe looked up at him, tears streaming down his face. \u201cMy horse\u2026\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jack glanced up, but both horses were perfectly fine, still grazing at the edge of the clearing. He looked back down at Joe. \u201cWhat happened to your horse?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2026he killed him. He came back, and he had a knife. He took my horse with him, and he didn\u2019t bring him back. The knife had blood\u2026it was covered in blood! Why would he do that?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Little Joe started to sob, and Jack scooped the boy into his large arms and held him. \u201cWho killed your horse?\u201d he gently asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHarker\u2026he said he left him in front of our house for my family to find.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Jack patted the boy\u2019s back until the child\u2019s sobs lessened. \u201cDon\u2019t worry kid. That man will be found. And he\u2019ll pay for what he\u2019s done.\u201d Jack set the boy down, and then guided him to the horses where he helped him get saddled. As soon as everything was packed, they left to continue the rest of the journey.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It was the middle of the forth day that they neared the Ponderosa. The trip had gone quickly, even if Little Joe\u2019s impatience was starting to wear on Jack\u2019s nerves. In the handful of towns they had passed through, they had tried to send a telegram to the rest of the Cartwrights, but the towns were either too small or the lines were down.<\/span><\/p>\n

Finally, they rode through the last of the trees and into the familiar, too long missed, clearing in front of the ranch house.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPa!\u201d Little Joe didn\u2019t even wait until the horse was fully stopped before jumping to the ground. \u201cAdam! Hoss!\u201d He ran towards the house as the front door opened.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben raced outside and picked his son up in a tight embrace. \u201cJoe! Joe\u2026\u201d he said as he held his child. Adam and Hoss had closely followed him out, and both of them were talking and running their hands through Joe\u2019s hair and over his body and they all had tears in their eyes. It took a few minutes, but finally Ben looked up at Joe\u2019s companion. When he saw the man in the saddle he stiffened. Little Joe felt it, and he looked up at Ben, then over at Jack. \u201cPa\u2026that\u2019s Jack Trent. He\u2026he brought me home, Pa\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben looked down at him and tried to smile reassuringly. \u201cAdam, take your brother inside,\u201d he said, and handed Little Joe to him.<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe was confused and dismayed, and as soon as the three brothers got inside he started quizzing Adam. \u201cWho is he? How does he know Pa?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam shook his head. \u201cI don\u2019t know, Joe. I don\u2019t remember him.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut he said he remembered you. He said you were a kid.\u201d Joe squirmed away from him and started towards the window in Ben\u2019s study, but Adam caught him. \u201cOh, no,\u201d Adam said and pulled Little Joe back into the main room. \u201cLet them talk in private. I\u2019m sure if it\u2019s something you need to know Pa will tell you later.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYeah,\u201d agreed Hoss. \u201cSo what happened? Are you gonna tell us about it?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe nodded, and then suddenly realized that he didn\u2019t want to talk about it right now. \u201cI\u2019ll tell you both and Pa later\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLittle Joe!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe turned to Hop Sing, who was running towards him talking excitedly in Chinese. \u201cHop Sing!\u201d Joe yelled, and ran to him to give him a hug. He stood back smiling up at the cook.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI make you special dinner,\u201d Hop Sing said. \u201cAll favorite foods!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThanks, Hop Sing!\u201d grinned Joe, and watched as the cook retreated to the kitchen. He and Adam and Hoss turned and looked as the front door opened. Ben walked inside\u2026and then shut the front door behind him.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben couldn\u2019t help but notice the intense look of disappointment on Joe\u2019s face. \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong, son?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Little Joe shrugged, fighting back tears. \u201cPa\u2026but after all, he did save my life\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow much do you know about what happened between us?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe shook his head. \u201cNot much\u2026he only told me you had disagreements, and that he didn\u2019t like you very much. That\u2019s all he said. But he brought me back anyway, Pa!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben smiled kindly. \u201cI know Joe. He didn\u2019t tell me exactly what happened, but I know. And that\u2019s why I invited him to stay for dinner and the night before going back to California.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe\u2019s face immediately brightened. \u201cYou did?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben nodded. \u201cHe\u2019s out in the barn putting up the horses.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll help,\u201d said Joe, and started to leave, but then turned back. \u201cI mean, if it\u2019s okay with you\u2026?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben nodded, and Joe grinned and ran out the front door. \u201cI\u2019ll go with him,\u201d said Adam, and he followed him out.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben turned to Hoss. \u201cSomething on your mind?\u201d he asked as he saw the puzzled frown.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss looked up. \u201cWell, no, I guess not. I\u2019m just a little confused, that\u2019s all.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben sighed. \u201cYou\u2019re not the only one that\u2019s confused, but I don\u2019t suppose anything will be cleared up until we hear the full story. Which is part of the reason I invited him to stay. Also, he did save Joe\u2019s life. Any bad feelings I have, or had, towards him must be put aside for the moment, at least for Joe\u2019s sake. I do owe him a lot for that.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss nodded, but he still remained puzzled. Not so much as to why Ben asked him to stay, but what would have stopped him from doing so.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJack!\u201d Little Joe yelled as he and Adam entered the barn.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jack stepped out of a stall. \u201cWell, what can I do for you?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe scrambled up on a bench next to the stall. \u201cPa said you\u2019re staying the night.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Jack shrugged. \u201cI\u2019m staying for dinner. We\u2019ll see about the night.\u201d He turned to Adam and held his hand out. \u201cJack Trent,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam shook his hand. \u201cI\u2019m Adam.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Jack smiled. \u201cSo I guessed,\u201d he said. He glanced down at Little Joe. \u201cSo tell me something, does this kid ever stop talking?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam laughed. \u201cVery rarely when he\u2019s in a good mood. When he\u2019s in a bad mood he still talks, just a lot louder.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe turned red and punched Adam in the arm. Adam grinned and wrapped his arm around Joe\u2019s waist, picking him up before he could get away. \u201cAdam, no!\u201d laughed Little Joe as he tried to struggle away.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh no, you don\u2019t,\u201d said Adam. \u201cThere\u2019s a penalty for punching without reason- what\u2019ll it be? Locked in the store house or tickled until you plead for leniency?<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdam…\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe prisoner relinquishes choice of punishment to the jailer, who chooses the second option!\u201d Adam started to tickle him.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, Adam\u2026stop!\u201d giggled Little Joe. Adam laughed. When Joe was smaller, they\u2019d play-roughhouse all the time. Joe was getting bigger and older, so they hadn\u2019t done it in awhile, but Joe was still small enough for Adam to lift easily. Behind them, a horse snorted, and Adam quickly set the boy down as he felt him tense. Little Joe ran to the stall on the other side of the barn. \u201cMidnight!\u201d he yelled, and ran in. He fiercely hugged the horse\u2019s neck, and buried his face in his side.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam frowned. \u201cJoe\u2026?\u201d He turned as Jack put his hand on his arm.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jack nodded towards Joe. \u201cHe told him the horse was dead.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHarker\u2026?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTold him he killed the horse, yes. The kid said he had a knife covered in blood, and that he left the horse for you to find.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam shook his head. \u201cThe shirt\u2026\u201d he murmured.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat shirt?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHarker left Joe\u2019s shirt in the saddlebag. It was torn, with a huge blood stain and a note, stating that Joe was dead.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d Little Joe said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam and Harker turned to Joe, who had heard the last part of this.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou mean Harker told you I was dead? That he had killed me?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam nodded, and Little Joe went up to him and tightly hugged him. Adam held him for a few minutes, running his hand through his hair, as Jack finished taking care of the horses.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam glanced up as Jack walked up to them. The man put his hand on Adam\u2019s arm. \u201cCome on, you two. I\u2019m sure you\u2019re father is anxious to see you.\u201d Joe looked up at Adam, and then with their arms around each other, the two brothers followed Jack out of the barn and up to the house where Ben was standing on the porch.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Jack tossed his napkin on the table and leaned back. \u201cWell, Ben, I must say, that was the most delicious meal I\u2019ve had in a long time.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben nodded. \u201cThank you, Jack. Although I can\u2019t take credit for it; we have a wonderful cook.\u201d Ben got up from the table as Hop Sing came out of the kitchen with a pot of coffee and four cups. Jack and the boys followed Ben into the living room where Hop Sing served them coffee. Little Joe passed on the coffee; he didn\u2019t like the bitter taste. He and Hoss pulled out the checker set, and then with Adam looking on they began a match.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben nodded towards the front door. \u201cIt\u2019s a nice evening,\u201d he said to Jack. \u201cDo you want to take our coffee outside?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Jack nodded. \u201cSure, sounds fine,\u201d he said, and he and Ben quietly left. Outside, Ben sat down as Jack walked to the edge of the porch and observed the darkened yard. Jack turned around to face Ben. \u201cSo, you have everything you ever wanted,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben thought for a moment, and then nodded. \u201cYes, I\u2019m very happy. This is a good life.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Jack smiled. \u201cCertainly a lot different than the last time I saw you. How big is the Ponderosa now?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cEight hundred acres. Adam\u2019s negotiating some additional land in the north, which would add another hundred.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Jack nodded. \u201cYou\u2019re really living out your dreams.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow about you? What have you been doing these ten-something years?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Jack chuckled. \u201cYou know\u2026things you never approved of. I\u2019ve been doing some odd lawman jobs, some bounty hunting. I was never one for settling down and having an honest job, complete with wife, kids, and milk cow.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben nodded thoughtfully. \u201cYou ever go north like you wanted?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Jack nodded. \u201cYeah. It\u2019s a harsh country. It\u2019s impossible to do any\u00a0serious farming or ranching because of the climate. There are also not very many natural resources. Well, other than trees and the like. There\u2019s no gold; at least not anything that anyone\u2019s found. Not a big strike like California.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s where you\u2019ve been?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Jack nodded and sat down. \u201cI\u2019ve been helping a marshal introduce some law in the unruly coastal towns of California. This last one\u2026wasn\u2019t quite as bad as some. Bill knew he wouldn\u2019t need me, so he sent me here to bring your boy back.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben nodded. \u201cI do thank you for that. For everything you\u2019ve done for Joe.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Jack nodded in reply. \u201cHe\u2019s a good kid. He\u2026he went through a lot at the hands of strangers; things that should never happened. He\u2019s strong, though. You should be proud of him.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI am,\u201d Ben replied, and then he and Jack looked up as a horse rode into the yard.<\/span><\/p>\n

Roy Coffee jumped down from the horse and went up to Ben. \u201cIs it true?\u201d he asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben smiled. \u201cIt depends on what you\u2019ve heard. Little Joe is back safe and sound.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Roy smiled. \u201cWell, I\u2019m glad to hear that at any rate.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Suddenly Ben noticed the bruises on Roy\u2019s face, and his arm in a sling. \u201cWhat happened?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Roy sadly shook his head. \u201cWe finally caught up with Harker. He was heading east back through Nevada towards Texas. We tried to take him in, but the rest of the posse\u2026there was nothing me and Hal Cook could do. They was so fired up\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben grabbed Roy\u2019s arm. \u201cWhat?\u201d he whispered.<\/span><\/p>\n

Roy shook his head. \u201cIt turned into a lynching. We tried to stop \u2018em\u2026that\u2019s how I got hurt. There was nothing we could do to talk them out of it. That man had done a lot of things that deserved him a hanging. But by a judge\u2026not an unruly mob.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben frowned. \u201cThese people. Is there no law or decency anymore?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The front door burst open and Little Joe ran out, followed by Adam and Hoss. \u201cMr. Coffee!\u201d Joe cried happily. The smile faded slightly as he took note of the man\u2019s appearance. \u201cWhat happened? Are you okay?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Roy and Ben exchanged a quick look, and then Roy smiled broadly. \u201cOf course! Keep more than my fool horse to keep me down!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Little Joe laughed, but then quickly turned serious. \u201cDid you find him, sir?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWho?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHarker. Pa said you were with a posse looking for Harker.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Roy slowly nodded. \u201cYeah, we found him.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe frowned and bit his bottom lip. \u201cDid they arrest him? Is he going to jail?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Roy patted Joe on the head. \u201cDon\u2019t you worry, youngen\u2019. He\u2019ll never set foot in this territory again.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe looked up at him. \u201cAre you sure?\u201d he whispered. \u201cMaybe he\u2019ll get out of prison, and still come back.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Roy bent down. \u201cNow what did I just tell you, boy? You quit worrying.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe smiled, and then Adam gently nudged him towards the house. \u201cCome on, kiddo. It\u2019s your turn to try and beat me at checkers.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe smiled and followed Adam inside. \u201cCouldn\u2019t we play poker instead?\u201d he asked as the front door shut.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben looked with raised eyebrows at the front door, wondering where Joe could have learned that.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jack rubbed his nose to hide a smile. They had traveled for four days with not much but a deck of cards. The kid had caught on fairly quickly, and Jack could see that he might actually become quite good at the game someday. He cleared his throat. \u201cYou gonna tell him about Harker?\u201d he asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben sighed. \u201cNot right now, I don\u2019t think. In a few days, after things have settled down.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Roy nodded, and then said, \u201cI best be going. I\u2019m glad to hear the youngen\u2019s all right. I\u2019ll go back into town and tell people it\u2019s not a rumor, that he\u2019s been found alive and well.\u201d Roy walked back to his horse.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGoodnight, Roy,\u201d Ben called as he rode away. Ben finished the last of his coffee, and then he and Jack went back inside.<\/span><\/p>\n

As they opened the door, they heard Joe angrily yelling. \u201cYou can\u2019t take that piece; that one\u2019s not been kinged yet!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut Joe\u2026it did get kinged \u2026there weren\u2019t enough pieces\u2026\u201d Hoss tried to explain, but Joe wasn\u2019t having any of it.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo it didn\u2019t! It was the other one!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJoe\u2026\u201d started Adam.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBoys.\u201d Ben interrupted, trying to quell the fight.<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe hardly heard him, and turned to Adam. \u201cKeep out of it! If you weren\u2019t so stupid and pigheaded-\u201c<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBite your tongue,\u201d Jack said quietly, and Little Joe stopped yelling and looked over at him.<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe looked down, and then glanced up at Adam. \u201cI\u2019m sorry, Adam. I\u2019m just really tired I guess.\u201d Joe had tears in his eyes, and Adam reached out and hugged him, staring with surprise at Jack.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s okay. Why don\u2019t you go upstairs and get ready for bed?\u201d Adam said. Joe turned and went up the stairs. As soon as his door shut, Adam turned angrily to Jack. \u201cWhat did you do to him to make him scared of you like that?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Jack snorted. \u201cHe\u2019s not scared of me. He\u2019s only learned I don\u2019t have a father\u2019s, or brother\u2019s, love or patience to put up with him doing anything other than what he\u2019s told.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam glared at the man. \u201cYou better not have hurt him,\u201d he said, his voice low and grim.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jack raised his eyebrows. \u201cI didn\u2019t. Ask him yourself.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll do just that.\u201d Adam turned and strode upstairs, ignoring Ben\u2019s plea to him to calm down.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben turned to Jack. \u201cI\u2019m sorry\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Jack dismissed his concern with an offhand wave. \u201cDon\u2019t bother. I\u2019m sure you\u2019re just as worried about what happened during the trip back. And to answer you, I didn\u2019t put a hand your son.\u201d Jack turned and sat down on the table in front of the fire. \u201cWe had a lot of time to talk. He told me about all of you, and the Ponderosa, and how much he wanted to be back home. We also talked about serious things\u2026such as how saying the wrong thing can ruin a relationship.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben stood in front of the fire, staring in to the flames for some time.<\/span><\/p>\n

Finally Jack looked up. \u201cI\u2019m going to turn in. I\u2019ve got to get an early start tomorrow.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben looked down at him, and then warmly patted his shoulder. \u201cThank you so much,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jack smiled back at him. \u201cIt was my pleasure.\u201d The two men shook hands, and then Jack went into the guest room.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben turned to Hoss, who had quietly observed the exchange. \u201cCome on son, let\u2019s get to bed too.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss smiled and put his arm around Ben\u2019s shoulders, and they went upstairs.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Little Joe ran down the stairs to see Ben stoking the fire in the living room. \u201cDid he leave yet?\u201d asked Joe.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben glanced up at him. \u201cHe just went outside,\u201d he said. \u201cHe didn\u2019t want to wake you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe frowned. \u201cWhy would he leave without saying goodbye?\u201d he wailed, and then ran to the door and outside. Jack was leading the horses out of the barn, and Joe ran up to him. \u201cAre you leaving?\u201d Joe asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jack looked down at him. \u201cThat\u2019s a question you didn\u2019t need to ask. I didn\u2019t come to stay here forever, kid. You know that.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe nodded sadly. \u201cI know.\u201d Little Joe looked up at him for a couple of seconds, and then threw himself onto the large man and hugged him fiercely. \u201cWill you ever come back?\u201d he asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jack patted Joe\u2019s head. \u201cWho knows, kid.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe stared up at him, tears glistening in his eyes. \u201cI\u2019ll never forget you,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jack just smiled a funny smile, and mounted his horse. Little Joe ran back to Ben, who put his arm around his shoulders. Together they watched as Jack Trent rode out of the yard. Joe looked up at Ben. \u201cYou think we\u2019ll ever see him again?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben smiled and shrugged. \u201cWho knows?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe grinned back at him.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCome on,\u201d Ben said, and then led Joe inside to where Hoss and Adam were hungrily waiting for them to start breakfast.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

THE END<\/span><\/p>\n

Next in the At the Hands of Strangers Series:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Friends and Strangers<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Summary: \u00a0A prequel. A revengeful hired hand kidnaps Little Joe, who discovers a new friend in an unlikely place. \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Rated:\u00a0K+ (13,805)<\/p>\n

At the Hands of Strangers Series, links to all the stories within the series included.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":92,"featured_media":14809,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"template-full-width-post.php","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_members_access_role":[],"_members_access_error":""},"categories":[23,1007],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3271","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-drama","category-joe-cartwright","wpcat-23-id","wpcat-1007-id"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/hands.jpeg?fit=260%2C194&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3271","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/92"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3271"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3271\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/14809"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3271"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3271"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3271"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}