{"id":3694,"date":"2004-04-26T13:34:49","date_gmt":"2004-04-26T17:34:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=3694"},"modified":"2025-02-27T12:08:26","modified_gmt":"2025-02-27T17:08:26","slug":"fire-wind","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=3694","title":{"rendered":"Fire Wind (by GinnyF)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summary: \u00a0B<\/span>ased on the Great Virginia City Fire. \u00a0The Cartwright brothers help battle the fire and search for Hop Sing.<\/p>\n

Rated:\u00a0 T (4,720 words)<\/p>\n

Fire Wind<\/strong><\/p>\n

Prologue:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

The banging of a loose shutter awoke Kate Shea. She silently cursed her late husband for dying and leaving her stuck in a dirty, noisy mining town.\u00a0 The only good thing about Virginia City was the lack of housing for the daily arriving newcomers.\u00a0 She never lacked for boarders in her large, but shabby and unpainted, house on A Street.\u00a0 Next summer, she should have enough money tucked away to get her to San Francisco.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She peeked out the grimy, ground-floor window next to her bed.\u00a0 To add to the misery of the zephyr howling down from the mountains clouds of dust swirled in the gale. There had been no rain for months. Usually the winds struck in the afternoons and she had hoped to have the washing done by then.\u00a0 Not that the miners who boarded there cared about clean sheets, but a couple of them were married and their wives tended to be picky about cleanliness.\u00a0 Especially Mrs. Myers; she was always spouting off about cleanliness being next to godliness.\u00a0 Oh well, if they didn’t like it, let them try to find somewhere else to stay.\u00a0 She would have their rooms let an hour after they left.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She sighed and climbed out of bed.\u00a0 Without looking in the mirror she washed her face, threw on a plain brown dress,tucked her grey-streaked chestnut hair into a bun, and trudged to the kitchen to prepare breakfast and the packed lunches she provided for a fee for the workingmen.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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

“Mrs. Myers, I know I advertise clean linens, but I can’t hang out a wash with all the dust flying around, not to mention the wind.\u00a0 It would rip the sheets right off the line and they would be scattered all over kingdom come.”\u00a0 Kate struggled to smile at the women as she scurried around the kitchen loading a tray with a pot of tea and cups.\u00a0 “Why don’t you take this upstairs for you and Mrs. Jones while you do your fancywork and sewing. \u00a0It’s on the house, today.\u00a0 I’m going to make some cookies for desert this evening. These dratted zephyrs can put folks out of sorts and I thought some sweets might be a nice treat .<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Kate’s two female boarders went upstairs to do the work they took in to supplement their husbands’ incomes.\u00a0 Kate started a fire in the stove, then took a bowl and a kerosene lamp \u00a0to the cellar for nuts.\u00a0 While filling the bowl, she was startled by a crashing noise from the kitchen above her head.\u00a0 Leaving the lamp behind, she rushed out of the cellar.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She ran into the kitchen to find her cat, standing in the middle of the shattered remains of a plate of left over bacon, contentedly chewing. “What a mess! Out!\u00a0 Shoo!\u00a0 Scat, you darned cat!”\u00a0 Kate waved her broom and the frightened animal scurried out the open door.\u00a0 Distracted with cleaning up the mess, she forgot about the burning lamp and the open cellar door.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The cat sought refuge from the broom and the wind.<\/p>\n

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

The cat lazily eyed the movement in the corner of the cellar.\u00a0 A mouse scurried out of the shadows towards a crate of apples stored in the opposite corner.\u00a0 The cat pounced, upsetting the lamp, as the mouse darted past her nose.\u00a0\u00a0 With a “crash” and a “woosh” the lamp broke and the burning kerosene splashed the screeching cat.\u00a0 The panicked animal tore around the cellar blindly trying to get away from the pain.\u00a0 Within seconds, the cellar was aflame.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The kitchen floor above was engulfed immediately.\u00a0 Kate, having just stepped outside to go back to the cellar watched in horror as the flames climbed the back stairs.\u00a0\u00a0 Yelling her boarders’ names, she ran to the front door and into the entry.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The front of the house was filled with smoky murk, but only the upstairs was burning.\u00a0 Mrs. Jones and Mrs. Myers, coughing and clutching the banister were feeling their way down the stairs.\u00a0 The fire in the hallway jumped into the rush of wind from the open front door. Mrs. Myers, halfway down, was caught up in the onrush of flames.\u00a0 Mrs. Jones, slipping and tumbling down the stairs was grabbed by Kate and thrust out the doorway.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sobbing and shaking, the two women beat at each other’s smoldering skirts as fleeing people milled around them. Without knowing how they got there, they soon found themselves in the throng pushing toward Taylor St. and down the hill towards the center of town.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

No safety was to be found there.\u00a0 The buildings downhill from the fire were already aflame.\u00a0 The winds were pushing a firestorm before them.\u00a0 Dry wooden buildings were exploding, sending burning debris flying.\u00a0 Virginia City’s volunteer fireman, augmented by law enforcement personnel and desperate civilians, were valiantly fighting to save the center of town, where the brick buildings were already crumbling. The crush of terrified people was making fighting the fire almost impossible.\u00a0 Sheriff Roy Coffee and his deputy, Clem Foster started to herd the refugees away from the center of town and back up Sun Mountain, upwind of the fire.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Everywhere there was panic.\u00a0 Men, women, and children yelled, screamed, and sobbed.\u00a0 Horses ran loose, their hooves pounding. Dogs scurried to and fro barking.\u00a0 Firefighters yelled instructions. \u00a0Fire bells, the school bell, and church bells clanged. \u00a0\u00a0Explosive concussions joined the mix, as firefighters dynamited buildings to create a firebreak. The roar of the flames and the howl of the wind dominated the chaos.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A pall of oily smoke hung over the town.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chapter 1:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

In the sitting room of a\u00a0 frame house on I St. two men sat sipping jasmine tea. Both men were Chinese, but the resemblance ended there.\u00a0 The elder was a distinguished-looking, but frail gentleman with white hair dressed in a long queue. His goatee was accompanied by a full drooping mustache.\u00a0 His faded blue brocade gown had once fit him perfectly, but now hung loosely on his tall thin frame.\u00a0 The younger man was dressed in the gray, pajama-like garb of a peasant.\u00a0 His black hair was also dressed in a queue.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hop Sing carefully set his empty porcelain cup on the damask-covered table and stood.\u00a0 His round, pleasant face was adorned with a smile that extended to the sparkle in his eyes.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The elderly man also stood, towering over Hop Sing. His angular face and tired eyes also bathed in a smile.\u00a0 He bowed.\u00a0 “Thank you for ministering to the needs of a sick old man, honorable cousin.\u00a0 I am grateful.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“It was my pleasure to be of service, most honorable cousin.”\u00a0 The younger man returned the bow.\u00a0 “Your wisdom and generosity have been most helpful since we came to this new land. I am honored to have you among my relatives.\u00a0 And I am happy that your health is much improved.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hop Sing picked up his carpet bag.\u00a0 “I must be on my way.\u00a0 I am to meet Cartwright sons at hardware store.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I am sure they will be glad to have their cook back.\u00a0 Especially, number-two son”, Ming Wu chuckled.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The\u00a0 men walked slowly to the front door, still chatting.\u00a0 They were interrupted by a pounding that reverberated through the small house and voices yelling.\u00a0 “Ming Wu!\u00a0 Ming Wu!\u00a0 Are you there?\u00a0 Ming Wu!”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ming Wu opened the door to chaos.\u00a0 The street was clogged with the residents of Chinatown and the neighboring Negro neighborhood.\u00a0 They were carrying bundles, pushing and pulling loaded carts, the fortunate few leading loaded down horses or mules.\u00a0 All were rushing toward the high ground of Sun Mountain.\u00a0 To add to the confusion, dust and\u00a0 small debris was being blown about by the fierce wind.\u00a0 Above all this, one frightening word could be heard shouted.\u00a0 “Fire!”.\u00a0 The cousins saw smoke billowing several blocks away and felt its acid tang in their nostrils.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chapter II:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Don’t forget about the keg of nails,” Hoss Cartwright reminded his brothers for the third or fourth time that morning.\u00a0 “Pa’ll expect those loose singles on the barn roof nailed down tight when he gets home.\u00a0 Winter”ll \u00a0be here before we know it.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“The nails are at the top of my list”, Adam assured him, patting his shirt pocket.\u00a0 He climbed onto the wagon seat beside his fretting brother. “It isn’t often the zephyers start so early in the day.”\u00a0 He looked worriedly at the tossing pines.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Yeah, it’s a strange morning”.\u00a0 Hoss pulled his hat down tight.\u00a0 “My head’s been itchin’. That’s usually a sure sign of trouble.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“It’s a sign you need to wash your hair.” Joe quipped.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam eyed his youngest brother.\u00a0 “Speaking of hair, you should get a haircut while we’re in town, today.\u00a0 Pa might just march you to the barber shop when he gets off the stage next week.\u00a0 Why don’t you come with me while Hoss picks up Hop Sing at his cousin’s and gets the nails?<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I don’t need my big brother to take me to the barber shop!”\u00a0 Joe glared at his oldest brother.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I didn’t say you did”, Adam retorted. \u00a0“I just wasn’t sure you knew where one was”.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Got you, there, little brother”, Hoss chimed in as he clucked the team into motion.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss and Adam winked at each other and chuckled as Joe, on Cochise, rounded the corner of the barn and out of sight toward the Virginia City Road.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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

 <\/p>\n

Hoss pulled the team to a stop.\u00a0 He looked curiously around, sniffing the air.\u00a0 “I smell smoke. Adam, you smell anything?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Yeah.”\u00a0 Adam also looked around, puzzled.\u00a0 “Over there!”\u00a0 Adam pointed to where oily black clouds billowed above the treetops.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Pounding hooves drew their attention back to the road \u00a0ahead of them.\u00a0 Their brother was approaching at a gallop, waving his hat and yelling. \u00a0He reined his horse to a halt in front of the wagon. “Fire!”\u00a0 Virginia City!\u00a0 The whole<\/p>\n

town’s on fire, and Hop Sing’s there!”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chapter <\/span><\/strong>III<\/span><\/strong>:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Come, honorable cousin, we do not have much time! We must flee!”, Hop Sing urged Ming Wu. He dumped the contents of his carpet bag onto the floor. “We only have time to fill this bag.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The elderly man nodded his understanding.\u00a0 His eyes darted around the room and rested on the statue of Budda in its place of honor.\u00a0 He grabbed it to him.\u00a0 “I am ready, cousin, let us go.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“But cousin, you have objects of much more value?”\u00a0 Hop Sing couldn’t believe his cousin was leaving his precious jade collection behind in favor of a plaster statue.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“My jade pieces can be replaced.\u00a0 This statue of Budda is the last memory of China that I possess.\u00a0 It belonged to my honorable father, and to his.\u00a0 My mother presented it to me the day I left her home.”\u00a0 Ming Wu gently thrust the statue into his cousin’s bag.\u00a0 “Now we go.”\u00a0 With Hop Sing following behind, he strode out his door and did not look back.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Men and women and animals, some loaded down, some running free, jostled and pushed the two Chinese men as they joined the fleeing throng.\u00a0 Hop Sing, burdened with the heavy statue managed to keep hold of his cousin’s arm, afraid the elderly man would stumble and fall.\u00a0 If that happened, he would surely be trampled.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The smoke had caught up with them before they got very far uphill.\u00a0 Gasping and coughing, Ming Wu fell to his knees nearly dragging Hop Sing down with him.\u00a0 He dropped the carpet bag and grasped his cousin’s elbows and pulled him to his feet.\u00a0 He struggled out of Hop Sing’s grasp.\u00a0 “No!\u00a0 I cannot go on.\u00a0 Save yourself, cousin.\u00a0 But, please, take the statue of Budda with you.\u00a0 It is now yours.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I will not leave you behind!”\u00a0 Hop Sing flared. “I have always respected and obeyed my elders, as I have been taught; but I am respectfully disobeying you.”\u00a0 He went on more calmly.\u00a0 “I will beg your pardon later.” He bowed to his cousin.\u00a0 Ming Wu, with tears running down his wrinkled cheeks, allowed the younger man to lead him away.\u00a0 Behind them, his last link to the country of his birth lay in the dust and soot.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Exhausted, Hop Sing continued his struggle to safety, half dragging, half carrying his elderly cousin through the panicked mob.\u00a0 His eyes smarted and his lungs burned.\u00a0 He tripped and stumbled, Ming Wu slipping from his grasp.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hop pushed himself to his feet, but gasped as a sharp pain seared through his ankle.\u00a0 He dropped back to the ground and lay there panting as the world spun around him and became black.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chapter IV:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“We can’t take the horses in there”, Hoss pointed out.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam nodded.\u00a0 “Harrigan’s should be safe from the fire”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Turning into Harrigan’s Smithy, the brothers found Eva Harrigan looking towards town and wringing her hands in her apron.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Morning, Mrs. Harrigan.\u00a0 Lemuel here?”\u00a0 Adam looked toward the forge.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She pointed down the road.\u00a0 “He just left.\u00a0 He’s a volunteer fireman. Oh, those poor people.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“That’s where we’re headed, but we don’t want to leave the horses and wagon unattended.\u00a0 Too much of a temptation for desperate people.”\u00a0 Adam pulled some silver dollars from his pocket.\u00a0 We were hoping we could leave the horses and wagon here.\u00a0 We’ll pay you, of course.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Eva Harrigan shook her head and made a stopping \u00a0gesture.\u00a0 “Of course you can leave them here. But I don’t want any money from you.\u00a0 You boys just be careful.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Leaving Cochise and the wagon, the Cartwright brothers struggled against the flow of people streaming out of Virginia City.\u00a0 The wind drove dust and soot under the neckerchiefs tied over their mouths and noses, making them cough and their eyes water.\u00a0 Joe swore as his hat went flying and landed on a burning pile of wood.\u00a0 Hoss pulled his beloved ten gallon hat tighter onto his head,\u00a0 Too late, Adam reached for his, but the black hat followed Joe’s.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“It’s no use”, Adam shouted over the roar of the flames and wind. “I Street’s too far in the direction the fire’s coming from!\u00a0 Hop Sing and his cousin will have already made a run for it, and they could have gone anywhere! We should see what we can do to help with fighting the fire!”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“But, he’s in danger! And he’s family!” Joe shouted desperately.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss laid a hand on his younger brother’s shoulder and shook his head. “Joe, you know Adam’s right.\u00a0 It’s impossible, that part of town’s probably ashes by now.\u00a0 We feel the same way you do, but the only thing we can do right now is to stop frettin’ and do our part to help fight the fire.\u00a0 \u00a0As soon as we can, we’ll go lookin’ for him. And Hop Sing’s lived on the Barbary Coast and made it through that big earthquake in China that he told us about. He can take care of himself and his cousin.\u00a0 We’ll probably find him in a bucket brigade somewhere.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Adam! You and your brothers come with me!” John Mackay, owner of the Consolidated Virginia Mine, beckoned urgently.\u00a0 “We need help to keep the fire from going down the mine shafts.\u00a0 If we lose the mines we’ll never be able to rebuild the town.\u00a0 The fire’s already started down the Ophir works, but hasn’t reached the Consolidated yet! We’re trying to fill as much of the shaft as possible!”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

As they approached the corner of E St. and Taylor, they saw the blazing roof and steeple of St. Mary’s of the Mountain Church.\u00a0 Demolition crews were making a firebreak.\u00a0\u00a0 streaming past them toward the hoist works and mill of the Consolidated Virginia mine in Six-Mile Canyon. The four were almost bowled over men running by. One of the running men shouted\u00a0 as he passed, “The pumpers at the mine works lost pressure!\u00a0 We need men for bucket brigades!”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Heaving for breath in the smoky air, sticky with sweat and grime, dodging flames, debris, and people, they joined the men sprinting to Six-Mile Canyon. Joe and Adam stepped into the bucket brigade and Hoss grabbed a shovel.\u00a0\u00a0 Mckay seemed to be everywhere at once; issuing orders, gesturing, yelling, swearing, urging the men on.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The men battled valiantly, but without the pumpers were no match for the wind-driven flames.\u00a0 All they could hope for was to contain the fire till the mineshaft could be sealed.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Look out!”, someone yelled as burning pieces of the hoistworks crashed to the ground.\u00a0 The bucket brigade scattered, but one man went down screaming, his trousers on fire.\u00a0 Adam rushed to the man and rolled him in the dirt, beating out the flames with his hands.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe hurried to his brother.\u00a0 “Adam!\u00a0 Are you all right?”\u00a0 He grabbed Adam’s wrists and looked worriedly at the blisters.\u00a0 “You need doctorin’.\u00a0 I’ll find out where Doctor Martin’s set up and get you and this poor fellow there.”\u00a0 Joe gestured to the burned man who withered on the ground moaning, “my legs, my legs”.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“No, I can get us there myself.\u00a0 I’m all right.\u00a0 Get a shovel and go help fill the shaft.\u00a0 They need all the able-bodied men they can get. If the fire gets down the mine shafts, it’ll burn for years, and Virginia City won’t recover.\u00a0 Besides being on the board of directors of the Consolidated, Virginia City turning into a ghost town will affect the Ponderosa.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe looked skeptically at Adam, but did as he was told.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

John Mckay helped Adam hoist the injured man to his feet.\u00a0 “I’ve heard that Paul Martin set up a medical tent on Cedar Hill.\u00a0 Your brother’s right, though.\u00a0 You need help with Watkins.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I can do it.\u00a0 Just get his arm around my neck.\u00a0 Like I told Joe, the able-bodied men are needed here.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Mckay shook his head as he watched Adam trudge off through the smoke, half-dragging Pete Watkins.\u00a0 “Those Cartwrights are surely a stubborn bunch.”<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss stopped digging. Something was different, but what?\u00a0 He couldn’t put his finger on it.\u00a0 He swiped his arm across his forehead, adding more grime to his already filthy shirt and looked around.\u00a0 He heard the clang of shovels and the crackle of flames approaching the Consolidated Virginia Mine.\u00a0 “That’s it!”<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Hey!”\u00a0 Hoss yelled.\u00a0 “The wind’s died!<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Mckay threw down his shovel and picked up a bucket. He pointed at a half-dozen men, “Hoss! Turner, McGee, you, you, and you. Stay here and keep dumping in the dirt. The rest of you come with this fellow and form a bucket brigade!” He grabbed the shovel from Joe and thrust the bucket into his hands. “Without that blasted wind, we have a chance of saving something.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Thank you, men.\u00a0 We did it. We saved the Consolidated Virginia.\u00a0 The buildings are gone, but the fire didn’t get down the shafts.\u00a0 The mine can still be worked.” John Mckay addressed his exhausted crew.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He had been told the same about the Ophir Mine and the other Virginia City mines.\u00a0 The buildings burned, but the shafts had not been breached.\u00a0 Virginia City would be able to rebuild and live on.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A bucket of water and a dipper were passed around.\u00a0 As he took his turn, Hoss grinned at Joe.\u00a0 “I can’t believe how good a dipper of water can taste.”\u00a0 He handed it on to his brother, who grinned back at him. “Sure does, big brother, sure does.\u00a0 Now, let’s go find Adam and Hop Sing.\u00a0 Adam’s probably waiting for us at Cedar Hill.\u00a0 Maybe Hop Sing’s there too.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss frowned.\u00a0 “Yeah, I hope so.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chapter V:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

With Hoss’s hand affectionately on the back of Joe’s neck, the pair set off in search of Adam and Hop Sing. Silently, the brothers trudged through the wasteland that had been Virginia City. A stream of people headed the same direction; toward the medical tent at Cedar Hill. Most had been fighting the fire,and were, like the Cartwright brothers, looking for missing kin and friends.\u00a0 Others were injured; being taken or making their own way to medical help. The smell of smoke still stung their eyes and throats.\u00a0 The last smoldering embers were being snuffed.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Stepping out of the way of two men carrying a litter, Hoss tripped over something heavy and almost fell. He picked up the filthy, scorched, torn carpet bag that he had stumbled over. “What the heck? It can’t be.”\u00a0 <\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“You all right?”\u00a0 Hoss looked away from the carpet bag to Joe, who was staring at him worriedly.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“This is Hop Sing’s!”\u00a0 Hoss excitedly showed his brother the bag.\u00a0 “See the handles?\u00a0 They’re leather straps.\u00a0 I put those on when the wooden handle broke.”Dang, this is heavy!\u00a0 What’s he got in here, gold?”\u00a0 Hoss set the bag down and opened it.\u00a0 The brothers looked at each other, incredulous \u00a0at the contents.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“An old statue?\u00a0 What’s he lugging’ that around for at a time like this?” Joe puzzled.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss reclosed the bag.\u00a0 “I don’t know, little brother.” Hoss shook his head.\u00a0 “But knowing Hop Sing, he had a good reason. We’ll take it with us.\u00a0 Come on, it’s going to be dark soon and the wind’s pickin’ up again.” \u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chapter VI:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Night was settling over Cedar Hill as Adam Cartwright wearily sank\u00a0 down onto the chill ground, his back against a boulder, and rubbed the bridge of his nose.\u00a0 He shivered. The wind had returned with a vengeance, and it was growing cold.\u00a0 Below, he could see spots of orange and red where embers still glowed in the burned out town.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He was helping care for the injured, as best he could with his bandaged hands.\u00a0 Going among them with canteens of water, he had spied a familiar figure.\u00a0 Hop Sing, wearing a splint on his lower leg, was sitting dejectedly on the ground beside the body of his cousin, Ming Wu. \u00a0Adam dropped down beside him, and with an arm around the Chinaman’s shoulders, listened to the tale of the pair’s harrowing flight. After reassuring Hop Sing that he would be close, Adam left him to his vigil.\u00a0 Knowing that Hoss and Joe would come to Cedar Hill in search of him, he stationed himself overlooking the road.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Adam!\u00a0 Hey Adam!\u00a0 Wake up!”\u00a0 Adam forced his eyes open and groggily looked into the grinning faces of his younger brothers.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The sight of his brothers, safe and sound, drove some of the weariness from Adam’s face.\u00a0 “You two are a sight for sore eyes.”\u00a0 He returned the grin.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“You, too, older brother.”\u00a0 Joe happily flung his arm around Adam’s neck and laughed. “We’re all a soot-covered sight with red eyes from the smoke”.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss draped his arm around Adam’s other shoulder. “How’s your hands?” he looked pointedly at his brother’s bandaged hands.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam shrugged. “They’ll be all right.\u00a0 Just light burns.\u00a0 What do you have there?” he asked, gesturing to the carpet bag Hoss was carrying.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“We found it on the way here”, Hoss answered.\u00a0 “Looks like Hop Sing’s, but there’s one of those Buda statures in there.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Hop Sing’s here.\u00a0 We’ll take it to him and find out why he was carrying it”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Here! He’s safe, then!”\u00a0 Hoss and Joe looked expectantly at Adam.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“He’s safe, but I don’t know what kind of shape he’s in.”\u00a0 Adam frowned.\u00a0 “He has a broken leg, that I know of.\u00a0 But his cousin Ming Wu is dead.\u00a0 He’s sitting beside the body; won’t leave his cousin. I thought the best thing would be to leave him alone for awhile.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe took the statue from the carpet bag and examined it.\u00a0 “I remember seeing this when I went to Ming Wu’s house with Hop Sing.\u00a0 He told me that this is all his cousin brought from China with him, except for a few clothes.\u00a0 That probably was why they tried to save it.\u00a0 Maybe we should take it to him now.\u00a0 It might help him to have it.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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

 <\/p>\n

Despite his grief, Hop Sing was overjoyed to have his cousin’s Budda returned to him.\u00a0 He had pulled himself together and was speaking quietly with several other Chinese men. He introduced them to the Cartwrights as friends of his cousin, Ming Wu.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss patted Hop Sing’s shoulder. “We left the wagon at Harrigan’s Smithy.\u00a0 It’ll take us awhile to fetch it, but we’ll be back with it and get you home.\u00a0 Do you want to take your cousin to the ranch?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hop Sing inclined his head towards the group of Chinese gathered around him.\u00a0 The eldest bowed.\u00a0 “Ming Wu was a valued friend.\u00a0 We will be honored to guard him and see to it that he is buried properly in the Chinese cemetery.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Assuring their cook that they would be back as soon as possible, the brothers started back through the devastated town.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Brrrr!”\u00a0 Joe wrapped\u00a0 his arms around himself and shivered.\u00a0 “I’ll be glad to have my jacket back. It’s getting cold. I hope Mrs. Harrigan can lend us a blanket for Hop Sing.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe had no sooner mentioned the cold when the first snowflakes began to fall.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“This is a mixed blessing”, Adam said as he, also, tried to stop shivering. “The snow will help but out the last traces of fire, but the folks who were burned out are going to suffer even more.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Hey! Look there!”\u00a0 Hoss pointed ahead of them.\u00a0 A loaded-down wagon was approaching driven by the blacksmith, Lemuel Harrigan.\u00a0 Behind him was his wife driving the Cartwright’s wagon.\u00a0 It too was loaded-down; Cochise tied behind.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Lemuel hailed them. “Hope you don’t mind us borrowing your wagon? Oh, and you boys might need these.” He handed the brothers the jackets they had left behind.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A group of men close by, searching the ruins, stopped what they were doing and burst into cheers.\u00a0 The Cartwrights and Harrigans looked around to see what anyone could possibly be cheering about, then joined the cheering. A long procession of wagons was rolling into Virginia City from the direction of Gold Hill<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chapter <\/span><\/strong>VII<\/span><\/strong>:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“We’re gonna have to tie Hop Sing down till his leg heals to keep him from tryin’ to cook”, Hoss complained the next morning.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam wrinkled his nose and pushed his runny eggs and charred bacon around his plate with a rock-hard biscuit. “I just might prop him up at the stove myself.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss smeared butter and honey on a biscuit and valiantly tried to bite into it. “Dadburn it, little brother!\u00a0 You tryin’ to poison us or just break all our teeth?\u00a0 Maybe I’ll just have some of that oatmeal I made for Hop Sing”, he sighed.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“It’s lumpy.\u00a0 You can’t cook any better than I can.” Joe grumbled.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Cheer up.\u00a0 Hoss and I will be bringing Hop Sing’s Number Twelve Cousin back with us from Virginia City when we take those supplies in.”\u00a0 Adam pushed his chair back and stood”\u00a0 “Come on, Hoss, let’s get going.\u00a0 Oh, and, Joe, have that mess in the kitchen cleaned up before we get back.\u00a0 We don’t want to scare Number Twelve Cousin away”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam rounded the corner of the dining room just in time to avoid the biscuit that was aimed at his head.\u00a0 Chuckling, he grabbed he grabbed his coat, hat and gunbelt as he and Hoss bolted out the door ahead of a barrage of biscuits.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Postscript:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The author took liberties with the date of the Great Fire in order to fit it into the Bonanza time-line.\u00a0 The actual date of the fire was October 26, 1875.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

My source for information about the fire, “The Roar and the Silence” by Ronald M. James places the beginning of the fire as the basement of Kate Shea’s boarding house on North A Street.\u00a0 However, the cat being the culprit comes strictly from the author’s imagination as a cat owner.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Despite losing over one-million dollars in buildings and equipment between the Consolidated Virginia and the Opir mines and a fire inside a shaft at the Best and Belcher Mine, the mines were saved and the town was rebuilt.\u00a0 Amazingly, there were few recorded fatalities.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The fire combined with the winds and the snow that fell that night had been predicted months before by Ellie Bowers, bonanza queen turned pauper turned fortune teller.<\/p>\n

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

 <\/p>\n

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

 <\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/g><\/svg><\/i> \"Loading\"<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Summary: \u00a0Based on the Great Virginia City Fire. \u00a0The Cartwright brothers help battle the fire and search for Hop Sing.<\/p>\n

Rated:\u00a0 T (4,720 words)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":121,"featured_media":4109,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"template-full-width-post.php","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[23,27],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3694","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-drama","category-whi","wpcat-23-id","wpcat-27-id"],"a3_pvc":{"activated":true,"total_views":1250,"today_views":0},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/fire2.jpg?fit=370%2C406&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":5459,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=5459","url_meta":{"origin":3694,"position":0},"title":"The Man in Black (by deansgirl)","author":"deansgirl","date":"February 1, 2000","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0 A girl traveling alone to Virginia City meets a piece of her past and The Man In Black. 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