{"id":5151,"date":"2014-05-30T17:01:18","date_gmt":"2014-05-30T21:01:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=5151"},"modified":"2025-02-18T19:21:17","modified_gmt":"2025-02-19T00:21:17","slug":"rocky-mountain-oysters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=5151","title":{"rendered":"Rocky Mountain Oysters (by Shlynn)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summary: \u00a0<\/span>Adam and Hoss seek revenge on Joe for the tricks he has played on them with the frogs and onions. \u00a0This is the last part of the series.\u00a0 All can be read alone.<\/p>\n

Rated: K+ (5,805 WORDS)<\/p>\n

Tricks Series:<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Frogs<\/a>
\nThe Onions<\/a>
\nRocky Mountain Oysters<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Rocky Mountain Oysters<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cHey Joe,\u201d yelled Hoss while he yanked on a calf determined to get away from him. Tightening the rope thrown around its front legs, Hoss grabbed the calf by the tail and tossed it to the ground. Usually a job that took two men, Hoss prided himself in being able to do it alone. With his knee resting on the calf\u2019s neck and the rope firmly in his hand holding the back legs he nodded that he was ready.<\/p>\n

With a branding iron welded in the shape of a Ponderosa pine in his hand, Joe advanced towards the bawling calf and quickly pushed the glowing-red iron onto its skin. The sound of the skin sizzling soon was replaced by smoke rising from the calf\u2019s new brand. Quickly moving out of Adam\u2019s way, Joe watched his brother effortlessly castrate the calf. Then as he dropped the testicle into a pail, Adam nodded towards Hoss. Moving quickly and swiftly, Hoss released the rope from the calf\u2019s legs and moved out the way of the calf. Within seconds the calf went bawling in search for his mother.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood job Hoss,\u201d Adam remarked as he stood to his feet. The sweat dripped down his face as he reached down and helped Hoss stand to his feet. Looking around the corral, Adam sighted his younger brother poking the coals in the fire. \u201cSay Joe, is that the last of them?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe answered with a deep sigh, \u201cYeah, that\u2019s it. I\u2019m tired and hungry enough to eat an entire steer.\u201d Then as he yawned, Joe rolled his shoulders then stretched his arms above his shoulders, all while looking around for Ben. His pa wasn\u2019t too hard to locate. Surrounded by the hands that had been helping them during the day, Ben was perched on the top of the corral fence as he spoke with them.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been a long day,\u201d Adam spoke as he rubbed a spot on his back. Taking a quick glance at the pail sitting at Hoss\u2019s feet, Adam took a few steps closer to where Joe was tending to the fire. \u201cNeed any help with these?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou? You mean you\u2019re asking to help me?\u201d<\/p>\n

Tossing his hands up in the air in frustration, Adam replied, \u201cWell, if you don\u2019t need any help forget I asked.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHold on, I didn\u2019t say I didn\u2019t need help,\u201d retorted Joe. Then letting out a sigh he continued, \u201cI\u2019m sorry, I\u2019m tired and just didn\u2019t expect you to volunteer to help me after all the branding we did today.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo problem Joe. I\u2019m in a good mood. In fact, I\u2019m thinking of fixing us something special this evening as a celebration that we have finished our branding.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSomething special?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA new dish I think you will like.\u201d<\/p>\n

Too tired to bother generating an answer, Joe nodded his head while walking over to the fire pit. Reaching down, he picked up the two irons then pressed them down in the dirt, trying to cool off the ends. When it seemed like they were cool enough, Joe handed them over to Adam. The fire still spewing flames up in the air encouraged Joe to turn his focus towards it, while he attempted to muffle the flames.<\/p>\n

With the branding irons in hand Adam walked back over to where Hoss was standing. \u201cYou ready Hoss?\u201d Then with a sweeping motion with his hand, he pointed to the pail that sat at Hoss\u2019s feet, \u201cDo you mind getting the pail?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI sure don\u2019t,\u201d Hoss answered with a grin. Then as Adam led the way back towards home, Hoss leaned over and grabbed the pail and quickly was in step next to him, while a smile danced across both their faces.
\n***************************<\/p>\n

\u201cTHUNK!\u201d<\/p>\n

The sound echoed in the kitchen where Hoss stood statuesque. Afraid to move, Hoss stared in shock at the top shelf, where a canister he was trying to reach for had just tipped over. A shower of flour quickly cascaded down around him, coating him in a thick layer of white powder. He waited until the flour settled down around him before he attempted to brush it off his clothing. How in the world Hop Sing got that canister off the top shelf was lost to Hoss, as he tripped over a stool at his feet. At the sound of laughter coming somewhere from behind him, Hoss narrowed his eyes at Adam who had just entered the kitchen.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou look like a springtime snowman,\u201d Adam choked out in the midst of his laughter. He couldn\u2019t help but laugh just looking at his brother. No matter how much flour he removed, swipes of it ended up everywhere he touched. Even his eyebrows and eyelashes were coated with flour.<\/p>\n

\u201cDang it Adam! I didn\u2019t expect that flour canister to be so heavy.\u201d Hearing the chuckles continue to slip from Adam\u2019s mouth, Hoss muttered as he shook off the flour, \u201cIf you want me to help you big brother, stop that laughing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Biting back a comment, Adam grinned as he walked over to where his brother was standing. He could see the flour had nestled its way deep into his brother\u2019s hair, so he reached up and vigorously shook his hands through Hoss\u2019s hair.<\/p>\n

With some of the flour finding its place on his shirt and black pants, Adam could distinctly hear Hoss snickering. \u201cYeah, so now we\u2019re even,\u201d Adam replied. Looking around him for the pail, he asked, \u201cWhere did you put the pail?\u201d
\n\u201cOver there by the door.\u201d<\/p>\n

The dented silver pail sat next to the door, an awful smell wafting up from it as Adam took a step close to it. \u201cPhew!\u201d Adam muttered under his breath. I didn\u2019t realize this stuff was going to smell this bad, he thought. \u201cHoss, if you would get the stuff out of this pail and wash it, it would help while I get the ingredients ready for it. In fact,\u201d Adam stopped at moment. Rubbing the bottom of his chin, he continued, \u201cIf you would get a knife and slice them lengthwise it would save me time.\u201d Hoss, eager to help, strode over to where Adam stood and took the pail from him, before heading over to the water pump.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis should be a great meal for our dear ol\u2019 brother Joe,\u201d Hoss said, more to himself than anyone. Hearing Adam\u2019s mumbling in the pantry something about ingredients Hoss set the pail down into the sink then grabbed the handle on the water pump. It took several tries before Hoss could hear the water chugging its way up through the system. The water streamed down into the pail, overflowing into the sink, while Hoss desperately sought something to plug the drain.<\/p>\n

Grabbing a cloth from the side of the chopping block, he stuffed it down into the drain. He stood back and grinned at his ingenious idea. That is, until he stared at the cloth and realized it was Adam\u2019s black handkerchief he had stuffed down into the drain. With a shrug of his shoulders, Hoss decided not telling Adam at this stage was the best idea. Wrapping his hands around the pail, he vigorously swished the water from one side to the other. It took him just a second to realize that the contents inside the pail were letting out an awful smell. \u201cPHEW Adam! This stuff stinks!\u201d Hoss complained, as he tried to bury his nose into his shoulder. Unable to work effectively in that position, Hoss took a deep breath then plunged his hands down into the water filled pail and grabbed a piece of meat. Not liking the feeling of slime his hand encountered, he nearly dropped the piece. Various thoughts came to mind in his desperate attempt to grab onto a firmer section of the slime. Bringing it up out of the water, Hoss had to let go of his breath. Desperate not to smell this stuff he was handling, he held his hands out one direction and took another deep breath before slinging the slime onto the chopping block. Taking a step backwards, Hoss was exhausted. The smell was overpowering, and the thought of doing that to just one more piece made him screw up his face in displeasure.<\/p>\n

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

There in his hand was a clothespin. Adam, saved him! \u201cThanks Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

Opening the clothespin, Hoss carefully opened the piece of wood then let go of it on his nose. \u201cOWWWWWWWWWWWW!\u201d Hoss hollered as he ripped the clothespin off his nose.<\/p>\n

Adam whipped his head around, \u201cBe quiet Hoss!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut Adam, this dang clothespin hurts!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat would you rather do? Go with out it and smell our delicacy?\u201d<\/p>\n

Making a face, Hoss sighed. This time, he carefully allowed let go of the clothespin. There was pain, but not that sudden onslaught when he let go of it earlier. With his nasal abilities drastically cut off, Hoss had no trouble rinsing off the rest of the pieces in the pail. Slapping them onto the chopping block, he reached for a knife from the block of knives, and began slicing them into oblong pieces. Without much of anything else to think on other than what he was doing at hand, Hoss began to have some concern at their special meal for their youngest member of the family. Chewing on the bottom of his lip Hoss turned to face Adam. \u201cAdam,\u201d spoke Hoss with a distinct nasal tone, \u201cI don\u2019t know if we should really be doing this.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy not Hoss?\u201d Adam answered. Briskly mixing the ingredients he grabbed a bottle of red wine and carefully poured some into the batter. \u201cDon\u2019t tell me you have already forgotten the frogs that Joe had you carry out of the house. From the way Joe described it, I\u2019m guessing you had to have had at least one hundred frogs bulging and rubbing up against you in your shirt.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDoggone it Adam,\u201d Hoss grumbled as he swallowed hard. A look of disgust carried over his features as he relieved the moment. \u201cYou\u2019re right. But at least I didn\u2019t end up crying like a baby over some piddly onions.\u201d<\/p>\n

Raising his eyebrows Adam was about to make a retort but decided against it. If he had his choices, he would have preferred the frogs inside his shirt. Actually, Adam thought, Joe knew I wouldn\u2019t have fallen for that ruse. Pushing the thought away he put a few more pieces of wood into the stove. \u201cDo you have those washed and cut Hoss?\u201d<\/p>\n

Taking a look at the platter of meat that Hoss brought to him, Adam had a brief moment of feeling queasy. The last time he had taken a trip into San Francisco, he remembered overhearing some cowboys from the southwest talking about this delicacy. He hadn\u2019t thought much of it until their waiter brought out the dish to them. He had to admit, at the time he didn\u2019t feel too good knowing what they were about to eat. So why do it to his brother? Adam grinned to himself at the answer to that question. If Joe hadn\u2019t played those tricks on Hoss and himself, he would have thought twice about doing this. Unfortunately, he had to live with the knowledge that their ranch hands had seen him crying on the front porch and fortunately Hoss still had the frog incident in his mind so he wasn\u2019t hard to convince to help him out with this. However Adam had to admit, the more he thought about the meal they were preparing the less sure he was of his decision.<\/p>\n

Pulling the opened bottle of red wine towards him, Adam took a big swig then handed it over to Hoss. \u201cTake some Hoss, it will make this process less distasteful.\u201d<\/p>\n

Without a second thought, Hoss grabbed the bottle from Adam\u2019s outstretched hand. Leaning against the counter, he watched as Adam picked up a piece of meat then dipped it into buttermilk and wine mixture before slinging it down into the batter. Then with the batter dripping from the meat Adam turned and put it into the skillet that was already hot and dancing with grease. Listening to the sizzling sounds of grease when the batter hit it, both men froze when they heard the back door open. Fear coursed through their bodies as one thought went through their minds. Joe. Without a second thought both men grabbed the platter of meat then dumped it into the bowl of batter not paying attention as it sent splatter marks onto them and the counter surrounding them.<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Hoss. Mr. Adam,\u201d announced their cook as he walked into the kitchen. \u201cI go to Virginia City with Mr. Ben.\u201d He could smell something in the skillet, so he walked over to where the two men stood nervously near the stove. Glancing into the skillet, Hop Sing commented, \u201cYou make calf fries, good for you.\u201d Then without another word, he turned and picked up a basket next to the door then took a step outside, closing the door behind him.<\/p>\n

Both men let out a deep breath as they sagged against the table. Running his fingers through his hair Adam couldn\u2019t help but shake his head. \u201cThat was a close one Hoss.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou think Hop Sing will tell Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n

At that thought, Adam quickly moved around the table over to the kitchen window and peered out the curtains. Grinning, he turned back around to Hoss. \u201cNope, Hop Sing just climbed onto the buckboard with pa and they are on their way out of the yard right now.\u201d With his eyes on the buckboard Adam let out a nervous sigh as Ben and Hop Sing disappeared from sight. \u201cThey\u2019re gone.\u201d Glancing over to the stove, both men could hear the popping of grease and batter in the frying pan. The smell of buttermilk that was cooking made Hoss\u2019s stomach begin to growl.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat smells good Adam.\u201d Hoss said, as he leaned over the frying pan.<\/p>\n

Not even thinking twice, Adam grabbed a fork from the table behind him and carefully brought out the first piece of meat and placed it on a plate. Brown and crispy, he handed both the fork and plate to his brother. \u201cYou want to have the first taste Hoss?\u201d
\n\u201cIt sure smells good Adam,\u201d Hoss answered as he reached for the fork. Despite the wine he had consumed, he had enough sense within him to stop. \u201cUh no. I think I\u2019ll just save these for Joe. It\u2019s his special dinner and all.\u201d Knowing that he was going to be hungry, Hoss glanced around the kitchen for something else to eat at dinner. In a barrel next to the wall were some potatoes. \u201cWhy don\u2019t I make some mashed potatoes to go with our main course?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSounds good,\u201d Adam replied as he turned to grab some more meat to cover with batter. \u201cWhy don\u2019t you check and see if Joe is around first?\u201d<\/p>\n

Remembering their brother for whom the meal was for, Hoss grinned as he tiptoed quietly from the kitchen. Quickly dusting off the remnants of flour from his clothing Hoss poked his head around the corner into the dining room. He peered into the dining room and let out a sigh. No sign of Joe. Taking a deep breath he quickly took a glance into his pa\u2019s study. Silence. Humming a tune under his breath Hoss turned and walked back towards the kitchen, disappearing into Hop Sing\u2019s hallowed territory just as he heard the bells on the grandfather clock start ringing.<\/p>\n

Joe quickly slid into his arms into his shirt and buttoned it up then tucked it into his pants just as he heard the chime of the sixth bell toll from the clock downstairs. Grabbing his towel, he quickly rubbed his hair one more time to make sure that any excess water was free from it. With the towel tossed across his mirror, Joe left his room and approached the staircase where he could smell food wafting through the air. Smelled like something being fried. Stifling a yawn as Joe walked down the steps he could hear the clatter of pots and pans being knocked around in the kitchen. It was the sound of an expletive escaping from the interior region of the kitchen that prompted Joe to make a split second decision. I think avoiding the kitchen is probably the best decision I could make at this point, Joe thought. Besides, he had already done a day\u2019s worth of work and having already taken a bath he didn\u2019t want to get dirty all over again. Sounded like pretty good reason to him, Joe thought. Basically, he admitted to himself, he didn\u2019t want to be put to work in the kitchen, especially since the settee looked so inviting. He deserved a break after all his hard work that day.<\/p>\n

Dropping down onto the cushions, he leaned his head against the settee, wondering where Ben had gone. As quickly as the question arrived, he quickly remembered. Ben had mentioned going into town and meeting up with Sheriff Coffee to go over some figures. Probably to play a game of checkers and shoot the breeze for a while, Joe thought as a wave of drowsiness overtook him. Closing his eyes for a moment he was fast asleep in minutes.<\/p>\n

Nearly half an hour later all the portions of the calf fries were cooked, along with a generous dose of mashed potatoes. Wiping the grease off his hands, Hoss grabbed a bowl of green beans Adam had decided to make at the last moment then followed his brother out to the dining room table. It was a sound in the living room as he was setting the dish down that caught his attention.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey Adam,\u201d Hoss motioned towards the living room. \u201cThere\u2019s Joe. Think he heard us?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam placed his bowl of food onto the table then walked over to where his brother slept, sprawled out on the settee. With his feet propped up on the edge of the settee, his right arm was flung over his face blocking out the last remnants of sunlight that was bearing into the room. Shaking his head, Adam replied, \u201cNo, I don\u2019t think did. I think the option of helping us in the kitchen was far outweighed by his desire to sleep. My guess is that he didn\u2019t want to go into the kitchen afraid that we would put him to work.\u201d<\/p>\n

Guffawing, Hoss turned and re-entered the kitchen. He returned moments later with the rest of the plates balanced on top of a bowl of mashed potatoes. Adam, who had returned back to the table, started arranging the utensils and drinking glasses. Hoss pushed the bowl of potatoes into the middle, but not before dipping his finger in. He brought up a large mass of potato stuck to his finger. Popping it into his mouth he frowned briefly then smiled. \u201cNot bad, but Hop Sing\u2019s is better.\u201d Together they finished setting the table, readying it for Adam who brought in their special platter for the evening. Holding it away from him Adam had to admit that they smelled good, but knowing what was hidden under the layers of cooked batter made him sick just thinking about it. Carefully setting it on the table, Adam moved it slightly towards Joe\u2019s plate. \u201cTo give Joe an advantage as he grabs for the food,\u201d Adam explained with a grin.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou mean I have to act like I want to eat that stuff?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss,\u201d Adam sighed, \u201cif you don\u2019t then Joe will know that something is up. Since when are you not reaching for the food?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut Adam\u2026\u201d Hoss stuttered then stopped. Movement was coming from the settee, indicating that their younger brother was waking up. Catching Adam\u2019s attention, he motioned over to the settee where Joe was lying down.<\/p>\n

The smell of the buttermilk, fried chicken filtered throughout the room tickling Joe\u2019s senses as he woke up. Rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand he let out a yawn as he leaned forward. His head he rested in his hands as he took a deep breath and slid his feet off the edge of the settee. The sound of them hitting the floor helped pulled him out of his sleepy stage. Lifting his head he looked over towards the dining room table and saw that supper was already on the table while his two brothers stood at the other end watching him.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy are you watching me?\u201d grumbled Joe, his voice still tinged with sleep.<\/p>\n

With his eyes dropping to the ground, Hoss scurried back into the kitchen leaving Adam to answer Joe\u2019s question. \u201cNothing Joe, just was wondering if we should wake you up for supper.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh,\u201d Joe answered with a shrug. Putting his hands on the cushions, Joe pushed his body up from the settee and strolled over to the dinner table. \u201cMmmmm, something smells good.\u201d It was the sound of Hoss\u2019s grunting that made Joe look up to see his brother carrying out a basket of rolls.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot too sure if these are done right. I looked in the oven earlier and they were as pretty as anything, but now they\u2019re a bit flat.\u201d<\/p>\n

Grinning at his brother, Adam couldn\u2019t help but ask. \u201cDid you slam the oven door shut after you looked at them the first time?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI dunno,\u201d Hoss answered with a shrug. \u201cI guess I did because that stove handle was dog-gone hot!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, in the ethics of cooking in the kitchen, the slamming of the door probably made the bread fall.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you mean, the bread fell?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCome on you two,\u201d Joe complained as he settled down into his chair. Pointing towards the food he suggested, \u201cLet\u2019s eat, then discuss what makes bread fall up or down.\u201d With his head bowed, he waited until Adam said the blessing then turned his attention towards the spread of food on the table. Across from Hoss sat a bowl brimming over with lumpy mashed potatoes, the butter not quite melted on them, then closer to Adam sat a bowl of green beans. A smile spread across Joe\u2019s face as he realized that the main course was sitting directly in front of him, just out of Hoss\u2019s reach. With a giggle of pleasure, Joe watched Hoss make a bad attempt of trying to grab the plate towards him. Joe leaned forward and deftly grabbed it out of his way. \u201cSorry brother, you\u2019re getting a little slow in your old age.\u201d
\nA wry smile across his face, Hoss answered, \u201cI need to work on that. But for now, I\u2019m going to dish me up a big pile of these mashed potatoes.\u201d Out of the corner of his eye he watched as Joe stabbed several pieces of meat and brought it over to his plate. Pushing his food around he looked up to see Adam staring at Joe, his eyes smiling as he accepted the platter of food from Joe. A few pieces were dropped onto his plate when Adam winked and handed the plate to Hoss.<\/p>\n

Swallowing hard, Hoss tried not to make a face as he carefully picked up the calf fry and placed it on the edge of his plate. With a gentle knock with his fork it fell off his plate onto the table. Glancing quickly at Joe, Hoss used his napkin to cover it and then discreetly put it into his lap. With the despicable piece of food away from his sight, he dug into his food with relish.<\/p>\n

Not paying any attention to his brother\u2019s actions around him, Joe eagerly cut into the meat. Smelling the delectable odor of the buttermilk batter the juices in his mouth began to salivate just as he placed the first piece in his mouth. Carefully chewing on the meat, he rolled it around in his mouth trying to place the taste. He took another bite when he had the vague feeling of someone watching him. Looking across the table he met Adam\u2019s eyes only to see amusement in them. Confused as to what was so humorous Joe chalked it up to his brother\u2019s oddness and continued to dig into his food with relish, mixing his meat with the mashed potatoes. Finished off with his first piece of meat, Joe took a breather from his food and looked around the table. Adam sat across from him pushing his food around, while Hoss sat next to him, his napkin crumpled and twisted in his lap, eating heartily a humongous pile of potatoes. The potatoes were not that great, Joe thought. In fact, they bordered on being terrible.<\/p>\n

Suddenly suspicious, Joe dropped his fork onto the plate and demanded an answer, \u201cWhat\u2019s going on?\u201d It was while he glared at his brothers that he saw the color leave Hoss\u2019s face as he stumbled for the right words to say. Frustrated at his brother\u2019s lack of communication, Joe pushed his chair back and glared at Adam just as a crashing sound echoed through the house. All the men jumped in their seats, automatically on the defensive, until the figure approached the table.<\/p>\n

Ben.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa,\u201d Adam sighed, \u201cyou scared us.\u201d Taking a glance at Ben\u2019s face, Adam wondered what got him all riled up until he watched him walk directly to the table and reach for the platter of meat. Sensing that something wasn\u2019t right, Adam lunged forward and tried to pull the plate towards him. A glare from Ben encouraged Adam to release the plate. Sitting back down in his chair, Adam exchanged a quick glance with Hoss. The joke was over.<\/p>\n

With the platter in his hand, Ben looked down into his youngest son\u2019s plate and saw evidence that some of the meat that had already been consumed. Glancing at his other two son\u2019s plates the untouched food on Adam\u2019s plate made Ben fear the worst. He was hoping what Hop Sing had told him on the way to town was a misunderstanding, but now he feared it was true. Ben turned his attention towards Joe as he leaned against the table.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow much meat have you had?\u201d<\/p>\n

Glancing up at his pa with a questioning look, Joe glanced down at his plate and pointed, \u201cThis is my second piece.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben, feeling weak, sank down in the chair at the end of the table. Shaking his head, the only thing he could mutter was, \u201cI don\u2019t know if I should tell him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hearing Ben\u2019s mumbling, Hop Sing who had entered the room just minutes after Ben approached the table and pointed to the pile of meat. \u201cAdam and Hoss make good calf fries.\u201d
\n\u201cCalf fries?\u201d Joe inquired as he looked at the cook.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlso be Rocky Mountain Oysters, same thing.\u201d Hop Sing answered, \u201cDelicacy with cowboys wanting to become men.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh.\u201d Joe replied with a shrug. \u201cIt just tasted like liver to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo liver Little Joe,\u201d Hop Sing replied, \u201cRocky Mountain Oyster be calf testicles.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dropping his fork Joe blanched at the words. Looking at the food on his plate Joe swallowed hard then looked up and faced Adam with unseeing eyes. Then he slid his glance over towards Hoss and it was his look of guilt that convinced Joe.<\/p>\n

Swallowing again he glanced down at the pile of fried meat that was still on the table. \u201cTesticles?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUh yeah Joe, you know them that Adam was clipping off the calves today? He was savin\u2019 them for\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

Stopping mid-sentence, Hoss glanced over towards Adam who was glaring at him. Changing his sentence he continued, \u201cLook Joe, we were just paying you back for the frogs and the onions.\u201d<\/p>\n

Already angry at what his sons had done, it was Hoss\u2019s comment of payback that nearly Ben over the edge. Pounding his fists on the table Adam and Hoss jumped as he roared, \u201cI TOLD YOU BOYS THAT WAS ENOUGH AFTER THE ONIONS.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut pa,\u201d Hoss complained, \u201cwe couldn\u2019t let Joe get away with what he done to us.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBUT pa NOTHING!\u201d Ben thundered while his face turned a fusion of color. Fighting to keep his temper under control, he was about to speak again when the sound of a chair being shoved from the table caused him to stop.<\/p>\n

Unable to sit still a moment longer Joe bolted from the seat. Hearing the chair slam to the floor in his haste to get away from the table he didn\u2019t care. Feeling queasy he put one hand on his stomach then with his other hand he covered his mouth. Pushing past Hop Sing, Joe had no thoughts in his head as he ran away from the dining table. Grabbing the handle to the front door, he flung it open listening as it banged into the sideboard. Hearing the sound, despite his troubled stomach, Joe couldn\u2019t help but cringe when he thought of what pa would have to say. But feeling the turmoil begin in his stomach and push its way up his throat he didn\u2019t care. Once outside he had to make a split second decision as to which direction he should go. Running straight for the trees he just made it to the water trough when the gagging reflex began. Unable to go any further, Joe couldn\u2019t help it the food chugged its way out of his stomach and exited out his mouth. His back towards the water trough he stood hunched over until there was nothing more to spit up.<\/p>\n

Standing across the yard Hoss, Adam and Ben stood silently on the porch. It had been the sound of the front door slamming open against the sideboard that had put them into motion. Running out the front door, it was hearing the agonizing sound of their brother retching that made Hoss and Adam ashamed at what they had done. Unsure as to what to do, they turned to face Ben who was still angry at their deception. \u201cPa, we\u2019re sorry,\u201d Adam spoke. \u201cAt the time it sounded like a good idea.\u201d<\/p>\n

Face of stone, Ben shook his head. \u201cWhat you did was completely uncalled for in light of the jokes he has played on you two. I think what I\u2019m most surprised at is you, Hoss, going along with this scheme.\u201d Glaring at his middle son Ben could tell his words were affecting both him and his older brother. \u201cSo if you want to apologize, don\u2019t apologize to me. You need to make your apologies towards your brother.\u201d Taking a step towards where his youngest son stood heaving he felt a hand placed on his arm.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa,\u201d spoke Adam shaking his head, \u201cif you don\u2019t mind, let Hoss and I go over there and check on him.\u201d Without waiting to hear Ben\u2019s answer, both brothers walked towards where Joe stood weaving next to the water trough.<\/p>\n

Hearing voices behind him Joe didn\u2019t even have enough energy to turn and see who was talking. He felt sweaty and weak all at the same time so it was with relief that he felt his legs bend as he sagged to his knees. Wiping his mouth he rested his head on the top of the water trough and could feel his body shaking. Weakly grabbing the side of the water trough he lifted his head then dipped his hands into the water, splashing the water onto his face. Feeling the cooling temperature against his skin, he rested his head on the side of the wood when he heard the footsteps of someone approaching.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hearing Hoss\u2019s voice, Joe didn\u2019t want to do anything. Ignoring him, he held his hand on his stomach trying to ignore the rumblings his stomach made. Having retched as much as he could, he was still hungry, but the thought of eating anything made him queasy all over again. Grimacing slightly he took a deep breath.<\/p>\n

\u201cBuddy, we\u2019re sorry,\u201d Hoss spoke again, remorse lacing his words. \u201cIt was a joke to pay back for them onions and frogs you done to us.\u201d Concerned from the lack of response from their brother, Hoss turned to Adam for help.<\/p>\n

Moving over to where Joe was leaning, Adam rested his hand on Joe\u2019s shoulder easily feeling the tremors that raced through his body. \u201cJoe this is my fault and I\u2019m sorry.\u201d Bending down, Adam rested on one knee as he looked into his brother\u2019s face. Joe\u2019s face was glistening with sweat and the eyelashes framing his closed eyes were equally wet from the sweat that dripped down onto them.<\/p>\n

Grabbing a handkerchief from his pocket, Adam dropped it into the water then began to squeeze the excess water from the cloth. Dabbing the cool cloth against Joe\u2019s skin, Adam began to feel really bad for what he had done to Joe. If Joe had done this to him, he wasn\u2019t sure as to how well he would have taken it. Taking the cloth from Joe\u2019s face, Adam saw that his eyes were open and looking up towards the sky. \u201cYou know Joe, I think you are handling this a lot better than I ever would have. I nearly puked when I saw some cowboys from Texas eating this very dish.\u201d Seeing the slight wavering of the eyes, Adam felt relief when he saw Joe\u2019s green eyes turn and look into his own eyes. Tapping him on the shoulder, Adam continued, \u201cI\u2019ll tell you a secret about these Rocky Mountain Oysters, they are supposed to make you a virile young man.\u201d<\/p>\n

Grinning slightly, Joe shifted in his position on the ground and rested his back against the water trough. Already feeling a little better he took in Adam comments. \u201cVirile, eh?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah,\u201d Adam nodded with a smile on his face. \u201cBut Joe, really we\u2019re sorry for tricking you like we did.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss hearing that Joe was up to speaking chimed in, \u201cYeah Joe, I\u2019m really sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe sighed. Having thought of the frogs and onions for his brothers took some creativity, but this one took the cake. Remembering the sound of Ben roaring when they were inside Joe knew any thoughts of payback were out of the question. Besides he already had his fun with seeing Hoss with the frogs and Adam crying his heart out over onions. Glancing up into Hoss\u2019s blue eyes and the brown eye\u2019s of Adam, Joe gave a half smile. Lifting his hand out and holding it towards his brothers he spoke one word.<\/p>\n

\u201cTruce?\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss and Adam looked at one another then looked back towards Joe. Nodding, they spoke in unison, \u201cTruce.\u201d<\/p>\n

The End<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

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

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

Summary: \u00a0Adam and Hoss seek revenge on Joe for the tricks he has played on them with the frogs and onions. \u00a0This is the last part of the series.\u00a0 All can be read alone. \u00a0<\/p>\n

Rated: K+ (5,805 WORDS)<\/p>\n

Tricks Series, links to stories within the series are included.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":136,"featured_media":3478,"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":[1008,30],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5151","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-family","category-prequels","wpcat-1008-id","wpcat-30-id"],"a3_pvc":{"activated":true,"total_views":1095,"today_views":0},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/4Cartwrights.jpg?fit=849%2C541&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":5156,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=5156","url_meta":{"origin":5151,"position":0},"title":"The Frogs (by Shlynn)","author":"Shlynn","date":"April 30, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary: \u00a0Joe needs help from Hoss getting an experiment out of his room.\u00a0 Part of a thre-part series, each can be read on their own. \u00a0 Rated: K+ (1,415 words) Tricks series, links to all the stories within the series included.","rel":"","context":"In "Prequel"","block_context":{"text":"Prequel","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=30"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/4Cartwrights.jpg?fit=849%2C541&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/4Cartwrights.jpg?fit=849%2C541&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/4Cartwrights.jpg?fit=849%2C541&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/4Cartwrights.jpg?fit=849%2C541&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5160,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=5160","url_meta":{"origin":5151,"position":1},"title":"The Onions (by Shlynn)","author":"Shlynn","date":"May 1, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary: \u00a0\u00a0Joe is up to his tricks again, this time with Adam being the focus.\u00a0 Part 2 of a series of 3 Rated: K+ (3,390 words) Tricks series, links to all the stories within the series included.","rel":"","context":"In "Prequel"","block_context":{"text":"Prequel","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=30"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/4Cartwrights.jpg?fit=849%2C541&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/4Cartwrights.jpg?fit=849%2C541&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/4Cartwrights.jpg?fit=849%2C541&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/4Cartwrights.jpg?fit=849%2C541&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2023,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=2023","url_meta":{"origin":5151,"position":2},"title":"Bogged Down (by Harper)","author":"Harper","date":"August 21, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0Even when you are on your own, brothers can be a source of help. 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Rated:\u00a0 G\u00a0 \u00a0(2,400 words)","rel":"","context":"In "Humor"","block_context":{"text":"Humor","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=4"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/two.jpg?fit=300%2C257&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":14983,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=14983","url_meta":{"origin":5151,"position":5},"title":"Bless You (by Starlite)","author":"starlite","date":"September 14, 2000","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0After rescuing a stray calf goes awry, Ben Cartwright's sons need some tender loving care. 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