Summary:\u00a0 A story for anyone who has ever wondered what goes on behind the Cartwright house.
\nRating:\u00a0 G\u00a0 9,200 words<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Behind the House<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Little Joe Cartwright lay on his back and looked up through the branches of the tree above him and noticed the fluffy white clouds that dotted the blue sky.\u00a0 He pulled a piece of grass up and put it between his teeth, munching on it contentedly as he thought about the fact that he had absolutely nothing whatsoever to do. It was Sunday afternoon and church was over. Lunch had finished and all his chores were completed. It was the time of the week that Joe liked best \u2026 except for one thing \u2026 tomorrow was Monday and it would be back to school again. He sighed as he thought about it and then made a conscious effort to will the thought away.\u00a0 After all<\/em>, he thought, why ruin such a lovely afternoon with such thoughts?<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n He thought about getting up and going fishing, but couldn\u2019t be bothered. After all, he had no one to go with and it really wasn\u2019t as much fun by himself. He could usually rely on Hoss to go with him, but his brother was too caught up with that new mare to leave her this afternoon.\u00a0 Adam as usual wasn\u2019t very co-operative when he had suggested it \u2026 something about a new book to read \u2026 although for the life of him Joe couldn\u2019t understand why anyone would choose a book over a chance to go fishing.\u00a0 His father as usual was doing the accounts.\u00a0 Joe knew that Pa hardly ever took time off, but lately it seemed as if he was forever working.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n A butterfly flew past and Joe reached up to try and grab it, but it was too quick for him.\u00a0 He rolled his head to one side and looked up at the house above him.\u00a0 He could see Adam\u2019s window and wondered if his brother was in his room with that book of his. Adam had one of the best rooms in the house which looked towards the back where Joe was currently lying. Hoss\u2019 room looked to the west and his own room, like Pa\u2019s overlooked the front yard of the house. That was handy for seeing who was riding in or out of the ranch, but Joe often wished that he could trade places with Adam.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The view behind the house was spectacular with the small winding creek and the little valley that was shielded from everywhere else.\u00a0 Beyond it was Lake Tahoe and the everlasting pines that grew up towards the sky in every direction. Adam said that he had been given first choice of bedrooms because he was the eldest and Joe didn\u2019t think that it was fair. It seemed that he and Hoss would have to wait until Adam moved out before they were to be privileged enough to get the same view.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n ——–<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018How many times have I told you to stay out of my room?\u2019 Adam looked at his little brother in frustration as the boy poked his head out from behind the cupboard in the corner.<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u2018Lots,\u2019 said Little Joe, grinning at his big brother as he ran over to the bed and bounced on it several times. \u2018You sure got a bouncy bed Adam ain\u2019t ya?\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Adam picked up the child and deposited him on the floor. \u2018Don\u2019t do that!\u2019 he said crossly as he straightened the bedcover. \u2018Now get out and leave my things alone will you?\u2019\u00a0 He pushed the boy towards the doorway with a gentle shove.<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u2018But you got intresting stuff!\u2019 declared Little Joe. \u2018I wanna visit in your room Adam!\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u2018Well you can\u2019t,\u2019 said Adam as he followed him out into the hallway and closed the door firmly behind him. \u2018I\u2019ve told you before that you\u2019re not to go in there and touch my things and I meant it.\u2019\u00a0 He stared down at the child for a moment. \u2018You don\u2019t want me to tell Pa you\u2019ve been in there do you?\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Little Joe shook his head firmly as he put his hands instinctively behind his back and placed them on his small bottom.\u00a0 He knew full well what would happen if his father found out that he\u2019d been in Adam\u2019s room again without permission and it would involve a painful behind.<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u2018Then stay out of there or I will,\u2019 said Adam waggling his finger at the boy. He walked down the hallway and Little Joe heard him descending the stairs.\u00a0 After a moment of listening to the silence he took a step back towards his brother\u2019s room again and tentatively opened the door. He walked on over to the window and leant his elbows on the windowsill as he leant out, trying to see the ground below. \u2018Adam\u2019s lucky,\u2019 he said out loud to no one in particular. \u2018He gets to look at the creek out back.\u2019 He put his hand up to his mouth to stifle a giggle as he saw Hop Sing come out of the kitchen down below and walk over to the outhouse.\u00a0 Little Joe thought about how funny he looked from up here.\u00a0 He waited until the cook closed the outhouse door behind him and then turned into the room again. <\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n He had no intention of touching anything that might cause him to get into trouble, so instead he just stood and stared around him. He thought about how many books Adam had and wondered why he\u2019d want them all. He\u2019d snuck a look at them once and soon found them to be very boring, with no pictures in them and lots of difficult words that he had no chance of reading.\u00a0 His eyes lit up as he looked over to the rolls of paper that were stacked in the corner.\u00a0 Adam called them his \u2018plans\u2019, although Little Joe didn\u2019t really know why.<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n He tiptoed over to them, picked up a small one and unrolled it. It consisted of many squiggles and lines that made no sense to him at all and he turned it around several times to see if it made any sense.\u00a0 Suddenly a bird began to sing in the tree outside the window and the boy ran over to see it better. It was a Mountain Chickadee and Little Joe gazed at it transfixed for a few minutes. From this position he felt that he could almost reach out and touch it \u2013 it was so close.\u00a0 He reached out his small hand and waved the roll of paper at it, but all that succeeded was causing the bird to hop to another branch<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u2018I\u2019m not scaring ya is I little bird?\u2019 asked the boy gently. \u2018I don\u2019t mean to. See?\u2019 He waved the roll of paper at it again gently, but the bird at that moment flew away. Little Joe frowned and watched it as it flew up about the tree, intent on following its path.\u00a0 At that moment Hop Sing banged the outhouse door down below before entering the kitchen door and slamming that as well, and it startled him.\u00a0 The roll of paper dropped from his hand and rolled down the roof of the house, bouncing off the edge and into one of the rain barrels with a plop.<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Little Joe put his hand over his mouth in dismay.\u00a0 \u2018Adam is gonna kill me!\u2019 he said out loud and ran over to the doorway and down the hall.<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u2018Joseph! Stop running like that!\u2019 called his father from his study as Little Joe hit the bottom step and kept going. \u2018Where are you going in such a hurry?\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u2018Nowhere Pa!\u2019 called the boy as headed straight for the back door on the other side of the stairs. \u2018Just out back is all.\u2019\u00a0 Ben shook his head as he heard the back door slam shut.<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Little Joe headed straight for the rainwater barrel and stood on his tiptoes to look into it.\u00a0 It was about as high as he was, so it was no mean feat for him to check it out, but he soon discovered that the roll of paper wasn\u2019t there.\u00a0 \u2018It musta sunk,\u2019 he said out loud and bent down to pick up a stick and poke around in it.<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u2018What you do?\u2019 said an angry voice beside him and he turned to see Hop Sing standing there waggling his finger at him. \u2018Little boy not play with water!\u2019 he said angrily. \u2018Go way!\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u2018But Hop Sing \u2026.\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Hop Sing poked him on the shoulder. \u2018Go way!\u2019 he said. \u2018Hop Sing hit on bottom if catch here again!\u00a0 Go!\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Little Joe gave the man a dark look and walked away, trailing his stick behind him.\u00a0 He sat down on one of the large rocks that was by the back door and put his chin in his hands as he thought about it. After a minute he stood up again, dropped the stick and walked around to the front of the house, whistling as he went.<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n ————-<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Joe looked tentatively at the water barrels that stood beside the kitchen door and wondered if the roll of paper was still at the bottom of one of them.\u00a0 It had probably turned to mush after all these years, he decided.\u00a0 It sure was lucky that they didn\u2019t use that water for drinking. He wondered what the plan of Adam\u2019s could have been and if his brother had ever missed it.\u00a0 Nothing had ever been said about it to his knowledge, so he had never found it necessary to own up to losing it. He shrugged.\u00a0 It was one of a few things that he had kept to himself over the years \u2026 he guessed that if Pa ever knew all the things he\u2019d ever done he would never have made it to the age he was now.\u00a0 He\u2019d decided a lot time ago that some things were best left untold and it had saved his butt many times.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n A noise above him made him sit up and look between the branches. It was Hop Sing, bringing out the leftover scraps from lunch and putting them on the compost pile.\u00a0 Joe screwed up his nose. It was one of his many chores to keep that pile constantly turned over and it was one that he hated.\u00a0 Hop Sing kept on at him all the time to attend to it and it had been a running battle between the two of them for many years.\u00a0 It wouldn\u2019t have been so bad, except that Joe was supposed to mix in manure with it from the pile behind the barn and he hated it.\u00a0 That compost pile had invaded his dreams many times and not in a good way.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n ———-<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018Phew!\u2019 Little Joe said as he held his nose with one hand and tried to manoeuvre the pitchfork with the other.<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u2018You won\u2019t get very far doing it like that,\u2019 said Hoss as he came around the corner of the house. \u2018You need ta use both hands, believe me!\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Joe grinned at his brother. \u2018I bet you\u2019re real good at it ain\u2019t ya Hoss?\u2019 he said. \u2018You wanna show me how it\u2019s done?\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Hoss shook his head and returned the grin. \u2018No thanks,\u2019 he said. \u2018You ain\u2019t tricking me today with that one Joseph.\u2019\u00a0 He dumped the two buckets of manure he had been carrying on the top of it. \u2018Mix that in,\u2019 he instructed. \u2018It\u2019ll make it richer.\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Joe screwed his nose up again and looked at the mess in front of him. \u2018I don\u2019t see why I haveta do it,\u2019 he said. \u2018You and Adam should take a turn sometimes.\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u2018We\u2019ve had our turn little brother,\u2019 said Hoss. \u2018We done grown out of it and its your turn now. We done passed on the responsibility of it to you.\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n But that ain\u2019t fair!\u2019 protested Little Joe. \u2018I got no one to pass it on to when I\u2019ve outgrown it.\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Hoss shrugged. \u2018Pity bout that,\u2019 he said. \u2018One of the problems of being the youngest I guess.\u2019 Little Joe gave him a dark look. \u2018Well?\u2019 said Hoss. \u2018You gonna rake that in or not?\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Little Joe gave a sigh and began to rake lightly over the pile. \u2018I don\u2019t see why we gotta have this here anyway,\u2019 he said grumpily.<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u2018You know as well as I do why,\u2019 said Hoss in an easy voice as he sat down on a rock and watched his brother work. \u2018We gotta do something with all the leftovers \u2026 and the manure makes it rich fer Hop Sing\u2019s garden. I reckon it\u2019s the reason why he does so well with all them vegetables of his.\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Joe stopped working and looked aghast at his brother. \u2018Hoss!\u2019 he said. \u2018I never thought about it before \u2026\u2019\u00a0 He looked over at the vegetable garden with an appalled look on his face.\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u2018What?\u2019 said Hoss.<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u2018Those vegetables that Pa says I gotta eat.\u00a0 They come from \u2026\u2019 He indicated the messy pile of compost, \u2018 \u2026 all of this!\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u2018I reckon so,\u2019 said Hoss. \u2018Ain\u2019t nothing wrong with that.\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u2018What do ya mean there ain\u2019t nothing wrong with that!\u2019 declared Little Joe. \u2018Its \u2026 its \u2026 disgusting!\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Hoss gave a chuckle. \u2018It ain\u2019t disgusting,\u2019 he said. \u2018We ain\u2019t eating the manure.\u00a0 It turns ta compost before Hop Sing uses it.\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Joe gave his brother a dark look. \u2018Its still manure,\u2019 he said. \u2018I ain\u2019t eating no more manure disguised as vegetables.\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u2018You never eat em anyway,\u2019 said Hoss as he stood up. \u2018So no one will ever notice the difference, little brother.\u2019\u00a0 He gave his younger brother a slap on the back. \u2018Now git back ta work or else Hop Sing will be after you with that broom of his.\u2019\u00a0 He gave Joe another slap on the back and his younger brother lost his balance and fell face down into the compost pile. \u2018Oh \u2026 sorry Joe,\u2019 he said, not looking at all sorry as he bent down to pull him to his feet again.<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u2018You did that on purpose!\u2019 spluttered Little Joe. \u2018Yuck!\u2019\u00a0 He began to spit onto the ground. \u2018I ate manure!\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u2018Ya did not!\u2019 said Hoss, pushing his brother\u2019s face back to inspect it. \u2018It\u2019s only dirt.\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u2018It is not!\u2019 yelled Little Joe, lashing out at Hoss and hitting him.\u00a0 His bigger brother only laughed and put his hand on his head to keep him at arm\u2019s length. \u2018I ate manure and you made me!\u2019 yelled Little Joe.<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Hoss laughed again and hauled the boy over to the pump at the side of the kitchen door. He pumped it with one hand and pushed Joe\u2019s head under it with the other. \u2018There ya go,\u2019 he said. \u2018That\u2019ll take the taste away.\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Joe spluttered under the stream of water and wriggled to get out from under it. Finally Hoss let him go and he stood up and shook himself indignantly. \u2018I\u2019m gonna tell Pa what you did!\u2019 he declared.<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Hoss looked at his younger brother as he stood in front of him with his hands on his hips and an indignant look on his face.\u00a0 His wet hair was plastered to his head and the dirt ran in streaks down his face.\u00a0 His eyes bulged and he was beginning to turn red with anger and from having his head turned upside down. \u2018Go ahead little brother,\u2019 Hoss said easily. \u2018It\u2019ll be worth it fer taking a look at you like you is.\u2019\u00a0 He sat down on the rock again and gave a hearty laugh as his younger brother strode indignantly away around the side of the house.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n ———–<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Joe unconsciously spat onto the ground and wiped his mouth.\u00a0 It seemed that he could still taste that manure anytime he thought about that day. He never could eat vegetables from Hop Sing\u2019s garden without the memory of that moment lingering somewhere in the recesses of his mind. He\u2019d tried to explain to Pa over the years how he couldn\u2019t eat vegetables because of it, but the man had refused to listen and had insisted that he eat them anyway. He shuddered as he thought about it. It seemed to Joe that turning the compost pile must be the worst job on the whole ranch \u2026 apart from the outhouse.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n His eyes wandered over to that particular small room \u2026 a small wooden structure that was at the moment situated to the west of the back door.\u00a0 It had changed positions at various times that Joe could remember and he was just pleased that he was considered too young to be in charge of it when it had to be shifted.\u00a0 That disgusting job had so far been left to Adam and Hoss.\u00a0 At those times, the seat would be removed, the hole dug over and another one dug. Then the structure itself would be lifted up and shifted and everything would start all over again.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam said that the ground around the back of the house must be very rich with all that fertilizer, but Joe personally preferred not to think about it. It was bad enough having to go there to do his business at the best of times.\u00a0 When he\u2019d been small he\u2019d been scared of going in there by himself and it had only been lately that he\u2019d overcome his fear of the spiders and other creepy crawlies that inhabited it.\u00a0 Thank goodness for chamber pots at night! He couldn\u2019t imagine having to go in there without a light.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n —————<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hop Sing stopped and listened as he heard a muffled sound coming from the direction of the outhouse. He walked over to it and listened at the door. \u2018Who in there?\u2019 he called after a moment.<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u2018Hop Sing!\u00a0 It\u2019s me \u2026 Little Joe!\u2019 came a distressed voice from the other side of the door. \u2018Get me outta here Hop Sing!\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Hop Sing frowned. \u2018You come out!\u2019 he yelled. \u2018Little boy in there too long.\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u2018I can\u2019t! The door\u2019s stuck! Help me Hop Sing!\u2019\u00a0 came the boy\u2019s voice again.<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Hop Sing put his hands on the door and pushed on it, but it didn\u2019t budge. \u2018Stand back!\u2019 he yelled. \u2018I try again.\u2019\u00a0 He pushed a second time, but the door was well and truly stuck. \u2018You wait!\u2019 he yelled. \u2018I go get help!\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n He walked through the back door into the kitchen and then around into the dining room. \u2018Mr Cartlight! Mr Cartlight!\u2019 he called.<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Ben looked up from his newspaper. \u2018Yes Hop Sing?\u00a0 What\u2019s the matter?\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u2018Is little boy Mr Cartlight,\u2019 said the man. \u2018He stuck!\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Ben put down the paper. \u2018Stuck?\u2019 he said anxiously. \u2018Stuck where?\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u2018In outhouse,\u2019 explained Hop Sing. \u2018Door is stuck and he inside.\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Ben stood up and motioned to Hoss and Adam who had begun to giggle. \u2018That\u2019s enough,\u2019 he said crossly. \u2018You know how your brother hates being in there. Hoss, get a crowbar and we\u2019ll prise it open.\u2019\u00a0 He strode over to the kitchen and then through the back door, followed by Adam. \u2018Little Joe, are you in there?\u2019 he yelled through the door.<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u2018Yes Pa,\u2019 called a small voice. \u2018The door won\u2019t open!\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u2018All right son \u2026 don\u2019t worry \u2026 we\u2019ll get it open for you.\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u2018Hurry up Pa!\u2019 called Little Joe. \u2018It\u2019s dark in here and the spiders will get me!\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u2018They won\u2019t hurt you son.\u00a0 Just hold on a minute and we\u2019ll get that door open.\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u2018I\u2019m scared in here Pa,\u2019 said the little voice. \u2018I wanna get out now.\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u2018We won\u2019t be long,\u2019 called his father. \u2018Just close your eyes and wait son.\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u2018OK,\u2019\u00a0 they heard a small sniffling noise coming from behind the door.<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u2018Here it is Pa,\u2019 said Hoss as he ran up behind his father. \u2018I\u2019ll do it.\u2019 He wedged the crowbar between the outhouse door and the wall and began to push on it. \u2018It ain\u2019t budging,\u2019 he said. <\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u2018Here let me try with you,\u2019 said Adam and he grabbed hold of it too and both brothers began to push on it.\u00a0 The door began to squeak and the whole building began to lean to one side.<\/em><\/p>\n