A Question of Luck

From their vantage point near the top of a grassy knoll, Adam and Hoss Cartwright could easily track the movement of a lone wild horse they’d been trailing. The sleek brown-coated animal grazed, unaware of his audience - his beauty breathtaking, his freedom enviable.

Although they were too far away to be heard, the scene before them made Hoss whisper, “He’s sure fine lookin’.”  He grinned sheepishly at Adam.  “Kinda feel like I’m at Sunday service or somethin’.”

Adam nodded and pushed himself to a standing position in his stirrups. “That’s the one I want.” 

Forgetting his earlier need to be quiet, Hoss laughed.  “Brother, ya’d sure have your hands full with that one.  Look at the way he’s tossin’ his head.  He’d knock ya clean outta your saddle.”

Settling back down in his seat, Adam’s face took on that determined expression his family was so familiar with.  “He’s got spirit, Hoss.  I could train him not to do that - or get one of those special harnesses – or -”

“Sounds like ya got it all figgered out.  ‘Cept for one thing, of course.”

Adam tore his eyes away from the horse, squinting suspiciously at his brother.  “What’s that?”

“Ya ain’t caught him yet.”

Adam took a moment to digest that observation.  “I’ll catch him.”  He sounded more confident than he felt and Hoss saw right through his bravado.

“Uh hmm.”  Knowing that contradicting Adam would just put him in a sour mood, Hoss tried a different approach.  “What about old Beauty here?”

Adam stroked his mount’s neck lovingly.  “It’s getting time for Beauty to take it easy. I don’t want her to work so hard anymore.”

As if in agreement, Beauty nickered and glanced back at her rider.  Adam gave her another pat, then he looked around.  “Where’d Joe wander off to now?”

Their eyes caught for a moment before Adam and Hoss yelled simultaneously, “JOE!”

**

Little Joe Cartwright didn’t understand why his brothers were content to stop and gaze at that horse.  Adam had been going on about that particular animal for a week now and Joe figured it was time his oldest brother stopped talking and started acting.  The new corral was finished, just waiting to be filled.  If only Pa would let me, Joe thought, I’d go after that horse – and a bunch of other wild horses - in a heartbeat.  I’d catch so many that Adam and Hoss would have to build another corral, a bigger corral… 

Those thoughts foremost in his mind, Joe paid little attention as Paint meandered through some brush and away from Hoss and Adam.  Aware of their voices calling his name, Joe made no attempt to turn around - he wasn’t ready to go back yet.  It was his turn to muck out the stalls and he was in no hurry to begin that chore.  He clucked his tongue and urged his mount forward.  Paint took a few steps, then stopped abruptly.

“What is it, girl?”  Joe scanned the area for whatever it was that caused his normally docile horse to tense beneath him.  Turning a sharp ear for anything out of the ordinary, Joe heard nothing, but did spy a slight mound of freshly dug earth.  Disregarding Paint’s unease, Joe jumped to the ground and hastily tied her reins to some low lying limbs. The boy dropped to his knees and began digging furiously with both hands.  His imagination grew with each clod of dirt he sent flying.  Little Joe could already envision the stunned looks on his brothers’ faces when he appeared with…gold, jewels, cash…

Ten minutes later, the hole was already a good size when he struck some tree roots. His enthusiasm dimmed, Joe sat back on his haunches and swiped a filthy hand across his face.

“That was sure a waste of time, wasn’t it?”  he asked Paint, noticing for the first time that she wasn’t where he’d tied her.  His head swiveled around, searching, but still no sign of her.  “Oh great.  Now I’ll hafta walk back because of this stupid hole.”  Disgusted, Joe worked up a fair amount of saliva in his mouth and spit.  “Stupid hole,” he repeated, and rose to his feet. 

It was at that exact moment that the sun chose to shoot a ray of golden light through the treetops, past the lush foliage, over Joe’s shoulder and straight into the hole.   Something partially covered with dirt caught the beam and bounced the reflection right into Joe’s eyes.

“What the…” Joe never finished his thought as he laid on his belly and reached down, closing his fingers on something round and smooth.  He was about to examine it when he heard laughter behind him.  His eyes slammed shut as he readied himself for some brotherly teasing.

“Whoo-eee!  Would ya look at that pile of dirt!”  Hoss whistled.

“Which pile are you talking about?  The one with the boots?”  Adam’s eyes sparkled.

“Better be quiet, Adam.  I think our baby brother there is takin’ a nap.”

Joe rolled his eyes but didn’t turn around.

“I don’t know, Hoss.  Maybe he’s looking for something.”

Back stiffening, Joe wondered how Adam could possibly know.

Hoss smiled devilishly.  “Like what?” 

“His horse.”  The two older Cartwrights dissolved into laughter and Joe twisted his face, wondering how he could possibly be related to those two.  Not wanting to call attention to his treasure, Joe grabbed a fistful of dirt and flung it toward his brothers.  They howled louder as they ducked the spray of earth and tiny pebbles coming their way.  Joe slipped his other hand into his pocket.

“Is that the best you can come up with?  Thought you were s’posed to be so smart, Adam.” Joe brushed the dirt from his pants, coughing as a cloud of dust appeared.

Eyes wide and innocent, Adam looked at Hoss.  “I thought it was pretty funny, didn’t you?”

Hoss pushed his hat back on his head.  “Sure did.  In fact, that’s durn near the funniest thing I heard in a while.”

Adam leaned toward Hoss and whispered loud enough to be sure Joe heard.  “Well, I know of something even funnier.”

“Nah.”  Hoss raised his eyebrows in disbelief.  “Really?”

Against his better judgment, Joe’s ears perked up as Adam nodded solemnly.  “Sure.  It’s gonna be downright hilarious watching Joe walk all the way back to the Ponderosa.”

“You’re not gonna make me walk!”  Joe moaned.  “C’mon, Adam, let me ride with you.” 

Adam pulled Beauty’s reins and she backed up.  “No way.  You’re too dirty.”

Joe stopped himself from stomping his foot in anger – that would only spur them on.  “Hoss, you’ll let me ride with you, right?”

Hoss hesitated, enjoying the game.   “It ain’t such a long walk Joe – only a coupla miles.”

“I’m tellin’ Pa!”  Joe resorted to a threat he’d used quite a bit in the past.

The scowl on Hoss’s face told Joe he’d struck a nerve, but Adam’s expression remained smug.

“Go right ahead, Joe.  And then we’ll tell him how you wandered away from us after you’ve been told a million times to stay close and how you pretended not to hear us when we were calling you.”

“But…” Joe protested.

“Don’t forget how he musta forgot to tie Paint too,” Hoss added for good measure.

“I did so tie her!”  Joe knew when he was licked and kicked a nearby rock in anger and frustration.  As he began his trek, he turned the object in his pocket over and over in his hand.  If Adam and Hoss think I’m gonna share my treasure now, they’re crazy, Joe promised himself.  With each step he took, Joe planned the grand lifestyle he and his father would have – Hop Sing too.  Maybe if he was feeling in a generous mood, he might let Adam and Hoss work as their servants and do all the chores.

He was so deep in his own thoughts that the volume of his brothers’ voices finally jolted him back to reality. 

“I’m tellin’ ya, I ground tied her right here.”  Hoss pointed to a small bush.

Adam spread his arms out dramatically.  “Well she’s not there now, so I guess you didn’t tie her as good as you thought you did.”

A slow grin spread across Joe’s face.  “Whatcha talkin’ about?”

Adam and Hoss stared at him as if they’d forgotten he existed. 

“Somethin’ about a ground tie?”  Joe prompted as a slight flush rose on Hoss’s face.

“I swear I tied Paint up real good.  She musta pulled loose,” Hoss reasoned with his older brother.

“Paint’s real smart - I tied her too.”  Realization dawned in Joe’s brown eyes.  “So you weren’t gonna make me walk after all, were you?”

“’Course not.  Pa’d have our hides.”  Hoss motioned with his chin for Joe to mount Beauty.

Adam heaved a deep sigh as he hoisted his grubby little brother up and into the saddle.  Sometimes being the oldest was downright exhausting.

**

Riding into the yard, the first sight that met all three boys’ eyes was their father’s horse tied securely to a post. 

“Oh no.  He’s back from town already,” Joe mumbled as he slid off Beauty.  Hoss and Adam dismounted and slowly led their horses into the barn, no more anxious than Joe to face their father.

“Ain’t ya comin’?”  Hoss called over his shoulder when he noticed Joe wasn’t following.

“Nope.  I’m gonna wait right here till Paint shows up.”

Adam shrugged.  “Suit yourself.  You’re gonna have to explain sooner or later.”

Entering the barn, Hoss kept his eyes downcast, hoping to forestall any conversation.

Adam chewed the inside of his cheek, no closer to an excuse for coming home one horse short.  Seldom at a loss for words, Adam remained silent now, not wanting to get either brother – or himself – into trouble.

“Boys,” Ben nodded his greeting.  “Finish that corral?”  Ben leaned against the wall with his arms folded.  He looked from one to the next, waiting.

“Uh, sure.  It’ll hold fine.”  Adam cleared his throat and looked up for the first time.  There in the far stall stood Paint, lazily chomping on some feed.  His eyes flew to his father’s face to see his reaction.

“Hoss!” Adam whispered urgently, gesturing to Joe’s horse. 

Removing his hat, Hoss scratched his head and wondered aloud, “Well I’ll be danged. How’d she get here?” 

“That’s what I’d like to know.”  Ben unfolded his arms.  “Joseph!  Come in here now, please.”

Hands deep in his pockets and fingering the object he’d found, Joe trudged into the barn like he was walking to his hanging.    A familiar whinny met his ears.

“Paint!”  Relief and joy, mixed with a healthy dose of wanting to delay his father’s inevitable lecture, made Joe race unheeded to his horse.  Just a few feet from the stall Joe’s boot caught on something and he sailed through the air, landing face down in a huge pile of fresh, hot, horse manure, courtesy of Paint.  Joe sat, turned and faced his family, his shirt stained and his horrified face streaked.  He reached down his shirt and pulled out a handful of manure, flinging it in complete revulsion. 

Adam clutched his sides as if to keep from exploding with the laughter he couldn’t hold in.  Unable to stop himself, he hooted as tears streamed down his face. 

Hoss’s jaw fell.  He doubled over, alternately snorting and gasping for breath.

Ben blinked rapidly to make sure his eyes weren’t deceiving him, his shoulders shaking uncontrollably. 

“IT AIN’T FUNNY!”  Joe yelled, wrinkling his nose at the fetid stench.

“Oh – yeah – it  - is,” Hoss wheezed.

“It ain’t my fault!  Somebody left somethin’ on the floor!”  Joe pointed to the spot where he’d tripped, but nothing but old hay covered the spot.  His angry eyes flared his disbelief. 

“There’s nothing there,” Adam managed to choke out.  “Guess that means you’re full of…”

“Adam!”  Ben warned, trying to gain control of the situation – and himself.  “Joseph, go get cleaned up.  Then you can muck out these stalls. “  He turned to leave, Hoss and Adam close on his heels.  “And after dinner we’ll have a little talk about responsibility.” 

**

For once, Little Joe didn’t mind being sent to bed early.  He knew he should have paid closer attention to his father’s lecture, or at least looked like he’d been paying attention. Truthfully, all Joe wanted was for the day to end and his father’s edict to “go to bed and think about your behavior” was just what he needed to hear. 

Joe reached under his pillow and grabbed the round object he’d hidden.  He’d been disappointed when he first examined it earlier that evening.  It wasn’t a jewel or a gold nugget – it was just a rock – but none like he had ever seen around the Ponderosa.  It was reddish in color and polished smooth to a brilliant shine.  Someone had obviously taken the time to hide it, but Joe couldn’t for the life of him figure out why.  He could ask his father or his brothers, but right now he wanted to just hold on to it.  It would make a mighty nice addition to my rock collection, nicer than anything Hoss or Adam ever found, Joe thought.  Placing it back under his pillow, he flipped onto his stomach and fell asleep.

**

“Joe!  Joe!  Wake up!”  Adam shook his brother’s shoulders.

“PA!  IT’S A STAMPEDE!  HELP!”  Joe screamed as Ben flung open the door with such force that the latch shattered.  In the throes of a nightmare, Joe twisted and turned frantically while Adam tried to waken him.  Hoss hovered nearby, feeling very helpless.

Ben knelt beside Joe’s bunk.  “Joseph.  It’s a dream, son.  Just a dream.  Time to wake up now.”  He gently patted the side of the boy’s face, trying to rouse him.

Joe scanned the room wildly, still not released entirely from his nightmare.  “Pa, the horses - they were comin’ – and - and…”

Adam poured water into a cup and handed it to his father, who in turn held it to Joe’s lips.  “Easy now.”

Taking a few sips, Joe ran the back of his hand across his eyes, wiping away the tears.  “But it was so real,” he insisted.  “I thought I was gonna die.”

At those words, Ben pulled him close.  His voice was husky as he spoke into his son’s hair. “You’re safe.  Nothing’s going to hurt you.”

After a few minutes, a slightly embarrassed Joe pulled away. “I’m okay now.  You can go back to bed.”

Ben stood and eyed him once more.  “You’re sure?”

Joe nodded, but his father was still hesitant to leave.

“Don’t worry, Pa.  We’re here,” Adam assured him. 

“Yeah, Pa.  We’re here,” Hoss echoed.

Taking a deep breath, Ben left their room, leaving the door slightly ajar. 

Hoss climbed into his bunk and within minutes began snoring.  Adam lay on his right side, watching his youngest brother remain uncharacteristically still.   Adam couldn’t remember Hoss ever having a bad dream, and he hated when Joe’s sleep was invaded as it had been tonight.  Images of the nightmares that had plagued him as a young boy flooded Adam’s mind and he whispered, “Joe!”

The child’s eyes flew open.  Adam held up his blanket.  Joe needed no further invitation and climbed in beside his big brother.

**

The sun dawned on a new day and Little Joe was very happy to put yesterday’s events behind him – last night’s too.  He had overslept and shoved a biscuit into his mouth, anxious to go after those horses they’d seen yesterday. 

Hop Sing entered the cabin carrying a basket of eggs that Joe was supposed to have collected.  “Why you eat so fast?  Not good for digestion.”

“We’re goin’ after that horse Adam’s been talkin’ about today.  You should see him, Hop Sing…” Joe’s voice trailed off as Hop Sing shook his head.

“No, no.  Father say you stay home today, finish chores, help in garden.”

“What?  But…but…that ain’t fair!”

Hop Sing shrugged.  “Brothers have chores to do, you have chores to do.”  He held up the basket to underscore his point.  “Sometimes fair, sometimes not.” 

Joe kicked the heel of his boot against the chair leg.  “I guess.”

Knowing Hop Sing was right but not wanting to admit it, Joe headed toward the barn.  He took out the rock he’d found and stared at it. 

I got it!  Joe snapped his fingers.  I’ll show Pa I’m just as good as Hoss and Adam at catchin’ horses  – maybe even better!   Smile restored, he bounded into the barn and saddled Paint.

**

It was close to noon when Joe spied two horses standing near a stream, drinking greedily.  Joe looked around to spot the rest of the herd, but they were nowhere to be seen.  These two seemed calm enough – maybe they’re tired, Joe reasoned.  He pulled his rope from the saddle, heart pumping wildly in his chest.  One of the horses looked up – the opportunity Joe was waiting for.  He urged Paint closer, rope poised above his head – praying all that practice in the corral would pay off.  He whirled the lasso around to gather momentum – one, two, three times – then let the length out in the general direction of the horses.  He closed his eyes briefly, not sure if he was more afraid to succeed or fail – and felt the line tense.  Got him!

“WHAT THE HELL ARE YA DOIN’, BOY?”  

Jack Wolf stood with his gun drawn.  His shirt was unbuttoned and there was some grass in his hair.   Behind him was a young woman – Joe thought he recognized her from town.  She was pinning up her long brown hair. 

“I said, what the hell do ya think you’re doin’?” Jack repeated, holstering his gun.

“I…uh…I was catchin’ that wild horse,” Joe explained weakly, noticing that he had roped the horse – but it wasn’t really acting wild.  In fact, now that Joe looked closely, it bore a strong resemblance to Jack Wolf’s horse.  

“Does your daddy know he’s raisin’ a horse thief?” Jack sneered, yanking the rope off his horse.

“I wasn’t stealin’ him!  He didn’t have no saddle on, so I figured…”

“Well, ya figgered wrong.  Lila here thought the horses would be more comfortable without their saddles while we were…uh…restin’.” 

Lila spoke for the first time, annoyance plain in her voice.  “Well I’m done resting, Jack.  You just go on back to town without me.”  She walked in the opposite direction, her horse obediently following.

“But Lila…” Jack turned to Joe, sparks of anger shooting from his eyes.  He pointed to him.  “We’re goin’ to find your daddy.  Now.”

**

When Jack Wolf appeared out of nowhere, Joe thought the day couldn’t possibly get any worse.  He was wrong.  His father remained silent while he listened to Wolf rant about Joe’s error in judgment, his angry lips a thin seam of a line.  He waited until Jack rode off before he turned and started yelling.  Joe didn’t think he’d ever heard his father yell that loud – wagging his finger and waving his arms – his eyebrows forming one dark line across his forehead.  Accused of being irresponsible, disobedient and trying to get himself killed, Joe was ordered to his room so Ben could calm down.  Joe meekly hung his head, mumbled a quick “Yes, sir” and an apology, then ran to the bunkroom to await his punishment.

Throwing himself on his bed, hot tears stung the boy’s eyes.  A few minutes passed and the door flew open, hitting the wall with a resounding thwack.  Joe bolted to his feet.

“Oh, it’s only you.”  Joe plopped back down as Hoss entered the room.

“Where’s my pants?”  Hoss searched frantically through the clothes hung on the pegs behind the door.  “Ya seen my pants?”

“You’re wearin’ ‘em,” Joe observed.

“Not these pants!  My clean ones.” 

Joe shrugged his indifference.

“Tess and her ma are stoppin’ by and I wanna look…” Hoss scratched his head.   “Maybe Hop Sing’s got ‘em.”  He patted his little brother on the back.  “Don’t worry.  This run of bad luck ya been havin’ can’t last forever.”  He turned to leave.  “Leastways, I don’t think it can.”

“Gee, thanks,” Joe muttered to an empty room.  He mentally ticked off a list of all the things that had gone wrong in the past two days, from his impending punishment to having to take a bath in the middle of the week to wash off that manure.  When did it all start?  Rolling to his side, Joe felt something press against his thigh.  He reached into his pocket and pulled out that reddish stone.

The door squeaked open and Adam poked his head in.

“You okay?”

Joe nodded.  “Hey Adam, what do you call it when you want to try somethin’ out that you’re not sure of, so you kinda test it and…”

“An experiment.”  Adam narrowed his eyes.  “With the mood Pa’s in, I wouldn’t be experimenting with any of his stuff.”  He shut the door, then quickly reopened it. “Or mine.” 

“I know.”  Joe’s eyes fell on something on the floor, a piece of brown fabric peeking out from between Adam’s bunk and the chest at the foot of the bed.  Hoss’s clean pants.  Joe grabbed them.  He just managed to slide the rock into a pocket before Hoss entered the room.  Making a great show of dusting the pants off, Joe held them out. 

“Here you go.  Nice and clean.”

“Thanks.  Looks like this is gonna be my lucky day.  A visit from Tess, found my clean pants, and Hop Sing’s got a pie coolin’ - made my favorite with the last of them strawberries he was savin’.” 

Joe bit his lower lip, wondering what kind of luck his “experiment” would bring Hoss.

**

“Maggie!  Tess!  Good to see you.”  Ben smiled as he held his hand out to help the ladies down from their buggy.

Margaret Greene pulled a folded piece of paper from her reticule. “Thanks for looking over this contract, Ben.  I’m not too sure about the wording in the third paragraph.”

“Maybe Adam could look it over too,” Tess suggested sweetly just as Hoss joined them.

“Hi, Hoss!  Where’s your brothers?”

Hoss gestured towards the cabin.  “They’re inside.  Ya sure look nice today, Tess.”

Margaret’s lips curled slightly and she glanced at Ben, who seemed to be having trouble keeping a straight face.  He cleared his throat noisily.  “Why don’t we all go inside?  I believe there’s a pie waiting to be eaten.” 

Adam heard voices approaching the cabin and high tailed it into the bunkroom.  Placing his hand on Joe’s shirt, he yanked him into a standing position.

“Come on.” 

“But Pa said I gotta…”

“It’s not polite to stay in your room when we have company.” He pulled Joe towards the door.

“Aw, you just don’t wanna be out there with Tess.”  Joe resisted a bit, just for show.

Adam hesitated.  “That’s - that’s ridiculous.”  Joe’s face told him he didn’t believe him for a moment.  “Now get out there and try to stay out of trouble for a change.”  With a not-so-gentle shove, Joe found himself face-to-face with their guests.

“Hello, Adam.”  Tess gave him her best smile.  “My Ma brought over a contract so you and your Pa could look it over.  I told her that if anyone could figure out all those big legal words, it’d be you, bein’ so smart and all.”

A hectic flush rose all the way to Adam’s ears.  “Pa and I…” He tried to ignore Joe’s sudden coughing fit.  “Pa and I will be glad to help.”

Hoss looked from Tess to Adam and back to Tess.  “Uh, Tess, later on I wanna show you some horses I caught.” 

“How many did you get?”  She turned her eyes to Hoss, who beamed under her gaze.

Trying to act nonchalant, Hoss took a step backward.  “’Bout five or six.  There’s one I think you’re really gonna like.”  His hand grasped the edge of the table and he easily hefted himself to sit. 

“Hoss!”  Adam yelled, but it was too late.  With a squish and a splat, Hoss’s behind met the very hot strawberry pie Hop Sing had set out to cool.  Berries shot to the right and to the left, but most clung to the seat of Hoss’s once clean pants.

The silence that filled the cabin was deafening.  Tess’s hand flew to her mouth while Margaret politely turned away.  Already in enough trouble, Joe was afraid to laugh and quickly looked at his father, who had that same dazed expression as yesterday when Joe had fallen in the barn.  Adam winced, wondering just how hot those berries were.

“Dadburnit!  I was lookin’ forward to that pie too,” Hoss moaned. It was hard to tell which was redder – his stained pants or his flaming cheeks.

**

“I can’t believe I sat on that pie!”  Hoss groaned for what seemed like the millionth time that evening.  Sitting on the edge of the chest in the bunkroom, he covered his face with two big hands. 

Watching his brother wallow in misery from his bunk, a twinge of guilt pricked Joe’s conscience. 

“What did you do with those pants?” Joe asked quietly, really wondering where that rock was.

 “Please don’t mention those pants.”  Adam tugged his shirt over his head, making his hair stand on end.  “I think Hop Sing is still complaining about havin’ to get them clean.”

Joe and Adam shared a smile when they heard a deep sigh come from behind Hoss’s hands.

“Try to look on the bright side, Hoss,” Adam comforted. “At least Tess and her Ma didn’t stick around too long after that.” 

“Long enough.  I had to sit in that pie till they left – was afraid to get up.  Never got to show Tess that horse I caught…”

“You caught?”  Adam raised an amused brow.

Hoss ignored the implication.  “And that pie looked so good, too.”

“Not after you sat in it, it didn’t.”  Joe muttered truthfully.

“Goldangit.”  Hoss rose and kicked something – the reddish stone. It hit the post of the bunk and rested there.  Joe held his breath, waiting.

“You’d better go to bed, brother,” Adam advised as he neatly hung his shirt and pants on the wall pegs.  “Your saddle’s gonna feel a lot harder than that nice soft pie you were sitting in today.”

“Ha ha.”  Hoss placed a foot on Adam’s bottom bunk and rested his two arms on his own mattress to pull himself up, just as he did every night.  But tonight was different.  For a fleeting moment, Hoss felt the upper bunk shiver.  He jumped away just in time as it fell with a thud onto the lower bed, splintering one of the posts at the foot – the post the stone lay against.

“You could’ve killed me!” Adam shouted.

“But – but - “ Hoss sputtered.

Ben threw open the door, rifle in hand.  “What in Sam Hill is going on here?”

“The bed broke.”  Hoss stared blankly at the scene before him.

Ben walked over to where the upper bunk perched precariously on the lower bunk and ran his finger over the split post, amazed.

“You weren’t jumping on the bed, were you?” 

“I ain’t done that since I was a kid!”  Hoss was indignant.   

“It just collapsed,” Adam explained as he climbed onto the bunk above Little Joe.  “Told you he’s too big to sleep up top.”

“Just collapsed,” Ben repeated, his brow furrowed.  “We’ll see about fixing this in the morning.  I think we all should get a good night’s sleep.  Maybe tomorrow things will get back to normal around here.”

“But where am I s’posed to sleep?”  Hoss couldn’t keep the whine from his voice.

Adam stuck a long arm out from beneath his blanket and pointed to the floor.

“Paaaa.”  Hoss hoped his father would intervene, but instead Ben just shrugged, suddenly anxious to leave the room.  Hoss noisily threw some blankets and a pillow on the floor, making his displeasure known to all.

Conspicuously silent, Joe could not tear his eyes away from the small stone, nor keep his mind from imagining the horrible events that were yet to come.

**

Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, Hoss walked slowly into the main room of the cabin.  Hand pressed to the small of his aching back, he was surprised to see his younger brother on his hands and knees, sloshing soapy water onto the floor.

“’Bout time you got up.”  Joe wiped some imaginary sweat from his brow.

“What’re ya doin’?”  Hoss pulled out a chair and sank into it, still trying to massage out the kinks from a restless night’s sleep.

“Pa says I gotta scrub all the floors and clean out the barn and the outhouse and fix the latch on the bunkroom door.  Says it’ll give me time to think about my transgressions.”  He spread his hands, palms heavenward.  “Heck, I don’t even know what transgressions means.”

Hoss shook his head in sympathy.  “The outhouse?”  He shuddered and reached into his pocket.  “Where’s Hop Sing?  I don’t smell breakfast.”

Joe seemed to stop breathing.

“I said, where’s Hop Sing?  I sure am hungry.”  Hoss stared at Joe.  “You’re actin’ mighty peculiar.”

“Uh…Hop Sing went into town.  And – uh - Pa says if you’re gonna sleep late, then you can make your own breakfast.”  Joe stared at his brother.

Hoss hung his head.  “Make my own breakfast?  My luck sure has been runnin’ bad lately.”

“Yeah, we had flapjacks with jam.”  Joe watched Hoss shake his head sorrowfully.  “Hoss, what’s that you got in your hand?”

“A rock.  It’s pretty, ain’t it?”  He held it out for his brother to see.  “Found it on the floor.”

“DON’T TOUCH IT!”  Joe yelled, and Hoss dropped it onto the table like it was on fire.

“Why not? What’s wrong with it?”  Hoss stood so quickly that his chair clattered to the floor.

The door swung open and Adam appeared out of nowhere. “What’s going on in here?  I could hear you two all the way outside.”

Hoss and Joe remained silent, their eyes glued to the smooth stone on the table. 

Adam pulled his head back as he reached for the rock.  “What’s this?”

“DON’T TOUCH IT!”  This time both Hoss and Joe yelled, and Adam released it as if scalded.

“What are you two up to?”  He placed his hands on his hips, waiting for an explanation. “Is this some kind of joke?”

“It’s no joke, Adam.  That rock’s bad luck.”  Joe pushed to his feet and walked over to where his brothers stood. 

“Bad luck?  Don’t be ridiculous.”

Gulping, Joe decided to come clean.  “Remember the other day when I was diggin’?”  Hoss nodded while Adam folded his arms across his chest, lips pursed.  “Well, I found it and figured it’d look real good in my rock collection.”  He paused, afraid of his brothers’ reaction to the rest of the tale.

“And?”  Hoss prodded.

“And - and ever since I dug it up, I’ve been havin’ the worst luck.  You said so yourself!”

“Joe, I’m telling you, there’s no such thing as …” Adam began, but Joe interrupted.

“Just listen, willya?  I started havin’ all that bad luck – Paint comin’ untied, Pa bein’ mad at me, Jack Wolf - well, you know what I mean.  So I decided to – uh - I decided to do one of those experiments you’re always tellin’ us about.”

Hoss was getting a bad feeling.  “What kinda experiment?”

 “I…I put the rock in your pocket.  I didn’t want nuthin’ bad to happen to you.”   Instinctively, Joe took a step back, out of Hoss’s reach.  “But then it started happenin’ to you – the pie, the bed, no breakfast…”

“Yeah.”  Hoss peered at the rock cautiously, as if it might rise up and bite him.

Adam threw up his hands.  “Don’t tell me you’re fallin’ for this!  All those things were just a coincidence.”  His brothers stared at him, unconvinced.  “Look, Joe does dumb stuff all the time.”  Joe frowned, wishing he’d put the rock in Adam’s pocket instead of Hoss’s.

“And Hoss, let’s face it,” Adam continued.  “When Tess is around you get a little…” He searched for the right word.  “Distracted.  Sittin’ on that pie could’ve happened to anyone.”

“But it happened to me,” Hoss muttered under his breath, still mortified.

Adam’s volume rose.  “There’s no such thing as luck.  Things happen.  That’s it.”

“Then why are people always wishin’ good luck and talkin’ ‘bout bad luck streaks?”  Joe persisted, certain that the rock contained dreadful powers.

“Because – because - ” Adam floundered,  “Because they’re just expressions, that’s all.  People blame luck because they don’t have a rational - a better explanation.”

“Exactly!” Joe cried.

“I gotta agree with Joe, Adam.”

Adam’s shoulders sagged.  He grabbed the rock from the table and held it in his palm.

“Look!  Nothing happened to me.  I didn’t fall into the fireplace or trip over the chair or get hit by lightning!”

Joe studied the tips of his boots.  “Not yet.”

Adam heaved a long -suffering, big brother sigh.  “What if I keep this rock in my pocket all day, will that convince you that all this talk about luck is nonsense?”

Shaking his head, Hoss’s worried eyes darted to Adam’s.  “I don’t think that’s such a good idea.  Ain’t today the day you’re plannin’ on goin’ after that chestnut?”

“Yes, it is.”  He dropped the rock into his pocket.  Reaching for his hat, he turned to see Hoss and Joe staring at him, mouths agape and eyes fearful.  And Adam couldn’t help but feel a little uneasy.  

**

Ben studied Adam as he guided Beauty alongside his father’s horse.  “What held you up?”

Adam shifted uncomfortably in his saddle.  Truth was, he had ridden to the spot where his father was waiting with painstaking caution – and very little speed.  He had a point to prove to his brothers, but not one that he wanted to share with his father.  Adam wasn’t sure how his father would react to his brothers blaming a rock for their misbehavior and bad fortune, and he didn’t really want to find out.

Knowing that lying to his father was an exercise in futility for him, Adam shrugged, carefully avoiding his eyes.

Ben leaned closer to him and Adam wisely changed the subject.  “Have you seen the chestnut?”

“Yes.”  Ben answered slowly and deliberately – letting Adam know that he sensed something was afoot.  He pointed to a green meadow at the base of a mountain.  “You’re sure you want that one?”

Adam met his father’s gaze and smiled boyishly.  ”Yes, sir.  That’s the one I want.”

Ben smiled back; Adam’s enthusiasm was infectious.  “Let’s go get him then.”

**

Their two minds focused on a single goal, the men pushed hard in pursuit of the chestnut, who headed toward the bank of the nearby lake.  Spurring Beauty onward, Adam licked his lips in nervous anticipation as he glanced at his father.  Ben gave a slight nod. They both raised their ropes and a moment later, two loops fell around the horse’s neck.  Again, Adam looked to his father, this time in triumph

“He’s a wild one son,” Ben shouted breathlessly, as the horse reared up and kicked, tossing his head, fighting to break free.

Adam didn’t answer.  He remembered to keep the line taut, his gloved hand hovering over the coarse rope tied to the saddle horn.  The chestnut continued bucking frantically and Adam remained alert despite his exhilaration, blood thundering in his ears.   Several long minutes passed and the horse seemed to realize the futility of struggle, his movements becoming less jerky and panic stricken.  

Sensing this, Adam jumped off Beauty, grasping the line in a two-fisted grip as if his hands and the rope were one.  He dug in his heels but the ground was wet and the mud sucked at his boots. Adam spoke gently to the chestnut, trying to calm and soothe him as he edged slowly toward the frightened animal.

“Adam!”  Ben hissed through clenched teeth.   “Not so close!”

Ignoring his father’s words, Adam stepped through the muck and inched closer. The horse stamped his front foot but otherwise made no effort to retreat, and emboldened, Adam let go of the rope with his left hand and stretched it out toward the animal.

“Whoa, boy,” Adam whispered.  “That’s it.  Nice and easy, now.”

“Adam!” Ben’s voice was louder now, more insistent.  He kept a tight hold on his line, ready for the horse’s reaction.

Adam never took his gaze from the horse’s face.  He placed one foot carefully in front of the other until he was close enough to lay his hand on the shiny brown coat.

“We’re gonna be friends, you and me.”  The horse didn’t shy away from Adam’s touch, and Adam experienced the same kinship as when he first set eyes on Beauty so many years ago.

Face beaming, he turned to his father and Ben felt his annoyance at Adam’s foolishness fade away.  His son looked so pleased with himself that he decided to save the lecture on safety and taking unnecessary risks until later.

**

Relieved and exhausted by the time he reached the Ponderosa, Adam couldn’t wait to get his new horse in the corral, put Beauty up, and pour his weary bones into a tub of hot water.  There was no denying the chestnut’s strength or displeasure at being held on a lead line, and Adam felt sure his shoulder was about to pop out of its socket from trying to contain the very spirited horse. 

Ben jumped down and opened the corral gate. Finally, Adam was free of his charge. 

“Ya got him!”  Hoss shouted as he hurried over, his younger brother beating him by a few strides.

“Wow.  What kinda horse is he, Pa?  I mean, he’s wild but…” Joe bent down to get a closer look at the horse’s underside, “he ain’t a stallion.”  

Ben smiled at the puzzled look on Joe’s face.  “No, he’s not a stallion.  Best I can figure is someone went through the trouble of gelding him, then the horse either ran away or his owner turned him loose.”

“And he got wild?”

“Yes, son.” Ben threw an arm around Joe’s shoulders.  “He was probably very young when he was turned out, had to become wild to survive.”

“Ain’t got no brand on him,” Hoss observed as the subject of their conversation circled restlessly.

Adam looked at his father anxiously. “That means he’s ours, right Pa?”

“Unless someone can present a bill of sale.  Without a brand on him, it would be pretty hard to prove he belonged to someone.”  Ben narrowed his eyes as he watched Adam massage his right shoulder.  “Hurt yourself?”

“No.”  Adam shook his head as he stared fixedly ahead.

“Sure looks to me like ya hurt yourself,” Hoss tried unsuccessfully to keep the amusement from his voice.

Joe’s mouth fell open.  “Don’t tell me you had some bad luck and hurt your shoulder!”

Realization dawned on Adam.  “I caught that horse, didn’t I?  No luck involved – just skill.”

Ben dragged a hand across his face.  Clearly there was something going on here he wasn’t privy to.

“Well, hurtin’ your shoulder wasn’t so lucky,” Joe persisted.

“Maybe if you did something around here once in a while, you’d know that you get sore and achy when you work hard!”

“I work plenty hard!” Joe shouted.

“Joseph,” Ben tried to forestall any more arguing.

“Doing what?  Digging for rocks?”  Tired and not wanting to admit that his shoulder was throbbing incessantly, Adam’s volume matched Joe’s.

“Adam,” Ben tried again, to no avail.

“I wanted to catch some horses but Pa wouldn’t let me!”

“Right.  Pa wouldn’t let you - it wasn’t because of bad luck, it was because of Pa!” Adam cried triumphantly, believing his logic indisputable.

“And I always have bad luck when Pa catches me doin’ somethin’ I’m not supposed to be doin’!” Joe’s simple yet heartfelt explanation made Adam throw up his hands in surrender.  He winced and brought down his right arm quickly.

“That’s enough, both of you!”  Ben ended their conversation.

“I give up!  Here!”  He thrust Beauty’s reins into Hoss’s hands.  “Take care of her for me, will you?  I’m going to take a bath!”

**

Leaving his clothes in a heap on the bunkroom floor, Adam sunk into the metal tub and let out a deep sigh of contentment.  Relishing his solitude, he leaned his head back and closed his eyes, letting the hot water ease away some of his shoulder’s soreness.  Only a few minutes passed when Adam’s head drooped slightly, his breaths coming slow and even in light dreamless slumber.

BANG!  The front door slammed shut with a crash that shook the walls of the cabin, followed by an insincere but cheerful “sorry” from Little Joe.  Startled awake, Adam sat upright, momentarily disoriented.  The vibration caused the bunkroom door to creak and Adam stared at it with disbelieving eyes as it slowly opened, giving him a clear view of the outer room.

Gosh darn it!  Joe never got around to fixing the latch!  Adam thought in annoyance.

Too far away to reach out and close it and too comfortable to leave his bath, Adam decided to relax and wait for one of his brothers to come in to shut the door.  He yawned wide and his eyes fluttered shut once again. 

Somewhere on the brink between sleep and wakefulness, Adam became aware of voices outside.  He could hear Joe chattering, which was nothing unusual, but Hoss’s tone seemed different – a little unnatural.  Cocking his head, a decidedly female voice floated to his ears – Tess!  Adam grinned, grateful he was safely inside the cabin.  The water was getting a little cool, but he decided to wait till he heard Tess ride away before he left the safety of the tub.

“Pa and Adam are done readin’ your Ma’s contract.  It’s inside on the table.”  Joe’s voice was loud and clear.

Tess must have replied, but Adam couldn’t hear her.  He had no trouble, however, hearing his youngest brother’s enthusiastic response.  “I’ll get it.”

The unmistakable sound of footsteps on the porch unsettled Adam, and he glanced around the room to see if he could reach his clothes.  They were too far away.  More footsteps - this time louder and more hurried - greeted Adam’s worried ears. 

“I’ll get it, Little Joe. It’s no problem,” Tess insisted and Adam drew in one panic-stricken breath as the door opened and Tess entered the cabin, the tub in full view. 

Like a snake, Adam submerged quickly and quietly, his heart pumping furiously.  His long legs contorted beneath him; he could feel them cramping up but was afraid to move and create even the slightest ripple.  He could barely distinguish between Joe’s and Tess’s voices, the water garbling all sounds.  Lungs burning like they were on fire, Adam felt sure his chest would explode any second from the pressure.  Sheer determination – and embarrassment – kept him immersed in the now cold bath water as he struggled to concentrate on something other than his immense discomfort.  He tried counting but that only reminded him of how long he’d already held his breath.  He tried thinking about his new horse, but that only reminded him of his sore shoulder that was now pinned between his knee and the wall of the tub.  Instead he turned all thoughts on how he was going to get even with his youngest brother – those were satisfying thoughts indeed.

Something grabbed his hair and pulled.  “OW!” Adam sputtered, spitting water and coughing, rubbing the soapy water from his eyes to find Joe staring at him.

“I was wonderin’ where you went.  When I seen the tub and your clothes on the floor…”  Joe began, but shrunk back as Adam stood ominously, his face dark and angry.

“Where’d – you – think – I - went?  I - can’t – believe – you - let – Tess – in - here!”  Panting heavily, Adam stepped out of the tub, nearly stumbling as the circulation wasn’t fully restored to his legs.  Grabbing the side of the tub for balance, a sharp spasm stabbed his right shoulder and he moaned.

Joe nervously held out a towel.  “How was I s’posed to know you were takin’ a bath with the door open?”

Adam snatched the towel from the boy’s hand.

‘I WOULDN’T BE TAKING A BATH WITH THE DOOR OPEN IF YOU’D FIXED THE LATCH LIKE YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO!” 

“Oh,” Joe murmured in a small voice, cautiously backing out the door.  He stopped when he felt something blocking his way – his father.

“Does someone want to tell me what’s going on here?”  Placing both hands on Joe’s shoulders, he held him in place.

“Well, you see, Pa,” Joe hesitated, trying to come up with an explanation that wouldn’t get him in trouble.  “Adam was takin’ a bath and – uh – Tess came for that contract – “

Ben’s eyebrows shot up.  He took in the scene before him – door with a broken latch, Adam’s heavy breathing, Joe’s look of feigned innocence.  “She didn’t see…”

“Of course not!” Adam quickly assured him, his cheeks crimson at his father’s unfinished thought. 

Ben nodded.  “Lucky thing.”

Joe and Adam stared at one another.  Neither boy said another word that evening.

**

Adam was the last one to the breakfast table the next morning.  His shoulder was still stiff but he promised himself not to let on – or else he’d be hearing about how that ridiculous rock was the cause.

“Where’s Pa and Hop Sing?” Adam asked as he dropped a napkin onto his lap.

“Pa’s out checkin’ to make sure Beaver Creek ain’t backed up and Hop Sing went to help Mrs. Orowitz with somethin’ .”  Hoss stabbed another piece of ham with his fork and pointed it toward Adam.

“Shoulder still botherin’ ya?”

Joe grinned into his oatmeal.

“Don’t you two worry about my shoulder.  It’s just fine, thank you.”   Adam brought the mug of hot coffee to his lips.

“That’s why he was tossin’ and turnin’ all night.”  Hoss nudged Little Joe’s elbow.

Adam shook his head.  “Don’t know how anyone could sleep with your snoring rattling the windows.” 

Joe giggled.  “I slept just fine.  ‘Course, I’m not the one with the bad luck rock.”

Adam slammed down his cup, spilling his coffee.  “Look.”  He reached into his pocket and pulled out the red stone.  “It’s just a rock.  It doesn’t have any magical powers.  It doesn’t make me have bad luck or good luck or anything else.”

“What about your shoulder?” Hoss asked.

Before Adam could reply, Joe added, “And Tess almost walkin’ in on you while you were naked?”

Feeling the heat rush to his cheeks, Adam countered, “I caught that horse, didn’t I?  If that rock was unlucky, that never would’ve happened.”  He sat back in his chair, satisfied that he’d proven his point.

Hoss nodded in agreement.  “Guess you’re right.  No way you woulda…”  His voice trailed off as Little Joe hopped up and ran to the window.  “What are ya lookin’ at?”

Joe’s grin couldn’t have been any wider.  “Hey Adam, there goes your horse.”

Both Adam and Hoss were at the window in a flash, just in time to see the chestnut kicking up a cloud of dust as he headed away from the yard as fast as his legs could take him. 

Swearing swiftly and savagely, Adam nearly pulled the door from its hinges as he threw it open.  He didn’t have to turn around to know that Hoss and Joe were right behind him,  breakfast and open door forgotten as they all raced to the barn.

**

“Just give up.  We ain’t gonna find him!” Joe complained as he pulled Paint to a standstill next to Beauty.  They’d been searching for the runaway horse nearly two hours with no luck.

Adam looked straight ahead.  “You two go back.  I’m not giving up.”

Hoss and Joe rolled their eyes at one another.  No one was more stubborn than Adam when he got something stuck in his head but both Hoss and Joe knew there was no way they’d leave him on his own. 

Hoss’s stomach gave a loud rumble, reminding him of the breakfast he’d left uneaten.  “Leastways let’s go back and get somethin’ to eat.  I’m ‘bout hollowed out.”

Adam wrinkled his nose and shook his head, not bothering to comment on Hoss’s last statement.  “I’m not going back without him.”  He clicked his tongue and Beauty walked on, picking her way through the brush.  Hoss and Joe followed their older brother reluctantly.

They’d only gone a couple of miles when a gunshot broke the silence. 

“Stay here!” Adam growled to his brothers before he spurred Beauty into a gallop.  Ignoring Adam’s command, Hoss and Joe were barely three horselengths behind him by the time they reached a small outcropping of rock.  In a gully below paced the chestnut.  He was walled in on all sides by sun-baked boulders, with only a narrow opening that a frightened horse would have to be coaxed through to escape. 

Atop the rocks stood a man – a drifter - with a dirty face and scraggly beard.  Busy reloading his rifle, he took little notice of the Cartwrights.  Adam fairly flew off his horse and was at the man’s side in a few quick strides, heedless of the man’s weapon.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Adam stood between the man and the gully, hands on his hips.

He squinted one eye at Adam.  “Whaddya think I’m doin’?  I’m takin’ care of that son a the devil ‘imself.  Crazy horse near kilt me.”  Rifle loaded, he glared at Adam.  “Not that it’s any of yer business.”

“That’s my horse you’re shooting at, Mister.”  Adam’s palms itched as he realized he’d made a mistake not taking his rifle from its scabbard.

“Yer horse?”  Don’t see no brand on ‘im.”  He brought the rifle up to his shoulder and cradled it, fixing his sight on the large moving target.

Adam glanced over his shoulder at the horse, dismayed that the animal seemed to be quieting down, making himself an easier mark.  His eyes slid to his left, annoyed that his brothers hadn’t obeyed him, grateful that they’d remained in their saddles.  With one swift motion, Adam knocked the rifle out of the man’s hands and sent it clattering to the ground.

“Ya shouldn’t a done that, boy.”

The hairs on the back of Adam’s neck bristled and before he could react, the man’s right hand shot out and landed square on Adam’s jaw, sending him sprawling to the ground.  He sensed more than saw Hoss leaping from his horse, and quickly held out his hand to stop his brother in his tracks. 

The man cackled as he bent to grab his rifle.  “Guess that’ll teach ya not ta stick yer nose where it don’t belong.”  

“Oh, it taught me something, all right,” Adam muttered under his breath as he pushed himself to his feet.  Steadying himself, he smiled at the drifter.

“What the heck’s wrong with Adam?  Why’s he smilin’?” Joe whispered anxiously to Hoss.

“I don’t know.  Reckon he’s punch-drunk?”  Puzzled, Hoss wasn’t sure whether to obey or protect his older brother.

Eyebrows knit in confusion, the man stared at Adam.  “Yer loco just like that there horse.”

Not bothering to answer, Adam continued to smile as he approached the man, halting inches from his face.

“What – what the h…” The man was in mid sentence when Adam lunged at him, taking him down with a thud on the hard ground.  The two rolled over and over, closer to the edge of the gully, fists flying.  It was hard to tell who was winning through the cloud of dust the two raised.  The drifter outweighed Adam by at least forty pounds and was clearly the more experienced fighter.  Adam was young and wiry and fought with a tenacity that didn’t surprise his brothers but astonished his opponent.  On their knees, Adam held the man by the collar of his shirt and pulled his already sore arm back, ready to strike, when the chestnut scrambled through the narrow opening and stood before them, stomping his front foot dangerously close to the drifter. 

The man held up his arms.  “I give up.  I give up.  Take yer crazy horse.”  He struggled to his feet, panting hard, blood pouring from his nose.  Never taking his eyes from Adam or the horse, he backed away from them, pausing to reach down and grab his rifle.  Something else caught his eye – something reddish that glistened in the sun, and he pocketed the small round object before he went on his way.

Joe ran to Adam and handed him his handkerchief to stem the flow of blood from a cut above his eye.  Hoss held out the canteen to Adam who took a long drink, most of the water running down his swollen lip onto his chin.  Adam felt something hot and damp on the back of his head and gingerly reached to feel it, expecting to find blood.  Instead his hand grazed a velvety muzzle.

“Hey look, I think he’s sayin’ thanks for savin’ his life!” Joe pointed to the chestnut whose head was inches from Adam’s.

Hoss reached up and gently laid his hand on the horse.  “He sure was lucky we came along when we did, or he’d be a goner.”

Joe’s eyes grew round.  “Lucky?”  He turned those rounded eyes to Adam.  “See?  The rock – it made you get into a fight!” His voice held a note of panic.

Breathing finally returning to somewhat normal, Adam dug into his pocket.  “Yeah, except I won.”  He withdrew an empty hand.    He looked up, bewildered.  “It’s gone.” 

“Musta lost it when ya was rollin’ around in the dirt.”  Hoss grasped Adam’s upper arm and hoisted him to his feet. “Ya gonna be able to ride?”

Joe snapped his fingers.  “That’s what that man picked up!  The rock!  Didn’t ya see?”  He dug his fingers into Adam’s other arm.  “Now do ya believe it was bad luck?”

Adam stopped for a moment and curled his arm around his aching ribs.  “Joe, you’ll never convince me that all – all –“ He gestured with his head.  “ – this wasn’t a coincidence.”

“Aw,” Joe kicked a nearby pebble.

“But one thing I am sure of.  I don’t ever want to see that rock again!”

**

Riding into the yard, Adam wasn’t so confident his run of bad luck was over as he spied his father riding in from the opposite direction.  So much for cleaning up before his father saw him.  Ben slowed the horse as he neared his sons, his face registering his disbelief.

“What on earth?”  Ben stared at Adam.

Hoping to distract his father, Hoss held up the lead line tied to the chestnut.  “Look how good he follows on the lead line, Pa.”

“Adam?”  He guided his horse next to Adam’s and reached out to gently touch his cheek. 

“I got in a little fight.  It’s nothing.”  Embarrassed, Adam pulled away from his father’s touch.

“Let’s get in the house so I can fix you up.”  Ben dismounted and much to Adam’s exasperation, helped him down from Beauty.  “You know, you’re the second person I’ve had to help today.”

“Who else did ya help, Pa?” Joe skipped alongside his father.

“A man who was thrown by his horse.”  Ben stopped, realization dawning.  “In fact, he had been in a fight as well.”  He eyed Adam suspiciously.

Hoss joined them after putting the chestnut safely in the corral, where he seemed very content to quietly nibble at some hay.  “Did he have a beard? Kinda dirty?”

“He sure had some bad luck, that guy – fightin’, fallin’ off his horse…  Was his nose broke?”  Joe chirped excitedly.  “I think Adam busted his nose.”

Ben leveled a reproachful look at his youngest son.  “We’ll talk about that later.  Right now Adam needs to lie down.”

Adam swore that someone had raised the steps to the porch – it took so much effort just to raise one foot, then the other.   All four Cartwrights stopped in their tracks as they came face to face with the open cabin door.

“Who forget to shut this door?” Ben thundered. 

Adam winced. His head was beginning to throb and his father’s volume wasn’t helping.

“I – uh – I guess we all sorta forgot,” Joe offered contritely.

Ben blew out his breath between clenched teeth before they proceeded inside.  “You all sorta forgot?  How many times do I have to tell you boys to make sure…” Ben’s mouth was open, but fell silent as he took in the scene before him.  A puddle of coffee pooled in the middle of the table, slowly trickling to the edge and onto the floor.  Plates and cups were overturned, napkins shredded, chairs upended. The wood that had been so neatly stacked in the corner has rolled to various spots throughout the cabin. Muddy pawprints led to Ben’s room.

Joe glanced up at Hoss, who looked over to Adam, whose eye crashed shut at the scene before him.   None of the three dared look at their father.  Ben’s breathing was the only noise heard in the cabin – until they heard a crash and the unmistakable sound of broken glass come from his bedroom.   Out waddled a fat raccoon. His face purple with barely concealed anger, Ben scarcely moved his lips as he pointed to the raccoon.

“Get that animal out of here now!”  His whisper was a shout, and all three boys jumped to do his bidding. 

“Not you!” He grabbed Adam’s upper arm and gave him a not so gentle push toward the bunkroom door.  “Get in there and get undressed.  Now!”

“Yes, sir.”  Adam shuffled off, just as glad to be away from his father’s wrath, although he was not too keen on his father doctoring him in his current mood. 

Biting his lip to keep from further losing his temper, Ben headed toward his room to see what the damage was.  He couldn’t hold back a groan.  There was little that the raccoon hadn’t wrecked – feathers poured from his pillow, his water basin and shaving mug were in pieces, pages from the book he’d been reading were shredded.  Even his brand new shaving brush was chewed beyond repair. 

“Pa, we got rid of …” Joe gave a low whistle when he saw the mess in his father’s room. Not wanting to look but too curious not to, Hoss peeked in and immediately wished he hadn’t. 

“Did he do anythin’ to our room?”  Joe wondered aloud.

“No,” Adam wandered out and saw the mess.  His lips formed the word “oh” but no sound came out.

Hoss laid his hand on his father’s shoulder, who seemed totally drained of all emotion.  “Pa, why don’t ya fix Adam up while Joe and me clean this up?”

About to protest, Joe took one look at his father’s defeated face and echoed, “Yeah, Pa.  We’ll have it back to normal in no time.”

“Thank you.  I’ll help when I’m done.”  Turning to leave, he added, “Joseph, I almost forgot.  That man I helped gave me this.  I thought you’d might like this for your rock collection.”  From his shirt pocket he pulled a small round stone, reddish in color and shining gloriously.

Three pairs of eyes grew huge and each boy immediately backed away from their father.

“What – what’s going on?” Ben held the rock out to Joe, who hid behind Hoss.  Ben offered the rock to Hoss, who in turn stepped behind Adam.  “Adam?”

Adam gulped.  His head pounded and his whole body ached.  The last thing he wanted to do was get into a discussion about luck and coincidence and rocks and brothers.

“Pa, please do as I say.  Take that rock, ride as far away as possible and bury the thing.”

“But…” Ben began.

“Pa,” Hoss insisted.  “That thing ain’t nuthin’ but bad luck.”

Joe picked up where Hoss left off.  “Yeah,” he swung his arms wide, “this is all ‘cause of that rock.”

Ben scratched his head.   Apparently Adam wasn’t the only one with a head injury.

“Pa, just do it!  Please!” Joe cried.  “Even Adam knows it’s bad luck!”

Ben eyed them all with concern. 

“I’ll take care of Adam,” Hoss offered quickly, eager to see Ben rid the family of the cursed rock.  “And maybe ya oughtna take your horse.”

“Not take my horse?”  Ben started to protest, but his weariness took over and the thought of a peaceful walk while the cabin got straightened up sounded very appealing.  “Fine.  I’ll take a walk and bury this rock.”

“Just bury it far away from here,” Joe instructed.

“Far away from here.  And Adam will lay down after Hoss…”

“Yes, Pa.  I’ll lay down.  Just go and get rid of that rock.  Please.”

Ben left with little trepidation.  He knew his sons would take care of one another as well as the havoc the raccoon had wreaked.  He smiled as he thought of the three of them working together – even if something as silly as a rock was the cause. Little Joe volunteering to do work was something of a miracle.  And Hoss was certainly maturing, taking charge like that.  Adam – well, getting into a fight wasn’t exactly setting a good example for his brothers, but as always he’d seen that no harm came to Hoss or Joe.

Tossing the rock up in the air, Ben caught it easily.  All three were fine, healthy sons – sons to be proud of.  He was indeed a very lucky man.