Campfires
By Kelli Marie
The Cartwrights aren't mine no matter how hard I wish they were. ;)
"Another please?" Hoss said sitting his glass down.
"Sonny, I think you have had enough tonight. Why don't you go on
home?" the bar tender replied rubbing his hands through his hair.
"No sir, I aint had near enough." Hoss replied, "Pour me
another."
The man silently obeyed muttering to himself.
"Now what could a handsome fellow like yourself have to be worrying
about?" a lady wearing more paint on her face than Hoss had ever seen and
showing more skin then he had ever seen asked taking a seat next to him.
"Well, ah ma'am....I have a lot to be upset about." he replied
then downed his entire drink, wincing slightly.
"Well, now I am real good at cheerin' fellas
up." she replied rubbing her hand down Hoss' chest.
"Um...ah...I am sure you...ah..." Hoss mumbled turning redder by
the minute.
"Another drink for my friend, Tom!" She yelled suddenly.
Tom brought two more drinks muttering under his breath the whole time.
"Let me introduce myself. My name is Lily. And I like you……ah what did
you say your name was?" Lily said rubbing her hands through Hoss' hair.
Hoss downed both drinks before replying. "Hoss ma'am,” he chocked out.
"HOSS? Well, now you do look as strong as a horse." Lily replied,
continuing to play with his hair.
Hoss smiled at her, at least he thought it was Lily, he was feeling
slightly dizzy.
"Lily! Honey, leave this one alone. He is just a boy." a lady
said walking up.
Hoss turned around at the sound, upset to be called a mere boy, ready to
protest when he began to fall forward. He grabbed hold of the counter to steady
himself and looked up. The lady, if you could call her that, reached out as if
to catch him.
"You alright?" she asked, "Maybe you should sit down."
"I'm fine!" Hoss replied, but sat down.
"Now
Maggie. I saw him first." Lily whined, her lower lip sticking out in a
pout.
"Well he
is mine now. Get!" Maggie replied.
Lily was about
to protest, but spotted a cowboy sitting alone in a corner. He'll do, she
thought and walked off.
"Now, Hoss is it?," she asked, continuing at his nod, "I
think you best head on home. You don't belong here."
"I can't
ma'am." Hoss whispered.
"Sure,
you can. It can't be that bad." Maggie replied patting him on the
shoulder.
"I can't
go home cuz I don't have a home to go to." Hoss replied and to Maggie's
horror his eyes filled with tears.
"Oh no you don't, boy. I can't stand drunks that cry. Stop it!"
Maggie said frowning.
"I'm not cryin'!" Hoss replied on a sob, “and I aint drunk.”
"Good! Now, tell me why you can't go home." Maggie asked.
"I burnt the *sob* Ponderosa!" Hoss said crying harder.
"The Ponderwhat?" Maggie asked, but Hoss just cried harder.
"Please stop." Maggie asked desperately. She reached between her breast and pulled out a hankie.
"Here." she said handing it to the sobbing boy.
Hoss took it
and blew his nose noisily, then proceeded to put it back where it came from,
when he was satisfied the hankie would stay he laid his head down on Maggie's
ample bosom and began to sob in earnest.
"It's
gone. Gone! Just like my doggie....all gone!"
"There,
there." Maggie said patting him on the head looking around to see if
anyone was watching, she glared at a few men who quickly looked away. “What is
gone? Your dog?" she asked.
Hoss sobbed
louder. "Yes, my puppy. It ran away *hiccup* when I was 4!"
"Now,
come on Hoss." she said getting up and leading him out the side door.
"No, I
can't go with you. Pa would kill me." Hoss said looking scared to death.
"Hoss, trust me." Maggie said rolling her eyes.
"How do I get myself in to these messes?" she asked herself.
"I don't
know!" Hoss replied crying again.
Maggie led him to her room. She put on a pot of coffee and ordered him to
sit down.
"First thing we gotta do is get you sober enough to start making
sense." Maggie said placing a cup of coffee in front of him.
"I am
sober." Hoss replied sniffling "I drink all the time."
"Umhmm." Maggie replied, "Drink."
"No,
don't wanna." Hoss replied, crossing his arms.
Maggie raised
her eyebrows and pointed at his drink. "Now." She looked and sounded so
much like Pa; Hoss didn't even hesitate and began to drink it. Two pots
later, Hoss was ready to talk.
"Now,
why don't you start at the beginning?" Maggie said picking up some
knitting.
"Well,
it really isn't my fault. It's all Paint's fault!" Hoss began, wondering
how a lady in her profession knew how to knit.
"Paint? Who is that?" Maggie asked.
"He's a horse." Hoss replied.
"Well,
what did your horse do?" Maggie tried again.
"No not
mine, Little Joe's." Hoss replied.
"Who is
Little Joe?" Maggie asked.
"My
little brother. He threw a shoe." Hoss replied remembering her earlier
question.
"Why did
your brother throw his shoe?" Maggie asked completely confused.
"No, not my brother. Well, he did throw his boot once. He was
really mad at Pa and he chunked it at the door. Unfortunately for him, Pa had
decided to come in at that exact moment and the boot got him right in the
breadbasket. Needless to say, after Pa was through with him, Little Joe never
wanted to see his boot again much less throw it." Hoss replied.
Maggie rubbed
her temples. This was going to be a long night.
"You got
a headache ma'am. It could be your coffee. It is a might strong. You
could.........
"HOSS!"
Maggie yelled interrupting him "please continue your story."
"Oh,
well see it all started when Paint threw a shoe....
********************************************************************
Hop Sing sat
the last dish on the table.
"Food ready." he said to Ben. Ben nodded and went to the door to
call everyone in. Adam and Hoss were washing up at the basin when Joe and Mitch
came running inside.
"Phew! We made it!" Little Joe said shoving Adam out of the way
and splashing water on his face.
"Excuse me little brother. Didn't mean to get in the way there."
Adam said sarcastically, drying his hands.
"That's
okay, Adam." Little Joe replied snatching the towel from him.
The boys finished up and sat down for lunch, Mitch squeezing in by Little
Joe.
"Little
Joe since you have a guest why don't you ask the blessing?" Pa asked.
Little Joe
frowned but decided to not make a scene in front of Mitch.
"Sure
thing,
"Amen",
Hoss echoed, "pass me those rolls."
"so what is this about a horse shoe?" Adam asked Little
Joe.
"Paint
threw a shoe today. You think you could help me fix that Hoss?" Joe asked
hopefully.
"Sure,
little buddy." Hoss replied in between bites.
"We
gotta find that shoe." Mitch added while buttering a roll.
"Why? We
have extras." Adam replied.
"But it
is my lucky horse shoe, Adam." Little Joe replied.
"Your
lucky horse shoe?" Pa asked.
"Right
and I have to have it for tomorrow." Little Joe answered.
"What's
tomorrow?" Pa asked.
"The
horse race!" Mitch replied excitedly. Little Joe scowled at him.
"Oops"
Mitch said looking sheepishly at Ben.
"What is
this about a horse race, Joseph?" Pa asked.
"Well,
see Pa it isn't a real horse race....not a bad one." Little Joe began.
"It's
either a horse race or it isn't." Pa interrupted.
"Well,
okay it is a horse race. Mitch and I are going to race tomorrow and all the
guys are going to be there and we already told everyone and its okay because
Mitch's Pa will be there to supervise and he said it was okay and um Adam said
he would watch us, Pa and that it would be okay." Little Joe said all this
is one breath ignoring Adam's scowl.
"Oh well if Adam said it was okay...." Pa replied, looking at
Adam who quickly looked at his plate.
"Oh Pa,
please let us!" Little Joe begged.
"Your
father says it is okay?" Ben asked Mitch.
"Yes
sir." Mitch replied deciding it was best not to mention that he only agreed
after they promised that Ben had said it was okay.
"Alright.
You can but you be careful." Pa admonished.
"Yay!
Then the bet isn't off." Little Joe said excitedly.
"Not a
real bet Pa but a bet bet." all three boys said at the same time.
"I see."
Ben said smiling at Hop Sing.
"So,
Hoss will you help me find my horse shoe?" Little Joe asked a few seconds
later.
"Little
Joe, Adam and I still have chores to do and a fence to mend." Hoss
replied.
"Yeah,
little brother, some of us didn't get the day off to spend with our
friend." Adam replied a little bitterly.
"OH
alright! You and Hoss can have the afternoon off." Ben said sighing.
"You
mean it Pa?" Hoss asked excitedly.
"Yes, I
do. You guys have been working really hard. I need to go into town anyway. But
all three of you make sure you do your regular chores tonight--without
complaint!" he added.
"Yes sir
Pa" they replied, Joe winking at Mitch.
"Hoss,
can you and Adam help us look now?" Little Joe asked as they watched their
father ride further off into the distance.
"Sure
short shanks. Tell me where Paint threw the shoe. It should be around there
somewhere." Hoss replied.
"Well ah
you see Hoss" Little Joe said looking nervously at Adam and then back at
Hoss, "we aint really sure where it came off at."
"What?
You ran your horse without its shoe!" Hoss yelled.
"We
didn't know it came off." Mitch added quickly, "We would never do
that."
"And how
could you not know?" Adam asked looking at them both.
"Well,
we were sorta kinda practicing for tomorrow." Little Joe said looking at
the ground.
Adam gave
them both his best Pa look.
"You could have been thrown when that happened, Little Joe. You know
how dangerous it is to race without an adult around. Give me one good reason why
I shouldn't tell
"Cuz your my brother and you love me?" Little Joe asked
hopefully.
Hoss began to laugh.
"Alright
Little Brother. Tell us where you guys were racing and we will go look."
Hoss replied.
"Well,
we raced by the lake and then in the north pasture and then back
through the
pines and...." Little Joe replied ignoring Adam's scowl.
"Alright.
You and Mitch take the lake. I'll look in the north pasture and Hoss you
go back through the pines." Adam directed.
"Yes
sir" Mitch said saluting him. Adam took a step toward him and the boys
took off running.
**********************************************************************
"So, Miss Maggie that is how I ended up in the woods looking for a
horse shoe." Hoss said sighing.
Maggie got up and refilled their drinks, nodding for him to continue.
"So, I
had been searching for what seemed like forever when I saw something glistening
in the sunlight. I hopped off my horse and made my way towards it when I
slipped on some well, manure and fell right into a fresh patch. And there right
beside me was that dang horse shoe. I stood up and surveyed the damage. My
shirt was covered in it. I knew I would never hear the end of it, so I took off
my shirt and rinsed it in a near by spring. I decided it would be wise to start
a campfire to dry my shirt faster...after all it was close to dinner and I was gettin' pretty hungry. I most have dosed off waiting
because when I woke up, it was dark. So, I threw on my shirt, put out my fire
and made my way to the house."
"Then
what happened?" Maggie asked holding up the scarf she was knitting for
Hoss to admire.
"Very
nice ma'am. Pretty color. Well, right in the middle of dinner, Charlie, he works
for my Pa, came running in yelling there was a fire. We all took off running
and Pa made Joe go to town and get some help."
Hoss rubbed
the back of his neck. "A couple of hours later we got the fire out, but
half our ranch had burned. I knew it was my fault but I didn't want to say
anything.
Maggie just
looked at Hoss. "Well, Boy I guess you better spend the night here and we
can discuss what you should do next in the morning."
"I can't
stay here ma'am." Hoss replied.
"You got
somewhere else to go?" she asked, pointedly.
Hoss shook
his head, causing it to throb. Maggie smiled. "I have two bedrooms, Hoss.
Follow me."
Ben surveyed the damage and then turned to his three sons. He saw the looks
of shock on their faces. "Boys, let's go inside and clean up. Mitch you
better go on home with your Pa"
Mitch nodded and headed towards his father. Adam and Hoss followed their
Pa, while Little Joe stopped and looked around.
"Come on
Little Joe." He said leading him to the house.
"You
want some coffee?" Ben asked
"Might
could handle some."
Adam, Hoss,
and Little Joe gasped at the same time. Hoss looked at his father with tears in
his eyes and took off for the barn, saddling a horse and taking off. Little Joe
ran the opposite direction to the bunk room, throwing himself on his bunk and
bawling. Adam looked at his father. Ben could see the anguish clearly on his
face.
"I'm so
sorry
Ben just
looked at the spot where his three boys had once been standing.
"I think
I will just pass on that coffee, Ben."
Ben slowly opened the
bunk door. Little Joe lay face down on his bunk, his little body shaking with
silent sobs.
"Little Joe.." Pa said walking towards
him and laying his hand on his back, "whatever is the matter? We will bounce
back from this. Come on tell me what is wrong."
Little Joe shook his head and began to cry harder.
"Joseph, tell me what is wrong." Ben said a little firmer, but
still Joe continued to cry. Ben scooted him over and sat down on the bunk.
"Joseph,
look at
"Pa, it's all my fault! All mine!" Little Joe managed to get out
between sobs.
"What's
your fault?" Ben asked gently.
"The
fire,
"Joseph, I think you better start from the beginning." Ben said
sitting him up. "Here, blow." he said handing him a handkerchief. Joe
obediently blew. "You mad at me Pa?" Little Joe asked looking at him
out of the corner of his eyes.
"Not
yet. Now start from the beginning." Ben replied.
"Okay,
well it is actually all Paint's fault,
"I'm
aware of that Little Joe. What does that have to do with this fire?" Ben
asked interrupting.
"I'm
getting there,
"Mitch, gawd, I am sooooo tired." Little Joe said stopping.
"I can't take another step."
"Me neither, Little Joe. Let's take a break." Mitch said plopping
down beside the lake. Little Joe joined him.
"You think Mean Ole Jones is gonna make us take that test on that
war?" Mitch asked lying down and resting his head on his hand.
"You know it and aint nothin' we can do about it. She even makes wars
boring." he replied leaning back against a tree.
"I wish Adam was our teacher. He tells the greatest stories. Remember
the one about the boys running off to join the war and they got to make their
own bullets and everything?" Mitch asked.
"Oh yeah, boys back then had all the fun. Fighting and stuff, no school,
no one to tell them what to do." Little Joe replied.
The boys fell silent, both lost in their own thoughts.
"JOE!" Mitch yelled sitting up, causing Little Joe to jump. “We could make our own bullets. All they did
was melt some metal down and I have that metal horse Pa gave me here in my
pocket."
"You sure you want to melt it down?" Little Joe asked.
"It's a baby toy, Joe." Mitch said all superior, "all we
need is something to make it round to melt it in."
"How about an acorn shell?" Little Joe asked picking one up.
"we can scrape out the nut and then put the horse
in it. Then after it melts just peel the shell off."
"Great idea!" Mitch said excitedly.
In a few minutes the boys had their shell all ready and a small campfire
going. Little Joe carefully stuck the shell on a forked stick, then Mitch
placed the small horse inside and they held it over the fire and waited and
waited and waited.
"I'm tired of holding it. It's your turn." Little Joe said
holding the stick out to Mitch, when suddenly the acorn fell, taking the horse
with it right in the center of the fire.
"LITTLE JOE!" Mitch yelled.
"Quick put out the fire." Little Joe yelled. The boys began to
throw dirt on the fire. Soon it was out and Mitch carefully rolled his horse
out with the stick.
"Dang thing still didn't melt." Mitch said laughing.
"Then we rolled it into the water to cool it off and came back
here." Little Joe finished looking up at his father. To say his father was
angry would be a gross understatement. Little Joe's eyes filled with tears
again. "I guess you are gonna want me to leave now, huh Pa?"
Ben's anger melted. "Joseph, this ranch will never mean more to me
than you or your brothers. I love you more than anything."
Little Joe wrapped his hands around his Pa's neck. "I love you too,
"Now, get some sleep" Ben replied sitting Joe back down, deciding
to deal with this in the morning when they both were not so tired.
"Okay,
Ben stood up. "What do you think, Joseph?"
"Oh" Little Joe replied. "
"Night Joe."
It didn't
take Ben long to find Adam. He always went to the same spot when he was upset.
Adam sat with his back against a tree looking at the remains of the Ponderosa.
Ben sighed and made his way to his son.
"Adam" he said sitting down beside him, "What's wrong?"
"Pa...this is all my fault." he said swinging his arm out.
"How could this be your fault Adam?" Ben asked, "Please look
at me."
Adam looked up but quickly looked down again. He couldn't look, because he
didn't want to see the look of disappointment he knew would be there. He had
single handedly destroyed all they had worked so hard for. He couldn't forgive
himself, how could he expect his Pa to.
"Adam, please tell me." Ben whispered placing his hand on his
son's back. He hated to see his son in so much pain.
"Pa...I...well to be honest I'm not really sure what happened. I
started a campfire and well I think I put it out...I can't remember." Adam
said so quietly Ben had to lean down to hear.
"You can't remember, Adam that makes no sense...wait! Tell me you
weren't with Beth!" Ben replied suddenly.
Adam didn't dare look at his father.
"ADAM! You know you go plumb to foolish when she is around." Ben
said running his hands through his hair.
"I know
"Why don't you start from the beginning, son." Ben said getting
comfortable.
"That's the problem,
"So I've heard." Ben replied dryly.
"Well, I was searching when I came across Beth and she was reading
this book, Pa on surviving on the trail. She was trying to make a campfire and
doing it all wrong. So, I had to the gentlemanly thing and help her. So, I
think I made a fire and I don't really remember what we talked about. I am
pretty sure I put out the fire though,
"I would think so, son." Ben replied seriously hoping, when Beth
was around it amazed him that Adam could put one foot in front of the other.
"So, see
"Adam...look at me. This ranch will be fine. We have made it through
worse things. We can make it again. I don't blame you at all. If you started
this fire, I know it was an accident." Ben said taking Adam's chin in his
hand. "I love you Adam. I am so proud of the man you have become and I
would not have made it this far with out you."
Adam smiled at his
"Why don't you get some sleep?" Ben suggested standing up.
"Sure
"Well, two sons down, one more to go." Ben muttered following his
eldest.
Ben sat down on the porch steps. He had tried to get some sleep,
but too many memories had been running through his head--memories of his boys.
He loved each of them so much and he couldn't understand how they could think
this ranch would ever mean more to him than them. He sighed and rubbed his
hands over his eyes. The sun was about to rise and they had a lot of work to
do. He slowly got up, his back popping and muscles protesting. 'When did I get
so old?" he thought. As he was turning into the house he saw Hoss
returning. He watched his son, slowly descend and take his horse into the barn.
He smiled as he thought of how gentle Hoss was with each of the animals on the
farm. Inger would be so proud of their son. Ben sat
down and waited for Hoss.
Hoss took his time, putting off this meeting with his
"Hey
"Hello Son." Ben replied calmly, "Thought you would
spend a night in town?"
Hoss swallowed hard. He knew to an outsider that would sound like
a simple question, but not with his
"You left your brothers and I here to deal with the ranch,
without thinking of any one else. You made me worry myself sick about you and
what could of happened to make you so late!" Ben
said interrupting.
"But
"Yes I do son. You ran away from your responsibilities."
Ben interrupted once more angry now.
"But Pa! I did this! I burnt the ranch down. It's all my
fault..well mine and Paint's!" Hoss said looking
at the ground. When his father remained quiet he slowly looked up. He was
shocked to see the anger in his father's eyes. He knew his father would be mad
but he had hoped he would put his arm around him and tell him all was forgiven.
"Erik! You have been drinking haven't you?" Ben asked
looking him up and down.
"Pa, don't you hear what I am saying to you? I burnt the
ranch down." Hoss said once more.
"I don't care about this ranch! We are not discussing that
right now. I want to know where you were last night. I know
Hoss looked down again. He couldn't understand why his Pa was not
getting this. Did he not understand that he had caused the fire?
"Erik, I am waiting for an answer." Ben said quietly.
He had called him Erik again. "I went to Tom's place in
Ben nodded. "I see. We will discuss this later. We have
chores to do and two more people to wake up."
"But Pa....don't you wanna know about the fire?" Hoss
asked.
"Not really, son. I know you would never purposefully start a
fire like that, Hoss", he put his arm around Hoss' shoulders, "You
know that you mean more to me than this ranch ever will, don't you?"
When Hoss didn't reply right away Ben spun him around. "Don't
you?"
Hoss looked deep into his father's eyes and saw the love and
acceptance there. "Yes sir. I do." he whispered.
"HOSS!! YOU'RE BACK!!!" Little Joe yelled, leaping off
the porch, the tail of his night shirt flying behind him. He tackled Hoss in a
giant bear hug.
"Miss me did ya, little brother?" Hoss said laughing.
"Little Joe! You do realize the sun is just now rising?"
Ben asked raising his eyebrows. "You secret is out now, boy. You can get
up this early!"
"Pa!" Little Joe said rolling his eyes.
The Cartwrights gathered around the table for breakfast, Hop Sing
joining them. No one was speaking much. Adam was still not awake, having spent
most of the night thinking of the fire and how he was responsible for it.
Little Joe and Hoss did everything in their power to keep the attention off of
them, not wanting to remind their father of his promised discussions. Hop Sing
respected everyone's moods and remained quiet. Ben had just refilled his coffee
when there was a knock on the door.
"I'll get it, Pa!" Joe said taking off towards the door.
"It's Dan....I mean Mr Dan!" he yelled as
Dan made his way into the kitchen.
"Um Ben. Boys...I have something to tell ya." he said
nervously twisting his hat in his hands.
"Yes?" Ben asked concerned.
"Well you see, I started that fire." he whispered.
"What?" All four yelled.
"It weren't my fault. I was up there with a 'friend' and we was enjoying the sunset and it got chilly and I started a
fire. I was sure I put it out, but I didn't double check it and it is all my
fault...I'm sorry." he replied.
"You didn't start that fire, Dan." Adam replied.
"No, you didn't! I did!" Hoss said standing up.
"YOU?" Little Joe and Adam asked at the same time.
Before anyone else could respond,
"No you didn't! I did!" Big Dan said turning towards
her.
"No, I did it." Adam and Shelby said at the same time.
Little Joe decided it would be wiser to stay quiet. Everyone began
to speak at once all claiming they were the ones responsible for the fire as
Mitch made his way into the kitchen. He had knocked twice but no one could hear
him. He tried to yell over everyone but no one was listening. Finally, he
placed his two fingers to his lips and whistled. Everyone froze and turned
towards him. Ben glared at him. "Um sorry sir, but I have an
announcement." He looked apologetically at Joe. "Mr. Cartwright. I
started that fire."
"No you didn't!"
"Well now, seeing how you all are responsible for this fire,
you can all do the cleaning up. I am going fishing!" and with that he
turned around and headed for the door, "oh and Joseph, Erik I would like a
word with each of you when I return."
Little Joe and Hoss both groaned and sat down. Ben smiled, reached
for his hat and left the room whistling.
THE END