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The Wrong End of the Stick

It really wasn't fair, Adam thought, slumping miserably on the cot in the
jail cell. How come he was the only one to end up in a jail cell? How come
Joe wasn't there sharing it with him, when he had only been trying to save
his younger brother's hide - again? He tenderly felt his aching jaw. The big
fellow who'd been picking on Joe sure knew how to throw a punch!

Adam didn't know how long he'd been there when at last the door to the
office opened and Clem Foster came in. Adam jumped to his feet, for behind
Clem was his father. But the smile that had started on Adam's face faded as
he beheld the scowl direct his way by Ben Cartwright. "Pa?" he said,
tentatively.

"I never expect this of you, Adam," Ben replied. "Starting a fight for no
reason? How could you?"

"What?" Adam protested. "Pa, I was trying to save Little Joe's hide - again!
That big fellow would have had him for breakfast."

"What made you think the big fellow was gonna pick on Joe?" Clem asked.

"Well," Adam thought back. "He and Joe were playing cards and Joe had just
won the pot. He was laughing and the big fellow growled 'you'll be laughing
on the other side of your face in a minute, Cartwright!' He reached across
and grabbed the front of Joe's jacket and I thought he was about to make
mincemeat out of him. So I stepped in."

Ben snorted derisively. "And I thought Joe was the one who went off
half-cocked," he remarked. "Didn't you look to see who Joe was playing
with?"

"No," Adam replied, uncertainly.

"It was his friend, Ed, the one who started working for us this week.
They've been friends forever, and Joe always beats him at poker! Its a
standing joke between them! The pot may have looked big, but there was only
about five dollars there!" Ben shook his head. "The damage to the saloon
comes to $50. I'll take it out of your wages. And you can apologise to your
brother and Ed when you get out of here tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" Adam squeaked.

"Tomorrow," Ben replied. "I'm not going to bail you out. Clem will let you
out tomorrow. Meanwhile, I'm going to collect your brother from the
doctor's."

"Was Joe badly hurt?" Adam asked, in a small voice. He wished the floor
would open up and swallow him. He couldn't remember the last time he had
been so embarrassed.

"Just bruising, and a bump on the head," Ben replied. "but bad enough." He
turned and left, exchanging a wink with Clem, who impassively bade Adam a
good night and shut the door again.

Slumping back down on the cot, Adam reflected that it just wasn't fair.

Rona


 

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