starlite014

Up in Smoke

Written by: Starlite

Little Joe Cartwright came bounding down the angled wooden stairway of the sprawling Ponderosa ranch house. He'd just tossed this night's homework assignment on his bed and was on his way out to the barn to complete his chores before dinner. Grabbing the railing he hopped over the side of the stairs to bypass the last couple of steps. He impressed himself with the way he nailed his landing, due to his boot heels hitting the well-polished hardwood floor without needing to take a stabling step. Feeling quite cocky and self-confident, he began an easy stroll to the front door.

Out of the corner of his eye he caught something of interest. Sitting on the small round card table near the stairs, was his Pa's small pipe stand with its pouch of tobacco. Immediately, he was taken back to a conversation he'd overheard at school during the lunch break. He vividly recalled three of the older boys hiding behind the outhouse, each taking their turn smoking a cigar that one of them had brought to school that day.

Those boys didn't have much to do with Joe and he was a little envious because they were bigger and older than he was. Joe wanted desperately to be a part of that crowd, but those teens felt he was too young to hang around with them. He thought if he could join in on their activities, that maybe he could be accepted into their close knit circle.

Joe eyed his father's pipe, then glanced about the large main room to see if anyone else was about. Feeling secure, Joe went over to the table and quickly snatched the pipe, the pouch of tobacco and a few matches. Turning around he began to make his way for the front door.

His hasty retreat was stopped short as he saw the massive door swing towards him. Unable to put the ill-gotten property back and nowhere to stow the booty secretly away. Joe abruptly moved his arms behind him and stepped backward from the door.

Ben and Adam Cartwright had just spent the day out surveying a stand of timber. Both were in deep conversation for to its potential uses, as they entered the great ranch house.

"Hi Pa!" Little Joe offered a little too eagerly.

"Joseph." Raising a wary eyebrow towards his youngest, Ben returned the greeting using his youngest son's given name.

"Adam."

"Joe." Smirking, Adam raised a bemused eyebrow, he appraised his father's reaction to Little Joe's overly friendly welcome. Seeing the look on his father's face, Adam knew instantly that Joe's goose would soon be cooked. Now all he had to do was sit back and enjoy the show, he was certain he'd find out what type of cookie jar Joe's hand was stuck in.

To the Cartwright patriarch, the boy seemed a little too nervous and jovial, which put Ben instantly on guard. Mentally he tried to appraise what type of mischief his youngest was probably up to. Maybe a note from his teacher, Miss Jones? No, Joe usually left those for just after breakfast, so he could escape to school before his father could mete out his punishment. Short-sheeted Hoss's bed? That didn't seem likely after the youngster had tried that the week before, and ended up being tied up in his own sheets like a baby in a papoose by his larger brother. Put mud in Adam's boots? Couldn't have, Adam had them on.

Ben's mind furiously worked down the list of common pranks and known trouble his last child was notorious for. He studied the nervously fidgeting boy while Little Joe tried to edge out of the room walking backwards toward the kitchen.

"Stop right there young man." Ben ordered, raising his head in sudden inspiration.

"Ye-s-s P-a." Stammering, Joe realized that his little plan was rapidly unraveling.

"Come here." Ben directed, pointing to a spot on the floor a few paces in front of him.

"Whatcha need Pa?" Little Joe inquired, using his best innocent tone replete with raised eyebrows.

"Show me your hand?" Ben calmly requested in his best authoritative fatherly voice.

Joe hesitated just a moment to look at Adam, then back at his father. Complying, he smiled broadly as he held out his open left hand.

Adam closed his eyes, and raised his arms to cross his chest, before beginning to rock on his heels. This is going to be good!

"Your other one." Ben instructed. He'd been down this road too many times before. Out of the corner of his eye, he shot his oldest son a small warning glance.

Adam watched as Joe replaced his left hand behind his back, and shifted the contents from the right one before displaying an empty palm to their father. Adam winced and shook his head, he knew that maneuver was one of the oldest tricks in the book, and that it had never worked for him. He doubted that it ever worked for Hoss. So it wasn't going to work for his baby brother, Little Joe was definitely out of luck, because his father was on to him.

"Both hands!" Ben barked, running out of patience with his youngest son's tomfoolery.

Little Joe could feel the blood drain from his face, as a trickle of sweat formed on his forehead to run down from his brow and onto his nose. Panicked and knowing he was caught; Joe turned pleading eyes to his oldest brother hoping for Adam's intervention. Seeing no help from the brother corner, Little Joe swallowed, took a deep breath and produced his left hand.

Adam shook his head in mild amusement then raised his right hand to cover his broad smile, hoping to muffle the laugh that was threatening to erupt. He was trying to take heed of his father's silent caution not to encourage his little brother's errant behavior by laughing.

Ben instantly recognized the items displayed in his youngest child's outstretched hands. He was furious. Not only were they things that belonged to him, but they were things that his son was forbidden to touch.

"Would you care to explain what you are doing with my pipe?" Feeling his blood begin to boil, Ben started to mentally count to ten.

"No, Papa." Using the diminutive for his father, Little Joe donned his best innocent expression and answered in his most child-like tone of voice, hoping it would gain him mercy from his Pa.

This display resulted in a small snort of laughter escaping from Adam's throat before he could stop it. Seeing he now had his father's steely-eyed very irate glare pointed in his direction, Adam shrugged and raised his eyebrows in a silent apology. Deciding he needed to observe this little interplay from a safer position, Adam made his way over to the alcove and took up residence on a corner of his father's desk.

Waiting until Adam had left the near vicinity, Ben returned his full attention back to his youngest. Ben drew in a deep breath and restarted his mental count before placing both hands upon his hips and addressing Little Joe.

"No Papa?" His father's voice held the hint of a menacing tone, causing Joe to swallow once again and more sweat to trickle down from the boy's brow. He found his throat growing drier by the second and wondered when those cotton balls had found their way into his mouth.

Adam drew his lips into a small bemused frown. Raising appraising eyebrows then cocking his head to the side, he considered his little brother's reply. Nice try, good shot just failed to hit the target, Adam silently mused. Afterall, his father had asked Joe if he would care to explain, not would he explain.

"No Papa." Ben again repeated Joe's impertinent reply, staring his young son down. Seeing no change or further response from Joe, he decided he would give his son a little time to think about changing his mind.

"Fine, you will go up to your room and wait for me there."

Relieved that he had a reprieve, at least for the immediate future, Joe turned to run from the room to the stairs. He'd only made it a couple of steps before being called back.

"Joseph!"

Little Joe turned back to face his father and saw the silver-haired man with right hand extended before him. Carefully, Joe returned and approached his father warily. Gingerly as though the hand would bite, he placed his father's ill-gotten pipe, pouch of tobacco and matches into his Pa's open palm.

"Don't you ever touch my pipe again, young man." Waving his left index finger towards Little Joe's face, Ben issued the explicit warning.

Turning, Joe attempted to make a quick getaway but without success when he heard a loud 'Smack' and felt a resounding slap to his lower backside. With even more impetus, Joe picked up his pace fearing that it was just a hint of things to come.

"Walk Joseph."

Joe instantly froze at the sound of his father's voice. Immediately he heeded the warning and slowed his pace. He was in enough trouble already. The boy had just reached the foot of the stairs when he heard the welcoming sound of his best friend and ally.

"Hey Adam, yore trunk's arrived!" Hoss yelled jumping down from the buckboard heavily laden with supplies and a lone piece of luggage.

"Alright!" Adam used his hands to push his frame upward from the corner of the desk to hop onto his feet.

Adam had been waiting for this chest to arrive since returning home from college a couple of months earlier. It had been impossible for Adam to cart the chest with him when he traveled home the thousands of miles across the country by train, stagecoach and horseback. The cost to have the trunk sent home via train then overland freight had also been too expensive, so his Grandfather had it shipped to San Francisco first.

Joe stopped and turned back hoping for another reprieve. He'd really enjoyed the things that Adam had brought back from New England when he first returned from college, and was just as eagerly awaiting the arrival of Adam's trunk. Hoping his father wouldn't notice; Joe nonchalantly strolled toward the front door.

"Not so fast young man," Ben issued a stern warning while pointing his right index finger in his youngest son's direction. "You, I believe, have a date with your room."

Disappointed, Joe sighed deeply as his shoulders sagged in defeat. He knew his luck had run out.

                   ***************

"Boy Adam, whatcha done got in there? Those New England Granite rocks?" Hoss complained, taking a deep inhale between each question. He stopped to catch his breath and wipe the sweat from his brow upon reaching the second floor landing.

"Quit complaining and lift." Adam barely gasped out huffing and puffing deeply. He was afraid he would topple backwards down the stairs if his brother didn't start moving again soon.

Ben stood back and watched the spectacle on the stairs, maintaining a safe distance between him and his two struggling sons. He'd been forewarned by Adam's grandfather about the trunk, chuckling he remembered his old captain's warning. 'Ben, my boy, you're going ta need a yoke of oxen, an elephant and a couple of sturdy camels to get that two ton crate to your land. That's if the ship doesn't sink first!' Well, the ship didn't sink and he would just have to make do with the two strong backs of his sons.

Waiting until his sons had successfully navigated the stairs and hallway, Ben made his way up the staircase. He briefly stopped at Adam's doorway before heading to his youngest son's room for a necessary little 'talk'.

                   ***************

Leaning against the open doorway to Adam's room, Ben observed the somewhat comical scene before him. He watched as Adam took each book and carefully wiped its cover with a soft cloth before placing it onto his wall shelf, while Hoss continued to dig through the chest scattering items onto the bed, desk and floor, wherever he could find a place to put something.

Adam tried to sort through his belongings, while trying patiently to retrieve his things from Hoss and answer his younger brother's questions at the same time. The room looked like a tornado had struck it with clothes, books and other assorted items from Adam's long awaited trunk strewn about the room in total chaos.

"Adam, something done ate part of this here jacket." Hoss sorrowfully informed his brother holding up a short-waisted black jacket with long tails.

Glancing over his shoulder at his socially naïve brother, Adam recognized the object in question and calmly replied. "No Hoss, that's the way it was made."

"Oh, seems to me ya got a little gypped." With his brow wrinkled and his upper lip curled in obvious disgust, Hoss voiced his complaint still eyeing the strange coat held aloft by the fingers of his large hands.

Folding his arms across his chest, Ben smiled warmly when Adam took the suit coat from Hoss's hands and draped it over the back of the wooden chair near his desk.

In curiosity, Hoss picked up a long band of white satin cloth that was folded into small pleats. The large teen studied the object, turning it over and back again cocking his head to one side. Uncertain as to its purpose, he questioned his all-knowing older brother.

"Uh Adam, what's this here thing fer?"

Taking a small deep breath Adam glanced into the mirror before him, so he could see what Hoss was now referring to.

"It's a cummerbund."

"Oh." Hoss nodded his head as though he totally understood what his brother had just told him. He waited a few seconds until his curiosity once again got the better of him and asked, "Whatcha cover yer bun for?"

Continuing to observe from the doorway, Ben moved a hand to cover his mouth before laughing at the inquiry.

Taking yet another deep breath, Adam turned his full attention to his brother. "Not a 'cover your bun', a cummerbund." Adam explained taking the object in question from Hoss's large beefy hands, then demonstrated how it was worn. "See?"

"Ah, yeah. That's right purty."

Rolling his eyes heavenward and feeling silly modeling the cummerbund for Hoss, Adam quickly removed the garment and tossed it over the jacket on the chair back. Several minutes passed while Hoss sorted through more of Adam's things, while Adam managed to clean and place more books onto the shelf. Adam returned his focus to his large little brother when he heard a small cough now demanding his attention.

Not knowing how to voice his question, but wanting to know how his older brother had gotten the white starched ladies blouse with the frilly ruffled front. Hoss inconspicuously coughed to clear his throat.

His patience beginning to wear thin with all of his younger brother's curiosity and nosiness, Adam turned once more and annoyingly deadpanned. "Yes?"

Adam felt his face flush red at the object Hoss was holding up in his hands in silent inquiry. He knew Hoss would never believe that the item now in question was actually a man's shirt. He also didn't want to explain that it was something he actually wore. Hoss definitely wasn't the type for fancy balls, operas or formal dinners.

Chuckling and shaking his head, Ben decided that his eldest had been tortured enough for one day.

"Time for dinner boys." Ben announced from the open doorway then turned away.

At the pronouncement of an impending meal, Hoss lost all interest in the article of clothing in his hands. Dropping it to the floor, Hoss hastily followed his father into hall.

Thankful for his father's intervention, Adam retrieved the dress shirt from the floor and tossed it over to the chair to join the rest of his clothes.

                   ***************

Satisfied, Adam surveyed his now organized and tidy room. All of his books had been dusted and meticulously stored upon either the shelves in his room or the bookcase downstairs. The suit that so intrigued his younger brother had been put into a garment bag and hung in his wardrobe. Gratified that all of his belongings were where they belonged, Adam retrieved one of his newly arrived books from the shelf and headed for the bed. He stopped short when he noticed the small wooden box he had placed there earlier. Lifting the lid, he found a small coin, a leather pouch and a velvet bag.

Picking up the gold coin, Adam rubbed the cool etched surface between his right thumb and index finger. It was the sacred token that denoted he was a member of an elite group of scholars called the Honor Society. Adam fondly recalled evenings spent in educated and sometimes heated debates and discussions over current events, politics or literary works. Adam felt a tinge of regret, for those times were now gone. Replacing the coin into the box, Adam fingered the velvet bag before picking it up and releasing its contents into the palm of his hand.

Adam fingered the smooth grain of the wooden pipe between his fingers. Studying the smoking implement, he recalled his first Honor Society meeting. He remembered how nervous and out of place he felt as he was escorted about the wood paneled room. Though he knew he was more than equal with the rest of his peers based upon his academic performance, this did nothing to allay his uneasiness. With each new introduction his anxiety grew while he was questioned about who he was, where he'd come from and what he was interested in.

Smiling, he recounted one of the last individuals he met, the only one not to interrogate him about his life. Instead of the prodding questions, the other young man just offered him a cigar and a light. Not wanting to offend, or be instantly outcast from the group, he had placed the tight roll of tobacco between his lips and allowed the other man to light it. Adam took a deep inhale which resulted immediately in a retaliating cough and gag. His face blushed when he remembered the rest of the room joining in with laughter as he was slapped upon his back before being assured "don't worry, it happens to all of us." For the first time, Adam truly felt he belonged.

Adam shook his head fondly at the memory. He never really cared for the cigars, so he decided he'd get a pipe like his father instead. Within weeks, several of the other members abandoned their cigars trading them in for pipes as well.

Placing the pipe back into the box, Adam picked up the small leather pouch and opened the flap. He could smell the deep fragrant aroma of the tobacco he found there and was surprised it was still reasonably fresh. Even though Adam never really cared for smoking that much, the smell brought back pleasant times among good friends. In a silent toast to dear friends and times now past, Adam reached for his pipe and began to fill the bowl.

Ben headed up the stairs after banking the large fire for the night. It had been a long day, made even longer by a run in with his youngest over the evils of smoking and the taking of things that didn't belong to him. His smallest child now had a few things to think about, including new ways to sit for the next few days. It had been a difficult lecture for Ben to deliver without sounding like a hypocrite, because he himself smoked a pipe, but it was definitely not something he would tolerate from his young son.

Walking down the hall, Ben stopped when he noticed the light was still on in his eldest son's room. Knocking softly, he waited until Adam granted permission for him to enter. He was surprised by the sight that greeted him.

Sitting in the chair a book across his lap and feet propped up on the bed was his son smoking a pipe. Ben took a moment to recover from the shock and gather his wits about him before addressing his son.

"Uh son," Ben hesitated uncertain how to proceed, Adam was no longer a boy and he couldn't just forbid him from smoking like he had with Joe.

Adam glanced from his book to his father and pulled the pipe from his mouth. He could sense his father was not pleased with his recent discovery. Adam waited patiently for his father to continue.

"Adam, I know you're a man now and entitled to smoke if you choose. All I ask is that act responsibly, and that you not smoke in your room." Ben had heard many tales of people who had fallen asleep while smoking and the thought of that happening to his son terrified him.

Nodding his head in silent acceptance. Adam rose and tapped out the contents of the bowl into the small ashtray that was sitting on his nightstand, before placing the pipe beside it.

"Night son." Ben said, turning he closed the door behind him.

"Night Pa." Adam replied watching his father depart before deciding he's better get to bed.

                   ***************

Little Joe threw down his pencil and snatched up the paper he'd been writing. Crumpling it into a ball, he threw it on the floor to join the others. He was frustrated and angry over the punishment that he'd been dealt. Three days ago, his father had sentenced him to spend his Saturday writing an essay on the joys of fishing, instead of letting him go fishing with some of his school friends. An essay his snooty smart aleck oldest brother was going to review.

Realizing he'd now run out of fresh paper, Joe stomped down the hall heading for his father's desk. He stopped at Adam's room, deciding Adam always had paper and it would save him an unnecessary trip downstairs. Joe reasoned that if he had to write it and Adam was going to grade it, then it should be written on Adam's paper.

Joe rifled through his brother's desk drawer, helping himself to a small stack of clean paper and a couple of fresh pencils. With mission complete, Joe's focus returned to his immediate surroundings. His attention turned to something new he'd never noticed before. His curiosity piqued he approached his brother's nightstand.

There on Adam's side table sat a pipe, just like their father's. Joe eyed it carefully, then looked about the room for any unseen observers before picking it up. Deciding he couldn't do any harm and he would replace it before Adam knew it was missing, Joe quickly filled it with tobacco and tucked the pipe into his back jeans pocket before he ran from the room. Reaching the main room, Joe scanned the area for Hop Sing, finding the man nowhere in sight, he snatched a couple of matches from the hearth before heading for the front door.

"Gonna go do my chores!" Joe called out to no one in particular slamming the door behind him. He never heard the angry chinese uttered in response to the loud closing of the front door.

Reaching the barn, Joe surveyed his surroundings and counted the horses. His family was still out and wouldn't be expected for hours.

Pulling the pipe from his back pocket, Joe gave the room another quick scan before putting it into his mouth. With a hand shaking from the adrenaline rush of nervous anticipation, he lit the match on the wooden support beam of the barn wall. Still trembling he moved the flame towards the bowl of the pipe.

                   ***************

Riding into the yard at a slow trot, Adam was eternally grateful for his father giving him an early reprieve. He was almost asleep on his feet. Two nights ago, he and Hoss had spent the entire night delivering a new colt into the world, and now Adam was regretting not taking his father up on the offer to sleep in the previous day.

Dismounting, Adam tried to stretch out some of the kinks in his back. Rolling his head from side to side, he futilely attempted to release the tension in his neck. Patting Sport upon the neck, Adam pulled the spirited horse towards the barn while talking to his cherished mount.

"Time to take a nap." Adam yawned then blinked sleepily as he led his horse into the barn. He stopped short and spun to his left, startled by the sudden blur of movement he caught out of the corner of his eye.

"What the devil?" Adam cursed. Now more alert and angry as he glared at the young boy he found partially obscured from view. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Barn chores, you know - work!" Joe fired back. He was just as shocked to find his older brother home. Normally his family didn't come home until suppertime.

"Oh, well don't let me stop you." Adam replied with a slight bow and exaggerated wave of his hand before yawning again. He really wasn't angry with the young boy; he just didn't like to be taken by surprise. Returning to the task at hand, he positioned Sport in his stall.

Little Joe watched as Adam situated his horse in the stall. Not realizing you had to inhale while attempting to light the tobacco, Joe hadn't had much success with smoking the pipe. Feeling he wouldn't be able to sneak away with Adam watching, and not wanting Adam to find out that he'd borrowed his pipe without asking, Joe dropped it to the floor behind a hay bale. He'd just have to retrieve it later.

"All done!" Joe announced loudly while walking towards the barn door with his hands tucked into his front pants pockets. He wanted to give the appearance that he was more innocent and confident than he was currently feeling. Reaching the doorway, he began to whistle a slightly off key and broken nervous sounding tune.

"Hum, yeah whatever." Adam sleepily replied unbuckling the cinch of the saddle.

Completing the task of removing Sport's saddle and bridle, Adam grabbed a couple of towels to begin his horse's rub down. He'd just retrieved the towels when Adam smelled something that seemed out of place. To him, it smelled like something was burning but the scent was tinged with something that didn't smell like wood, something strange. The burning aroma seemed to be coming from the direction of the open doorway. Shaking his head, Adam went back to his task at hand and chuckled to himself, Hoss ain't going to be happy when he hears that Hop Sing has burned dinner.

The acrid stench continue to intensify and begun to get Adam's full attention. Looking over from Sport's right flank, Adam saw the wisps of smoke rising from the far corner. Immediately Adam charged forward, he paused momentarily at the sight.

In the one corner of the barn was a bale of hay, partially engulfed in flames. Realizing he needed to act quickly before the barn wall caught fire, Adam dropped the towels he held and rushed forward to grab the bundle. In doing so, the bale came apart falling into more pieces. Now more burning piles were scattered about the floor and catching quickly onto more hay that was strewn about the barn.

Now more panicked, Adam grabbed a blanket from a nearby stable wall and tried to beat the flames down. The more he swung the blanket, the more the fire seemed to spread. Coughing, Adam rubbed his stinging eyes and ran from the barn towards the horse trough.

Little Joe was sitting on the porch waiting for Adam to leave the barn. He watched in surprise, as Adam seemed to stumble from the entrance of the barn towards the water trough. Jumping to his feet, Joe ran to assist his brother.

Adam was beginning to pump the handle to fill the trough when his baby brother appeared at his elbow.

"Joe, get back. Get into the house!" Adam ordered. He was worried that his baby brother would follow him back into the barn.

Joe could only stare at his brother, dumbfounded by Adam's disheveled appearance and abrupt actions. Looking back towards the barn, he understood Adam's behavior when flames appeared on the outer wall. He eagerly grabbed the pump handle that Adam had abandoned in favor of a bucket.

Seeing his brother's actions, Adam was infuriated. He grabbed Joe by his upper left arm and bodily threw the boy several feet across the yard toward the ranch house, where Joe landed heavily upon his knees.

"GET IN THE HOUSE NOW!" Adam ordered before running back towards the barn with two pails of water held tightly in his hands.

Joe sat stunned staring back over his shoulder at his oldest brother; he couldn't believe Adam's violent actions. Adam had never been so abrupt in his handling of him in all of his life. Getting to his feet quickly, Joe ran for the kitchen door screaming "FIRE!"

Hop Sing ran to the door in alarm when he heard the young master's yell. Throwing open the door, he was knocked backward by a very frightened young boy as Little Joe charged into the kitchen.

"Barn's on fire," Joe yelled, almost deafening the oriental cook.

Nodding his head in acknowledgement of Joe's pronouncement, Hop Sing took Joe's arm and directed him toward the kitchen table. "Lil boy stay in kitchen." Hop Sing instructed.

"No!" Joe shouted, pulling his arm free from the cook's grasp and ran back towards the yard, then down to the corral yelling "FIRE", the entire way.

Adam raced to the barn with filled water buckets in his hands then back to the water trough. His mind reeled from the multiple trips; the repetitive movements performed in a daze. The fire was spreading too rapidly. Already the front and one side wall was involved and now several stalls were threatened. Glancing above him, Adam saw the flames begin to creep across the loft floor raining burning ashes down upon him. Realizing that the barn might be a lost cause, Adam turned his attention towards the stock.

Opening the stall to Little Joe's pony, Adam slapped the horse on the rump and with a startled whinny the animal fled through the open doorway into the yard. Next Adam removed his own horse, which was closest to the rapidly growing blaze. He lost several precious minutes trying to get the agitated animal to take his bit so he could lead him from the barn. Once he released Sport in the yard, Adam found Hop Sing racing towards him from the direction of the house.

"Alert Pa." Adam barked with a voice rough from acrid smoke.

Understanding the young man's implicit instructions, Hop Sing ran for the ranch house where he retrieved a shotgun and shells. Returning to the yard, Hop Sing pointed the weapon in the direction of the range where Ben Cartwright would be, he loaded and fired three distinct shots.

                   ***************

Ben and Hoss Cartwright rode into the yard of the Ponderosa at a gallop. They were followed by a couple of the ranch hands that had been riding the range with them. Ben's stomach lurched at the sight of the burning barn. Half of the upper floor had already collapsed and one wall was totally engulfed in flames.

To an untrained eye it would appear that pandemonium seemed to rein. Although the situation looked to be in total chaos it was in reality, quite under control. Standing at the water trough, one of the horse wranglers manned the pump that kept the trough filled, while other hands filled buckets and passed them down the line where they were dumped onto the spreading flames, in an attempt to douse the growing inferno.

Jumping from his horse, Ben scanned the general area searching for his sons. He spotted the family cook sitting on the bottom rail of the barn corral. The small oriental man looked spent and was covered with soot. There were black streaks caused by soot and sweat, which ran down his face to drip upon his light blue silk clothes.

"Hop Sing!" Ben called out running towards the man, who barely looked up in response.

Hoss followed closely on his father's heels. He could sense that something was terribly wrong and continued to search the yard for any sign of Adam or Little Joe.

"Hop Sing," Ben repeated the man's name, thinking that maybe the cook hadn't heard him over all the yelling of commands and the roar of the fire.

This was the moment that Hop Sing had dreaded. He had to tell his employer the sad news.

"Hop Sing!" Panicked by the man's dazed behavior and worried about the fate of his sons. Ben seized the small man by his upper arms and hauled him to his feet, giving the oriental a sharp shake.

His mind still numb by what had happened, Hop Sing forced himself to respond to the older man's demands.

"Little Joe?" Ben questioned, feeling the fear rise in his throat, causing him to choke on the words.

"In house." Hop Sing minimally responded. Dropping his head he closed his eyes, unable to watch the grief he knew would soon be there.

Ben's relief in hearing his youngest was safe was instantly replaced with dread as he watched Hop Sing lower his head.

"Adam?" Ben could barely utter the name of his firstborn son.

"In barn."

                   ***************

After leaving Hop Sing in the yard with the instructions to notify his father, Adam immersed his body in the water trough before heading back towards the inferno. He raced toward the stall in the far corner. It was where Hoss's mare and her two-day old colt were bedded.

The mare danced back and forth, whinnying loudly in a frightened protest, its nostrils were flared at the acrid smell of burning wood and hay. The small newborn colt sidled to the far wall, scared by his mother's actions.

Adam approached the mare slowly, his hands outstretched he tried to talk calmly to the agitated mare. His approach and the smell of wet soot that clung to his clothes and person only aggravated the horse more.

"There girl, shhhh, it's going to be alright." Adam soothed as he neared the horse. He threw his body backward and landed heavily onto his back when the animal reared onto her hind legs and crashed back down just mere feet from him.

Looking around, Adam spied a horse blanket on the stall wall. Grabbing it, he again approached the mare hoping to cover the spooked horse's face. Once again, the mare snorted in anger and threatened to trample him. Adam narrowly escaped being crushed by its front forelegs, by tucking his tall frame into a ball and somersaulting to the back wall of the barn.

Adam's attention was drawn away from the frightened horse at the sound of snapping timbers and splintering wood. Glancing about, Adam spotted the small terrified colt. Throwing the blanket about the infant horse, Adam grabbed the animal into his arms as the loft came crashing down upon their heads.

                   ***************

Letting go of the small man's arms, Ben turned towards the barn at a run. Hoss who had been standing nearby, had overheard the interchange between his father and the family servant and rushed forward to intervene. Grabbing his father in a bear hug from behind, Hoss stopped the elder Cartwright's advance.

"Let me go Hoss." Ben grumbled the order to his middle son as he struggled to push Hoss away, but Hoss held on firmly to his father.

"Get back!" Came the yell of one of the ranch hands that had been throwing the buckets of water upon the flames.

The warning command was soon followed by the loud crackling of enormous flames then the snapping of burning timbers as one of the walls of the structure collapsed. Ben and Hoss could only watch as the building lurched to one side before the weakened roof toppled, replacing the now fallen wall.

"Adam," Ben whispered in despair feeling the life drain from his body, he sank to his knees on the dirt and ashes covered ground.

                   ***************

"Leave me alone Joe, let me sleep." Adam mumbled feeling small dull thumps to his chest. Drowsy from recent unconsciousness and a lack of oxygen, Adam misread the insistent behavior.

"OUCH!" Adam exclaimed feeling a sharp bite to his chest.

Adam awoke to a very dark, hot and cramped space. Dazed and confused, he struggled to remember what had got him into this situation when he heard the small whinny of the colt he held in his arms.

Adam found his body wedged between the fallen loft and the back barn wall. His feet were propped up on the wall in a forty-five degree angle to his body and his back leaned against the still smoldering remains of the loft floor. Cradled in his lap, was Hoss's infant colt. He felt the colt struggle in his arms to get free.

Coughing, Adam fought to breathe and felt the heat intensifying on his back. He knew they would bake alive if they didn't get out of there soon. Carefully shifting the weight of the colt on his lap, Adam freed his right leg. Positioning his foot, Adam kicked out with all of his remaining strength at the wooden wall before him.

                   ***************

"Mr. Cartwright, Mr. Cartwright!" The lanky cowhand ran forward to where the distraught Ben Cartwright sat on the porch being comforted by his equally tearful sons. "Come quick! Mr. Cartwright."

Sensing that the cowhands may have found something, Hoss quickly helped his father to his feet. The three Cartwrights ran to follow the man to what remained of the charred barn. All three froze at the sight that greeted them. There at the back of the barn wall were two ranch hands trying to pull some of the boards free. Stepping forward from his father and brother, Hoss pushed the two men aside and ripped the boards free with his bare hands.

Hoss leaned into the small opening. Feeling the leather of a boot and the rough jean material of a pant leg, Hoss's large hand encircled his brother's limb and pulled firmly.

Ben rushed forward as he saw his oldest son's body pulled free from the still smoldering ruins. Gently, he took his son into his arms, while Hoss took the small bundle from Adam's limp form.

Adam felt the sharp sting deep in his lungs as fresh air was once again drawn into the smoke-filled oxygen deprived organs. His eyes stung, his back burned and he could barely lift his eyelids. With blurry sight, Adam gazed up to his father's tear filled eyes. Unable to hold his head upright from the pain and exhaustion, Adam's head lolled to one side. There was his big-hearted brother Hoss, holding the partially draped small colt, with one end of the blanket dragging upon the ground. Adam could feel his own heart break for his little brother watching Hoss's shoulders shake in uncontrollable sobs, while holding the unmoving form of his colt.

Using what remained of his strength; Adam turned his head back to his father.

"I'm so sorry Pa." Adam uttered in a barely audible whisper. Totally spent, his head fell limply against his father's chest.

                   ***************

Ben sat at his eldest son's bedside, watching the uneven rise and fall of Adam's chest while his child wrestled to draw air into his damaged lungs. Even though Adam had suffered some burns, bruises and cuts to his face, back, chest and arms, and was suffering the aftereffects of severe smoke inhalation, the doctor had assured Ben that his son's injuries weren't life threatening. With serious bed rest, Adam would be up and about within a week. Bowing his head in silent prayer, Ben gave thanks to his God for sparing his son's life.

Ben's attention was drawn back to his firstborn at the sound of a very hacking painful cough. Seeing his son's eyes slightly open, Ben slid closer to Adam's bed and placed his hand gently upon his arm.

"Adam?"

Lying in a slight upright position, Adam adjusted his head slightly on the pillow to glance in the direction of his father's voice. His eyes stung and watered, as he tried to focus on his father's face.

"Pa."

"Shhh, Adam. You're gonna be fine son, you're gonna be alright." Calmly, Ben reassured his son. Reaching back to the nightstand, he dipped a washcloth in the cool water then turned back to bath his son's sore reddened face. Noticing the way that Adam was squinting his eyes, Ben once again moistened the washcloth from the basin, then folded the cloth and laid it gently across Adam's eyes.

Adam found almost instant relief to the burning sensation. Relaxed once more, Adam drifted off to sleep. He had no idea how much time had passed while he slept; his next waking thought was the sound of his younger brother's voice.

"He awake yet Pa?" Hoss anxiously inquired, walking towards the foot of Adam's bed from the open doorway.

Lost in deep thought, Ben had to shake himself back to full awareness to respond to his middle son.

"Huh, oh Hoss. No son, not yet." Ben answered with a small smile. He knew how eager Hoss was to talk to his older brother. He really didn't consider his son's brief moment of consciousness earlier in the night as Adam being fully awake.

"Ya let me know when he does?" Hoss insisted bowing his head slightly and looking toward his father with dazzling sky blue eyes that twinkled beneath partially shielded eyelids.

"Yes, I will son. I promise." Smiling patiently, Ben looked at his large son. It was the third time Hoss had made this request.

"Don't bother." A gravelly deep hoarse sounding voice replied from the direction of the pillow on the bed.

"Adam, you awake?" Hoss eagerly exclaimed moving closer to his father.

"I am now." The painfully harsh and scratchy voice replied. Adam weakly raised a hand to remove the damp cloth that still covered his eyes.

"Here son, let me get that." Ben gently removed the washcloth from Adam's face before Adam could reach it.

Adam and Ben watched and listened while the large over-grown teen practically bounced up and down in joy. Hoss was elated and barely able to contain his emotions while he told them of the miraculous recovery of his little black colt.

                   ***************

Stepping over fallen partially burned timbers, Ben and Hoss walked among what was left of the barn. Several of the ranch hands had already removed and disposed of the body of Hoss's mare, for which Ben was grateful. They were scanning the debris for anything that could be salvaged, and the cause of the blaze.

"Looks like it started over here Pa." Hoss indicated with a meaty right finger.

Ben walked over to stand beside his son. Staring down, he studied the area of the ground pointed out by his son.

"See how it seems to move thataway." Hoss's finger traveled from the ground following the path of increasing fire devastation.

Ben nodded his head in agreement with his son's observation. He watched Hoss move away, continuing to search for anything that remained of value. Ben's attention was drawn back to the place the fire had started. Using his foot, he displaced the pile of ashes and partially burned hay. He was not happy with what he found.

                   ***************

"How are you feeling son?" Ben Cartwright asked as he entered his oldest son's room then walked over to Adam's bedside.

"Better." Adam croaked in reply, his voice still gravely and coarse due to the irritation caused by all the smoke he'd inhaled.

"That's good. Mind if we talk?"

Adam shook his head in a silent 'no', trying to minimize speaking. Shifting gingerly in his bed to give his father his full attention, Adam laid the book he'd been reading aside. Gazing up to his father's coal black very intense eyes, he was confused by both the expression he found upon the man's face, and by the fact that his father chose to remain standing instead of taking the chair next to his bed. For some reason unbeknownst to Adam, his father seemed extremely unhappy, as though he'd been let down by someone or something.

"Would you care to explain this?" Holding out his right hand, Ben's voice was tinged with a mixture of anger and regret. There in the palm of his hand sat the charred remains of what was once a pipe, Adam's pipe.

Stunned and in disbelief, Adam was speechless as he stared at the object his father held. Raising his eyes from what remained of his pipe, he now recognized the disappointment in his father's ebony eyes. Adam found an equal share of disappointment to match his father's when he considered the man's implied accusation and poor logic. Adam now realized that it must have been the pipe that caused the fire, and his father had erroneously determined that if the pipe belonged to Adam, then Adam must have caused the fire.

Adam was rankled by the implication that was being made. He was also angry by the way his father was treating him like some itinerant schoolboy who lacked good common sense.

During his last year in New England, Adam had grappled with the decision to either return to the Ponderosa or stay in the East. Now he seriously doubted he'd made the right one.

In the back of his mind, he knew his father would always think of him as that shy black-haired little boy who'd traveled west with him. He felt he at least deserved credit for the man that he'd become. In Adam's opinion he had sacrificed culture, civility and career to return home. All he wanted now was for his own father to accept and treat him as the man he had become, not the small reserved child he once was.

Knowing his father was awaiting a response. Adam was very aware that his father was expecting an apology, or at the very least, some type of explanation. Adam felt his father deserved neither, and replied with a very bitter, "No".

Ben was taken aback by Adam's abrupt and seemingly resentful response. He recognized Adam's change in demeanor and stubborn set of his jaw, and knew he'd get nowhere in attempting to discuss the subject further. Nodding his head in acceptance of Adam's single word reply, Ben departed his son's room.

Walking slowly down the steps of the wooden staircase, Ben considered his confrontation with his oldest son. Studying the charred pipe he held in his hands, he wondered if he'd made an error in judgement in accusing his eldest.

                   ***************

"Ah huh." Adam glanced out of the corner of his eye at his large brother who sat perched on the bed beside him. Hoss eagerly recounted for the umpteenth time his tale of how his little baby colt, rejuvenated by the fresh air, came back to life in his arms moments after Adam had lost consciousness. Adam returned his full attention to his drawing, re-evaluating the angle of the barn roof.

"You should see him Adam. His coat is just as shiny and black as coal. He's just the smartest little thing." Hoss's chest puffed with pride. Since the loss of the colt's mother, Hoss had become the little one's sole caregiver.

"I'm sure he is." Giving his brother a thoughtful sideways glance from the corner of his eye; Adam could tell how enamoured his little brother was with the small colt.

"He takes his bottle real good too Adam. No fussing, you don't have to force him at all. He's a real good eater." Hoss continued his rambling about the newborn in his care.

"Sounds like someone else I know." Adam teased, before issuing a light hearted warning. "Better make sure he doesn't get chubby, or he won't fit into his stall."

"Ah Adam, ain't nuttin' wrong with being a little chubby." Hoss's cherub face reddened slightly then patted his own broad stomach in response.

"That's it!" Hoss exclaimed.

"What's it?" Baffled by the abrupt change in conversation, Adam turned his full attention to the young man who sat beside him.

"His name." Hoss replied, looking back at his older brother as if he were daft.

"Whose name?" Unable to follow his brother's leap of logic, Adam now stared dumbfounded at Hoss wondering where he'd got lost in this conversation.

"Chubby. I'll call him Chubby."

                   ***************

Ben Cartwright sat at his desk trying to concentrate on the ranch ledgers before him. He needed to rework some of the ranch accounts to cover the expense of rebuilding the barn and replacing lost equipment, gear and supplies. Ben struggled to remain focused on the task at hand, but just couldn't maintain his concentration.

Opening the side desk drawer, Ben retrieved the charred remains of Adam's pipe. He turned it slowly in examination between his hands, studying the ruined implement. It had been two days since his confrontation with his eldest son over his finding, and with each waking hour he had regretted his hasty actions. He was fairly certain that he'd made a very false accusation, but who else had access to Adam's pipe and what was it doing in the barn.

Tucking the pipe into his vest pocket, Ben rose from his desk and walked toward the front door. He needed fresh air and time to think. He needed to find a way to apologize to his son.

In deep thought, Ben shoved his hands into his front pockets and walked slowly across the front porch studying the planking beneath his feet. Glancing up, he looked across the yard to what remained of the ranch's barn. He was surprised to see someone there, sifting among the ruins. Quietly, he made his way across the yard.

"Looking for this?"

Startled by his father's deep and foreboding tone of voice, Little Joe jumped backwards and almost lost his balance. He swallowed deeply and felt the blood drain from his face when he recognized the object in his father's outstretched hand.

                   ***************

Hoss and Adam's attention was drawn to the open doorway to Adam's bedroom. They watched in stunned silence when their father abruptly entered the room with their younger brother in tow.

"Adam, your brother has something to tell you." All three sons understood that Joe had just been given an implicit order to speak.

"I, uh, I borrowed your pipe, Adam." Joe swallowed nervously, lowering his eyes to study the quilt that covered his oldest brother's bed.

Adam studied the fidgeting youth near the foot of his bed, whose upper right arm was still firmly held, in their father's grasp. The small boy he'd left when he went to college was a bundle of curiosity and never-ending questions. The boy on the cusp of his teen years standing before him now was so much different. This one was filled with boundless energy and a penchant for mischief, who'd decided long ago that it was easier to ask for forgiveness, than to ask for permission.

"Borrowed? You mean took. You took something that you were expressly told not to touch." Correcting the boy's verb selection, Ben intended for Joe to understand that not only had he taken something that did not belong to him, but also to try and re-enforce a lesson he thought he'd driven home the week before.

"You never told me not to touch it." Joe's hazel green eyes looked up to his father's in mild defiance at the elder Cartwright's accusation.

Ben was taken aback by his young son's attempt to defy him. Before he had a chance to react, Joe finished his argument.

"You told me not to touch your pipe, you never said nuttin' 'bout Adam's."

Bemused by his baby brother's petulance, Adam blew out a small puff of air from between pursed lips in amusement, and tried to stifle a small chuckle. He glanced to Hoss and saw him shaking his head in amazement at their little brother's bravado. Someday, that little brother of ours is going to make one fine attorney - if he survives this day, Adam mused.

Ben blinked and sputtered at his youngest son's leap of logic, but was unswayed by the boy's attempt to cloud the issue with semantics. As far as he was concerned, Joe had just up the ante on the punishment kitty.

"And…" Ben cuffed the curly haired boy behind his head forcing him to take a step closer to Adam's bed. The imposing figure of his father prodded, glaring down at the boy beside him causing Joe to swallow nervously.

"I'm sorry that Pa blamed you and got mad at ya." Joe muttered half-heartedly. Until minutes ago, he didn't even know that the pipe was the cause of the blaze, or that his father had accused his oldest brother for the destruction of the barn. Somewhat resentful, Little Joe still didn't understand why he was apologizing for something his father had done.

Adam nodded his acceptance of Joe's request for forgiveness before turning an expectant gaze to his father. Seeing his son's eyes, Ben knew that he too owed his son an apology.

"I too am sorry son." Ben earnestly attempted to atone for his wrongful accusation.

                   ***************

With some trepidation, Ben warily walked to the entrance to his eldest son's room after another 'discussion' with his youngest. Looking to his middle son he made a simple request.

"Leave us please."

Hoss's eyes raised in alarm towards his father then looked anxiously at his older brother. Seeing Adam nod his head in confirmation, Hoss rose from the bed and quietly departed the room.

As Hoss passed him in the doorway, his father laid his hand upon the teenager's shoulder and gave a slight reassuring squeeze followed by a slight nod. Hoss replied with a slight pursing of his lips and a shy dip of his head.

After Hoss's departure, Ben strolled slowly into Adam's room, pausing slightly to look at some of his son's belongings and very much aware of his son studying his every move. He noticed some of the Eastern style clothing in the wardrobe that had just arrived with Adam's trunk, the rolls of architectural drawings propped in the far corner and some of the book titles upon the wall shelf before stopping at Adam's dresser. There upon the dresser he discovered Adam's plans for the new barn. Ben marveled at the carefully drawn structure, each angle precise and all measurements exact, so professional in every detail. Ben's heart swelled with pride as he traced a finger over the sharp lines. Turning away from the blueprint, he reached for the straight back chair and caught a glimpse of a ornate silver frame placed next to a small china music box adorned with cherubs, sitting on the nightstand beside his son's bed. The corner of his mouth raised in a small loving smile at the image of his first beloved wife. Drawing the chair closer to the bed, Ben sat down to speak with his son, and found he didn't know how to begin or what to say.

Adam eyed his father while he made his slow circuit of his bedroom. He noticed his father surveying his drawing, before stopping to pay a silent homage to Adam's mother. Adam waited patiently for this father to speak, but found no words forthcoming from the man. Adam had only one thing he wanted to know, so he broke the deafening silence by voicing his single inquiry.

"When?"

The question seemed so simple, so simple to ask, but to Ben too difficult to explain. Ben looked across to the dark intense eyes not so unlike his own and searched for the words to satisfy his son's inquiry. His son, the child Elizabeth had bore him, this child who was a child no more. Gone now was the round soft cherub like face once covered in soft peach fuzz, replaced by the dark stubble of a beard upon a strong set jaw on a face with rugged features and high set cheekbones. Gone also, were the freckles that once adorned the small nose and soft velvet-like tender cheeks, replaced by weather worn dark sun-tanned skin. Gone too, was the shy reserved little boy who needed his father to protect, encourage and guide him, replaced by a very self-assured, intelligent and quite capable man.

Smiling with love for his cherished child and longing for days now gone, Ben reached out and brushed away a lock of raven black hair from his son's forehead. He gave his son a small sad smile before responding with the only explanation that he could think to give.

"Be patient with me son, I'm still learning.

The End

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