‘The Wanderer’

Written by:  Stephen

Joe Cartwright jumped up and ran at the man, he used his shoulder to knock his opponent to the ground.  The man grabbed Joe and pulled him down with him.  Joe was the first to his feet; he used this to his advantage.  He jumped onto the man, little did he realise was the man had already drew his pistol, Joe felt a searing pain in his left leg.  He yelled in pain, which brought Adam, Ben and Hoss running into the stable.  By this time the man had jumped onto Cochise and rode off into the hills.  Adam, Ben and Hoss picked up Joe and walked into the house.
   
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Joe looked at his leg, feeling very sorry for himself.  He realised that the bullet had been removed; he had no doubts that it would have been Adam who had carried out the procedure.  Joe wondered why every time he was injured it was always his brother who helps him to recover.  Joe swung his legs over the side of his bed, he decided that he was going to try and walk.  He put a slight amount of pressure on his leg, and he cringed with the pain.  He took one step and then collapsed.  Adam wandered through, with a grin on his face.  
“Trying to be the brave one, eh, Joe?” he laughed
“Who? Who was it that attacked me?” Joe asked.
Adam picked up his little brother and helped him to the end of his bed.  
“We are not sure,” Adam started. “He had something covering his face”
Joe adjusted himself on his bed to make himself a bit more relaxed.  Adam stood up. “Joe, no more walking about for a few days, until that leg is completely healed,” he said.
“He has stolen Cochise” Joe moaned. His eyes started to close; Adam walked up to Joe and said reassuringly, “We will get Cochise back, but right now get some sleep.”  
                
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Atticus Walstone, jumped off the horse, he took the reins and tied them to a tree.  
“Time to get some sleep,” he said to the horse “No doubt, tomorrow the Cartwrights will come looking for you.”  He flattened some moss, and threw a blanket over it.
He started again. “Yes we will have revenge.”
             
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Hop Sing adjusted the Indian blanket at the end of the stairs; he looked up to see Joe limping down the stairs.  
“What for you come down now?” asked the cook
“I can’t just lie there and do nothing while Cochise is out there with that man” Joe started “Where are Hoss, Adam and Pa?”
“They go out looking for horse thief” Hop Sing replied.
Joe looked angrily at Hop Sing. “Why didn’t they wake me?” Joe asked.
“They told me to look after you, you very ill,” Hop Sing said in the most fatherly figure voice he could manage.  
Joe felt disappointed; had he won the fight with the stranger none of that would have happened.  Later that day, Hop Sing went out into the woods to gather firewood.  Joe used that opportunity to go after Cochise.  
                                            
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He waited until Hop Sing had disappeared out of sight, then he started to limp in the opposite direction.  
Meanwhile, Adam, Hoss and Pa decided to head back to the ranch and resume searching for Cochise in the morning.  
“I’m mighty worried for Little Joe, Pa,” said Hoss, who seemed to be getting more and more agitated “He is quite attached to Cochise,” he finished.
“Don’t worry, Hoss,” Pa started. “Joe is sensible, he won’t do anything stupid, besides I left Hop-Sing in charge.”
               
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“WHAT DO YOU MEAN, HE JUST DISAPPEARED?” Ben yelled
“No shout at me and I tell you,” Hop-Sing replied, who then automatically edged away from Ben realising what he had just said to him.
“What happened to Joe? You were supposed to be looking after him,” Ben said as quietly as he could, he felt as though he was panicking too much.
“I go out for firewood, I come back and he gone,” Hop Sing replied.
Adam started towards the door. “Where are you going?” Ben asked
“I need to find Joe,” Adam replied. “Even though he can get really aggravating sometimes, he is still my brother and he is out there injured and it is getting really dark now.”
“ADAM,” Ben shouted “Take Hoss with you, I will wait here see if he comes back here.”

Joe struggled his way into a cavern; he sat down on a rock and started to examine his wound.  He lifted the blood-soaked bandage, and he cringed in pain.  
“I might be safe in here,” he thought to himself “I just can’t give up on Cochise, I gotta find him.”  

Walstone untied Cochise and put a saddle on his back.  “C’mon boy, The Cartwrights will be looking for you. If they give me any trouble, I will let them have you. Of course, I won’t let them have you alive.” He mounted onto Cochise and rode off over the hill.  

“JOE!” Adam and Hoss yelled “JOE!” They repeated.  Adam looked closer at a tree.    “Hoss, come and look at this.” Hoss walked closer.
“Is that blood?” Hoss asked
“Sure looks like it,” replied Adam. “He must have gone this way!”
They both jumped back onto their horses and started their way through the rocky pass.  Even though Adam sometimes hated his little brother, he still wanted to find him and make sure he is ok.
 ‘Sure he can be cocky, down right rude, and overall obnoxious but he still means a lot to me’ Adam thought to himself. It had been a long night. Both the brothers were feeling very tired.  Hoss turned around and spoke to Adam, “We should try back at the ranch he might have wandered back,” his voice trailed off.  He hesitated realising Pa would have came after them if Joe had arrived back.  He felt sick, he hadn’t eaten for hours and they had no supplies left.  Suddenly Adam whispered, “Look,”
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 Hoss looked up and suddenly yelled “ITS COCHISE.” Adam spun around and glared at Hoss.
“Quiet, the man is with him.”
Hoss then looked closer and realised the man who had stolen Cochise was sitting there with a girl.  
“Who’s the girl?” Adam asked
“I am not sure,” Hoss started.  He then looked closer and gasped, “Its Claire Stranton, she has just moved to Virginia with her father.”  
They just started to move towards the couple when they looked past them and saw a worn out Joe hiding in the bushes.  
Joe edged out of the bushes.  He tried to run at them as best as he could.  Walstone saw him and jumped up.
“Ahhh, Mr Cartwright,” Walstone said in a really cocky voice.
“Atticus Walstone, I thought we had you hanged” Joe murmured.
“Have you ever heard of bribes? Now I am free, I am here to get revenge” Walstone retorted.
“Why did you steal my horse?” Joe asked impatiently.
“ So I would be able to get you out on your own so no one will be able to hear you yell as I shoot you!” Walstone replied in a very evil tone.
Suddenly Adam and Hoss jumped from behind the bushes and produced their pistols.  
“Drop the gun, Walstone!” Adam yelled
“Oh so you have brought your brothers with you, have you?” Walstone sneered “Oh well, I can kill all three of you now.”   
There was another surprise, Claire pulled out her gun and pointed it at Walstone.  
“Oh well, Walstone it looks like you are going to be hanged this time,” Joe laughed.
“NOT IF I CAN HELP IT!” He shot at Claire. She slumped onto the marshy ground.  Hoss used his gun next and shot Walstone in the back.  Joe ran up to the lifeless Claire, and felt for her pulse, “She’s gone,” he said sadly.  

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Back at the ranch, Pa laid Joe onto the bed.  He seemed disappointed at the fact that his son had disobeyed his rules.  ‘Never mind, he has his best friend back and that is all that matters.”  Pa headed out of the room and started out of the door.  He decided he would be the one to break the news to Claire’s dad.

The End


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