" ADAM IN CHARGE "
By: Lynne Gl
Adam Cartwright was about ready to pull out his hair because he was so upset at his six year old brother, Little Joe. It had been a constant battle between the oldest and youngest Cartwrights for the past several days now.
Their father, Ben Cartwright was away on business for two weeks, and he had put Adam in charge of the ranch and his two younger brothers, which included the middle brother, thirteen year old Hoss.
Adam and Hoss got along very well even though Adam was six years older than Hoss. Hoss was very large for his age, and he could already do the work of a man. Any chore Hoss was given, he did without any complaints.
Little Joe on the other hand did anything he could think of to disobey Adam. The little boy didn't like it when Adam bossed him around and for some unknown reason, Adam seemed to overload the youngster with many chores, many of which were simply too hard for a child of six to handle.
Little Joe also missed Ben very much, and that made the boy very short tempered as well. That left the easy going Hoss the peace keeper between his two very stubborn brothers.
" Look little brother, ya need ta start doin' what old Adam tells ya and just maybe if'n ya'd just try to be more corporative, then big brother wouldn't get so upset with ya and yell at ya all the time," Hoss tried to explain to the little boy whom he loved so much.
Little Joe loved Hoss and they were best friends, so Little Joe knew he could trust Hoss with things that really upset him, and he hoped that Hoss could help him now.
" Hoss, I dunt mean ta be so naughty fer Adam, but he is so mean. He makes me do stuff that I can't do, and then he yells at me when I dunt do em er do em right. I try Hoss, but I can't do all them chores. He thinks I dunt work fast 'nough either. He hates me Hoss," the little boy softly said as tears ran down his face.
Hoss felt bad for his baby brother, because he knew how Adam could be when he was in charge.
" Punkin, did ya explain ta big brother that ya can't do all them chores he wants ya ta do?" Hoss asked. " Oh, and he dunt hate ya either little brother. He loves you very much," Hoss added.
" Yup, I dun told him, but he tells me ta do em anyway. I dunt like it when he yells at me cuz it scares me Hoss," the child replied as tears continued to run down his face.
" Tell ya what, I'll talk ta our big brother and explain to him that you are too little for some of them chores," Hoss told the boy as he began to wipe the tears from the youngsters face. " Thanks Hoss," Little Joe responded.
As Adam and Hoss were rounding up some stray cattle the next day, Hoss told Adam what Little Joe had told him.
" Hoss, I appreciate you trying to help our little brother, but he can do what I ask of him. He's just being a little brat as usual, and I don't want you helping him either !" Adam explained. Hoss decided not to argue with Adam that day because his oldest brother was in a very bad mood.
On the sixth day, Little Joe was so mad at Adam because Adam had made him reclean the tackroom, because as Adam had put it, " it wasn't neat enough."
" Well, I'll show him," Little Joe said to himself. The little boy picked up a rock that was laying on the ground and he threw it at Adam, but instead of hitting Adam with it, the rock hit the window above Ben's desk, breaking the window.
Adam couldn't believe what his youngest brother had just done. He turned around and glared at the boy, who was crying because of the broken window. Hoss just stood there looking at his brothers. He could see how angry Adam was now.
" Hey Adam, just wait ta punish him please. Yer too upset right now," Hoss pleaded. " Get out of my way Hoss !" Adam yelled as he walked towards his very scared little brother.
Adam grabbed the boy's arm and pulled the crying boy into the house and up to his bedroom for a ' little discussion '.
" Would you mind explaining to me why you broke that window please?" Adam asked the boy. Little Joe looked at the floor with his small hands behind his back.
" Will you look at me when I'm talking to you," Adam said a little louder.
" I...I...I dunt plan ta bust the window. I'm mad at ya, so I wanted ta hit ya with a rock," Little Joe very quietly explained.
Adam sat down on his little brother's bed, pinched the bridge of his nose, sighed while trying to get his temper under control and slowly counting to ten in his mind.
" Get over here please and lay across my lap, NOW !" Adam loudly said. Little Joe slowly walked over to Adam and did what he had been told to do. After six quick swats to his bottom, Little Joe was crying as Adam stood him up.
" I want you to stay in your room for the rest of the day. Do I make myself clear ?" Adam asked in a softer voice as he looked at the crying child. The boy nodded.
Adam really hated to punish his youngest brother, but he knew it was for the boy's own good that he be punished.
Adam knew that he should hold his little brother now and make him feel loved, but he was too angry at that moment. As soon as Adam had left the room, Little Joe laid on his bed and cried.
Adam noticed a worried Hoss standing in the livingroom as he came down the stairs. " Ya didn't hurt him did ya Adam?" Hoss asked, because Adam was so angry when he and Little Joe went into the house.
" No, I didn't hurt him. I did tan him, but not very hard Hoss. He's to stay in his room for the rest of the day. I need to go into Virginia City and get a new window now. I'll be back in time for dinner," Adam told Hoss.
After Adam had left, Hoss went up to his little brother's room to see how the boy was doing.
The sight of the crying child was breaking Hoss's heart. " Hey Punkin," Hoss said as he sat down on the bed and he picked up his baby brother and he held him. He knew that the little boy needed some loving at that moment.
" Oh Hoss, I dunt mean ta bust the window. Please believe me. It was an accident," the boy cried.
" I believe you Punkin. Why did ya throw that rock at Adam fer in the first place?" Hoss asked as he continued to hold the crying boy as he gently rubbed the child's back.
" He was mad at me cuz he said that I dunt do the tackroom good 'nough, and I had ta redo it. I dun it the best I could Hoss," Little Joe explained.
" Please dunt cry baby. It makes me sad. It's alright now little brother," Hoss told the crying boy hoping to make him feel better.
" Is Adam gonna get a new window ? Little Joe asked as he hiccupped. " Yup, he went ta Virginia City ta get one. Ya want me ta stay up here with ya fer a while?" Hoss asked. " Yes please," the youngster replied as he started to cry again.
Hoss continued to hold his little brother until the little boy fell asleep in Hoss's arms. Hoss gently laid the child on the bed, took off his boots and covered the little boy with a quilt. Before he left the room, Hoss kissed the boy's forehead. " I love you little brother," Hoss softly said.
" Hey Adam, ya gonna let little brother come down fer dinner? He feels really bad' bout what he did. He didn't mean ta break the window, ya know," Hoss said.
" Hoss, no he's not joining us for dinner. He is going to stay in his room until tomorrow. Hop Sing will take him some dinner, and I know he didn't mean to break the window. That boy needs to learn to control that temper of his," Adam explained.
" He cleaned the tackroom ya know. What was wrong with it anyway?" Hoss asked. " It was messy. The bridles weren't hanging straight, and the other things weren't neat looking either," Adam told Hoss.
Hoss couldn't believe what Adam had just said. " Come on now Adam, Little Joe did the best he could. Ya know he can't reach up to where the bridles hang, and things don't gotta be perfect ya know !" Hoss loudly answered.
" I suppose you're right. After all, he is a little boy. I'm sorry. I've got so much on my mind with Pa not here. There's so much to do and I'm sorry that I've been overly hard on you too Hoss," Adam said.
" Apology accepted big brother. Now are ya sure that our baby brother can't come down fer dinner with us?" Hoss asked, hoping that Adam would change his mind. " Sorry Hoss, I'm sure," Adam replied.
The next day, Adam made Little Joe chop wood. There was a large pile of wood that needed to be chopped, so the youngster was trying his best, but he was getting tired after about three hours of non-stop chopping.
" Little Joe, come in house and have lunch," Hop Sing told the boy. " Can't Hop Sing. Adam wants all this here wood chopped," the boy replied. " Little boy need to eat and rest," Hop Sing explained.
" But Hop Sing, Adam will get mad if'n I dunt chop all this wood," the boy tried to explain.
" In house NOW !" Hop Sing shouted. Little Joe dropped the axe and he was scared because Hop Sing was yelling at him. The boy slowly backed up and ran out of the yard in tears.
" LITTLE JOE-GET BACK HERE NOW !" Hop Sing shouted, but the little boy kept running. Little Joe didn't know where he was going, but he just wanted to get away from everyone. In his young mind, he knew everyone was mad at him.
Little Joe kept running until he was at a small cave he liked to go to. Once inside the cave, he fell to the floor of the cave and cried. " Please Papa come home, I needs ya. Everyone is mad at me and they all hate me," the boy cried.
A couple of hours after Little Joe had run out of the yard in tears, Adam and Hoss rode into the yard. " I see Little Joe still hasn't finished chopping the wood I asked him to chop," Adam angrily said.
" Come on Adam, ya can't expect him ta get all that wood chopped. I thought we went through all of this last night. He's just a little boy, remember?" Hoss angrily replied.
" Hoss, I didn't mean for him to chop all this wood. Only that smaller pile there," Adam said as he pointed to the smaller pile of wood. " Oh, I'm sorry Adam. I thought you meant all this here wood," Hoss replied. Adam just smiled at Hoss as the two brothers went into the house.
They were met by a frantic Hop Sing who had ran out of the kitchen as soon as he heard Adam and Hoss come through the front door.
Hop Sing rambled on in Chinese very excitedly. " Hop Sing, please slow down and in English please !" Hoss said. Hop Sing took a deep breath and began to speak again, but this time slower and in English.
" Little Joe run off. Hop Sing want little boy to come in house, eat lunch, since he no eat dinner last night or breakfast this morning. He say no, that he had to chop all wood, and if not get finished, Mr. Adam get mad at him and yell at him," Hop Sing was explaining.
Hop Sing went on. " I tell Little Joe to go in house and eat now ! Hop Sing say too loud and scare little boy. He start to cry and run out of yard. He no come back !" Hop Sing finished, as he was very worried about number three son.
Both Adam and Hoss were worried about their little brother. " Hop Sing, how long ago was that?" Adam asked. " Hop Sing think maybe two, three hour ago," Hop Sing sadly replied.
" It's my fault. I guess Little Joe thought that I meant for him to chop all the wood, just like you did Hoss. I've made him so nervous about the chores. Come on Hoss, we need to find that little brother of ours. Hop Sing, which way did Little Joe go when he ran out of the yard?" Adam asked.
" He go run out behind barn. Hop Sing not mean to shout at Little Joe," Hop Sing sadly said. " I know you didn't mean to shout Hop Sing. Hoss and I will go look for him. Hop Sing, I'm the one who has made life miserable for Little Joe. I expected too much from him, then I yelled at him. Try not to worry, we'll find him," Adam told Hop Sing as he put his hand on Hop Sing's shoulder.
Little Joe sat in the opening of the cave trying to figure out where he should go. He didn't like being alone, but at least, no one was yelling at him where he was.
Adam and Hoss first went up to Marie's grave, because it was one of the places their little brother would go when he was upset, but there was no sign of the boy at his mother's grave.
" He couldn't have gone very far cuz he is on foot," Hoss suggested. " Yes, I thought about that too," Adam agreed.
" LITTLE JOE, WHERE ARE YOU BOY ? LITTLE JOE !" both Adam and Hoss shouted every couple of minutes.
As Little Joe sat at the opening of the cave, he could hear his brothers shouting for him.
" Uh no, can't let em find me," the boy told himself as he went deeper into the dark cave. " Oh please dunt let there be any monsters in here," he softly said.
Adam and Hoss reached the cave that their little brother was hiding in, but they didn't know that. Once inside the cool dark cave, they shouted their little brothers name, but they heard nothing.
" Little buddy, it's alright. You're not in trouble. Please Little brother, if you are in here, please come out. Please little buddy, I promise that you aren't in any trouble," Adam shouted. " He ain't here Adam," Hoss very sadly said, as both he and Adam walked out of the cave.
" Hoss, look at the sky. Looks like we're in for a nasty storm," Adam nervously said. Hoss looked up at the sky too, and said, " We gotta find Short Shanks, Adam I dunt want him out here in a nasty storm." " I know what you mean, but we need to get home before we get caught in it," Adam replied as he wished that their little brother was safely with them now.
The wind was blowing hard and a light rain was beginning to fall as Adam and Hoss arrived back home. After they had taken care of their horses, several very loud blasts of thunder could be heard.
A worried Hop Sing greeted Adam and Hoss as soon as they walked in the front door. " Where Little Joe?" a frantic Hop Sing asked as he looked for the missing boy.
" We couldn't find him Hop Sing. There's a nasty storm coming and it isn't safe out there. It's too dangerous," Adam explained.
" Little Joe out in storm and he scared of thunder and lightning," Hop Sing nervously said. " We know, and I hate the thought of him out there, but there's nothing we can do about it now," Adam sadly said. They were all beside themselves with great concern for Little Joe.
Little Joe was terrified as soon as he heard the thunder. He stood in the entrance of the cave wondering if he should try to run home. It was pouring down rain so hard that the child could barely see through the rain, and it was getting cold because of the wind.
The youngster decided to run home, and he was several yards from the cave when he saw a bright flash of lighning. That really scared him, so he turned around and ran back to the cave.
The storm raged on well into the night. Adam, Hoss and Hop Sing were so worried about Little Joe, that they couldn't sleep. They stayed in the livingroom in front of the fire in the fireplace and prayed that the little boy would be safe where ever he was.
Back at the cave, Little Joe was too scared to sleep. He curled himself up against the wall in the cave and he cried. He wanted his Papa badly. He was also scared to death of the thunder and lightning and the darkness of the cave, plus the thought of monsters, because he knew that monsters came out when it was dark.
Finally around five in the morning, the thunder and lightning had stopped, but it was still pouring down rain and windy. Little Joe decided even if it wasn't totally daylight yet, he was going home.
It was very slow going for Little Joe. He tripped and fell several times, but he kept heading towards home. He was soaking wet, very cold, crying and exhausted. The exhaustion was from being so scared, not sleeping and being emotionally exhausted as well.
Adam woke up with a sudden start. He noticed Hoss and Hop Sing dozing in the room. Then he realized what had awaken him. It wasn't thundering anymore, but he could hear the rain hitting the roof, plus it was getting daylight.
Hop Sing woke up, and announced that he was going to make breakfast and he insisted that Adam and Hoss eat before they went to look for Little Joe.
Little Joe staggered into the yard and he made it as far as the front porch before he collapsed in exhaustion, but he stood up again and hung onto the post of the porch and rested. He was too tired to go any farther.
Adam and Hoss had just finished drinking the last of their coffee and were getting ready to head out the door and go looking for their little brother.
" I wish this dadburn rain would stop, cuz it would make it easier to find little brother," Hoss said as he and Adam put on their rain slickers.
As soon as they opened the front door, they gasped as soon as they saw their little brother barely standing up and hanging onto the post.
" Little Joe, baby !" Adam yelled as he and Hoss ran over to the child. " Oh little buddy we've been so worried about you sweetheart," Adam cried.
" He's freezing Adam !" Hoss said as he picked up his baby brother and carried the boy into the warm house. " Hop Sing !" Adam shouted as soon as he ran into the house behind Hoss.
" What you want ?" Hop Sing yelled as he ran out of the kitchen. As soon as Hop Sing saw Hoss carrying Little Joe, he asked, " Where you find little boy ?" He was so happy to see Little Joe and he was also very relieved that the child was safely back home.
" He was standing on the porch. We need to get him out of these wet clothes and into bed and warmed up. He's freezing," Adam explained.
Hop Sing ran to get some towels, while Adam ran up the stairs to Little Joe's room, to get a nightshirt out for his little brother. Hoss carried Little Joe up to his room.
Once they had the wet clothes off of the child, dried off and into his nightshirt, they tucked the little boy safely into his bed and covered him up snuggly.
Little Joe looked up at his worried brothers and he started to cry. " Don't cry little buddy. You're safe now. Are you alright?" Adam asked as he held the child's cold small hand.
" I was so scared cuz of the thunder and lightning, and monsters. I'm sorry I ran off, but I was scared cuz Hop Sing was mad at me," the boy explained.
" Where did you go Punkin?" Hoss asked. " I was hidin' in that small cave I like ta go to. I heard ya calling fer me, but I was too scared ta answer cuz I thought that I was in trouble," the boy told his brothers.
Hop Sing walked into the room with a cup of hot chocolate for Little Joe, and he had heard the child telling Adam and Hoss that he was scared because Hop Sing shouted at him.
" Hop Sing not mad at little boy. Only want you to come in house and eat lunch. Hop Sing not mean to shout at Little Joe. Hop Sing very sorry," Hop Sing explained as he felt bad that he had shouted at Little Joe.
" Little Joe need to drink hot chocolate, it help warm boy from inside too," Hop Sing told the child as he handed him the cup. " You drink all up," Hop Sing added.
" Thanks Hop Sing," Little Joe said as he sat up so he could drink the hot chocolate that Hop Sing had lovingly made for him.
" Since it is pouring down rain, and none of us slept much last night, how about we all take a nap ? Adam suggested. " Sounds good to me big brother," Hoss agreeing with what Adam had just suggested.
" Little Joe, would you like to come to bed with me?" Adam asked, hoping his baby brother would say yes.
" Yes please," the very sleepy youngster replied. Adam picked up his little brother and carried him to his room and tuck him into his bed.
As Adam snuggled next to Little Joe, he thanked God that the little boy was safely back home.
About three hours later, Adam woke up and he had to smile at the sight of Little Joe, who had his thumb safely tucked into his mouth and he looked like a little angel while he slept.
" I love you baby," Adam softly said as he kissed the boy's sweet face. Then he got up.
Hoss was now also up and both Adam and Hoss went out to the barn to do their morning chores. They were both so very thankful that their little brother was safely back home.
" I tell you Hoss, I try so hard to have patience with our baby brother, but I seem to lose my temper with him so fast. I don't know why I expect him to be able to do every chore I ask of him. He's so young, so little, and so innocent, even though he has a very quick temper. Hoss, how can I stop being so upset with him all the time? I love that little guy so much," Adam said.
" Well big brother, ya just gotta 'member he is a little boy and very young, and stubborn at times. Just count ta ten in yer head. That's what I do when I get upset with him. He misses Pa so much when he's not here, and he dunt think 'bout what he says or does. Adam, our baby brother is a good boy ya know," Hoss explained.
" Thank you Hoss, and I know he's a good boy. I'll try even harder with that little rascal. He sure is a special little imp !" Adam declared. " Oh, ain't that the truth ? Hey, dunt know 'bout you, but I'm hungry. Let's go and see if Hop Sing has lunch ready !" Hoss suggested.
" Lunch ready," Hop Sing announced as soon as Adam and Hoss walked into the house. " Talk about perfect timing," Adam declared.
" I'll go get little brother. He's gotta be starving by now," Hoss said as he started up the stairs.
As Hoss looked at the sleeping little boy, who still had his thumb in his mouth, looking like a perfect angel, that Hoss hated to wake up his little brother, but he didn't want the child sleeping all day, or he wouldn't be sleepy at bedtime that night.
" Hey Punkin, time ta wake up fer lunch," Hoss said as he gently shook the boy. Little Joe slowly opened his eyes, yawned and looked at Hoss and smiled.
" Hi Hoss. I'm hungry !" the boy announced. " Hi yerself. I'm happy yer hungry, cuz Hop Sing has lunch ready and it sure does smell good," Hoss told his baby brother.
Once Hoss got Little Joe dressed, he wanted to carry him downstairs and over to the diningroom table, where he put Little Joe in his chair.
" Did you have a good nap little buddy?" Adam asked, as he smiled at the little boy who was still yawning and rubbing hs eyes. " Uh huh, and I'm hungry too," Little Joe replied as he smiled back at Adam. " Good boy," Adam added.
Hop Sing brought in some vegetable beef soup and chicken sandwiches for the boys. " This looks wonderful Hop Sing," Adam said as he poured a glass of milk for Little Joe.
" You all eat now," Hop Sing suggested. " We sure will Hop Sing," Hoss replied as he took a big bite of his sandwich.
Hop Sing happily went back out to the kitchen while ' his ' boys ate their lunch.
" My goodness little buddy, you really were hungry. Good boy. You ate all your sandwich, and soup, and you drank all your milk too. I'm so proud of you," Adam said as he smiled at his baby brother who had a big milk mustashe above his mouth.
" Oh, ain't he cute Adam?" Hoss said as he too looked at Little Joe. " Yes, he sure is, especially with his milk mustashe," Adam replied as he softly laughed.
Hop Sing returned to the diningroom with a plate of freshly baked cookies. As soon as he noticed that Little Joe had eaten all of his lunch, he smiled and said, " Little Joe very good boy. Eat all of lunch. That make Hop Sing very happy," Hop Sing proudly told the child, before adding, " Hop Sing like milk mustashe on little boy too."
" Thanks Hop Sing. Lunch was really yummy, and I was really hungry too," the child told Hop Sing as he reached for a cookie.
Later that afternoon while Hoss and Little Joe were playing checkers, and Adam was reading his newest book, Ben walked into the house.
" PAPA, PAPA, YER HOME !" Little Joe shouted as he ran over to Ben and he leaped into Ben's waiting arms. Ben held his young son tightly and he kissed the top of the child's curly head.
" Hi boys. It's wonderful to be home again. I have missed all of you so much," Ben said as he continued to hold Little Joe.
After Ben was able to sit down in his chair, he was still holding Little Joe, but in his lap now. Hop Sing had brought Ben a cup of fresh hot coffee and some cookies.
Litttle Joe looked at Ben and he put each of his small hands on both sides of Ben's face, and he took a deep breath and said, " Papa, I was a naughty boy when ya was gone. I busted that window by yer desk. I'm really sorry. I dunt need no tanning, cuz Adam dun already gave me one."
" You broke the window?" Ben questioned as he looked over at Adam, and Adam nodded back. Adam then went on to explain all about the window and everything that happened while he was gone.
" Well, it sounds like everything is back to normal again. You did a good job Adam. Little Joe, son, you need to learn how to control that temper of yours sweetheart. Hopefully next time you will. I won't punish you since you have already been punished," Ben explained. " Thank you Papa. I really will try ta be a better boy," the child replied. " That's all I ask baby," Ben said as he hugged his youngest son.
Little Joe was so happy to have his Papa back home again, that he wouldn't let Ben out of his sight. for the rest of the day.
After Little Joe had gone to bed for the night, Ben told Adam not to give chores that were too hard for Little Joe, and Adam said he wouldn't and that he had learned his lesson on that.
" I'm proud of you son. I know that when I have to leave the ranch on business, that your little brothers will be well taken care, as will the Ponderosa," Ben told Adam.
" Thanks Pa. I'm happy that you have that much faith in me, and I promise I will always do my best, especially with that baby brother of mine," Adam replied. " Thank you son," Ben said as he smiled at Adam.
The End.