WELCOME BACK, BIG BROTHER
By
Lynne C.

Adam was getting rather worried, but he was trying not to let it show.
Ben was away on a cattle buying trip, and Adam was in charge of the
ranch and of his two younger brothers. Hoss, at sixteen, was very
rarely any trouble, and he happily accepted that Adam was in charge.
Joe, however, at ten, was not as easy going, and he was still a bit
unsure about his feelings for his oldest brother, seeing as how Adam
had only just returned from four years, back east, at college.

When the trip was first discussed, Ben had been thinking about taking
Little Joe with him, but had changed his mind when faced with his
youngest's continuing bad behaviour. He was not prepared to risk
having his son getting into all kinds of mischief, while he was busy
negotiating for some new breeding stock.

"I'm sorry, Little Joe, but after this latest prank of yours, I have
decided that it will be best if you stay at home, with your brothers,
rather than accompany me, on my trip," said Ben, the day before he was
leaving. "I just won't have the time to be continually monitoring what
you are getting up to, as well as trying to buy cattle."

Joe blamed Adam for their father's change of heart, as it had been
Adam whom Joe had played the prank on, and the young man had told Ben
about what Joe had done.

"I hate telling tales, Pa," said Adam. "But what he did was very
naughty, and I don't want him thinking that he can get away with doing
things like that."

"You did the right thing, Adam," said Ben. "It isn't good for him to
get away with such pranks. Those boots of yours cost a lot of money
and he has probably ruined them, filling them up with mud, like he did."

"You are not wrong, Pa, when you say that they were expensive. Grandpa
Stoddard bought them for me, as a graduation present, and they were
hand made, to fit me, perfectly."

"Well, I have written to Captain Stoddard and asked him to have
another pair made for you, and I will, of course, pay for them, and
Joe is going to help you out, with extra chores, while I am gone, to
try and make it up to you, for what he did. And, if he doesn't toe the
line, you have my permission to punish him. Before you went away, I
wouldn't allow you to discipline Little Joe, as I felt that you were
too young to have to do so, but now you are twenty two and I think you
are old enough to deputise for me, when and if Joe needs it."

"All right, Pa, and thanks for having the faith in me to deal with Joe."

"I know that you will treat him, as I would, son," said Ben.

Adam did have some doubts about just how Joe was going to behave for
him, as he knew that the boy was angry over missing the trip, but he
tried to appear confident, as his father left.

"Goodbye, boys," said Ben. "And don't forget, you two, mind your big
brother while I'm gone, and no more pranks, do you hear?"

"Yessir, we hear," said Hoss, giving his father a bear hug.

"I hear, but I sure don't like it," said a rather sullen Joe.

Ben drew the boy into a hug, and kissed him on top of the head.

With a final handshake, Adam also said his goodbyes.

"All will be fine, here, Pa, so don't fret," said Adam, placing his
hands on Joe's shoulders. "We're going to get on, real fine, aren't
we, brothers?"

"We sure are," said Hoss, but Joe said nothing.

Once Ben left, the boys split up and went to do their chores, but as
soon as he could, Joe sought out Hoss.

"I wanna get back at our big brother, for snitching on me, and making
me miss the trip with Pa," he said to Hoss. "Will you help me?"

"Now, I don't really know about that, shortshanks. It was a mean thing
ya did, spoilin' Adam's boots like that, so I kinda think he was
within his rights tellin' Pa an' all."

"Thanks a lot," said Joe. "I thought I could count on you, to be on my
side. I remember you telling me, when Adam went away, that you would
always be here for me, and now, when I need your help, you're letting
me down. So much for caring `bout me."

"I do care about you, Joe, and that ain't fair of ya, to say that,"
said Hoss, hurt by Joe's words. "But, this ain't about carin', this is
about whether you were right ta mess up Adam's boots like ya did, and
I'm sorry, buddy, but I don't think you were."

"Okay, if you feel like, then I'll get Adam back, by myself," said Joe.

Adam was aware that Joe and Hoss were talking together, in the barn.

`I wonder what those two are plotting, now?' thought Adam, but he
didn't try to find out, as he knew that Joe was very good at evading
the question. `I'll try and talk to Hoss, when he's on his own, as
he's more likely to tell me.'

It wasn't until after Joe had gone to bed that Adam got his chance to
do so.

"Oh, nothin' much, Adam," said Hoss, not wanting to tell his older
brother that Joe was plotting his revenge.

"I don't like the idea of asking you to tell tales on Joe, but if he
is planning some mischief, it would be in his best interest not to try
and carry it out," said Adam. "And you would be doing him a big favour
if you can persuade him not to try anything, while Pa is away. Pa's
given me permission to punish Joe, if I see fit, and, rest assured, I
will, if he deserves it."

"Well, he's bin thinkin' about it," admitted Hoss. "But I did try and
get him to change his mind, and I told him he was wrong fer messin' up
your boots."

"Thanks for that," said Adam. "I know I was very angry about the
boots, but it was mainly because they were a present from my
grandfather, and that made them extra special."

"I know it did, and that's why I told him he was in the wrong," said Hoss.

Over the next couple of days, whenever he got the chance, Hoss talked
to Joe, and carried on trying to persuade him not to play any more
pranks on Adam.

"Why are you so keen to protect him?" asked Joe, one night, when Hoss
came into his room, to say goodnight.

"Because I know him to be the best big brother any fella could have,
and I want you to see him the way I do," said Hoss.

"But when he went away and I was so sad about it, you were cross with
him, too, least you said you were," said Joe.

"Well, I was, kinda, but I did understand, a mite better than you did,
why he was so keen ta go, cos I was a bit older than you," said Hoss.
"I knew, deep down, that he wasn't goin', cos he didn't wanna be with
us, but cos he needed ta go out in the world and see what was beyond
the Ponderosa, at least fer a little while. And then he'd be ready,
and happy, ta come back and be with us, agin. And while we're talkin'
`bout this, jest take a minute ta remember back ta why you were so mad
with him."

"I was mad with him, cos he was going away and leaving me, and I loved
him, a lot, and didn't want him to go," said Joe.

"Exactly, you loved him, a lot, and ya didn't want him ta leave you.
So, now he's come back, why do ya wanna make life unhappy fer him, and
fer yourself, by playin' pranks on him, all the time?"

"Cos he went away, and left me, and I missed him, a lot," said Joe.

"And so you think that playin' tricks on him, now that he's come back
to us, is a good idea, do ya? Doncha think it would be better if you
were nice ta him? That way he's more likely ta wanna stay. Iffen you
keep messin' with his stuff and makin' him mad, he's more likely ta
wanna leave, agin, than stay. Have ya even told him how glad you are
that he's back, yet?"

"Well, no, I guess I haven't," said Joe. "Hoss, do you really think
that Adam might leave, again, if I keep playing tricks on him?"

"Aw, shucks, shortshanks, I dunno, fer sure, but I do think you should
start bein' nicer. After all, he is a pretty good, big brother, ain't he?"

As Hoss spoke, Joe's eyes filled up with tears, as he remembered all
the nice things that Adam had done for him, particularly just after
Marie, his mother, had died. It was always Adam whom Joe turned to,
whenever he was upset, and Adam was always there for him, day or
night. That was why it had been so hard for Joe to deal with it, when
Adam had left for college.

"Yeah, he is," said Joe.

The next morning, Little Joe was up before either Hoss or Adam, and he
made his way down the back stairs, to talk to Hop Sing.

"I've got some money saved up, Hop Sing, cos I was gonna buy a new bit
and bridle for Shadow, but I want to try and get Adam's boots mended.
Do you know anyone who could fix `em, for him?"

"Hop Sing already work on boots. Empty mud, dry out very thorough, now
all they need is good polish, and they be fine."

"Are you sure, Hop Sing?" and the cook nodded.

"Only Adam thought they were ruined and Pa's written to Grandpa
Stoddard about getting Adam some more. If they only need a good
polish, maybe I can do them for Adam?"

"Hop Sing think little boy have good idea. You clean boots for number
one son, show him you are sorry, make Mistah Adam smile again, and no
more foolishment, okay?"

"Okay, Hop Sing," and before he had his breakfast, Joe polished up the
boots until they shone like new.

By the time Adam and Hoss arrived at the breakfast table, Joe was
already sat waiting for them.

"Morning, little brother," said Hoss.

"Good morning, Joe," said Adam. "Good to see you are up, as we have a
lot of work to get through, today."

"Yes sir," said Joe. "Actually, Adam, I've already done some work."

"Have you, Joe, and what might that be?"

Joe stood up, after retrieving the boots, from under the table, where
he'd hidden them.

"I was polishing these, for you," he said. "Hop Sing managed to clean
out all the mud, and I've polished `em until they look as good as they
did, when you got home. I did offer Hop Sing all the money I'd saved
up, to get them fixed for you, but he'd already done it, but I'd still
like to give you the money and you can spend it on something else
you'd like to have. I'm real sorry for playing that prank on you; it
was mean of me, and I don't rightly know why I did it, but I think it
might've been cos I was still a bit mad at you, for going away, like
you did, and leaving me, when I loved you and needed you, as much as I
did. But Hoss made me see that I should be nicer to you, so you'd be
so happy to be back, that you wouldn't wanna leave me, Hoss, Pa and
the ranch, ever again. So, that's what I'm gonna do, cos I am glad
you're back, really I am, and Hoss is right, you are the best big
brother any boy could ever have."

Adam, for once, was speechless. He just pulled Joe towards him, and
gave him a hug.

When he was able to speak, he agreed that the boots were as good as new.

"Joe, will you do me one more favour?"

"Yes, Adam, what is it?"

"Will you write a letter to Grandpa Stoddard and tell him there's no
need to get me any more boots made, as these ones are fine, again, and
tell him what you did, to get them that way?"

"Yes, of course I will," said Joe. "Here's the money, Adam."

Adam decided to take the money, as he felt that Joe would have been
offended if he hadn't. It didn't take the young man long to decide
what to do with it. He took Hoss and Joe out for a slap up meal at the
International Hotel. He even allowed Little Joe to have a small glass
of wine – watered down- with the dinner.

"Gentlemen, I propose a toast," said Adam, getting to his feet. "To
the Cartwright brothers, all for one and one for all."

"Here, here," said Joe.

THE END

Little Joe forever
Lynne
April 19th 2007

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