The month had been very hot with no relief in sight. The Cartwright family
had just finished with haying season and they were very happy that it was
finally finished. It had been one of the best hay crops ever for which the
family was very grateful for, but several other chores were put on hold
until the haying season was over.
As the family sat down to breakfast one morning Ben knew that his youngest son, twelve year old Little Joe wouldn’t be very happy with the chore that Ben was about to mention to him. “Joe when you finish your breakfast I want you to ride over to Rocky Creek pasture and finish putting the new fence rails up. I know that it is going to be another very hot day, but that fence line needs to be finished,” Ben finished explaining to his young son, who gave Ben a sick look. It was hard for Hoss and Adam not to laugh at the look on the boy’s face.
“But Pa, can’t it wait until it gets cooler and dunt Adam and Hoss have ta help out too? It ain’t fair ya know,” the boy complained. Ben looked at his son and slowly shook his head. “Son, don’t you remember you volunteered to do that job several weeks ago? You told me that you could do it without any help from your brothers, and now you act like you don’t remember?” Ben informed his son. The boy looked at Ben sheepishly.
“You know little brother both Hoss and I heard you tell Pa that you could more than handle that job. All the fence rails are waiting at the site so it’s not like you have to go and get them. All you have to do is nail them in place. It should take you maybe five or six hours to get it finished then you can have some time off”, Adam explained to his very unhappy looking brother. “Yup, just like big brother said Punkin,” Hoss added as he smiled at his little brother. The boy almost stuck his tongue out at his brothers, but decided against it as he didn’t want Ben to get angry with him.
Little Joe looked at his family and he knew they were just reminding him of what he had volunteered to do in the first place, but it was so hot that day and he didn’t really want to have to work in the heat like that. No, he wanted to go swimming and relax in the shade. The boy stood up and said, “Guess I better get goin’ then. See ya later if’n I dunt melt away.” With that said, the boy slowly headed towards the front door and left the house for the day.
After the boy left for the day, his family started to laugh. “That boy, what a little actor he is. I just love the things he says most of the time,” Adam said as he chuckled. Ben and Hoss agreed with Adam.
Little Joe worked hard and he wasn’t quite finished with the fence line. He figured maybe two or three more hours of work and it would be finished. He was very hot and he was starting to get a headache and he felt a bit dizzy too, so he decided that he was done for the day. He hoped that his father wouldn’t be upset with him for not finishing the fence that day.
“Ya know Coochie, let’s head over to Rocky Creek and get in the water. It is always nice and cool in summer. Whatcha think boy, should we head over that way?” the boy asked his pinto. Cochise whinnied at his young master and moved his head up and down. “Good boy Coochie,” the boy giggled. Little Joe leaped up on his pinto and off they headed towards the creek which wasn’t very far from where they were.
Once at the creek Little Joe took off his boots and socks, then he unsaddled Cochise and he also took off the pinto’s bridle, then the boy jumped in the cool water. “Oh this feels like heaven Coochie. Come on boy and get in the water and cool down,” the boy suggested.
Cochise walked into the creek and he laid down in the water and he whinnied which made Little Joe giggle. “Ain’t this great Coochie? What a great way ta cool down,” the boy told his pinto. After several minutes Cochise stood up, shook his body and he walked out of the creek and he started to graze on the green grass near the creek. Little Joe stayed in the water for several more minutes. He stood up and got out of the water. He was now very sleepy so he laid down on the grass under a large pine tree and he quickly fell asleep feeling nice and cool as there was a breeze blowing on him.
Back at the ranch house, Ben, Adam and Hoss were relaxing in the living room as the house was nice and cool. Ben looked at the grandfather clock, stood up and opened the front door and he could feel the heat of the day. He closed the door again and he looked at his sons.
“I’m getting worried about Little Joe being in this heat. I hope he isn’t getting over heated. I probably should have kept him home today and had him wait until it was cooler day to do that fence work,” Ben nervously stated.
Both Adam and Hoss looked at Ben and they felt the same way. “Pa want me to go and get him and bring him home?” Hoss asked. “If you don’t mind son. I’d feel better knowing he was home and out of the heat,” Ben replied. “I’ll come with you Hoss,” Adam added. They soon left to get their little brother.
Once they reached Rocky Creek pasture they were surprised that their little brother wasn’t there, but they could see how much work he had done that day. “Wonder where Short Shanks got off too?” Hoss asked as he looked around for the boy in question.
“Maybe he rode over to Rocky Creek. Let’s go and check over that way,” Adam suggested. They headed off towards the creek hoping to find the missing boy.
Once they arrived at the creek they sat there on their horses smiling at the sleeping form of their little brother and his pinto who was lying next to the boy. “Adam, ain’t that just the cutest sight?” Hoss lovingly said as he smiled at the sleeping boy. “Yup it really is Hoss. What a pair those two make,” Adam replied as he and Hoss got off their horses. Cochise stood up and he walked back to the creek to get a drink of water. Sport and Chubb soon joined the pinto at the creek so they too could get a much needed drink of cool water.
“I tell you Hoss, little brother can go to sleep anywhere,” Adam said as he continued to smile at the sleeping boy. “You can say that brother, Hoss agreed. “What do we do now, wake him up or what?” Hoss asked. “Well I know what I’m going to do. I’m going to take my boots off, pick up little brother and put him and me in that cool water that is calling out to me,” Adam suggested. “Hey that’s sounds like a great idea big brother,” Hoss replied as he too sat down and took off his boots, while Adam stood up and he carefully picked up Little Joe and he walked to the creek and sat down in the cool water with Little Joe still in his arms. Hoss joined them.
Little Joe woke up with a start as he found himself in the water and in Adam’s arms. “Hey whats you guys doin’ here?” The boy asked as he looked at his brothers. “Just though we would join you on this very hot day little brother. This water feels great!” both Adam and Hoss said at the same time.
“Sorry I dunt got all the fence done, but I was so hot and tired and I was gettin’ a headache and felt a little dizzy from the heat so Coochie and me came here and got in the water. You shoulda seen Coochie, he got in the water and laid down. It was so neat. He stayed in there for a few minutes then he got out and started ta graze. Then I got out of the water and went to sleep “, the boy explained as he grinned at his brothers. “We thought so”, Adam and Hoss teased as they started to laugh at the boy who still had that silly little grin on his face.
The brothers continued to lay in the cool refreshing creek. “Have you guys ever dun this before on a hot day?” Little Joe asked as he was curious if his brothers had ever done this before. “Yes, many times. If we were working in the yard then we would head down to the creek behind the house and lay in the water for a while. If we were closer to the lake or other creeks on the Ponderosa we did the dame thing. It is a great way to cool down especially if there is a nice breeze blowing, and then you feel even cooler,” Adam told the boy.
“We sure are lucky ta live here where there is lots of water fer coolin’ down, huh?” Little Joe commented. “Yes, we are little brother. Well said,” Hoss replied.
“I think I’m going to get out of the water now and start to get dried off before heading back home,” Adam said as he got out of the water. Once he was under the large pine tree he laid down on the grass and closed his eyes. Hoss soon joined him while Little Joe continued to lay in the water. Several minutes later the boy joined his brothers on the grass. He laid down on his stomach and went to sleep. All three Cartwright brothers were sleeping under the tree in the shade.
Around two hours later Adam woke up as he was starting to feel a little chilly. He looked up at the sky and he noticed that there were very angry storm clouds gathering, plus he also noticed that the wind was really starting to pick up too. He first woke up Hoss then they both got Cochise saddled and bridled before having the fun of trying to wake up their little brother.
“Wake up little buddy, we need to head for home now. There is a big storm brewing so we need to get home before it hits,” Adam explained as he continued to wake up the boy, who finally opened his eyes and started to yawn over and over and over. “Whacha say Adam?” the boy mumbled as he tried to focus in on his oldest brother who was smiling back at him. “I said, we need to get home because there is a big storm brewing and we don’t want to get caught in it. Cooch is saddled and ready to go, so if you’re ready to get up now, but if you’re not ready to get up yet I’ll have to put you on your horse”, Adam explained as he slowly shook his head. Sometimes he thought, there was no figuring out that baby brother of his.
“Ok’ ok I’m gettin’ up now. Hey my whole front is still wet!” the boy noticed as he touched the front of his body. “That cuz you were laying on your front side Punkin”, Hoss laughed. “Yeah I guess so. Oh well let’s go,” the boy suggested as he leaped up on Cochise and headed off towards home. “That boy!”, both Adam and Hoss said at the same time. They were now riding to catch up with their little brother.
“I wonder where the boys are.” Ben said as he looked at the grandfather clock, realizing that Adam and Hoss had left home four hours ago to go and bring their little brother home. Hop Sing who had just brought Ben a nice cold glass of lemonade reminded Ben that he had told them if they wanted they could go to the lake and go swimming.
“That’s right Hop Sing, I guess I forgot about that,” Ben told Hop Sing, who smiled back at Ben. “Boys be home soon. It look like big storm coming. Sky look very angry, and it getting cooler and very windy,” Hop Sing told Ben. They need the rain badly, but not thunder and lightning. That could cause forest fires and since it had been so hot and dry for the last two months, that’s the last thing they wanted.
Ben now concerned about what Hop Sing has just told him, he got up and went to the front door, opened it and he walked out onto the porch with Hop Sing joining him. Ben was very surprised at how the day had changed. He was now worried and he hoped and prayed that no trees would be struck by lightning, and he too hoped that his sons would make it home before the storm hit.
Ben and Hop Sing went back in the house and started to open all the windows in the house to let in the cooler fresh air. It was very comfortable in the house, but fresh air would be gladly welcomed.
Once the boys arrived home they took their horses in the barn and took care of them. As they started for the house the rain started to pour down heavily. “Oh boy its rain’. Yippy!” Little Joe shouted as Ben walked out on the porch to greet his sons. “Looks like you made it home just in time,” Ben mentioned. “Yes, we sure did Pa,” Adam replied.
The family went into the house except for the youngest son. Little Joe loved the rain and he was so happy it was pouring down he went out in the yard and stood in the rain. It felt wonderful to him.
Back in the house the family noticed that they were missing the baby of the family. “Where did your little brother go? I thought he came in the house with us,” Ben said as he looked around the room. “I thought he did too,” Adam added as he too looked around the room. Hoss went to the front door and looked in the yard and there he saw his little brother just standing out there in the rain not caring about anything. “Pa, Adam, come look, I found little brother in the yard,” Hoss said as he laughed. Both Adam and Ben were surprised but not truly shocked at what they saw. After all, this was Little Joe and nothing this boy did was really a surprise.
“Little Joe, what in the world are you doing standing in the rain like that?” Ben shouted as he just looked at his young son. The boy turned around and gave his family that silly little grin and said, “Just enjoyin’ the rain is all Pa. Ain’t it wonderful?” “Yes son, it’s wonderful, but you need to come in and get changed into some dry clothes as dinner is just about ready,” Ben suggested. “Ok,” the boy sadly replied as he really wanted to stay out longer in the rain.
The rain continued to pour down for about two hours before the thunder and lightning began. “Thank goodness the thunder and lightning held off so the rain could really soak everything,” Ben happily said. “Yes it is Pa. We got very lucky this time. So now if the lightning hits the trees we won’t have to worry about fires,” Adam said with much relief in his voice.
“Little Joe, I forgot to ask you if you finished the fence line yet?” Ben asked. “Sorry Pa, but I got so hot and was gettin’ a headache and I was startin’ ta feel a bit dizzy too so Coochie and me headed off to the creek ta cool down. I’m really sorry Pa. Please dunt be mad at me. I promise I’ll get it done. It should only take about an hour or so ta get it all done,” the nervous boy explained as he gave Ben his most innocent look that always melted Ben’s heart.
“That’s fine son. That was a good idea you had to get cooled down. Are you feeling alright now?” Ben asked with a lot of concern in his voice. He had no idea that his son actually felt ill from the heat. “I’m fine Pa, just a little tired is all”, the boy replied as he yawned.
The storm continued all night long which made sleeping very hard. Little Joe was scared as thunder storms were very scary to him. He had pulled the covers over his head and his pillow too, but that didn’t stop the sound of the thunder that seemed to shake the entire house.
The next morning as the family sat down for breakfast the rain continued to come down hard and the day was cold. Little Joe ate most of his breakfast just to please his father. The boy stood up and announced, “Pa I’m headin’ out now ta finish up the fence now. See ya!” as he headed towards the front door.
“Joseph just wait a minute, I’d rather you stayed in today with the weather the way it is. The fence can wait for a dry day. I don’t want you getting all wet and cold, and since your brothers already did all the morning barn chores, you can just relax for the day,” Ben explained to his young son.
“Ah Pa, I love bein’ in the rain so I really dunt mind,” the youngster replied back as he gave his father a big grin. Hoss and Adam just looked at each other and slowly shook their heads. They decided that they just couldn’t figure out their little brother at times.
Thinking fast of another suggestion to keep the boy indoors he finally suggested this to the boy. “Son you wouldn’t want Cochise standing out in that cold wet rain while you work on the fence now do you? I don’t think he would be very happy about that.” Ben hoped that this idea would work.
With the look of horror on his face, the boy responded “OH NO! I could never do that to Coochie!” So with that said the boy took off running towards the door and he raced out to the barn. He couldn’t run very fast as the yard was full of wet slippery mud and he didn’t want to fall down and end up all muddy.
“JOSEPH GET BACK HERE AND PUT YOUR JACKET ON! Ben shouted as he walked over to the door and looked towards the barn. It was raining so hard that it was almost impossible to even see the barn, so he closed the door and walked to the table to finish his breakfast. “That boy!” “Gotta love him Pa!” Hoss stated. They all agreed to that statement.
By the time Little Joe made it to the barn he was soaking wet but he didn’t care, all he wanted to do was talk to his beloved pinto. “Hey Coochie we get ta stay indoors taday cuz it’s rainin’ so hard, but as soon as we have a dry day we’ll go back and get that fence done. So for the next couple of hours Little Joe groomed the love of his life which both horse and boy thoroughly enjoyed.
The end.