Of One Man’s Blood

By Debbie B

DLB1248@aol.com

“Got’em?”

“Yeah, I got’em, hand me the bottle.”

The boy tried to jerk free but the arm around his neck only tightened, nearly choking off his air supply.

“Might as well stop strugglin’, kid. Ya gonna drink this stuff, like it or not,” growled the man as he gave his arm a little jerk to reinforce his words.

The boy grasped the man’s thick arm with both of his hands and tried to yank the arm free from his neck.

“I said, hold still, ain’t gonna do no good to fight. Now open ya mouth,” the man said as he pressed the lip of the bottle to the boy’s mouth.

Joe Cartwright tried twisting his head away from the offending bottle but with no luck. “I ain’t gonna drink that stuff,” he grunted through gritted teeth.

“Like hell ya ain’t,” the man holding the bottle of whiskey announced as he forced the bottle between Joe’s lips and tipped the whiskey bottle up until the liquid began flowing into Joe’s mouth.

Joe had no other choice but to swallow the strong tasting liquid or drown in the whiskey. After several swallows, the man removed the bottle and laughed, giving Joe time to catch his breath.

“Now, that ain’t so bad, is it kid?” he laughed.

“Let me go,” growled Joe as he began struggling against the arm that remained clasped around his neck. Already Joe could feel his head begin to spin, partly from the foul tasting whiskey and partly due to the fact that the man refused to lessen his hold on him.

The bottle pressed against his lips for the second time and forced its way into his mouth. Joe had to gulp fast as the liquid poured freely. He thought he might choke on the brew before the man removed the bottle. Joe’s head spun, his vision had begun to blur. His stomach was churning and he feared that he might vomit. When at last he felt the man push against his mouth with the tip of the bottle, Joe felt the sting of tears in his eyes.

“No…please…no more,” he tried to plead but was cut off by the bottle being shoved between his bruised lips. Again, Joe was forced to swallow what remained in the bottle until the man was sure that the bottle was entirely emptied.

The laugher seemed far away to Joe who had begun to sway against the body of the man who held him. Joe’s knees felt like jelly and his arms dangled down to his sides. He burped and then giggled.

“He’s almost gone, hand me another bottle, Dave,” the man snickered.

Dave passed the second bottle to Sam and grinned at the expression on Joe’s young face. “Kid sure is gonna have one hell’va headache when he wakes up,” Dave said.

“A headache’s gonna be the least of his worries,” Sam said as he put the bottle to Joe’s mouth and tipped it upward.

The whiskey made a gurgling sound as it ran from the bottle into Joe’s mouth. Joe automatically swallowed, taking half the amount in the dusty old bottle before his knees gave way completely and he lapsed into unconsciousness.

“Guess he’s gone,” laughed Sam. “Drank more than what I would’ve thought he could,” he laughed again.

Sam handed the bottle back to Dave and quickly scooped Joe’s body up into his arms and carried him into the next room where he placed Joe on the bed.

“He ain’t gonna wake up for quite sometime, but I reckon, ya better go ahead and tie his arms and legs. Make sure ya strip him down to his long johns first. Boss said he wanted to check him over good, afore that buyer gets here,” ordered Sam.

“When’s he getting here?” Dave asked as he began removing Joe’s clothes.

“Couple’a hours, the boss should be here in a few minutes. If the buyer likes what he sees, he’ll take the kid tonight, and by the time that the boy wakes up and remembers his name, he’ll be so far away from here, he won’t ever get back,” laughed Sam.

“Guess we was lucky we spotted’em when we did yesterday on the wharf with his pappy. Boss sure ‘nough was takin’ with him,” said Dave as he tossed Joe’s pants into the trash.

“Well, hell, look at’em, he’s a right good lookin’ kid,” stated Sam.

Joe’s clothes had been removed and Joe lay bare-chested with nothing but his long john bottoms covering him.

“He sure is purty, that’s for sure. I sorta feel sorry for what’s gonna happen to’em,” milled Dave.

“Yeah, well, we can’t think about that. This here boy ain’t just one of the run of the mill kids, he’s quality. I seen that right off, when I spied his papa and the way they was dressed. Boy should bring a right high price,” Sam figured. “Probably a couple’a thousand dollars.”

“That much?” Dave seemed surprised.

Sam casually lifted the front band of Joe’s long johns and chanced a quick peek. “Hmm,” he said.

“What?” Dave barked, as he leaned down, doing the same thing. “Whew,” he allowed the air to whistle through his lips.

“Ain’t so bad for a kid,” smiled Sam. “How old ya reckon he is…seventeen, eighteen?”

“Don’t look that old, more like fifteen or sixteen to me,” Dave said at last.

After inspecting Joe’s wrists, which were tied to the bedposts and then his ankles, tied securely to the posts at the end of the bed, Sam grabbed the blanket at the foot of the bed and pulled it up around Joe and turned from their prisoner.

“Let’s hope he ain’t that young, boss could get in some bad trouble if’n he tried to sell flesh that young. Come on, let’s get something to eat before the boss gets here.” Sam led the way out of the room and closed the door after Dave had joined him in the other room.

Dave and Sam sat at the small wooden table enjoying their meager meal when they picked up on a thumping sound in the second bedroom. Sam started laughing.

“Guess that fella finally woke up. Come on, let’s take a peek.”

Both men rose to their feet and headed for the door. “Best be careful, he sure did put up a fight earlier. Ain’t like the kid, this ole boy was harder to take,” warned Dave.

“Yeah, but I bonked him good,” Sam snickered.

“Right, after he damn near broke my jaw!” sneered Dave.

Sam opened the door, surprised to see his other captive awake and glaring at him with dark eyes that warned him of the anger that brewed within the man. The raven hair captive yanked at the bounds that held him tied in the bed. He tossed his head from side to side in an effort to force the gag from his mouth.

Adam Cartwright was furious; he wanted nothing better than to free himself from his bounds and rip the sarcastic looking smirks off the faces of the two men who towered over him. He was cold too, all of his thrashing about on the bed had moved the blanket off his near naked body and nearly into the floor.

“Take it easy, mister, ya only gonna make matters worse,” growled Sam as he grabbed the blanket and started to cover Adam.

He hesitated briefly, and started snickering. He gave Dave a wicked little smile and a nod of the head. Dave giggled and moved to the opposite side of the bed, waiting to see what Sam was up too. Sam tossed the blanket in the air, spreading it across Adam’s body and letting the lower half of the blanket fall into place. The top portion he held in his hand and with his free hand he lifted the band of Adam’s long johns in the same matter that he had done the young boy’s.

“Whew…wee,” Sam snickered.

Dave followed Sam’s action and then raised his head, laughing. “Dang, the boss sure is goin’ to like this one, too. I ain’t never seen men so…well…so well endowed before, not in all the years I been snitchin’ men for the boss to sell. This one here’s a keeper, sure ‘nough,”

Sam glanced down at Adam as he dropped the edge of the blanket and let it cover Adam’s chest. Adam’s wrath shone in his dark eyes as he continued to glare at the pair. He grunted, trying to make his self understood but they only laughed at him.

“Calm down stranger. What boss’ got planned for you ain’t so bad,” Sam explained. “Where ya headed, you’ll have all the purty gals and all the free…well, just you never mind, you’ll be put to good use,” laughed Sam.

He turned to his friend, “Kinda wish I was goin’ where this here fella and that kid is headed.”

“Naw, not me…I ain’t got no hankerin’ to be down in them there islands, too damn hot to suit me, come on, I think I hear someone comin’,” said Dave as he glanced one last time over his shoulder at Adam before shutting the door.

Adam waited until the door was completely shut and then tried yanking on his ropes that held him down. How had he been so careless, he questioned himself? Had it not been for having to follow after his younger brother, none of this would have happened he scolded.

Adam stopped struggling and sighed deeply. It hadn’t really been his youngest brother’s fault; he couldn’t blame Joe for any of this. In truth, admitted Adam, it had been his fault, every bit of it. Hadn’t he been the one to suggest that the three of them take a stroll along the battery? Hadn’t his seventeen-year old brother been the one who advised against it, stating in the words of their father, ‘the battery at night is no place for three healthy, able-bodied young men to be’, Joe had warned he and Hoss. But Adam, older and supposedly wiser, had laughed and bragged about who would attempt to Shanghai the three of them, as long as they stayed together. Besides, Adam remembered laughing and winking at Hoss, he had told Joe that no one would dare once they set their eyes on their middle brother, for Hoss was an intimidating whale of a figure. Hoss had even joined in his joking and told Joe that if he was chicken, he could stay behind and wait for their father to return from his late night meeting and then be put to bed early like they knew Pa would do.

Joe had shrugged his shoulders, giving in to both brothers on the pretense that if anything happened to him, it would be on their shoulders, not his. They could stand before their father and explain what had happened and if they should be lucky enough to get away with it, all Joe would have to tell Pa was that he was forced into going along because what else could he do? Adam was left in charge and Pa had always made it clear to him that he was to always do as his older brother told him to do.

Adam couldn’t help but laugh, though his gag made it practically impossible. Joe had them both over a barrel. The kid was sharp; he’d give his baby brother that much.

Adam’s thoughts turned to other things. He wondered if Joe was okay for once the fight in the tavern they were passing, had broken out and spilled over into the street, he had lost sight of his youngest brother. Joe seemed to have vanished into thin air, and when he and Hoss had gone down separated streets looking for the boy, Hoss had vanished as well, and the next thing that Adam remembered were the two thugs in the other room jumping him from behind. He had gotten in one good punch to one guy’s chin before being clobbered over the head and knocked out cold. Everything after that had been a blur until he woke up and found himself tied in this bed and stripped of all his clothes but his long johns. He had no idea where his brothers were or if they had met with a similar fate or not.

Adam groaned; his father would never let him forget this, if he were to ever get back to his father. Adam shut his eyes, unaware that just on the opposite side of the wall lay his youngest brother, passed out cold from having been forced to drink his self into a whiskey induced stupor.

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

Boss entered the rundown shack and tossed his hat down on the table as he pulled out a chair. Dave had quickly poured their boss a cup of coffee and placed it in front of the brawny man.

“Ya gonna like what we got for ya today, Sal,” smiled Dave.

Sal’s face cracked with a smile as he took a swig of coffee. “Did ya get me that kid?”

“Sure did Sal,” Sam jumped in to say. “And we got another fella. He’s a bit older than most we usually get, but ya gonna like’em. I have an ideay, he’s gonna make ya some fine dollars. That buyer is gonna get rich when he starts producin’ offsprings. If’n I was ya, I think I’d be askin’ for a percent,” suggested Sam.

Sal gulped down his coffee, his eyes never leaving Sam’s face. “He’s that good, is he?”

“Sure is,” laughed Dave.

Sal pushed back his chair and stood to his feet. “Then let’s take a look.”

Sal followed Sam and Dave into the side room where they had Adam bound and gagged on the bed. Sal stepped up to the bed and grabbed the lone blanket that covered the oldest Cartwright son. A smile broke the stern expression on his face when he spied the body hidden beneath the cover.

“Not bad,” Sal grinned.

Adam’s eyes had followed the threesome into the room. One man was a stranger and Adam could tell just by the way that the man presented himself, that here was the boss. He fought against cringing when the new arrival jerked the blanket from his body and then again when the man carelessly lifted the band of his long handles and inspected his groin area. Anger fueled by his humiliation turned his eyes red and his nostrils flared, as his breathing became deeper.

“Not bad, he should do just fine. I haven’t seen a specimen like him in a very long time. He should breed well, now, what else have you got for me?”

Sal dropped the blanket and let it fall where it willed. He walked, without so much as a backward glance at Adam, from the room and into the smaller room across the hall.

Joe was still out cold. He had not even moved and as Sal pulled the blanket from around his still form, he smiled. He tossed the blanket into the floor and sat down on the edge of the cot next to Joe.

“Get out,” he ordered the other two men, his eyes never leaving Joe’s face.

When he heard the door shut, he glanced over his shoulder to be sure that he was alone with the boy. With the tenderness of any loving parent, Sal gently ran his fingers through the thick dark curls, moving to tenderly caress Joe’s cheek. He allowed his fingertips to trace the outline of Joe’s lips, his tongue moving across his own as his fingers retraced the boy’s for the second time.

Gently, as if afraid to wake the boy, Sal pulled opened the band of Joe’s long johns and stared in open-mouthed wonder at the boy’s private parts. Quickly he stood, brushing his hand across his face to wipe away the tiny beads of moisture that had begun to bead on his forehead and grabbed the blanket, spreading it across the unconscious boy.

He walked to the window and opened it just enough to allow a small breeze to filter in to the room. He could smell the salt air and hear the gulls and he sighed deeply. The buyer would be here any time. He would sell both the boy and the handsome raven-haired man for a goodly sum and then be on his way. This would be the last time that he would be forced into providing Harriman with men and boys for use on the man’s cotton and vanilla plantation down in the south Pacific islands. The very last time, for he was married now, he had a wife and life had turned out to be better than it had ever been before. Sal vowed not to let anything ruin his perfect life now, he was finished with this white slavery trade; he had made a small fortune and from now on, he would live a normal, decent life with his wife and little boy.

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

Ben paced the floor of his hotel room and glanced again at the time. It was nearly mid-night and he was fuming mad. He had expected his sons to be back long before now, he had the note in Adam’s neat handwriting to prove it. Ben grabbed the note again and reread the message to be sure he had not misunderstood. It was plain, Adam had said that they would be back early, probably even before he had finished with his meeting.

Ben opened the door and glanced down the hall, it was way past Joe’s bedtime, much too late for his brothers to have kept him out. He had warned Adam about the dangers of roaming the streets of San Francisco late night, especially along the waterfront, why anything could happen to them he reasoned. Ship’s captains were always on the lookout for healthy, strong men to help man their ships, and for sure, his three sons fit the bill.

Ben took a deep breath and shut the door. He would give the boys until morning, and if they had not returned by then, he would go to the local law enforcement office and speak with them.

Reluctantly, Ben stretched out on the bed and tried to get some rest. It was a long time in coming; his fear for his sons kept his thoughts foremost in his mind. “Adam, so help me, you had better have a good excuse for worrying me like this,” he mumbled to himself.

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

“I have two for you tonight, Mr. Harriman,” Sal said as he led the way through the house to the two rooms where his captives were being held. “One’s just a boy, but he looks strong, seems to appear to have worked hard at something. He’s feisty, and has a temper, but I’m certain he can be whipped into shape, if you get my meaning,” Sal said with a smirk across his face.

“Nothing wrong with a temper, as long as I’m the one controlling it,” laughed Mr. Harriman, “and you know me well enough to know, I’ve broken many men in my time, a boy poses no threat to me.” Mr. Harriman straightened his jacket and glared down at Sal. “What about the other fellow? I hope you did better with him than with the last man you claimed was ‘perfect’.”

Sal stopped in front of the door and twisted around to smile up at Harriman, who stood at least a foot taller and fifty pounds heavier. “Oh, you’re gonna like this guy. He’s about thirty, built like a brick wall, and well…well, let’s just say, I think even your breeders will like him. Nothing like keeping the women satisfied,” laughed Sal, hoping that his boss would think his little insinuations were funny.

“Open the door, you idiot and let’s take a look,” growled Harriman as he pushed his way into the room where Adam was being held.

Adam could see the two men as they entered. The one called Boss, or Sal rushed around the big man to stand close to the bed. Adam glanced from one to the other, tugging on his bound hands in a futile attempt to free himself.

“Calm down, Mister, we ain’t gonna hurt ya none,” Sal said and then jerked the blanket from Adam’s body.

Adam glared up at the two men but then fixed his eyes on the newcomer. He saw Harriman’s mouth twist into a crooked grin as his deep-set eyes took in every inch of his half naked body. Adam felt himself shiver when the man raised his longjohns and stole a glance at his private parts. The way that the man studied him, pressed his fingers around his biceps to test his strength and then stood back and smiled evoked such instant hatred in his heart that Adam found himself trembling.

“I’ll take him,” smiled Harriman. “He will do just fine. Put the chains on him and get him down to the docks and below deck. Make sure he can’t get away and you had better be careful that you’re not seen. Do you understand me?”

“Sure thing Mr. Harriman…hmm…about the price?” stammered Sal as he followed the larger man from the room.

“I want to see the boy first…is he in here?” Harriman stopped in front of the second door and pushed it opened. When he stepped inside, he went straight to the bed, without stopping and jerked the cover from the boy’s body.

Sal slipped silently up next to his buyer and watched the man’s face twist into a broad smile. “Ya like him?” he asked softly.

“Like him?” Harriman grinned as he pulled open the front of Joe’s longjohns. “Not bad, for a kid,” he smiled at Sal. “He will make the perfect house servant until he’s old enough to use for breeding.” Harriman turned, placing his hand down on Sal’s shoulder, “you out did yourself this time, Sal. How much do you want for the pair?”

“Well, I ain’t sure Mr. Harriman, what do you think they’re worth?” Sal had a figure in mind but was hesitant to voice his offer, lest Harriman think it too high.

Both men sat down at the table in the other room. Mr. Harriman reached inside of his coat and pulled out his wallet.

“How’s five thousand for the older fella and…say…twenty-five hundred for the kid?”

Harriman began pulling bills from his wallet, counting silently to himself. Sal tried not to show his pleasure, but Harriman, an observant man, saw past his cohort’s facade. Sal swallowed hard and tried to keep the smile from his face.

“I suppose that’s fair enough,” he said and stretched out his hand to receive the money. When Harriman placed the bills in Sal’s hand, Sal’s fingers quickly tightened around the money.

Harriman laughed, “Not so fast…half now, and the other half when they are safely loaded on my ship.”

“Oh, sure thing, Mr. Harriman, I’ll get my men to move them now,” Sal quickly replied.

“Good, I’ll meet you on the wharf in half an hour. I sail in one hour.” Harriman pushed back his chair and stood to his feet. “Be there!” he ordered and left.

Sal glanced quickly at the door where Harriman had left and grinned. Stuffing the handbills into his coat pocket, he hurried to the back door and called out to his men.

“Get the big fella first, keep him quiet and make sure you have those chains on properly this time. I can’t afford for him to get away,” Sal ordered and stood back while four seaworthy sailors entered into Adam’s room carrying shackles with them.

Sal watched from the doorway, the fight that went on inside the room. The dark headed man fought like a bear against the four seamen who were attempting to put the chains around his wrist and ankles. It took all four to hold Adam Cartwright down just to put the wrist chains on.

The second that Adam felt one rope loosen around his wrist, he had begun fighting. By the time that the second wrist was free, the four men knew that they had made a mistake in not putting the shackles around Adam’s ankles first. Adam swung out, his fist connecting with one man’s jaw. The man groaned, but kept on clinging to Adam’s left arm, twisting it behind Adam’s back.

Adam’s arm swung out again, this time his punch was blocked and instead he received a solid blow to his chin. Dazed, Adam shook his head while two men twisted his right arm behind him and upward. There was nothing more that Adam could do to protect him self, if he moved, the man would snap his arm as easily as if it had been a twig.

The iron bands clicked and Adam was defenseless. He lowered his head to the pillow, the fight gone for now. He lay, without a struggle and waited until the men had the shackles fastened about his ankles.

Adam was roughly hauled to his feet, the gag had slipped from his mouth during the short scuffle and the bandanna lay knotted around his neck. He glared at the man in front of him.

“I don’t know where you’re sending me, but rest assured I’ll be back, and when I do, you will be the first man I come looking for,” snarled Adam.

Adam doubled up; Sal’s fist had welded itself deeply into the pit of Adam’s stomach. His knees buckled and his legs gave out. Had it not been for the two sailors, Dave and Sam, holding Adam upright, he would have crumbled to the floor.

“Blindfold him and gag him, I don’t want anyone hearing you taking him out of here,” he told the two.

Sal waited until his men had Adam blindfolded and gagged. Adam could put up little resistance, the pain in his stomach had nearly caused him to vomit and only because of sheer determine had he been able to refrain. Now with the rag stuffed into his mouth, all his concentration would have to be focused on being able to keep the pain subdued and the hot tasting bile in his stomach. When Dave and Sam were ready to go, they half dragged, and half carried Adam from the house, going out the back and down the dark ally to keep from being seen.

Sal turned to Jock and Vennie, “Get the boy, he shouldn’t be any trouble. If he’s still out cold, just carry him, he doesn’t look like he weighs much. When you get him on the ship put the chains on him as well. Harriman has a special place down in the hull of the ship where he keeps his…guests…so no one sees them much. He’s a shrewd man, mean too when he doesn’t get things his way. His men won’t say anything to anyone, not even each other if they happen to find Harriman’s stash, they all know what happens to a man if he rats on the captain,” warned Sal.

“Better get going, times running out and I don’t want to make Harriman mad, get the kid.”

Jock and Vennie entered the room where Joe was still passed out on the bed. They grinned at each other as they worked at freeing Joe’s limbs from the ropes that held him tied to the four posters. When they finished, they took the blanket and rolled Joe up within its folds. Vennie, the larger of the two men, picked Joe’s body up and tossed him over his shoulder as easily as if Joe had been a sack of potatoes.

“Kid ain’t heavy at all,” laughed Vennie as he led the way out the door and down the same ally that Dave and Sam had used to take Adam to the ship.

“He don’t stand much of a chance, I sorta feel sorry for the kid. Most of the men that Harriman uses on that plantation of his, are lots bigger than this boy is. Take that big ox of a man we clobbered earlier, took half a dozen grown men just to knock that fella to the ground and then six more to put the chains on’em,” muttered Jock. “Ain’t never had to tackle one that big,” appraised Jock, following behind.

He hurried to catch up with Vennie, the blanket had slipped and Joe’s dark curls were showing. Jock tugged at the blanket to recover Joe’s head, looking about him to be sure that they weren’t seen.

Sal trailed behind, his mind going over the deal he had made. Seventy-five hundred dollars in one night, he was ecstatic, he would never have to work again. What with the small fortune he had made just in the last year, he could move away, take his small family and live in luxury. His dreams of being a gentleman rancher were on the verge of becoming reality and the anticipation was exhilarating. Sal rubbed his hands together; they had made it undetected to the wharf.

The mist had formed a shroud about the ship that swayed gently in the water. Long thick ropes held the ship at the dock, the gangplank stretched from the side of the ship to the wooden deck below. At the top of the long walkway, stood Harriman, and Sal hurried to follow Jock and Vennie. He stopped and waited as Harriman spoke with Jock and Vennie and then turned and issued orders to one of his own men. Harriman picked up the corner of the blanket and studied Joe’s face briefly before waving them on. As the big man turned to face Sal, he smiled and had no one ever suspect him of anything vile, he would have appeared a most charming gentleman. But Sal knew different, the man was wicked.

“Here’s the rest of your money Sal. Thanks, I really didn’t think you’d be able to fulfill your promise to me. I tossed in an extra thousand dollars,” Harriman said, and then almost burst out laughing at the expression on the smaller man’s face.

Sal’s mouth dropped opened, “Th…thank you, Mr. Harriman,” he stuttered.

“You deserve it, my good man. I think those two you found for me are the most promising of all. They should make me a rich man,” beamed Harriman as he shook hands with Sal.

Dave and Sam, Jock and Vennie returned from below deck where they had deposited their cargo and joined their boss. Harriman tipped his hat to the group and as soon as the five had made their way down the plank to the dock, he ordered that the gangplank be raised and that the ship be prepared to sail.

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

Far below the upper deck, Adam slowly regained consciousness. His head throbbed from where one of the men had struck him and knocked him out. He had fought with what strength he could, which had been next to nothing. There wasn’t much that he could do, not with his hands chained behind his back and running was impossible with shackles. But when he had seen the long row of stalls which had been built in the ship’s hull, one that the men were forcing him into, he had found that hidden determination and had fought back, knowing all along that the four brawny sailors would eventually win the battle.

The stall was nothing more than four thick walls and a ceiling, built from solid oak. It was narrow, barely wide enough for a man to turn around in, and hardly long enough for a grown man, especially a tall man, to stretch out in. There were no windows, or peepholes, only the heavy door, that once closed, sealed the tiny room entirely. The only space that opened, was a narrow slit at the base of the door where food could be passed inside and out. Within, it was dark and damp, stale straw had been tossed in the floor for sleeping on, an old tattered blanket lay in the other corner and an old pot sat in the furthest corner from which the stale odor of urine emitted. There was no need for Adam to wonder what the pot was used for.

Adam pushed himself into a sitting position, surprised to find that his hands had been unchained and then chained again, in front of him this time. He could barely see his hands in front of his face; it was that dark. He rubbed the back of his head and then inched his way to where he believed the door was. It took several minutes for his eyes to adjust to the dark but after awhile he was better able to see his surroundings.

“Hello?” he called and waited.

“Is anyone there?” he called again after several moments.

No other sound could be heard, but one and Adam wasn’t sure exactly what it was. He pressed his ear against the thick boards and shut his eyes tightly, focusing all of his attention on the strange noise that sounded as if it were coming from the opposite side of the ship’s sectioned off hull.

The noise continued for several moments and then the undeniable sound of another human being, coughing, reached Adam’s ears.

“Hello, can you hear me?” Adam whispered loudly, afraid that the men who had taken him as their prisoner might hear him and return.

Adam could hear nothing now except a soft whining sound and then, there it was again, the odd noise, someone was retching! Adam could barely make out the sound of the moans for they were faint but then began to grow in volume as the horrible retching sound continued. Someone was mighty sick, determined Adam, mighty sick. His heart went out to the individual for the ship had begun to sway back and forth and he was beginning to feel a little nauseous himself.

“Hang on friend, you’ll get used to it,” Adam said as he leaned his back against the thick boards and buried his face in his hands.

As badly as he felt for the man, there was nothing he could do to ease the man’s suffering. Time and time again Adam was subjected to the sickening sounds of the individual as that person vomited repeatedly. The in between times were nearly as pitiful as the retching, for the person moaned and groaned over and over again. At one point Adam could have sworn that the man was weeping, and then the person began mumbling inaudibly words that he could not understand.

Adam tried to force his thoughts on different things, such as his brothers and what had happened to them. Had Hoss found Little Joe, had they managed to make it safely back to the hotel, and what about his father? Had Ben began searching for him? Had he notified the authorities? When in God’s name was that poor soul going to stop being sick?

Adam pressed his fingers to his temples and rubbed vigorously. Dear God, how much more can that man endure, he questioned himself. He was hot, and thirsty, and feared for the individual who surely by now had vomited up his insides. Adam knew that the man would soon become dehydrated if he were not given water.

The sound ceased at long last and Adam breathed deeply. He turned so that he could press his mouth against the tight fitting boards.

“Hello, can you hear me? Are you still sick?” he called out.

The only response was the groaning, as if the person were in pain.

“Are you injured?” Adam said, raising his voice to just above a whisper.

“Ohhh…my head…hurts,” the muted reply came in a voice so low that Adam found it hard to understand.

“What’s made you ill?” Adam called.

Nothing more came from the stall on the opposite wall. It had grown quiet down below and Adam gave up trying to talk to the individual and closed his eyes. It wasn’t long before he had fallen to sleep, his body swaying with the gentle roll of the ship.

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

Joe groaned; he felt as if his stomach had turned inside out. He was groggy, unsure of where he was and what had happened to him. His head pounded and he sat up, rubbing his temples to ward off the stabbing pain. His chains rattled, bringing his eyes downward in horror at the cuffs and shackles that had been fastened about his wrists and his ankles. Joe’s eyes widened, fear engulfed his body and he began to tremble.

“PA!” he screamed just seconds before the darkness over came him and he slipped back into his world of oblivion once more.

Adam’s eyes popped opened, his head raised from his arm where it had been supported as he lay on the foul smelling straw, sleeping. He listened intently, for he could have sworn that Joe had just called out for their father. Adam rubbed the sleep from his eyes and shook his head to clear the fogginess that clouded his thinking. He scooted up to the thick boards and tried to peer between the cracks, but nothing was visible in the darkness that blinded his vision.

Adam was just about ready to lay back down when the sound of the door at the top of the steps opened, allowing thin layers of sunlight to momentarily shine down into the darkened hull.

“Put him in the pen, and you damn well better be sure he can’t break those chains again. The man’s an ox and just as strong, too,” shouted one of the men.

Adam listened as they struggled to haul whom ever it was, down the steep stairs and into the stall next to his. Adam heard the thud as the prisoner landed on the floor of the ship and heard when the man grunted. The door creaked as it was shut and Adam listened while the lock was fastened, sealing the newcomer’s fate inside.

“Hey!” shouted Adam.

“Shut up in there!” shouted a man on the opposite side of the thick oak wall.

“I’m thirsty, when can I have some water?” Adam chanced to ask.

The man glanced at his companions as if pondering the thought.

“The man on the other side, he’s been sick…if he hasn’t any water either, he’ll die. I wouldn’t think that the new owner would like that much,” Adam said in a voice that revealed nothing of the inner turmoil he was feeling.

“I suppose you’re probably right. I’ll send one of my men down with food and water. Now you just keep your mouth shut, do you hear me?” shouted the guard.

“I hear you,” muttered Adam, smiling to himself. He had to think of a plan, he had to get out of here, one way or the other, or die trying, he told himself.

He waited until he was sure that all the men had left before moving against the wall where the newcomer had been locked.

“Hey, you okay in there?” he called, hoping that the man on the other side was conscious by now.

Adam heard the man groan and then scoot around.

“You awake?” he questioned.

“Oh lordy, my head’s ahurtin’ somethin’ fierce,” groaned the man on the other side.

Adam hesitated, stunned at the choice of words and the sound of the familiar voice. “Hoss?” he whispered.

“Yeah, how’d ya know?” Hoss whispered in return, rubbing the back of his head with his opened palm.

“It’s me Hoss, Adam!” Adam almost shouted.

“ADAM?” Hoss yelled and moved closer to the wall.

“What are you doing here? Where’s Little Joe, is he with you?” Hoss said.

“They hit me over the head and took me to some house, tied me to the bed and striped me down to my long johns. Some man came in and inspected me like I was an animal used for breeding and then the next thing I knew, I woke up in here, chained. I haven’t seen Joe since that fight on the street, what about you?”

“I ain’t seen Little Joe either, not since we got separated. Lordy, Adam, ya don’t reckon they waylaid him as well, do ya?” Hoss asked, suddenly more worried than before about his younger brother.

“I don’t know, Hoss, all I know is that we’re on some ship, headed for God only knows where,” Adam explained.

“Some where to an island, from what I heard tell. Some big plantation owner has a cotton plantation and needed workers to run the place for him. I heard tell he keeps slaves, black and white and that he deals with breeding them and sells off the young’ons when theys old enough,” Hoss told his brother.

“Great,” muttered Adam.

“What’s wrong, Adam?” Hoss asked, hearing the dread in his older brother’s voice.

“I heard a couple of the men talking, one of them mentioned that the big man could get rich with the offsprings I could sire. Guess I know what I’m expected to do,” groaned Adam, not the least bit looking forward to being used as a stud service for slave women.

“Oh Adam, what are goin’ do?” Hoss inquired.

“Nothing right now, pal. Shh…they’re comin’ back, don’t let on Hoss, that we’re brothers, they could use that against us,” Adam ordered quickly, just as the sound of the men returning, cut off the rest of his sentence.

“Okay, you in there, here’s some water and grub,” the guard slid the tray through the opening at the bottom of the door.

“Thanks,” Adam called, “when are we going to get out of here?”

“You’re not, you’re to stay where ya are until the Captain has a chance to come down and talk with ya, so don’t go trying somethin’, either of ya, cause if’n ya do, he won’t hesitate to hurt ya, or worse,” instructed the guard. “Ya got a long way to go, mister, don’t make it any harder on ya self than necessary,” suggested the man.

“Thanks for the warning, I’ll remember that. Say, what’s your name?” Adam questioned.

“Hank, Hank Sorrows, spelled just like it sounds too,” he laughed.

“Here’s your tray, big boy,” Hank said and pushed Hoss’ tray through the opening. “Eat up, ain’t much, but it’ll keep ya from stravin’ to death.”

“What about the other man?” Adam asked.

“Don’t worry mister, I’ll take care of him. Captain paid a pretty price for you and the kid, he don’t want nuthin’ to happen to either of ya,” Hank explained.

Adam could hear the guard move away and from the echo of his footsteps, Adam knew that the guard named Hank, had crossed to the other side and was unlocking the cubicle where the sick man had been placed. Adam pressed his face against the boards, a tiny slit between the tight fitting timbers, allowed him a narrow, thin peephole.

“Whew!” Adam heard Hank exclaim loudly. “Get some light over here!” he ordered another man.

The man quickly brought the lantern over to Hank and held it up in the air, permitting a bright light to shine within the cubicle of the man on the opposite side. Both Hank and the man with him had their backs to Adam, blocking his view of the ill man.

“Get someone to help you get this man out of here and get him and this stall cleaned up. The boy’s vomited everywhere,” ordered Hank, heading for the stairs. “The Captain will be down here in an hour to see his guest, I want that boy cleaned up, now get busy!” Hank stomped up the stairs, mumbling to himself.

“What’s happenin’?” whispered Hoss.

“They’re dragging that fellow out, he’s been sick and must have made quite a mess…shh…” warned Adam as he continued watching through the little crack in the boards.

“Get ahold of his shackles and pull him out!” shouted the second guard to his helper.

Adam could see the helper bending down and knew that he had grasped the prisoner’s chains. He could see the sick man being dragged from his stall and saw that the man, like himself had been stripped of all his clothes but his long johns. The pitiful moaning sounds that the man made tugged on Adam’s heart. He knew that being sick, especially on a swaying ship could only add to the man’s discomfort.

“God, he stinks,” groaned the guard, “help me get him to his feet.”

Adam could see the two men trying to pull the man up, but the man was either so weak or unconscious that he was unable to stand on his own. Adam could not see the man’s face, but gathered from his size, that the man was young. The thought brought to mind, his youngest brother Joe, and Adam briefly wondered about the boy’s safety.

“The guy’s so sick, he can’t even stand on his own two feet, Hoss,” Adam whispered. “Oh my God!” he suddenly muttered.

“What?” Hoss muttered. He too, had pressed his face against the boards of his stall but could not see a thing.

“They’re hanging him up by his wrist chains and stripping him,” whispered Adam, watching and rapidly getting angry at the heartless treatment of the sick man. Still, Adam could not see the man’s face or his features. What did catch his attention, was the mass of thick dark curls.

“Get some water, we need to douse this kid to get the stench off him,” ordered the guard.

His helper momentarily disappeared, returning with two buckets of water. He poured the first bucket over the man’s head and then laughed when the boy began sputtering and then trying to jerk free.

Adam watched in horror as the man twisted his body, his hands held prisoner high over his head by the chains that had been looped around a hook, hauling the man upward until only his toes touched the floor. The second bucket of water was poured over his head and Adam was forced to turn away when he heard the piteous whining sounds that the man made.

“No…please…no more…its cold,” whimpered the man.

“Too bad, kid, that’s what ya get for puking all over ya self,” laughed the guard. “Get more water, Moe, the kid needs a good dousing,” he laughed.

Adam’s eye found the peephole once more and watched as the third and then forth bucket of water was tossed at the man. Adam could now see the shivering body and the moans continued to reach his ears.

“They tryin’ to kill that fella?” Hoss whispered.

“Freeze him to death I think…hey, listen, I can see someone…it’s the Captain…shh,” Adam said.

“Well, well, well, what have we here?” Harriman asked, inspecting the boy who hung naked for all eyes to see.

Harriman had changed from his business suite to his Captain’s uniform and though Adam had taken an instant dislike to the man, he could not help but admire the striking figure that the Captain imposed.

Capt. Harriman carried a walking stick in his right hand, and tapped it loudly on the floor as he walked in circles, surveying his subject.

“I will forgive you, this…this mess…being as how those idiots forced you into getting drunk,” the Captain stated, his voice commanding in tone. “But from now on, you will refrain from puking all over my ship, do you understand?” he demanded of the young man.

Harriman stood directly in front of the swinging man, who could barely hold his head up to look at the captain.

“What’s your name, boy?” Capt. Harriman inquired.

The man refused to answer, as the captain walked slowly around to the man’s backside, where he could not be seen. “I asked you a question,” Harriman growled.

“Go to hell,” whispered the young man.

Adam inhaled deeply, shocked at the young man’s daring attitude.

Harriman laughed loudly, “My, my, you do have gall, young man. But I will soon break your bad habits…you see I am in command here. You will, at all times, do exactly as I say or…you will suffer the consequences. Do I make myself clear?”

Harriman paused, giving the boy time to answer. When no response was forthcoming, Adam groaned inwardly as he witnessed the captain rear back his hand and with the end of his walking stick, strike the young man across his lower back.

The boy screamed out in pain, his body jerked and quivered, spinning around to where Adam could plainly see the tortured look that had imprinted itself onto the boy’s face. Adam’s heart skipped a beat; his air expelled from his lungs and Hoss could barely hear his older brother muttering softly.

“Oh, dear God, no…not Joe!”

“That is only a sample of what’s to come, boy…now, let’s be polite and try again, what is your name?” smiled Capt. Harriman, turning Joe’s body so that he could see his victim’s face.

“YOUR NAME!” he demanded loudly.

“Answer him, Joe…tell him your name…please,” whispered Adam to himself.

“Adam…” Hoss said softly.

“Go to hell, you bastard,” Joe said, spitting in Harriman’s face.

Harriman calmly took his handkerchief from his pocket and wiped the spittle from his brow and then stuffed the cloth back into his pocket. He said nothing as he took a step backward and faced Joe.

“You are stubborn aren’t you? But you can’t win against me. I will break you, one way or the other.”

Without warning, Harriman doubled up his fist and plowed it deeply into Joe’s stomach. Joe’s body swayed to the right and before he could even react, Harriman hit him again, this time in the right side, just below the ribcage. Joe screamed as the pain pierced his body.

Harriman grabbed Joe’s hair that was still wet and forced his head backwards, “Your name?”

“Joe…Joe Cart…”

“I don’t care about your last name, Joe will do just fine,” growled the captain, releasing the boy’s hair. “From now on, your name will be…Thomas…say it, ‘my name is Thomas’,” Harriman ordered.

Joe’s eyes had filled with unshed tears and he glared at the man in front of him. His Ma and Pa had named him Joe and nothing this man could ever do to him, would force him to say otherwise.

“Joe…my name’s JOE!” shouted Joe with every ounce of strength he could muster.

“Why you little…” growled Harriman.

Adam dropped his head and moaned…he could not believe his little brother’s audacity.

The crack of the whip snapped Adam to attention. He peeked through the slit, cringing as he stared in horror at the blood that dripped from his younger brother’s back. Harriman had issued five lashes and five-heart wrenching screams seared themselves forever in Adam’s memory.

“NO!” bellowed Adam standing to his feet and pounding on the thick oak door.

Harriman held his hand up, signaling for Moe, who had held the whip, to cease his punishment. Harriman glanced around at the men, Moe, Hank, and the guard and then moved to the stall where Adam could be heard pounding on the wood.

“Open this door,” he demanded of Hank.

Hank quickly did as instructed and unlocked the door. Adam was facing the men as the door was pulled opened and the hatred that covered his face, and darkened his deep hazel eyes to appear ebony, glared at the man in charge.

“And you are?” demanded Harriman.

“Adam,” Adam answered, his eyes searching his brother’s face.

Joe’s body swung gently with the lolling of the ship, and it was evident to all that the boy had passed out. Adam’s breathing was labored; his brow beaded with tiny droplets of sweat and it took every ounce of will power he could draw to keep from throwing his body at the arrogant man standing before him.

“Well, Adam…did you have something to say?” gloated Harriman. “Perhaps you don’t agree with my methods of punishment?”

Adam quickly took in the situation, knowing he was out numbered and could do nothing at present to help his brother.

“No sir,” he stated flatly as he glanced at the swaying form of his youngest brother.

“Do you happen to know the kid?” Harriman questioned, seeing the way in which Adam watched the boy.

Adam hesitated for only a fraction of a second. “No sir, I was just thinking, what a waste, to…to mar such a handsome body,” Adam muttered, stalling for time.

Harriman glanced over his shoulder and then peered down at Adam. “You could be right. Don’t want to scare the ladies,” Harriman said, more to himself than to the group of men. He glanced back at Adam, and smiled.

“You and the kid there, I have great plans for you,” Harriman snickered. “You look as if you would know what to do. I think I’ll put you in charge of the boy, it will be your duty to teach him how to…well you know…satisfy the ladies. I doubt that the boy has ever…been with a woman…if you get my meaning,” Harriman leered.

Harriman took a couple of steps away and then turned back to Adam. “Your name will be Josh from now on, don’t forget that. And the boy, he will be Thomas…teach him to use it, or I will hold you responsible.”

Adam could do nothing but stare at the man. It would do no good to argue with the captain, for now Adam could only bide his time and wait. Hopefully he had been able to put an end to his brother’s cruel treatment.

Adam cleared his throat. “Sir,” he said, speaking to Harriman. “If you will allow me, I will tend to the boy’s…hmm…wounds,” offered Adam, trying not to let the longing show in his expression.

Harriman watched the dark eyed man closely but though he tried, he could not see what possibly lay behind the intentions of the raven hair man.

“Do as you wish. But remember I hold you responsible for his care and his actions. You had better be able to teach him some manners…and his new name. You have until we reach my plantation, if you have failed by that time, you will suffer unmercifully.”

Harriman turned to leave but stopped and retraced his steps. He turned to Hank, “give the man what he needs, see that he and the boy here are well fed. I want them in top shape by the time we reach Golden Isle.”

Harriman turned again but this time, Adam stopped him. “Capt., sir…what about that man in there?” Adam asked and pointed to the stall where his middle brother was held behind locked doors.

“What about him?” growled Harriman.

“Shouldn’t you give him a new name as well?”

Harriman seemed to be thinking on the idea. “I suppose, open the door, let me have a look at him,” ordered Harriman.

Hank quickly unlocked Hoss’ door and allowed him to come out into the light of the lantern. Hoss’ chains rattled when he moved, forcing Hank to take a step backward.

“Hmm…big,” the captain whispered. “Come out into the light,” he ordered Hoss, who complied, willingly as he was anxious to see what had been done to his youngest brother.

Hoss quickly took in the scene, Adam standing at attention, chains hanging from his wrists, Joe dangling from the rafters by his arms, blood dripping slowly down his back from his broken flesh. Anger dulled the usual glow of his sky blue eyes, but he held his thoughts to himself, seething deep within.

“Victor…that’s your name for now,” Harriman told Hoss.

He turned to Adam while keeping a wary eye on Hoss whom stood slightly to the side of him. “Hank will provide you with anything that you need to help the boy. I will allow the three of you the freedom of this area, but mark my word, should you cause one ounce of trouble, it’s back into the stalls you go. It’s a long way to my plantation, but I won’t hesitate to keep you locked away like animals should any of you choose to defy me. Do I make myself clear?”

Adam glanced over at Hoss and then back to the captain. “We understand,” he said clearly, leaving no doubt that the captain had heard him.

“I just have one more question,” Adam dared to ask. “How long do we have before reaching this plantation? I mean, obviously, we will need sun light and fresh air, to keep us healthy,” Adam quickly explained, determining right then and there, that the first chance that he had, he would take his brothers and together they would abandon ship. But first he needed to go above, to see what they might be up against.

“I’ll allow you one hour in the morning, one hour in the evening, providing of course that the weather permits, and the boy there minds his P’s and Q’s,” stated the captain, glancing over at Hoss. “You Victor, will help to man the ship, it would be a waste not to use that strength you processes.” Harriman watched the faces of his prisoners for a moment and then turned his back to them and walked up the stairs.

Hank and the other guards followed behind Capt. Harriman. At the top of the stairs, Hank stopped and turned to Adam.

“I’ll bring you back the first aide supplies and something for the boy’s pain.”

“Thank you, Hank,” Adam said.

As soon as the door closed, Adam motioned to Hoss. “Come on, let’s get him down from there.”

Hoss gathered Joe’s sagging body into his arms and held his brother’s weight off the chains as Adam worked to free Joe from the hook. As Joe’s arms were loosened, Hoss gently guided Joe’s body to the floor. Adam rushed into the stall where Joe had been held and grabbed the blanket. Together, he and Hoss moved Joe into Adam’s cubicle and laid him face down on one blanket while covering his shivering body with another.

“Don’t look too good,” murmured Hoss as he inspected the torn flesh. “I wish that Hank fella would hurry up with the supplies.”

Just then the door opened and Hank, followed by Moe entered the hull and made their way to Adam’s side.

“This is all I could get, just ointment and bandages,” Hank said, handing them to Hoss. “I got you this here blanket, I thought after that bath he had, the kid might be cold, and I found these old pants in the cabin boy’s trunk. They looked like they might fit the lad,” Hank said and then handed them to Adam.

“Thanks,” Adam said and then turned his attention to Joe who had started to moan softly.

“I’ve found a smidgen of whiskey in my bunk, thought he might need it for the pain. Ain’t much, but maybe it will help.” Hank handed the bottle to Adam and then nodded his head.

“You fellas try to get some rest. Don’t let the Captain’s generosity fool you, the man’s a cad, for sure. Just cause he paid a bundle of money for ya, don’t mean he won’t kill ya if ya try to cross’em. Seen him do it afore, makes no never mind to him, it don’t. Ya boys look like nice boys, heed the advice, don’t piss him off. Ya rest easy now, I’ll see ya in the morning,” Hank back away from the threesome, leaving Adam and Hoss to tend to the younger boy’s wounds.

Hoss was busy cleaning Joe’s wounds with the water that had been given to them earlier and Joe had begun thrashing about, trying to free his aching body from the hands that touched him.

“Ya take it easy now, punkin, I gotta clean these here welts,” soothed Hoss as he dabbed at each of the lash marks.

“Ohh…hurts,” mumbled Joe, totally unaware that both of his brothers had gathered around him and were tenderly caring for him.

“That’s about all I can do for now,” Hoss told Adam when he had finished cleaning Joe’s wounds and applying the ointment to them.

“He’s still shivering, help me wrap him in these blankets,” Adam said as he began to place the blankets around his brother in an effort to warm him. “If he doesn’t catch pneumonia, he’ll be lucky,” grumbled Adam.

Hoss looked up at his older brother with a look of despair on his face. “What are we goin’ to do, Adam? I mean, we’re really in a bad fix this time, ain’t we?”

Adam sat down on his backside next to Joe, tenderly fingering the fine dark curls with his long slender fingers, and studied Hoss’ expression. He nodded his head in agreement.

“We’re going to get off this ship, one way or another, I promise you that much, Hoss. But our first priority is Joe, we’ve got to make sure he’s well before we try anything, and, we cannot allow the Captain to find out that we’re brothers. I feel sure that if he were to know, he’d use that against us, and I don’t want to see that happen, it would make escaping harder,” Adam explained.

“I understand, but Adam, it’s a mighty big ocean out there, I seen it myself…how do you plan…” began Hoss but was interrupted by Adam.

“I don’t know, Hoss…I don’t know.” Adam was tired, his mind was tired and all he wanted to do right now was sleep, not think.

“I’m sorry, Adam…”

“No, don’t be Hoss, I’m as concerned as you are.” Adam reached across Joe and placed a reassuring hand on Hoss’ shoulder, giving it a squeeze. “Let’s just try to get some sleep and later, when you go above you can keep your eyes opened, check things out, like the life boats…we’ll decide something later, right now all I want to do is get some rest.”

Hoss sighed deeply and smiled at his brother. “Alright Adam, whatever ya say. Maybe with any luck, Pa has a search party out lookin’ for us.”

“Could be, I hope so, I don’t relish the idea of spending my summer on some hot, humid island, making love to an assortment of women” muttered Adam as he made himself comfortable next to Joe.

Hoss couldn’t help but snicker. “When you say it like that, it don’t sound so bad,” he grinned.

Adam raised his head up and looked at Hoss. In spite of himself, he felt the tugging of his lips turning into a tiny smile. “At any other time, it might not be, but I’d rather pick and choose the woman whom I would like to make love to. And as for this bear cub here of Pa’s, well, he might like the idea, but I doubt that he’d enjoy being forced to…perform…especially under such circumstances.”

“Ya reckon he’s ever…well…ya know?” whispered Hoss softly.

Adam folded his arms under his head and laid back down, turning so that he could still see Hoss who had remained sitting up and who was watching their younger brother sleep.

“He’d like for us to think so, but in truth, I don’t believe he ever has, at least I hope he hasn’t,” smiled Adam. “Look at him Hoss, he’s still just a little boy.”

“Yeah, he sure ‘nough looks like one. Them ladies that the Captain was talkin’ about’s, liable to scare the boy to death,” Hoss surmised.

“Let’s just hope it doesn’t get that far, I’d hate to see that happen. I’d like to keep him innocent just as long as possible,” Adam whispered. “Hoss, you better get some rest, Joe’s going to need us when he wakes up.”

“Sure thing, night,” Hoss whispered and moved just enough that he could lay down as well.

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

“I don’t care what you say!” shouted Ben. “My boys have been shanghaied! They should have been back to our hotel hours ago! It’s been nearly twenty-four hours,” Ben continued to shout at the police chief to whom he was trying to make understand that he had three, not just one, but three missing sons.

“Mr. Cartwright, please, I understand your concerns, but as you said just minutes before, they aren’t boys, but grown men. I think that perhaps you are over reacting…”

“OVER REACTING!” roared Ben in a loud voice. He pounded his fist down on the desk in front of him. “Let me tell you this…my sons are missing, not out fooling around at some house of ill-repute as you suggested. My God man, they have a seventeen-year old boy with them! My two older sons have more sense than to take their younger brother to a place like that! Now, what are you going to do to help me find my sons!”

Ben Cartwright was livid; he made no pretense at showing his anger. He was worried but mostly he was scared for the welfare of his three sons. They were his life, and without them, Ben had nothing, nothing at all, even the fortune that he had massed over the years meant nothing to him without his boys to share it with.

“Alright Mr. Carwright, I’ll have some of my men go down to the wharf and snoop around, but I can’t promise you a thing. It happens everyday, men get waylaid, tossed on a ship and before anyone is the wiser, they’re gone. Sometimes, they find their way back home, other times they…well…you’ve sailed before, you know what happens. They take to the life at sea and never return. Unfortunately, some men are captured and sold as slaves, and are never heard from again,” explained the police chief.

“I’m well aware of that, I have three times as much to loose as the next man. Tell me something…when a man is taken as captive to be sold as a slave, where do they usually take them?” Ben demanded to know, a new fear rising in his heart.

“Different places, Mr. Cartwright, mostly south, down in the islands. There’s plenty of places that have cotton plantations or vanilla plantations that use stolen men to work them for the rich owners, much like many plantation owners here in our own southern states. Some of those rich owners are more than just cotton or vanilla farmers, Mr. Cartwright.”

“I don’t understand, what do you mean?” Ben asked.

“Breeding slaves and selling off the babies in the underground market. It’s a moneymaking operation, one that’s making a lot of wicked men rich. A handsome baby could bring as much as ten thousand dollars on the market, a girl baby, especially a blue-eyed one can bring as much as twelve thousand if that baby is sold in the Asian countries. You see, they are very rare in those places and if one can be bought, well…”

“That’s awful,” muttered Ben. He straightened his back and took a deep breath. “Please, I’d like to go along with your men, that is if you don’t mind.”

Fear had wrapped itself about his heart. He feared for all of his sons, but Little Joe was foremost in his mind. Adam and Hoss were older, bigger and more capable of taking care of themselves, but Joe…well…Joe was younger, smaller and less experienced than his brothers, and…Joe was his baby.

“Please God, take care of my boys…look out for them and please…bring them back to me,” whispered Ben silently.

“Mr. Cartwright, you are more than welcomed to join my men. Maybe, just maybe mind you, your sons are all together. From these pictures that you’ve shown me, my guess would be that they have been captured and put on a ship sailing for the south Pacific. I wouldn’t be surprised if they weren’t used for studs…they are fine looking young men.”

The chief handed Ben back his tiny photographs and Ben held them in his hand, staring at the faces that smiled back at him. He felt the fluttering of his heart, the sudden swelling in his throat and he was forced to swallow several times as the realization struck him that it could take him months, possibly even a year or more to find his three boys and bring them back home, if then, should he get lucky. It was with a heavy heart that Ben thanked the police chief for his help and followed the two officers out of the building.

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

“Ohhh…”

Adam was awakened from his sleep by the soft sounds of his brother’s moaning. Quickly he pulled back the cover to check on the boy. Joe’s brow was dotted with tiny sweat beads and instantly Adam pressed the back of his hand to Joe’s forehead and let out a long sigh of relief when he found no fever.

“You just getting hot under those blankets, Joe?” whispered Adam, glancing over at Hoss and seeing that his other brother was still sleeping.

“Adam?” Joe muttered weakly, his eyes searching for the familiar voice.

“Yeah, it’s me, buddy,” Adam whispered.

Joe tried to raise himself up but groaned and let his body sink back down on the straw. “Where are we? How’d ya find me?” he muttered, finding Adam in the dimly lit cubicle.

“We’re on a ship Joe, heading for some island somewhere only God knows about. How are you feeling?” Adam asked, raising the blanket up and checking the lash marks on Joe’s back.

“Sore…Adam, how’d we get here? The last thing I remember was those two guys trying to get me drunk.”

“They succeeded, you’ve been awfully sick buddy, and then you mouthed off to the big man and he had you whipped.”

Joe tried to move and moaned again. “Guess that’s why my back feels like it’s on fire?”

“Probably, but it isn’t too bad. Listen Joe…”

“Adam, what’s that noise?” Joe butted in to ask, all the while trying to find where the strange noise was coming from.

“It’s Hoss, he’s snoring,” Adam explained.

“Hoss? He’s here too? Adam…”

“It’s okay Joe, or it’s going to be, once we get off this ship. Listen little buddy, we’ve got a lot to talk about. You up to it?”

“Sure…Adam?” Joe asked hesitantly.

“What Joe?”

“What about Pa, he ain’t here is he?” Joe wanted to know as he pushed himself up into a sitting position.

Adam shook his head, placing his hand on his little brother’s shoulder after seeing the fear that had suddenly clouded Joe’s hazel eyes.

“No, just you, me and Hoss, but Joe…we’re in for a lot of trouble, unless we stick together and you do as you’re suppose to do. It’s not going to be easy, in fact, it’s going to be really hard, especially for you I’m afraid.”

“Why Adam, what are they going to do with me…with us?” Joe asked anxiously.

“They’re going to use you and I as…as…” Adam faltered, he hadn’t realized until that moment, just how hard it would be to explain to his seventeen-year old brother what was to be expected of them.

“Adam…come on, tell me…please!” squeaked Joe, studying his older brother’s face. “What are they going to do with us?”

“Use you and I to…make babies…”

“WHAT!” Joe shouted.

“Shh…keep your voice down, Joe, we don’t want them to hear us and come down here. Now listen up…here’s what’s going on.”

Adam spent the next hour explaining to Joe what had happened and what was going to happen. He went into detail about how they could never let Captain Harriman know that they were brothers and why, least the man use it against them somehow. Adam reminded Joe about the changing of their names, explained to his brother that he wasn’t sure why their names had been changed unless it was because tracing them would be harder, should someone be trying to find them. He impressed the importance that Joe accept the fact that from now on, his name would be Thomas, Adam would be Josh and Hoss would now be known as Victor.

Joe didn’t much like the idea, but understood the results should he fail to comply with the captain’s wishes. He had already had a small taste of the man’s whip and certainly did not wish for another, so he promised Adam that he would do everything that Adam expected him to do, even obey their new master’s orders.

It was when Adam began explaining that once they reached their destination, both of them would be expected to breed with the man’s slave women, in order to produce offspring healthy enough to be sold on the black market.

“But Adam…I…I…” Joe gulped and hung his head, fighting back his tears. “I ain’t never…you know…” Joe glanced up at his brother, one lone tear escaping from his eyes and rolling slowly down his cheek. Joe quickly brushed it away.

“What if I…can’t? I mean…I don’t wanna be a father…and if I was to be…I wouldn’t want my child…sold like some animal,” stammered Joe.

“Neither do I Joe, that’s why you have to listen to me. There are ways…to keep from getting a woman…with child,” Adam said, suddenly feeling very awkward at having to explain certain things to his kid brother. It should have been their father doing this, and certainly under different circumstances.

Joe groaned and pushed himself to his feet, wobbling slightly as he leaned against the wall. He looked at Adam, confusion on his face.

“You ain’t saying that I have to do that, are you?” Joe said suddenly, seeing the dark look on his brother’s face.

“Joe…” Adam gulped, how could he be a part of destroying his brother’s innocence? “I, I hope it doesn’t come down to that, but we need to be prepared.”

Joe stomped his foot, turning his back on his brother as the fear washed over him. “I don’t want to be prepared.” He spun back around, tears filling his eyes. “When I…do it for the very first time…I want it to be with someone I choose…someone I love…not some…some…filthy slave girl!” Joe screamed in frustration.

Adam quickly jumped to his feet and stepped across Hoss who seemed to be sleeping through the whole conversation. Adam placed both hands on Joe’s shoulders and with the same tender touch that their father would have used, pulled Joe into his arms and embraced him.

“Take it easy, little buddy,” soothed Adam. “I know your scared Joe, but you have to calm down, please.”

Joe had allowed his brother to embrace him but now pulled back and stared teary-eyed up at Adam. “I’m not scared…not really…but I am mad. How can they make me do that? I mean…what if I…can’t?” stammered Joe.

Adam moved his hand to the back of Joe’s head and gently forced it down on his shoulder. “I don’t know Joe, I wish I did. Lets just hope that it doesn’t come to that. Now, sit down Joe, we really need to talk,” Adam said gently and allowed his arms to drop free as he pointed to the floor.

Joe wiped the tears from his face and did as Adam had asked. Hoss had begun to wake and soon the three sat, backs propped against the walls of the cubicles discussing what they should be doing in order to survive their ordeal.

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

The days passed without any word or clue as to the whereabouts of Ben’s three sons. He had sent telegrams to Roy Coffee in Virginia City explaining what had happened. Ben put Roy in charge of hiring a good man to look after the ranch and Roy had sent a return telegram promising to look after things for him until his return, or until such time as he could find a man to take charge.

The days slowly turned into weeks and before Ben had realized what had happened, the weeks had slipped into months. Three months later, a heartbroken and devastated man climbed into the stage bound for Virginia City. Life had passed slowly, all leads had been exhausted and still there had been no clue found that would promise Ben that he would one day see his sons.

The journey home was long, the days now turning into early fall, had grown short. The air was cool and at night crisp. Sleeping for Ben had become a thing of the past, something that he rarely found possible to do. He walked about as if in a stupor, the dull aching pain he felt at the loss of his family slowly began taking its toll on the patriarch of the Ponderosa.

When the staged stopped for the final time, amid a crowd of people who had gathered at the depot in Ben’s hometown, it was with a heavy heart, that Ben greeted his friends.

Roy stepped forward, followed by Paul Martin, to greet Ben. They were appalled at Ben’s appearance. His complexion had discolored, gone from his deep-set chocolate eyes was the sparkle that had always before, been present. Ben had lost weight, his gray hair had gathered more of the intense color and overall, Ben looked ready to drop.

“Ben?” Roy said, extending his hand out to his long time friend to offer him help from exiting the coach.

Ben readily took the proffered hand and managed to give a small smile to his friend.

“Thanks, Roy,” he said, his voice sounding old and tired.

“Paul,” Ben said, turning to give a smile to the family physician as well.

“Welcome home, Ben,” Paul said. “Why don’t we go over to the café and have a cup of coffee before you go out to the ranch?” he suggested.

“Hmm…coffee, that sounds good. Thanks,” Ben answered with no emotion in his voice as he turned to check on his baggage and seeing that Hop Sing had just arrived in the buggy and was putting his bags in the back, Ben slowly followed Paul and Roy to the café.

“I won’t be long Hop Sing,” called Ben, gently squeezing his faithful servant’s shoulder.

“No need to hurry, Hop Sing waited long time to see ole friend, he wait a little longer, boss,” Hop Sing bowed to Ben.

“Thank you, Hop Sing,” Ben said, seeing the accumulation of unshed tears that had suddenly filled the almond shaped eyes.

Ben knew that for the many weeks that he had been absent from the Ponderosa, Hop Sing had remained faithful, keeping things running as smoothly as he could under the circumstances. Ben was also aware of the amount of grieving that his servant had endured when word had been sent to him that Adam, Hoss and Little Joe were missing and would not likely ever be found. Ben watched sadly, as Hop Sing finished putting his things into the buggy and thought just how empty his home would feel, once he returned. Secretly, Ben wished that he could just forget it, never go home, never again step foot into the home where he had spent a lifetime raising his sons to manhood. He felt the sting of tears, and had it not been for the doctor taking his arm, Ben might have broken down right there in the middle of the street, in front of everyone.

“Are you coming, Ben?” Paul said, taking his friend’s arm after seeing the unexpected well of tears that had gathered in the heart broken man’s eyes.

Ben shook his head to free his brain of the memories and nodded his head. Life would go on, he determined sadly, but would it be worth it, he thought.

Once inside the tiny café, Roy ordered coffee for the three of them. When the waitress turned away, he focused his attention on Ben.

“I hired a man a month after you wired me, Ben. He’s been doing a fine job looking after the ranch. He surprised me, at first I didn’t think he knew anything about ranching, but he soon proved me wrong. I allowed him to stay in the house; I hope that’s okay. He had his wife and young son with him, I didn’t think you’d mind,” Roy explained, sipping the coffee that had just been placed in front of him. “The bunk house was no place for a man with a family.”

“That’s fine, Roy, whatever you thought best is fine with me,” answered Ben. “What did you say his name was?”

“I didn’t, but it’s Charles Basile. He’s from back east somewhere, said his father owned a big farm somewhere in Pennsylvania or thereabouts. Seems to know horses and cattle pretty good, I did as you suggested and let all the timber and mine contracts lapse. All he’s done is look out after the stock, the house and the haying. Done a good job, Ben, I think you’ll be satisfied,” finished Roy.

“Ben, what’s happening in San Francisco? Are the police still searching for the boys?” questioned Paul.

Ben nodded his head and looked sadly at his friends. “Yes, but the trail’s so cold now, Chief Emerson told me before I left that it would be next to impossible to find them now, so much time has gone by without any word or clue or anything.”

“You aren’t giving up, are you?” Paul dared to ask.

Ben turned dark angry eyes on his friend, seemingly to come to life as he glared at Paul. “Need you ask me a thing like that?” he demanded.

“I’m sorry Ben,” said Paul softly, “I just needed to know if the fire was still burning,” he smiled gently.

“It’s burning, it won’t ever die, until I find out about my boys, one way or the other. I’m hoping, no praying that they are all okay and God willing, together and safe. I think Hoss and Adam could manage on their own, but Joe…I’m afraid for him…for what might happen to him…and worse, what someone might do to him,” Ben said sadly, the current burning fire that had moments ago shown in his eyes, dwindling down to an ember.

“I hope you’re right Ben. I pray so, and so does everyone else in town. We’ve all been praying for you and for the boys. I know, someday, somehow, they’ll be back Ben, and when they do come home, Adam and Hoss will have your youngest with them,” assured Paul.

The tears managed to slip over the rims of the dark sad eyes but Ben made no move to wipe them away. They had been a long time in coming and now that Ben was home, in the presence of his two best friends, he found no need to hide his heartache. They felt it with him, of that Ben was confident.

“Thank you,” he whispered.

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

“Remember Joe, don’t try anything. We’re all too weak; we’ve lost a lot of strength, being idle all these weeks. Let’s take it slow, bide our time like we talked about, and once we get to that plantation, we can plan our escape, agreed?” Adam said as the three of them waited together for Hank to come down into the hull and put the chains on them.

“I know Adam, how many more times to do I have to promise you?” growled Joe, fidgeting with his fingers. “I’m not going to start any trouble.”

Adam let out a long sigh and glanced at Hoss. Hoss was standing behind his younger brother and looked across Joe’s shoulder at Adam. He pinched his lips together and scrunched up his face. It had been a long tiring night, ever since Hank had come down into the hull and told them that they would be reaching their destination by the next afternoon. Joe had worried them nearly to death, pacing the circumference of the hull.

Adam had told Joe several times to calm down and to sit down, but Joe was too keyed up to do as his brother asked. Finally, in the early morning hours, Joe had fallen to sleep, his head resting in his oldest brother’s lap. The fact that Adam had hummed Joe’s favorite French lullaby and tenderly fingered the long dark curls, might have been the touch needed to calm the young boy.

When the door at the top of the stairwell opened, and the rattling of chains reached his ears, Joe’s body suddenly became rigid and when he took a step backwards, it was into the arms of his middle brother. Hoss quickly placed both of his massive hands gently onto Joe’s trembling shoulders.

“Take it easy, Punkin,” whispered Hoss.

“Boys,” Hank said. “I hate to do this to ya, but the captain says all slaves have to have on their chains. So’s lets do this the easy way,” he commented and then looked at Joe, whom he believed would put up a fight. It wouldn’t be the first time since taking the boy on board ship, and Hank figured it wouldn’t be the last time either.

“Thomas, you first,” ordered Hank as he nodded his head at the guards who started toward Joe with his chains.

Hoss felt Joe’s body begin to tremble. Joe moved to turn around but Hoss’ large frame blocked his path. Joe somehow managed to wrench free of his brother’s grasp and then bolt for the door.

“Get that man!” shouted Hank, angry that Joe had tried to give him the slip. Two guards dashed after the fleeing boy and by the time that Joe had reached the stairs, the guards had tackled Joe and wrestled him to the floor.

Adam and Hoss moved as one toward their brother but were stopped suddenly when two more guards raised their rifles and pointed them at the brothers. Adam reached out and grabbed Hoss’ arm preventing him from taking another step as both watched the scuffle that was taking place on the floor.

It took only minutes for the two guards to have Joe’s chains in place. One man grabbed Joe roughly by the upper arm and yanked him to his feet, shoving him over next to Adam.

Joe’s mouth was bleeding and there was a small cut above one eye that was causing some swelling to form. He chanced a quick glance up at his brothers and then looked away.

“The captain ain’t gonna like what ya done, son. I’ve tried for weeks now, to warn ya about him but ya still just too bull headed to listen. I don’t like being forced to cause a man any pain, but it’s my job, if I don’t do it, I get in trouble…and trust me, I don’t want no trouble from the captain,” Hank explained.

“Put him in his stall and get the chains on these other two, and then get them above board,” instructed Hank.

“What are ya goin’ to do to’em?” Hoss asked, standing still while the guards attached the cuffs to his wrists and then shackled his ankles. Hoss glanced at Adam; the worry that he felt was reflected back to him in his brother’s dark eyes.

“Don’t rightly know, Victor. Now that we’ve arrived at his plantation, he might put him in the pit without food or water for a couple of days. Ain’t likely the boy would get whipped, not now, since he wants the boy in good shape for breeding. But then with Harriman, who’s to know?” answered Hank.

“What’s the pit?” Adam inquired, wishing he could take his brothers out of there before either of them suffered more at the hands of the man who claimed to own them.

One of the guards laughed. “Ya don’t wanna be put in the pit,” he sneered.

“Why not?” Hoss dared.

“Cause, it’s a hole in the ground, about ten, maybe twelve feet deep, no way out. They put a tin cover over the top, draws the sun and as hot as it gets on these islands, the pit gets hot enough to cook a man alive. Seen it happen before,” the guard laughed again.

“Saw one man, stayed three days, when they pulled him out, he was so burnt, his skin fell right off his body. Ugliest sight I ever seen, scared all them slave women to death. Finally the captain had the man kilt, tweren’t no good to him after that.”

“Come on, get a move on, time to go ashore.” The guards stepped behind Hoss and Adam and shoved both Cartwrights, making them move toward the stairs.

“Hoss! Adam!” shouted Joe from his cubicle.

“Keep moving, Victor, don’t go getting’ no ideay, ya can’t help the boy now,” ordered Hank. “You too, Josh, move.”

At the top of the narrow stairs, Adam stopped and glanced back over his shoulder. His heart was pounding, steadily keeping time with the constant pounding on the thick oak door that separated him from his little brother. The guard drove the end of his rifle into the middle of Adam’s back forcing him to continue.

The sun shone brightly for so late in the afternoon. The air was thick with humidity and at first breathing was difficult. Adam glanced around at Hoss and saw that his brother was doing exactly as he, taking in all the activity around them. The dock could be seen off in the distance, down below the ship, several smaller boats were already filling up with goods and men were rowing others toward the shore.

Adam and Hoss was hurried along, taking their steps cautiously as the chains kept them from taking normal steps. They were ushered over to the side of the ship and ordered into one of the smaller boats, surrounded by four big men, all carrying rifles.

“Josh, Victor,” a voice called from behind them.

Both Adam and Hoss stopped and turned. Hoss glanced anxiously at his brother. Captain Harriman stood before them, a slight smile on his face. He had changed from his captain’s uniform into everyday clothes that were common for wealthy plantation owners.

He waved his hand about in the air. “This is my home, Golden Isle. Everything you see in that direction, and that direction and everything that lies beyond those hills, I own.”

His smile brightened, “What do you think of it?” he questioned, scanning the scenery.

Adam followed his gaze and then turned back to face his new master. He cleared his throat. “Under any other circumstances, I would think it most beautiful,” he stated sharply.

Harriman eyed the oldest Cartwright, a stern expression on his face. “You will learn to love it here, many have,” he jeered at Adam.

Harriman turned to one of the guards. “Take them to their quarters and see that they are fed and made comfortable.”

“Yessir,” replied the guard. “What about the boy? Ya want one of my men to take care of him for ya?”

Adam and Hoss exchanged worried looks and Adam dared to speak up on his brother’s behalf.

“Sir, if you don’t mind my saying so, the boy was only frightened. I gathered over the last few months that he had never been away from home and he just got a little spooked.”

Harriman glared at Adam. “Are you trying to take up for the boy? I warned you about his behavior, perhaps its you I should punish instead of him.”

“He’s just a kid, a frightened kid that doesn’t know what’s going to happen, that’s all I was meaning…sir,” Adam added with displeasure.

He hated the man in front of him, hated him for what he and his brothers had been made to suffer, for the worry that his father must be going through and Adam hated Harriman for all the things that he had planned for each of them. He was waiting, patiently for a time when he could take his brothers and escape, go home, back to the Ponderosa where they belonged. ‘My day will come, you bastard,’ Adam’s heart sang.

“I hope you don’t think I’m so foolish as not to know that?” growled Harriman.

“No, sir…I didn’t mean to imply that you were, only that the boy was scared…of the chains and the not knowing, that’s all,” Adam hurried to say.

“Get in the boat Josh, I will think about what you’ve told me before I punish the boy. Do as you are instructed, both of you, and no harm will come to either of you. Disobey my orders and you will pay, I have methods…many of them, and I will not hesitate to use them.” Harriman started to turn away but stopped.

“Welcome to Golden Isle, gentlemen.” He tipped his hat and with the clicking of his cane, strolled down the deck to inspect other matters.

“Get movin’,” ordered the guard and then paused as Adam followed Hoss down to the waiting boat.

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

Alone in his dark dreary stall, Joe was fighting back the tears. He had tried to remain calm, as Hoss had hinted, but when the man carrying the heavy cruel chains approached him, Joe’s misgivings had over ruled his common sense. Now he would pay for his foolishness and Joe was not looking forward to what Harriman might do to him.

He stood silent; his head resting on his arms that leaned against the thick oak boards. ‘Please God, let Pa find us soon, I’m not sure how much longer I can hold on,’ wept Joe as his tears rolled quietly down his face. Joe remained as he was for several minutes trying to calm himself. It was the turning of the key in the lock on the door of his cubicle that broke through his reverie. His head shot upward as he took a step back, stumbling over his chains and nearly falling to the ground.

Suddenly, arms were reaching out at him, grabbing his arms and yanking him upright. They jerked him out of the cubicle and spun him about to face the angered man in front of him. He gazed into the dark eyes of a man he had never seen before.

“Who are you?” Joe dared to ask.

He was answered by the sudden stinging of the man’s hand as it struck him across his face.

“Dare not speak to me, unless I give you permission!” demanded the man, standing inches from Joe’s face.

Joe gulped and then swallowed. He could feel the fire that burned his face and though he wanted nothing better than to tell this man where to go, he thought better of it, remembering that Adam had asked him to tread lightly.

Joe nodded his head, meeting the man’s glare with one of his own. Again the hand reached out and slapped the opposite side of his face, bringing instant fire-like burning to his cheek.

“Do not ever look me in the face when I am talking to you. When you confront your master or me, you will drop your head and lower your eyes. You are unfit, lower than an animal and are forbidden to look Mister Harriman or me in the face. Do I make myself clear? It is the number one rule from now on. Only certain slaves are given that right and you are not one of them. Understand?” growled the man.

Again Joe nodded his head in understanding and instantly did as commanded, least he be struck again.

“Good, you learn fast, that is to your advantage. My name is Clyde Wells, Mister Wells, sir, to you. Let me hear you say it,” ordered Wells.

“Mister Wells,” muttered Joe and then fell backwards when he felt the burning hand strike his face.

“Sir! Mister Wells, sir.”

Joe chanced a quick glance upward and then immediately looked down. Joe was dying on the inside, this monster was making him say and do things that he would never do back home. Oh, his pa had taught him to be polite but he’d never had a lesson on how to be a man with no more value than a dog. He felt like crying, he’d done lots of that over the last three months, but only Adam and Hoss had seen him, and he was determined to keep it that way.

“You have been given to me,” Wells, laughed when Joe’s head popped up and he could see the shock in the hazel eyes and the sudden fear that washed over the young boy. “For the time being,” he added. “I’m to teach you some manners, Mister Harriman says you are too impetuous and I should take it out of you…anyway I can. He wants ya to behave, so the little ladies will like ya.” Wells burst out laughing.

“Don’t look so shocked, surely ya know why you’re here?” he snickered. “I thought so,” he laughed. “Well, come on kid, I’ve been ordered to take ya to the pit, ya ain’t gonna like that none, but that’s what the master ordered for ya, cause ya tried to run off, now ya gotta pay. And after a couple’la days in the hole, ya won’t wanna run too far, cause it’s hot…hotter’n hell where I gotta put ya.”

Wells motioned for the guard and the guard grabbed Joe by the upper arm and began pulling him along with him. Joe was having trouble keeping up, the shackles around his ankles allowing him to take only short steps. Once he stumbled and was hauled roughly to his feet. Behind him he could hear Wells laughing at him and it angered Joe to the point that he turned and glanced over his shoulder.

“What are you laughing at?” he snapped at Wells.

“Hold up guard,” barked Wells, waking around in front of the guard and stopping directly facing Joe.

Joe was ready, he knew Wells was going to slap him and he had prepared himself. What he had failed to prepare for, was the lightening fast fist that buried itself deeply into the middle of his stomach. Joe doubled up, groaning as he folded his arms across his mid-section.

Wells grabbed Joe by his hair and yanked him upright. “Better learn to keep your thoughts to yourself. That just earned you another day in the pit.”

Wells released his hold on Joe’s curls and nodded his head at the guard, who was smiling broadly. “Get a move on, kid, unless you want more,” he ordered.

It took several minutes for Joe and the guard, followed by Wells, to reach the top deck of the ship. The bright sunlight all but blinded Joe and he was forced to move his hands up to shield his eyes from the sharp rays. Several more minutes past and Joe was finally seated in one of the small boats, along side the guard and Wells whom sat facing him. A man at the front of the little boat, and one in the back, each manning the oars that guided the vessel through the choppy waters to the shore and the large deck where other small boats were anchored.

Joe’s eyes scanned his surroundings, hoping to catch a glimpse of his brothers, but they were no where to be seen. Wells watched the boy intently, following Joe’s eyes and wandering what or whom it was that the boy was secretly hoping to see.

“Lookin’ for someone?” Wells asked.

Joe kept his head lowered and refused to allow himself the displeasure of looking into the despicable man’s face.

“Just those two men who were with me, that’s all…Mr. Wells…sir,” Joe muttered, hating himself more for feeling as he did.

“Josh and Victor? Oh, you needn’t worry about them. Mister Harriman likes those two. He’s sent them on over to the main plantation…but you…well, I have to take ya down near the quarters. That’s where the pits are…” Wells began to laugh.

Joe’s nerves were frayed. When he looked down at his hands, they were trembling. He peeked from beneath his thick lashes, at the man in front of him and saw that Wells and the guard was looking at something off the horizon. Joe glanced into the water; it was a deep blue color and crystal clear. The thought entered his mind that he could easily slip over the edge of the boat to escape, but could he swim, with his legs shackled, he pondered.

“Don’t even think about it,” Wells said.

Joe’s eyes flashed dark, hating that the man had seen him looking and had known his very thoughts.

“Ain’t nothing down there but corals and the reef. They’ll cut you to ribbons if’n ya were to jump in. And, the sharks, don’t forget about them, look, there’s one over there!” laughed Wells.

Joe turned in the direction that Wells had pointed and sure enough, Joe could make out the pointed tip of the shark’s dorsal fin. Joe cringed; he remembered reading about sharks in the books that his father had back home. And he recalled the tales that his father had told him of seeing the sharks himself when he had been a sailor and of the horrible ways that a shark could rip a man’s body into pieces. Joe looked away, hiding the tears that threatened to spill over, Pa…he thought, his heart heavy with longing, will I ever see you again?

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

“Mr. Basile,” began Ben.

“No, please Mr. Cartwright, just call me Charles, or Chuck, if you will,” Charles asked.

“Alright, Charles, but you must call me Ben,” said Ben, lowering himself into his favorite red leather chair.

“Okay Mr….ere, Ben. As you can see, I’ve managed to keep a good count on the cattle. I sent four men, just yesterday up to your north pasture to round up the strays there and have the men bring them back down to the pasture here. I also have everything just about ready for the cattle drive, still some branding to do, but other than…Ben? Mr. Cartwright…sir, are you okay?” Charles stopped chatting and placed a hand on Ben’s shoulder.

His boss was staring into the fire, his eyes had a far distant look about them and it was obvious to Charles, that Ben had lost interest in the report he had been giving.

“Ben!” Chuck said, squeezing the shoulder.

“Huh? Oh, I’m sorry Charles…ere…Chuck, I was…well…” stammered Ben.

Chuck sat down on the edge of the wide boarded table, facing Ben. “I understand, sir. I should have had more sense than to dump all of this in your lap even before you’ve had time to unpack.”

“No, it’s not your fault. Roy told me what a fine job you’ve been doing for me. I really do appreciate it.”

Ben stood to his feet, his fingertips stuffed into his pockets as he moved to stand before the fire. He turned around, facing the man before him, his face a mixture of emotions.

“Keep doing whatever it is you’ve been doing, Chuck. Most of the men around here have worked for me for years, as long as you treat them decently, they’ll follow orders, you don’t need me to tell you how to handle things, you’ve proven that.”

Ben slowly made his way to the stairs. “I think I’ll turn in, good night.”

Chuck stood silently watching Ben as he ascended the stairs. Sarah Basile came from the kitchen, to stand next to her husband. Her white apron was spotted with flour where she had been helping Hop Sing in the kitchen. Carefully she sat the small tray of sandwiches and coffee on the table and then glanced sadly up at her husband.

“He’s so heartbroken, Chuck. He’s such a nice man too and has lost so very, very much. People in town have talked about him, some of the ladies told me about his three sons and how much he loved each of them,” Sarah smiled. “They’ve even told me about how some of the ladies have tried to snare a Cartwright son for a husband for their daughters. Word is that they are fine looking boys…Chuck, have you heard one word that I’ve said?” grumbled Sarah, placing her hands on her hips and frowning.

“I heard ya, my dear,” Chuck said, giving his wife his full attention. “Three sons, you say?”

“Yes, oh Chuck, you knew that! Remember, I told you when we first came here. Mr. Cartwright and his sons were in California, San Francisco I do believe, and then one night, while Ben was at a meeting, his three sons all disappeared, never to be heard from since. Don’t you remember, we talked about it?”

Chuck forced a smile for his wife and gently pulled her into his arms. Sarah pressed her head against her husband’s chest, unaware that his eyes had turned to stare at the empty staircase.

“You seemed so…distant, darling, since Mr. Cartwright came home. Is there anything wrong?” Sarah asked, her voice soft and inquiring.

Chuck eyed his wife and smiled broadly. “No dear, there’s nothing wrong…in fact, everything is just dandy.

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

Joe struggled against the three pairs of hands that tried to force him down into the dark rank pit. He dug his heels into the dirt and stiffened his legs, pushing against the man behind him. His chained wrists prevented him from using his hands and it was only when one guard dropped to his knees and grabbed the chain around Joe’s ankles, did Joe lose his footing and toppled down into the twelve foot deep hole.

His body hammered against the hard dirt walls as Joe fell and finally landed with a thud at the bottom. The guards above peered down into the pit, their laugher ran in the boy’s ears and then, all was silent and dark. Only the scrapping of the hard tin against the equally hard ground could be heard. Joe felt his heart begin to beat rapidly in fear, sweat beaded on his brow, his breathing was labored and only through sheer determination was the young boy able to refrain from crying out.

His intense fear of the dark drove him into the furthermost corner of the dark pit, his body quivered as Joe looked upward, hoping to catch even a sliver of light from the tin covering, but there was nothing other than total darkness.

“Oh God…please,” cried Joe. “Please help me,” he said and curled his body into a tight ball on the hard ground beneath him.

At noon on the third day, slaves were assembled around the pit. Adam and Hoss had been made to join the group and stood side by side, silently. Hoss chanced a quick glance at his older brother and could see the fine lines that had embossed themselves into his brother’s brow. Hoss knew the look; he could feel the anger emitting from every pore in Adam’s body, as the older Cartwright stood stark still, never allowing his intense dark eyes to leave the opening of the deep pit. Only when the master began speaking, did Adam divert his eyes from where he had just learned, his youngest brother had spent the last two and a half days, buried alive and deprived of food and water.

“I want all of you to see what happens when one of you choose to disobey my orders,” Harriman called out in a loud voice.

Around him, his slaves stood, huddle together like frightened children. Many wore chains, all had looks about them that spoke of misery and defeat, broken men who had been overworked and under fed. Women with crying, dirty babies hanging from their hips, young women heavy with child, no more than children themselves, all with heads hung low, heart-wrenching to watch as the young man was hauled up from his earthly prison and forced to stand, half dressed before the gapping crowd.

“LOOK!” demanded Harriman in a loud voice. “I paid a fortune for this young man, carried him half way around the world, but understand me…my word is LAW! Even the most expense slave on Golden Isle will obey me, or pay the price for disobedience! I have spoken, now each of you can see first hand what will happen. I order all of you to walk passed this boy and see the suffering, feel his inflamed flesh where the heat has cooked him, and know…understand…and believe…this could have been you!”

Hoss heard the guttural sound that escaped from Adam’s throat and quickly turned to look at his brother. “Adam, no,” whispered Hoss, afraid to speak any louder for fear of being heard by one of the overseers. “You’ll only make matters worse, wait Adam, wait,” urged Hoss.

Adam’s eyes never moved from the horrific scene in front of him. Had Hoss not been watching his brother’s face, he might not have realized that Adam had even spoken.

“I’ll kill the bastard for what he’s done to, Joe.”

Hoss forced himself to look at his youngest brother. Joe was covered in dirt and grime, his face was near black from the damp soil at the bottom of the pit. The fact that it had started to rain the night Joe had been forced into the hole and rain had seeped into the ground only intensified his dirty complexion. By the next morning, the temperature had reached an all time high, it had been hot and muggy for the last three days. Joe’s skin was scorching and Adam knew that Joe was nearing death from lack of fluids and that even now, it could take days to restore to his weakened body, what nature had sapped from it.

When Adam drew near, it was all he could do to keep from reaching out and taking the boy into his arms. The piteous moaning and the sight of Joe’s tears, the chapped and cracked lips and the broken fingernails where Joe had clawed at the earth in an attempt to escape, tore the soul from Adam Cartwright.

Adam felt his body begin to tremble. Joe’s eyes were barely opened and his lips moved in unspoken words. But when Adam stopped in front of his brother, he heard one word, one word that shattered his heart and yet strengthened his reserve to make good his promise to take his brothers home, ‘Papa’.

Hoss could not keep the tears from forming in his eyes as he assessed his younger brother’s injuries. His eyes scanned the boy’s face and then Hoss turned and glared at the two guards that held Joe upright. He started to move toward the pair, but stopped when Adam grabbed his arm and shook his head.

“Later,” whispered Adam as he tugged on Hoss’ arm and made him move passed.

Hoss reluctantly began moving slowly away from Joe. “Hang on, Punkin,” his voice barely above a whisper.

The guards were watching two young women as they passed. The girls not any older than fifteen were dressed is sack clothe and held their eyes downward, frightened to even look up and look into the face of the once dashing young man who now stood, broken and defeated.

Once the slaves had made their trek around the circle, they were ordered back to work and went willingly, wishing to be as far from the scene as possible.

“Take the boy to shack four and then fetch the doctor, Master wants that boy on his feet and ready to perform by tomorrow night!” issued Wells.

Wells lifted Joe’s chin and then shook his head. “I hope you’ve learned something Thomas. It would be a waste of good breeding, should the master see fit to destroy you.” Wells let his hand drop to his side and then tossed his head, indicating that the guards were to remove their prisoner to shack four.

“You there, Josh,” Wells called, stopping Adam. “The master wants you to tend the boy, see that he’s cleaned up and fed, and presentable. Mr. Harriman will be around later this evening to check on the boy,” Wells explained to Adam. “Now, get back to your shack, and see that things are done correctly. The master said you are not to work tonight, just stay with the boy.”

“Yes sir,” muttered Adam and then when Wells had moved away, Adam turned and cast a small smile at Hoss. “See you later,” he muttered softly.

“Take care of ‘em.”

“Get movin’ ya big ox,” growled one of the overseers who was walking with a group of men back to their work stations as he prodded Hoss with the end of his rifle. Hoss turned and glared at the man, fighting back the urge to break the man’s scrawny neck.

Adam reached his shack minutes before the two guards burst through the door, dragging Joe along with them. He stood off to the side as ordered and waited until the men had dropped his brother carelessly onto the spare cot in the far corner.

As soon as they shut the door, Adam rushed to his brother’s side and kneeled down next to the cot. His hand quickly went to Joe’s brow, and he breathed a sigh of relief. Joe’s brow was hot, but from the looks of his tarnished flesh, it was more heat than fever.

“Joe, can you hear me, buddy?” Adam said softly as he begun to strip away the remnants of tattered clothing that still clung to Joe’s body.

Joe said nothing, only lay silent, lost in a world where pain and suffering ceased to be. His eyes had opened, but he didn’t even bother to search for the face behind the voice.

Quickly Adam removed the soiled clothing and then covered Joe with a light blanket. He poured fresh water into the basin and grabbed what rags he could find and began bathing the fiery flesh. Joe began to moan as the cloth moved from his face and neck to his arms and upper torso. By the time that Adam had finished with bathing his brother, Joe was whimpering loudly and thrashing about on the bed.

“Take it easy, little bro…buddy,” Adam glanced over his shoulder fearing, in his mind, that he had nearly exposed their secret. “Here Joe, try to drink something,” Adam said and placed the rim of a tin cup to Joe’s parched lips. “Come on, take a drink….that’s it, Joe, drink a little more.”

As Adam placed the cup on the table, the door opened unexpectedly. Adam whirled around, surprised by the intrusion. When he saw Mr. Harriman and a tall dark Negro man standing in the doorway, Adam rose to his feet and faced the pair.

“Sir?” Adam said humbly, playing his part as an obedient servant and slave.

“Josh, how’s the boy?” Harriman asked stepping up to the cot and yanking back the thin blanket to see for himself. “Hmm…”

“He’s pretty well covered in blisters, sir. The heat scorched his flesh…it might take more than a couple of days for him to be well enough to…perform…sir,” Adam stated, stepping back to give the master more room. “He’s in quite a lot of pain, sir.”

“I can see that…oh, this is Isaiah, he’s the doctor,” Harriman declared, moving so that the black man could make a diagnosis of his own.

Isaiah pulled a rickety old chair up to the cot and with tenderness that surprised Adam, gently ran his fingers about Joe’s body, stopping occasionally to inspect broken blisters.

“I’ve leave the doctor with you, Isaiah, I want that boy on his feet in two days, no less,” instructed Harriman.

“Yessir, Master,” Isaiah chanted, “I’ll have him up and about soon ‘nough.”

“Josh, you stay with the boy,” ordered Harriman as he shut the door behind him, leaving Adam and the doctor alone with Joe.

Isaiah reached into his small valise and pulled out a miniature bottle. Using just his fingers, he dabbed small amounts onto his fingertips and gently rubbed the liquid onto the open sores.

Joe grunted and tried to move away from the probing fingers. “Help me hold’em down,” Isaiah said in a calm voice. “This here stuff burns like fire, but I promise ya, come mornin’ time, these here blisters will be better.”

Adam quickly grabbed Joe’s fraying arms and held them on the pillow above Joe’s head. “Shh…it will be over soon, Joe, try to hold still,” he whispered in Joe’s ear.

“Ohh…it…burns…” wept Joe.

“You’ll feel better soon ‘nough mister,” Isaiah said, working his way downward where the worst of the blisters on Joe’s upper torso had already busted and had began to bleed.

“He needs lots of steamy broth, I’ll have my misses make ya some and bring it over to ya. Make sure he eats all of it, Lizzie has a secret formula.” Isaiah turned to look at Adam.

“Ya new here, ain’t ya?”

Adam glanced from Joe’s face to the doctor’s. “Guess it shows, heh?”

“Yeah, I can see the hate brewin’ in ya eyes. Ya guard that look, mister, cause if the master sees it, he’ll ship ya outta here…and from the way I seen ya lookin’ at this here boy…I don’t think ya want that to happen. Am I right?” Isaiah continued to work on Joe as he talked to Adam.

“You’re right, I’ve kinda gotten attached to the kid.” Adam studied the black man’s face and wondered at the man’s ability to observe so closely.

“Don’t worry none, Adam isn’t it?”

“Josh,” Adam corrected, not quite sure whether the man was playing a game with him or was on the up and up.

“Adam suits you better, same as Joe suits the boy,” Isaiah said and then turned to look at the surprised look on Adam’s face. “Ya is brothers too, ya and the boy and that big man, ya all three brothers.”

Adam grabbed the man by the arm and jerked him to his feet. “Just what are you up to? What’s your game?” he stormed, suddenly fearful for what might happen if the master got wind of their secret.

Isaiah brushed Adam’s hand off and sat back down. “Ain’t no game Adam. I don’t play like that…but I do make it my business to know everything about this here plantation,” he said.

When he had finished caring for Joe and giving Joe a stiff drink from the whiskey bottle that he had stashed in his black case, he faced Adam. “I know where ya come from, I know why ya here, I know yous brothers. Ya don’t gotta worry about me, I ain’t tellin’ a soul Mister Adam. Ya see, I’m tellin’ ya this cause I trust ya, I was told to trust ya…”

Adam plopped down in the other chair and scratched his head. “I don’t understand, how do you know all of this? You are a slave, just like Joe and I and everyone else on this God forsaken island aren’t you?”

Isaiah laughed for the first time. “In the master’s eyes, I’s a slave.”

“What do you mean, and what did you mean when you said that you were told we could be trusted?” Adam was confused, not sure if this man who had seemed to work a small miracle on his brother, was sane or not.

“I’m really not a slave…oh Harriman bought me…at a fake auction. He was told that I was a doctor, of sorts and since Harriman felt it would be in his best interest to have a doctor working for him, he bought me.” Isaiah laughed again, dropping the twang from his accent. “I suppose since he breeds and sales human babies, he thought he’d come out ahead by having someone other than an untrained mid-wife tend his women.”

“Who are you? It’s an act, isn’t it, this whole doctor story?” The man certainly had Adam’s attention. His hope had began to dwindle, but now, with this new information, he and his brothers just might stand a chance to get away.

“Yes, it’s an act…but the doctor part…that’s for real. I am a bonified doctor. I was educated in France, one of the few places in the world that would allow a black man, such as myself, to enroll in their colleges.”

“Wait a minute, how’d you get here, messed up with the likes of a man such as Harriman?” questioned Adam, glancing at Joe who had begun to moan once again.

Adam placed his hand on Joe’s arm and began to rub gently. “Take it easy, Joe, you’re going to be fine, the doctor’s going to see to that,” soothed Adam.

Adam turned again to Isaiah, “Well?”

“I’m working for the French government. It’s very complicated Adam, you see, in the United States, I am a free man. Unfortunately, I have family in the south who are not so lucky, my parents for example, are slaves,” explained Isaiah.

“I showed an interest in doctoring at a very young age. The gentleman that owned me, Anderson Tidwell, who by the way, was a fair, decent and compassionate man, promised me that if I would work for him for five years, he would send me to college and give me my freedom. I did, and so did he.”

“But that doesn’t explain how you got here, as a slave?” Adam said.

“This part’s not complicated really,” smiled Isaiah. “You see, when I was in France, I became acquainted with a man who had interests in the south Pacific islands, namely this island, which is not really called Golden Isle, it’s Tahiti.”

“I’ve heard of it, I’ve read publications about how some men are using the islands in the Pacific to do, exactly what we were brought here to do,” Adam explained. “Seems like the rich plantation owners use the guise of being cotton and vanilla growers to cover up their illegal trade of white slavery.”

“That’s right Adam, you’ve hit the nail on the head. And William Harriman is one of those men. His operation is one of the biggest ever and the French government has been trying for years to shut him down. That’s why I’m here, not only am I helping the government of France, but at least I can help these poor women, most of who are only young girls, when they give birth to their babies. So many have died, Harriman starts breeding these young girls when they turn thirteen, by the time they are twenty years old, some of them have given birth to as many as five and six children. Most of them died from lack of proper medical care, infection, diseases, lack of clean, properly prepared food and water, the totals just since I’ve been here have been astronomical, Adam. It’s horrific and I’m so sorry that you and your brothers have fallen into that wicked man’s clutches,” Isaiah said, standing to his feet and putting his things away.

Adam stood as well, “Thank you Isaiah, I feel better just knowing that my brothers and I have a friend on our side.”

Isaiah faced Adam, a serious look on his face. “Adam, you must never, ever let Harriman know that you are brothers, or that I am anything other than what he believes me to be. There are many people here, right this minute that work with me, I cannot tell you who they are, but I ask that you and your brothers trust me, Hank assured me that you were trustworthy, so I have to trust you, I hope you can trust me as well.”

“Hank? Do you mean…”

“Yes, Hank Sorrows, your guard on the ship. I know he came across as a loyal friend to Harriman, but in truth he is on our side, that’s how I was able to find out so much about you,” grinned the big man.

“Isaiah, if all that is true, is there any way that my father could be notified, I mean, he must have been worried sick about the three of us and…”

Isaiah shook his head and placed his large hand on Adam’s shoulder. “I’m sorry Adam, but that’s impossible. If your father was to have so much as a clue as to what is happening here, it could endanger hundreds of people. You have to understand, this plan has been in the making for nearly five years and we are this far from shutting it down, not only Harriman but others just like him, on all the south Pacific islands that deal in this type of business. I’m sorry Adam but your father will have to wait. I promise you, it won’t be long but you will just have to go along with whatever Harriman expects you to do. But Adam, about the women…don’t…let them know, they would run straight to their master and tell everything…they are terrified of the bastard, they know he would kill them, and you as well, or the boy. Don’t tell him either Adam, he’s got a temper, he’s impulsive and he just might let something slip if you were to include him in our little secret.”

Adam walked to the door with Isaiah and opened the door, peering out into the darkness to be sure they were still alone.

“Thank you Isaiah, your secret is safe with me…and thanks for taking care of…Thomas,” smiled Adam, shaking the other man’s hand.

“I’ll keep you abreast of things, be careful Adam, watch your back and make sure that the boy behaves himself.”

“I will, you be careful as well.” Adam bid the man good night and shut the door. When he returned to the bedside, Joe was just beginning to wake up.

“Adam…”

“I’m here little buddy. How are you feeling?” Adam said, sitting in the old chair and taking Joe’s hand into his own.

“My body…it feels like it’s on fire…” murmured Joe. “Adam…who was that black man?”

“That was Isaiah…he’s the doctor, Joe,” whispered Adam.

“Doctor? What kind of doctor…he’s not a voodoo doctor is he?” Joe moaned. “Cause if he is…”

“No silly, he’s a real doctor…but a slave, just like you and I…but a doctor…of sorts,” Adam explained.

He had no real intention of explaining to Joe that Isaiah was in truth, a licensed medical doctor who just happened to be working undercover for the French government and who, in all probability would be their only chance to get off the island.

“Oh,” Joe responded. “Adam…where’s Hoss…is he alright?”

“He’s fine, Joe. Harriman has him out working,” Adam told his brother.

He hated the fact that his middle brother was sent to the fields to work the cotton. It was probably a hundred or more degrees outside and with the humidity, and Hoss’ enormous size, Adam feared that his brother might suffer a heat stroke, but he couldn’t tell that to Joe. Joe had enough to worry about, he had to be on his feet by the following night and then, unknown to the boy, he would be expected to…Adam shook his head, he didn’t even feel up to thinking about what Joe was expected to do. He had been forced to visit one of the breeding huts himself and he hadn’t liked the idea any better than he thought Joe would. He had been lucky though, the young woman whom he was expected to breed with, had fallen sick and had been dragged from the hut by two guards. The second woman who was brought to him had been much younger, no more than fifteen or sixteen and when he had approached her, she had become hysterical and began crying and screaming. When the guards had burst into the hut and taken her away as well, Harriman had entered and demanded an explanation from him. When Adam had finished explaining, and had added the fact that it would be impossible for him to…perform…under all the stress that the two woman had bestowed upon him, Adam had been excused and sent back to his own shack.

“You try to rest, Joe, everything will work out, in time,” soothed Adam, giving Joe a smile.

Joe relaxed a little but as Adam stood to his feet, Joe reached out and grabbed his brother’s arm. Adam noted the pool of tears that shone in the hazel eyes and he sat back down, once more taking Joe’s hand in his, for he felt Joe’s fear.

“What is it Joe?” Adam asked softly.

Joe made a sniffling sound and then looked into Adam’s eyes.

“Are we ever going to get outta here, Adam? Honestly…please, don’t lie to me, cause I want to go home, I want to see…Pa,” begged Joe, fighting back the tears.

“Yes little brother, I promise you, I’ll get you out of here and I promise you Joe, I’ll take you home, if I have to swim this ocean with you on my back…I’ll get you home,” smiled Adam. “I don’t know when Joe…there are certain things, things I can’t tell you…”

“What things…why can’t you tell me?” quizzed Joe, suddenly more alert to what Adam was telling him, or not telling him.

“It doesn’t matter Joe, it’s best that you don’t know…for your own safety…but you have to trust me…you do, don’t you?”

“You know I do, Adam. I trust you with my life…you’ve never lied to me, and…I’ve never doubted you. I know you will do what you promise…” Joe returned his head to the old pillow and closed his eyes. “I’m tired Adam…so tired…I just want to sleep.”

Adam smiled, though Joe’s eyes were closed and he missed the comforting gesture. “You go to sleep then Joe, when you wake up, I’ll have you something to eat.” Adam pulled the old blanket up around his brother and tucked it in. Without realizing what he was doing, he leaned down and placed a kiss on his brother’s brow. “Night little buddy,” he whispered as a sudden rush of feeling very paternal washed over him.

Joe mumbled something that Adam could not understand. He sat for several minutes, watching the expressions on his younger brother’s face and silently he prayed that God would keep his brother safe until such time as he could take the boy home.

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

Ben had been sitting behind his desk for the last couple of hours studying his paper work. His mind had been crowded with thoughts of his sons, their futures, his future, his life and what route would he follow now, now that his sons were gone. Ben leaned his face into the palms of his hands, his elbows resting side by side on the desktop, and fought the urge to scream. God, how he missed his boys. It had been five months, five long and dismaying months of not knowing what had happened to them or how they were, if they were still alive or even together. Ben wiped his opened hands down his face, clearing his thoughts, and the mist that had filled his eyes.

The front door opened and Ben straightened himself in his chair. “Chuck?” Ben called out, picking up his pencil.

Chuck, who was slowly making his way around the corner wall, stopped and turned toward Ben’s office. “Did you want me, Ben?” answered Chuck as he immediately responded to Ben’s summons.

“Yes, please. I’d like to have a word with you, if you have time?” Ben inquired and then pointed to the chair on the opposite side of the desk.

“Yes sir, I was just going to check on Sarah and Billy.” Chuck snickered, “Ever since she told me she was expecting another baby, well, I don’t seem to be able to stop worrying about her. I’m sure you know how I must feel,” smiled Chuck.

Ben dropped his head; a rush of memories came washing over him and he had to swallow several times to rid his throat of the thickness that threatened to choke him.

He raised his head, his heartache hidden behind his smile. “Yes, I do know how you feel.”

Chuck saw the sad expression in the eyes of his employer and suddenly realized that he had stirred up the man’s recent hurt, once again. “I’m sorry Ben, I wasn’t thinking,” he apologized.

“It’s alright, Chuck…but that’s part of what I want to speak to you about. Please, would you like a cup of coffee, or a brandy?” Ben asked as he poured himself a brandy.

“No thank you, Ben.” Chuck made himself comfortable, curious as to what was so important that Ben had summoned him in the middle of a workday, to discuss business with him.

Ben gulped the brandy and returned the tiny goblet to the tray. He leaned back in his chair and eyed the man across from him. He had hashed and rehashed the idea that he was about to present to the man across from him. He had spent hours figuring and re-figuring his assets, he had talked with his lawyer and his banker and had come to the conclusion that he was capable of doing what he was about to impose. He had, over the last several years of his life accumulated a small fortune, he had adequate funds, business dealings, mine operations, and timber contracts in the making that would keep him well funded for years to come. So, when the idea came to him to sell his beloved Ponderosa and go in search of his three sons, he had given it great thought and decided that without his boys, home as he had once known it mattered nothing to him. He would offer the ranch, the grazing lands, his fertile pastures, and certain water rights to Chuck Basile. Wasn’t that the reason the man had brought his family west, to acquire land and start a ranch of his own? Then he need look no longer, the Ponderosa was about to be his.

“Ben?”

Ben snapped to attention. “I’m sorry Chuck, now, about what I want to talk to you about. You came west to buy land, to start a ranch and become a rancher, isn’t that correct?” Ben asked.

“Why, yessir, that’s correct,” Chuck answered, seemingly taken back by the unexpected question.

“How would you like to own your very own spread, today?”

“Today? I don’t understand…I mean…” stammered Chuck.

“The Ponderosa…you’ve done wonders with this place…and I want to sell it…to you and your wife,” Ben stopped for the words seem to stick in his mouth. “You need a good place to raise your son and the new baby…what better place than right here, on this ranch?”

“But Ben…you…you love this place. You’ve worked hard to make it what it is today…why…I mean, do you wish to sale it now?” Chuck could not believe his ears and when Sarah joined them, she had the same puzzled look on her face that Chuck wore, for she had heard the offer that Ben had just made to her husband.

Ben stood to his feet, turning his back to the couple and leaned one hand against the wall. He gazed at the big map of the Ponderosa that was framed and hanging on the wall behind his desk. He sighed, remembering the glow in Adam’s eyes the night that his son had presented him with the drawing and how proud Adam had been when he had given it to his father. Ben took a deep breath and turned.

“It isn’t home anymore…its become more like a…prison to me…without my sons.”

Ben’s eyes welled with tears and he turned once more to the wall and gazed out the window.

“I have to find my sons…I have to find out what has happened to them and if they are…still alive.”

Ben faced Chuck and Sarah again, his face grim, his voice thick with emotion when he spoke.

“I need money to do that, to travel, to sail to every God forsaken island in the Pacific if need be, until I find my boys! Surely you understand that? Think about it, what if it was your son that had been taken, or your new baby…how would you feel? What would you do to find them, how much would you spend and how far would you go? I will go to the end of the earth and spend every last dollar I have, I would sell my soul to the devil if that’s what it takes to get my boys back!”

Ben had to stop, his heart was pounding in his chest and he was gasping for breath. When he regained control of himself he smiled at the startled couple in front of him.

“I’m sorry Chuck, Sarah, I didn’t mean to get so carried away. But without my sons, I’m nothing, I have no desire to live or to go on, or to run this ranch. Why should I? In the end, it will all go to someone else anyway, and the two of you might as well have it. I want you too; you both have saved me from sinking so far into despair that it’s the only way I know to thank you, to help you. It will be helping me, not just the two of you…please, won’t you give it some thought and let me know?” Ben’s voice had sounded as if he were begging the couple to take his home, his life’s work, his blood.

Chuck stood and slipped his arm about his wife. “Ben, Sarah and I will talk it over. Naturally, we would love to own a spread such as this, but…we have to think about it, it would be a major undertaking.”

“I understand, thank you. If you don’t mind, I think I’ll take a little ride. I’ll see you folks at supper.”

Ben nodded his head and forced himself to walk calmly to the door, don his hat and tie on his gun and holster. When he reached the stable, and his horse, he leaned heavily against the big stallion and allowed his pent-up emotions to be freed. For several moments, Ben wept.

Inside, Sarah lowered her body into the chair in which her husband had been sitting. For several moments, she stared off into space and then turned, looking up at Chuck. Chuck was brushing his hand across his face and had stopped pacing and now stood in front of his wife.

Sarah was the first to speak. Slowly she stood to her feet and with her opened hand, gently caressed her husband’s cheek.

“Chuck…he’s lost so much already…you have to tell him…you have to help him,” she sobbed. “Please Chuck…it’s the only way that we can ever be happy, the only way that we can honestly start a new life…Chuck, we have Billy to think about now…and the new baby. Did you hear what he said, darling? What if it had been our children instead of his…how far would you go to get our child back?”

Chuck grabbed his wife and folded her into his embrace, struggling with his fear of what he had done and what might happen to him if he were to tell Ben Cartwright the truth. What would Ben say…or worse, what would Ben do to him when Ben found out that he had played a major part in the disappearance of his three sons. How could he tell the grieving man who was ready to sell his soul in order to get his sons back, that his real name was Sal Mareno and that he had worked for William J. Harriman? Ben Cartwright would break every bone in his body, or worse kill him, what would happen to his little family then, should he die trying to be noble? No, he would have to give it more thought.

“Sarah, I don’t know…this would be our big break, to have everything you ever wanted, a big ranch, a family, a good name. I don’t know if I can give up that dream…”

Sarah pulled away from her husband, shocked at his words.

“Dreams… good name? How can you think of living under false pretenses like that? How can you call it a dream when it involves so many innocent people…Chuck, it’s a nightmare…for Ben Cartwright, its his life and his death…no Chuck, either you tell him the truth, or I will. I will take Billy and leave and you will never see this new baby, never Chuck…do you understand?” shouted Sarah

“I’ll not be a party to your schemes, I’m not afraid of William Harriman, not any more…Chuck, Ben’s a good decent man, tell him how William threatened us, how he swore to steal our son and sell him on the black market…tell him my darling…please. Ben will understand; he’ll forgive you and he will help us, if you help him find his sons. Oh Chuck, his sons…his sons…it could have been little Billy instead of Little Joe…please, do it…if not for me…for Billy…”

Sarah covered her face with her hands and lowered her trembling body into the chair and wept. Chuck fell to his knees in front of his wife and gathered her into his arms, clinging tightly to her shaking body.

“Shh…I can’t fight you Sarah, you have always been my strength. I’ll tell him, I’ll show him if I have too, where to find his sons…but I’ll do it for us, not just for you or just for Billy, but for us, cause we’re family. I love you, Sarah, no matter what happens, remember that, I love you.”

“Oh Chuck go after him, please don’t wait. He’s hurting, he’s grieving and he needs to know, now…please,” encouraged Sarah.

“But I don’t know where…”

Sarah smiled and cupped her husband’s face in her hands. “To the lake, his late wife is buried there and he goes there everyday about this same time. Hurry dear, please?”

Chuck stood to his feet clasping Sarah’s hands within his and forcing her to her feet as well. “You are so wonderful, my dear…you are determined to make an honest man out of me, aren’t you?” He kissed Sarah deeply on the mouth and then turned.

“I’ll be back as soon as I can. I love you Sarah!” he called as he slipped out the door.

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

“Alright Thomas, on your feet,” shouted the guard as he burst into the shack.

Adam, Hoss and Joe were seated at the table enjoying the special broth that Isaiah’s wife Lizzie, had prepared for them. The opening of the door and the way, in which it banged against the wall when the guards had entered unannounced, startled them.

The first guard, followed by a second crowded into the room and each grabbed Joe’s arms and hauled him to his feet. Adam and Hoss stood to their feet as well, but were backed against the wall by the third guard who pointed his rifle barrel at them.

“Time for you to go to work, kid,” laughed the first guard.

Joe’s eyes widened in fear and he sought Adam’s face. Adam could plainly see the terror that showed in his younger brother’s expression.

“Work? What do you mean?” Joe stammered, trying to still his trembling.

The three guards laughed and swapped knowing looks. “He means, it’s time for you to earn your keep…you know…make babies. You are able to…well…you know…get it up?”

All three burst out in another round of boisterous laughter. “Don’t look so scared kid, just do what comes naturally, it ain’t so bad…is it Josh? You haven’t seemed to mind spending your evenings’ with the ladies, now have ya?”

Joe’s eyes sought Adam’s and he stared in shock at his brother. “Adam?” stammered Joe, but was unable to finish his sentence because the guards had all but dragged him from the shack and was already leading him toward the slave quarters where he knew the tiny breeding huts were standing in a row on the lower edge of the quarters.

Joe tried to jerk free of the restraining hands, but the guards were strong and it was impossible to free himself from the vise like hold that they held on his arms.

“Take it easy kid, stop fightin’ us,” growled one guard.

Joe soon found himself standing in front of one small hut. Harriman was there, waiting for him and the despicable man wore an infuriating smile on his face.

“Good evening, Thomas. I’m glad to see that you are up and about, at last.” Harriman took a step closer to Joe. In one hand he held his walking stick, with his free hand he grabbed Joe’s chin and tilted his head upward.

“You know what you are to do. You have two hours to do your…thing. After that time, I will send in a woman to check the girl, if you haven’t copulated this union, someone will pay dearly. It’s all up to you, do you understand?” growled Harriman.

“And what if…if…I can’t?” stammered Joe, afraid to look the man in the eye.

“Is there any reason why you can’t?” Harriman asked, his voice growing deep and demanding as he pinched Joe’s chin tighter with his strong fingers.

Joe could not open his mouth, Harriman’s fingers were forcing his cheeks together and all Joe could do was to shake his head no.

“Good,” Harriman’s fingers released Joe’s face. “Then…enjoy your work…I’m sure that you will sire a mighty fine offspring. You and that other man, Josh, will make me thousands of dollars with your issues. Let him in,” he told the guards. “She’s been bathed and made ready for you,” he said to Joe as he stepped aside and allowed the guard to unlock the door.

“Thomas…she is a virgin. I’ve saved her just for you; she’s a beautiful, young Tahitian girl, who is half-white. With her beauty and your looks, the infant you sire should be beautiful and bring me several hundred dollars.”

Harriman turned as if to leave but spun back around, speaking to the guard. “Two hours, and then take him back to his shack. I will wait in my office for a full report, be sure that LeeAnn inspects the girl thoroughly.”

“Yessir,” smiled the guard, as he shoved Joe into the dimly lit hut.

Joe stood for several minutes, giving his eyes time to adjust to the lighting. He trembled, he was beyond being scared and it took all his will power to keep from crying. How in the world had Adam managed, was it true what the guard had implied? Had Adam really been doing…this…is this where his brother had been disappearing to each night? Dear God, cried Joe’s heart.

Joe took a step into the center of the round hut. A strange noise could be heard coming from the other side and he listened, trying to decide what the sound was.

As he inched forward, his eyes becoming more accustomed to the lighting, Joe could make out the small cot across the room. Slowly he inched toward it, the sound becoming more distinct. Someone was crying, it was the girl.

“Are you alright?” Joe whispered.

The crying became louder and when Joe finally stood beside the cot, he stared in shock at the sight that reached his eyes. Quickly he spun around, afraid to look at the young girl who had been stripped of her clothing and tied, spread eagle to the four corners of the little bed.

“Please…please, don’t hurt me,” she cried. “I’m frightened…please, don’t touch me,” begged the girl.

“Shh…don’t cry…please…I’m not going to hurt you…I’m…I’m not going to…even touch you,” whispered Joe.

The girl sniffled her nose; “you’re not?”

Joe walked off and then turned and came back, turning his back to the girl. “You…don’t want…me to…do you?”

“NO! I’ve never…I mean…I’m…Oh!” she began to cry again.

Joe glanced over his shoulder, catching a glimpse of the girl’s face and then quickly turning away. His heart was pounding in his chest, the girl was beautiful, and Joe’s thoughts began racing through his mind, he had not expected the girl to be so lovely or to smell so…so tantalizing. His senses began to soar and his body began to betray him.

He turned around, taking in the sight of the naked girl and then when she looked up at him and their eyes met, Joe felt his face begin to redden with embarrassment and he quickly turned away.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to…” stammered Joe.

“Please go away…leave me alone,” she told Joe through her tears.

Joe said nothing but did as requested and moved to the darkest rim of the hut and sat down. He drew his knees up to his chest and placed his arms crosswise over the tops. He then buried his face and fought against the tears that had filled his eyes. He had never seen a nude woman before and he hadn’t expected the slave girl to be so appealing, he hadn’t counted on the fact that he might actually…want to…to…

The girl cried softly, her whimpering reaching Joe’s ears and touching his heart. For as frightened as he felt, he could only wonder about how terrified the girl must feel. To be stripped of her clothing and then tied naked to the bed, having to wait in fear of whomever her wicked master forced on her, was more fear than Joe could comprehend. Joe raised his head slightly and stared through the darkness to where the girl lay, she could not have been more than fourteen or fifteen at the most. Joe shivered; William Harriman was a cad, for sure.

At the end of two hours, Joe heard the lock turn in the key and then the glow of the moon filled the little hut. Joe remained motionless, unable to will his body to rise, afraid to look into the eyes of the guards as they entered, each casting inquisitive eyes around the room, each hoping to catch a glimpse of the naked girl for whom Joe had been sent to service. Behind the guards, a tall slender woman followed and paused while the guards dragged Joe to his feet and then led him away and back to his shack that he shared with his brothers.

Hoss was by himself when the door was shoved opened and Little Joe was ushered inside. He stood silently while the guards glanced around the room and then up at Hoss. One guard smiled at Hoss.

“Josh workin’?” he snickered.

Joe turned around and eyed the man, wishing that he could punch the dude on the end of his bearded chin.

When neither Hoss nor Joe said anything, the two guards turned and left the brothers to themselves. Hoss waited, expecting Joe to say something, but Joe just moved to his cot and laid down on his stomach, covering his head with his arms. Hoss watched sickened by the sight and more so when he heard his brother begin to weep. Quickly he crossed the room to Joe’s side and sat on the edge of the narrow cot. Hoss gently began rubbing Joe’s back, an action that had always comforted the boy when he was distressed.

“Joe, come on Punkin, don’t cry…it’s going to be okay…” whispered Hoss.

Joe shook his head.

“Sure it will, it cain’t be that bad. Looky, we’re together, aren’t we? We still have each other…and…”

Joe rolled over and sat up, wiping his eyes. “Hoss, she was…so…so beautiful. She was…crying…and I couldn’t…I couldn’t…touch her…I…I…was scared.”

Joe surprised his brother by wrapping himself around his massive form. Hoss choked back his tears and then embraced the weeping boy, holding him tightly.

“What kind of a monster is that man? He forces young girls to have babies and then he sells the babies…Hoss…I hate him…I hate him…” cried Joe. “I wanna go home…Hoss…please…I want Pa…I…”

The banging of the door interrupted Joe. Both brothers turned in shock and when Hoss saw the furious, dark glow to Harriman’s eyes; he stood, placing his body between the wicked man and his little brother.

“Get out of my way you big ox, I’ve come for the boy!” shouted Harriman as he took a step nearer.

Hoss moved slightly, meeting the other man’s angry glare. “What’s he done?” Hoss demanded, surprising the man in front of him with his audacity.

“It’s more what he hasn’t done, now get out of my way before I have you beaten!” Harriman demanded and attempted to shove Hoss aside.

Hoss didn’t budge but used his arm and pushed Harriman backwards. The four guards who were with Harriman sprung into action and flung themselves at Hoss. It was a short struggle; one man clubbed Hoss on the back of the head with his rifle butt and rendered Hoss unconscious. Joe had jumped from the cot and made an attempt to reach his brother, but strong arms grabbed him and forced him through the opened door.

“Chain the big man and take him to the pit. Several days in the hole will take the fight out of him!” ordered Harriman as he turned to follow after the two men who were holding Joe and waiting for their boss outside in the moonlight.

“NO! “ shouted Joe as he watched Hoss being dragged from the shack. “NO! PLEASE…DON’T HURT HIM!” screamed Joe, struggling.

Harriman, his scowl dark, slapped Joe hard across his face. Tiny droplets of blood began to ooze from his split lip. Harriman grabbed Joe’s chin, his fingers pinching unmercifully against his tender flesh.

“I told you that should you fail to join yourself with the girl, someone would pay. Now I must show you what happens when you do not obey my orders.” He released Joe’s face and nodded to the guards. “Take him to the whipping post and tie him up. I want him to see first hand what happens when he does not do as I say.”

Joe felt his stomach begin to churn and his heart began pounding rapidly. He could barely walk upright; his legs felt like jelly, he was terrified.

The guards stopped. It was dark with only the soft glow of the moonlight giving light to the small gathering of slaves that had been forced from their beds to watch the punishment that was about to take place. Joe’s arms were forced behind him and tied tightly with strips of rawhide. His head was forced back against the post and held until one man wrapped a long strip of rawhide around his brow and making it so that he could not move his head. Lastly, his ankles were tied tightly to the post. Joe was unable to move or twist his body in any manner.

From the corner of his eye, Joe caught a movement off to the side. When the movement came into view, he stared in shock. Being dragged by four men, was Adam, who struggled against the hands that forced him to move unwillingly along with them.

“NO!” shouted Joe as he watched in horror as the men chained Adam to the whipping post and then laughing, ripped his shirt from his back, exposing his bare flesh.

“NO…NO…PLEASE!” shouted Joe.

Harriman turned angry eyes at Joe. “I promised you Thomas, someone would pay. Now you watch…see what you have done for not following instructions? All you had to do was to…enjoy yourself…but no…you chose to defy me. Now you will live with the fact that this man…who was your friend will bear the scars of your defiance.”

Harriman nodded his head at Wells to begin. Wells’ eyes found Joe’s and he smiled at the boy.

In a movement was so fast, that it could hardly be seen, the whip snapped and cracked. Joe tried to turn his head as the split end of the whip ripped at his brother’s back, but his head was tied too tightly. He closed his eyes, but felt a sharp jab to his side each time that he tried.

“Watch!” ordered Harriman, “or I will have him killed.”

Joe had no other recourse but to watch. Again and again, the whip tore at Adam’s back. His screams reached Joe’s ears and with each snap of the whip, Joe’s heart shattered.

“No…no…please…stop…ADAM…ADAM…I’m so sorry…” wept Joe, unable to hold back his tears. They rolled freely down his face, stopping momentarily at his chin before dripping onto his shirt.

“ADAM! ADAM! PLEASE…FORGIVE ME!”

Joe’s voice had given out on him and his breathing had become labored but he forced himself to look up at Harriman.

“Master…sir,” he whispered, catching Harriman’s attention. William turned to study the boy. Joe’s eyes were lowered, his tone submissive, William smiled, he had finally broken the boy.

“What is it Thomas?” he said.

“Please…sir…make him stop…I’ll do…anything…anything…sir. Please, just don’t hurt him anymore.” Joe’s lip quivered and he chanced a look into the man’s eyes. Joe’s eyes were filled with tears, but he didn’t care, he’d do anything to stop the brutality of the attack on his brother’s life.

“Anything, Thomas?” sneered Harriman.

“Anything…sir…just make them stop…please sir,” begged Joe imploringly.

Harriman spun around on his heels, “WELLS! ENOUGH!” he shouted. “Take the man to his shack and see that the doctor tends to his wounds.”

Harriman watched Joe’s expressions as the guards unchained his brother and dragged him away. He saw the horror in the watery eyes as he eyed the blood that dripped from Adam’s back and the way the boy’s lip trembled when the sounds of Adam’s moaning reached his ears. Harriman smiled, he had made his point, from the look on the boy’s face, he knew that the boy, Thomas, would now be his to control.

“Leave the boy here until morning, he will have plenty of time to think about the suffering that he has caused another man.”

Harriman smiled at Joe and turned, following the others and leaving Joe alone in the darkness to judge himself for all but killing his brother.

At that moment, Joe hated himself, he wished himself dead for the pain he had caused his brother. Adam might die, and it would be his fault, or, Adam would live with the horrific pain and scars and might never be able to forgive his youngest brother. Joe bit his bottom lip, tasting the blood that flowed into his mouth as he wept.

“I’m sorry Adam, so sorry…please…PA! PA!” sobbed Joe hysterically until at last he gave up screaming and succumbed to the darkened world that sought to claim him.

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

Chuck dismounted and tied his horse’s reins around a branch. Buck was already tethered and the stallion snorted softly at Chuck’s roan. It was beautiful here, at the lake on the small rise overlooking the crystal blue waters. It was peaceful and Chuck could sense a feeling of serenity and understood why it was that Ben came here to this special place to find peace for his troubled soul and broken heart. Chuck walked softly along the narrow path until he came to the opening where he found Ben kneeling on the ground next to his wife’s grave. For several moments he watched, listened as Ben prayed softly and then felt the tug on his heart strings when Ben told his wife that he felt as if he was dying on the inside, so stricken he was without his sons. Chuck understood the love that Ben felt in his heart, for his own heart held the same love for his own son, Billy.

“Ben?” Chuck called softly, hating to disturb the man’s quiet time but knowing that Sarah would expect him to keep his promise he had made to her.

Ben’s head raised up, searching for the direction of the sound. Chuck stepped into the clearing, making his presence known to his boss.

“I hate to intrude, but I desperately need to talk to you…it’s very important,” Chuck said as he moved nearer.

Ben stood to his feet and stepped over Marie’s grave until he stood facing Chuck. “It’s alright Chuck, I was just fixing to leave. Is anything wrong?”

“Well…yes and no…I don’t hardly know where to begin…” stammered Chuck, suddenly unsure of his decision to admit what he had done.

Ben moved to a rock and sat down, motioning for Chuck to do the same. “Why don’t you start at the beginning? Does it have to do with what we talked about earlier?”

“No Ben…it’s about…your sons,” Chuck blurted out and then stood, moving a short distance from Ben. He turned around to face his boss.

“I know what happened to them.”

“WHAT? MY SONS…HOW?” shouted Ben, getting to his feet.

“Ben, please calm down…let me explain…and when I’m finished, you can do whatever you deem necessary…but I have to tell you…” Chuck rushed on to say.

“Tell me what? What do you know about my boys?” snarled Ben, suddenly feeling more alive than he had in the past five months.

“Sit down Ben, this is going to take some time,” Chuck leaned back against a huge boulder and waited until Ben had sat back down.

“Get on with it…are they alive…where are they?”

“Yes Ben, they are alive, or at least they were when I last saw them…and they are in Tahiti, it’s an island in the…”

“I know what it is and where it is…tell me about my sons! How did they get there and why? How do you know about them!” Ben demanded.

“I worked for the man who bought them and…”

Ben stood up and glared at Chuck, “Bought them? My God, what in heavens name are you saying?” he shouted.

“Ben…the man who bought them, William Harriman, is a cotton grower, he has a plantation on the island…only that’s just a cover…what he really deals in is white slavery. He buys healthy, strong young men and makes them…breed with his slave women. Then he sells the babies on the black market to other buyers in different countries…that’s why he took your sons…to use as studs for…”

Ben grabbed the startled man but the collar and jerked him up. “How do you know all of this?” he stormed.

Chuck gulped, he had exposed himself this far he might as well admit it all. “I was the one who singled out your boys, and then had my men kidnap them. I sold them to Harriman myself…”

Chuck never got to finish his sentence, for Ben’s fist, pounded into the man’s face, shattering his nose, and splitting opened the man’s lower lip. Chuck fell face down into the dirt, moaning. Ben grabbed him by the shirt and hauled him to his feet. Again Ben’s fist plowed into the man, this time striking him in his midsection and doubling Chuck in two. As Ben reared back for the third time, Chuck held his hand up, stopping the blow.

“I can help you find them, Ben…please…listen to me…” muttered Chuck.

Ben stopped his fist from driving into the man’s face. He clung to Chuck’s shirt, glaring. “You know where they are, for sure?”

“Yessir, unless Harriman’s sold them, which isn’t likely. He was quite taken with the boy and your oldest, Adam. He planned on those two making him a bundle of money when they sired a child. Please, let me explain why I had to do what I did, maybe then you will understand and let me help you get them back,” Chuck pleaded.

Ben released his hold on the man’s shirt and allowed his arms to drop down to his sides. He turned away slowly, shaking his head in disgust and then faced Chuck.

“I can’t believe I almost sold my home to the very man that stole my children. How were you going to pay for the Ponderosa? With money that you made by selling my sons?” growled Ben, barely able to refrain from killing the man.

Chuck hung his head. “I’m sorry Ben. But when I took this job, I had absolutely no way of knowing that those three were your sons. Do you think that I would be foolish enough to go to work for the man whose sons I had just had shanghaied? I was forced into doing it Ben, honestly I was. You see Harriman threatened to take my wife and son. He said if I didn’t do as he said, he would make her a slave, breed her like he does the women on his plantation and he swore that he would sell my son and I’d never see him again.” Chuck took a deep breath, relieved to see that Ben had calmed down enough that he was listening to him.

“Go on,” urged Ben.

“Well, you said it yourself Ben, how far would you go to get your family back? About as far as I went to keep my family from falling into the hands of that miserable man!” Chuck shook his head and then looked deeply into Ben’s eyes.

“I’m so sorry Ben…all I can do now to show you how sorry I truly am, is to help you get them back. I…we could go to San Francisco, I have connections. It wouldn’t take anything for me to get us a ship and a crew that would help us. We could sail to Tahiti and bring your sons home.”

Ben’s anger was dissipating though he still wanted to beat the man within an inch of his life for what he had done. Ben rubbed his hand over his face, trying to calm himself. He raised angry eyes and looked into the other man’s face.

“Why should I trust you? Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t kill you right now?” growled Ben.

Chuck gulped, he couldn’t blame the man for hating him, but he had to convince Ben that he could help him. Chuck swallowed and moved closer to Ben.

“I don’t blame you for wanting to kill me, honestly I don’t. I told you the reasons why I did what I felt I had to do. I’m sorry Ben, from the bottom of my heart, I’m truly sorry. All I can say is that I’ve been so damn selfish, thinking of no one other than my family and myself. I’ve given no thought to what I was doing to other families, or how I was hurting them, and destroying other people’s lives. I’m so ashamed. Ben, please, I know you can never forgive me, and I don’t blame you one bit, but let me try to make it up to you, let me go to San Francisco, hire a ship and crew, I have friends Ben, and they will be willing to help us. Won’t you please, for your sons and mine?”

Ben glanced away, seeing Marie’s grave before him and it was as if she were speaking to him from afar, telling him to forgive and allow the man to help him find their sons, to bring them home, before it was too late. Ben took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He turned again to face Chuck.

“We will go to San Francisco, together, and we will hire a ship, and a crew and we will find my sons. But understand me if anything has happened to one, two or all three of them I will rip you apart with my own two hands. Now, lets get going, I want my boys home by Christmas and that only gives us a few weeks.” Ben walked away, gathered Buck’s reins and mounted up. He paused and looked over at Chuck who had not moved.

“Well, are you coming, or are you going to just stand there?”

Chuck made a weak smile and nodded his head. “I’m coming…and Ben…thanks for giving me a chance to…”

“Forget it, it isn’t for you, it’s for Sarah and Billy, and Adam, Hoss and Little Joe,” Ben remarked and then kicked Buck’s sides. “Let’s ride,” he called over his shoulder to Chuck.

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

It was well into the morning by the time that Wells and Harriman decided to release Joe from the whipping post. Harriman stood in front of Joe, watching as Wells untied the boy and then had to catch Joe in his arms as Joe’s body sagged against him.

“Stand up, Thomas!” ordered Harriman, jabbing lightly at Joe with the end of his walking stick.

Joe pulled away from Wells and forced himself to stand upright on his own, though he swayed slightly. The weary boy kept his head down, his eyes lowered, knowing that as a slave, this was what his master expected him to do. The fight had left him, he despised the two men in front of him, but he could never let them see the hatred that shone in his eyes. Yet, he had no more desire to try to fight against them, Harriman had proved his point to him by beating Adam nearly to death, and Joe reasoned that it had all been his fault that Adam had been made to suffer.

“Thomas, you will go back to your shack. I trust that you will not dally along the way and once there, I want you to remain there until I send for you. Josh is there as well; the doctor has treated his wounds but he is still suffering. It will be your job to tend to him until such time that he is able to be on his feet, that is the least you can do, being as how it was your misconduct that has caused his suffering. I have explained to Josh, the reason why he was whipped, because I had put him in charge of teaching you proper conduct and since you failed to learn your lessons, Josh had to pay. He blames you for his pain; he hates you…and justly so. Go, and see to it that Josh is well treated, for should you not do as I instruct you and he is not better in two days, you will be the one chained to the whipping post. Josh will be given the pleasure of using the whip on your back. I’m sure he would love nothing better than to get back at you. Now get out of my sight!” instructed Harriman.

Joe gulped, fighting back his tears…Adam hated him. “Yessir, Master, sir,” murmured Joe as he walked slowly away, his head still bowed low over his chest.

Harriman smiled; he had the boy right where he wanted him. He had convinced Thomas that Josh actually hated him, he had seen the well of tears that boiled beneath the lowered lashes and it proved to him that he had broken the boy’s spirit. Harriman snickered, a slave has no room in his soul for a heart, a heart could get him hurt, and Thomas was just finding that out. He had plans for the boy; Thomas had promised to do anything if he would only stop hurting his friend, and Harriman had every intention of making the boy keep his promise, for now Harriman knew the boy’s weakness.

Harriman turned to Wells, smiling. “Let’s go check on Victor and see how he’s doing down in the pit. What a waste of good muscle…I needed him over in the cotton fields this morning, instead he’s in the baking oven,” growled Harriman.

“Did ya see the way that that ox stepped between you and that kid? I’m surprised how Josh and Victor always seem to want to protect that boy. Ya sure they didn’t know each other before ya bought them?” inquired Wells.

“Naw, Sal found them on the wharf, they weren’t even together but they were all watching a street brawl. That’s how we got the kid, I saw him the day before standing on the dock with an older man, figured it to be his father. Rich looking they were too, good quality and since I’ve been looking for a quality boy to service the younger girls, I couldn’t let him get away. He will produce some good looking offspring, if I can ever get him started,” Harriman said as he walked along with Wells in the direction of the pits.

Wells snickered, “Maybe we should let LeeAnn spend time with the boy. She’d teach him real quick like.”

Harriman stopped in his tracks and turned around to gaze at Wells. “That’s not such a bad idea. She’s taught her share, that’s for sure and she’s just what the boy might need. She’d woo him in such a way, he wouldn’t be able to resist, I’ve seen her work…and besides, she likes the young boys…likes to train them to please her girls. I’ll have to give that some thought Wells. Now pull that tin off and lets see how the big man is doing.”

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

Joe went straight to his shack; his heart was pounding, as was his head. The rawhide that had been tied around his brow and with the time that he had been made to stand not only made his head hurt, but his entire body as well. His steps were slow and sluggish; it was all the weary, despondent boy could do to put one foot in front of the other. When he neared the shack, he paused and for the first time, raised his head, staring at the door. Just on the opposite side lay his brother, the one who hated him, the one who held him responsible for all his pain and suffering. Joe’s head dropped, his eyes filled with tears and he suddenly wished that it had been him tied to the whipping post, not Adam, not his oldest brother whom he had always respected and admired.

Joe took a deep breath and pushed opened the door. Even before he had stepped through the doorway, he could hear the soft moaning coming from the far corner, where he knew Adam’s cot was placed. The sounds tore at his heart and Joe almost turned and fled.

“Jo…e?”

Joe stopped, hearing his name called. He took another step closer, unsure.

“Bud…dy…is that…you?”

“Adam?” Joe rushed to the cot and fell to his knees, his hands gently taking his brother’s into his. “Adam…” Joe sobbed. “Adam…I’m sorry…I didn’t know it was goin’ to be you…that got…punished…”

Adam was lying face down on the cot, a thin blanket covered his bare back and when Joe lifted the cover, the air instantly expelled from his lungs, shocked at the condition of his brother’s flesh.

“Oh Lord…Adam,” Joe sobbed.

He quickly let the blanket drop back down and turned, grabbing water and searching for a clean cloth. As he rummaged through the cabinet, the door opened, Joe eyes widened at the sight of the black man standing in the door.

“Who are you?” Joe asked, getting to his feet and placing himself between the man and his brother.

“I’m the doctor…you must Joe?” Isaiah said softly and closed the door.

“Doctor?” stammered Joe, glancing down at Adam and then back at Isaiah.

“Yes,” smiled Isaiah, “I’m the one who tended to you, don’t you remember?” Isaiah stepped around Joe and pulled a chair up to the cot. He glanced back over his shoulder at Joe who had not moved and then turned his attention to Adam.

“How are you feeling Adam?” Isaiah asked softly.

“Hurts…”Adam moaned.

Joe stood behind the doctor, watching as Isaiah began cleaning the wounds with disinfectant. Joe’s eyes watched Adam’s face and as the fine lines tightened on his brother’s brow, Joe was forced to look away. The pain he read on his brother’s face ripped at his conscience and he felt as if he could die right there, on the spot. When he could stand no more, he turned and walked to the far corner and sat down, burying his face in his hands.

Adam raised his head slightly, seeing Joe in the corner. The boy looked broken, and in spite of his own wounds, Adam forced himself up into a sitting position. He swung his long legs around until he was sitting on the edge of the cot. The pain in his back caused him to stiffen but he gritted his teeth to the agony.

“Joe,” Adam called.

Isaiah moved so that Adam could better see his brother as he returned his medication to his little valise.

From his corner, Joe glanced up seeing Adam sitting on the side of the bed. Adam was motioning for him to come to him. Joe, at loss for words, shook his head no.

“Please…Joe…come here,” Adam said weakly.

Joe, feeling guilty about what had happened to his brother, wished he was anywhere but where he was, yet he felt that he owed his brother something. Slowly Joe rose and crossed the room. Isaiah backed away, sensing that the two brothers needed to be alone, he slipped unnoticed out the door.

“Sit…down Joe,” Adam whispered and pointed to the chair nearest the cot.

Joe did as he was instructed; his head lowered making it impossible for Adam to see his brother’s face. Gently, Adam laid one hand on the boy’s knee. Beneath his opened palm, Adam could feel the tremors that surged through Joe’s body.

“Look at me…please,” muttered Adam.

Joe hesitated.

“Joe…”

At last, Joe raised his head, just enough that he met Adam’s dark, pain filled eyes. His heart thumped loudly and he was forced to swallow several times to wash down the foul tasting bile that had suddenly boiled up into his mouth. The minute his eyes met Adam’s, Joe’s eyes filled with tears, his chin began to quiver and when he blinked, the tiny beads of water rolled slowly down his face.

“Don’t…cry…please Joe,” Adam whispered.

Joe dropped his head, unable to refrain from covering his face. “I’m sorry Adam, I didn’t know it would be you,” he gulped. Joe’s head came up; his whole body shook as he finally stared into his brother’s face.

“It’s okay little buddy…”

“No, no it’s not okay Adam…it’s my fault…” sobbed Joe.

“No, Joe, listen to me,” Adam said, gently squeezing his brother’s knee. “Look at me, Joe,” ordered Adam.

Joe forced himself to look again into Adam’s face, seeing the pain in the eyes that tried so hard to mask it.

“Joe, you had no way of knowing…but I did…I knew what would happen if you didn’t…do what that bastard was expecting you to do. Joe, he told me about the girl…how they…prepared her for you…and I think Harriman believed that you would …you know. He wasn’t prepared for the idea that you might not really…service the girl.” Adam explained.

“You knew…you knew that they striped her and had her tied to the bed? How, I mean, why did they tell you? I don’t understand,” said Joe, wiping his tears from his face with the backs of his hands.

“He’s sick Joe…that’s the only way I know how to describe him…sick. He forces young men to have relations with young women, hoping that they will a baby, and then he rips the baby from it’s mother’s arms the minute it is born and then sells the child just as if it was a side of beef…he’s demented, Joe,” explained Adam.

“He said…you hated me…that I was the reason that you got…whipped, Adam,” Joe dropped his head. “I couldn’t do it…when I saw her…tied to the bed…all I could think about was…this is rape…and I couldn’t do it Adam.”

Joe’s chin had begun to quiver again as he raised his head slightly and glanced at his brother. “He tossed Hoss into the pit…and that was my fault too, Harriman said so…and he said…that you…hmm… Adam…please don’t hate…” sobbed Joe.

Adam cupped his hand to the back of Joe’s head and drew it down toward him until Joe’s head rested against his. Joe had slid from the chair and was squatted on the floor, between Adam’s legs, leaning his body against his brother’s.

“Don’t be silly little buddy…I don’t hate you, and neither does Hoss. It isn’t your fault, regardless of what Harriman tells you. And Joe,” Adam gently tugged on his brother’s hair until he had Joe eye level with himself. “Don’t believe anything that man tells you. I promise you, if he has to beat me everyday, I don’t want you to ever feel like you have to rape a young girl to save my hide. Do I make myself clear?” Adam forced a smile as Joe nodded his head.

“Alright Adam, but I promised him I’d do anything if he would stop whipping you,” Joe said softly. “There’s no telling what he will force me into next time,” whispered Joe, resting against Adam, who had his arms around his brother.

“Don’t worry about it little buddy, with any luck, maybe there won’t be a next time.” Adam leaned back and tried to straighten his sore back. “How about rubbing some of that salve that Isaiah left for me, on my back?” he asked as he lay down on his stomach. “It hurts like hell when you first put it on, but then it seems to take away most of the discomfort.”

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

“Put the tin back on, he ain’t cooked enough yet. He’s still got too much fight in him, another couple of days in that hot ground, and he’ll calm down. If he don’t, we’ll just take the whip to his back, that always works,” sneered Harriman.

Wells pulled the large piece of tin back into place, sealing all light from the dark pit where Hoss was held prisoner. Hoss wiped the sweat from his brow and sat back down, there was nothing else to do, but wait. Hoss’ only thoughts were on his brothers and what that crazed man might do to them. He knew Harriman had been angry with Joe and had his man haul Joe from their shack, and he knew it had something to do with what Harriman had tried to force the boy into doing. Apparently, Joe either didn’t do what Harriman wanted, or didn’t do it right. At any rate, someone was in for some trouble, reckoned Hoss, and deep down, he knew his brothers had something to do with it. Hoss leaned his head back against the dirt wall and closed his eyes though sleep was a long time in coming, but eventually he did sleep.

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

The ship rocked from side to side as the waves lapped against the sides of the sailing vessel. Ben gripped the railing as he fought to keep his footing. The brewing storm and high winds had come upon them suddenly and was now tossing the boat around in the rough waters. It had been years since Ben had sailed the open seas, and had it not been for the urgency of his voyage, he might have enjoyed being at the helm of a ship once again.

“Are you doing alright, Mr. Cartwright?” Hank asked as he fought against the wind to stand next to Ben.

“Yes, I’m fine, thank you, Hank. It’s been many years since I’ve sailed in weather like this; I’d almost forgotten how treacherous the waters could be in a storm with gale winds such as these,” Ben shouted loudly so that his words could be heard above the roar of the wind.

“It does take some getting used too, though I doubt if I will ever be able to myself. I’ve been told you were an excellent sailor,” Hank explained. “Sal, or Chuck as you know him, told me about you and your sons. I’m sorry Mr. Cartwright, about what happened to them. I’m just glad I was on board when they were captured and brought on ship.”

“Yes, so am I. I thank you for all that you did for them.”

“I just tried to keep them comfortable and seen to it that they had adequate food and water. The boy was a bit rambunctious, but your oldest son took charge of that. I’d say, with any luck, and if this weather clears, we will put to shore late tomorrow afternoon. God willing, by the next morning, William Harriman and his slavery trade will come to an end. We’ve worked for five years to put a stop to his black market baby sells and his breeding of slaves for that purpose. The French government wants him in their hands, and I aim to see that they get him. The man’s a monster Mr. Cartwright, he’s callous and cold hearted. Why, he’d sale his grandmother if he thought he could make a dollar on her.”

A gust of wind swished down upon the two men, nearly knocking both to the deck of the ship. Ben grabbed Hank’s arm to keep him from toppling over.

“We best get below before we get washed overboard,” shouted Ben, pulling the other man along with him. “I want to be in one piece when I find my sons,” he called over his shoulder.

“And I want to be in one piece when Harriman realizes that his little gravy train is all over,” laughed Hank. “Let’s see if Chuck has any coffee left and let these sailors sail this ship!”

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

Adam and Joe stood side by side as Wells pulled the tin from the top of the pit. Harriman stood on the opposite side of the opening, watching the pair to catch their reaction to the condition of their friend Victor, once he was hauled up from the deep hole.

The storm from the night before had finally ended, leaving the island shrouded in a cloud of dense fog that lingered from the early morning. The air was thick and damp, and the day promised to be another scorcher, with temperatures rising well past one hundred.

Adam brushed the tiny beads of sweat from his brow and glanced down at Joe. The boy’s face was covered in a sheen of perspiration as well. Adam watched the way that Joe held his head down, his eyes downcast as well and though they were not touching, Adam could feel the tremors that caused Joe’s body to quiver. Anger and hate coursed their way through Adam’s veins.

Joe had suffered the most at the hands of Harriman. Harriman had tried to force Joe into doing something that Joe had believed to be wrong. And when the boy failed to comply with the wicked man’s wishes, Harriman had Adam whipped. Joe had been told repeated until he had been convinced that it had been his fault entirely, making Joe to feel guilty and ashamed for his brother’s suffering. Hoss had been tossed into the pit for trying to protect his younger brother, and that too had been blamed on Joe.

Two days later, when Adam was well enough that he could be up and about, Joe had been sent to the breeding hut once again, only this time, Joe was to be the one seduced, by an older, more experienced woman.

Adam wasn’t sure what had transpired those two nights that Joe was locked away with the woman, only that when he was returned to their shack, Joe was solemn and withdrawn. When Adam had tried to draw the boy out, Joe seemed to only slip further into his shell where he spoke not a word. He had all but stopped eating, and late at night, Adam had been awakened by the sounds of Joe’s weeping. He had tried to comfort the boy, to hold him in his arms as their father might have done, but Joe would have none of it. The boy had recoiled when Adam gently touched his shoulder, he had moved to the corner of the hut and sat silently for hours or until he was so worn out that he had crawled into his cot and rolled his body into a tight ball. When he had screamed out in his sleep, begging that his father help him and take him away, to take him home, Adam had somehow managed to get Joe, in his befuddled mind, to allow him to hold his trembling body. Far into the next day, Adam had remained by his brother’s side, trying desperately to keep Joe from digging himself deeper into his casement. It had slowly begun to work, until Wells and Harriman had burst though the door and had them both physically removed from their quarters in order that they bare witness to Hoss’ unearthing. Now it looked as if those hours had been for nothing, Joe hardly knew he was in the world. He moved as if in a stupor, speaking when he was expected to and doing as he was instructed.

Adam glanced again at Joe, his heart breaking at the sight of his once vibrant, impetuous young brother who now stood, a shattered image of his former self. Silently, Adam vowed to get back at the man who had changed his brother into someone hardly recognizable as Joe Cartwright.

“Well, well, well, lookit this,” Wells sneered, as the two guards pulled Hoss from the darkened pit to the surface where they allowed his heavy body to crumble at Joe’s feet.

Wells stepped over Hoss’ body to stand in front of Joe. “Hey!” Wells shouted at Joe, “Lookit me when I speak to you!” he growled.

When Joe failed to acknowledge the man before him, Wells grabbed Joe’s quivering chin and yanked Joe’s head up.

“Take a look at this man…see what you’ve caused him?” growled Wells, pointing with his free hand at Hoss who now was beginning to come around and who had started moaning softly.

Harriman circled the pit and stopped beside Wells, who still grasped Joe’s chin between his fingers. “You see, Thomas, this is all your fault, for not doing as you were told. Victor has suffered, he’s been starved and denied water…all because you refused to do what you were suppose to do.”

Harriman’s voice was soft and low and the tone sounded as if soothing but yet deadly when aimed at the right person. Joe’s eyes welled with tears as he peered at his brother. Hoss was dirty, a three day growth of hair sprouted from his chin, and he was weak from lack of proper nourishment. When he opened his eyes, the first face that Hoss recognized, was his youngest brother’s face, for Harriman had forced Joe down on his knees, grasping him by the back of the neck and required him to face Hoss. Harriman moved his hand from Joe’s neck and entwined his long fingers into the boy’s thick curls, pulling Joe’s face downward, until it nearly touched Hoss’.

“See the pain in his eyes, Thomas. Hear the sound of his moaning and the rumble of his stomach? You, Thomas…you have caused this man’s misery…it’s your fault that he’s…”

“Why don’t you leave the boy alone?” yelled Adam, taking a step toward Harriman.

Two guards who each made a grab at his arms stopped Adam. Harriman released Joe and stood to his feet, spinning around and glaring at Adam.

“Why you…” Harriman muttered and in that instance, drove the end of his walking stick deeply into Adam’s stomach.

“OHH…” Adam groaned, doubling up with his hands across his mid-section as the two guards dropped their hands.

Harriman grabbed a fistful of raven hair and yanked Adam upright; Adam reacted by driving a powerful fist of his own, into Harriman’s face. Harriman, taken off guard, staggered backwards, stumbling over Hoss who was just getting to his feet. Hoss saw the man and remained on his hands and knees just a second longer than necessary, giving Harriman the time needed to topple over him and into the pit behind them.

Joe, who had said nothing, or had yet moved, suddenly came to life as he drove the weight of his body into Wells, knocking the unexpecting man, to the ground. Hoss pulled his massive frame from the ground and with a less than normal powerful fist was able to punch the nearest guard, sending him sprawling into the dirt. Wells jumped to his feet and grabbed for Joe, who had turned to watch behind him.

“JOE! LOOK OUT!” shouted Adam as he shoved Joe out of the way and locked arms with Wells.

The two fought for several moments, each man struggling to subdue the other. Adam, his strength not yet up to par, fought with every once he could muster, driven by hate and anger, soon overpowered his opponent.

Hoss had slugged the guard when he had gotten to his feet and advanced on the bigger man. He now lay unconscious on the ground, next to Wells. Joe was fighting a battle of his own. A second guard had suddenly turned and had tried to bring order to the chaos by tackling Joe. The two were rolling around on the sandy ground, each delivering powerful blows to the other man’s face and body. Joe, weakened by months of inactivity and deprived of Hop Sing’s good cooking, was tiring fast and feared that the man might over take him. He needn’t worried, for both brothers grabbed the guard by the arms and pulled him off Joe. Adam threw the first punch, spinning the man around on his toes, only to be clobbered by Hoss’ powerful fist. The guard dropped to the ground like a fly and Hoss heaved his body into the pit with Harriman, and then rolled the first guard in on top of the other two men. Wells lay unconscious a short distance from the pit.

Adam grabbed Hoss’ arm, steadying the swaying man. “Are you alright, big brother?” smiled Adam.

“Yeah, I think so…just hungry…that’s all,” Hoss grinned as he wiped the tiny droplet of blood from is mouth with the bank of his hand.

“You’ll just have to stay hungry for now,” smiled Adam as he looked all about them to see whether or not others had noticed their little brawl. “Joe, you okay, buddy?” he asked when he was sure that they had not been seen.

Joe nodded his head, glancing over in Hoss’ direction. “Hoss…I’m…sorry…I didn’t…”

Hoss smiled at his brother and placed a hand on the boy’s shoulder. “Forget it short shanks, let’s just get out of here,” he said as he pulled Joe into a quick embrace.

“Ya got any ideas, Adam?” questioned Hoss.

“This way, let’s hurry before this fog clears. We can get to the other side of the island, there should be a boat ready to sail.” Adam motioned for his brothers to follow and soon the three disappeared behind the blanket of mist that served as a camouflage to protect them from being seen by inquisitive eyes.

They had only run a short distance when Isaiah appeared from the thick growth of underbrush. Adam and his brothers stopped, startled by the appearance of another man.

“Isaiah,” breathed Adam, “what in blazes are you doing here?”

“I saw what happened at the pit, come with me, you have to hurry before Wells wakes up and sends his men after you. Follow me,” Isaiah said as he turned to lead the way.

“Where are we going?” Adam inquired, glancing over his shoulder at his brothers to be sure that they were following.

“The ship I told you about is ready, it’s hidden in the lagoon. No one knows about it except only a choice few. I’ve had it ready for you for a couple of days now. I hope you know something about sailing and navigation,” Isaiah said.

“No, but what I don’t know, I’ll learn real fast, besides, I have two capable helpers,” he called.

“Good, you’re going to need all the help you can get…”

Adam reached out and grabbed the doctor’s shoulder, forcing the man to stop in his tracks. “Wait a minute, Isaiah, what are you saying? Surely you aren’t meaning that just the three of us are leaving this island, alone?”

“That’s exactly what I do mean, now come on….”

“No, not until you explain to me what is going on!” demanded Adam, his hands placed firmly on his hips.

Joe and Hoss had stopped behind Adam and Joe was helping Hoss to sit down so that he could catch his breath.

“You okay, Hoss?” Joe asked softly.

Hoss looked up and smiled, placing his hand on his brother’s shoulder. “Yeah, I’m just light headed, that’s all. I need something to eat…and,” he grinned at Joe, “I could use a nice cold beer about now.”

Joe nodded his head and sat down next to Hoss. He pulled at a blade of grass, fingering it gently and then glanced at Hoss. “I’m sorry Hoss, it was my fault that they tossed ya in that pit,” Joe said softly.

Hoss’ head pivoted around toward Joe. “Now ya hush that talk Short Shanks, ain’t nobody’s fault, leastwise, not yours. It’s that man, he’s nuts Joe, that’s all there is too it, that man’s a lunatic.”

“I know that Hoss, but if I had….”

“Had what, raped that girl? You hush ya mouth, Joe, ya did what was right and ya know it…and so do I and so does Adam.” Hoss rumpled the top of Joe’s head, mussing the dark curls.

Joe seemed surprised and his eyes widened as he looked up at Hoss.

“You knew?”

Hoss smiled, “I ain’t as dumb as I look, praise the Lord,” smiled Hoss. “Yeah Joe, I knew what ya was expected to do, Adam told me, after you left and he came back. Then they came and took him to do his thing; I figured it out when you came back. I mean…I could tell ya didn’t do nothin’ to that little gal. Then when them fellas came for ya, I saw the look on Harriman’s face…and I knew we was all in for it, but it didn’t matter, I just wanted to try to protect ya. I figured I’d get a beatin’ or somethin’.”

Joe offered a tiny smile to his brother, the first in a very long time. “Thanks Hoss,” he whispered.

“Let’s go Hoss, Joe, on your feet,” Adam called when he had finished listening to Isaiah.

“Where are we going?” Joe asked as he fell into step behind Adam.

“Isaiah has a boat waiting for us, we’re going to get in it and sail off into the sunset, or so it seems. I’ll explain it to you in a little while, when we get there,” called Adam over his shoulder.

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

The ship dropped anchor off shore from the island. Ben stood at the helm and watched as the crew began lowering the small boats off the side of the ship. He was anxious to go ashore, anxious to find his sons and more than anxious to take them home.

“If our luck holds out Ben, they won’t see us until my men have had time to reach the island. Most of Harriman’s operation takes place on the other side of the island, around this point. He rarely comes to this side, the terrain isn’t suitable for anything other than wild life,” Hank explained, pointing off into the distance. “We will go ashore over there, in the lagoon and then sneak through the jungle to Harriman’s compound, that’s where he keeps his slaves.”

“I see,” Ben said.

“We’ll have to move fast and try to take him and his guards by surprise,” Hank continued. “He has about twenty men that serve as guards, there’s a couple more who stay up at the house with him, body guards sort of.”

“How many slaves does the man have?” Ben inquired.

“Probably about fifty men that work the cotton, and nearly that many women, in various tasks. He keeps the young girls away from the older women, that way he can control them. He never lets them out much, they aren’t even allowed to do their own cooking, makes the older women do it for them and then the guards carry the meals to the girls. That way, they become totally dependent on Harriman and usually end up doing anything for him that the man orders. They’d even kill for him if he asked them, I’ve seen it before, because they know if they didn’t, he would kill them.”

“So, its kill or be killed?” Ben surmised.

“That’s about it, Ben,” Hank answered. “Come on, they’re getting our boat ready.”

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

Wells had regained consciousness and after going for help, he stood back, waiting while Harriman and the two guards were pulled from the pit. Harriman, dazed, crawled over the opening and muttering obscenities pulled himself to his feet. Wells hurried to his boss’ side, helping the man.

“Are you alright, sir?” Wells asked, dusting the front of William’s jacket with his hands.

Harriman knocked Wells’ hands away. “Yes, you idiot, just get your filthy hands off me!” Harriman looked around as if expecting to find Adam, Hoss and Joe still standing there. His eyes were dark when he turned back to Wells.

“Where are they?” he shouted. “Surely you didn’t let them escape!” he roared.

Wells dropped his head, suddenly afraid of the man who towered over him. “They did run off, sir, but don’t worry, they can’t go far, we’ll find them. I’ve already sent the men and dogs to track them down,” Wells explained.

Harriman puffed out his chest, the dark anger seething from him. “Good, I want those boys brought back to me so I can punish them.” Harriman turned and glared at Wells. “They are brothers! Did you hear me? Brothers!”

“What? Are you sure?” Wells questioned, shocked at the new information.

“Of course I’m sure, I heard the one named Adam…ere…Josh, call Victor, big brother! Don’t you see, that’s why they have been so protective of the boy…he’s their younger brother! Oh…just you wait, once the guards get them back here…those three will pay dearly!” Harriman began to laugh wickedly, sending cold chills down the spine of his right hand man, Wells.

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

Adam and his brothers had finally made it to the lagoon. It was as Isaiah had promised; a small boat had been unveiled for their use. It had been stocked with supplies and enough water to last the three of them for several days. Several men where still preparing the boat for launching as Adam waited with Isaiah. Joe and Hoss had been given water and something to fill their empty stomachs while they waited until the boat was ready.

“Adam, when you get out, passed that reef, you sail due north. There is to be a ship headed in this direction in a couple of days, with any luck and good weather, you should be able to find it. I’ve received word that Hank Sorrows and a whole ship full of men, are approaching the island, ready to do battle with Harriman if need be. Another ship is coming from France and the two should be here any day,” Isaiah was explaining.

“Wait a minute, Isaiah, then why should my brothers and I sail off and take a chance of missing those ships? It could happen, and if we did, we’d be lost at sea. I don’t think I want to take that gamble with the lives of my brothers. Look at them Isaiah, Hoss is so weak now he can barely stand, and Joe…he’s drained, both physically and emotionally,” Adam stated, watching his two brothers as they slowly ate their meal.

“But Adam, if you remain on the island, Harriman will find you, he always does, and this time he won’t stop at whipping you, or tossing Hoss into the pit. He’ll kill the boy, just to get even with you. He needs you for breeding and he needs Hoss to work for him, but the boy? No, he hasn’t worked out like Harriman had hoped; he’s a wasted commodity in Harriman’s thinking; he’ll torture the boy until Joe dies and he’ll make you and Hoss watch while he does it. Is that what you want to see happen?” Isaiah demanded in a none to friendly tone.

Adam studied the man’s face and then turned to study his two brothers. He watched for several moments, weighing his options before deciding. The small boat was ready now and waiting, all they had to do was climb in and sail away, or they could remain on the island and take a chance that the two ships would reach them before Harriman had a chance to find them.

Adam pinched the bridge of his nose between his two fingers and pressed his eyes tightly shut. ‘Dear God, what should I do?’ he whispered, looking up and seeing both of his brother’s watching him. Adam allowed his hand to fall to his side and walked over to where Joe and Hoss stood together.

“Tell me something,” he began, “given a choice, what would you choose to do? Sail away, with the chance of being lost at sea, maybe dying out there in the middle of an ocean, or remain here, on the island and take a chance of being captured by Harriman?” he asked the pair.

Hoss and Joe swapped looks with one another. Hoss gulped and then faced Adam.

“I ain’t much of a seaman, big brother, ya ought to know that by now,” he said lightly. “But I ain’t never been afraid of a good fight, what about you Joe?” he asked, turning in order to watch Joe’s expressions.

Joe hesitated, giving thought to his choices. “I’ll do whatever you decide Adam, you’re the boss,” he smiled weakly. “Least ways, that’s what you’re always telling me,” he smiled broadly.

Adam couldn’t help but smile in return. He cupped the back of his little brother’s neck and pulled Joe into an embrace, glad to see the Cartwright spirit hadn’t died completely.

“That’s the Cartwright spirit, kid. For a while, I thought you had lost it.”

Joe pulled back, a look of shock on his face as he studied Adam’s to see if his brother had been serious. He had been.

Joe swallowed, thinning the thick feeling in his throat. “I wanna go home, Adam…I’ve never hidden that notion, but I ain’t leaving here without you and Hoss, if you’re thinking of putting me in that boat and pushing me out to sea, forget it. I’m staying here and fighting…if we die, then we’ll die together…” Joe stopped in mid sentence, dropping his head.

Adam heard the soft sniffling sounds that threatened to break free and knowing how emotionally drained the boy was, he quickly pulled Joe back into his arms.

“Joe, I promised you months ago that when we left this island, we’d leave it together, I haven’t fulfilled that promise as of yet, but I will, I guarantee it.”

“I know Adam…we’ll stay together, until the end…no matter what happens,” whispered Joe. “You know what Pa always says, ‘one for four, four for one’, well this time, it’s just the three of us…but we’re Ben Cartwright’s sons, and we’re all three of one man’s blood. They might beat us in a fight Adam, but they’ll have known we’ve been here!” smiled Joe.

Adam hugged Joe tightly; Hoss slapped him gently on the back. When Adam looked over at Isaiah, he was smiling. “Guess that settles it doc, we’re staying, all three of us!”

Isaiah placed a firm grip on Adam’s shoulder, his expression was grim, but he couldn’t help but to admire the steadfast quality of loyalty between the three brothers.

“I don’t think that’s reasonable, but I won’t waste time trying to convince you to do otherwise. But one thing is certain, you need to get out of here; there is a cave just on the other side of that ridge. You must take your brothers there and wait for me. I will come later with my men, you keep your brothers out of sight Adam,” Isaiah paused and glanced around at Joe and Hoss.

“Especially the boy, Harriman is determined to break him, one way or the other, and he will do it Adam, if he catches the boy. I’ve seen his methods, and they aren’t good.”

Adam followed Isaiah’s gaze and watched Joe and Hoss who had both sat down, their backs pressed against the huge stone. Joe was almost asleep, his head was leaning on Hoss’ shoulder and Hoss had his head propped against the cold rock, his eyes were shut and Adam could tell that he had fallen to sleep.

“Alright, Isaiah, give them an hour to rest up and then I’ll wake them and we’ll go to that cave and wait for you,” Adam agreed.

“As you wish, Adam, but do not dally too long, Harriman and his men won’t waste any time in trying to find you. I need to go now; I have to get back to my station before I am missed as well. Be careful and I’ll see you in a day or so, hopefully that ship will arrive soon,” said Isaiah as he gathered the few men who had been with him.

Minute’s later Isaiah and his followers disappeared into the thick growth and were gone. Adam made his way to his brothers and sat down opposite them. He could see the weariness that showed on both of his brother’s faces and knew that what they needed more than an hour rest was a good meal and a couple of cold beers. He smiled to himself, remembering the last days that they had spent with their father in San Francisco and what fun they had had. Suddenly Adam’s smile was gone. Their father, he thought, dear God, what the man must have been going through the last several months, what with the worry and the not knowing. Ben must have been half out of his mind by now.

Adam’s heart skipped a beat, for as many times as he had talked of leaving home, of sailing the high seas, now that he had been gone, all he could think about was home, his father and the wonder of the Ponderosa. He glanced again at his brothers, secretly vowing to return them to the only world that either of them knew. They looked so misplaced here, on this remote island; they had been subjected to some of the most inhuman and barbaric treatment Adam had ever heard of being inflicted on another human being. His heart ached for each of them as he studied both faces. Hoss was so strong, not just physically but mentally as well. He could endure much more than their younger brother, but looking at Joe, Adam knew that the boy had almost reached his limit, both emotionally and physically. The lad was drained, exhausted and it showed on every fine line of his features. It sounded in his voice as well, but mostly, you could see the hope fading in his emerald eyes and Adam knew that if something didn’t happen soon to get them off the island, Joe, as he had once been, would be lost to all of them forever.

Adam closed his eyes, not meaning to fall asleep. It was the sounds of the baying hounds that jarred him from his nap. Quickly, he jumped to his feet and listening to the distinctive call of the dogs, Adam woke his brothers.

“Hoss, wake up, hurry…Joe, get up, boy, Harriman and his men are getting closer,” Adam whispered as he shook both boys. “Come on! Wake up, we’ve got to get out of here!”

Hoss snapped to attention, Joe moaned and pushed Adam’s hand free of his shoulder. “Leave me alone,” Joe muttered.

Hoss glanced over at Joe and gently jabbed him with his elbow. “Listen, Short Shanks, it’s the dogs, come on, get up.” Hoss stood to his feet and pulled Joe up from the ground.

Joe opened his eyes, stared at Hoss and then disorientated, tried to pull away. Hoss held firmly to the slender shoulders and gave Joe a gently shake.

“Listen here Little Joe, we gotta run…ya hear me?” growled Hoss.

“Let’s go, they’re gaining on us!” snapped Adam.

Hoss and Adam started running, each holding on to Joe and practically having to drag him along with them. It took several minutes for Joe to fully realize what was happening around them, but at last he was able to run with his brothers on his own.

Adam was now leading the way through the thick brush, Hoss was close on his heels and Joe was following behind Hoss. The underground was so dense, that it hampered their way in many places, but Adam pushed onward, determined to get his brothers to safety.

“There’s a cave on the other side of the rise,” called Adam over his shoulder to Hoss. “We can follow this creek bed, it’s not too deep, and the dogs won’t be able to pick up our scent in the water.”

From behind them, they could hear the dogs barking and yapping and as Adam broke through the dense forest into a small clearing, he stopped, gasping for breath. Hoss almost stumbled into his older brother as he stopped as well. He bent over, resting his hands on his knees as he gulped for air to force into his heaving lungs.

Adam pressed his hands to the small of his back and stretched, glancing around the little clearing. Suddenly he seemed to snap to attention. He reached out, grabbed Hoss’ arm, a look of fear in his dark eyes.

“Hoss,” he said in a near whisper, drawing Hoss’ immediate attention. “Where’s Joe?”

“What?” Hoss said, surprised as he spun around to look behind him. “He was right behind me!” Hoss took a few steps back in the direction where they had broken out of the brush. “JOE!” he called in a loud whisper and then turned frightened eyes at Adam.

“Hoss, no,” Adam clamped his hand back down on Hoss’ arm, “listen to those dogs, they’re getting closer. Come on, we have to get out of here,” said Adam, tugging at Hoss.

“Adam, hold up, what about Joe?” Hoss snapped.

“I don’t know Hoss, maybe he headed off in another direction, we’ll back track later, when we’ve given those dogs the slip, now come on,” Adam ordered. “We’ll be no use to that boy if they manage to catch the two of us.”

“I reckon ya right, but I don’t like it none, goin’ off without’em,” mumbled Hoss who had slowly begun to follow his older brother into the shallow creek.

As they hurried on, Hoss cast anxious eyes over his shoulder in hopes of seeing his younger brother. The only thing that met his eyes was the emptiness of the tiny clearing where they had stopped to catch their breaths.

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

“Put the chains on him!” growled Wells, laughing as he kicked at the boy sprawled on the ground at his feet.

Joe tried to fight off the hands that grabbed at his body, forcing him into submission and holding him tightly pressed to the hard ground while snapping the chains about his wrists and ankles.

“Let me go,” growled Joe as he wrenched free one arm and punched one man on his chin.

“Ouch!” wailed the guard as he delivered a solid blow to Joe’s stomach and before Joe could react, belted him a second time, laughing when Joe’s eyes filled with tears.

Joe groaned and doubled his body up, giving the men time to lock the chains about his body. When they had finished, two men hauled Joe to his feet, holding tightly to his upper arms and preventing him from getting free.

Wells stood before Joe, a sneer of a smile on his face. “The boss will certainly be glad to have you back, he has something special in store for you.”

“Go to hell, you bastard,” muttered Joe, struggling against the hands that held him.

Wells only laughed in Joe’s face. “Hell? That’s were you’re going, boy…straight to hell.” He turned to the guards, “You two, take the boy back to the compound, no, wait…take him directly to Harriman, he’s up at the big house, waiting.”

He smiled again at Joe, “It’s been fun, Thomas, but after today, I won’t be seeing you again, not when Harriman finishes with you. Take him away,” shouted Wells.

The guards pulled on Joe as he fought against them. As the guards dragged him away, Joe turned and tried to look over his shoulder.

“I’ll see you in hell!” he shouted at Wells who led the remainder of his men and his dogs into the small clearing where he had last seen the boy’s brothers entering.

“RUN ADAM, RUN HOSS!” Joe shouted, hoping that his brothers might be able to still hear his warning.

One guard dropped his hold on Joe’s arm and taking the boy by surprise, doubled up his fist and slugged Joe on the chin, dropping the boy onto the ground, unconscious. “That should shut him up for awhile,” the man jeered.

“Hoss, hold up a second. Did you hear that? It sounded like Joe calling out?” Adam said as he paused briefly.

“Yeah, I hear’em. From the sounds of those dogs, I’d say them men caught up with Joe,” Hoss answered worriedly.

Adam cast worried eyes at his brother. “Come on Hoss, we can’t help him now. We’ll try to make our way back to the compound after dark. I think those dogs lost our trail.”

Hoss pinched his lips tightly together and dropped his head. Without raising it, he cut his eyes back, to where he knew his little brother was in trouble.

“I hope he can hold out long enough, Adam. He sure was beat.”

Adam placed a hand on Hoss’ massive shoulder and squeezed gently. “We’ll get him back, I promised him I’d take him home. I have every intention of keeping that promise, Hoss. Let’s go, we have to find that cave, Isaiah said it was stocked with plenty of food and guns, we’re going to need both if we plan on saving that rapscallion’s ornery hide,” he said with a forced smile.

Hoss glanced up at Adam and forced a smile himself. He chuckled lightly. “It never stops, does it? I mean, Joe, he’s forever needin’ us to bail him out of somethin’!”

“Yeah, but just think how dull our lives would have been without him,” Adam teased. “Come on Hoss, let’s get a move on, we can’t get off this damn island until we have Joe.”

“Yeah, and we can’t go home without him, Pa wouldn’t think twice about tannin’ our butts if’n we did,” Hoss teased back. “Lead the way, big brother.”

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

“What is that?” Ben asked, stopping to listen.

The man next to him stopped as well. “Sounds like the hounds, some slave must have tried to escape,” Hank explained. “We best hurry, there’s a cave on the other side of that ridge. Isaiah keeps it well stocked with supplies, he’s the plantation doctor I told you about. He’s our contact, here on the island.”

Hank continued to lead the way, followed by Ben, then Chuck who had insisted on coming along and then the small group of men, hired by Chuck and commanded by Hank.

“It shouldn’t take us more than a couple of hours to reach the cave. We can rest up there, gather what supplies we need from the cave and then move out after dark to the main house. That’s where Harriman stays. He has some slaves there to serve him, but most of the others are kept in the quarters. If we can over power Harriman, the others won’t give us much trouble,” explained Hank as they made their way slowly through the forest.

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

Adam and Hoss climbed the last ridge, worn out but pleased that they had managed to elude the hounds. The baying sounds were far off now, seemingly to be heading in the opposite direction from the brother’s hideout.

“Whew, that was some climb,” groaned Hoss as he lowered his body onto a rock to rest.

“Over here Hoss, here’s the entrance to the cave.” Adam turned to his brother. “Can you manage? It’s only a few more yards,” Adam smiled.

“I reckon I can, but ya think we could find somethin’ to eat? I’m mighty hungry after all that runnin’, I just ain’t cut out to gallop like ole Chubb is,” laughed Hoss lightly as he pulled himself to his feet and walked the last few feet to the cave entrance.

“Look, Isaiah wasn’t fooling when he said we’d have everything we need right here,” exclaimed Adam waving his arm around at all the boxes stacked up.

“This one’s marked smoked meats, let’s open it and see what there is to eat. I need some refuelin’ afore we take off back down that hill!” moaned Hoss, already pulling the tight fixing lid from the top of the crate.

The boys had just about finished with their meal when the sound of voices reached their ears. Adam put his finger up to his mouth, signaling for Hoss to remain quiet. He waved his hand behind him, moving to hide behind the stacked boxes and motioning for Hoss to do the same. With a swiftness that spoke nothing of the man’s size, Hoss followed Adam until they were well hidden in the dark shadows of the cave, behind the crates. Adam handed Hoss a rifle and a box of shells that he had discovered, along with several more, in one of the crates.

“Shh…” whispered Adam.

“Here we are,” Hank said, stopping just inside the entrance to the cave. Hank glanced around, puzzled. “Looks like someone’s been here recently,” he muttered, suddenly cautious.

“Who?” the brothers heard a man ask.

Hank shook his head, “don’t rightly know,” whispering as he peered around.

Chuck squatted down to the fire. “Fire’s cold, whomever it was, used a cold camp. Look, they've broken into one of the food crates.”

“There doesn’t seem to be anyone around now,” a voice said.

Hoss glanced at Adam who was looking at him. Both pairs of eyes were asking the same question. The voice sounded familiar, it sounded like….

“Am I hearin’ things?” whispered Hoss. “Or is that Pa’s voice?”

Adam raised his thick brows and shrugged his shoulders. “I’ll take a peek, but you stay here, just in case.”

Hoss nodded his head and watched as Adam slipped silently from behind the stack of crates. He listened intently to the sounds of his brother creeping along the ground, slowly making his way to the front of the cave.

Adam peered from between the boxes. He rubbed his eyes, for he wasn’t sure that what he was seeing and hearing were actually true or a vision of his deep seeded desires. He took a deep breath, smiled broadly and then stepped into the light.

“Well aren’t you a sight for sore eyes,” he said calmly, showing none of the excitement that caused his body to tremble.

The three men in the cave snapped to attention. Three guns were pointed at Adam, all cocked and ready to fire if the intruder made any sudden or unexpected moves.

Adam laughed, “Surely you aren’t going to shoot me, are you Pa?”

Ben’s eyes widened in shocked surprise as recognition set in. He lowered his pistol, replacing it back into its holster. “Adam?” he murmured.

Adam’s eyes suddenly misted, his chin began to quiver as he stepped into the opened arms of his father. “Pa…oh Pa,” cried Adam, a sudden need to release his pent-up emotions as he all but fell against his father.

Ben’s arms embraced his weeping son, his hand pressed gently against the back of Adam’s neck as he held his son in his arms for the first time in nearly a year.

“Adam, Adam,” Ben repeated his son’s name over and over until at last Adam regained control of himself.

He pulled back from his father’s arms, smiling as he brushed away the remainder of his tears. “It’s good to see you, Pa,” he stammered.

“It’s good to see you, son,” Ben said in a soft voice.

From the shadows, a voice loomed. “Don’t neither of you move, I’ve got ya a gun pointed right at ya.”

Adam spun around, remembering Hoss whom he had ordered to stay hidden. “Hoss, its okay, it is Pa,” laughed Adam.

Hoss moved out of the shadows, grinning from ear to ear. “Howdy, Pa…what took ya so long?” he laughed.

“Hoss,” smiled Ben, closing the distance between them. “Put down that gun, these two men are here to help us.”

“They’s the ones what forced us here in the first place, Pa,” Hoss said, refusing to lower his rifle.

“I know that, but I’ll have to explain it to you later, but I assure you, they are on our side. Now put that thing down and give me a hug!” laughed Ben.

Hoss did as his father ordered and lowered the rifle. Ben’s arms reached around his son’s massive frame as Hoss returned the much longed for hug.

“It’s good to see you, son,” smiled Ben, giving Hoss the once over with his eyes.

It was plain to see that his sons had suffered since being on the island, but to what extent, Ben was unsure. That information would have to come later, his main concern was that he had his family back…well, almost.

“Adam,” said Ben, turning to face his eldest son. “Is Joe with you?”

Ben saw the instant fire that sprang to his son’s eyes. He turned to Hoss and saw the same hatred in the blue eyes that had always before held nothing but love and tenderness in their deep blue depths.

“Adam…what’ wrong? Where’s my baby?” Ben said, his voice beginning to quiver with fear.

“Harriman’s men have him. I’m not sure where they’re taking him, but I can promise you, if that monster gets his hands on Joe, he’ll kill him. He’s been looking for a good enough reason to torture the boy,” explained Adam, hiding none of the repugnance that he felt towards the man, from his father.

“Then we’d better find the boy before that happens,” Ben stated, turning to Hank and Chuck. “Do either of you have any notions where they might have taken my son?”

Chuck stepped forward, casting wary eyes at Ben’s two older sons.

“My guess would be the main house. I was there once, in the very beginning. Harriman had some sort of room set up, in the attic. It was a torture chamber. I don’t know for sure where he got all that stuff, but some of it looks as if it came out of medieval times, you know, like those pictures you seen in books about knights and evil kings, those types of torture devices.”

“Dear God,” muttered Ben, his color draining from his tired face. “I haven’t travel thousands of miles and waited months to see my sons, just to find one of them dead. Let’s get moving, we have to find Little Joe before it’s too late.”

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

The double doors opened, Harriman stood to the side to allow the two guards to enter. When they released their hold on the boy, Joe dropped to the hard tiled floor, banging his head against the solid stones.

“Good, at least you’ve found one of them.” Harriman kicked gently at Joe’s body. “And this is the one I wanted the most.” When the man laughed, it was wicked, sending cold shivers down the flesh of each guard.

“Pick him up and take him to the attic,” Harriman ordered.

The two guards did as instructed each grabbing Joe by the upper arms and hauling him to his feet once more. They made their way to the winding staircase, forcing Joe along as they climbed the many stairs leading to the uppermost rooms of the big house. At the top of the long staircase, they stepped aside, allowing Harriman space to unlock the door.

Harriman entered first, turning to light a lamp hanging on the wall by the door. The guards pulled Joe inside the dark room, the last guard, kicking the door shut behind him. The man glanced around him, shivering at the horrible contraptions that filled the space in the room. There were no windows in the attic, making the dark shadows loom out at them from the glow of the lamp. The room felt hot and stuffy, and each guard automatically brushed at their brow to wipe away the beading drops of perspiration.

Harriman followed the man’s gaze, please to see that just the sight of his torture toys caused the bravest man to become frightened. He would have his fun, with the boy and then, should the boy’s brothers be returned to him, he would force both to watch as he slowly killed their younger brother. Harriman laughed, watching Joe as he fought to return to the real world.

“Remove the chains and strap him down on that table,” ordered Harriman. “I think I will start by stretching the kinks from his body.

Both guards glanced at the table in question and then at each other. One guard gulped but began unlocking the chains from around Joe’s wrists while the other guard unlocked the shackles around Joe’s legs. When Joe was free of his restraints, he began struggling against the strong hands that still held his body.

“Let go of me,” groaned Joe.

Harriman jabbed his walking stick into Joe’s stomach, calling a halt to the boy’s struggle.

“Hurry up, get him on that table,” shouted Harriman.

The men hauled Joe onto the table, forcing him down on his back. One man held Joe’s wrists over his head while the other man fastened and buckled the leather straps. Harriman had stepped between Joe’s outstretched legs, holding his own hands down on Joe’s ankles, preventing him from moving, and kicking his legs as he waited until the guards could buckle those straps as well. Once finished, Harriman stepped back, smiling down into Joe’s face.

Joe was heaving, as he struggled to force air into his lungs. The look of sheer terror was coating his face and miniature tears blinded his vision as he fought to conceal his rising panic from the monster that towered over him.

“You are mine now, not even those two bumbling fools that claim to be your brothers can save you now,” jeered Harriman.

Harriman moved; Joe’s eyes sought to follow the man, but he had lost sight of his tormentor. Suddenly the table seemed to lurch forward. Joe felt his arms being pulled, stretched tighter over his head as that end of the table slowly began to widen. Joe twisted his head, trying to see what was making the table to move. He groaned as the pain in his arms and shoulders began to intensify.

The bottom of the table moved as well, and Joe felt the pain in his hips as the table inched outward, lengthening the foot of the table and slowly pulling his opened legs away from his body. Joe fought the urge to scream. Tears slipped from the corners of his eyes. His limbs, both arms and legs were being agonizingly disjoined from his body.

Joe screamed; both shoulders had popped and separated. From side to side, Joe tossed his head, the pain increasing as he felt his legs begin to separate. Just as quickly as it had begun, it stopped. The table ceased to move. Joe was left huffing and puffing, trying desperately to fill his lungs with air. His pain filled cries only caused his master to laugh out loud.

“I have managed to make you at least two inches taller,” he lamented. “GET OUT!” he suddenly screamed at the two guards that had remained in the attic to watch what Harriman was planning for his slave boy.

They quickly spun around on their heels and headed for the door. When they were gone, Harriman pulled a tiny key from his vest pocket and locked the door. He turned slowly and crossed the room where Joe still lay, stretched to his limits on the moving table.

Harriman studied the boy’s face. He could see the hate in the hazel eyes that had filled with tears.

“You disappoint me, Thomas,” Harriman smirked. “I expected great things from you, I expected you to make me a fortune with the offspring that you could have fathered. But you’re nothing; you’re not even a man. You didn’t even know how to…mate with a beautiful young girl. That’s too bad, Thomas, you could have lived the good life here on Golden Isle. You could have had any girl, or woman of your choosing, but you even refused to be taught by the best.”

Harriman saw Joe turn his way and study his face. He laughed.

“Yes, I mean LeeAnn. She’s the best breeding whore that I own. She has taught nearly every man on the island, something of how to satisfy a woman. But with you…she wouldn’t even touch you…she said you reminded her of her first born. Did she tell you that she had her first child at the age of fifteen, and that it was a boy she named Joseph? Did she tell you how I let her keep the boy until he was five and then sold him to a man from Cuba who wanted to raise him to be a breeder for his young girls?” Harriman tossed his head back, laughing at the hateful look on Joe’s face.

“She’s dead, you know,” he whispered. “I used her…for my own satisfaction, after she refused to teach you the art…I spent several hours with her, enjoying her immensely, I might add. And then I brought her up here and put her on this table. It was such a shame, watching her arms and legs being ripped from her body. You know even after she lost use of both arms and both legs, she lay for a whole day on that same table, before she died.”

Joe clamped his eyes tightly shut, recalling to memory the beautiful woman who had showed him such kindness and tenderness those two nights when she should have been following Harriman’s cruel orders. He remembered LeeAnn telling him about her son, Joseph, and how she had nearly died giving birth to him. Joe saw again the love that had shone in her eyes when LeeAnn had described her heartbreak when Harriman had came one night while she was ‘working’ and had taken her son from his bed and sold him that every night. When she had returned in the morning, her son was gone and that was the last that LeeAnn had ever heard of him again.

The table jerked beneath him and Joe groaned, his arms pulled tight, his legs seemed to separate from his body, he screamed and then the world around him went black.

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

Hank jerked his arm out, stopping the men from entering the house behind him. “Listen, did you hear that?” he whispered.

“Sounded like my baby brother screaming,” Hoss said as he brushed away the man’s arm and pushed his way into the house.

“JOE!” he shouted, ignoring Hank’s warning to remain silent.

Ben grabbed Hoss by the arm, “Hoss, be still. If that’s Joe, we don’t want to alert anyone to our presence.”

Hoss pinched his lips tightly together, and nodded his head, “It’s coming from upstairs,” he said, lowering his voice.

“Hoss, why don’t you go back outside and help Adam and the men with rounding up those other guards. Hank, Chuck and I will find Joe and I promise you son, that Harriman fellow will pay for what he’s done to Joe,” Ben assured his son.

“Alright Pa, I’ll do what ya say, but mind ya, if he’s laid another hand on the boy, I’ll rip him apart with my bare hands,” affirmed Hoss, turning and going back out the door in search of Adam.

Ben nodded his head; it seemed as if he wasn’t the only Cartwright that planned on making Harriman pay for what he had done to his family.

“Come on,” Ben said, taking the lead, his pistol held in his hand, cocked and ready to fire should the occasion call for it to be.

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

“Wake up, you little fool,” growled Harriman, slapping both sides of Joe’s already battered face in an attempt to wake the boy.

“Ya ain’t gonna die on me this easy,” he said and grabbed a pitcher of water and tossed it into the unconscious boy’s face.

He watched as Joe tried to return to the real world. Harriman was determined that he would not be denied his fulfillment of torturing the boy, whom he had begun to hate and resent for not bending to his wishes. Never before had he seen such willpower in one so young, and he yearned to destroy that valor in the boy.

Joe began sputtering, shaking his head to sling the water out of his face. He groaned and tried to move his body. It was still strapped to the moving table, which had stopped for the time being.

“That’s more like it, now you stay awake, Thomas, I want to see the pain in your eyes, and I want to hear you cry out. I want you to beg me to stop or to kill you. Do you understand?” he nearly screamed at Joe.

Joe’s eyes had focused on the face of the man who stood over him.

“Then you might as well kill me now, and do it quickly, cause I won’t beg you for anything. I’ll die first, before giving you that satisfaction, so get on with it!” Joe declared, his voice stronger than even he could have imaged it to be.

“Then die, you will, but on my terms. Slowly and very, very painful,” retorted Harriman, his eyes growing dark with indignation, mixed with malice.

Harriman stepped up to the lever and pushed against it. The table began stretching longer, taking Joe’s arms and legs to their limit. Joe’s screams pierced the stillness of the house reaching the ears of his father and the men whom where quietly making their way to the attic.

Ben and his companions paused momentarily and then together they dashed up the long winding stairs. Ben took them two at a time, the cries penetrating his heart as the agonizing shrieks filled the house.

Ben reached the attic first and without hesitation, threw his body against the door. The tiny door shattered, and broke into pieces as Ben stumbled his way through. Caught off guard by the breaking of the door, Harriman spun around, staring into the ebony eyes of the intruder. The startled man failed to see Hank and Chuck behind Ben; his eyes fixed only the face of the enraged man.

Ben’s eyes quickly took one glance at the sight before him and then turned his fury to the man standing over his shrieking son. Ben dove at the man, catching him unprepared and they toppled to the floor. Ben grabbed the man by the front of the shirt and drove his folded fist into Harriman’s face, shattering the man’s nose. Blood spurted outward, covering both the man himself and his attacker. Again and again, Ben drove his fist into the man who struggled fruitlessly beneath the pounding fist.

Hank and Chuck had rushed to the table. Chuck grabbed the lever and shut off the moving table while Hank hurried to remove the straps from the table’s victim and save the boy from certain doom.

Joe had stopped screaming; his arms dangled lifelessly down to his sides, tears of pain and relief flooded his eyes and spilled over, rolling down his cheeks. Chuck turned back to the fight that was taking place on the floor and grabbed Ben from behind, trying to pull Ben from Harriman.

“Ben…Ben…” shouted Chuck. “It’s over pal, we found Joe…Ben.” Chuck pulled again at Ben’s arms. “He needs you Ben…stop…your son needs you!”

Hank moved to give Chuck a hand and together they were able to pull Ben up, giving Harriman time to scoot away from the man who seemed possessed with enough determination to kill.

Ben brushed away the hands of his friends, and glared down at Harriman. “I’ll see you hang for this, you bastard,” he muttered, wiping the blood from his face.

“Pa…”

The piteous plead tore at Ben’s heart as he turned and saw Joe watching him from the table, unable to move.

“Joseph…” cried Ben, rushing to his son’s side and gathering the boy’s broken body into his arms.

Ben crushed Joe to his breast; his fingers entangled themselves with the long dark curls. Ben’s lips pressed to the top of his son’s head, kissing it several times as he listened to the sounds of his son weeping. The relieved father fought to control his own urge to cry, fighting back the tears that welled in his eyes.

“Papa,” murmured Joe weakly, trying to raise his head so that he could see into the chocolate eyes that had always brought him such comfort. “Is it really you?” sobbed Joe, “or am I dreaming…again?”

“No Precious, you’re not dreaming, I’m really here and I’m going to take you home,” whispered Ben, kissing Joe’s curls for the hundredth time and holding him close.

“Adam…Hoss…” groaned Joe, pressing his face further into his father’s comforting embrace.

“We’re here buddy,” Adam called as he and Hoss came though the door.

“Take Harriman downstairs, our men have the others all lined up in a row…wearing their own chains,” Adam ordered Hank and Chuck.

Hank and Chuck smiled at Adam and then Ben. Hank grabbed Harriman’s arm and hauled him to his feet. “Come on, let’s allow you to find out how it feels to wear chains,” sneered Hank as he led the beaten man out.

Ben turned his attention back to his sons. “Adam, Hoss, are you both okay?” he asked.

“We’re fine, Pa. Let’s get little brother to one of the downstairs bedrooms. I don’t think Harriman will have any more use for this big mansion of his,” Adam declared.

“No…no…please…I wanna go home,” pleaded Joe, looking soulfully into his father’s eyes.

Ben brushed back the damp curls from Joe’s brow and supported the boy’s body weight against his own weight.

“Shh…Joe, not now…later, when you’ve regained your strength,” soothed Ben. “I promise son, we’ll go just as soon as you are able.”

“But…I’m fine…really,” muttered Joe, clenching his teeth tightly to keep from crying out as Adam and Hoss helped Ben move him off the table.

Hoss glanced down at Joe’s face and saw the tiny beads of water that slipped from the corners of Joe’s eyes.

“Sure ya are Short Shanks…sure ya are,” he said softly.

“I promised you, I’d take you home little buddy, and we will too, only this time, we’ll take Pa with us,” smiled Adam as he gently helped Hoss move Joe down the winding stairs. “Right now, Isaiah, the doctor needs to take a look at you.”

“Aw…please…not a doctor,” Joe groaned, causing his family to swap knowing smiles.

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

Joe had been placed in one of the upstairs rooms. His bed was huge in comparison to the one he slept in at home; it was comfortable and seemed to help in easing the pain in both of his shoulders, which the kind doctor had snapped back into place. Joe’s legs ached, and they tended to cramp, but several days later, Joe was once more on the mend and feeling much like his old self.

Ben never left his son’s side. During those long hours, Ben explained to Joe all that had happened while he had been confined to the bed. The ship from France had arrived and was anchored off shore. The officials had come onto the island and had rounded up Harriman, Wells, and all their men and had tossed them into the hull of their ship, ready to transport them all back to France. Once there, the men would stand trial for different offensives, including murder, rape, kidnapping, assault, false imprisonment among the long list.

The slaves had been freed and had been guaranteed safe passage to either France or the United States. Many chose to sail to France, where they had families, but most all those born and raised on the island, opted to remain there and begin life anew. Only a select few chose the States to begin their new lives.

Ben and Joe also talked about what had happened to the boy during his stay on the island. It was an emotional time for Joe, reliving his nightmare, which often at night came back to haunt his sleep. When he would awaken, screaming and crying, Ben was always there, to hold and comfort his son, which served to strengthen their relationship. Ben shared with his son his own fears that beleaguered him during the time that he had been separated from his sons. Together, father and son began to heal and though Ben knew it would take months before any of them could sit down together and talk freely about their nightmarish experience, Ben knew that the four of them were well on their way of getting to that point.

“We are men, each of us, all of one man’s blood,” Ben had told his sons. “Together, we will overcome the adversary…good will prevail over evil.”

Ben had insisted that Joe remain in bed until his shoulders had healed enough that he could use his arms more freely. Having been dislocated and then having been set and with his arms carefully bounded to prevent sudden movement, it was impossible for Joe to even feed himself. Ben had appointed himself his son’s guardian plus his nurse. Ben helped Joe with all physical needs, grooming and of course fed him his meals. At first, it embarrassed Joe, to be tended to like a baby, but with his father’s calming presence, Joe gave in to the pampering and before long, even enjoyed all the extra attention that he received from not only his father, but his older brothers as well.

Their meals were brought up to them at each mealtime on silver trays laden with scrumptious servings of some of the best food that either father or son had ever had the pleasure of eating.

A light tapping at the door alerted Ben that it was once again time to eat. He smiled at Joe, who straightened himself up in the bed, the best he could without the use of his arms to help him. Ben opened the door and stood aside to allow the young girl to push the serving cart into the room. She glanced up at Ben and smiled. When she looked Joe’s way, her eyes were downcast and she blushed slightly. Something about the girl caught Joe’s attention as he watched her prepare the plates.

“Excuse me,” he said as the girl set his tray across his lap.

The young girl looked up and met Joe’s eyes. She was beautiful thought Joe to himself and suddenly felt his own face redden as his eyes roamed over her body, which with the heat and humidity on the island, was scantly covered.

Ben, standing to the side, witnessing his son’s behavior, cleared his throat.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Joe was saying to the girl, “but haven’t I seen you somewhere before?”

The girl dropped her head and covered her mouth with her hand. “I think we met once,” she stammered and then faltered

“When?” asked Joe, studying the girl’s beautiful features.

“Don’t you remember?” she whispered. “It was one night, many weeks ago…in the breeding tent…” The girl glanced up at Joe, “you promised me that you wouldn’t hurt me,” she said shyly, casting her eyes over her shoulder at Ben and then back at Joe.

“I’ve always wanted to…thank you for that,” she whispered.

For a moment, Joe was at a loss for words, he remembered now, the beautiful young girl who had been stripped naked and tied to the bed, him expected to join himself with her. His insolence that night had caused Adam’s whipping and Hoss to be imprisoned in the pit for three days, his body baking in the heat.

Joe lowered his head, gulping. “I hope that monster didn’t hurt you for me not…not…you know,” stammered Joe, unaware that his father had slipped silently from the room, leaving the young couple to talk privately.

“No…he locked me away in a room for almost a month. I didn’t have contact with anyone other than the woman who brought me my meals. By the time that Master…ere…I mean that horrible man let me out…you and your brothers had already been punished. I never knew what happened to you, that is, until Harriman and his men were taken off the island and we were all told that we were free to go.” The young girl took a deep breath and moved closer to the bed.

“I could have sailed with the others, but I was inside when your brothers and father found you. I saw them when they were carrying you out of the attic. I had been hiding under the stairs when Harriman brought you in…” She paused again, her eyes shining brightly with unshed tears.

Joe could only watch in wonder as the girl moved closer. “I heard you screaming…I knew what he was doing to you…I started to run away…I was scared of him. But then I heard those men come in, your father and brother. I knew then that you’d be alright so I waited. I wanted to do something for you…to pay you back for being so nice to me that night in the hut.”

“You took a big chance…Harriman would have killed you if he had found you,” Joe said in a low voice.

“I didn’t care…he’d already taken the last thing I cared anything about,” she explained.

“What was that?”

“My mother…LeeAnn,” whispered the girl, fight back her tears.

Joe’s eyes widened in wonder. “LeeAnn was your mother?” stammered Joe.

The girl nodded her head, freeing her tears and allowing them to stream unchecked down her face. “Yes…I loved her…she was all I had…and he killed her,” the girl cried.

“I sorry, so sorry,” whispered Joe, not sure how to comfort the girl.

She stopped and raised her head up. “That devil was…my father.”

“WHAT?” declared Joe, bringing his father quickly back into the room from the hall where he had been listening.

“Yes…my mother told me right before she died. I have a brother too, his name is Joe, like yours, but Harriman sold him years ago when he was little. It nearly killed my mama that’s why when he sent mama to you she couldn’t do what he demanded. She said you reminded her of her little boy.”

“What’s your name, child?” Ben asked, placing his hands gently on the girl’s shoulders and turning her around to face him.

The girl looked up at Ben, wiping her tears from her face. “Linda, but mama always called me Lindy…she liked that better.”

Ben smiled, “Well then Lindy, how would you like to leave this island, when we go? I happen to know a special man and woman who would love to have a daughter. They have a little boy, Billy, and his mother is expecting a baby, very soon. What do say, would you like a family of your own?” smiled Ben.

Unknown to anyone other than himself and Chuck Basile, the two men had made arrangements to take the young girl with them, if she agreed. Chuck and his wife Sarah had had a daughter once, but the child had died around the age of five. Sarah had been crushed and had since always wished for a daughter, not taking anything from having Billy, but as Sarah had stated, there’s just something about having a little girl in the house, to wrap her father around her little finger. Well, Lindy wasn’t a little girl, but she had somehow managed to wrap not only Chuck, but Ben as well around both little fingers.

Lindy smiled, glanced at Joe and then wrapped her arms around Ben’s middle. “Oh yes, please, take me with you, please…please…please,” she squealed.

Ben and Joe laughed, “Calm down my dear, I promise, when we sail, you will be going with us!”

“And my pa never breaks his promise,” smiled Joe, glancing up at Ben and seeing the happy expression on his face.

It was plain for Ben to see that with a promise of a new home and a new family to love and care for her, plus the new friends she had made in the Cartwrights, Lindy was more than happy to leave behind her, a questionable past.

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

It was a month later before the Cartwrights boarded their ship ready to sail home. Hoss and Adam helped Joe up the gangplank as Ben escorted Lindy. Hank and Chuck were already boarded and waiting for them on deck.

Chuck greeted the family of men, a broad smile on his face as he took Lindy’s hand and helped her with her things. “I’m glad that you’ve agreed to be my daughter,” smiled Chuck.

“I hope your wife approves of me,” Lindy said shyly.

“Oh, don’t worry, she’ll love you,” laughed Chuck reassuringly.

“And if she don’t, you can come live with us, on the Ponderosa, can’t she, Pa?” Joe laughed.

Ben raised his eyebrows and glanced at his older sons. They snickered; everyone knew just how close a friendship had developed between the two young people.

“Well, Pa, can’t she?” Joe pushed.

“I think she’ll be happy with the Basile’s, son, Sarah is a wonderful woman, and she’ll love having a daughter like Lindy,” Ben hurried to say.

“Now, young man, lets get you settled in your cabin,” Ben added quickly to avoid any further discussion of having the beautiful young woman living in the same household with four bachelors.

“The sooner this ship sails, the sooner we can get home, and, I might add, if the good Lord’s willing, we just might make San Francisco by Christmas,” smiled Ben as he settled Joe into his bunk.

“Christmas…that means snow…and lots of cold weather. Oh Pa, I hope we do make it home by then, I’ve had about enough of this hot weather. We can make a snowman…like when I was a kid, remember?” smiled Joe.

“I remember son,” said Ben softly, turning so that Joe could not see the sudden pool of tears that temporarily blinded his vision. Yes, he remembered, lots of passed Christmases and lots of snowmen, and a certain, green eyed, curly headed little boy who had always brought so much happiness and joy, not only to his home but to his heart as well.

When Ben glanced back at his son, Joe had fallen to sleep. The first really sound sleep since being found. Ben crossed the cabin and knelt down, pulling the blanket up around Joe’s shoulders. For several moments he stood over his son smiling, until at last he leaned down, placing a kiss on Joe’s brow.

They wouldn’t make home to the Ponderosa by Christmas day, of that, Ben was almost positive, but regardless of where they were, they would celebrate the day. He had his presents, his treasures. They were his sons…and no matter where they might be, come Christmas morning, they would be together at long last and as far as Ben Cartwright was concerned, that was good enough for him.

THE END

May2003

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