" LOOKING
FOR PIRATES TREASURE "
By: Lynne G.
Seven year old old Little Joe Cartwright suddenly
began to think that it was time for another big adventure, something that
would be be lots of
fun and he knew who he wanted to take with him for this adventure. It was
none other than his big brother, thirteen year old Hoss. Little Joe knew
he could talk Hoss into doing things he wanted, well almost everything.
Lately this very active little imp was fascinated with anything to do with
pirates. He loved to read about all their exciting adventures they went
on, but most of all, he loved to read about all their hidden treasure that
they always buried in the beaches of islands.
" Hey Hoss,
wouldn't it be fun ta find buried pirates treasure?
Just think about all that money we'd have Hoss! Just think about it Hoss,
all the money we could ever want !" Little Joe
excitedly told Hoss. " There ain't no pirates
around here little brother," Hoss told Little Joe. "
Maybe not no more, but they was here a long time ago. Hoss, I know
where them pirates buried their treasure, and
since you are my most favorite big brother, and my best friend, that once
we find the treasure, it will be all ours Hoss. Just think about that Hoss,"
the youngster said.
"Look here Short Shanks,
if'n ya think I'm gonna let you talk me into another one of your wild
schemes, ya gots another thing
comin'. Just get away from me ! I
dunt wanna get inta
trouble AGAIN, thanks ta you. Ya hear me little
brother? Just go away ! Leave me
alone !" shouted Hoss.
Little Joe just stood there looking very hurt as he looked up at Hoss with
those big green puppy dog eyes. " Golly Hoss,
I'm sorry. I dunt wanna
getcha in trouble. I guess I'll just have
ta go all by myself.
Dunt worry about me big brother
,I can take care of myself. Gosh Hoss, I thought ya was my
best friend and my most favorite big brother, but I guess I was wrong," Little
Joe softly said as he tried to look and sound as sad as possible. He even
managed to get tears in his eyes, and he was sniffing as well. Hoss felt
bad now at what he had said to his little brother.
Little Joe slowly started to walk away from Hoss with his shoulders hunched
over and his head down. That sight of his little brother walking
away, and what the youngster had just said to him made him feel even
worse.
" Wait
Punkin. I didn't say I wouldn't go with ya. Please just let me give
this some thought,OK
?" explained Hoss. Little Joe just stood where he was and he thought to
himself, " YES, Hoss just can't resist me. Now
I gotta look really sad !" The boy turned around
and looked up at his big brother sadly still with tears in his eyes. When
Hoss saw how sad his little brother looked and with the tears running down
his sweet face, he held his arms out and said, " Come
here baby." Little Joe ran into Hoss's massive
arms and he cried as Hoss held him. " Please
dunt cry Punkin.
I can't stand it when ya cry," Hoss softly said. Little Joe smiled because
he knew he had Hoss under his spell.
The next day which was Saturday, the boys went down to the lake to do some
fishing. " OK Hoss, here's the plan.
As ya know pirates always buried their treasure in the beaches of islands.
Well, ya know that small island in the lake, the one that you and Adam
said that mama use ta take us fer picnics,
thats the one that has the treasure buried on it," Little Joe told
Hoss. " How do ya know its that island anyway?"
asked Hoss. " Cuz
, it's closer ta shore, and since them pirates
couldn't have their big old pirate ships here, they had
ta use row boats. Their big old pirate ships can only go in the oceans
ya know," the little boy excitedly told Hoss. Hoss just listened.
" Tell me
little brother, where on the beach is the treasure?"
asked Hoss. " I
dunno, but we'll find it Hoss. Ya gotts
ta trust me big brother," the youngster said.
Hoss looked at his baby brother and now he wasn't sure about all this.
" I dunno about this
Punkin. Maybe it really ain't a good idea after all," Hoss suggested.
" Hoss, dunt tell
me ya changed yer mind?" questioned Little Joe.
" I just dunno Little
Joe," Hoss said.
" Hoss,
just think bout everything you have ever wanted ta
buy, and with all that treasure, ya can buy anything ya want. All the different
kinds of candy, cookies, and cakes, and hey, ya know what else, ya could
even start up yer own hospital fer sick and injured
animals. We wouldn't need
ta spend it fast, just little bits at a time. Come on Hoss, we can
do this. Heck, we dunt even need
ta tell Pa er Adam bout the treasure,"
Little Joe explained still trying to convince Hoss.
After school one day, Hoss and Little Joe rode down by the lake, but this
time they would get a better look at the small island, that was straight
out from where they sat on their horses. " Listen
Hoss, since we dunt have that row boat handy
anymore, heck we can just swim out ta that island.
It ain't that far," Little Joe said, as he continued to look at the island
with growing excitement about the treasure. " Yeah
, but how we gonna take the shovels with us if'n
we ain't got no boat?" asked Hoss. " Um, maybe
we dunt need no shovels. The sand is nice and
soft, so we can use thick sticks or our hands," the boy suggested.
"
As they boys thought about shovels, Little Joe suddenly had an idea.
" Hey Hoss, I know, we can get two shovels, tie
em tagether, then I can tie
em ta ya. Yer
lots taller than them shovels Hoss," Little Joe said.
" WHAT ? WHY ME ? I
dunt want no shovels tied ta
me !" Hoss told his little brother. " But
Hoss, them shovels are taller than me. I wouldn't be able
ta swim with em on me," explained the
youngster. " I guess yer
right little brother. So when do we do this anyway?" Hoss asked.
" Next week cuz it's spring break and
we'll have more time," Little Joe said. "
If'n ya say so Short Shanks," Hoss quietly said.
Over the weekend, Hoss and Little Joe found where all the extra shovels were
and they took two of them, plus some rope too. They took the shovels and
rope down to the lake and hid them under some of the bushes close to the
water. " There, now we're all set
ta start Monday after morning chores," the little boy told Hoss.
" I'm not too sure bout this Little Joe," Hoss
nervously said. " Hoss, ya can't quit on my now
!" Little Joe told him. Hoss gave his little brother a sick look.
Monday morning after they had finished up their chores, Hoss and Little Joe
took off to start their treasure hunt. They knew that Ben and Adam would
be home around dinner time, so this would give them all day on the island.
Once they were on the beach, they tied the shovels together,
then Little Joe tied the shovels onto Hoss's
back. Hoss still didn't like this whole idea one bit.
" Hey, just a dadburn minute little brother.
We ain't got no lunch !" said a concerned Hoss.
" Is that all ya think about big brother, food
! We dunt have time fer lunch, sides it would
just get all wet in the lake," Little Joe explained to Hoss.
" Hey Little Joe, ya know that this time of year that lake water is
freezing cold !" Hoss said as he was not looking forward to swimming in the
cold lake this time of year. " Hoss, come on.
Times a waistin'," Little Joe said as he put
his barefeet in the cold water. As the cold
water took his breath away, Little Joe said to himself,
" Geez, this water is FREEZIN !"
He just kept walking deeper into the water as he was trying not too
shout out how cold the water was. He was now waist deep and shivering.
" C
..come
on Hoss !" Little Joe shouted. Hoss slowly walked out in the water and
he was totally shocked at how cold the water was. "
DADBURNITALL, THIS WATER IS FEEEZIN' !" Hoss shouted. By now both
boys started to swim as fast as they could. It didn't take them long to
reach the island. " See Hoss, that wasn't so
bad, now was it?" said a shivering Little Joe. Hoss just glared at his little
brother, while he thought to himself, " DADBURNIT, why do I let that little
varmint talk me inta these stupid ideas of his?"
Little Joe untied the shovels from Hoss' back and then he suggested that
they start to dig on the other side of the island. "
Why start on that side fer?" asked Hoss. "
Cuz that way no one can see us," the young boy explained.
Once they were on the other side of the island, Hoss asked," So where do
we start diggin?" " Ya can start here, and I'll
start down by the water, and
if'n we dunt find any treasure, just fill
in the holes. That way no one will know what we was
doin'," the boy said. " Wait just a
dadburn minute Little Joe, how deep do we dig anyway?" asked Hoss,
who still didn't like this whole idea. " Hum,
that's a good question. Maybe three feet deep?" the youngster thought.
" That sounds about right," Hoss said as he started
to dig. Luckily there wasn't much of a beach around this small.
Several hours later and several holes later, no sign of any treasure had
been found. " DADBURNIT !! Joseph, do you realize
it's gonna take us FOREVER ta dig up this whole
stupid beach !" Hoss shouted.
" Sorry Hoss, I didn't think it would take so long," a tired Little
Joe said. " YA DIDN'T THINK !!! YOU NEVER THINK
LITTLE BROTHER !!! YA JUST PLAIN DUNT
THINK !!" Hoss again shouted as he was angry, tired and hungry.
" Hoss, it's only one day. I just know our luck will change. Ya
gotta give it time big brother," suggested the youngster. Hoss picked a
handful of sand and threw it at his little brother.
" I'm
goin' home. Ya can come with me if'n
ya wanna," Hoss told Little Joe.
" OK Hoss, I'm tired too," the boy softly said. They put their shovels
and rope under some bushes, then walked down to
the water, as it started to pour down rain. " DADBURNIT
!!" Hoss yelled. Little Joe looked up at his big brother and said with
a big smile on his face, " Hi ya Hoss !"
" Dunt ya, Hi Hoss me you little...!"
Hoss said in not so many words.
The swim back to the mainland was tiring as both boys were dead tired, but
they still had to walk home. First thing they had to do was dry their feet
before they could put their socks and boots on. They had each stuffed a
towel in their boots so they could dry their feet. Hoss wouldn't talk to
his little brother as they walked home. " At least,
we dunt have ta explain
ta Pa why we are all wet,
cuz it's rainin' hard," Little Joe said
feeling proud that he had thought up that statement.
" Yeah, I bet ya planned that too !" Hoss grumped as he continued
to glare at the youngster.
As soon as they reached the house, the front door opened and out stepped
an angry Ben. " WHERE HAVE YOU TWO BEEN ? LOOK
AT YOU, YOUR BOTH SOAKING WET !" Ben shouted at
them. " Umm.. Papa, we was just out
walkin' in the rain is all," Little Joe told Ben. Ben just stood
there looking at his two soaked sons. " What
were you doing before it started to rain, JOSEPH ?" asked Ben who wasn't
amused at all. " Well Papa, ya see, we......Ya
tell him Hoss. Hoss just glared at his young brother and said, nope, ya
tell him Little Joe." Little Joe was looking very nervous by now.
" Will someone PLEASE tell now !" Ben shouted, as he looked down at
a very nervous Little Joe, who stared at the ground.
" Umm, we did all our chores Papa, thats
what we dun did. Then we...ah...went for a long, long walk and
kinda made plans for this week," Little Joe sheepishly told Ben.
Ben was having a hard time trying to control himself
from laughing at all the different looks on his little son's face. He knew
his two youngest sons were up to something, and mostly likely it was Little
Joe's big idea too.
" Go to
the washroom and get out of those wet clothes, while I get you both some towels
and dry clothes," Ben told them. " Thanks Papa,"
Little Joe said as he sneezed. " Bless you son,"
Ben said. " I'm gonna pound ya little brother
!" Hoss threatened. " Ah, come Hoss, where's
yer sense of adventure ?" asked Little Joe as
he took off running around the house heading for the washroom, with Hoss
running right after him.
During dinner that night, Hoss kept glaring at Little Joe, which Ben and
Adam both noticed. They were wondering what Little Joe had talked poor Hoss
into this time. Little Joe just kept smiling at Hoss trying to look as sweet
as possible. " Hoss, Little Joe, what were you
two up too all day?" asked Ben. " Just
havin' some fun Papa. It's spring break
and we just needed ta get away for a while,"
Little Joe explained as he gave Ben one of his prize winning smiles. Ben
and Adam weren't sure if they really wanted to know what the two younger
Cartwrights had been doing all day or not. Hoss kept on glaring at Little
Joe and Little Joe just kept on smiling at Hoss.
Over the next couple of days, both boys continued to dig up the beach of
the small island. " OK, THAT DOES IT !! I'M
DONE !!! I QUIT !!!!" Hoss shouted.
" But Hoss...ya can't. We ain't found no
treasure yet," begged Little Joe, as he tried to get Hoss to start digging
again. " YA KNOW WHY WE AIN'T FOUND NO TREASUE
??? CUZ THERE AIN'T NONE !!! THAT'S
WHY !! NOW, I'M GONNA TIE THEM SHOVELS TOGETHER, AND YOU ARE GONNA
TIE
Little Joe just stood there on the island and watched Hoss. Once Hoss was
on the shore, he looked back towards the island and he saw his little brother
still standing there. " GET YOUR LITTLE BUTT
BACK OVER HERE NOW LITTLE BROTHER !!!" Hoss angrily shouted. Little Joe stuck
his tongue out at Hoss.
Ben and Adam could hear Hoss shouting, so they rode over in the direction
of the shouting. They had been looking for the two younger Cartwrights all
day, and they weren't in the mood for any nonsense now.
Hoss turned around as soon as he heard horses coming, and he was very surprised
to see Ben and Adam looking at him. Hoss took a deep breath and said, "
Hi ya Pa, Adam !" Ben and Adam couldn't figure
out why Hoss had two shovels tied to his back and why he was soaking wet.
They almost broke out laughing as Hoss looked really silly standing there
like that.
" Hoss,
son, why on earth do you have two shovels tied on your back, and why are
you soaking wet, and where is your little brother?" Ben asked. Adam stood
next to his horse, trying not too laugh, and he
wasn't sure if he wanted to hear Hoss's answer.
Then he finally thought to himself, " Oh, this
should be very interesting."
Little Joe ran and hid behind a tree as soon as he saw Ben and Adam ride
up to Hoss. " Uh oh... This
dunt look good at all. Now what do I do?" the youngster thought to
himself.
" Hoss,
I'm waiting for some answers as to why you have two shovels tied to your
back, why you are soaking wet, and where is your little brother?" Ben said
as he looked at his middle son. " Well, ya see
Pa, oh dadburnitall !! It's all Little Joe's
fault," Hoss sheepishly said. Ben was now wondering what his little son
had to do with all of this. " Ya see Pa, that
little varmint said that pirates buried their treasure on that island out
there, and he said we needed ta find it !" Hoss
explained. Adam had a big smile on his face and he was having a very hard
time not laughing outloud. Ben just stared at
Hoss as he slowly shook his head, trying not too believe
what Hoss had just told him.
" Hoss,
son, where is your little brother now?" Ben asked softly as he laid his hand
on Hoss's shoulder. " He's
still on the island Pa," Hoss said, as he looked over at the island.
" JOSEPH
, GET OVER HERE NOW !!!!!!!" Ben shouted as he too was looking at the island.
Little Joe slowly came out of his hidding place,
and he slowly walked down to the very cold water and he started to swim towards
the mainland. He was not looking forward as to what his Papa would do to
him for this latest adventure of his. The other Cartwrights stood there
watching the youngest Cartwright swimming towards them.
" Hoss,
what is wrong with you two? That water is freezing cold this time of year
especially for swimming !" Ben yelled.
" Pa, it's all Little Joe's fault, like I said," Hoss tried to explain.
" Hoss,
why do you let your little brother talk you into his schemes for in first
place ?" Ben asked. "
Finally Little Joe made it to shore, and he was very nervous when he saw
his family looking at him, and they didn't look very happy either.
" Hi ya Papa, Adam. What's ya doin'
here ?" the boy nervously asked. " I might
ask you the same thing Joseph. What have you involved your brother into
this time ?" Ben asked.
" Uh,
ummm [sneeze sneeze].
" Bless you." " ..W...Well y
..ya see Papa, it's like this, we was
lookin' for pirates treasure. Pirates always bury their treasure
on the beaches of islands, and well, ya see that small island out there,
that is the island them pirates buried their treasure, but we can't find
it yet," Little Joe told Ben.
" There
is NO treasure on that island ! There were NEVER pirates in the
" I want
you and Hoss to get home NOW, and get out of those wet clothes ! NOW
GET !" Ben shouted. "Sneeze, sneeze, sneeze"
" Bless you," Ben said. " Pa, can we get
a ride with you and Adam?" Hoss asked. " NO,
you two are going to WALK...So start walking !" Ben told them. Hoss glared
at Little Joe, and he gave his little brother a swat across his little wet
bottom, as the youngster ran past him. " I'M
GONNA GET YA FER THIS YA LITTLE VARMINT !!!!!! Hoss shouted as he watched
his little brother run off towards home. " DADBURNIT
!" Hoss shouted.
Once everyone was home and had settled down, Ben told Hoss and Little Joe
that they were on restriction for the rest of their spring break, and that
they would have a very long list of chores that would keep them both very
busy, especially Little Joe who's list was longer
than Hoss's because the 'treasure hunt' was his
idea. There wouldn't be anytime for mischief now, Ben hoped, but with Little
Joe he knew that mischief was just around the corner.
Little Joe was worried at what Hoss might do to him, and he tried to keep
Hoss in his sights at all times. Several times each day, Hoss told Little
Joe that he was going to get even with him yet.
On Saturday, Little Joe had to chop wood for most of the day, and he had
to make sure that all the wood boxes were filled up. Finally, Little Joe
had finished chopping the very large pile of logs, and he was really tired,
so he sat down to rest. He closed his eyes for only a couple of minutes,
but he fell into a deep sleep.
Hoss came out of the barn and he noticed that his little brother was sleeping.
He grinned and walked over to the sleeping boy, and he looked down at him
and thought, " He sure looks like an angel when
he sleeps."
Hoss decided that now was the time to get even with his baby brother, so
he gently picked up the sleeping child and carried him over to the water
trough and dropped him in the water, and he just stood there with a big smile
on his face. Little Joe woke up very fast, sat up and was spitting water
out of his mouth, coughing and shaking his head. Little Joe looked up at
Hoss and yelled, " WHATCHA DUN THAT FOR ANYWAY
!" " HA, HA, HA !! GOT YA, YA LITTLE
VARMINT !!!" Hoss shouted loudly. Little Joe just sat there in the
trough with his arms folded across his chest with an angry look on his face,
and he stuck his tongue out at Hoss, who was still laughing.
" Now little
brother, you stay in that trough till I say it's alright
ta get out. Ya got that ?" Hoss asked
him. " Ah, come on Hoss, that ain't fair !
Come on Hoss this water is freezin
' !" Little Joe mumbled. " Sorry little
brother. Ya gotta stay put. So get use to it. That water can't be as cold
as that lake water was," Hoss shouted back.
About two hours later, Ben and Adam rode into the yard and they were surprised
to see Little Joe sitting in the trough. " Joseph
, what are you doing in that trough ?" Ben asked. "
A..a.ask
Hoss, he put me in here," Little Joe said as he was shivering.
" HOSS ?" Ben shouted. Hoss came out of the barn and saw Ben and
Adam there. " Hoss, what is your little brother
doing sitting in the trough for ?" Ben asked. " I
just got even with him is all and I told him he couldn't get out until I
said he could," Hoss told Ben. " Hoss, how long
has he been in that water?" Ben asked as he looked at Hoss then back to his
shivering little son. " TWO DAYS !!!!!!" Little
Joe shouted. Ben looked at his youngest and said, " Joseph
, I asked Hoss, not you !" " About two hours
Pa," Hoss softly said. " LET HIM OUT NOW !" Ben
shouted. " OK, ya can get out now," Hoss said.
Little Joe was so cold that he had trouble trying to stand up, so Ben went
over to the trough and pulled his soaking wet and shivering little son out
of the water. Sneeze, sneeze, sneeze !" " Bless
you ," Ben said. " Little
Joe, get in the washroon and get out of those
wet clothes NOW !" Ben told him. " Y...Y....Yes
s...s....sir," the little boy answered. As Ben headed for the house he looked
at Hoss and he shook his head. He wasn't happy what Hoss had done to his
little brother, since it was a very cold day.
" Why you
all wet ?" Hop Sing asked as he saw Little Joe standing there.
" H...H....H...Hoss did this to me," Little Joe told Hop Sing. Hop
Sing just walked away mumbling, as Ben came in with towels and dry clothes
for his youngest son. " T...T Thanks Papa,"
Little Joe said. "Sneeze, sneeze
,sneeze !" " Bless you," Ben said
as he helped his young son get out of his wet clothes, dried off and dressed
in dry clothes. He took his son into the livingroom
and wrapped him up in a quilt. He sat down and put his son on his lap and
he held the boy as his son laid his head against Ben's chest.
" You'll feel warmer soon now sweetheart," Ben said.
" Kay Papa, the boy replied.
Later that evening, Little Joe walked over to Hoss, who was sitting there
reading. " Hoss, I just
wanna tell ya that I'm really sorry I got ya in trouble, and ruined
yer week. I hope you can forgive me. I love
you Hoss," Little Joe softly told Hoss, as he stood there looking very sad,
and he did have tears in his eyes. Hoss looked at his little brother, and
his heart melted. " Ah,
Punkin, I ain't mad at ya no more. I forgive ya. I love you too
little brother," Hoss said as he stood up and and
he hugged his his little brother.
" Thanks Hoss," Little Joe said to Hoss.
Ben and Adam were watching Hoss and Little Joe, when Adam walked over to
Ben and he whispered in his ear, " Looks like
little brother has done it to Hoss again. " Isn't
that the truth. What are we going to do with that little imp
Adam ?" Ben whispered back to Adam. : Why don't we put him in a very
large cage until he grows up !" Adam suggested,
as he laughed. " Good idea son," Ben said as
he was now laughing too.
THE END