"HUNTING"
By:
Lynne G.
It was late summer on the Ponderosa, and the last section of the damaged fences were just about finished. The three Cartwright brothers decided to work together on the last part of the fence so they could finally be finished once and for all. It seemed that all the fences on the Ponderosa needed to be replaced or repaired following the very hard winter that had lasted well into spring. Besides all their other chores on the ranch, the brothers decided that the fences took the longest to do this year.
Adam
Cartwright was the oldest of the three Cartwright brothers. When Adam was
eighteen years old, he had gone to college in
Hoss Cartwright was the middle brother, who was very large and very strong for his age of almost seventeen years old. He could easily do the work of a man, and he worked full time at the ranch. Hoss had no desire to continue with his education, and he had left school at an early age.
The youngest brother was Little Joe, who was ten years old. Little Joe was very small for his age, and he wasn't afraid to try anything to prove to his family that he could do most things on the ranch. He just figured that he could do the same things on the ranch that his two big brothers did, and that caused many a problem with his father, Ben Cartwright. Once this boy had made up his mind something, he would fight for his rights, and he wouldn't give up. Little Joe was also a big mischief maker as well, and mischief just seemed to follow the boy everywhere he went. He also hated school and he kept trying to convince his father that he had had enough education, and all he wanted to do was to work full time on the ranch like his two brothers did, but that was not meant to be for several more years.
Their
father, Ben Cartwright owned the largest ranch in the
Ben had been married three times. His first wife, Elizabeth, was Adam's mother, who died during his birth. Ben's second wife, Inger was Hoss's mother, was killed during an indian attack as the family was traveling west to live, when Hoss was a baby. Ben's third wife, Marie was Little Joe's mother. Marie died in a riding accident when Little Joe was barely five years old.
Little Joe loved summers especially because it meant that school was out for the summer, and he could play with his friends and help out at the ranch. Sometimes the youngster would work with Adam, and sometimes with Hoss. He especially loved to work with Hoss, because Hoss didn't boss him around like Adam did, and the boy could get away with more mischief with Hoss. When the three brothers worked together, Hoss was always the peace keeper between Adam and Little Joe. With Adam being the oldest brother, he was in charge when the brothers worked together or when Ben had to be away on business for the ranch.
On Monday,
Ben had left for a two week business trip to
" Little Joe, I want you to carry the new fence posts over to where all the old ones are now, that need to be replaced, and just lay them down on the ground," Adam told him. The boy just stood there looking at Adam, and he said, " Ya didn't say please. Ya gotts ta say please, big brother !" Adam glared at his little brother, while Hoss was holding in a laugh that threatened to come out. " Please Little Joe," Adam said out the side of his mouth. " Sure Adam, I'd be happy to do that," Little Joe said as he smiled at Adam, and Adam continued to glare at the boy.
While
Little Joe place each new fence post next to the old ones that were going to be
replaced, Adam and Hoss went into the barn to get the hammers and nails.
" I tell you Hoss, if we survive today with our little brother, we deserve
an evening in
" LITTLE JOE, BRING THAT HAMMER BACK HERE NOW !" Adam shouted. Little Joe stood there looking at Adam with a grin on his face and he said, " I dun't think so big brother. Side's, ya didn't say ' please'." The boy started to giggle. " I'm going to kill him Hoss, so help me. He's been nothing but trouble all day, and he keeps slowing us up with his foolishness," Adam complained. " I know, but ya gotta admit big brother that he sure makes working very interesting," Hoss replied as he grinned at Adam, who wasn't one bit happy. " You think so huh? He's just a little pest !" Adam declared.
" Hey Little Joe, why don't you please bring Adam back his hammer?" Hoss asked nicely. " Sure Hoss, be happy to. Sorry Adam," the boy said as he handed Adam the hammer back. " Thanks !" Adam grumped as he grabbed the hammer back, then dropped it on the ground and he grabbed the boy, picked him up and carried him over to the water trough and dropped him in the water, then he went back to work on the corral fence.
Little Joe popped back up to the surface, spitting water out of his mouth and coughing. " That wasn't very nice Adam ! Geeze, can't ya take a joke?" Little Joe shouted. He climbed out of the trough and went back over to help with the corral fence. " You had better behave yourself Little Joe or you'll end up back in that trough !" Adam threatened. Little Joe glared at Adam and said, " You wouldn't dare Adam !"
With that said, Adam grabbed the youngster, carried him back to the trough and dropped him back in the water again. " Want to try it again ' little boy '?" Adam asked as Little Joe just sat in the water with his arms folded across his chest, and he was getting upset with Adam. " Geeze, he dun't know how to have fun," he said to himself.
About thirty minutes later, Adam glanced over at the trough and noticed his little brother had fallen asleep in the tough. " Hoss, look !" Adam said as he pointed to towards the trough. " How can he sleep while sitting in that cold water anyway?" Hoss asked as he looked at the boy. " I don't know, but I better wake him up. I tell you, that boy can go to sleep anywhere," Adam said as he walked over to the trough. He looked down at the sleeping boy, smiled and he pushed him under water. He stood there watching as the boys' head popped back out of the water, spitting water out of his mouth. " Wake up sleeping beauty !" Adam said as he laughed. Little Joe splashed water at Adam, so Adam pushed him back under the water again.
Finally the corral was finished, which couldn't have been soon enough for Adam and Hoss as they were tired of their little brother's mischief for one day.
As the weeks went by, Ben told Adam and Hoss that they needed to go hunting for deer, as it was time to stock up for the up coming winter. Sure, they had plenty of beef, some pork, and chicken, but vension was also very nice to have too. They needed to get as much meat smoked so it would last them all through winter and into the next spring. Hop Sing had already prepaired several chickens that he had smoked and they were hanging in the smoke house.
" Pa, I wanna go huntin' with Adam and Hoss too, please," Little Joe begged. " I am sorry Little Joe, but you are too young to go along with your brothers while they are hunting," Ben told the boy, knowing how much the boy would continue to beg. " But Pa, please. I'll be good and won't get in the way. Please Pa, please say ' yes'," Little Joe begged again. " NO !" Ben replied. Little Joe look at Ben with tears in his eyes and he ran up to his room, slammed his door shut, ran over to his bed, and threw himself down on his bed and he cried.
Ben felt bad because he knew how much his youngest boy wanted to go hunting with his big brothers, but he didn't think the boy was old enough, and he couldn't bare the thought of the boy getting hurt or lost.
" Pa, I agree with you about Little Joe being too young. If he wouldn't get so stubborn and go off to do what he wants to do, then maybe he could come with us, but not until he gets older and learns to do what he can do and what not to do," Adam added. " Thank you Adam. I didn't want you and Hoss to think I was treating him like a baby, even though he is my baby, Ben replied. " What do you think about what Pa and I have mentioned Hoss? You haven't said anything about little brother," Adam asked. " I s'pose you two are right about him being too young yet, but I feel sorry for him. He just wants to help us and feel like he can contribute to our family needs when it comes to huntin'. I think I'll go up and have a talk with him," Hoss said as he headed up the the stairs. Adam and Ben watched Hoss go up the stairs, and they both thought about what Hoss had just said. " He does have a point there about Little Joe, but the boy is too young yet," Ben said to Adam. Adam just nodded back at Ben.
" Hey Punkin, can I come in ta talk to ya?" Hoss asked. " Sure Hoss, come in," Little Joe sadly answered. When Hoss opened the door and walked into the room, his heart just about broke when he saw the tears and the hurt look on his little brother's face.
Hoss sat down on the bed next to his little brother who was laying on his bed. " I know how much ya wanna come with me and Adam, Short Shanks, but huntin' can be dangerous and we dun't want ya ta get hurt or lost, but ya know what, I know how you can help us out and help get food for the smoke house, and it's something you are really good at too," Hoss suggested.
Little Joe sat up next to Hoss and he very interested in what Hoss was going to suggest. Once Hoss realized that he had his little brother's full attention, he put his arm around his brother's shoulder.
" What is it Hoss? How can I help?" the boy questioned as he looked up at Hoss. " Well, tell ya what, why don't you catch lots of fish, and I mean lots of fish, get em all cleaned and then you can help Hop Sing get them ready for smoking. Just think how good smoked fish would taste during winter when it's too cold to go fishin'. What do say say Punkin? Is that a good idea or not?" Hoss asked.
" Ya, I could do that alright. I love ta fish and I'm really good at it too," the excited little boy said. " You sure are little brother," Hoss replied as he totally agreed with the youngsters answer.
" Hey Hoss, how bout smoked rabbit too? I could set out some rabbit snares and get us lots of rabbits too," Little Joe suggested. " Now, why didn't I think of that? That sounds great to me little brother, and maybe Adam and me will be able ta get some of them wild pigs that we see runnin' around from time to time while we are huntin' deer," Hoss added. " Just think Hoss, we'll have that old smoke house filled up to it's ceiling with lots of smoked stuff," the boy excitedly added. " We sure will Punkin," Hoss replied as he was very happy to see the happy look on the boy's face.
After Little Joe had gone to bed for the night, Hoss told Ben and Adam about what he and Little Joe had talked about. " Hoss, what a wonderful idea ! How did Little Joe respond to that?" Ben asked. " Oh Pa, ya should have seen that happy look on that sweet little face of his. He was so excited about that especially since he will be able to help us fill up the smoke house," Hoss said. " I m very proud of you son for helping your little brother like that. I'll give him all the time he needs for fishing and snaring rabbits," Ben happily said. " I never gave that any thought Hoss. Good for you. At least now Little Joe won't feel so left out when it comes to hunting," Adam happily said.
Early in the morning a couple of days later, Adam and Hoss left for their hunting trip. As soon as Little Joe had finished his breakfast and chores, he went to get his fishing pole and the worms that he had found the night before. He also got together the things that he would need to make some rabbit snares too. He was so excited that he could hardly wait to get started.
Hop Sing had made him a lunch so he could take it with him, plus he also had a large basket for the boy that he could carry everything in on his way back home. The basket would make it easier for the boy to carry fish, and rabbits in.
" Pa,
I'm ready ta go now," Little Joe
announced. " Ok son. You have everything you need with
you?" Ben asked as he was getting a big kick at the excited look on his
boy's face. " Yes sir, got everything. See ya
later," the boy said. " You have a good day now, and please be
careful," Ben told his son as he gave the boy a big hug. " I
will
It was
around
Little Joe had caught two dozen large trout which made him very happy. He had each trout on a line that he had in the water, so he could keep the fish cold until he was ready to clean them. He continued to to fish since he had told Hop Sing that he would also catch fish for their dinner that night. He was really enjoying his day very much, and he hoped that he also would snare some rabbits in the snares he had set out before he started to fish.
Adam and Hoss had walked around the area of their camp site to start some hunting. It wasn't long until they saw several deer in the area. Adam took aim with his rifle at a deer, and he fired. Both Adam and Hoss watched as the deer fell to the ground. " Ya got em Adam !" Hoss excitedly said. " Sure did," Adam proudly said. They headed over to the falled deer to get a look at it. The deer wasn't a big buck yet, but is was a good size never the less. " What a great start to a hunting trip," Adam declared, as he and Hoss began to skin the deer, and cut up the meat.
Once they were finished dressing out the deer, they took the meat down to the stream to wash off the meat. Then they wrapped it up in the papers that Hop Sing had given them, and they returned to their campsite with the meat and the deer hide. They had also cleaned the hide as well. To be on the safe side, they put the deer meat and hide up in a tree at their campsite. That night for dinner, they cooked some vension steaks.
Little Joe had caught six large trout for dinner. After he had cleaned all the fish, he wraped them in the papers that Hop Sing had given him. Then he gathered up his lunch bag, fishing pole, the wrapped fish, worm can, and he put everything in the large basket, and he headed off to check his rabbit snares.
He was really surprised to see that he had snared six large rabbits. He gathered up the rabbits, and the snares and he went back down by the lake so he could skin the rabbits and wash off the meat. He carefully cleaned the rabbit pelts, and he put the rabbit meat that he had wrapped up in papers, and pelts in the basket and now one very happy little boy was on his way home.
" WOW, won't Pa and Hop Sing be happy ta see what I caught taday." he said to himself as he walked home.
When Little
Joe arrived home, he shouted for Ben. "
" Hi son, how did you do?" Ben asked. " Pa, Hop Sing, I caught us six big old trout fer dinner, lots of fish fer smokin' and six large rabbits too," the excited child declared. " You did great son !" Ben proudly replied. " Little boy great hunter and fisherman," Hop Sing added. " Thanks. I cleaned all the fish, skinned the rabbits and cleaned the rabbit pelts too, and I washed the fish and rabbit meat too Hop Sing," the boy explained. " Good boy," both Ben and Hop Sing told the boy.
After dinner their wonderful fish dinner, Little Joe helped Hop Sing get the fish and rabbits ready for smoking. " You do good job of skinning rabbits too. We can use the pelt for things also," Hop Sing said as he put his arm around the youngster.
" I wonder how our little brother did fishing taday?" Hoss said. " I'm sure he did very well. That boy is an amazing fisherman. It wouldn't surprise me if he caught enough fish for their dinner tonight too. It will be interesting to see if he had luck snaring any rabbits," Adam replied. " Ya know Adam, Little Joe can sure be a little pest and a pain sometimes, but I am so thankful that he our baby brother. That little boy sure makes life interesting everyday, and he's just too dadburn cute too," Hoss proudly stated. " You are right about all of what you said Hoss. I'm so thankful he looks just like Marie. Just looking at him, it's like seeing her. It's too bad that he has her temper and her stubborness. That poor boy gets a double dose of stubborness, thanks to Pa," Adam said as he laughed. " Ain't that the truth," Hoss replied as he too was laughing.
Little Joe continued his good luck with fishing and snaring rabbits that week. He had gone fishing four days that week. The family had enough fish and rabbits to last them all winter now. Ben was so proud of his young son, and he was also very grateful for Hoss suggesting that his little brother catch lots of fish, and the youngster's idea about rabbits too. That made life around the house very pleasant while Adam and Hoss were away deer hunting.
One day while Little Joe was busy chopping wood, Adam and Hoss rode into the yard. As soon as Little Joe saw them, he put down the the axe and he ran over to his big brothers with a huge smile on his face. " Hi big brothers. Yer home. I sure missed ya both !" the boy excitedly said.
" Hey, little brother, it's great to see you too, and we really missed you kid," both Adam and Hoss replied as they smiled at the boy. " How was yer huntin'?" Little Joe asked.
" Just great ! We got four deer and six wild pigs," Hoss replied as they tied up their horses. " How did you do fishin' and snaring rabbits, Punkin?" Hoss asked.
" I did great !" We got enough fish and rabbits ta last us all winter long!" Little Joe squealed. " WOW ! You did do great !. I am so proud of you little buddy," Adam said as he hugged his little brother. " Looks like we all did good with huntin' and fishin'," Hoss happily said.
Dinner that night was very lively with the brothers talking about their hunting adventures. After dinner, Adam, Hoss and Little Joe got all the deer meat and pork ready for the smoke house. They saved out a large vension roast and a large pork roast for two dinners that week.
After Little Joe had gone to bed that night, Adam and Hoss asked Ben if Little Joe really did have a good week. They were worried that he was still a little upset that he couldn't go with them. " He did have a good week. He has been so excited about all the fish and rabbits he caught. He helped Hop Sing get them all ready to be smoked, and he has felt very proud of himself. If he did seem upset, I sure couldn't tell by the way he acted, and I can read that boy like a book. He took his fishing and rabbit snaring very seriously. He's quite a boy, that's for sure," Ben explained. " He sure is Pa," both Adam and Hoss replied. " Oh, Pa, did he catch enough fish for your dinner on that first day?" Adam asked. "Yes he did. He caught six large trout and they were delicious too. Hop Sing said they were the best tasting fish that he had ever eaten," Ben said. " Well big brother, guess that answers our question about that fish dinner," Hoss said as he grinned. They told Ben about that.
" I am very proud of all three of you at your hunting skills, and for Little Joe's fishing skills. I know that you three will have warm memories of your hunting trips and fishing trips as you eat all the smoked fish, deer, pork and rabbits, that you all got. Yes, I'm a very lucky man to have three wonderful sons even if one is a mischief maker. Yes, I'm very lucky indeed, and very thankful as well," Ben said as he smiled at Adam and Hoss and as he thought about his young curly haired imp who was sleeping peacefully in his snug warm bed upstairs.
The End