" The Evil Horse"

By: Lynne G.

Eleven year old Little Joe Cartwright stood near the breaking corral watching his oldest brother, Adam breaking a stallion from the small herd of horses that had recently been rounded up. This stallion was the last of the herd to be broken.

Little Joe wanted so badly to be able to break horses too, but he knew that he would have to wait until he was sixteen years old, which seemed forever to this very active youngster. He wasn't even allowed to sit on the top rail of the fence around the corral either, and he didn't think that was fair, but he could see that is was dangerous to sit there, even for the men watching.

Adam finally had the large bay stallion under his control, and he could feel the stallion relax under him. He finally got off the horse and he handed the reins over to Smitty, one of the ranch hands. It was then that Adam noticed his youngest brother standing near the corral and he smiled at the curly haired youngster. The boy smiled back.

During dinner that night, Adam looked at Little Joe and he asked, " What do you think of that last herd of horses?" " I really like em, except for that gray. I just don't trust him," the boy replied.

That answer surprised his family, since Little Joe had never said that about any of the horses before. " Son, why don't you like the gray?" Ben asked, as he was still surprised by his young son's answer.

" I don't trust him Pa !" Little Joe replied. " Why not little buddy? He was the easiest one to break. He is very trust worthy," Adam declared. " Well, I don't trust him is all. Can I be excused Pa ? Got chores ta do," the boy softly said.

" Sure, go ahead," Ben replied. " Thanks Pa," Little Joe said as he got up from the table and went out to the barn to do his chores. His family just watched the boy leave before they began to talk about the youngest's statement about the gray.

" I wonder what's with him? I've never seen him act like that with a horse before," Adam stated. " I don't know. I think that gray is a good horse, and I haven't noticed any problems with him," Ben said. " Me either. What do you think about the gray Hoss?" Adam asked.

" He seems just fine to me. He didn't cause any problems when I rode him, and he seemed really gentle too," Hoss answered. None of them could understand why Little Joe didn't trust that horse.

They had all ridden the gray including Little Joe and he didn't have any trouble with the horse, and he handled him easily.

As Little Joe was did his barn chores, he would glance over at the gray, who stood quietly in one of the stalls. He didn't know why he felt like this towards the gray. He loved horses very much, but there was just something about that gray that he didn't trust.

Adam and Hoss had soon began to tease Little Joe about being afraid of the gray. " I ain't scared of him. I just don't trust him is all, and stop teasin' me !" the boy shouted.

" I tell ya Adam, I just can't figure out little brother and that gray. I keep lookin' at that horse and for the life of me, I can't see nothin' wrong with him," Hoss said. Adam just shook his head, as he too couldn't understand his little brother's reasoning about the gentle gray stallion.

They had all taken turns riding the gray for many weeks now and he seemed to be just as gentle as all the other horses. Little Joe had been riding the gray for the last several days and he hadn't had any trouble with the horse either. Even Little Joe's best friend, Mitch Devlin had ridden the gray without any trouble.

" I don't know what to tell you Little Joe, that gray is a nice horse and I really like him," Mitch said. " I seem to be the only one who don't trust him," Little Joe replied.

One day on the way home from school, Tony seemed to be limping, so Little Joe jumped off of him and he felted Tony's leg for any sign of heat in the leg. The leg felt nice and cold. Then Little Joe lifted up Tony"s leg and he looked at the bottom of the hoof, and he noticed a rather large stone bruise.

" Oh Tony, ya gots a big stone bruise boy. How did ya get that?" the boy asked his horse. Tony whinnied back to the boy which made Little Joe giggle. " Don't worry boy, I ain't gonna ride ya home. We'll just walk," Little Joe told his horse as he lovingly patted the horse's silky neck.

Little Joe knew that he and Tony had a long walk ahead of them and he hoped that Ben wouldn't be mad at him because he would be late in getting home from school. Little Joe also knew that Ben was very understanding, because he had been taught at an early age, if there was a problem with a horse, then the horse wasn't to be ridden.

" I see your little brother is late getting home from school again today. Why can't that boy ever get home on time? What is so hard about getting home on time in the first place?" Ben angrily said.

" We all know that time means nothing to Little Joe. He probably got kept after school again," Adam stated.

" Well, if he has been kept after school again, he is going to be in big trouble," Ben replied. Hoss wasn't enjoying the statements being made by Ben and Adam. " Pa, maybe Tony lost a shoe on the way home er somethin'," Hoss suggested. " I doubt that Hoss," Ben responded.

Just before dinner, Little Joe slowly walked Tony in the yard and he headed straight for the barn. He took Tony to his stall, where he unsaddled him, rubbed him down and feed him. He also washed Tony's left front hoof and made sure it was nice and dry. " There ya go boy. You just rest and I'll have Hoss look at the bottom of yer hoof. I love ya Tony," Little Joe told his horse as he gave Tony a kiss on his face.

Once Little Joe entered the house, Ben loudly asked him why he was so late. " Pa, Tony was limpin' so I checked his leg for any sign of heat, and it seemed fine. Then I looked at the bottom of his hoof and he has a big stone bruise, so I walked him home slowly. I'm really sorry I'm so late Pa. Please don't be mad at me," the boy explained.

" Alright son. I do believe you. Hoss can take a look at Tony's hoof after dinner. Why don't you go and get washed up for dinner now," Ben suggested.

" Thanks Pa," the youngster replied as he was very relieved that he wasn't in trouble after all. Ben could tell by looking at his son's eyes that he was telling the truth about why he was so late in getting home from school.

" That's a nasty stone bruise all right little brother. Punkin, ya did good by not riding him home. Looks like ya won't be able to ride him for about a week or so. He'll be just fine, so don't worry about him little brother," Hoss explained.

" Thanks Hoss. I guess I gotta ride that gray again then," Little Joe softly said as he looked over at the gray who was standing quietly in a stall. " Looks that way little brother," Hoss replied as he watched the youngster looking at the gray with a worried look on his face.

As the week went on, Little Joe continued to ride the gray without any trouble. The gray was fractious from time to time, but Little Joe didn't have trouble controlling the horse.

On Thursday morning on their way to school, the gray had a very evil look about him which scared both Little Joe and Mitch. The horse was giving Little Joe a hard time as well. The boys were both very happy when they finally reached school, and Little Joe couldn't wait to get off the gray.

" What's with that gray today Little Joe? I've never seen him like this before," Mitch asked. " I don't know, and I don't like it one bit. He's evil," Little Joe answered as he walked away from the gray.

All day at school, Little Joe hoped that the gray would settle down for the long ride home after school. He checked the horse at lunchtime, and the horse still looked evil to both Mitch and Little Joe.

On their way home from school, Little Joe and Mitch talked about going fishing that coming Saturday afternoon. Little Joe was having a hard time controlling the gray who kept trying to run off and he was also very fractious as well.

Mitch could see that evil look in the gray's eyes, and that really scared him. " Hey Little Joe, why don't you get off that horse and ride behind me and I'll take you home? I don't trust that horse. We can lead him behind us," Mitch suggested. " I almost feel like it Mitch, but I'll be ok," Little Joe replied.

When they reached the cut off that lead towards the Devlin ranch, the boys said their 'good byes', and each boy rode towards their ranches. Mitch watched Little Joe trying very hard to control the evil gray stallion, and he was very concerned for his best friend's safety.

Suddenly out of nowhere came a very loud blast of thunder. The gray began to dance around and buck, but Little Joe was able to get him under control sort of. A few minutes later, there was another loud blast of thunder and it began to pour down rain.

The gray suddenly took off running in the direction of the Ponderosa. Little Joe tried everything he could think of to try to get the gray slowed down, but the gray just kept running away with Little Joe hanging on for dear life. He couldn't control the gray for anything.

The gray suddenly changed directions and headed towards a very steep hill that looked more like a cliff than a hill. Little Joe continued with all the strength he could find to try to control and stop the horse, but the horse wouldn't stop.

As they reached the steep hill, the gray stumbled which sent Little Joe flying off the falling gray, and when the boy began to roll down the steep angled hillside. While rolling down the hill, Little Joe's body hit several rocks, and when he landed at the bottom of the hill, his body ended up in a small stream. He had hit his head hard on a large rock in the stream, but by then, the boy was unconscious.

The gray had also tumbled down the hill, but only about half way down. The horse had broken it's neck and both front legs, which killed it instantly. The storm continued to rage on.

" Well, he's late again !" Ben angrily said. " He's most likely ridin' slow because of the storm Pa," Hoss suggested. " Yes, you're probably right son. I should have thought about that," Ben replied as he looked at the large grandfather clock.

Finally when dinner was ready, the family sat down to eat. They were all getting very worried about Little Joe, as he still wasn't home yet.

It was still storming outside and it was dark now. Ben didn't know what to think. He knew Little Joe should have been home hours ago. There was no way they could go out and look for the missing boy that night because of the raging storm. They would have to wait until first light in the morning. That night none of the Cartwrights slept very well. Even Hop Sing had trouble sleeping too. They were all worried sick about Little Joe.

At first light, the Cartwrights ate a very quick breakfast, and then they headed out to look for Little Joe. They had several blankets with them, because they knew the boy would be soaking wet and very cold once they found him. To make matters worse, all tracks that had been made by Little Joe and the gray would have been washed away in the storm.

They decided to ride over to the Devlin ranch to talk with Mitch to see if he had seen Little Joe.
As the Devlins were finishing up their breakfast, they heard a knock on the door. Charlie Devlin, Mitch's father opened the door and he was surprised to see the Cartwrights standing there.

" Good morning Ben, Adam, Hoss, please come in," Charlie suggested. " Thanks Charlie," Ben said as they walked into the house. " Ben, boys, what are you doing here this time of morning?" Martha Devlin asked.

" We came to ask Mitch when he last saw Little Joe. He didn't come home after school yesterday," Ben softly said. All the Devlins were shocked by what Ben had just told them.

" Mr. Cartwright, Little Joe and I rode home from school together. That gray was really acting up on the way to school and again on the way home from school too. It made me nervous and he looked so evil too."

" When we reached the turn off that leads here, Little Joe and I said ' good bye' to each other. I even tried to convince him to get off that gray and I would take him to the Ponderosa, but he said he'd be fine. Then he headed home," Mitch explained.

" Mitch did he say anything about stopping anywhere else on his way home?" Ben asked. " No he didn't. He said that he needed to get home on time, because he had his chores to do sir," Mitch replied. " Thank you Mitch," Ben nervously said.

" Ben, would you like me to go along and help you look for the Little Joe?" Charlie asked. " We would really appreciated that Charlie. Thank you. I am worried sick about him," Ben said. " I'll come to Pa," Mitch declared. " No son, you need to go to school. Don't worry, we'll find Little Joe," Charlie told his son. Mitch just nodded.

The Cartwrights, Charlie Devlin and several of the Cartwright's ranch hands were all soon looking for the missing boy. When they reached the turn off, they went in different directions to look. They all knew that if they found the boy, they would fire three shots in the air to signal that the boy had been found. Charlie rode with the Cartwrights.

As they neared the steep hillside, they didn't notice anything that seemed different, since the rain had washed all of the gray's hoof prints away.

As they were nearer the hillside, Chubb, Hoss's horse began to act very nervous. " Whoa boy. What's wrong Chubb?" Hoss asked. " Hoss, what's with Chubb?" Ben asked. " I don't know Pa, but he sure seems nervous about something?" Hoss replied. By now, both Buck and Sport began to act nervous as well.

" Somethin' ain't right around here," Hoss said nervously. Ben yelled out, " LITTLE JOE ! " several times, but there wasn't any answer.

They all got off their horses and walked them over away from the hillside and over towards some low hanging branches and they tied the reins to the branches, as they continued to call out Little Joe's name.

They then walked over back towards the hillside while feeling nervous.

" OH MY GOD ! IT'S THE GRAY !" Ben shouted. " LITTLE JOE WHERE ARE YOU BOY ?" Adam shouted. They made their way down to the dead gray, while looking in every direction for Little Joe.

" OH MY GOD PA, IT'S LITTLE JOE !" Hoss screamed as he continued down the steep hillside while trying to keep his balance as he headed towards his unmoving baby brother, who laid several feet away over towards the right of the dead horse.

" OH GOD MY BABY !" Ben shouted as soon as he saw Little Joe laying at the bottom of the hill in the stream, and he quickly as he could, made his way down to his son. Adam and Charlie also made their way down the steep hill too.

They quickly reached the unconscious boy, and Ben felt the boy's neck for a pulse. He felt a very weak one, for which he was very grateful for, but he knew his young son was in a bad way.

" Don't move him until we can get him looked over," Ben suggested. They very gently felt all over the child's body for any sign of broken bones. Hoss gently pulled Little Joe's shirt out of his jeans so he could check on the child's chest for any rib damage. " Dadburnit, he's got busted ribs, Pa," Hoss sadly said.

They eased Little Joe out of the stream and gently turned him over. He was deathly pale in color, and his lips were beginning to turn blue and his skin was very cold to the touch.

" Adam, go quickly and get the buckboard, and lots of blankets, and please tell Hop Sing that we found Little Joe. He'll get everything ready at home," Ben suggested. " Ben, I'll go and get Dr. Martin and have him hurry to the Ponderosa," Charlie shouted as he went back up the hill.

Hoss went with him up the hill to get the blankets that they had brought with them, and he also fired off three shots in the air to signal the hands who were also looking for the missing boy. Then he went back down the hill with the blankets.

" Little Joe, please baby open your eyes for Papa. Your safe now son. Please sweetheart open your eyes," Ben pleaded over and over. The boy made no sounds or any movement at all.

" Pa, he has a huge lump on the side of his head," Hoss cried. " I know. We need to get him out of these wet clothes and get him warm fast," Ben said as he and Hoss began to gently undress the unconscious boy.

They were shocked by all the angry looking bruises that had formed on the boy's body, and they could both feel the pain that must have been going through the child's body.

Once they had Little Joe undressed and wrapped up in several blankets, Ben held his boy in his arms for added warmth, but being very careful of the boy's broken ribs.

Both Ben and Hoss kept begging Little Joe to please open his eyes, but the boy didn't respond. After a few minutes, the blue color around Little Joe's lips began to disappear. He was now shivering badly.

Finally which seemed to take forever, Adam arrived in the buckboard. He had placed a mattress in the buckboard and more blankets. They very gently put Little Joe in the back of the buckboard and put the extra blankets on the boy.

Ben got into the back of the buckboard with Little Joe. Hoss put Little Joe's wet clothes and boots in the buckboard, before he headed back up the hill to get Chubb and Buck, and then head for home.

They finally made it home, and they were met by a very worried Hop Sing. " Hop Sing got Little Joe's bed ready. Put warming stones in bed to make nice and warm for little boy, and have nightshirt nice and warm too," Hop Sing explained. " Thanks Hop Sing," Ben said as he very carefully lifted his unconscious son out of the buckboard.

Once they were in Little Joe's room, they unwrapped the blankets from the boy and put his nightshirt in him, and put him into his nice warm bed. Hop Sing had also brought in a cup of warm tea for Little Joe.

" Need to warm up boy inside too," Hop Sing said, as Adam very gently sat his baby brother up and he put several pillows behind the child's back. Ben then slowly spooned the warm tea into his son.

Ben was able to get all of the warm tea into his son, just as Hop Sing brought in some more warm blankets, and they put those around the boy, who was still shivering, but not as badly as he had been.

The Cartwrights and Hop Sing kept pleading with Little Joe to wake up, but there was no response from the boy.

Dr. Paul Martin quickly arrived and he ran up the stairs to Little Joe's room. " Paul, thank God you're here," Ben declared.

" Hi Ben, boys, Hop Sing. Has Little Joe been awake at all?" Paul asked. " No, and he hasn't moved at all either Paul," Ben replied as he couldn't take his eyes off of his young son.

" Charlie told how you found the boy, and I am very concerned about that. Ben, you and the boys please wait downstairs for me. Hop Sing, I need you here with me," Paul suggested. None of the Cartwright wanted to leave Little Joe's side, but they knew Paul was right. They slowly left the room and went downstairs.

Paul gave Little Joe a thorough examination. He then looked up at Hop Sing and said, "He has some badly bruised ribs and three broken ribs. I'm going to need your help Hop Sing because I need to tape up his chest. I'm very concerned at his head injury, and the sounds of his lungs. He has a very severe concussion. He's been unconscious much too long for my liking," Paul said with great concern.

" Hop Sing help hold boy while I tape up his chest. Hop Sing very worried about Little Joe. We keep trying to wake him up, but he no respond," Hop Sing softly told Paul.

" I wish he would wake up too Hop Sing, but the longer he stays unconscious, the more worried I am getting," Paul sadly said as he was taping up Little Joe's chest.

" His lungs sound very conjested as well. He could be going into pneumonia or bronchitis. He' starting to get a fever as well, and I'm afraid it will go higher. We need to be ready with ice when that happens," Paul explained

" First we need to get him raised up up higher to help his breathing. We need to get him to cough up as much phlegm as possible. You all remember where to hit his back to make him cough? It's going to be tricky hitting him with broken and brusied ribs, but we don't have a choice. It needs to be done, and it will be very painful for him. Being unconscious sure doesn't help either," Paul went on to add.

" Hop Sing not forget how to hit boy to make cough," Hop Sing replied. " Good. I wish I had more promising news on this little guy, but it's too early yet. I just hope and pray we an head off pneumonia or bronchitis from setting in," Paul said.

" I want you to give him these medicines when he wakes up, and these two, every four hours starting now. I'll give him some now. Keep talking to him and hopefully we can get him to wake up," Paul explained to Hop Sing. " We take good care of Little Joe," Hop Sing declared.

" I know you all will," Paul said as he gave Little Joe some of the medicine that he needed so badly right now. " Please Little Joe, wake up. Your Pa needs you son," Paul told the boy.

As soon as Paul started down the stairs Ben asked, " Paul, how's Little Joe?" " Ben, Adam, Hoss, Little Joe is a very sick little boy," Paul replied as he went onto explain everything that he had told Hop Sing.

" I never should have made him ride that horse. I should have listened to him when he told me he didn't trust that horse. Why didn't I listen to him?" Ben sadly said.

" Pa, none of us listened to him when he went on about the gray. That horse seemed like such a good horse," Adam softly replied. " I know," both Hoss and Ben said agreeing with Adam about that gray.

Over the next several days, Little Joe burned up with fever. He did regain consciousness from time to time, but he never really said anything that his family could understand.

Adam and Hoss had made a steam tent that Hop Sing put special Chinese herbs in the water to help Little Joe breath easier, with seemed to helping a great deal.

They kept spooning broth and medicines into the weak boy, plus they were able to get him to cough up large amounts of phlegm, that was starting to clear up his lungs quite well.

Luckily Little Joe didn't come down with pneumonia or bronchitis, but he did end up with a very bad cold and chest infection.

The thing that seemed to worry everyone the most was that Little Joe didn't seem to be aware of what was going on around him. He barely had his big green eyes open, and he never really looked in the direction of the voices that spoke to him. His family would turn the boy's head towards them when they spoke to him, but it seemed that the boy didn't know them.

Paul was at a loss as what was going on with the boy. When he made the boy's eyes follow his finger was he moved it back and forth, Little Joe's eyes would follow the finger's movements.

" I can't explain it Ben. It's most likely his fever and concussion that have him very confused at the moment. We just have to give him time yet. At least his lungs sound so much better even with his bad cold and chest infection," Paul said.

All Little Joe wanted to do was sleep. His head hurt as did his ribs. He was also very sore from having his lower back hit by his family as they were trying to get him to cough. To him, it seemed like everyone wanted him awake to feed him, or hit him. He felt like he was in a dream as he kept feeling as if he were falling or floating.

Just about everynight, Little Joe would wake up screaming, but then he would go back to sleep. His family felt so helpless at what to do for the boy now and that really bothered them.

It was about three days later when Little Joe woke up. He looked around his room and when he saw Ben sitting there sleeping in the chair that was next to his bed, he smiled and weakly said, " Pa, Pa." Ben woke up as soon as he heard his son's weak voice. He smiled at his son and reached over to feel his forehead, and he was relieved that the fever seemed to be much lower.

" Good morning sweetheart. How do you feel?" Ben asked as he was so thankful that this baby boy was awake and talking. " Tired and sore Pa. Am I late getting home from school?" the boy quietly asked.

" No son, you aren't late. You've given us quite a scare. Can you tell me what happened to you and the gray?" Ben asked as Adam and Hoss walked into the room.

" Hey little brother, you're awake ! How do you feel?" both Adam and Hoss asked as they each had a big grin on their faces.

" Hi. Tired and sore," Little Joe softly answered. " I just asked your little brother what happened on his way from school last Thursday," Ben said.

That startement really surprised Little Joe. " Last Thursday?" the boy questioned. " Yes son, it was last Thursday on your way home from school. Can you tell us what happened ?" Ben asked

Little Joe took a deep breath and he began to explain to his family what he remembered about that afternoon.

" The gray was really fractious on the way to school, and I was glad when me and Mitch got to school. Then when we were on our way home, that horse kept trying to run off. I was sorta able ta get him under control, but it was so hard."

" After me and Mitch got to the turn off, I continued on home. Then there was a loud blast of thunder and the gray really freaked out, but I was bale to get him under control again. Then there was another loud blast of thunder and he just took off running as fast as he could go. I couldn't get him ta stop. I tried everything I could think of, but he wouldn't slow down."

" Then he changed directions and he was heading for that really steep hill. He suddenly stumbled and I went flying. I hit the ground and everything went black," the boy explained.

" Did you wake up at all son?" Ben asked. " No sir, not until now, I think. I kinda felt like I was floatin' in a dream at times. Then everything goes black again," Little Joe added, as he had to cough. " Oh, that hurts !" the boy cried out.

" Well, it should, you have some broken and badly brusied ribs sweetheart," Ben explained. " You also have a very bad cold too little buddy," Adam added.

" Pa, who found me?" Little Joe asked. " We did. You were at the bottom of the hill laying in that small stream. You were unconscious and extremely cold," Ben told the boy.

" I didn't know that. How's the gray?" the youngster asked. Ben looked at Adam and Hoss, then back at Little Joe. As he held the boy's small hand, he said, " Son, the gray also fell down the hill but only half way down. He broke his neck and both front legs. He was killed instantly," Ben softly told Little Joe. Little Joe just looked at Ben and he had tears in his eyes.

" Pa, I'm sorry. I didn't mean ta get the horse hurt," the boy sobbed. " Oh baby, it wasn't your fault. It was the gray that caused so much trouble. You were right about that horse being so evil, and I hope you can forgive me for not listening to you sweetheart. He couldn't be trusted. Even Mitch told us how evil he looked that day. We are all just so thankful that you are safe and alive. If you would have died son, none of us would want to go on living without you. We all love you so much sweetheart," Ben said as he gently ran his fingers through Little Joe's soft thick curly brown hair, and he gave his son a big kiss on his forehead.

" That right Punkin, everything Pa just said is the truth. We love you more than anything else on this God given earth, little brother," Hoss said with a lot of emotion is his voice. " I couldn't have said that better Hoss," Adam said as he smiled at his baby brother.

Hop Sing entered the room with some breakfast, well it was broth, for his favorite Cartwright. " It good to see number three son awake and talking. You need to eat to get better, and we need your mischief around here again. It much too quiet in house with little boy so sick. We all need our Little Joe back and healthy again," Hop Sing said as he smiled at the boy he loved so much. Then he told Ben, Adam and Hoss to go downstairs to eat their breakfast while he feeds Little Joe. " The boss has spoken," Ben teased as they left the room.

Little Joe drank all of his broth and he also drank all of his milk too. " You good boy. You sleep now. You look very tired," Hop Sing suggested. " Thanks Hop Sing. I am really tired," the boy said as he closed his eyes and went right to sleep.

It was a now a month since Little Joe's accident, and he was now up and around. He was still a little sore, but even that was getting better everyday. He was also gaining back his strength as well.

Dr. Paul Martin was happy with how well the youngster was doing, especially as he wasn't giving his family a hard time, well not much of a hard time.

Soon Little Joe was back at school and all of his friends were very happy to see him again, including Miss. Jones, who had really missed the boy and his mischief. Little Joe wasn't sure if he was happy about being in school again or not, since school was not his favorite place to be.

The End

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