" Little Joe's Prank "

[ The sequel to " Adam's Prank and Thumb Sucking "]

By: Lynne G.

It had been several weeks now since Adam had pulled his thumb sucking prank on his fifteen year old brother, Little Joe.

After Adam had told the boy he had been pulling a prank on him, Little Joe told Adam that he was going to get even with him for that.

Everyday Adam made sure he was very careful in everything he did because he had no idea when his baby brother would pull a prank back on him.

Adam was very surprised that nothing had happened yet, and he was very grateful for that, but he also knew that his little brother was up to something.  Yes, he was sure about that.

Everytime Little Joe looked at Adam, he gave his older brother a funny little smile and he also raised his eye brows as he gave Adam ' that ' look with his eyes.

" Hoss, has little brother said anything to you about what he is up to ?  That look he keeps giving me has made me a nervous wreck.  I just know he is planning something to get back at me for that prank I pulled on him," Adam confided as looked towards his younger but much bigger brother.

" Sorry Adam, Little Joe hasn't said anything to me if he is planning something.  He's just being normal, well normal for him as far as I can tell.  Are ya sure ya just ain't imaginning it?" Hoss answered as he looked at his nervous brother.

Adam let out a big sigh and he replied back, " I'm not imaginning anything, but I tell you, it's that way he keeps looking at me.  I almost feel like staying in my room all the time !"

Hoss just looked at Adam and he shrugged his shoulders.  " Come to think of it, I have seen that look he has been giving ya lately, but then that boy always looks like he is up to something.  If he says anything to me about what he is up to, I'll let ya know big brother," Hoss told Adam.

About that time, Little Joe walked up to his big brothers.  " Hey big brothers, ready ta go and mend that old section of fence?" the youngster asked.

" Yup, lets get goin'," Hoss replied.  Adam made the mistake of looking at Little Joe and as soon as he did, the boy smiled at him and he raised his eyebrows.  Adam glupped and quickly looked towards his horse.

" Comin' Adam ?" Little Joe asked as he continued to give Adam ' that ' look along with his little smile.  " Huh?  Sure. Just a minute little brother, tell me something, what are you planning now?"  Adam nervously asked.

A surprised Little Joe looked at Adam, smiled again, and he replied, " Me?  What makes ya think I'm up ta somethin' big brother ?"  Inside, Little Joe was laughing because he knew he had Adam right where he wanted him.  The boy continued to stand there and smile at Adam.

Adam got on Sport, but before he got on his horse, he double checked the cinch to make sure it was still tight.  The three brothers rode out to the pasture to replace the old fencing that had began to rot.

As they worked, Adam couldn't help it as he keep looking towards his youngest brother.  He walked over to Hoss and whispered into Hoss's ear.  " Hoss, I tell you that that boy is up to something.  I can feel it."

Hoss looked over at Little Joe who was busy working and looking perfectly normal as he was hammering a nail into the new fence rail.

" Oh come on now Adam, Short Shanks ain't doin' nothing but hammerin' nails in the rails and into the new fence posts.  Just relax big brother, ain't nothin' gonna happen," Hoss said trying to reassure his big brother.

Even though nothing had happened, Adam couldn't get that feeling out of his mind, especially since it had been several weeks since his young brother had threatened to get even with him.

That night during dinner Adam wouldn't raise his head to look over at his little brother, but his eyes would look at the boy who was eating, and for some reason, Little Joe knew that Adam was taking peeks at him, and Little Joe would smile and raise his eye brows and give Adam ' that ' look of ' better watch out big brother'.

By now Ben had noticed how nervous Adam had been acting lately.  Adam rarely acted nervous, but Ben knew something was making his oldest son a nervous wreck.

After dinner, Ben took Adam aside and asked him," Son, is there something bothering you ?  You seem to be extremely nervous about something.  Ben was getting very concerned about Adam.

As Adam looked over towards his two younger brothers who were playing checkers, Adam looked back at Ben and replied, " Pa, I don't know, but I know that Little Joe is behind it.  I can sense it."

Surprised by what Adam had just said, Ben looked at Adam and asked, " Son, what has your little brother got to do with it?"

" Pa, remember when I pulled that prank on him a few weeks back, and he said that he was going to get even with me?  Well I think he is getting ready to get back at me  some how," Adam explained.

Ben continued to look at Adam and over towards Little Joe and Hoss.  " Why do you think that?  Has the boy said anything to you lately about that?"  Ben hadn't noticed anything different in the way Little Joe had been acting lately.

" Well no, but it's the way he keeps looking at me.  That little smile and the way he keeps raising his eye brows at me, and he gives me ' that ' look with his eyes.  I tell you Pa, I just know that he's up to something.  Heck, it's been several weeks now since I pulled my little prank on him, and he usually would have gotten back at me by now," Adam explained.

Ben didn't quite know what to say to Adam, but he did say, " Well son, I don't know what to tell you.  Have you asked Little Joe about that it?"  " Yes, but he keeps saying that he isn't up to anything, but I know he is," Adam admitted.

Several days later, Adam again asked Little Joe what he was up to. 

" Hi ya Adam.  So ya wanna know what I'm up ta do ya, well I s'pose I better tell ya.  I'm doin' my homework and I just got ta page fifty in my history book.  That's what I'm up ta," the boy replied as he gave Adam ' that ' look again.

" Very funny.  I don't mean your homework, and you know what I mean," Adam replied as he looked at the boy, who was still smiling at him.

Little Joe was still smiling at Adam, said, " Ah Adam, just relax.  Ain't no need ta go and gettin' yerself all worked up.  Ya gotta learn ta relax big brother, and fer yer own well bein', I ain't plannin' nuffin.....yet !"  The youngster continued to give Adam ' that ' look.  Adam thought, " yet?"

The next day, Ben told Adam that he needed to go to Sacramento for a week on business.  " Pa, please let me go in your place !  I need to get away from my baby brother before I go crazy !  He's made me a nervous wreck.  Please Pa, let me go for you," Adam pleaded.

Ben smiled at Adam, and replied, " sure son, if you really want to, then I think the trip will be good for you."  " Thank you Pa.  You don't know how badly I need to get away for a week," Adam delcared.  " Oh I think I do," Ben replied as he placed his hand on Adam's shoulder.

Adam left two days later.  He decided to ride Sport instead of taking the stage.  He knew he would enjoy the nice relaxing ride without having to worry about being attacked with a prank from his little brother.

While Adam was gone, Little Joe decided that he would actually pull a prank on his big brother.  At first he decided just to continue to smile at his oldest brother and raise his eye brows and give Adam ' that ' look, but the more he thought about that he decided to pull a real prank on him.

As he giggled to himself, Little Joe said outloud to no one, " Boy, I sure got big brother worried, and I s'pose I should leave it as is, but this next part is really gonna be good.  I think this will be on of my best pranks fer big brother and I got almost a week ta get it all done."  He continued to giggle.

True to his word, Little Joe snuck into Adam's room for  several days that week working on his little prank.  When he was finished, he felt very proud of himself.

Two days before Adam was due home, Ben needed to go to Carson City on business and he decided to take Little Joe with him.  Ben thought it would nice to spend a few days with his youngest son, and after the business was finished, he and Little Joe could do some fishing.  They hadn't done that for quite a long time.

" Ya mean it Pa, I get ta go with ya?" the youngster squealed in delight.  " I sure do son.  We haven't done that for a long time and I enjoy being with you, and we leave in the morning," Ben explained as he loved to see all the excitement written all over the boy's face.

" Thanks Pa.  I'll go and get my stuffed packed !  This is gonna be so much fun !" Little Joe shouted as he raced up the stairs to his room.  He was also very glad that he wouldn't be home when Adam discovered what he had done to him.  The farther he was from home, the better he thought.

Ben laughed at when his young son raced up the stairs. 

" Boy Pa, Short Shanks is sure excited about goin' with ya.  It will be good for you two to have fun.  Don't worry about anything here, cuz I can handle it, and Adam will be back home in two days.  So just have fun with little brother," Hoss happily told Ben.

" Thank you son.  I have to tell you that I am really looking forward to this.  You and Adam go with me a lot on business and Little Joe hardly ever gets to go with me because he is in school, but since it's spring break, he can have his turn," Ben explained.  Hoss nodded as he smiled.

Little Joe was so excited that he had trouble sleeping that night.  He loved being with Ben, just the two of them together for a week, plus he wouldn't be around when Adam discovered his ' little  surprise ' either.

As father and son were ready to leave, Hoss teased, " You be a good boy for Pa."  " Ah Hoss, I'm always a good boy," Little Joe teased back as he gave Hoss a big smile.  Ben just sat there shaking his head at what his baby son had just said, and he thought to himself, " yeah right."

Hoss laughed and replied, " Sure you are little brother.  Have fun now."   " We will.  Bye Hoss," they both said.

A couple of days later, Hoss just returned home from a quick trip into Virginia City to get the mail.  He took Chubb into the barn and got him settled into his stall, and he then went into the house, that seemed too quiet without his baby brother and Ben.  He had just sat down when Adam walked through the front door.

" Hey, welcome home big brother.  How'd it go in Sacramento?  Hoss asked, as he was very happy to have his big brother back home.

" Hi Hoss.  It's great to be home, and everything went well.  Now, what I need is a nice relaxing bath and get all this trail dust off me, and into some nice clean clothes again," Adam replied.

" Hop Sing has lots of hot water already for your bath," Hoss said.

" Great !  I just need to go up to my room and get some clean clothes, then have that nice relaxing bath," Adam declared as he went up the stairs.

As Hoss sat there drinking a cup of coffee, he almost jumped out of his chair when he heard Adam scream, " WHERE IS HE ?"  Then Adam ran down the stairs still yelling, " WHERE IS HE ?"

Hoss looked at Adam and could tell that he was very angry.  " Adam, what's wrong, and where is who?" Hoss asked, and he knew who the ' who ' was.

" You know who, that, that little brother of ours !  Where is he ?  Just wait till I get my hands on that boy !" Adam threatened.  Hoss gave him a worried look, as he had no idea what their little brother had done this time, but he figured that the boy must have pulled some kind of prank on Adam.

" Well Adam, he ain't here.  He and Pa had to go to Carson City on business, and Pa wanted ta take Short Shanks with him.  They'll be gone for a week.  I have a feeling that little brother must be in trouble?" Hoss asking, already knowing the answer.

" You could say that.  Come up to my room and see what our ' tarnished angel ' did !" Adam suggested.  So Hoss followed Adam back up to his room.

Once in Adam's room, Adam pointed to all of his clothes.  " Look what he did to all my clothes !  He tied them all in knots !  Even my socks and underwear !  Everything is in knots !" Adam ranted.

Hoss couldn't believe what he was seeing, as he was laughing inside.  " Sorry Adam, I had no idea he did that."  Hoss said as he started to laugh outloud as he couldn't hold in his laugh anymore.

" Ya gotta love him big brother.  How does he come up with all his prank ideas?" Hoss replied as continued to laugh loudly.

Adam couldn't believe that Hoss would be laughing at this.  " It isn't funny Hoss !  So much for my nice relaxing bath.  Now I have to get all those knots out of my clothes so I can at least put some clean clothes on afterwards," Adam declared.

Hoss tried hard to get himself under control, before he made a suggestion to Adam.  " Tell ya what big brother, ya go and have that nice relaxing bath, and I will unknot some clean clothes for ya, and bring em into the washroom for ya, and then when your dressed again, I will help ya get all the knots out of the rest of your clothes."

Adam felt relieved by what Hoss had suggested to him.  " Thank you Hoss.  You are the best brother in the world," Adam said as he left to go to the washroom for his bath.

Several minutes later, Hoss took some clean clothes down to Adam.  " Thanks Hoss," Adam said.  Hoss nodded back and left the washroom so Adam could continue his bath.

Adam's bath had worked wonders for him and he felt so much better being clean again and into some nice clean clothes too.

" Have a good bath big brother?" Hoss asked as he thought that Adam looked much better and not angry anymore.

" Yes, and I feel much better too," Adam replied as he started to laugh.

Hoss looked at his brother and wondered what was so funny.  " Hey, what so funny?" Hoss asked.  "  Our baby brother...that's who !  That boy !  I tell you Hoss, where does he keep coming up with all his ideas for pranks ?  While I was relaxing in the tub, I suddenly realized at how funny my clothes all looked tied in knots.  Thank goodness he didn't tie them very tight.  It wouldn't surprise me if he's a afraid to come home and face me," Adam replied as he continued to laugh.

" So ya ain't upset with Short Shanks then?" Hoss asked hoping that Adam wasn't mad anymore.

" No, I'm not upset with him.  Just think how dull it would be around here without that boy in our lives," Adam declared with a lot of affection in his voice. 

" Ain't that the truth !  Let's go and unknot the rest of your clothes then," Hoss suggested.

It didn't take them very long to get all the knots out of Adam's clothes since Little Joe didn't tie them tight.

It had been a great week for Ben and Little Joe.  They had enjoyed fishing together and just plain being together.  This father and son had an incredibly close relationship.  Ben was also very close to his other two sons, but there was just something very special between Ben and Little Joe which began the instant Ben laid his eyes in his tiny new born son for the very first time.

As Ben and Little Joe stopped for lunch on their way home, Ben noticed that his son seemed very quiet.  " Are you alright Little Joe?  You seem very quiet," Ben asked out of concern.

The boy gave a big sigh and looked up at Ben.  " I'm fine Pa, but I got this here feelin' like I'mma gonna die taday," the boy mumbled.

Shocked, Ben looked at his son, and spoke up, " Why in the world would you think something like that for sweetheart?"

As Little Joe bit his bottom lip, he again looked up at Ben and softly explained.  " Um...um...well...ya see Pa...I sorta done somethin' that Adam is gonna kill me for."

Ben took a deep breath, and cupped the boy's chin him his large hand so he could look at his son's eyes.  " Look at me Little Joe.  Now, would you please explain to me why you think your big brother is going to kill you?" Ben asked as he watched his son's face very carefully.

Feeling very nervous, Little Joe also took a deep breath.  " Well....I decided ta pull a prank on him, ya know ta get even with him fer puttin' my thumb in my mouth when I was sleepin'," the boy started to explain.

" I see.  Please continue," Ben suggested.  " Ya see, at first I only decided just ta keep smilin' at him just ta make him think I was up ta somethin' .  Then I decided ta really do somethin' ta him and I did, so when he got back home from Sacramento he would find his surprise in his room," Little Joe continued.

" I see.  So what did you do that has you so worried?" Ben asked.

" Um...ya see Pa, I sorta tied knots in all his clothes, but not very tight though," Little Joe confessed.

At first Ben didn't say anything as he looked at his son and the look on the boy's face.  Then he started to laugh.  " Oh Little Joe, I can just see the look on Adams' face when he saw his clothes tied up in knots.  You are the  master of pranks son," Ben chuckled.

A very relieved Little Joe let out a deep breath.  " Ya mean ya ain't mad at me fer pullin' that prank on old Adam then?" the boy asked as he felt some what better, but still very afraid at what Adam might do to him.

As Ben continued to laugh, he replied, " No son, I'm not mad at you.  Lets just hope your big brother isn't upset with you."  Ben ruffled up his son's very thick soft curly hair.  " Ya, I hope not too," the boy added.

Around two in the afternoon, Ben and Little Joe rode into the yard.  They took their horses into the barn and took care of them.  Once the horses were settled into their stalls, father and son walked towards the house. 

 Ben had his arm around Little Joe's shoulder, and he could feel the trembling in his son.  " Just relax son," Ben suggested.  Little Joe smiled up at Ben and nodded.

As they entered the house, they were greeted by Adam and Hoss.  " Welcome home you two.  Did you have a good week?" both Adam and Hoss asked.

" Yes, we had a great week.  Thank you for asking," Ben said as Little Joe was hidding behind him, but the boy nervously peek out at Adam. 

Little Joe was trying to read the look on Adam's face.  The sight of his little brother made Adam start to laugh.

Oh little buddy, I found my surprise when I got home, and you know what, that was very clever of you.  I also want to thank you for not tying those knots very tight.  Don't worry little brother, I'm not upset with you," Adam convincingly said.

" Ya....ya mean ya ain't mad at me Adam?" Little Joe replied, feeling very relieved as he walked over to Adam and gave him a big hug.

Adam smiled at the happy look on Little Joe's face.  Both Hoss and Ben were relieved also.  " No, I'm not mad at you little brother.  Infact I have missed you," Adam told the boy.

Surprised by what Adam had just said, Little Joe looked at his big brother and replied back, " Ya really missed me ?  Really?".  Little Joe didn't think that his oldest brother would have actually missed him.

" Sure did little buddy.  When your not here, it is just too quiet around here," Adam chuckled.  " Ah Adam, I ain't that noisy, am I ?" Little Joe asked.

" Well not all the time, but sometimes you are, and we wouldn't have it any other way.  Now, we want to hear about about your week with Pa," Adam suggested, as he gave his brother a hug too.

Later that day Adam took Hoss aside and told him not to say anything to Little Joe, but he was going to pull the last prank on their little brother that would be the end of this whole episode.  Hoss agreed not to say anything about it.

" Adam, when ya gonna pull it?" Hoss asked.  " Tonight after we finish all our barn chores," Adam replied.

The brothers walked out of the barn and closed up the barn for the night.  Both Hoss and Adam noticed their little brother was yawning as they walked towards the house. 

They had barely walked away from the barn when Adam suddenly grabbed hold of Little Joe and lifted him up into his arms and he carried the now wide awake and struggling boy over to the water trough and dropped him into the water.

" What the heck!  Why'd ya do this Adam?  I thought ya said ya wasn't mad at me !" the soaking wet boy questioned. 

Laughing loudly, Adam said," I'm NOT mad, but I just wanted to end this whole thing with the last prank is all.  No more pranks on this, alright? 

Little Joe took a deep breath and agreed, no more pranks on the thumb sucking episode.

As Adam and Hoss bent down to pull Little Joe out of the water trough, Little Joe began to splash water all over his big brothers.

 "Oh, so you want to have a water fight do you?  Well, your on little brother," Adam laughed as the water fight began.

As Ben sat in his chair reading his paper, he could hear Little Joe's silly loud giggling as well as his other two son's laughing.  " What in the world is going on out there?" Ben asked himself as he got up and walked towards the front door.

Ben walked outside and he was joined by Hop Sing who could also hear giggling and laughing coming from the yard.

" Look like big water fight !" Hop Sing announced.  " Yes and it looks like Little Joe is losing too," Ben laughed.

Finally Hoss pulled his little brother out of the water trough and the three soaked brothers sloshed their way to the washroom to get dried off and into dry clothes.  Lucky for them that Ben had put dry clothes in the washroom for his sons, plus several towels as well.

As they finished getting dressed, Hoss and Adam began to tickle Little Joe, who fell to the floor giggling out of control.

Ben and Hop Sing shook their heads and Hop Sing said, " It good to have family at home together again !"  " You are so right Hop Sing," Ben agreed as they continued to listen to Little Joe's giggling.

The End.

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