Title: The Day of Reckoning
Author: Theresa
I'll rate it PG for reference to tannings, but no
actually tannings are written.
Summary: Hoss and Joe come up with another brilliant
idea and older brother Adam gets caught up in it.
Warnings: None
***
“How’s this pose, Hoss?”
Hoss looked up at his little brother. “No, no...you
got to get meaner lookin’ , Joe.”
Joe nodded. “Meaner....alright...I think I can do
that,” he replied as he held up the rifle again and
tried to put
a scowl on his face.
Hoss shook his head. “It just ain’t no use, Joe...you
just can’t look mean enough.”
“I can do it, Hoss...I swear I can...give me another
chance.”
“No, Miss Gertrude...just ain’t gonna buy it.”
“Buy what?” Adam asked, as he rode up to where his
brothers were concocting their latest scheme.
“Err...nothin’, Adam.”
Adam leaned forward on his horse. “I know you two are
up to something...now, spill it...unless you rather I
tell Pa...you haven’t even started fixing the branding
pen?”
Hoss and Joe gulped. “Now, Adam, ain’t no need to tell
Pa anythin’....me and Joe are gonna get started on
that brandin’ pen shortly...ain’t that right, Joe?”
“Sure, sure...we was just doing a little target
practice.”
“Well, Pa’s gonna do a little target practice on your
sorry hides if that branding pen isn’t fixed before
lunch.”
“I reckon we’d better get to fixin’, Joe.”
“I reckon, you’re right, brother.”
They both smiled nervously at Adam and mounted their
horses.
Adam watched his brothers go. “Oh, those two are up to
something...now, I just have to figure out what.” He
patted Sport’s neck. “Come on, boy...we’ve got strays
to round up.”
***
“So, the branding pen all finished?” Ben asked as he
took a sandwich from the plate Hop Sing held out in
front of him. “Thank you, Hop Sing.”
“Sure is, Pa,” Joe replied and took a bite of his
lunch.
“Good....good...”
“Pa?”
“Yes, Hoss?”
“You reckon it’ll be alright if’n little Joe and me go
into town tonight?”
“Is there something special going on?”
“No, sir....me and Joe...just want to go into town is
all....no special reason, Pa,.”
Adam sat quietly watching his brothers.
“Sure, you can go, Hoss, but don‘t make it too
late...it‘s already hard enough to get this young
man,” Ben said pointing to his youngest, “out of bed
in the morning...when he goes to bed at a decent
hour.”
Joe smiled nervously at his father.
”Thanks, Pa.” Hoss smiled and finished off his lunch.
“Come on, Joe, we got things to do.”
“See ya at supper, Pa...Adam.”
“Pa, if you don’t mind...I think I would like to go
into town tonight as well?”
“Sure, son...but the same goes for you...don’t make it
too late.”
Adam rolled his eyes. “You just can’t help it...can
you, Pa?”
“Help what?”
“Treating me like I’m Little Joe’s age.”
Ben glared at his oldest. “I can show you all the
ways I can treat you like you are little Joe’s age, if
you would like me to...young man?”
Adam ducked his head slightly and smiled nervously.
“No, Pa....that’s quite alright...I’m sure I get the
picture.”
“Good, finish your lunch and then go finish rounding
up those strays.”
“Yes sir.”
***
“Alright, now listen....the plan is that you pretend
to be robbin’ Miss Gertrude, and I’m gonna come in and
rescue her.”
“You think it’ll work, Hoss?”
“It’s just gotta work....Miss Gertrude is the
prettiest gal in the whole Utah Territory....she won’t
never wanta be with me unless she thought I was brave
and strong.....I heard her sayin’ that to the fella
she as with when she got off the stage. Said she was
lookin‘ for the bravest man in these parts.”
“You don’t think she’ll recognize me?”
“No, she ain’t never met anyone but me....she’s only
been here two weeks...I ain’t never said I had no
brothers.”
Adam spotted his brothers horses behind the hotel. He
shook his head, dismounted Sport, and joined his
siblings. “Alright, what exactly are you two
planning...and this time....I ain’t buying target
practice as your excuse.”
“We ain’t plannin’ nothing, Adam....me and Joe was
just talkin’ is all.”
Adam folded his arms and leaned against the wall.
“Start talking.”
Hoss sighed and filled Adam in on the whole plan.
“Are you crazy?” Adam exclaimed.
“Aww...come on, Adam....can’t you see Hoss really
wants to be with this girl?”
Adam threw his hands up in the air. “And you two think
that this is the way to accomplish it....by scaring a
poor defense girl half to death?”
“Aww....me and Joe ain’t really gonna scare her that
bad...Joe’s just gonna pretend to be robbin’ her., and
then I’m gonna jump right in a save her..”
“Oh, you two have come up with some pretty
hair-brained ideas...but this takes the cake....what
do you think Pa is going to do to you, if he finds
out?”
“Well, the only way Pa would find out is if you ratted
us out, older brother,” Joe stated.
“Well, I might just do that, younger brother.”
“Adam, you can’t tell, Pa....you just
can’t....please....I just gotta make an impression
with Miss Gertrude...you two ain’t never had to feel
nervous about a girl likin’ ya....girls always want to
be with you two....no girl usually gives me a second
look or even a first.” Hoss ducked his head, not
wanting to cry.
Adam sighed, he could really see how badly his little
brother wanted to impress this girl. “Oh,
alright....but no one would ever believe the kid here
would be robbing you....he’s barely out of diapers.”
“Hey!” Joe protested. “I can look mean...I’ve been
practicing.”
Adam eyed his little brother. “Keep practicing. Look,
I’ll do it, Hoss, but not a word ever be said to
Pa...ya hear?”
“We hear.”
"And we have to make sure no one is around."
"Ahh...everyone's at the over at the saloon....Betsy
Sue's arm wrestling the Bonner Brother's again....I
think this time they just might take her."
Adam looked at his little brother. "I doubt it. What
about the Sheriff?"
"He's plumb on the other side of town...I've been
watching him every night for the last three
days...he's way down by the livery at this hour."
Adam smirked. "So, you told Pa you were finishing
chores, but you've been sneaking into town
instead...did you know about this, Joseph?"
"No Adam...I swear I didn't."
"Alright, how are we going to do this?"
"Well...I figure we...."
***
After discussing the plan, the three boys waited
outside the hotel. Hoss waited across the street.
“Adam. look...look...here she comes!” Joe said and
nudged his older brother.
Adam put his handkerchief up around his face, drew his
gun and stepped out from the side of the hotel.
“Alright, lady...put your hands high in the air!”
“Oh my....don’t hurt me....please!”
“I ain’t gonna hurt you....just give me all your
money!”
Hoss came running across the street. “You’re making a
mistake!”
:”It’s no mistake!” Adam retorted. ”I’m robbing this
here girl and only the bravest man in the Territory
can stop me.”
“But that ain’t.....”
“Shut up, you yella bellied coward!”
“Without warning, Sheriff Roy Coffee came running out
of the saloon across the street, he drew his gun.
“Alright, Boy....put the gun down slowly and turn
around.”
Adam froze. “Sheriff it’s me Adam....Adam
Cartwright....”
“Adam?” Roy said in disbelief. “What in tarnation do
you think you are doing?”
“I can explain....really....you see Hoss wanted
to....”
“Hoss, hey Hoss....” the girl said as she came out of
the hotel.
Hoss took off his hat. “Good evening, Miss Gertrude..”
“Miss Gertrude?” Little Joe and Adam said in unison.
Adam looked nervously at the woman he had pretended to
rob. “Ma’am.....I can explain...really....”
“Oh, you’ll be explaining alright,” Roy said and
pointed his gun at the boys. “:You’ll be explaining
all this to me from inside my jail cell.”
“But Roy...”
“Move!”
****
“You two realize that we are dead men, right?” Adam
said as he stuck his face through the bars.
“You think theys gonna hang us, Adam?”
“No, no, I’m sure Roy believed our story, and that
Miss Gail did as well....I was referring to what Pa is
going to do when he gets here to bail us out.”
Hoss and Joe gulped nervously. :”You reckon maybe
Sheriff Coffee could keep us locked up in here
forever?”
“No, Joe, I think we are going to have to face Pa.”
With those words spoken, the loud bellow shook through
the office. “WHERE ARE THEY?”
Adam looked at his brothers. “The time of reckoning is
upon us, gentlemen.”
“They’re locked up in my jail cell, Ben.”
“Good...leave them behind bars while I yell at
them...they are safer there.”
Sheriff Coffee opened the wooden doors to the cell
room and stepped inside with Ben.
“Stand up and look at me!” Ben ordered as soon as he
came in the room.
All three boys scrambled to stand in a straight line,
imitating the best soldiers at attention and looked at
their father.
:”Sir....” Adam attempted.
“QUIET!”
Adam immediately shut his mouth.
Ben paced back and forth for a good two minutes,
unable to speak, as his sons nervously followed their
father with their eyes. “You can’t....you can’t....
even began to explain to me what in heavens name you
three were thinking...can you?”
“Pa we....” Hoss tried.
“Eric, when I want you to speak...I will ask you
directly...is that understood?”
“Yes sir.”
“Pretending to rob a poor innocent girl, just so you
could prove you are a big brave man....how brave are
you feeling at this moment, Eric?”
“Not very brave, sir.”
“And what about you two....how brave do you feel?
Adam?”
“I have felt braver in the past Pa...I’ll have to
admit.”
“Joseph?”
“I’ll have to agree with Adam and Hoss, Pa...I’ve had
braver moments, sir.”
Ben nodded. “You three are going to publicly
apologize to Miss Gail and Miss Gertrude during
services on Sunday....do you understand?”
“Yes sir,” they answered in unison.
“You are also not going to be going into town for
quite some time...is that understood?”
:”Yes sir.”
“I am also going to make every minute of your young
lives miserable with every hideous chore I can think
of....is that understood?”
“Yes sir.”
Ben folded his arms. “Roy, could you come back in
here a minute please?”
Sheriff Coffee got back up from his desk and came into
the room. “If I do not pay their fine...how long will
they have to stay in here?”
“I reckon, I would keep them for about a month.”
“A month?” Adam exclaimed. “Pa, you aren’t going to
let him keep us locked up in here for a month...are
you?”
“Well, Adam....you have a choice...either you three
stay in here for a month or I pay your fine and you
come back home with me.”
“Well, I would think the choice is obvious, Pa.”
“If you come home with me, Adam...you will all be
going to the barn tonight.”
Adam paled slightly. “You don’t mean you are going to
tan us, Pa?”
“That’s exactly what I mean.”
“Aww...Pa....me and Adam are too old for a tannin’,”
Hoss protested.
“After the stunt you three pulled this evening, I am
surprised you can even say that, Eric.”
Joe looked nervously at his father. “Do I have a
choice too, Pa, or are you just going to pay my fine
and tan my hide?”
“No, Joseph...you can have your choice this time.
Well, boys, what’s it going to be?”
They looked at each other and sighed. Adam folded his
arms, “Pay the fine, Pa.”
“Alright, Roy....you tell me how much it is and then
let my boys out.”
“Sure thing, Ben...just come out and we’ll do the
paperwork.
Adam put his hands on his seat. “I sure hope Pa
doesn’t swat as hard as he used to.”
Little Joe grimaced. “Oh, he swats pretty hard
alright.”
“Dang,” Adam said, “that’s what I was afraid of.”
About five minutes later, Roy came back in and opened
the cell door. “You boys are free to go.”
Ben pointed to the door. “Get on back to the ranch and
wait for me in the barn!”
Adam, Hoss and Little Joe nodded and left the office,
quietly mounting their horses and heading back to the
Ponderosa to await their fates.
“Good Luck, Ben,” Roy said as he showed Ben outside.
“See you later, Roy and thank you for getting Miss
Gail not to press charges. Clem said it took some
doing.”
“Happy to do it, Ben....don’t be too hard on them.”
“Oh, don’t worry, Roy...I’ll leave some of their hide
intact.”
Roy smiled and waved as Ben mounted Buck and left for
home..
***
A few hours later, Ben went to the room of each of his
boys to say good night. “Adam?”
“Yes sir?” Adam asked from his bed, where he was
laying on his stomach.
“I came to say goodnight.”
Adam smiled. “Goodnight, Pa.”
Ben walked over and put a hand on his eldest back, he
rubbed him for a few moments.
“I love you, son.”
“I love you too, Pa.”
“It's time for you to go to sleep.
Adam nodded. Ben pulled the cover from the bottom of
the bed up over him. Adam winced when the weight of
the blanket made the fabric of his nightshirt touch
his well-tanned backside, but he didn’t say anything.
“Sleep well, son.”
“I will, Pa.”
Ben blew out the lamp and closed the door. He walked
down the hall and found his middle son in the exact
same position. “I came to say, goodnight, son.”
“Good night, Pa.”
Ben walked over and rubbed Hoss’ back for a few
moments. “I love you, son.”
“I love you too, Pa.”
He covered him and blew out the light. “Sleep well,
Hoss.”
Hoss smiled at Ben not calling him Eric for the first
time since the jail and closed his eyes.
Ben made his last stop for the evening and went into
his youngest son’s room. “I came to say goodnight,
son.”
Little Joe looked up from his bed and smiled.
“Goodnight, Pa.”
Ben came over and stroked Little Joe’s hair. “I love
you, son.”
“I love you too, Pa.”
Ben covered his youngest and blew out the light.
“Sleep well, Little Joe.”
Joe smiled and snuggled down to sleep.
Ben stood in the hall for a moment and just wondered
how he was ever going to survive his three sons. He
smiled, and rubbed his aching shoulder., “I hope
that’s the last time I ever had to tan them....my
shoulder’s killing me.” He headed downstairs to come
up with a list of chores for each of his sons, and
upon doing that blew out all the lamps and went to bed
for a much needed sleep.