Summer Fun
by
Bev Young
"Roy, I can guarantee you that I am not going to just sit idly by while my sons are out there and God only knows in what kind of trouble! I want a posse formed and I want it NOW!"
A few hours earlier.
Ben Cartwright rode along the road thinking that his early arrival home after being away on business would be a nice surprise to his sons. Patting his breast coat pocket where not one but two contracts he had just secured where tucked away for safe keeping, he could not help but smile at the success he had in the negotiations with first the army for the mustangs and then Mr. Schneider. The second contract was so unexpected but yet welcomed. While dining one evening with the General an old friend of Ben's, Morgan Barker, happened by their table along with a associate of his. They were both invited to join Ben and the general. Conversation turned to The Ponderosa as Mr. Barker asked after the boys and the ranch. Before Ben left three days later he not only had the contract he came for with the army but Mr. Joseph Schneider who owned a large meat packing company in Chicago had placed a good size order for beef. He also had Mr. Schneider's word that if his beef was as good as Mr. Barker said he would be looking for more. It seemed that people in the East had heard a lot about western beef and it was going at a premium. Ben was smiling but were his son's going to be smiling after it hit them just how much extra work both contracts meant for them. Not only did he have a fat beef contact, but the army had double their order for horses.
As Ben rounded the barn and entered the front yard what greeted him was
not the sights and sounds of his three son's hard at work on the list of
chores he had left. Instead what greeted him as he entered the yard was
an upturned wheel barrel, it's contents from the mucking of stalls spilled
out, a bucket tossed carelessly aside, chickens loose, the wash that Hop
Sing must have carefully hung out that morning scattered about in the dirt.
Stunned by the sight Ben's first instinct was to call out for the boys,
for anyone but not wanting to alert any intruder that may be about, he slowing
dismounted and drew his side arm. As he was closest to the barn he peered
in their first only to find it all be deserted, the boys horses gone. Next
he cautiously made his way across the yard and looking toward the house
for the first time he noticed the front door open.
Slowly and as quietly as he could he made his way across the front porch
and into the house.
Shocked registered on his face as he surveyed the room in front of him.
Furniture overturned, broken glass, his good brandy canister on it's side
and empty on the floor. But no signs of life, that is until he heard a grunt
from the kitchen. Again taking care and with his gun drawn and ready he
made his way to the kitchen. In the eerier silence in the house he was sure
that anyone in the kitchen could surely hear his heartbeat as he approached
with apprehension on what awaited him there. Just as he came around the
corner of the dinning room and was about to enter the kitchen something
went running by him almost knocking him to the ground. He stood their in
disbelief at the sight as a second pig raced by him in hot pursuit of the
first pig that had the remains of a head of Hop Sing's cabbage in it's mouth.
Ben was so shocked that he just stood staring after the two animals as they
chased each other around his great room.
After the initial shock wore off he knew there was no way anyone that broke
into the house could still be there but ever the one to be caution, he continue
to look carefully through the rest of the house. Upon coming back to the
main living area from the upstairs he was able to get the animals out of
his house, adding only a minimal amount of damage to what already looked
like a war zone.
At this point Ben knew that something had happen here and who ever had
did this had taken his son's, his thoughts now turned to kidnapping. He
knew that he needed help and he needed it now. The hands would be all out
and scattered about the ranch taking care of duties and he didn't have time
to round them up, he figured he had to move fast. Not taking the time to
do more the get the pigs out of his home he mounted Buck and took off to
town for the Sheriff.
"Ben, my friend, you need to calm down and take a seat and tell me
just what is going on. I can't just race out of here not knowing."
Taking a deep breathe Ben told Roy what he had found when he got home, not leaving out a detail.
"Ok Ben, I can see why you are worried. I will go and get a few men together and met you in front of Cass's store in 15 minutes. You go to Charlie Hunters and ask him to bring them hound dogs of his. We will start at the Ponderosa, maybe them dogs can pick up a trail. But I think it best that you wait it out at the house just in case someone brings a ransom note or something."
"No Roy I am riding with you!". The tone in the fathers voice and the look of determination on his face told his long time friend that there was no use in arguing with him. "I am pretty sure that Hop Sing said he would be in town for a couple of days looking after his ailing father. I will drop by there on they way to Charlie's and ask him to go home and wait just in case."
Roy just nodded his head in agreement as the two men headed out. They soon
had over a dozen good men, and Hop Sing rounded up but unfortunately Charlie's
wife told them he had left just that morning himself on a hunting trip and
was not expected back for a few days.
Before getting right to the ranch Roy split the men up into 4 groups sending
each in a different direction with the usual signal instruction... 3 shoots
fired one after the other if any sign of the boys was found and only if
it was safe to do so. Otherwise one member would ride for help from the
groups. Ben, Roy and their men did go back to the house and tried to pick
up a trail from the many tracks that went in and out of the yard.
With little luck in picking out just which were the freshest tracks they just started with what looked to be the most likely headed to the west from the house, as the other directions were already being covered.
They had been riding for some time when Ben stopped and turned to Roy. " We have covered a good part of this area over the last 4 hours, about the only place we have not looked yet is the up at Tahoe. I don't think they would have taken the boys there but who knows, we have looked in every other cave, hidden valley,,,,,everywhere that I thought might be a good hiding spot except right there in the open. The Lake."
"Let's ride Ben, you never know."
An hour later the group arrived at the lake. As they got closer they could
hear voices and not knowing for sure what would await them they dismounted,
secured their horses and crepted along guns drawn and ready just in case.
As they got near it became clearer what was being said. Ben heard the unmistakenble
voice of his youngest son, panic in the boys voice.
" NO, NO,,,,,,,,YOU CAN'T DO THIS TO ME,,,,,,,NO COME ON LET ME GO!
Then counting could be heard........ONE, TWO ,,,,,,,,,,THREEEEEEEEEE!!!
Parent concern and panic taking over the side of caution Ben charged out from the wooded area, shouting as he did. LET MY SON GO!!
And that is just what they did on the count of three....let him go.
Roy's attempt to stop him failing he too came out just behind Ben. What met his eyes both shocked and angered him.
Joe entered the water with a big splash as his two older brothers let go of him after swinging him back and forth to the count of three. Adam and Hoss stood their at first laughing and then turned in surprise at the sound of their fathers voice only to see him , Roy Coffee and Jake their ranch hand standing there guns drawn and pointing at them.
"Hi Pa, Roy what ya all doing out this way, come for a swim too? Sure nuf is a fine hot day fer one.
Ben stood wide-eyed in relief to see his son's alive and unharmed. That is relieve was his first reaction, then it hit him. The boys were fine. They were out at the Lake for a swim, having a grand old time while he was worried to death about them. Relief turned to anger and as Joe came up for air, shaking his head and laughing and about to yell at his brothers all he heard was the thunder that shock the very mountains that was the lakes backdrop.
'OUT,,,,,,,,OUT OF THERE ALL THREE OF YOU! NOW!
The three young men looked at each other and each knew just what the other was thinking. Without a word they started toward shore but Joe stopped after just a few steps......"Uhmmmm Pa do you suppose you could uh......throw us out our pants over there on that rock........ Please?
Fast losing his patience after hours in the saddle looking for the sons he thought to be in trouble he pointed toward the shore "ONE.......... TWO............
All three of Ben Cartwright's sons knew that count only too well and not wanting Pa to get to five they all scrambled out in all their glory as fast as they could.
Once they were out and standing before him, Ben looked from one to the other and then settled his sights on his oldest, his glare just about boring holes in each one of them. "Would you care to explain to me and Roy here just what you three are doing out here having the time of your lives while we have been searching the country side for you for hours. After I get home from a long ride and find the yard and house deserted and in complete disarray!
Adam ran one had through this wet hair pushing it back off his face and then tugged at one ear, a long time habit of his when facing his father . "Well Pa, it's a long story."
Bev
'POW Feb 2006