Partners, a bonanza fanfic

Partners

"Grandpa, Grandpa!" The door flung open and an excited little boy appeared hollering at the top of his lungs, "We are back, it was so great!"

"Come in, Mark, so you don't have to be so loud." Adam Cartwright set down his teacup and smiled at his grandson over his newspaper.

"Oh, sorry, Grandpa." He flopped onto the settee next to his grandfather with a happy sigh. "But the circus was soooo gorgeous: acrobats, horses, a lot of other animals, and I don't know what all, it was absolutely great." Mark sighed again happily.

"Well then, what did you like best?"

Mark furrowed his forehead, thinking. "I liked it all, but I guess I liked the elephants best."

"Then you are like your great-uncle Hoss. He loved the elephants too, as a child."

"Did you go to a circus as a boy with your family?"

"Yes or…hmm. I wasn't exactly there with my family. But yes, I went to one together with my brothers. It was in Carson City, the small circus was part of the fair around the horse auction in 1848. That market was the biggest amusement we had here back then."

"Was it great, too?"

"Oh yes, partly," his grandfather answered with a lopsided grin.

"Grandpa, is there something you're trying to hide?" Mark asked with mock severity, arching his eyebrow sceptically just as his great-grandfather Ben would have done. "There's a story behind it, isn't there? Please, tell me."

"You're right. But…I didn't cut a…very fine figure in that story. Don't know if I should tell you…"

"You can tell me, Grandpa, don't worry. Dad always says I have more than enough ideas for mischief so I don't need yours—and," Mark winked at his grandfather. " I won't tattle on you."

"All right then, I have your promise." He ruffled the boy's hair. "I remember very well when it all started …

"No, I will not go to the Devlins'! I want to come with you," my little brother cried out, - he was just six years old then - climbing down the ladder from the hay loft.

"What are you doing up here? You shouldn't spy on us!"

He ignored what I said. "You … you are like those brothers of that other Joseph, the preacher told us about, so…so mean."

"Little Joe, it isn't like we're selling you to Egypt."

"Punkin, look, ya'll have a real good time with your best friend. We'll bring ya to his place today and tomorrow afternoon I'll fetch you back," Hoss tried to convince our brother.

Joe had reached the barn floor and he only glared darkly under his brown curls up at us.

I tried another approach, kneeling down. "What about this: We'll bring you a real big present from the fair." Mentally I counted up my money. "Let's say a whole dollar's worth."

"No, I wanna see the circus myself, and the horsies, and all." He stamped his foot in frustration. "You are so unfair!" And in a last effort he used his trump card. "If you leave me behind, I'll tell Pa."

"That ain't very fair neither, little brother!" My brother Hoss stated.

"Grandpa? Why would granduncle Joe say that? Didn't you have your father's permission to go?" The boy looked quizzically at his grandfather.

"We had his permission for the fair…" Adam Cartwright tried to ignore the itching in his left earlobe, "at first. But the day before the market there was some trouble at the lumber camp and our Pa had to ride out to it or we might not have fulfilled a big lumber contract. The camp was so far away Pa had to stay there over night, and wouldn't come back until the next evening. So he couldn't be at the stagecoach to meet his long expected guests.

That changed all our plans, instead of going to the market in Carson City, I had to go to Virginia City the following afternoon, to meet my father's guests from the stage and also bring Hop Sing, our cook, home. He had been there for a few days helping his cousin with the cooking at some kind of family feast. I was supposed to bring Pa's old friend and his family to the Ponderosa and entertain them until our cook prepared the dinner and our father got back. And since I couldn't go to Carson City, my brothers couldn't either, because they were too young to go by themselves.

Hoss was more upset than I'd ever seen him. He banged around the barn and used language I never thought he would know."

"He was disappointed, wasn't he?"

"Sure he was. He had saved up his money for weeks for the fair and the circus, and to be honest, Mark, I was just as disappointed myself. I had arranged to meet up with the most popular girl in town. I didn't like the thought of losing her to my rivals when I failed to turn up. So Hoss and I didn't want to give up our visit of the market, and we decided to ride to Carson City early in the morning, but Little Joe overheard us. We tried to make it clear to him that he couldn't come with us…"

"Little Joe, you can't travel fast enough with Star. Your pony is just too small. We can't make it to Carson City and back in time for the stage in Virginia City. That's the real problem. And besides, we have to tell Pa anyway. There are enough people in Carson City that will recognize us."

But when I looked my little brother firmly in the eyes to show him he couldn't blackmail me, I saw the tears. When even Hoss begged, "Adam, ain't there another way to go, fer all of us?" That was the last straw. I had to do something."

"You could have used the train, Grandpa."

"Back then the railroad wasn't built and even the roads were little more than trails. All we had for transportation were horses and coaches. And Carson City itself was no more than a small settlement around a trading post."

"And what was the solution?"

"Well…

I sat there in our barn on the food box thinking how unfair life was, and suddenly the Roman quadriga came to my mind. That's a real light wagon with four strong horses hitched in a row. They were used for races.

We had a small pony cart, no more than a bench with two wheels. That was my starting point. I sat there and drew up all the technical details on a piece of brown paper. When I was satisfied, I started with the work. I exchanged the small drawbar of the cart with one from a bigger coach made for a pair of big horses, and added leather straps for two more horses. I planned to hitch them in two pairs like a stagecoach to use their forces best. I also replaced the smaller wheels with bigger ones from an old hay wagon.

Lastly, I added belts and straps for the passengers and strapped my and Hoss's saddlebags on the arms of the seat. We needed a place for our gear because the bench was really small for the three of us. But with that light cart we could use shortcuts between the loops of the street like riders could and the horses wouldn't tire themselves out pulling any extra weight.

I worked all afternoon, while my brothers did my chores, and in the last light of day I showed them my work. My two brothers danced around me and the wagon, and cheered and clapped me on the shoulder.

I showed them the timetable I had calculated. "We'll start our chores one hour earlier and save half an hour each way. That will give us three hours in Carson City."

"I knew ole Adam would do it!" Hoss cried.

"There is something we should make clear before we start," I warned them. "It's your own free choice to go to Carson City. It's not my thing alone, it's ours. We depend on each other on that trip, and each of us is responsible for leaving on time. You have to be absolutely reliable or we are all in big trouble. We must be partners!" Then my brothers and I shook hands. I was hoping that the idea of us all being partners would make my younger brothers behave themselves in Carson City.

The next morning—the sun was just rising on a clear autumn day—we started out in the best of moods.

When we arrived at the big meadow where the fair was set up, I checked the time. We had taken three quarters of an hour less than if we'd used the buggy, and the horses weren't overly damp. I noted our time in my timetable.

"Wow, big brother, we went so fast the air was dragged out of my mouth and nose," Hoss told me.

"The bumps were the best, Adam," Little Joe said. "We really flew. Only my hat—can we buy a new one first? Pa would be mad if he knew I lost my new Sunday hat."

"Sure, Little Joe, I promised you. We have enough time to look for a new one," I said.

I paid to leave the horses in the paddock and then we went to the market.

"Hey, Carson City market, we Cartwright brothers are on our way to meet you!" Little Joe cried out, and Hoss and I grinned at each other over Joe's head, while we each took a hand to keep him between us.

The stalls with clothes were right at the entrance and Joe quickly found a hat that resembled the lost one. I was surprised how expensive it was; it cost nearly a quarter of my money.

"Here, little brother." I planted the thing firmly on Joe's head. "You owe me one."

"Sure, Adam, ask me for a favor whenever you need one," the little boy answered, cheekily pushing back his new hat.

At the end of the road between the stalls you could see a round tent with red and white stripes, and Hoss went to see when the show would start. Joe and I strolled a little way along when I saw a shooting contest set up. I consulted my pocket watch. There was still a lot of time before meeting Susan, so I told Joe to wait while I bought a ticket and got an entry number. It took me a few minutes and when I turned, Joe had vanished.

Although it was before ten in the morning, the place was crowded. Most people had come the day before and stayed overnight so they could have as much fun as possible. I tried to take deep breaths and not panic. I went to the exact place Joe had stood, and turned slowly around. I couldn't see a small boy with a new black hat. I heard my blood swoosh in my ears but still tried to be calm. Joe couldn't have gone far.

I don't know why I squatted down—maybe because I felt weak—but it was the right thing to do. Suddenly I could see a sign with "Children's Games" in bold letters, surrounded by pictures of jumping, playing, running girls and boys. I knew Joe could read enough to decipher the meaning of this sign and follow the direction it showed. I turned down the next alley and saw that it led to a decorated arch marking the entrance to a smaller meadow. I began to run—and bumped into Little Joe.

"Hey, Adam, I was just heading back." My brother smiled up at me.

I wasn't very happy with that. "How dare you just disappear? I told you to wait! You know we don't have time for hide and seek!"

Just then a heavily breathing Hoss came along shouting, "How dumb is this, hidin' in an alley? How was I supposed to find you? I had to run all through the place looking fer you."

"I had to go after Joe; sorry, Hoss."

"Hmpf!" But Hoss was too excited to be sullen. "The big circus show with clowns and acrobats is in the evening, but the animal shows are at ten-thirty and twelve-thirty, so I can see them twice. I bought tickets. For children to age six it's free, Joe."

"That's fine, Hoss, because I don't have much money left. I just bought two tickets for the games here: egg-and-spoon race and throwing cans." Little Joe pointed at a desk where a women sold the tickets. "But the games don't start until later."

"Wait a minute." I draw the first syllable out. "How's this for chaos? How could you buy tickets without asking me first?"

"But you did the same thing, Adam!" Little Joe declared.

"But I'm your older brother and you have to mind me!"

"Oh! Didn't know bossy brother's back; I thought we're partners," Hoss responded angrily.

I hated it when my brothers called me "bossy" when I was only trying to avoid dangers or keep everything organized-after all, I was the oldest. "Oh yes, you are absolutely independent! You do what you like without asking me. The only thing I have to do is to pay all our expenses like stabling the horses or buying new hats! For that big brother is good enough!" In the moment that angry statement slipped from my lips I knew I was being unfair, and I didn't need Hoss's glare to make me run after my little brother, who had escaped into the still-empty meadow for the children's games.

"Little Joe?" He was lying on his stomach, his head between his arms and buried in a heap of straw, sobbing. He just shrugged my hand off his shoulder.

"Little Joe, I'm sorry."

"I thought you had accepted my word and my favor like a real partner," he sobbed into the straw. "We shook hands and all. But I'll give you all my money from my money box when we come home. You can have it! And the rest of my coins from the tooth fairy," Joe knelt to reach for the money in his pocket.

"Joe, please, listen to me."

My brother stopped fumbling in his pockets.

"Look, I've been a big brother almost all my life. I'm not used to being a partner. I'm really sorry! I'm older and I have more money, so I should pay for what's expensive. And I think a favor from you can be very useful; I'm glad you owe me one."

"Really, Adam?" Little Joe looked up at me out of teary eyes.

"Sure. Can you forgive me?" I asked him softly, and he nodded. When I opened my arms, my small junior partner threw himself into my embrace.

In the meantime, Hoss had caught up with us, and now we made plans. I wrote everything we wanted to do on my timetable. I had my shooting contest and the meeting with my girl and her friend, Hoss his animal shows and a tour of the candy stalls, and Joe the children's games and also the first animal show. Hoss would bring Joe to the meadow after the show and Joe promised to wait there after the games.

Before I left my brothers I gave Hoss money for the two of them for lunch. Hoss hesitated a moment but then he took it, smiling. "Don't be angry if we use it all, Mr. Moneybags. I'm a growing boy." He smiled the big good-natured smile I loved so much from him.

"I'm afraid you really are." I slapped him on the back. "Don't be late back here, we have to leave right at one p.m. Now it's…" I looked at my pocket watch, "Just seven minutes before ten-thirty."

"No problem, we won't be late!" And with that the two were gone.

The next few hours flashed by. I wasn't very good at the shooting contest—maybe I wasn't as calm as I needed to be—but my time with Susan went very well. We even managed some kisses after her friend and chaperone left, though when she heard I had to leave her soon she wasn't very amused. But after I bought her a nice bracelet she promised me to meet me again the next weekend. So I was very satisfied with my day."

"As I was going to get Joe, I saw a boy not so unlike you, Mark, raven haired and also around nine years or so, who was juggling with three balls. He wasn't good and the little cup he had put out for money was almost empty. A thin man carrying a tray full of little bottles that promised to cure everything from headache to lovesickness was next to the boy. At one point they both looked at the entrance to the children games, but the man shook his head. He patted his son's shoulder and began peddling his cheap little bottles again, while the boy went back to his juggling. Somehow I can still remember them both very clearly. When I passed the boy I put a dollar bill into his cup. I heard three thuds when I'd gone on a few steps, then the pounding of bare feet. 'Thank you, Mister,' the boy said, clutching the cup with both hands, showing me his teeth in a happy smile before he turned to find his three balls. I hoped the man and the boy got themselves a good dinner that evening and maybe the boy could even buy a ticket for the games. Being on the road without money is hard, Mark. I told you about my travels with my father once but…." Briefly, his eyes grew wide and dark, lost in memories. "But I wouldn't like to have missed those years; they were important to me in many ways. Today I think that dollar was a better investment than all the money I spent on Susan."

When I reached the meadow I was relieved to see my brothers sitting on the straw, both sucking on candy sticks. Joe was also struggling with something else: He seemed to be trying to squint down a small cardboard tube with one eye, put a hand over the other eye and still keep hold of his slippery treat.

As I arrived he told me happily, "Look, Adam, see what I won. I was second best in the can throwing contest; it's a kaloskope. There are pretty patterns inside it, and they change if you turn it around."

"He meant kaleidoscope, Grandpa, didn't he? I love them, too."

His grandfather nodded. "Joe passed me the somewhat sticky thing and we both took turns looking. I have to admit I'm also fond of kaleidoscopes. We tried to show each other the best patterns, but of course that was impossible. I was trying to explain how it works to Joe when I became aware of Hoss staring dramatically at the sky, shadowing his eyes with one hand…"

"What are you looking for, Hoss?"

"Oh, only the sun." He grinned mischievously. "It's 12 p.m., 57 minutes and…. 31 seconds, Mr. Timetable."

"Don't mock me or else…" I grabbed some straw and threw it at Hoss as I stood up. "But you're right, let's go."

When I turned Hoss managed to toss an armful of itchy straw over my head. Even Joe, who stood next to me, was covered in straw. Joe and I were just grabbing straw to throw it at Hoss, when he cried, "Partners, partners don't! We have a goal to reach together, we have to leave right now." So we cut short our vengeance.

Still laughing and picking straw off our clothes and out of our collars, we Cartwright brothers headed back to where we'd left our cart. We hitched our horses and left Carson City greeting all the people who stared at our unique vehicle. I think all three of us looked like cats that ate the canary. But as the proverb says: pride cometh before a fall..."

Mark looked at his grandfather with surprise. "Oops. I thought that was a good end."

"Yes, it would have been…At first, all went fine. We were making good time and in the best mood you can think. Hoss offered us candy from his big bag from time to time, and we talked about our adventures. Hoss was happy because he had not only seen an elephant but also watched him drink. "I knew it," he said. "And I won my bet. Elephants don't drink with their trunk, they splash the water into their mouth with it!"

"Of course elephants don't drink with their noses!"

"Mark, you must remember that tiny circus was the first to come here. Nobody had ever seen an elephant out here. And nobody had books to look things up in like we have now on the Ponderosa. When I was nine years old we still didn't even have a school."

"Hmm, right now I'd be glad if we still didn't have a school." The boy looked at the floor.

"Something wrong with your grades again?"

Mark only nodded slightly. "Last math test went bad."

"Maybe you can show it to me and we can see what the problem was?"

"I guess so. But first tell me the end of the story, please, Grandpa, please."

"All right, Mark, but then we will have a look at your math problems."

Mark nodded again. "I will tell Dad, you will teach me. I like it more anyway when you show me something. Dad is sometimes so testy."

"I think I needed to become a grandfather to learn patience. Your father is still too young. My own father was also a lot softer with his grandchildren than with us, as I remember." Adam winked at his grandson and continued with the story…

"As we went along we sang all the songs we knew, mostly sea chanties we learned from our father. When we came to the place with the long, low hillocks Joe asked if I could make the coach fly again, so I tapped the horses with the whip and gave them their heads.

I called to Joe, "Aye, aye captain," and we jumped over the first bump. Hoss and Joe cried out in delight when the wagon came off the ground.

"Well done, helmsman," Hoss praised.

I urged the horses to run even faster. "Mighty rough sea, captain and first mate, the waves are big, look out for your hats," I shouted when we jumped over the next hill. It was so exciting and we all laughed and cried at once.

But when we landed after the third bump we heard a suspicious crack.

"What's wrong?" Hoss asked.

"I dunno." I tried to rein in the horses but they were running freely and didn't slow down. Then I set the brake. Before we started out I had checked that the brake would hold strongly, and so it did. But…our wagon was too light; four strong horses could keep it moving even without the wheels turning. So we were still going quite fast when we went over the next bump. This time we heard a loud splintering of wood and the wagon tilted to the right underneath me.

"Hoss, lean left, lean left!" I cried, still trying to rein the horses in. With a sideways glance I saw Hoss putting all his weight on the left arm of the bench but the wagon still was tipping sideways. Fortunately the hitch was also drawn at the right so the horses began to run in a circle. I pulled hard on the right rein and just before the next hill we turned and the horses finally began to slow down. The circles became tighter and tighter and I thought we would soon come to a halt—the inner horses were in a trot by now. Suddenly time itself began to go slower: I clearly saw the cracked wheel on my side lose first its hoop and then its ribs; we bumped up and down a moment, then the whole wagon tipped sideways. If I hadn't strapped my saddlebag, stuffed with the warm clothes we had needed in the cold dawn, onto the side of the wagon, my arm and shoulder would have been dragged along the ground. The only thing I could do was hold on with my right hand to the straps and shift myself against the weight of Joe and Hoss to protect my arm, while still using the other to tug back the reins, hoping the horses would stop.

And just when I couldn't hold on any longer, finally they did.

At first it was silent. Absolutely. Then the world came back again: a horse whinnied. Then I heard Joe moaning, "Hoss, get off me. You squashed me, I can't breathe."

"I'm trying, Joe, but I hav'ta unbuckle all the straps first. Can ya reach the one at my right side?"

You can't imagine how relieved I was when I heard the voices of my brothers. Together they managed to free Hoss, then Little Joe, and at last me. Luckily all we had was a small scrape on my upper arm. Even the horses were unharmed. All was well, so far. Except we were standing in the middle of nowhere with a broken wheel—when we should be driving like blue blazes.

I whipped out my pocket watch and studied it. There was still a chance.

"It's just one-thirty. If I ride back to Carson on horseback and buy a new wheel, I can be back here in about an hour. Then I'll ride directly to Virginia City, and rent a carriage. If the stagecoach is late as usual, I can do that in time. Hop Sing will be furious, waiting another hour at the mercantile with all the supplies for the dinner, but that can't be helped. At least Pa's guests shouldn't be inconvenienced —maybe a few minutes to wait, half an hour at the longest. I'll bring the second horse with me, so I won't have to rent a pair of horses. Hoss, once it's fixed you can drive our cart home with the other two horses. If you don't let them run it will be safe for you and Joe and you'll be home long before Pa arrives. What do you think?"

"Driving the wagon ain't no problem, Adam. But are ya sure ya can make it? It seems an awful short time fer all what ya said. But you're the math genius in the family."

"Do you have another plan?" I asked brusquely.

"Don't snap at me. But maybe we could all ride horseback directly home."

"Joe can't ride such a heavy draft horse, one of us would have to ride double with him and the other would have two riderless horses to lead. I'm not sure if that would be faster. And even if we could do it, would you like to tell Pa we were in Carson City, we broke our wagon and left it behind, and we have to spend half a day tomorrow to fetch and repair it?"

Hoss's expression showed that he didn't want to do such a thing, and so he gave his approval. Even Joe agreed.

I unhitched one of the horses, pulled myself up, and was on my way. "I'll hurry, Hoss and Joe, I promise."

"Good luck, Adam!" they cried before they sat down under a tree.

I did know where the wheelwright lived and rode directly to his house and workshop. But the workshop was closed and the house empty. The market, I slapped my forehead, everyone was at the market. So I rode to the market, stabled my horse again, and searched for the man.

The wheelwright was a grumpy, scruffy type of fellow, so I wondered why everyone I asked smiled and grinned. When I saw the fancy-decorated tent I became really suspicious. Inside, it took me a few moments to recognize the clean-shaven, well-dressed man who sat at the front of a "U" of decorated tables next to a woman with a veil on her hat. "Have a drink to my wedding, young man," he invited, and I had to toast and congratulate the pair.

I tried to use the time I spent drinking his wine to ask the guests if there was another wheelwright or at least a carpenter. The one they showed me was a friend of the groom and as I soon saw, he was even too drunk to understand what I asked. When I left the tent I looked at my watch—I had wasted nearly half an hour—but it was possible at least to minimize the damage if I could find another carpenter. It shouldn't be impossible to find someone selling wheels at a horse market!

I did learn of another fellow, but he was involved in the horse auction, which had started a while ago. So I had to wait. When he finally finished his business—I never understood what it was because he didn't buy or sell a horse, he only watched the whole auction very closely while I hoped every horse that was shown would be the last he was interested in—we went to his stall in the market. There were some new tables and dressers and in fact a small collection of wheels. I searched frantically for one that would fit our cart, but the only one with the right width at the hub was two inches smaller than the wheels I had used. But 'in need even the devil himself eats flies', like Hoss's mama would have said, and eventually I bought that thing for an immense price. With almost the last of my money I also bought some tools from a hardware stall nearby.

When I reached the tree where my brothers were waiting, I didn't need my pocket watch. The long shadow was enough to tell me that there wasn't a chance to be in Virginia City in time.

Hoss and Joe were asleep waiting for me; it had been a long day. I dropped the new wheel to the ground and the thud woke Hoss up.

"Hi Adam, you're back?" I slid from the horse and only nodded.

Hoss stood up and scrutinized the wheel that lay at his feet. "Are you sure it will fit?"

"No, I'm not."

"Oh?"

"It was the only darn thing I could find."

Hoss scratched his scalp. "So we have ta use it, don't we?"

"Yes, let's get started!"

When we finished mounting the new wheel Hoss and I exchanged glances. Because of its uneven wheels it would be difficult to drag the cart in a straight line. We'd have to use the brake or shift all our weight onto the bigger wheel from time to time to lift the smaller one off the ground. And surely we couldn't go any faster than a walk.

"Looks pretty good," Hoss stated.

"Yeah, absolutely perfect!"

We had both to grin. Gallows humor, I guess.

I hitched up the horses, Hoss woke up Little Joe, and we started - home. There was nothing else we could do, it was almost five and whatever happened in Virginia City would happen without us.

The canaries we'd had in our bellies turned heavy as stones on our miserable way home. We swerved along the road for a while without a word.

Suddenly Little Joe asked, "Do you think Pa will be mad?"

"Yes!" Hoss and I answered in unison.

"Oh!"

Hoss went on, "We didn't do our evening chores, didn't milk or feed the cows, didn't put the chickens in the henhouse, didn't feed or groom our horses-heck, even the rabbits didn't have their supper. We didn't collect Pa's guests and Hop Sing in Virginia City. I dunno if there's enough kindling in the wood box for Hop Sing. And we were in Carson without Pa's permission. What do ya think?" Obviously he had put all our sins he could think of into a big list.

"Coming home after dark won't help our case," I added.

It was Joe and Hoss's turn to exchange worried glances before we all three drifted back again to our private thoughts. I certainly knew what they feared, but wasn't sure what Pa would do to me. At the very least a meeting with Susan next weekend was clearly unlikely.

When we rounded the corner, we saw a silhouette standing there in the dim light. Our father must have heard the hoofbeats and come out to meet us. In the brightly shining doorframe I could see a woman who ushered two children back into the house, and then the door was closed. I can say that even at seventeen I felt uneasy facing my father in these circumstances.

I stopped the horses a few yards in front of my father. "Sorry we're late, Pa, but a wheel broke." I tried to sound as reasonable as possible.

Pa came around and scrutinized first us three, crowded together on the tilted bench of a small pony cart with high as well as imbalanced wheels, then studied the hitch and leather straps I had used for harnessing the two pairs of horses. We heard him draw breath before he asked his first questions. "Where have you been, and what in tarnation is that? We waited here half an eternity not knowing where you were!"

"We were in Carson City, Pa," Hoss answered very softly.

"You were in Carson City against my orders?" Pa was now shouting.

We only nodded.

Again my father looked over the wagon incredulously.

"Did you intend to kill your brothers and yourself with this…this construction, Adam?"

"No, sir," I answered, even knowing no answer was expected.

"How could you risk your and your brothers' lives just to get your own way…for a cheap pleasure? A broken wheel is the least that could happen to you on that thing. How could you be so irresponsible, Adam?"

This time I chose to be silent. I knew he was about to explode and hoped his anger might pass by like a thunder cloud over our heads if we didn't give him a chance to strike. I could feel Hoss shrinking as much as I did. Pa took another deep breath.

In that moment my little brother Joseph piped up, "Pa, we planned it all together. Me, Adam, and Hoss are partners."

That did it. The thunderstorm broke lose. "You are what?" He roared while his gaze traveled from his six-year-old son, across Hoss with his twelve years, to me, his almost-adult son. "Partners? You planned it all together?" He glared at us from under bristling eyebrows.

"I'll tell you something. First, you will come down from this vehicle. Second, you will stable, feed, and groom these horses. Your other chores have already been done. Third, you will untangle those harnesses, while I go tell our guests you are home and you are safe. You can be grateful that Hop Sing managed to bring our guests out here! And then you will wait for me in the barn. I will have a serious talk with each partner of this partnership you won't soon forget! And don't look so surprised, Adam. Partners are partners."

"Was it bad, Grandpa?"

"Bad enough, that I haven't forgotten it after nearly sixty years," his grandfather said dryly.

"But great-uncle Joe only tried to help you."

"Yes, even though I'd have preferred him to have chosen another way to do me his favor he was very brave to try and rescue me." Adam Cartwright smiled lopsidedly. "It was a pity our old foreman wasn't there to remind Joe, 'Never miss a good chance to shut up.'

Later on whenever something went the worst way possible we brothers would call it 'a trip to Carson City'." Adam gave his grandson a wry grin. For a moment he again seemed to be lost in his memories, drinking a swallow from his tea. Then he cleared his throat and continued.

"Mark, I know nobody can learn from someone else's experiences. And I don't know whether you'll be able to see sooner than I did when you're just digging your own hole deeper-had we just done what Hoss suggested and gone straight home things might not have been so bad-but there's one thing I hope you will understand. I wasn't sure back then if the dim light deluded me when I had the first glimpse at our father just when we arrived - his shoulders seemed slumped and his face ashen - but now as a father and grandfather myself I'm sure it was his fear and worry that pressed him down. Please, my boy, don't ever frighten your family the way we frightened Pa." He briefly squeezed the boy's arm. "I couldn't bear it."

"But now, bring me your math test, Mark," he changed the subject and clapped his grandson's shoulder.

Mark turned in the doorway and looked back, "I'll try, Grandpa. Honest."

"More nobody can demand," Adam thought as he watched his grandson leave. "And it's more than his father or we ever did." He stood up from the settee, stretched his back, and went to get the old math book he had used so often for three generations to teach a younger Cartwright.

THE END

My story "Grandfather and Grandson" is the first story of the post timeline series featuring Adam and his grandson Mark.

To Sandspur and sklamb, thank you so much for your helpful suggestions and for all the sleep you missed so the story could be finished in time!