Thank you, Sklamb, for your help with the language and your suggestions. (I added a short discription of the new house.)

Mama Inger

"Don't worry, youngu'ns! You're safe. I'll take you far away. He will never ever find you!" the bare-footed, chubby five-year-old mumbled as he peeked under the lid into the basket on his lap. Normally Hoss Cartwright used it for collecting eggs, but it was a comfortable enough way to carry his three young rabbits. He'd paused at the fork in the path to decide which way he should take them - down towards the creek, or up into the denser forest. By the creek the grass was better, he thought; he could build them a real corral where they could graze on their own when he couldn't come to feed them. Upset as he was, he couldn't help giggling as he imagined trying to rope the baby rabbits with a lasso and put them in a corral like the hands did with new horses. "Don't worry! I wouldn't do that. I know it would hurt you!" Hoss reassured the animals, gently stroking their soft fur. Then he stood up and turned to his right - down to the creek.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

As the wagon approached the ranch house, Adam was already on his feet, his right hand braced on the back of the driver's seat. He kept his balance easily as Ben Cartwright reined in the team and set the brake so the heavily laden wagon wouldn't roll into the horses' hind legs as they came to a stop between the barn and the big new house. It had been three months since they had moved into their new home, although it wasn't really finished yet. Later on they planned to add a second story with enough bedrooms for everyone to have one. Even as it was, though, the new house was much more comfortable than their first small cabin had been. Adam particularly admired the big stone fireplace that would make the harshest winter days cozy and warm.

Today Adam only took a short glance at the house because he was eager to share his news as soon as possible with his younger brother. There was always news to learn at the trading post; the small settlement around it had grown quickly-and now they planned to build a school there! Better still, Adam's father had promised he and Hoss could attend the school when it started in the fall.

As he jumped to the ground the eleven-year-old held a small bag high in the air and called out, "We're back, Hoss. I brought us candies...Hoss, where are you?"

Just then the ranch house door opened and Marie came out, one hand pressed against her stomach. "Ben, Hoss is missing. I can't find him...it's like the earth has swallowed him up." Adam noticed how pale she looked. "I searched for him everywhere I could, but in my condition...I'm not so agile..."

"Where did you see him last, Marie?"

"In the kitchen with me preparing supper-but he ran out to take his rabbits a few carrot peelings. Then Charlie came by to tell me he and Hank were taking a cartload of posts up to the new pasture in the North, and said Hoss was still at the rabbit hutch talking to Hank. But that was two hours ago."

"Could he have sneaked himself into the cart to go look at the new pasture?" Ben suggested.

His wife shook her head. "I doubt it, Hank would have seen him and said something. You know he doesn't like having the boys hanging around." Marie's hand went again to her stomach and Adam saw his father reach out to her with concern.

"Come back inside; you need to sit down. Hoss must be around here somewhere. Adam and I will find him, you'll see..."

Adam didn't wait for his father to finish guiding his wife back inside; he was already on his way to the rabbit hutch. He examined it suspiciously, and wasn't very surprised to find the three baby bunnies, Hoss's great pride and joy, were missing. What could Hoss have done with them-or even Hank? It hadn't taken Adam long to realize that the new short-term hire with the meaty red hands enjoyed teasing Hoss and calling him a "big baby" whenever Charley or his Pa weren't around to hear him. Adam was certain Hank's talking to his brother had something to do with the boy's disappearance. The man liked to make Hoss cry.

At the sound of the second wagon returning to the yard Adam ran back around the barn to confront Hank at once. "What have you done with my brother and his rabbits?" he shouted as the wagon came to a stop. "Hoss was last seen with you!"

"Calm down, Adam, and tell us what happened," Charley said, looking confused, but Adam was in no mood to explain anything, and Hank responded just as angrily.

"Typical disrespect for your elders, throwing your weight around because you're the boss's son...I didn't do anything to your big baby of a brother, you impudent brat. Just told him what a fine dinner those rabbits of his will be in the fall and what a tasty sandwich they'd make already." Hank smacked his lips noisily and guffawed. "Nothing but a little joke, boy!"

"Scaring him on purpose like that wasn't funny, you-you filthy brute!" Adam shouted back.

"What did you call me? When I get my hands on you..."

"Hank, let it go. He's only a child," Charley begged, trying to hold Hank back as the other man scrambled down from the wagon.

"I've had enough of his impudence!" Hank spat back, advancing on Adam with fists tightly clenched.

Adam stood his ground, too furious even to think of running.