Chapter 1
The young man stood and just watched. He never saw horse breaking so expertly done. The youngest Cartwright was everything he had expected him to be, determined and fearless in his work.
The boy put a hand through his dirt blond hair and walked towards the fence.
By now little Joe had jumped down from his mount and was sauntering over.
"Er, excuse me Mr Cartwright," Matt called out.
Joe and those around him chuckled at that.
"Just Joe," he smiled.
Matt grinned a little embarrassed.
"Joe, I wanted to learn horse breaking. I've worked on a ranch all my life but my Pa would never permit me to mount a wild horse. I heard in town that you are the best there is. Could I please work here and learn how it's done,"
"Maybe your Pa is right, breaking horses is dangerous work. You don't look quite old enough." Adam spoke up.
Matt stood tall. "I'm seventeen years old and I could give any man here a run for his money."
"Oh really, is that so," Joe grinned. He called out to his foreman.
"Hay Pete, get Wild Black ready,"
"Are you crazy Joe," Adam rounded on his brother.
There was mad gasps all round. Wild Black was a horse no one could tame. Adam was the last to try and he came down and broke his ankle. He was still using a stick to get round."
Matt walked solidly up to the horse and carefully got on. He took the reigns in his gloved hand and told the foreman to open the gate.
The horse exploded out of the pen bucking like a mad, crazed thing. Matt held on with such clever moves Adam took his hat off, that he could get a better look. He had never seen such a ride. Finally the horse began to tire and soon it was trotting around the yard giving no fight what so ever.
The men were amazed. Matt jumped down from the horse and went to where Adam and Joe were standing with the other ranch hands.
"Well, what do you think," he grinned.
Joe shook his head with a chuckle "I think that not only am I going to give you a job, I'm going to give you that horse too. No one else could ride him."
The other men patted Matt on the back. He had given them much entertainment and broken in one of the most stubborn mounts they had ever worked with. Matt had earned their respect.
Adam took all this in with disbelief. His best ranch hands couldn't break that horse. Who was this boy.
~o~
That night Joe came to the table tired out from a hards days work. Adam, Hoss and Ben were already seated and tucking into one of Hop Sings fine beef and lentil stews. Joe filled his plate and reached over to get some bread.
"Manners Joe, ask and I will pass the bread," Adam said.
Joe scowled at him.
"How did you get on today son," Ben asked, anxious to defuse the situation.
"Pa, this kid turned up looking for work. He managed to ride Wild Black around the yard as if he were a pony,"
"Is that so," Ben smiled. "That's something else,"
"Pa, I gave him a job and told him he could hold on to the horse. Did I do right Pa?"
"Any other time I would have my reservations but I know that no one else could make headway with that horse and he sounds as though he could be a good worker. We could do with someone like that around here."
"So What's his name Joe?" Hoss asked.
"His name is Matt Cooper, he's seventeen and he's from the west."
"I reckon I'll meet him tomorrow," Hoss said as he began to eat the plate of pie Hop Sing handed to him.
Adam stretched and began to look weary.
"Is that foot starting to play up again Adam?" Ben asked. "You should really take the pain powders Doc Martin left for you.
"I'm ok Pa, it just smarts a bit. I think I'll turn in early,"
Adam took hold of his stick and eased himself up from the chair.
"Night Adam," Joe called as the man in black limped towards the stairs.
~0~
Out in the bunk house the hazing had started already. Matt found that someone had poured water in his bed.
"Who did this?" He asked
His dark eyes swept over the bunks looking for the culprit. Sam Cleaver in the bunk by the door began to chuckle to himself as he pulled his hat down over his eyes.
Matt set his mouth as raw anger began to surface. He ran from the room amid smirks and sniggers from the man and some of his friends. He returned soon after. Sam coughed and gasped as a torrent of water was spilled over his face.
Once he had gotten his breath he leapt to his feet.
"What the hell are you doin boy?" He yelled.
The other ranch hands got to their feet too and looked at the boy wishing they could do something.
Matt threw the bucket in the corner and glared at Sam Cleaver. He had seen his like a hundred times or more.
"You best not stand against me or there'll be trouble." He told him.
After a moment and seeing that the boy was serious Cleaver stood down and went back to his bunk. Matt went to his bunk and turning his mattress over he lay down and tried to sleep. He knew in his heart he was wrong but he couldn't but act on his feelings. He had met with dark souls like Sam Cleaver before. It was difficult not to confront them.