A/N: To the Guest who so consistently reviews and encourages me, Thank you so much. I can't respond to you directly without an account, but they're free... so you may want to consider signing up! Thanks to all those who review and comment. I'm very grateful! Grace - Mort
One Hour Earlier:
Ben, Adam, and Hoss Cartwright had been riding back from Carson City having finished their business and enjoying the delightful day just as much as their youngest. The Exposition had been really interesting, and Ben had allowed the extra time thinking he and the boys would have to transport the new equipment he'd ordered home with them. However, the vendors arranged for delivery since they'd be passing through Virginia City on their way to Reno, so there was no need to delay.
After he'd treated the boys to breakfast at the Silver Dollar Hotel in Carson City, they planned a relaxed ride back and since he'd already arranged for them to be out of school he wasn't going to make them rush to get to lessons that day. In fact, Ben thought, this may be a perfect day for the family to relax and perhaps when Joe got home from school they'd have the chores all done and he could take all the boys fishing, as they'd been fussing to do for weeks.
Their route was going to pass near their favorite fishing spot, and Adam and Hoss were more than happy to get home to finish chores to enjoy a real afternoon off.
As they walked along, however, they heard the relaxed snort of Joe's pony, Cochise happily grazing in his clearing. Motioning the boys to be silent and still, Ben carefully dismounted to investigate the sound. There shouldn't be anyone here on Ponderosa land right now, as the men were out sorting the calves and yearlings for branding or weaning quite a distance from their location. Ben walked up on Cochise, who delightedly trotted over recognizing him, leaning up against his shoulder to beg for an ear scratch.
Ben just chuckled at him, "OK, boy, I'm glad to see you, too. But if I'm right in what I'm guessing, your rider isn't going to be nearly so glad to see me."
Silently he walked back to Adam and Hoss, still gesturing that they be quiet, as he carefully approached the water, just far enough to see Billy and Joe lying on their backs on their towels, fishing poles propped up, and heard their discussion of cloud shapes sailing by.
He returned to his horse Buck, mounted making no noise and gesturing for silence by the boys, and walked slowly away, leaving the two truants in his wake. When they were well out of earshot, he picked up their pace to a jog trot, and told the boys they were to go home, get the chores all done, and wait there for him to return. They could work on their schoolwork at home, or otherwise relax, but they were not to leave the yard for any reason. His tone of voice brooked neither argument or discussion.
"Yes, Pa," was their wise rejoinder, and they halted at the barn to put up their horses properly, and work on the chores, while Ben just rode on towards Virginia City. His first stop was Pastor Fletcher's barn.
"Howdy, Ben!" Pastor Fred Fletcher called out, hearing Ben's horse pull up in front of his workshop.
"Hey there, Fred," Ben replied, happy to see one of his best friends as the farrier wiped his brow from working at his forge.
"What brings you out this a way? How was Carson City?"
"Just fine, Fred. It was a great trip and we saw a lot of really interesting new things. But that's not why I'm here, I'm afraid."
"Oh? Is anything wrong?" the Pastor's brows knitted with a worried expression.
Ben smiled and shook his head slowly, "Nothing serious. And nothing we can't handle between us, but I think we're both missing our youngest sons."
"What do you mean? They ought to be in school right now. Billy headed off for the school house at his regular time this morning."
"Yes, well... I'm afraid he and Joseph somehow made a wrong turn along the way. I've just seen them up at their fishing hole on the Ponderosa."
Fred just shook his head, also smiling. "I see. Well, Billy knows how to navigate well enough to get from here to the schoolhouse without that big a wrong turn. Let me get a clean shirt and collar, and we'll go have a word with Miss Jones."
"Fine," Ben nodded. "Want me to saddle your horse, and Billy's pony?"
"That'd be a help, Ben. Thanks. I'll be right back out."
Ben heard quiet voices as Fred informed his wife Penelope, of the situation. Ben wasn't trying to eavesdrop, but couldn't help but hear her crystal laughter as she said, "Oh, my..."
Fred came out chuckling as he still shook his head and finished cinching up his gelding while Ben finished saddling Billy's pony.
They rode down to the schoolhouse, getting there just as Miss Jones stood at the door to rang the school bell calling the children in from lunch recess. Fred and Ben dismounted a bit away from the door as Miss Jones walked over to them.
"I hope your boys will be feeling better soon, gentlemen. Are they very sick?" she asked, face full of concern.
"Well, that's sort of a tricky question, ma'am. You see," Ben began, "they're feeling just fine right at the moment, but they won't be for too much longer." Smiling at her confused look, he continued. "I spotted Billy and Joseph playing hooky at their favorite fishing spot. I wasn't expected back until tonight, so I'm sure they figured they'd not get caught. We're about to go ruin their day. We wanted to ask what your policies or preferences were as we go to handle this. Would you like us to bring them here, or just take them straight home?"
"Ah, I see..." Miss Jones nodded with her own understanding smile. "Well, gentlemen..." she began, leading them a bit further away from the door, away from curious little ears and eyes doubtless observing them with rapt attention from the classroom. "There are some school matters I should like to address with them, if you could be kind enough to bring them here long about 3 o'clock. Depending on your plans, I believe they've chosen today for this adventure because of a math test neither have studied adequately for, along with some neglected homework.
"Now I know, that if I simply punished them here, then sent them home to you with notes, they'd be punished there as well. What I would prefer, if you don't mind, is that... I feel confident that you plan to engage in some behavioral adjustment when you get to them, do you not?"
Both men nodded, with a, "Yes, ma'am, we sure do."
"Very well, my policy regarding hooky includes chastisement, probably a paddling, at their age. This being Friday, they'd have the weekend to recover from your discipline, before Monday when they would deal with mine. If, however, you'll bring them by at 3:00, I believe I can make a sufficient impression upon them, that between us, this matter will be entirely laid to rest. I would also assign some additional schoolwork to be done, and loss of some privileges, until they are caught up on the math they've shirked. Does that seem agreeable to you both?"
"That sounds just fine, Miss Jones," Pastor Fletcher said, nodding.
"Now, just so I'm clear in my mind... Usually, if the boys get a licking here by me, then they face one with you when they get home, correct?"
Both parents nodded, "That's right."
"So in this case, I'm proposing simply that you deal with your discipline first, and I'm taking second go. If you plan to administer further punishment afterwards, I'd adjust my consequences to be less severe."
"No need, Miss Jones. When we get them home they'll have early bedtimes, loss of some privileges and extra chores, but I'm sure their backsides will be adequately dealt with by then." Ben said, as Fred nodded agreement.
"Well thank you for letting me know, gentlemen. I'll expect to see you all around 3:00. Enjoy this lovely day, as far as you can." Miss Jones waved as she headed back to restore order to her classroom.
Ben and Fred rode out to the bank where Joe and Billy were fishing at a sedate pace, trying to enjoy how lovely the day and not focusing on punishing their sons. They hated to whup the boys, and their children's cries tore at their hearts. But the youngsters knew right from wrong, and the boundaries of acceptable behavior. Shirking their schoolwork, failing to complete and submit assignments, ducking out of a test, and then truancy were definitely beyond those bounds.
The leisurely ride out to where the boys were, knowing they had about two hours to fill before getting back to the classroom, helped calm the irate fathers. It was just too lovely a day to stay very mad very long. Their mission got the two of them to reminiscing.
"Ben? Did you ever play hooky?" Fred chuckled.
"Oh yeah. Absolutely. You?"
"Oh yeah. Of course. Didja get away with it, or did you get caught?"
"Ha! I got caught of course. You?"
"Oh sure. Caught every time," Fred nodded, still chuckling with the memory.
"Me, too," Ben looked down with something like a blush as he laughed. "Did your Pa..." his voice trailed off.
"Oh you bet. I got barebutt blistered with his belt right there in front of my friends and all. My Dad said, 'If you're not embarrassed to sin right in front of God and your friends, you shouldn't be embarrassed to take your licks the same way.'"
"Yep, mine too, but without that sermon point."
"Yeah, well, my Dad was a Pastor, too... sorta ran in the family."
"But the worst part, for me, was that afterwards Pa'd drag me back to the schoolmaster right then..."
"Oh, you too? I had a schoolmaster as well. Did yours use the Hickory?"
"Yup, right there and then. A couple times, I was lucky and got to keep my trousers up, but that stick, on top of the hiding I'd already taken... man o man." Ben shook his head.
"Yup, me too. I've always sworn I'd never punish my kids that severely. When my Dad said 'you won't sit for a week', it wasn't just a cliche. We'd be bruised sore. And we still had to sit through meals, lessons, or church. No cushions, no excuses. He figured you earned what you got. He wasn't cruel, and didn't mean to be harsh, but he was just determined that we weren't to repeat our mistakes." Fred said.
"Yes," Ben nodded. "I feel the same. When the boys do wrong, they'll be punished every time, and I want them to remember it. I want them to remember the lesson, but I feel like I can do that without injury. Children have much better memories than parents tend to give them credit for. As far as MY boys are concerned, it's not that they forget being punished for wrongdoing... it's just that they always think they've found a smarter way, so they won't get caught out. Severity won't fix that, consistency does."
Fred nodded, "Yup, same with mine, especially Billy. When he and Little Joe get together, they can get into anything!" he laughed.
"Yeah. I'm sorry about that, Pastor. I think my young'n leads your boy astray!"
"Oh... hogwash, Ben. They come up with these things together, and I'm sure Billy dreams up as many plots as Lil' Joe, any day of the week. And I think they're as GOOD an influence on each other, as bad. I'm glad Billy considers Joe his best friend, and that he talks to you when he needs another grownup to hear him out."
"Well, I doubt very much that Billy will want to hear much of what I have to say TODAY, Fred! I plan to blister the ears off my youngest, that's for sure."
"Still, they won't ever know how fortunate they are that they'll be dealing with us, and not with our fathers, eh?"
"Truer words were never spoken..." Ben agreed, as the two of them arrived at the little grove where Cochise grazed peacefully. Tying their horses and Bill's pony off to some tree limbs where they could stretch and reach the appetizing grass, the two of them quietly crept towards the fishing bank. As they approached the water, they heard the sound of laughter and energetic splashing.
Ben's face took on a dark expression, "Well," he whispered, "THAT changes the stakes a bit, wouldn't you say?"
"Indeed", Pastor Fletcher nodded, "they both know full well they're forbidden to get into the water without a grownup here. They could get a cramp, slip on a rock, injure themselves, or get snakebit... with no help available. That, in my house, is a safety matter putting themselves in danger. Different category than just a prank, or school performance. You?"
"Same here. Plus..." Ben pointed off towards the bushes near the water, "Aren't those all their clothes there? Including their drawers? They're swimming naked, which I don't allow if there isn't someone up here to watch the road, in case of passersby. Anybody could ride by and hear them, walking over to check out the noise."
"Hmmm..." Fred thought a moment. "That seems a rather convenient circumstance we could take advantage of, don't you think?" he asked, with a rather evil smile and upraised eyebrow.
"Ah, I see your point. Indeed... Let's see how silently we can move..."
A/N: I enjoy the Bonanza universe, and hope you like some of these short sniglets that bounce past my mental movie screen from time to time. Please feel free to comment and/or review. Thanks for reading, hopefully enjoying! Grace to you, Gentle Reader! - Mort