Chapter 4

Adam caught up with his brother at the far end of the south pasture where he was breaking for lunch after a hard morning of digging post holes.

Adam dismounted, hiding a grin at the size of Hoss's bundle of sandwiches. "Hey, Hoss? I need a favor." He peeled off his gloves and sat down under a tree on the ground next to him.

"What's that?" Hoss asked suspiciously.

"I promised Joe I'd be back in time to help him with Cochise before dinner provided he wasn't late getting back from school, but I need to make sure Clyde and Deever actually finished that fence. Could you swing by and take a look for me?"

Hoss chewed meditatively. "I could…" He looked unhappy at the idea.

Adam was surprised. "If it's a problem I guess I could make time for it, I just wanted to…" He trailed off. Hoss, with his easy good nature, would never understand his difficulties with Joe.

Hoss made a face. "It ain't no problem, Adam. Reckon I can do it."

Adam nodded, studying his expression curiously. "Okay, thanks." It was so rare for Hoss to be perturbed. "Something the matter?"

Hoss actually stopped chewing for a minute and grimaced. "I was just thinkin'."

"Uh-huh. About?"

Hoss put down his sandwich. "Curly Froman."

"Oh." Adam chuckled. "That was quite a hit you gave him. Looked like a squirrel storing nuts in his cheek this morning."

Hoss nodded glumly.

Adam tilted his head at him. "He giving you a hard time?"

"No, he's givin' me a pretty wide berth, matter o' fact."

"Can't blame him."

"I reckon."

Puzzled by his disheartened tone, Adam crossed his arms on his knees and looked at him. "Clyde and Deever?" he offered finally. "They giving you a hard time?"

Hoss shook his head. "Reckon they'll be givin' me a wide berth, too."

"Okay." Adam leaned back against the tree and tilted his hat over his eyes. "I'm running out of guesses. Want to help me out?"

Hoss's face went through a series of gyrations, then he burst out, "Dadgum it, Adam, I know it's my own fault an' I done it ta myself when I hit Curly fer not doin' what ya said. So's now if'n I show up ta check up on Clyde an' Deever they'll most likely figger I'm there ta do the same ta them unless they do their job. I don't want folks thinkin' I'm yer paid muscle."

Adam grinned. "Hm. I'll admit that's one solution that hadn't occurred to me."

"It ain't funny," said Hoss sourly.

"C'mon, it's at least a little funny." Hoss's expression remained grim, so he said reasonably, "Listen, Hoss, if you're thinking Curly told everybody about what happened, I think you're wrong. I'm not sure what he did tell them, but I'll give you good odds it was a lie. No cowpoke worth his salt wants to admit he was taken down by one punch from a seventeen year old kid - even a really big seventeen year old kid. I can promise you he's not spreading this story around the bunkhouse. He'd be a laughingstock and he knows it."

Hoss's eyes brightened. "Ya figger?"

"I'd bet money on it."

"So Clyde an' Deever won't think - "

"They might think you're a pain in the butt, but they'll blame that on me."

"Huh." Hoss picked up his sandwich again and began to chew vigorously.

"Just don't go knocking their heads together if you think they don't show me the proper respect, or you will have a reputation."

Hoss smiled his gap-toothed smile. "No sir. Not me. Thanks, Adam."

"I mean it, Hoss. I appreciate the support, but from now on, let me handle it."

"Yes, sir, Adam. If they get me riled I'll just count ta ten."

Adam made a face, remembering. "Might want to try something else."

"How 'bout you and Curly? How's that?"

"Oh, he's being careful around me, but probably just to avoid tangling with you. I'm going to try and have a talk with Smokey. If I can get him on my side the rest should follow."

Hoss looked dubious. "How you figger on doin' that?"

Adam took off his hat and stood, rubbing at his tired eyes. "I'm hoping for inspiration."

"Good luck to ya."

"Thanks. I'll see you at supper." He was about to remount when he paused, gazing thoughtfully at the dazzling arch of blue overhead. "There really is nothing like a Nevada sky, is there?"

"Only one I ever care ta live under."

"Right. See you tonight, Hoss."

000

"Easy, easy - don't push. Come on, Joe, you don't like it when anybody pushes you – neither does she. Just take it easy."

Joe glowered, but he eased up on the little mare. Adam leaned against the corral to watch, then nodded. "That's better. Don't forget to let her know you're pleased." He ducked between the rails and walked over to give Cochise a pat himself. "Nice work. That's probably enough for today."

Joe looked stubborn. "I could get her to do it. Just a little more."

Adam shook his head. "Look, Joe, I know you're anxious to have her as a full time mount. It's easy to forget that even though you know what you want her to do, she doesn't know what you want her to do. You need to give her a little time to catch up. She'll get there - she's got a real sweet temperament. She'll make you a first rate cowpony someday." Joe opened his mouth to argue, but Adam was firm. "It's almost time for supper. Walk her around a little and cool her down. I'll help you put her up for the night."

Adam watched Joe lead Cochise out of the corral, following to close the gate behind them and making himself comfortable with his back against it.

"How's it goin'?"

Adam glanced over his shoulder at Hoss, propped companionably next to him. "All right so far, I guess. Joe's a little impatient but Cochise is real good-natured. Seems to balance out."

"I weren't talkin' about the horse. I meant you an' him."

Adam turned to look at Hoss, then smiled a little. "Know me pretty well, don't you?"

"Know ya both."

Adam nodded, then said, "Hard to say."

"You'll work it out. Just takes a little patience, like ol' Cochise there."

Adam's eyes followed Joe and the pinto. "I guess you're right."

He'd promised himself last night to start from scratch, and that meant with Joe, too. Especially with Joe. If Joe'd forgotten everything they'd had between them before he'd gone away, well, what did he expect? He was just a little kid. Okay, it hurt - just a little - but he could get past that. He was supposed to be the adult here.

He saw Joe reach down to feel Cochise' chest then lead her toward the barn and he pulled himself up to full height. "Well, looks like it's once more into the breach. Tell Pa we'll be in to supper in a little while."

Hoss pursed his lips. "Need some help?"

"You mean a referee? No, thanks, Hoss. I think it's better if I work this out with baby brother without a buffer."

"Suit yerself. But don't take too long - it's pork an sweet taters tonight an' I'm clear holler."

"In other words, hurry or go hungry. I'll remember."

Adam found Joe already busy currying Cochise. He was talking sweet nonsense to her, but stopped at the sight of his brother. Adam picked up a brush without comment and got busy on the horse's other side. They worked together in silence. After a while, his eyes still intent on his work, Adam ventured, "So, feel like telling me why you're so mad at me?"

Joe didn't answer, just bent down to pick out one of Cochise' front shoes.

"Or maybe," Adam continued conversationally, "You're mad at the world and I'm just a real handy target." He gave Joe a surreptitious glance and saw one corner of his mouth quirk upward. That was a little better.

Joe moved to the next hoof, his gaze fixed there, concentrating hard on what he was doing. "You see any of those big ships when you were in Boston?"

Adam was almost startled into dropping his brush, but he forced himself to keep working as if nothing special had happened. It was the first time he could remember Joe showing any interest in anything that might have happened to him in the four years he'd been gone. "The clippers? Sure. Grandfather lived right near Boston Harbor. I used to watch them come and go all the time."

"Like the ones we saw in San Francisco?"

"Just like those."

Joe nodded and worked his way to the back hooves. They fed Cochise and finished in silence.

They were halfway to the house before Joe spoke again. "Can we work with her again tomorrow?"

Adam smiled faintly. "I don't know. Think you can avoid being kept after school two days in a row?"

Joe shrugged. "I can do it." He slid a sideways glance at Adam. "Miss Abigail'll be awful disappointed, though."

Adam took a mock swing at him and Joe ducked, grinning. Adam reached out automatically to ruffle his hair, stopped himself and put his hand in his pocket instead.

"Don't push," he reminded himself softly.

TBC