Chapter Six

They all stayed late at the Fall Festival enjoying the food, music, games, and dancing, but Hoss and Little Joe were mysteriously absent.

"You don't suppose they're off blowing through their prize money already, do you?" Josie asked Adam as he neatly snagged the rim of a bottle at the bottle-ring toss booth.

"Doubtful," he said, pointing to a toy sailboat on the prize rack. The lady running the game took it down and handed it to him. He thanked her and turned to Josie. "For the baby," he said, pointing to the boat. "Anyway, Hoss is lucky Patience hasn't killed him already. He wouldn't dare waste that fifty dollars."

"Are you forgetting that Little Joe is involved?"

Adam frowned. "Even still, Hoss has enough sense to know he'd better not show up at home with anything other than that fifty dollars." He kissed Josie's cheek and strode over to the bench where Molly sat chatting with Patience. She smiled when he held up the sailboat.

"Well, at least one of them is back in their wife's good graces," she muttered.

The following morning, Hannah, Josie, and Molly sipped cups of tea in the living room while Ben and Adam reviewed the remaining tasks they needed to complete around the Ponderosa before winter set in. It was only November 5, but the chill was setting in fast. Molly had brought Josie's wedding gown with her for a final fitting before lunch.

"Strange that Hoss and Little Joe never showed back up last night," Molly said. "I tried to get Patience to come home with us, but she wouldn't hear of it. I hope everything's all right."

"I'm sure they're fine," Josie said. "If Patience wasn't worried, we shouldn't be. Besides, she's got Hop Quan out there now. He'd bring word if something were wrong. And Joe probably spent the night out there."

"I suppose so," Molly said.

Just then, the door flew open, and Little Joe and Hoss burst inside.

"Hey, Pa!" Hoss called.

"Pa, how are you?" Joe said, hanging up his hat. The family grinned at one another and all rose to greet them.

"The lost souls return!" Adam said.

"Where did you two run off to last night?" Ben said, relief evident on his face even as his voice remained gruff.

"Sorry about that, Pa," Hoss said. "Me and Little Joe had some business to work out with Mr. Tweedy. Took a little longer than we thought, so Joe bunked with me and Patience last night."

Josie nudged Molly and grinned.

"Hoss, congratulations!" Ben said. "Looks like I was wrong."

"Except for your bet," Adam muttered.

Hoss beamed and blushed. "Aw, Pa, I'm just lucky," he said.

"Lucky or no, you still made a hundred dollars," Ben said.

Joe's and Hoss's happy faces fell, and Joe shifted his weight from foot to foot.

"You told us once, Pa, that a little bit of a hundred percent is better than nothing at all," Joe said.

Adam bit back a smirk. "A sad story is about to begin."

Joe raised a hand. "Now we didn't come back empty-handed, if that's what you're getting at," he said. "You don't have to worry about that."

The family exchanged skeptical glances.

"Is there something we should worry about?" Hannah asked from behind Ben.

"No," Joe said with a chuckle. "Just that we decided not to take the cold cash and thought it would be better if we took it out in livestock instead."

Ben brightened, and his shoulders relaxed. "Oh, well, sometimes that's very good business. You boys have a good eye for good-blooded stock. Where is it? I'd like to see it."

Hoss and Joe's uncomfortable expressions returned. Hoss jerked his head toward the door.

"Well, uh, it's, uh, it's out in the barn."

"Why didn't you keep it in your barn?" Ben asked.

Hoss glared down at Little Joe. "Seein' as how this was all Joe's idea, didn't seem right not to let him hold onto it."

Ben and Adam exchanged raised eyebrows but grabbed their jackets. "Let's have a look," Ben said.

"Yeah, let's see what Tweedy stuck you with," Adam added.

The ladies snatched up their coats and followed the men out the door, Pip jogging along behind them.

Outside, Joe and Hoss raced ahead of everyone to beat them to the barn.

"Wait, Pa!" Hoss said, stepping in front of Ben and blocking the tall barn doors. Joe slid next to him.

"Pa, we just want to say we know we should have taken the money," Joe said.

Ben shrugged. "Aw, Little Joe, you know what I've always said: A good head of stock is worth its weight in gold in this part of the country."

"We've got a real bonanza in there, Pa," Joe said.

"I trust your judgment," Ben insisted. "Now let me see this animal you took instead of cash."

Hoss looked ready to vomit. "Yessir," he said.

Ben turned and faced the ladies and chuckled at his younger sons' nervousness as Hoss unlatched the barn doors. Josie clutched her mother's hand in anticipation while Molly laid a hand on Adam's shoulder. Joe and Hoss pulled open the barn doors, and Ben turned around and nearly walked smack into an enormous Asian elephant. The animal let out a squawk and raised its trunk. Ben's shoulders shot up around his ears, and he turned back to Adam and the ladies, his face ashen. He shook his head as if to clear it, and then turned back to the elephant. Adam stood calm and collected, apart from twitches at the corners of his mouth, while Molly, Josie, and Hannah collectively let out surprised shrieks and clapped hands over their mouths. The hair on Pip's back shot straight up, and he let out a low growl.

"Hush, Pip!" Josie ordered just before she dissolved into uncontrollable laughter.

Ben stood dumbfounded as the animal let out a low grumble.

"Look, Pa," Hoss said, stepping in front of the elephant, "Old Sheba's as tame as a plow-horse after a hard day's work in the field." He reached out a patted Sheba's trunk while Little Joe nodded his head so vigorously his curls bounced.

Ben's jaw worked up and down a few times before sound came out. He jabbed a finger toward Old Sheba.

"This is what Tweedy gave you for hard cash?" he squeaked.

"He was broke, Pa," Joe said, his charming smile flashing then fading on his lips.

"Wh-wh-what do you think you're going to do with an elephant?!" Ben sputtered.

"Maybe we could train her to plow!" Hoss said, breaking into a huge grin. Hannah groaned and covered her eyes with one hand. Ben dropped his head and rubbed his temples.

"You gotta admit, there's a lot of livestock there," Adam said evenly. Josie snorted and poked him in the ribs with her elbow. He grinned at her.

"I just don't believe it," Ben said, shaking his head, his face still pale. "I really don't believe it. I don't believe that two reasonably intelligent young men could be away for one evening and come back with an elephant."

Joe smiled sheepishly, but Hoss stroked Sheba's trunk, as if to reassure her that Ben didn't dislike her.

"Pa, she's tame!" Hoss insisted. "Why she can… she can…"

"She is tame!" Joe broke in. "Let me show you what she can do." He grabbed Sheba's trunk, and he and Hoss led the elephant out of the barn and into the middle of the yard. Adam, Josie, Hannah, and Molly parted to let them through.

"Down, Sheba," Hoss commanded.

"Down, Sheba!" Joe echoed.

Slowly, deliberately, Sheba lowered herself onto her knees. Little Joe swung onto her back and ordered her to stand. The elephant rose, and Hoss led her around the yard with Joe perched on her back and grinning like she was a prize thoroughbred stallion. After a circuit of the yard, Joe and Hoss ordered Sheba down again so Joe could slide off her back.

"Good old elephant," Joe said, patting Sheba's head before she stood once more.

Molly, who hadn't yet been able to say a word, finally found her voice. "Well, that's useful," she muttered. Josie and Hannah giggled, and Adam fought to retain his composure. He couldn't wait to have a good, hearty laugh, but he knew better than to let it out in front of Ben.

Little Joe and Hoss returned to the family with huge smiles. Ben's mouth set into a hard line, and he waved a hand at them.

"Get rid of her," he said. Hoss and Joe's smiles died.

"But she's so tame!" Joe said.

"Good! Then you won't have any trouble getting rid of her!"

Joe's face crumpled like Ben had just told him to shoot a beloved pet. His lower lip poked out in a sad pout Adam hadn't seen on Joe's face for at least ten years.

"What's the matter, Pa? Don't you like her?" he asked.

"Joseph, that peanut-burner will spook the livestock! Come winter, she'll eat us out of house and home."

Adam nodded. "There's a touch of fall in the air."

"Molly probably shouldn't be out here without her jacket," Josie agreed.

"Tweedy really slickered you fellas pretty good," Ben said. He shook at finger at Hoss and Joe. "Now you take that elephant back and get the hard cash."

"Pa, we, uh, we can't do that," Hoss said, glaring at Little Joe.

"Oh you can't, huh?" Ben strode over to his sons. "And why not?"

Joe gave another sheepish smile. "'Cause we signed a paper," he said with a nervous laugh, "sayin' we'd take the elephant instead of the cash."

Hannah groaned and covered her eyes again.

Ben growled deep in his throat. "I want that elephant out of here by the time I get back from town. Is that understood? I've got to wire a man about some railroad ties he ordered to find out when he needs them so we can start floating them down Snake Creek."

"I got the ties cut, but getting them down off the mountain I'm afraid is going to be a job for the lost souls, here," Adam said with a smirk. Hoss and Little Joe sneered at him.

"Adam's done more than his share," Ben agreed. He shifted his gaze to Hoss. "Why don't you keep this beast in your barn?"

Hoss's face darkened. "That wouldn't be in my best interests, Pa."

Josie, Molly, and Hannah snickered.

"I'm sorry I missed seein' Patience's face when he showed up with that!" Molly whispered to the other ladies as she jerked a thumb toward Old Sheba.

"Pa, I was just thinking," Joe began, "since you're gonna go into town anyway I thought maybe you might just talk to Angus Tweedy about takin' Old Sheba back." He took a step back as if afraid to be too close to his father.

Ben frowned.

"We could go in with you," Joe continued, trying on his smile again, "and watch you negotiate the way only you can negotiate, Pa. We could learn something." He pointed to Hoss, who added his ingratiating smile to Joe's.

Ben nodded. "Yeah, I guess you would learn something. You'll learn how to negotiate those ties down Snake Creek!" Hoss and Little Joe deflated as Ben turned back to his eldest son. "Adam, you show them the way."

"I'll show them the way, but I've touched my last railroad tie," Adam said.

Hoss frowned, but Little Joe stayed focused on Ben. He nudged his father's arm.

"Are you gonna talk to Mr. Tweedy for us?"

Ben cleared his throat and stepped away from Hoss and Joe.

"Please?" Joe begged.

"Hoss," Ben began, "now tell me the truth." He pointed to Sheba. "That elephant, is she real gentle, like you say?"

Hoss grinned. "She sure is, Pa. She's as gentle as an old hound dog."

Ben sighed and strode over to Old Sheba.

Little Joe grinned at the rest of the family and pointed at his father. "He's the greatest."

"I am so glad I didn't return to Boston," Hannah said with a beaming smile as she watched Ben order Old Sheba down again and so he could climb onto her back.

"I'm no longer angry about Adam's lost wages," Molly said. "This is worth so much more than a month's pay."

"I think I'll ride along," Josie said. "In case Uncle Ben falls off." She giggled and started for the barn to saddle up Scout. Even in her condition, the mare could handle a trip to town at the snail's pace Josie expected Ben to travel aboard the elephant.

Molly grabbed her arm. "You haven't tried on your dress yet."

Josie frowned a kicked a small stone. "Dadburnit," she grumbled in an uncanny imitation of Hoss. Excited though she was about marrying Fionn, there was nothing more she wanted in that moment than to see the reception Ben received in Virginia City when he strode in on Old Sheba.

Adam patted her shoulder in sympathy. He, too, would have loved to tag along with Ben. "I'm sure Pa will tell us all about it when he gets back," he said as they watched a scowling Ben lumber out of the yard on Old Sheba. Then he turned to Hoss and Little Joe. "Come on, you two. Let me show you those railroad ties."

Little Joe trudged toward the barn, head down, to saddle Cochise, but Hoss stayed put.

"You know, Adam, Patience is due to have the baby any time now. Don't think it's such a good idea for me to go too far from home."

"She'll send Hop Quan if she needs anything," Adam assured him. He pointed toward the barn. "March."

Grumbling softly to himself, Hoss followed Little Joe into the barn.