"No! Let me go! Let me go!" Joe pleaded as he tried to pull free.

"Joseph! Joseph! It's alright, it's alright son, it's me!"

"Papa?" Joe asked weakly, as he relaxed.

"Yes, yes Joey, it's me…you're safe now," Ben said, turning the boy so he could see him. What he saw made his hart sink. By all rights, Joe looked as if he should be dead. He could barely stand, and Ben couldn't tell where one blood spot started ant the other ended. But it was the pale skin and the glazed, life deprived eyes that really frightened him.

"Hang on Joey," Ben said as he scooped his son up in his arms. You're going to be fine, well take you to Doc…."

"You're not taking him anywhere…."

Adam had never ridden so fast in his life. How many times had he told Joe to slow down, to keep his horse going steadily? Now he was wondering how someone as small as Joe could ride so fast and stay saddled.

"It's like he knows…" Adam had heard Joe tell Hoss once when his younger brother was trying to tell Joe to ease off the speed. "When I go fast, he understands, in fact, he knows when I need to gallop and beats me to it. When I get mad, he can feel it and knows the only thing that will help is to travel hard.

"But Joe, goin' that fast, he could through ya, an' I hate to point this out, but you're to small to be getting' tossed a bout," Hoss said.

Only Hoss could say that and get a smile in return. "Yeah, yeah, Short Shanks, I got it. But Hoss, you see, he knows that to. You gotta understand that horses just know when and what you need. They'll take care of you, just trust 'em."

"Just trust them…alright Spot, I'll ride full gallop and I'll trust you'll watch the rode," Adam whispered to his horse.

Spot, understanding his rider's commands, increased his speed. Briefly behind him, Adam heard Roy call out, but he was already gone.

"Alright little brother, Pa, I'm on my way. Just hold it together 'til I get there."

Hoss and the others raced on, they were gaining ground fast much to Hoss' pleasure.

He had gathered that they couldn't have been more then an hour or two behind his brother and Roy, so he figured at this speed they catch up to them in about thirty minuets.

"Hoss!" Willy called, pulling up to the biggest Cartwright.

"What is it Will?" Hoss called to him.

"I got a feeling Hoss, we better put a move on it. I think they're really going to need our help…."

Hoss studied Willy, he had been a friend of the Cartwrights since Adam was in school, and had worked for them for three years now. His feelings were rarely wrong, and Hoss' gut, now that he thought about it, felt the same.

"I agree, tell the others," Hoss said up loud, and privately he said, 'Help us Lord, please help us.'

"Manson, it's over put that dang gone gun down! We're going back to jail, it's over now Manson," Clay reasoned with his partner.

"There anit no way in hell I'm going back ther'…oh no…" Manson said as he pointed his gun at Clay.

"What the hell are you doing?" Clay asked, shocked.

"I aint going back…. I'm sorry Clay…I like you, I really did, but you've gone soft on me…you got soft…."

BANG!

That was the last thing that Clay would hare. He fell to the floor dead from a bullet in his head.

As soon as Manson had risen the gun Ben had known what he was going to do. He had instinctively turned, putting his body between Manson and his son, holding Joe close as the shot rang out.

"Now, Mr. Richman," Manson said after the echoing died. "Give me the boy, or I'll kill both of you now."

Ben glared at the man, but Manson cocked his gun and pointed it at Joe, "Starting with him."

"It's alright Papa, don't die 'cause of me," Joe said, weakly, his eyes filled with concern and love for his father.

Joe's words, and the affection in his eyes pulled at Ben, "Joe…I…"

"You're wasting time!"

Ben glared up at the man, and reluctantly handed Joe to him. Manson pulled Joe roughly to him, causing the boy to cry out in pain. Ben took a step towards his son, but was stopped by the gun that was pressed into Joe's neck.

"Now hand me your guns," and again Ben did as he was told, handing over all his weapons to Manson, his eyes never once leaving Joe.

"Now Mr. Cartwright, I have a little problem, I got all this gold, and no way to get it up top on the count of my hands being full. So you're going to do me the favor of taking it all top side, where I'll be waiting with sonny boy here," Manson said, shaking Joe slightly.

"Now, don't you get any fool ideas, cause one mistake and the boy'll die."

"Just don't hurt him and I'll do what ever you ask," Ben said as he watched Manson walk up to the surface.

"Follow this tunnel and it'll lead you out. And hurry it up, the boy aint got much time…."

I'm so sorry about the wait, but here you go. Happy Partydays to you and please be safe.