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A GOOD DOG
"MISTAH Hoss, Li'l Joe, father sick! Come quick!" Hop Sing yelled from the top floor. Hoss and Joe left the breakfast table and climbed the stairs, Hoss taking two at a time.
Hoss reached the room first and saw Hop Sing looking helpless while Ben Cartwright sat on the floor, his right arm on the mattress, his legs tucked underneath him and his left hand pressed against his breastbone. Ben's shoulders were hunched and he was sweating. He was half dressed with his trousers on and his shirt partially buttoned. His boots lay knocked over beside him.
"What's wrong, Pa?" Hoss asked, bending down, feeling as helpless as Hop Sing.
"Him sick. Hop Sing come see why him late to breakfast. Find like this." Hop Sing was distressed, wringing his hands. Ben was too big a man for him to pick up so he implored Hoss, "Pick father up! Put on bed!"
"Yeah, Hop Sing. Yeah, that's what I should do." Hoss swallowed deeply; this was becoming too much quickly. "Pa," Hoss said, "I'm gonna help you up on the bed." Hoss slipped one arm about his father, lifting him as gently as he could and helping him onto the bed while Ben grimaced, clenching his teeth and made a few sounds of discomfort. Then Hoss moved his father's legs about until he was properly on the bed. Hop Sing lifted Ben's head and pushed a pillow underneath it. Joe stood by while Hoss pulled the coverlet over his father.
"Pa, you hurtin' bad?" Hoss asked bending over him. "Can you talk?"
Ben looked up into his son's blue eyes. "Of course, I can talk. Really, Hoss. I'll be fine." Ben closed his eyes, still clenching his jaw. "Hop Sing," he managed, "bring me a glass of cold milk. Really cold."
"Yes!" Hop Sing hurried out, glad to be about something.
Joe tugged on Hoss' sleeve. "Hoss? Pa ain't gonna die, is he?" Joe's voice quavered. Hoss held Ben's wrist, feeling the strong pulse, not knowing what it meant but he had seen Dr. Martin do it many times; it just seemed like the thing to do.
Ben pulled his wrist away with disgust; he wasn't one to be a pacific patient. "Hoss, you and Joe, just let me rest. I'll be fine. Please, you two." Ben shifted uncomfortably. He reached for the other pillow and placed it underneath his head to raise it higher. "You two go downstairs. And tell Hop Sing to hurry with that milk."
"Okay, pa. We'll go." Hoss steered Joe out of the room and in a low voice said, "No, 'course he ain't gonna die." Hoss tried to sound authoritative. "But I think we need Doc Martin here. I mean, somethin's wrong and the doc will figure out just what it is. Now don't you go worryin' yourself none 'cause Pa'll be fine." Hoss was flustered. It was usually Adam who took control in situations like this one, but he had headed out on foot before dawn to continue training his new dog, a year-old Redbone Coonhound he'd bought from a man in Sparks. The dog knew the basics of tracking and treeing racoons and cougars but had to learn to obey Adam's commands and not its own basic desire to run after any game that crossed its path. The winter was a cold one and the snow was pushing the cougars down from the high ground for easy meals of Ponderosa cattle, pigs and chickens. Each of the Cartwrights had seen tracks near the house over the past two months and counted up their losses every time they came across a set of bovine ribs in the bloodied snow, ripped flesh fluttering like flags, bones scattered about. Adam believed a good hound would help keep the predators away. But Adam nor any other Cartwright had ever owned a dog; his father didn't want them about. Dogs, in Ben Cartwright's opinion, weren't worth the trouble or the fleas so Adam was working his own way through the training process.
"Hop Sing take milk to father," the cook said as he hurried past Hoss and Joe on the stairs.
"Yeah, that's good, Hop Sing." Hoss turned slightly to watch the small Chinese man rush and yet take care with the glass as the milk threatened to slosh over the rim.
ONCE they were back downstairs, Hoss pulled Joe closer. "Now, lissen, Joe, lissen good…" Tears filled Joe's eyes. He didn't want to cry but he didn't know what he would do if something happened to his beloved father. After all, Joe was just 15 and finally finding his independence and making mistakes, some more consequential than others. He needed his father as his anchor, someone to whom he could return to find comfort and safety while he licked his wounds. "You go find Adam while I ride to town." Hoss strapped on his gun belt, pulled on his jacket and took his gloves out of the pockets. "Why you just standin' there starin' at me?"
"How am I supposed to find Adam? He headed out hours ago!"
"Joe, just go look for his tracks in the snow. His and Finn's. There can't be too many tracks of a man and a dog about, now can there? Go get ready and dress warm. And hurry up."
Hoss headed to the barn, catching himself as he slipped on the slick skin of ice. Yesterday afternoon, the sun had been bright, the temperature almost balmy, and the deep snow had begun to melt, but overnight, the temperature had dropped to below freezing and wasn't prone to rise much during the day, so the snow had a thick, icy, crusted-over surface. It was dangerous to ride under such conditions. The slickness was risky for a horse and the snow was deep enough to disguise badger holes or deep ruts; Hoss knew it would be slow-going to Virginia City; he couldn't ride Chubb any faster than a crisp trot, if even that, as the horse would break through the ice at each step and the frozen top could cut the animal's legs as badly as shards of glass. Hoss stopped as he stood by his horse's stall.
"Dang, I wish Adam was back already." Hoss realized that even if he arrived in town in less than three hours, and he'd be lucky to make it in that, he'd still have to return and with the doctor in tow. Doc Martin traveled by buggy but buggy wheels with their metal rims wouldn't be able to find traction under these conditions; the doc would have to travel by horseback, tying his bag onto the saddle horn, that is, if the doctor even had a saddle horse. And Dr. Martin certainly wouldn't be able to return home after tending Pa with it being so late by then and possibly with a new snow fall; the sky looked ominous. Hoss crossed his arms on the top rail of Chubb's stall and dropped his forehead on his arms. The horse snuffled against Hoss and pushed off his hat.
Hoss swept up his hat and placed it back on his head. "Dang, Chubb. I don't like bein' in charge but we gotta try our best to get help for Pa. It's the only thing I can think to do." So, Hoss set about saddling his horse, worry rising in his chest like an upcoming storm.
JOE had secured his hat with a plaid neck scarf that he knotted under his chin. The wind was gusty and seemed to cut through him. Weighted down by his knee-length winter jacket, a hand-me-down from Hoss, he plodded along, following Adam's trail in the broken crust of snow. Initially, Joe tried to make it a game to distract himself from worry, placing one foot in Adam's print and then the other one, but he soon gave up; Adam's stride was longer and the little jump Joe had to make quickly tired him out. He plodded along hoping Adam would come back the way he had gone. In such deep snow, once a safe way had been found, people usually came back along the same path, At least that was what Adam had taught him one winter a few years ago. The only tracks left by Finn were occasional indentations in the icy surface as the dog was too light to break through, but the dog seemed to take the easy route by following behind Adam who broke the way forward.
He looked up at the gray sky. It was going to snow again. Then worries overwhelmed him. What if he became lost in a snowstorm while out looking for Adam? And what if Adam was lost forever in the wilderness, never returning? Or Adam and Finn could both be killed by an angry cougar or ripped apart by a pack of wolves. Joe knew wolves had been about the pig pen, trying to find their way into the shed. He had seen their tracks. Joe silently prayed that he would find Adam alive and that his father would also be alive once they returned. And he plodded on into the wilderness, the normal landmarks buried in snow.
ADAM had spent the morning working with Finn. The dog was a quick learner and eager to please. Adam had taught him to sit, stay and to "watch it." If an animal was treed, Finn would bay at the base until Adam arrived and then, depending on what he wanted to reinforce, Adam either called off Finn with a "Good dog!" and some pats or told him to watch. The dog would then sit and keep his eyes on the treed racoon or squirrel, ready to move should the animal jump to a neighboring tree or attempt to hit the ground and run. The man who had sold the dog to Adam, had told him he should buy another if he was going after cougar or bear.
"You need at least two dogs to keep the quarry off balance," the breeder had said; he needed to gauge just how much he could ask for one of his dogs from this cowboy whose dress was regular range wear. He might not be able to afford two.
Adam observed the dogs; he wanted a dog already trained in the basics since he was green at owning a hunting dog. "So, you're willing to part with two of them?" Adam had asked. The hounds had come highly recommended by Al Stouffer who rid ranches of cougars and coyotes with his Blueticks and Redbones. He said this breeder's dogs were well-built, healthy, quality-bred animals.
"If you're willing to pay my price. I spend a helluva lot of time training these animals."
Adam considered. "Think I'll start with one. That one there." Adam had picked out his dog due to its sturdy build, eagerness and its pleasant expression; it seemed to actually smile at him.
"That's Finn. He's young, only six months, but one of my best dogs; good line. He doesn't come cheap though."
But Adam had his mind set and only asked how much.
THAT morning, Finn picked up on fresh cougar tracks and began to circle Adam in eagerness; the dog wanted to be told, "Go get 'em," but Adam kept him back. An animal as heavy as a cougar would be too much if Finn was forced to take him on. He wanted the dog by his side, not running helter-skelter over the frozen countryside and getting into a fracas with one of the big cats. Finn whined anxiously, looking up at Adam, his body quivering with excitement. He kept looking out at the trees and brush and then back at Adam. But Adam's attention was diverted by something else.
Off in the distance, in contrast to the white snow, Adam saw a group of deer. They suddenly stood still, their heads raised, ears alert. Adam realized they must have heard Finn and were listening for more noise. Hearing none, they went back to searching for edible branches and mast.
"Stay, Finn, stay!" Adam whispered and put out the flat of his hand and the hound sat, although eager to go. But the dog knew who was boss, so he stayed while Adam slowly maneuvered to get a shot at one of the two bucks. The snow cracked under his feet and the deer again became alert. Adam stopped and shouldered his rifle, looking through the brush. Holding his breath while he aimed, Adam carefully squeezed off a shot. The sound thundered across the empty countryside and the deer bounded away, one buck faltering after a few steps. Finn jumped up and began to bark but stayed as told. Adam smiled. He had a mule deer that still had his antlers and a "good dog." He quickly set about field dressing the animal to lighten the load, burying the organs under the snow. Hop Sing would be disappointed there would be no liver or spleen to desiccate and add to potions but there was no choice; Adam hadn't brought the hand-pulled sledge having had no intention to hunt.
JOE heard the rifle shot. The world was so still that the sound split the air. Joe hurried; it had to be Adam. He trudged along, breathing heavily, working up a sweat under his coat, the long sleeves covering his gloved hands. After another half mile, he was quickly becoming exhausted, and feared he'd have to drop down to recover when in the distance, he spied a man and dog, Adam and Finn. But Adam had something over his shoulders and Finn was dancing along at Adam's side, looking upward, running ahead a few steps and then circling back to be at Adam's side again.
"Adam!" Joe called out. "Adam!" Joe pushed himself forward, and even under the weight of the mule deer, Adam hurried as fast as he could to meet him. He lost his footing and fell to one knee but struggling under his burden, rose up again.
"What is it?" Adam asked, his breath coming hard, as Joe stood before him, huffing.
"You shot a deer, huh?" Joe admired the animal hanging about Adam's shoulders.
Joe was commenting on the obvious and Adam was about to answer with a flippant quip about the deer jumping on his shoulders but there was something about Joe's expression that deterred him. "Yeah, I shot one. Why are you out here?"
"It's Pa." Joe's voice quavered with emotion as he found himself becoming upset just talking about his father being ill. "He was trying to get dressed this morning and kinda just collapsed; Hop Sing found 'im. Hoss went for the doctor and sent me to fetch you."
Adam considered the news. The weight of the deer was slowing him down but if he tossed it aside, it might be dragged away by cougars, wolves, or be ripped apart by coyotes. They were close to the Ponderosa, less than two miles so Adam considered his decision. He tossed the deer onto the snow and Finn, excited, went over to it, snuffling about the fur and the split flesh. This was confusing to the dog.
"You just gonna leave that deer here?" Joe asked.
"I need to make better time. Keep up if you can." Adam turned to his dog. "Finn, come!" The hound looked at Adam and then back at the deer. Adam slapped his thigh. "Come," and the dog bounded over. "Good dog!" Adam said, rubbing Finn's ears.
HOSS realized it was slower going than he had anticipated. Chubb had difficulty finding his footing and hesitated with almost every step as he broke through the surface of the deep, crusted-over snow. But after traveling a bit over three miles, Hoss became anxious. They were never going to get to Virginia City at that rate and his father could be dying at that very moment. Hoss' throat constricted as he fought back sudden panic. Hoss clucked, urging his horse to go faster but the animal wouldn't. Hoss fiercely kicked it and the horse stepped up its pace but after a few more yards, hit a thin icy patch and horse and rider went down.
Almost immediately, Chubb struggled until he was back on his feet, or at least three of them. Hoss sat in the snow and grabbed his right arm; he had come down hard on that shoulder and it, as well as his whole arm ached and throbbed. He started working it, hoping the pain would ease and he could keep it from becoming stiff.
"Dadburnit it all," Hoss said out loud, expressing his frustration. Tears stung his eyes. He noticed Chubb was hobbling about on three hooves. "Looks like I done crippled both of us, boy. I guess I acted like a plumb fool." Hoss managed to get up and with his good arm, took Chubb's reins. "We're gonna havta walk back to the barn and take care of ourselves afore it snows again. It's all my fault, boy. Iffen somethin' bad happens to Pa, it's all my fault." Hoss headed back to the Ponderosa leading Chubb who was walking far slower than he had been. And Hoss' face puckered as he tried to keep from crying. But he failed and finally burst into tears. He had mucked up the whole thing.
ADAM burst into the house, quickly pulling off his outerwear and hat and took to the stairs, Finn at his heels. He could hear Hop Sing chastising the patient. "No! You stay bed or Hop Sing tie down!"
"Pa?" Adam stepped into his father's bedroom. Ben sat on the edge of his bed while Hop Sing argued with him to lie back down. Upon seeing Adam, Hop Sing practically collapsed with relief. Joe, out of breath, came into the room, pulling off his scarf and hat.
"Mistah Adam, glad you home! Father sick! Drop on floor this morning! Now won't stay in bed! You tell father! You make stubborn man listen!"
Adam stepped in front of Hop Sing. "Pa, you need to lie back down 'till Hoss gets back with the doctor."
"Now, Adam" Ben said trying to rise but Adam roughly placed heavy hands on his shoulders, pushing his father back down onto the bed. Ben was surprised; Adam had never put hands on him in that manner. He wouldn't stand for such insubordination. "Now look here, boy, I just had a spell this morning but now I'm fine. I'm getting up; I have things to do."
"No, you're not and you look here, old man!"
Ben's mouth dropped open. "Old man! Who do you think you're talking to?" Ben sat up and began to swing his legs over the side, but Adam again pushed him back down.
"I'm talking to you. Someone needs to! Now, don't be foolish. Maybe you did just have a spell but it might be a symptom of something worse and the doctor needs to check you out before you have another spell when no one's around." Joe stood by and watched, speechless. None of them had ever spoken to their father like that before and Joe formed a greater respect for Adam.
"I'm…" Ben sighed. "Maybe you're right. Maybe I should rest a bit longer." He lay back on the bed and slid his feet under the bed clothes.
"Hop Sing," Adam said, "has he had anything to eat or drink yet?"
"Cold milk only, Mistah Adam. Hop Sing afraid to leave alone." Hop Sing's eyes slid sideways to Ben Cartwright. "Him try send me downstairs again, get coffee." Hop Sing looked to Adam. "Father sly like fox but Hop Sing not tricked. Now I make milky tea and toast for father. It what to feed sick people."
"Thank you, Hop Sing. Joe, you go with him."
"But, Adam. Shouldn't I stay here with Pa and you?"
"You go downstairs and watch for Hoss and the doctor. Put more wood in the stove and the fireplace."
Joe waited, unsure what to do. His father was in the room, albeit lying down, but Adam was giving orders. "You want I should stay, Pa?"
"Do what Adam said, okay? And ask Hop Sing to put on a fresh pot of coffee for the doctor and Hoss. They'll be cold."
Joe nodded and with one last glance at Adam, he left the room.
Adam turned back to his father. "How long have you been feeling this way, having these 'spells'?"
"A month or two." Ben said sheepishly.
"Describe these spells," Adam ordered.
"Adam, you're no doctor. I don't see…" Ben looked at his eldest who stood waiting by the side of the bed; he did appear not to be countered. "It's my stomach and windpipe. It's worse when I'm empty; feels like my chest is on fire and the pain goes through to my back. I've been sneaking milk at night. It helps with the awful taste I get too."
"Sounds like a bad case of dyspepsia. But then, as you pointed out, I'm no doctor." Adam said.
"I saw no reason to upset everyone," Ben said. "You saw Joe, how upset he is. But this morning, that was a bad one. Felt like someone had set a fire in my gullet and stabbed a sword from fore to aft; my knees gave out."
"Put both pillows under your head, raise it up. Maybe Hop Sing has some herbal tea to help with that, so tell him about your pains."
"If I tell Hop Sing, he'll hover about like a mother hen. And I think," Ben said, "I can sit just as well at my desk downstairs. Besides, I have work to do with the books. It's been a while since I've been to town, been to the bank, and we'll have to hire more hands soon because with the spring melt, the cattle'll have to be brought down from…"
"No business for you today, Pa. I can take care of all that. And you've been worrying too much; that's what started that fire in your belly. You're going to stay put, but just to make sure you do…Finn!" The dog looked up at Adam. Adam pointed to his father on the bed. "Watch him, Finn! Watch him! Keep him there!" Finn sat, keeping his eyes on Ben, his whole being alert to any movement from the bed. This was what Finn lived for, hunting and treeing his quarry and obeying Adam.
"You're setting that dog on me?" Ben asked attempting to move off the bed, looking at the young hound. The dog rose and then, once Ben lay back down, Finn sat again.
"That's right, Pa. You get up and Finn will let me know. I suggest you accept the situation and rest."
"My son sets his dog on me," Ben mumbled. "I never thought in my whole life that one of my sons would 'tree me' in my own house."
Adam smiled to himself and left the bedroom door half open. Once downstairs, Adam placed a few more logs on the fire as Joe hadn't done so to his satisfaction.
"When did Hoss leave?" Adam asked Joe who was sitting at the table with the abandoned breakfast.
"He left when I went for you. I don't know what time, but we were still eating when Hop Sing called us upstairs about Pa. I'm sure glad you're home." Joe was eating strips of cold bacon and picked up his partially eaten buttered biscuit and took a bite; he was hungry. "Hey, Adam, think you can catch another deer soon?"
"Maybe," Adam said. He was pondering his actions, if he should head out after Hoss or not but that would leave Joe here with just Hop Sing, and if their father had another "spell"… He walked over to the window that gave him a view of the front yard. Hoss came walking in, leading his horse that was favoring its right front leg. Adam grabbed his jacket and headed out. Joe went to the front door and pulled it open, the cold air hitting him. He closed the door and pulled his father's desk chair to the high front window and standing on it, watched what was going on.
"Adam, I ain't never been so glad to see you. How's Pa?" Hoss anxiously asked.
"He's resting. What happened to you?" Adam asked as Hoss tried to open the barn door with his left arm. "Let me do that." Adam slid the door open and Hoss led Chubb in.
"Dang it, Adam. We was goin' so slow we was never gonna get to doc's so I pushed Chubb and he done slipped on a patch of ice. I slammed my shoulder and he done hurt his leg or somethin'. It ain't broken but he's hurt. We hadda walk back. I swear, Adam, I'm so dang cold even my chestnuts are frozen."
Adam started unsaddling the horse after he ran his hands lightly up and down Chubb's leg. "I'll send Joe out to rub some liniment on Chubb's leg later but why didn't you pull off his shoes before you left? Would've taken you maybe…fifteen minutes; no horse can get purchase on ice wearing shoes."
"I…I didn't even think of it. I just…Adam, I been so worried and then I hadda send Joe after you and worried 'bout him alone out there and maybe gettin' lost…I don't like havin' to make decisions but all I could think of was gettin' doc. What're we gonna do now?"
"Well, you're going to go in the house and warm up your family jewels so one day you can marry without freezing your wife's insides." Hoss chuckled; he suddenly felt lighter. "Then eat something and tell Joe to clear the table. I have Finn watching Pa to keep him in bed, so, if you go see Pa, make sure he stays put or Finn will bark up a storm."
"Got Pa treed, huh?" Hoss grinned. "What about you? What you gonna do?"
"Well, I shot a buck. He's still out there so before some wolves or a cougar have a feast, I think I'll bring him in. We'll have fresh venison for dinner-might help Pa's stomach not to eat more salted or smoked beef or pork; seems he has dyspepsia. And I'll have a deer skin to sell come spring. Might even buy myself another hunting dog with the money. And I think I'll make Joe an antler-handled knife."
"That'll make Joe happy, alright." Hoss smiled but then he frowned, "Adam, what if Pa gets worse? In this weather, we ain't gettin' to town and it looks like it's gonna snow again."
Adam gave a deep sigh. "If Pa does get worse, I'll fetch Shaughnessy. She always doctored her family and used to come dose you and Joe when you were little and needed a purge. And she's buried three husbands so she should know if Pa's seriously ill or not."
"Hmmph," Hoss said. "Adam, maybe them husbands of hers died 'cause she didn't know what to do. Or maybe she did and done give them a shove."
Adam laughed and Hoss smiled. Life seemed better, brighter. "Well then, we won't let her marry Pa any time soon—okay? Now, let's go tell Hop Sing to expect to cook a haunch of venison for dinner. Maybe make Pa some broth."
"Adam," Hoss said, grabbing Adam's arm before his brother left the barn. "How d'you manage to make decisions so quick? I couldn't think of nothin' but Pa bein' sick an' gettin' to doc's."
"What do you mean?" Adam was puzzled.
"I mean all I could think of was gettin' doc but you just seem to know what to do. I'd say it comes with gettin' older but you always been like that."
Adam considered. "It's like Finn."
"Your dog?" Hoss was really confused now.
"When Finn comes across a scent, all he knows to do is take off after it with no thought of what might happen if he catches up with the animal. There's a part of me that just wants to react that way, just take action. But I have to hold back Finn, keep him from following his gut instincts because a good-sized cougar or bear will kill him for sure.
"Same for me. I make myself pause so my brain works in a rational way, thinking about consequences and such. I can't just react, even though I want to, because every time I have in the past, it hasn't turned out well. So, if I didn't hold Finn back in some situations, I'd lose a good dog, and if I didn't take a breath and step back from situations before taking action, I might lose even more."
"Think I'll learn to do that? Think about things afore I act?"
"Why not? You're a helluva lot smarter than Finn." Adam suppressed a smile while Hoss considered and then grinned. Then both brothers laughed.
"Let's go inside," Hoss said. "I am hungry. Hafta eat with my left hand though 'cause my shoulder's sore!"
"Well," Adam said, "if Joe can do it, you can too."
ONCE back in the house, Adam wrapped up warmly to go fetch the deer before it snowed again, considering whether to call his dog off from guarding his father. He silently prayed his father would be fine, that it was just dyspepsia, as it was still a long time before the snow would allow safe passage to town to get the doctor and although he had spoken of fetching Shaughnessy, which he would do should the need arise, he'd rather have the medical man.
Adam stood at the bottom of the stairs. "Finn!" He heard the sound of the hound's toenails clicking on the wood floor, then saw the eager dog round the top and bound down the stairs to greet him. "Let's go, boy!" Adam said, rubbing the dog's ears." Let's go get dinner!"
~ Finis ~
