Adam rides up to the cave and was relieved to see Joe's horse near the entrance.
Adam mounts off his horse and quickly walks in the cave. He was relieved to see that his kid brother was ok. He rushes over to him and hugs him.
Joe's surprise to see the relieve look on his brother's face. "Why did you runaway?" asked Adam as his relief turn to concerned.
"I heard you telling Pa that you were glad to go away to college and away from me" said Joe sadly. "Because we wouldn't be fighting" explained Adam.
Adam lift Joe's chin up and looks at him. "Do you honestly think that I don't want you around anymore?" asked Adam hurt.
Joe doesn't say anything. "I'm so sorry you thought that way Joe. I didn't mean to make you think that I don't want you around. Of course I want you around you're my brother. Who else can I take fishing and camping and explore different caves with" said Adam.
He puts a hand on Joe's shoulder. "I'm sorry that I yelled at you about the jackknife. I had no right to yell at you without hearing your side of the story. And I'm sorry for fighting with you these past few months".
"I hate fighting with you and I'm sorry for calling you an annoying pest. You're not an annoying pest sure you annoy me sometimes but you're not a pest" said Adam.
Joe was surprise that Adam was apologizing and felt bad that he hadn't said anything.
"Why don't you tell me what's been bothering you?" asked Adam. Joe bursts into tears. "I don't want you to leave Adam".
Adam takes Joe and holds him on his lap. "I don't want to leave Joe but I want to go to college and learn new things".
"Why do you want to leave if it means leaving Pa, Hoss and me?" asked Joe. "Joe sometimes we have to do things we don't want to do. I don't want to leave you, Pa and Hoss but I want to go to college. I promise I'll come back and I'll write to you every week" said Adam.
"But everything is gonna change after four years when you come back" said Joe.
"That's true but there's one thing that's never gonna change. I'm always gonna love my little buddy" said Adam.
"I'm sorry for the things I said before. Is Pa gonna punish me for running away?" asked Joe worried that his Pa was gonna tan him.
"I don't think so. I told Pa that it was my fault you ran away" said Adam.
Joe lets out a relieve sigh then looks up at Adam. "I love you Adam". Adam hugs him and kisses him on the head. He gets up holding his baby brother in his arms.
"C'mon lets go home" said Adam. He walks out of the cave.