In spite of the brother's efforts to hurry things along, it was two long weeks before they saw home again. It was early evening on Halloween before they were able to get out to the Hendricks' place. As they rode up, they noticed the lights were on in the house.

"Someone's there!" Hoss cried. The brothers urged their horses forward.

They approached the house, with their guns drawn. "Why boys! You scared me!"

It was Fanny Hendricks! "Mizz Hendricks? When did you get back?" asked Hoss.

Mrs. Hendricks just smiled and said, "It doesn't seem as if we ever left. Come on in boys, Frank will be glad to see you. We have a surprise too."

Inside was Frank and, in his arms was a small child that giggled as Frank waved a toy bird in front of his face while he sang. Mrs. Hendricks walked over to her husband and picked the baby up.

"Isn't he beautiful? His name is David." She lifted him high in the air and the baby laughed.

Adam walked up and let the baby take a finger, "David, huh? How are you, David?"

David laughed again. Hoss and Joe smiled and also walked up to see the baby.

"He's a fine one, Mizz Hendricks." Hoss told her. Mrs. Hendricks must have been already with child when they left then. But of course, that wasn't something that was fit for conversation, Hoss thought. He wasn't even sure if single men were officially supposed to acknowledge they knew of such things.

Joe looked at the baby and said, "He surely is, Mrs. Hendricks, a fine son."

The brothers stayed on for a while more and never said anything about the strange happenings of earlier, or the reason they were at the house.

As they were leaving, Adam turned to ask, "Are you staying here for long?"

Frank and Fanny laughed, "Why Adam, we're going to stay here forever, if we're able!" Adam smiled and touched his hat in farewell and got on his horse.

"Bye, we'll be seeing you!" Joe called out.

"Don't worry you sure will!" Fanny called back.

"If you need anything just ask us." Hoss said.

Frank smiled broadly, "Don't worry Hoss, everything we need is just right here." Hoss nodded and followed his brothers away from the house.

The brothers were musing about the evening when Joe said, "Seems funny that we didn't hear about the Hendricks coming back."

Adam shrugged his shoulders. "I just got back today myself, I haven't heard any news of the town."

Hoss agreed, "We just got back and haven't heard anything either. What gets me though, is them naming the new baby David after his dead brother."

Adam shrugged again, but Joe said, "Well, remember the Wilkins? They had four little graves and all the tombstones had Henry Thomas Wilkins. Tim Wilkins used to joke that his mother naming him Timothy saved his life."

Adam grunted, "Tim Wilkins was a strange boy."

Joe smiled, "You just got tired of keeping us out of trouble."

Adam cocked an eyebrow at his younger brother, "You just may have something there." He lazily swung out to his younger brother, who ducked the blow easily.

By the time they came up to the house, it was dark. "Pa, must be in bed," Adam said as he led Sport to the barn.

"Well, he thought we were going to be staying out all night," Hoss replied as he started to take the saddle off of Chubb.

"Won't he be surprised tomorrow morning," Little Joe yawned as he unfastened Cochise's cinch.

Adam yawned and stretched, "Let's get to bed."

"You know, you're getting as bossy as Pa, Adam. You know we're all partners on this ranch," Hoss said with a smile.

Joe's eyes twinkled, "Yeah, older brother we're all partners in running this ranch."

Adam smiled at his brothers and said, "Yes, but just remember, I'm the senior partner of this trio."

Hoss and Joe laughed. They just felt so good tonight. Maybe knowing that the Hendricks were back just took a load off their minds. They were still smiling as all three went to sleep.