Five days before Christmas Lottie was getting some things decorated for the holiday in the saloon. Joshua came in and asked if they had heard anything from Jason yet.

"Not yet, Josh, but it has been snowing so maybe the weather has kept them? The stagecoach was due in yesterday and they had to stop in a small town near Alki to wait for the weather to get better." Said Lottie as she went behind the bar to get a soda for Joshua.

"I am just worried for them, that's all" said Joshua as he took a sip of his soda. There was a sound outside and they both went out to find that the stagecoach had arrived. Lottie and Joshua were both surprised that Jeremy got out of the stage coach, but Jason was not with him.

"Are you, his mother?" asked an old man who held onto the bags for Jeremy.

"No, I am not, but I am his aunt. What happened?" Lottie said. Joshua was hugging Jeremy very tightly; he was happy to see his brother but had questions as did Lottie.

"Joshua, run up to the camp and get Swede and the others." Lottie said. Then to the old man:

"I own the saloon so would you come in for a drink. Thank you for taking care of my nephew." Lottie said as she took Jeremy's hand and went inside. She sat Jeremy on a chair and then brought him some water and a sandwich. She had drinks for the old man and some food as well.

"What is your name sir?" she asked

"It-it is Er-er-ic Car-c-car-rt wheel" Jeremy said pleased that he remembered the name. Lottie looked at Jeremy and smiled.

"Ma'am the young'un is right, but my last name is Cartwright, and my friends call me 'Hoss'!" He said and shook hands with most of the men there. Swede, Rich, and the others arrived at the saloon. Swede picked up Jeremy and gave him a big hug. Then he set him back down in his chair. When he looked over at Hoss, he knew him by sight.

"Well, Hoss Cartwright, my aunt Inger's son. How do you do!" He said sticking out his hand.

"Well, it is a pleasure, I was just coming to visit with some of mother's kin what do you know, I meet a cousin right away!" Hoss said happily shaking hands. They all sat down. Rich asked what happened to Jason. Jeremy tried to say something, but it did not come out.

"Hey, Jeremy, write it down on paper?" Joshua said. Jeremy smiled at that, and Josh got some paper and a pencil to write on. Then he said to the others:
"Ask your questions and Jeremy can write it on a piece of paper!" Are you ready Jeremy? Jeremy held up his pencil and was ready to answer questions. They took their time, and each asked a question. When they were finished. Jeremy handed the paper to Josh, who read it to everyone.

"Okay, it says:

"Jason and I ran into some bad guys, they had worked for him a few years ago. One was named Burt and the other named Merle. They wanted to hurt Jason. I got Mr. Martin the attorney, but he told us we had to leave immediately, he would send our things later. We got on Whiskey and left in the middle of the night. We came to a cliff, we had to get off of Whiskey because it was snowing, and we didn't want to hurt Whiskey. Jason carried me for a little while until we saw a cabin with lights on. We went there for help. There was a beautiful lady named Maggie who let me have coffee and was very sweet. I was sleepy so she put me to bed then Jason lay down next to me. The next thing I knew we were in the barn dressed and ready to leave on a couple of horses. Jason put me on the horse and then he got on. We headed to Tacoma. We got there late in the Morning we had to wait until the stagecoach came. He saw something out of the window, and he told me to wait in the stagecoach office and that if he did, didn't get back to get on the stage coach without him. I got on the stage coach but then I heard shots fired. I wanted to jump out, but Mr. Cartwright grabbed me before I could get out the door. I don't know what Jason saw, but he had to do something, now, now, I…"

Jeremy's answers stopped there; he had not wanted to write what he feared the most. No one spoke for a minute. Then Rich and Swede, and Hoss looked at each other. Rich looked at a couple of other loggers and they all took off together.

"W-wh-where are they g-g-g-going? Jeremy asked. Lottie stepped in front of Joshua and held onto Jeremy.
"Boys, I believe, they are going to find out what happened to Jason!" Lottie said. Joshua was not going to let them go alone. He was old enough at 14 to help find his brother. Jeremy was the same way, he wasn't going to wait until his brothers came back, he was going to help as well. He slipped off the chair and ran out the saloon door. Joshua had gotten away from Lottie as well. Both boys ran over to the livery stable where the men were. Big Swede saw them and with the help of Hoss, he stopped both of them.

"Now, just where do you two think you are going?" asked Big Swede, who was holding onto Joshua.

"Let me go, Swede! We have to help Jason!" said Joshua. Hoss grabbed Joshua by the shirt and said to him and Jeremy:

"Now, I know what it is like to worry about brothers, I have two of them myself, one older and one younger. Now, I know what I would do, I would go looking to help them. But this is one time that you help us by staying here and taking care of the people here in your town. Your aunt Lottie, for instance and maybe the school teacher, maybe even some of the others. But most of all you help Jason by remaining here and staying safe, so he doesn't have to worry about either of you!" Said Hoss. Joshua had stopped wiggling, but Jeremy was still ready to fight. Hoss sat down on a tree stump and pulled Jeremy close to him and asked:
"Why do you think your older brother told you to get on the stage if he wasn't there?" Jeremy thought about it and then said in a whisper:

"Be-be-because, he wa-wa-wanted me s-s-safe?" That is right. Did he give you any other instructions?" Hoss asked Jeremy nodded yes. Hoss asked again:

"Do you remember what they were?" Jeremy again nodded yes.

"Did you do them?"

"Sort of." Hoss looked at Jeremy with a question on his face.

"We-well, Miss L-L-Lottie sent J-J-Josh to get Swede and others!"

"Well, you did do that!" said Hoss, then he said:

"You both have a job to do, Keep Miss Lottie safe and also your friends and neighbors safe as well. We will be back before you know with your brother Jason." With that said, he set Jeremy on the ground, Joshua was nearby. The others had gathered the supplies they would need, and they all took off in the wet rain to Tacoma to help Jason.