Ben was doing well. He had already gained the land between the Ponderosa and Lake Tahoe and much of his time was spent traveling for business, negotiating contracts for cattle, horses, lumber and beef. He took great delight in his twins. Despite his frequent trips he was able to give them much more attention than he had his two older children.

Little Marie, who would not respond to her name except when she was in trouble, was both studious and adventurous. He sometimes despaired of his youngest son. Joe detested school. Adam or Ben would take them in the buckboard every day for the hour's trip to the school. Joe disliked it so much he would often deliberately lie in bed for as long as possible or disappear conveniently after breakfast so his brothers or father had to chivvy and scold him to get ready.

Ben would sigh every weekday morning.

"Little Joe, every day it's the same! You delay, delay as long as possible. You are not going to be late, we won't let you. When will you get it through your thick head that you've got to go to school and you're going whether you like it or not?"

"I don't like school!"

"I don't care. You've got to go."

"I wanna ride with you and Hoss and Adam."

"You're not old enough. Maybe in seven or eight years' time - "

"Seven or eight years!?But that's ages!"

"Joseph, you only learned to ride a year or two back. You can't keep up with grown-ups." Ben would foist his jacket on and shove his bag into his hand. "Anyway, I'm not discussing it. Go on! Or Adam will tie a rope around you and throw you into the back of the wagon!"

It was the only thing and he and his sister disagreed on. They were so alike, Ben thought fondly as he watched the buckboard pull out of the yard and begin their hour's journey every day. But Scamp loved school. She would show her father her books and effuse about her teacher, her schoolmates and her play. Little Joe thought her mad. When they pulled up in front of the schoolhouse he would fix himself stubbornly to the seat.

"Adam, Hoss, please don't make me go!"

"C'mon," Hoss would say, his bag tucked under his arm. "I've gotta go and I'm thirteen. So you definitely gotta go."

"It's so boring."

"Joseph," said Adam. He never called him by his full name at any other time. When he did, Joe knew he was on thin ice. "Get in that schoolhouse now! Or I'll tell Pa!"

"You're a tell-tale!"

"You're very tiring, you know, little brother. Every day it's the same. I know you don't want to go. But you've got to. Otherwise you'll be stupid for the rest of your life. You don't want to be stupid, do you?"

"Yeah, Little Joe," Hoss grinned. "Scamp's much more clever than you."

The older boy knew this would bridle his little brother and it never failed to work. Joe loathed taking second place to his sister. He would jump down and march forward.

"She isn't more clever than me!"

"Prove it. If you don't wanna go to school, that proves you're dumb."

And the three children would approach the door.

"Bye, Little Joe, Scamp, Hoss!" Adam would call.

Joe would scowl because there was irony in Adam's voice.

"Good-bye!"

"Bye, Adam!" Hoss and Scamp would chorus cheerfully.

And so, the three were at school. Adam was wearied by the daily four hours' travel, and loved it when Ben said he would take them.

"Joe's so tiring!" Adam complained to his father.

"He'll grow out of it."

"When? He's been like it for the last two years!"

"Give him time. He's only seven."

"He's a little brat. I feel like strangling him half the time."

"Well, you know what he's like. He loves the outdoors, riding and mucking about. One thing'll work. Threaten to keep him in on a Saturday and he'll behave."

"At least Scamp loves school."

"Yeah, she's a clever little thing."

"And doesn't she know it?"

"You love them really."

At which Adam would grunt and start his work. But it was true, he adored his younger siblings. Nothing pleased him more than when Scamp would run up to him, chattering excitedly.

"Guess what we did today, Adam!"

"What was that, honey?"

"We did English! I like English! D'you think one day I'll be as clever as Miss Jones?"

"I don't see why not."

Privately he thought she was half-way there, despite her tender age.

"Gosh, really?!"

"Yes, l'il sister, you will be as clever as her."

"But she's ever so smart!"

"I know she is," he would say, swinging her off her feet and going round and round in circles so she became dizzy with the centrifugal force. She would laugh like a gurgling drain at which he would cover her in kisses and send her back to the house.

Adam showed as much love to his little brother. He would wrestle him, rolling him over and over in the hay bales then sprinkle the little wisps in his hair and tickle him. Then, on an impulse he would kiss him on his head and nose and make snapping noises as if he were going to eat him. Joe would come back, laughing, covered in dirt and hay sticking out of his locks.

"Adam's been at you again, has he?" Ben chuckled.

They loved the horses and spent much of their free time in the barn. They watched Adam and Hoss work over the forge, banging out the horseshoes.

"Why do horses have to wear shoes, Adam?" Joe asked more than once. "Shoes are for people."

"It protects their hooves. It makes their balance better so they don't fall over."

"But aren't they heavy?"

"Horses are so strong they don't notice it."

"How would you like to walk around bare-foot?" asked Hoss. "Your soles would be cut by stones and they would bleed and hurt you."

The twins believed their father and brothers knew everything. They began to groom and care for the animals. Scamp even loved the mucking out.

"You don't mind the manure, do you?" Hoss laughed at her.

"Stinks," said Joe, wrinkling his nose.

The girl lived up to her name. After a few pranks on their father and oldest brother, she and Joe were scolded so harshly they turned their attention to Hoss. The older boy would often find his shoelaces tied in an impossible knot which took an age to unpick or they would run away when they were out and hide behind trees, laughing. Hoss would be alarmed and chase them, yelling threats of dire punishment. When he caught them he would cuff their legs but the blows were so light the children would giggle. Only the threat of informing their father would stop them.

One day in that summer of 1849 they went too far and learned what it was like to be in real trouble. Joe came up with an idea that trumped their previous efforts.

"He'll be so cross!" Scamp chortled.