The Boys, Home Alone

By Tennessee

Adam was on the ranch doing his chores when a man rode up. He stopped working and looked up. "Can I help you?"

The man said, "I'm looking for Ben Cartwright."

"He's my father, but he's away on a trip right now. Can I help you with something?"

"My name is Rick. I'm an old friend of your father."

"I'm Adam. Nice to meet you. Would you like some coffee?"

Rick dismounted. "Yes, I would."

Adam lead him into the house and asked Hop Sing to make some coffee.

Rick said, "So this in the Ponderosa I've heard so much about. I've heard about you too, Adam."

"How do you know my pa?"

"We met on a ship a long time ago." When Hoss and Little Joe came inside after completing their chores, Rick said, "Hello, Sam and Tim."

The boys looked at him in surprise.

"Uh, my name's Hoss and this here is my brother, Little Joe."

Rick shook his head. "Sorry about that. I'm not good at names."

Adam eyed him suspiciously. Something was very strange about this man. He told his brothers, " This is Rick. He says he's Pa's friend from when Pa was a sailor."

"You wanna have supper with us?" Joe asked Rick.

Rick said yes.

During the meal, the boys asked Rick about how he knew their pa and what Ben was like when he was younger. But Rick gave very brief answers.

"Did you know my ma?" Adam asked, wondering what Rick would say.

Rick answered, "Yes, I knew Amy."

Adam stood. "Hoss? Can I talk to you outside?"

"Sure."

They went outside and Adam leaned close. "Something's not right, Hoss. He says he's Pa's friend but he didn't know your name or my mother's name. Ride to town and ask around about this Rick."

Hoss rode to town and asked everyone about Rick, but no one knew him. He reported this to Adam back home and Adam asked Hoss to show Rick around the Ponderosa while Adam checked Rick's horse and bag.

Hoss, Little Joe, and Rick went to see the Ponderosa, and Adam looked in Rick's bag. He found letters from someone called Ray that mentioned the Ponderosa and having heard Ben Cartwright talk about the ranch. The man seemed to know that Ben would be going on a trip and when he was leaving as well as Adam's name. The letter said that Ben's wife had died recently and that her name was possibly Amy.

Adam put everything back and waited for his brothers and Rick to return. But they didn't come back. Adam began to worry. "I don't like this, Hop Sing," he said. "Hoss and Joe would have had plenty of time to show him the ranch by now."

Hoss, Little Joe, and Rick were heading back to the house when they cam upon a man that Rick greeted loudly. Hoss and Little Joe suspected they were in trouble. They soon came upon Tess, and she, too, could tell something was wrong in the way Hoss looked at her. She started to ask what was wrong but didn't. She said bye and when she was out of sight she took a shortcut to the Ponderosa ranch house.

Adam and Hop Sing were outside watching for Hoss and Joe when Tess rode up. "Adam, something is wrong with Hoss. There are two men with him and Little Joe. I think they are headed back here."

Adam said, "Tess, get out of sight and wait. I'll try to get Little Joe away from them. You take him and get help, ok?"

"Ok, Adam." She hide as they rode up.

Adam helped Little Joe down and asked Joe to put his horse in the barn.

Ray said, "He's not going anywhere. All of you get in the house now."

Adam asked, "What is this?"

Rick answered, "Sit down and shut up."

Ray smiled as he looked around the house. He pointed at Adam. "You. Fix us something to eat."

Adam looked at his brothers and they stared back at him with wide eyes.

"I might as well tell you," Rick said, "that I'm not your pa's friend. That was a lie. But I knew he was away on a trip and that you boys and the cook would be alone. We need a place to hide. We won't hurt you if you do what we say."

"What did you do?" Joe asked.

"We're running from the law. That's all you need to know."

"Why don't you let my brothers go?" Adam offered, "I'll stay here."

"No!" Rick retorted. "All of you will stay."

"We've got chores to do on this ranch," Adam said, "We need to work outside. There are cattle and horses to take care of."

"Fine," Rick said. "You go but your little brother will stay here. Ray will go with you."

Adam kneeled beside Joe. "You'll be ok, Little Joe. Hop Sing is here with you."

Tess watched the encounter. When she saw Ray come toward here she ran, but Ray caught her. She yelled for Hoss.

Ray said, "She is cute." He pushed her down on the ground.

Hoss ran for her and helped her up. "Stay inside with Hop Sing and Little Joe. I'll be back soon."

When they finished the evening chores, they went back to the house. Tess was holding Little Joe and she smiled at Hoss.

Adam sat down. "How long were you planning on staying?"

"We'll leave when we're ready," Rick said.

Adam tried to jump Rick, but he saw Adam coming and he hit Adam. Adam fell to the floor.

"No more trouble!" he yelled. "Do you hear me?"

The others nodded. The two men went to a corner to talk. Adam whispered to Hoss, "I have a plan." Louder, he said, "Can we have some tea?"

Rick said, "Yeah."

As Hop Sing cleaned a trickle of blood off Adam's face, Adam told Hop Sing his plan. Hoss was to get the water hot and pour it on the two mean. Adam would then grab Rick and Hoss would grab Ray.

"Hey," Hoss called to the men. "I think my little brother and Tess need some rest. Can they go into the bedroom."

Rick said, "Ok."

Hoss took Little Joe and Tess into the bedroom and told them the plan. "You two climb out the window and run for help once we get to fighting them, ok?"

Hoss returned to the table and looked at Adam. They were ready.

Hop Sing heated the water. He took it to the table. The two men got their tea, as did Adam and Hoss. When Hop Sing went back into the kitchen, Adam jumped up. "What's that noise?"

The two men jumped up too. Hop Sing flung the hot water on them and Adam and Hoss jumped on them. Tess and Little Joe climbed out the window in the bedroom and ran for help. They made it to town and got Big Dan. Big Dan collected some other men from town and they all rode to the Ponderosa.

Adam, Hoss, and Hop Sing were on the floor when they got there. The two men were gone.

"What happened?" Big Dan asked.

"We had them, but they were too strong. When we told them help was coming, they ran away."

Tess ran to Hoss. "I'm ok," Hoss said.

Little Joe ran to Adam to make sure he was ok too.

Big Dan introduced one of the men he'd brought to help. "Adam, this is a lawman who's been chasing them two men."

The lawman went to look for the criminals. Big Dan stayed at the Ponderosa with Adam. Tess took Hoss, Little Joe, and Hop Sing to the Green ranch.

The next day Ben came back. When he got home, Adam and Big Dan told him what had happened.

Big Dan said, "Adam knew something was wrong with Rick when he first came."

"How?" Ben asked.

"Well, for one thing, he didn't know Hoss and Little Joe's names. And he didn't know my ma's name. He said it was Amy. And then I looked in his bag and he had a suspicious letter."

"Good job, Adam," Ben said. "Now, where are your brothers?"

"At the Green ranch. They spent the night there. They're fine."

Soon after, the lawman returned with Rick and Ray in custody. "These two robbed a bank. They'll be going to jail. I found most of the money they stole."

Ben pointed to Ray. "I've seen that one before."

"Ray heard you talk about the Ponderosa, Pa," Adam said. "He knew you were going out of town."

Hoss and Little Joe rode up. Joe jumped off his horse and ran toward Ben. "Pa! Pa! You're home! Did Adam tell you what happened?"

Ben hugged Joe. "Yes, he did."

As the lawman led Rick and Ray away, Little Joe said, "Them two can't mess with the Cartwright boys. We always work together and watch out for each other."

"That's right, little brother," Adam and Hoss said.

Ben said, "You boys sure took care of everything while I was away."

Adam said, "I'm glad you're home, Pa."

"Me too," Hoss and Little Joe agreed.

They all walked toward the house.

The End