The Morning After

By BJ Carter

Rated: Nowadays about a PG-12

I too wish to thank he who came before me who created the wonderful characters we love to write about and continue to live with, the family known as Cartwright.

*******

It was early Thursday morning. Pa was waiting for Mr. McNally to arrive so they could set off on their trip to purchase some stock they had heard was on sale nearby. As he sat and waited Pa gave the boys his orders, as usual, for the days he would be gone, Adam was in charge and most important that they were to stay near the ranch especially at night. Several ranches had reported a pack of wild dogs had been raiding their chicken coops, and attacking some small livestock and he wanted them home at night, not only to protect the property, but for their own safety as well.

"Aw, Pa," said Hoss, "you know most wild things only hunt for food, I doubt we would be in any danger, except for maybe the runt of the litter." With that remark he playfully punched Little Joe on the arm. Pa smiled inspite of himself.

"Sounded more like he was worring about what a big meal you would make for those hounds, Hoss," Joe fired back while moving closer to Adam's side of the porch for a little added protection.

"Adam, I will be back by Sunday night, Monday morning at the latest, that will give you three days to get the corral fixed up and the barn ready for the new stock." "I want everything ready, the way this weather is kicking up we have no idea when the first real storms of the season will hit," he added. About that time they saw Mr. McNally coming into sight, "Morning, Cartwrights," he yelled as he loped into the yard.

"Sorry I'm late, those two boys of mine decided to pick this morning to give their mother a scare by placing a dad-blame snake in the pantry, thought I was gon'a have to chase that thing clear to town for she'd stop yellin." "Never know what they are going to do next." "Some day I am going to have to deal them, but today we are off, right Ben?"

"Right," said Ben, but he looked over at Little Joe. Joe knew what Pa was thinking, if they were his "two boys" they would be missing some hide and walking tall for the next few days. Joe remembered as he was sure his Pa did the time he had put a frog in his mother's sugar bowl. It had turned into one big disaster, first the frog jumped out, Ma jumped, Pa's coffee jumped ending up in his lap, Pa jumped.....and then Joe did some jumping of his own, with Pa's firm hand assisting. No way would he pull that trick again, the McNally boys didn't know how lucky they were.

Ben looked back as he rode off with McNally, the boys waived and were heading toward the barn to get started on the days chores. He had raised three fine sons, well at least he was raising three fine sons, he knew the process liked a bit more time to be finished.

****

The boys had put in a very hard day that Thursday, it was looking like they would have all the extra chores done in record time. Even Little Joe had done his share and more. By the time they went in to supper that evening they were tired and ready for a good night's sleep. Hopsing had made a fine meal of roast beef, boiled potatoes, and several other bowls of vegetables he had grown. They made quick work of the meal and were sitting around the fire when a knock came on the front door. Adam got up to answer it, and in came Rand Thompson.

Mr. Thompson had a small spread a few miles from the Ponderosa, he and his wife had six small children. "Boy am I glad you are here," he said nearly out of breath. "My two youngest are sick, can't tell what it is, thought maybe your Chinaman could help us out the way he did for yours a while back?" Adam was not happy at the way he said "Chinaman", but he looked at Hopsing. "It is up to Hopsing." he said.

"I may be gone for a few days, it depends what I find, and condition of children." "There is enough food prepared for next coupla days, if Hoss is not too hungry." Hopsing got in the wagon with Mr. Thompson along with his sack of medicines and belongings he though he would need, by first light they were gone.

About 10 o'clock that morning the boys were all working hard when Tess came riding up. "Howdy guys, working hard?" she said as she dismounted and moved over to the corral gate Adam and Joe were working on. About that time Hoss came out of the barn. "What are you doing up and out so early, Tess," Hoss ask, grinning from ear to ear as he looked at her.

"Just came by to invite you to a party at my house Saturday night." she answered making it sound very official.

"Thought you mother was gone to see her sister again for the next two weeks?" Adam answered.

"She is, this is a party for just people our ages, you know like say 15 to 21, after all most of the older folks in the area appear to be away and it just seems like a great time for a party," she said, "after all no one said we couldn't did they?"

"No, they didn't," replied Hoss. Adam looked at the two grinning at each other, "by older folks, I think you mean parents, right?"

Tess just looked at Adam, "Well, what do you say, can you make it or not?" "NOT," replied Adam. "Aw, Adam, why not?" Hoss ask, "by Saturday night we should be finished with all the chores and be ready for Pa to come back on Sunday, what is wrong with a little fun?"

"Nothing is wrong with fun, but Pa told us to stay home for one thing and for another what do we do with Little Joe?" Adam responded. "Forgot about him didn't you?"

Joe had kept quite for all of the conversation up until now, "Hey, Adam, I could go over to the McNally's Saturday afternoon, they are always inviting me, and you and Hoss could pick me up after the party on the way home that night." "Problem solved!"

"That doesn't change the fact that we were told to stay home." Adam said again.

"Oh, Adam, don't be a stick in the mud, your Pa won't care if you come over to the ranch for a few hours one night, and by the way Molly, Sally Jean, Betsy Sue, and Rachel have all said they would be there.....and looking forward to seeing you." Tess teased.

"I don't know, you say they are all coming to this party?" Adam was begining to weaken a bit. Hoss jumped at the chance, "And big brother it has been a while since you got to dance up close and personal with some of those fine young ladies."

"OK, but we have to be in early, pick up Joe, and every chore must be done before we go, got that "little brother", with that he pushed Hoss' hat down on top of his head.

****

The dawn was long since past as Ben and Angus moved down the road getting closer to their destination. They had talked about their lives, ranches, wives, and now it was time to discuss their children. Angus started the subject with a bang, "Ben, what am I doing wrong with my boys?" Ben was so shocked by the sudden question he reined up and just looked at his friend with a blank stare.

"What are you asking, Angus?" he was not sure he had heard right and did not want to jump in the wrong way. Angus stated again, "What am I doing wrong?"

"You have such a way with your sons, they respect you, fear you, and love you all at the same time, how do you do it?" Angus ask.

"I never thought of it as doing anything special." Ben replied. "I took alot of pointers from my Pa, I guess, and just played it one day at a time." "If you love a child, you have to want what is best for that child, I give them what I think is best," Ben answered and started moving on down the trail.

"Well, I love my boys and my daughter, but I just don't get the same return from them as you do." Angus said. "Am I too hard on them?"

"With that Ben had to hold his breath to keep from laughing." "No, I can't see that as a problem, I can't tell you how to raise your children, but maybe you just need to watch them a little more and see what each day will bring." "Some days the only course you have is to love them, but some days a good tanning is the answer." "Fear is something I have never wanted to see in my sons directed at me, but fear of consequences of their actions is what I have tried to teach them."

"Maybe your right, can't hurt to try, now about that bet we had back on ship about you becoming a parent before you got a wife..........." the two rode on down the path.

****

Hoss was working like the devil himself was on his coattails. He wanted to finish everything so Adam would have no excuse to stop them from going to the party on Saturday night. "Slow down, Hoss, you keep up this pace and you will be to tuckered out to go to the party let alone dance with Tess," Adam told him. "It's ok, I just don't want to leave anything undone that's all," Hoss shot back.

Hoss didn't think Friday would ever end, but the day was finally over and everything was looking great. That night after supper Adam was checking off the list of chores that had done that day. "It looks like all we have left is the regular chores tomorrow, Pa wouldn't believe we could do all this in two days, to be honest I didn't think we could either." said Adam. Joe ask, "Does that mean I can go over to the McNally's by noon tomorrow, instead of waiting till evening?" "Sure can't see any reason why you can't," Adam answered, "you sure have earned the afternoon off." Joe was very proud of the work he had done, but more important was that Adam had noticed it too, and was treating him as an equal for a change. "We best get some sleep tonight though, we still have a ranch to run now that the special jobs are done." Adam said as he got up and moved toward the bunk room.

****

By noon on Saturday the stock was taken care of the chores were all done and the boys were in the kitchen eating lunch. Adam looked at Little Joe, "I think you should go take a nap before you go over to the McNally's this afternoon." "WHAT," Joe shouted, "I am not a baby any more." "No," Adam replied, "but we have been working very hard and I think you would enjoy your time over there better if you were a little rested before you go, that's all." "I plan to do a little resting before I get ready for tonight myself, and it won't hurt you a bit," he said to Joe. Adam had that "Pa" voice going and before he said too much or got himself in trouble with Adam he agreed. After all he had plans, too.

Finally about three that afternoon Adam let Hoss take Joe over to the McNally's. Joe wanted to insist that he could go alone, but once again he decided not to rock the boat with Adam and just do what he said. Mrs. McNally was a very nice lady and a very good cook, Joe was looking forward to the sweets she always had fixed up for the boys, and he was not disappointed when they got there and the first thing she did was offer them hot apple pie. The only surprise was that Hoss declined the offer and took off back home.

"I will look out for him, Hoss, don't worry, with Molly going to that quilting bee this evening, it will just be me and the three boys, if you decided to leave him here tonight, it will be fine, you can always pick him up in the morning before church." she offered as he rode off. "Thanks, but we will be by later tonight to fetch him home," Hoss answered, and with Little Joe taken care of he was off.

"That's right Adam, she said quilting bee, that is where she thinks Molly is going to be tonight." Hoss was telling Adam and they were polishing up their boots and dressing for the party. "I guess maybe the girls decided it was best not to tell their folks it was a party, don't sound right, but that is between them and their folks, I just hope everything goes ok tonight and we don't end up on the wrong side of Pa because we went tonight." Adam said with just a little apprehension in his voice. "Awe there you go again big brother, worrying over something that has not happened, and in all possibility won't." said Hoss.

This still did not relieve the little tickle in the back of Adam's neck that always seemed to be there just before he would end up standing in front of Pa explaining something that went wrong.

***

Little Joe could not figure out where the plan went wrong. The McNally boys and he had talked about it, planned it, no way anything could go wrong.

After he had eaten his pie, the three of them had gone out to the barn. There were three small calves in the stall at the back, just like they planned. All they had to do was build the fire, put the branding iron in the fire, and brand the calves. They had seen it done many times before, it was simple to do, and they could show their pa's they were big enough to help with the branding of the new stock when they got home with them. They had it all planned, what went wrong?

***

The ranch house was all lit up and the music could be heard long before you got there. Hoss and Adam in their best party duds and slicked up clean and fancy road into the yard at the back of the house where the buggys and other horses were tied. "Wow, the girls did a great job of decorating for this, they must have worked all day," said Hoss as he looked out over the yard. Lanterns and candles were everywhere, strung up on the edge of the house and on ropes from tree to tree. Some of the couples were already dancing, several were standing around the tables with food and drinks, and laughter could be heard from all sides.

"It's about time you two got here," Tess said as she made her way over to the Cartwright boys. Tess grabbed Hoss and headed for the dancing couples. Adam was not alone for more than a minute when Rachel came over and snatched him up for the first dance, too. Rachel was a beautiful young girl whose father did most of the blacksmith work in town. She had dark eyes, and raven colored hair that hung down her back to her waist. She was dressed in a dark purple dress that seemed to make her eyes shine. It was either the dress or the fact that she had Adam as her dance partner.

For the first half hour neither Hoss nor Adam got a chance to breath, girl after girl wanted to dance with them. Adam could not remember a time when so many of the local girls were at a dance. When Tess came by with Hoss from the last dance Adam got a chance to ask her how she managed to get so many people there. "Well, we kind of did a little "whopper telling," she told him, "we spread the word a quilting bee was going to be here tonight, and more parents approved than if we said it was going to be a party." "Of course, we did do some quilting this afternoon, just so it wasn't a complete story." she added. Adam looked at her, "You mean lie, don't you, not story?"

"There you go again, Adam," Hoss said, "trying to put a damper on the party. Grab yourself another partner and dance."

As much as Adam wanted to listen to that little feeling he was getting again, he just could not past up the fun. The punch bowl was a big attraction that evening, too. With all the dancing, laughing, and talking going on they were thirsty.

Tess went in to make more punch for the guests, the O'Grady's, three of the wilder boys in town, offered to help. They came out with two new bowls of punch, one for the girls, and one for the "men". They explained that they had brought some "mountain mist" a drink from the "old" country, Ireland and that it might be too strong for the ladies tender lips to drink. None of the boys could afford not to take a drink, after all it was for the "men".

The first drinks were not too bad, they burned a little as they went down, but not too bad a taste. Little did they know that the O'Gradys had brought more than one jug an as the night progressed so did the strength of the punch. Some of our fine young ladies managed to get a taste or two, also. Everyone was having a good time. The dancing got wilder and the music played on through the evening.

****

The fire was hot and the branding iron was in it, all they had to do was grab one of the calves and slap the brand on it. The older of the McNally boys went over and put a rope over the calf's head and started dragging the calf out of the barn to the fire. They managed to get the calf near where they wanted him. It took all three of them to get the calf over on its side, but that meant one of them would have to turn loose and get the iron. Little Joe was next to the fire, he turned loose and grabbed the iron. Just as he started to put the iron on the calf, up came the calf McNally's and all. He ran straight at Little Joe and the fire. The rope dangling from his neck caught fire as he ran through and headed out to the side of the barn. Suddenly the calf was inside the vegetable garden next to the house dragging that flaming rope as he went. The boys ran as fast as the could trying to corner the calf and get the rope off, but by the time they succeeded there was very little left of the garden that wasn't smashed, burned, or just torn out of the ground. How did everything go wrong so fast!

***

The effects of the punch was beginning to show, several small fights had started over who was going to dance with whom. Adam had broken up a couple himself, but he was finding it harder to walk straight. Hoss didn't seem to be feeling any different than he ever did, he was having a great time. No one was watching the time, and no one had noticed how late it was getting. Suddenly a body came flying off the porch, through the lattice work, and landed right in the middle of the dancing couples. Ed Corley and John Blackman had never been close friends and tonight they showed it. They started crashing through couples and swinging with all their might at each other. JD Rutherford went over to stop them, and in turn bumped into another young man, who took offense and the brawl was on. Suddenly a shotgun went off and everyone stopped to see where the shot came from. Tess was standing on the steps with her father's shotgun pointed in the air. "Stop this fighting now!" she yelled at them. "This is a party, not a saloon."

The shot worked, everyone settled down, some went back to dancing, others started getting ready to go home they had had enough party. It occurred to Adam that it was getting very late and they needed to pick up Little Joe and get home, too.

Adam started looking for his brother, he found him, hugging a tree near the edge of the yard. "What's wrong with you?" Adam ask, and the words did not sound like they came from his mouth to his own ears. "I don't feel so good, the earth keeps moving faster than I can walk, what do you think is wrong?" Hoss asked. "Little Brother," Adam answered, "I think you are drunk, and the worst part of it, I think I am, too."

Little Joe had been standing in the corner of the living room at Mrs. McNally's request for about an hour, her two boys were likewise standing in the other two corners. She had placed each boy in his own corner and gave them each the understanding they were not to move until further notice. Mrs. McNally had heard the noise coming from outside near her garden, walked out to the side of the house in time to see a very frightened calf bolt for the barn. There laying in what was once a growing, green garden, was her sons and their guest for the evening. She very calmly walked over to them picked up a small stalk that had been growing corn and started to swing it at any boy's bottom that got in front of her. Eventually she had run them into the house. Composing herself she send each to a corner of the room and went outside to see if anything could be salvaged in her garden.

Joe asked, "How long do you think she will keep us here?" The boys did not seem to be very worried, "Oh, just till she cools off." They might not be worried but he was, the rules about getting in trouble at school were twice as bad if you get in trouble as a guest in someone else's home. Maybe if he could just get home before Pa found out he could come up with a good reason for everything. It was getting late, where were his brothers anyway, don't they know it was time to be home.

***

Adam and Hoss were having problems of their own. Neither could get on their horse and when they did the world went around and they were back off again. Tess was no help, she brought them a glass of "punch". Adam finally got Hoss on the same horse he was on and trailing the other started home. "We will be back tomorrow to help you clean up," Adam told Tess as they started home. It was true the yard, porch, and house were going to need some work before Mrs. Greene got home to remove the proof of an unauthorized party was held in her absence.

***

Little Joe looked at Mrs. McNally, "I am very sorry this took place, I will help fix the garden first thing tomorrow." Mrs. McNally could see the real fear in Joe's face as he looked her in the eyes and made his promise. Her heart melted at that sweet face and those beautiful eyes. "OK, come and help and we will forget all about this for now." she had said. Joe pushed his luck just a little more, "I guess I better be going home, my brothers should be on their way by now I will meet them down by the road home."

It was dark and quite late, but the road was at the end of the path coming up to the house

if he promised to wait there for his brothers he could go. Off he went.

The problem was that Joe did stop at the road he started on toward the Ponderosa, or at least the way he thought the ranch should be. When the boys made it to the McNally ranch they were told he had already left. Not wanting to call attention to themselves and the state they were in they beat a hasty retreat to find Joe. "He is probably already home,"Hoss said as he eased off the back of Adam's horse and made his way over to his own. The world was still spinning, but he managed to get on his mount and they started home.

***

Every sound in the dark was louder than the one before. This had just not been Little Joe's day, the trouble with the calf, and now he was lost in the dark. He wasn't sure who would be madder at him, Pa or Adam. Then came the sound of a horse, maybe two, just off to the left, or was it in front? Do I hollar out, or keep quiet? Just as he could stand it no longer a hand dropped down on his shoulder. "Joseph, what the hell, I mean what the heck are you doing out here in the dark alone!" It was all Joe could do not to faint, he looked over his shoulder right into the eyes of his Pa.

"Boy am I glad to see you, I got turned around in the dark, I didn't know who you were, I didn't know if I should call out.........."Slow down son." Ben said to Joe.

They started on their way towards the ranch, "We can talk about this when we get home." and he knew this was going to be a good one.

Getting home was not quite what Ben had expected as he rode up either. The sight was more than he or Joe had expected. There was wild dogs running everywhere, chicken running and flapping their wings and the two older Cartwright boys trying to keep on their feet and chasing everything that was running. Ben pulled his rifle out and started to shoot at the dogs, but he was afraid he would hit one of his sons in the process. He finally settled for shooting off a couple of rounds in the air. About that time Hoss fell sideways into the chicken coop knocking down the wall and sending what was left of the chickens into a panic.

There stood Ben Cartwright, rifle in hand, looking at Hoss on the ground covered in chicken feathers, and Adam making every effort to stand holding on to the hitching rail by the front of the house. Little Joe had not got off his horse, fear or shock had kept him there waiting for whatever was going to happen next.

Ben slowly walked back to his horse, caught the reins and walked him into the barn. He never said a word.

****

As the sun came creeping up the next morning, Adam slowly opened up one eye, he quickly closed it back again. He could hear Hoss moaning in the bunk across from him, but he must be confused that was Joe's bed. A loud and booming voice announced that some people had better get a move on it was church time. Little Joe fell off the top bunk over Adam's head. "You heard Pa, better get a move on for he comes in here and sees ya."

Adam started to move his leg, but he could not get either one to move, he finally looked down to find his pants still on around his ankles. Somehow he had managed to get his shirt off down to one arm, and get across the bed, he still didn't remember going to bed.

Hoss was indeed in Little Joe's bunk. He had managed to get one boot off, but that was all he was still fully dressed. Adam managed to get into a sitting position, holding his head on as he eased up. "Hoss, if you are alive I think you better get up." Adam told his brother. First in a loud voice, that changed to a whisper before he ended the sentence.

Slowly kicking he removed the rest of his pants and boots, and took off his shirt. Hoss managed to sit up and was trying to put his boot back on. "What happened last night?" Hoss ask in the same whisper his brother had used. "I am not to sure, at least not after Pa showed up in the yard with all the dogs, chickens, and Little Joe." Adam answered.

Banging open the door Little Joe walked in with a handfull of bread filled with ham and eggs. "Want a bite," he offered Adam. That was all it took the smell of that food hit Adam like a brick, over to the window he went hanging out the other side. He could not remember the last time he was so sick. The problem was that no matter how hard he tried he could not get anything "up". The noises Adam was making was not helping Hoss in anyway that morning either. He managed to walk into the kitchen, but he didn't stop he headed straight for the outhouse.

Adam and Hoss both managed to get back into the room and start dressing for church. Pa had not acted like he was mad or anything, in fact he was acting like nothing out of the ordinary had took place, it was just a normal Sunday morning and everyone was getting ready to go to town for services.

Little Joe went in while the boys were getting ready. "Boy, what did you guys do last night?" he asked. "What do you mean, DO." Hoss replied. "Well when Pa and I came in you two were a sight, chasing the dogs, chickens, falling down, rolling on the ground, I though you were having fits or something."

"What did Pa do?" Adam asked not sure he wanted the answer. "He ran off the dogs, and by that time you two were kind of asleep, so he carried each of you and laid you in your bunks, of course he couldn't get Hoss up in his, so I had to take his bunk and he was in mine." "You did stir around a little, I think you were trying to get undressed, but that didn't last long." he added.

"Boys, get out here and let's go." yelled Pa.

The two stumbled out in the morning light to find Pa sitting on the wagon seat. They started to the barn to get their horses, "No, time for you to saddle up get in the back." Pa told them. Riding in the back of the wagon like they were kids again, no Pa hadn't said anything but his intentions were coming in loud and clear. Joe got up on the seat with Pa and the others, as quick as they could, got in the back of the wagon. Pa hit every rut in the road on the way to town, Adam was sure of it.

Church could not have been more painful. Pa had somehow got to the new Parson and his sermon was on the evils of drinking. Adam slowly looked around the town hall that they used for church services on Sunday, never had he seen so many young people in church that looked so green. Adam jumped as Pa's hand touched his leg to get his attention back on what the preacher was saying and stop looking around. Caught again acting like a kid, would this day never end.

Back in the wagon for the ride home.

Tess had not made it to church that morning, but they saw her on the road home. "Oh, hi Mr. Cartwright, didn't know you had made it home," she said as the wagon came to a stop near her. She looked at the boys in the back of the wagon, "Since your Pa is back, you probably want to stay home today, that's ok, we will make lunch another time, see ya." she said as she turned her horse and started back home. She wanted them to understand she did not expect them to be over to help with the clean-up and she was giving them an out. The boys were greatful she didn't say any more and Pa didn't ask any questions. All they wanted now was to get home, and go back to bed. This was Sunday the day of rest and by Monday they would be able to work again, they hoped.

As Pa pulled back into the yard, he got out of the wagon, "you boys get your good clothes off and grab a bite to eat, you can get started on the chicken coop and get this yard cleaned up soon as you are finished. I have to go over to McNally's for about an hour on business."

"But, Pa" Hoss started to say. Adam just looked at him and gave him the "don't make matters worse look." "You have something to say, son?" Pa asked. "Aaa, no sir." Hoss answered.

They changed clothes and sat at the kitchen table looking at the food in front of them. "What do you think he is going to do to us when he gets back?" Hoss asked.

"Kill us," Adam replied. "Oh, I thought that might be the case." Hoss said.

With that they got up and started toward the chicken coop. The smell of the chickens and the chicken stuff you don't talk about in the coop was more than they could stand. Several times during the job one or both of them took off to the back of the house and double up over their stomachs. It took more than two hours to get the wall back up and the fencing repaired on the one little chicken coop. Finally they were finished and the yard was back in some form they thought Pa would accept. As they moved over and sat down on the porch, it suddenly occurred to them that Little Joe had not been seen since they started this work.

As they sat there Little Joe came out of the house, he had two glasses of mint tea that he gave to each of them. "Hopsing says it is good for your stomach." "Thanks, little brother," they both said.

"What's up with you?" Hoss asked, "for once you were not in on this one, why so down?"

Joe looked up at his brothers and told them the whole story of the calf who did not want to be branded. "Well," Hoss said, "I guess it's a toss-up to see who Pa kills first this time."

Pa came riding back up to the house, the boys got to their feet as quickly as they could. "Well, the coop looks fine, and the yard." he said, and went into the house. The boys followed him in. Everyone turned in early that night as much to get away from Pa as to being tired.

"What do you think he is planning, Adam, he hasn't said a word." Hoss complained. "I don't know,. he is smiling way to much, it makes me nervous just to look at him." Adam answered. "If you think your nervous, what about me," whined Little Joe, "after all you two haven't been spanked in a long time, me on the other hand is another story."

The next morning at breakfast, Pa finally ask about Hopsing. Adam told him what had happened. "Well someone will need to ride up there and check on him if he isn't back by Wednesday." Pa said. "Today I want the two of you to go over and see if you can help Tess get their place put back together, and you need to get over and help Mrs. McNally with her garden." He then wiped his mouth, got up and went out toward the barn.

"Adam, who do you think that man is that is pretending to be our Pa," Little Joe asked.

Adam just shook his head, very easily though.

It was hard work getting the porch and everything back to normal at the Greenes, but they were finally done. "What did your Pa say?" Tess asked. "Nothing, just to get over here and help fix things." Hoss replied. "Recon' he'll tell Ma when she gets back about the party?" Tess seemed to be a bit worried. "You know he will, it is part of the parents' code of behavior." Adam answered, "well we better get home."

"Two days and he hasn't yelled once, Adam," Hoss repeated for the third time since they had started home. "I know, Hoss, he hasn't even dealted with Little Joe about the calf and the garden yet, either, maybe he won't," Adam said more wishing that believing it.

When they got home they found Little Joe in the bunk room, it was evident that Pa had finally got around to "dealing" with him. "I told you, but at least my spanking is over, you two still have to worry about what he is going to do to you." Joe said still wiping away tears.

That night after supper Pa asked Adam and Hoss to meet him in the barn. "Here it comes, Adam," Hoss said, finally.

As they walked in to the barn, Pa was sitting on a bale of hay near the tack area. Adam was standing in front of him, just like he knew a few days ago he would be, trying to think of what he was going to say. Hoss on the other hand looked very much like he was going to faint.

"I want you two to know how disappointed I am in the both of you." Pa started. "From the looks of things around here every chore I left for you is done, and done very well, but I also come home to find Little Joe riding around lost in the dark, no one home when the ranch house is attacked by the very dogs I warned you about, and my two oldest sons, falling down drunk." "I have talked to enough of the parents around town to get the story of what took place, and I might add that I also know that a lot of your friends are spending a lot of time standing these days." "Several young ladies won't be sitting down at a quilting bee for quite a while. So now I am faced with what to do with you two. Any suggestions?"

Hoss had long since stopped trying to look Pa in the eyes, Adam was still trying but it was getting harder. "Pa, it was my responsibility, I should have never let Little Joe go over to the McNally's just so Hoss and I could go to the party, and I know we were not to leave the ranch, so if you have to tan someone, I guess it should be me," Adam said.

Immediately Hoss jumped in, "No, it was my fault, I talked you in to it, you tried to tell me it was wrong, so I'll take whatever you think is fair, Pa, just get to it the waiting is killing me."

"I told Angus that he should watch his children and learn from them what they needed, either love or a good tanning, and to give them what he thought they needed. I think I have just learned that I can benefit from my own advise." said Pa. "Do you boy's know what the dry-heeves are?"

Adam and Hoss both knodded that they did now. "It is one important part of a hangover that you don't forget soon as I recall. To be honest with you two my first though was to haul your hides out here and tan you both like I hadn't done in a very long time." Both boys winced, no matter how long it had been, they both knew that feeling and it wasn't one they liked. "But, I got to thinking about how bad your bodies were going to punish you for what you did and I decided to let them do the work for me." "I also figured the time in the hot sun, the smell of the chicken coop, oh, and the rocking of the wagon ride, would be harder on you than any licking I could give you." "Next time you go to a party, you might want to find out what is in the punch before you drink to much of it. Alcohol has a way of getting even with you at any age."

That night as they lay in their bunks, they though about what Pa had said. "Adam, you know about the time you think you have Pa figured out, he does something you don't expect." said Hoss. "Yeah, I know what you mean, but he was right, I learned I would druther had a tanning than this hangover any day." replied Adam.

"Well, all I know is you two did it again," said Joe in a very angry tone.

"What is that all about little brother, " Hoss asked.

"You two get in trouble the same as I did, and I am the only one who ends up getting spanked!" Joe growled. Adam was about to answer when the door opened to the the bunk room, Pa walked just inside the doorway.

"The new stock should be arriving in the next few days that we just bought, they will be driving them down for us, thanks again for the hard work I know you all did getting things ready for them. Oh, and by the way just in case "the morning after" wasn't enough punishment for you, I think you better plan on staying at home for about the next month." with that Pa walked back out of the room and closed the door.

Little Joe started to giggle, first very quitely and then he got out of control. Adam picked up his pillow and hit him in the head. Between bursts of laughter, Joe finally got out, "Well at least I can leave the ranch for the big party at the McNally's next week........

THE END?