Wanted

By Tennessee

Ben was riding to town when he heard a shot and then the pain came. Ben knew he'd been shot in the side and when he looked down he saw blood on his shirt. He was bleeding a lot. He almost feel off his horse, but he managed to hold on for dear life. He could not see where he was going he was in so much pain.

He didn't know who had shot him or why, but he was in an open space so he urged his horse to run so he could get away. Ben heard another shot, and then he hit the ground hard. When he woke up he was tied up and he tried to work himself loose.

Adam knew his Pa should have been back from town. Hoss and Little Joe were getting on their horses when someone yelled, "Hoss, wait up!"

It was Ruth. She said, "I made a pie for your pa."

Hoss took the pie and said thank you to Ruth and they got on their horses and rode off. About half way to the Ponderosa they stopped their horses by the lake, and while they were talking they heard a shot. Hoss pushed Little Joe to the ground and told him to stay still. They heard two more shots.

Adam had waited a long time for his pa, and he had a feeling something was not right. Adam got his horse and he was riding to town when he heard a shot. He got his horse to run and when he got close to the lake he saw his brothers on the ground. Another shot ran out. Adam heard Hoss say, "Get down."

Adam jumped off his horse and crawled to his brothers. When he got there he made sure they were okay.

Hoss asked, "Who is shooting at us?"

Adam said, "I can't see who it is."

Little Joe was crying. Adam told him, "Little brother, everything will be all right. We will take care of you." Adam turned to Hoss. "I have an idea. Let's get to the lake. Stay low to the ground. Keep your head down and move fast. Jump into the water and swim to the other side."

Hoss and Little Joe nodded. Adam said, "Little Joe, you stay between Hoss and me. No matter what happens keep going."

They moved real fast and they heard another shot but they kept going. Hoss was the first one in the water. Little Joe was next and then Adam. Adam was hit but he kept going. Adam yelled to swim under the water, and they all went down. Adam had his eyes open under the water and he saw two men come in the water with guns.

Hoss was the first one on the other side of the lake. He got next to a rock and got down. Little Joe came up next and got Hoss's arm and smiled. Hoss said, "Stay down."

Little Joe asked, "Where is Adam?"

Adam was slow because he was hit in the shoulder. Little Joe and Hoss kept looking at the water and waiting. When Adam surfaced, they saw blood running down his arm.

Adam got to the rock and he said, "There are two of them. Remember that wanted poster in town? I think they are the ones on the poster."

Hoss's eyes got big and he asked, "What do we do?"

"We stay put until we know they're gone."

Hoss said, "But what about the other man on the poster? Where is he?"

Adam said, "I only saw two men."

"Adam, where are you hit?" Hoss asked.

"My shoulder."

"I don't see the bullet, Adam. I'll have to wash the wound and then see if I can see it."

Ben was still on the ground but he was trying to get the ropes off when someone said, "It's no use; we got you tied up good."

Ben said, "Who are you?"

The man laughed and walked away but another man came to Ben. He said, "Let me see your wound." He had a knife and he cut Ben's shirt off. He got some water and then he found the bullet. He got a stick and told Ben to bite down hard. Ben did, and he closed his eyes but a few tears managed to slip out. Ben let out a yell and something hit him on the head.

When he woke up his side had a clean rag around it and his head hurt. He saw the man who had taken the bullet out. He said, "I bet you need a drink."

Ben shook his head.

"Yes," the man said, "I got the bullet. You will be fine."

Then Ben saw two more men eating. He asked their names. The man said, "My brothers told me not to tell you my name."

Ben said, "Go tell one of your brothers to come here."

Meanwhile, Adam and his brothers were still behind the rock. Finally Hoss said, "I think they're gone. It is too dark to see anything."

Adam said, "We will go slow and no talking. We don't know where they might be."

They got up and started walking slowly. Adam's shoulder was hurting badly. They walked and walked. It took them a long time to get close to the Ponderosa. Adam stopped and sat on the ground. He said, "I need to rest. It's okay if you two talk now."

Hoss said, "Why would they shoot at us?"

Adam said, "I don't know." He got to his feet. "Let's get moving."

Hoss helped Adam walk. When they could see the house Little Joe started running and calling for Hop Sing. "Hop Sing! Adam is shot!"

Hop Sing ran out of the house.

"He got shot in the shoulder, Hop Sing."

"Where are Hoss and Adam? What happened?"

Hoss and Adam walked up. "It's a long story," Hoss said. "Let's get ol' Adam in the house first."

Ben saw the man get one of his brothers. They came toward Ben. Ben said, "I don't know you and you don't know me."

"That's right," the man said.

"So just let me go."

"We can't do that."

"Yes you can. I know where you can get some fresh horses and some food."

"Talk."

"You'd have to let me go."

The others got Adam into the house and Hop Sing took the wrap off his shoulder. Hoss said, "I can't see the bullet."

Hop Sing said, "Let me try to find it." And then he said, "I can see it. We need to get it out."

Hoss said, "Where's Pa?"

"Mr. Cartwright not here," Hop Sing answered.

"Where could Pa be?"

Adam said, "Pa must be in trouble."

Hop Sing said, "Hoss, you boil some water and clean a knife. Little Joe, you get some rags."

"Okay," they both said and ran to do the work.

Hop Sing told Adam, "I need to clean the wound and this will hurt."

Adam closed his eyes. Hoss came in with the water and knife. Little Joe came in with the rags but Hoss told him to go to the bunkroom. "Don't come out until I tell you."

Hop Sing gave Adam something to bite down on. Hoss had to hold him down. Hop Sing went after the bullet and he had to cut Adam's arm a little. Adam yelled. Hop Sing got the bullet and told Hoss he could let Adam go. Adam had tears in his eyes. Hop Sing cleaned the wound and put on it a powder that would help it heal and wrapped up Adam's shoulder. He then got Adam some tea for the pain and told Hoss to help Adam to bed.

Adam said, "I'm okay. I can sit up at the table."

"No, you need to rest."

Hoss helped Adam to bed. When he opened the bunkroom door, Little Joe came running to them. "Are you okay, Adam?"

"I will be just fine."

Hoss put Adam to bed and told him to get some sleep. Little Joe and Hoss then went out into the kitchen. "How long you reckon Pa's been in town?" Hoss asked.

Hop Sing answered, "A long time."

Hoss said, "I'm going to ride around and see if I can meet up with him."

Hop Sing said, "Too dark. Wait till morning."

Hoss said, "Pa might be in trouble."

"Mr. Cartwright would want you to stay put. Wait until morning."

Hoss sighed. "Okay." He said good night to Hop Sing and went to bed. When he got into the bedroom, Adam and Little Joe were sound asleep. Hoss got on his bed but couldn't sleep. He just knew his pa was in trouble.

Hop Sing stayed up for a few minutes and then went to bed. Hoss could still not sleep.

At the camp two men talked by the fire and the other brother was cooking some food. It took the man a long time to come back. When he did he said, "This is how it will be. You will write a note and one of us will take it to your house. Who will be at your house?"

"My three boys and our cook."

"Good. In the note we will tell them what we need, and if they bring it we will let you go."

Ben looked at him and said, "Please just let me go get what you need."

The man said, "No way."

"Fine." Ben sighed. "Just please do not hurt my sons or our cook."

"We won't as long as they do what we say."

"Now, I'm going to untie your arms but not your feet. You will write what I tell you to write, is that clear?"

"Yes, but it is too dark over here to write."

"The moon is clear. You can see well enough. Here's the paper and pencil."

Ben took them and started to write.

"We have your father. If you don't do what we say, you will never see him again. We want $200 in cash, four horses, clothes, boots, pots and pans, cups, coffee, hats, and all the food a horse can carry. Bring it to the woods by the lake. Tie the four horses to a tree and leave all this with the horses. Put the money in a saddle bag. Signed Three Wanted Men."

The man asked, "Where do you live?"

Ben told him and said, "If you hurt any of them, I will come after you."

The man retied Ben's arms and went to get the food. They had just a little food and did not give Ben any. Ben fell asleep and at daybreak he heard one of the men say he should be there soon with the note.

Hoss was up all night. At daybreak he heard someone outside. He got out of bed and ran to the front door, opening it and peering outside. No one was there but he saw a note stuck on the outside of the door. He took it down and saw someone running away. Hoss yelled, "Stop!"

Adam and Little Joe both jumped up. Adam's shoulder was real sore, but they both ran to the door. They found it standing open. Hoss had run after the man. But he was unable to catch him.

Hoss had the letter in his hand when he came back in the door. Adam and Little Joe asked, "What is that?"

"I found this on the door. There was a man running away from here." Hoss opened the letter. His eyes got big. He read it to his brothers.

Little Joe said, "It says Three Wanted Men. Could it be the brothers from that wanted poster in town?"

They had all seen the poster. There were three brothers wanted for robbing banks and shooting one person, stealing horses, and starting a big fire on a large ranch in California. The three men were wanted dead or alive. There was a reward of $500."

Adam said, "We've got to work fast. Hoss, you know where Pa keeps the money. Go count out $200."

Little Joe woke Hop Sing and helped him get the other things the men had asked for. Adam said he'd get four horses ready.

"But your shoulder . . ." Hoss started.

"Never mind that," said Adam.

Adam found Pa's horse in the barn. It had come home on its own. There was blood on the saddle. Adam put Ben's horse up and put the saddle under some hay. Hoss came into the barn and gave Adam the money.

When the man got back to camp he said, "I did it."

"Did anyone see you?"

"Just a boy. He ran after me but he could not catch me."

"Good. Now go to the place where we told them to bring the loot. Make sure they are gone before you grab the stuff."

Little Joe and Hop Sing came running out of the house carrying the items the men had asked for. Hoss went inside to get the rest of the food. Adam said, "I will take this stuff to them."

"But Adam - "

"I mean it, Hoss. This might be a trap. I need you to stay with Little Joe."

"But I'm bigger than you - "

"You'll stay here. Pa would want it that way."

Hoss said, "I guess I'll start the chores."

"Me too," said Little Joe.

Hop Sing went back into the house. Hoss and Little Joe went to the barn. Little Joe said, "We need to find our horses, Hoss."

"Not now. We better stay on the ranch until Pa makes it home and Adam is back."

They noticed Pa's horse in its stall. Little Joe said, "Hey, how'd Pa's horse get here?"

Hoss said, "I don't know, but we gotta finish our work." He moved some dirty hay and found Pa's saddle. It had blood on it. Little Joe noticed it to and began to cry.

Adam took the four horses and all they wanted to where the man was waiting in the woods. Adam tied the horses and walked away, but he was still watching when the man ran to the horses and opened the saddlebags.

When the man got back to camp he said, "It's all here."

The other two said, "Let's ride."

Adam had followed behind the man. When he got close enough to see the camp he got behind some tall weeds, out of sight.

Ben asked the men, "Are you going to untie me? My family did all you asked."

One man said, "No way." The other put something in Ben's mouth. They got on the horses and took off.

Adam waited until he knew they were gone. He ran to Ben. "Pa! Are you okay?"

Adam untied Ben's hands and legs. Ben asked, "What happened to you, son?"

"Two of the guys shot at me. Guess they wanted to capture us too."

"Us?"

"Hoss, Little Joe, and I."

"Are your brothers okay?"

"Yes, Pa. They're fine."

Adam took off his shirt and put it over Ben's wound. He helped Ben up and they walked real slow toward home.

Little Joe and Hoss were feeding the horses and cattle when they saw Adam and Ben coming. They ran to them. "Pa! Pa!"

Ben said, "I'll be fine, boys."

"But they shot you," said Little Joe.

"One man got the bullet out. I'll be okay after Hop Sing looks after me."

Hop Sing did take care of Ben's injury. He also cleaned Adam's shoulder again and gave it a new dressing. "You two must rest now," he said.

Little Joe asked Ben, "What were the men's names, Pa?"

"I don't know."

Hoss replied, "It says on the wanted poster in town, but I can't remember."

Adam said, "I think it calls them the Ward boys."

"Oh yeah. I think that's right," Hoss said.

Ben and Adam went to bed and slept all day. Hoss and Little Joe were able to find their horses.

It took Ben and Adam two weeks to heal from their wounds enough to get around normally. They didn't tell the townspeople what had happened, but one day Big Dan came by and told them about a lawman who had shot three wanted men, and the men had been riding horses with the Ponderosa brand.

Big Dan asked Ben and Adam what had happened.

"It's a long story," Ben said. "I don’t want to relive it."

Big Dan gave Ben a look and went back to town.

That night at supper Ben told Hoss, Little Joe, and Hop Sing that the men who had held him captive had been shot and killed.

"Why did those men run, Pa? Their names and images were on all those posters, so they were gonna get caught sometime."

"They did not want to go to jail, son."

"Oh." Little Joe nodded. "But they still shouldn'ta run."

Ben smiled. "You're right. Now let's talk about something else."

"I think we're gonna get a new foal in about two weeks," Hoss said. They eagerly started talking about the ranch.

They all slept better that night knowing they were safe from the three wanted men.

The End