The Boys’ Cattle-buying Trip

By Tennessee

Ben knew the boys needed to get away for a few days. He sent them on a cattle-buying trip. As they rode, they talked and had a great time together. They made camp for the night and cooked a light supper then went to sleep. It started to rain hard that night and they got under a tree to keep from getting too wet.

It rained all night, and they did not get much sleep. Little Joe did not feel well but didn’t say anything. They rode all day and Little Joe kept his coat on all day even though it was hot outside.

Hoss said to his little brother, "I’m hot and you still have your coat on."

"I’m cold," Little Joe replied.

That night they made camp again and prepared supper. Little Joe did not eat anything. He was real cold. He went to bed and that night he started coughing. Adam woke up and felt Joe’s forehead. He called to Hoss. "Hoss, come here. Little Joe has a high fever."

Hoss put his hand on Little Joe’s head and then looked at Adam.

Adam said, "We need to get his fever down. Can you get me cool water?"

Hoss went to get the water. Adam dipped a rag in the water and put it on Little Joe’s head. Little Joe shivered and Hoss covered him with a blanket, but Adam took it off. "No covers, Hoss. They hold the heat in and his fever will not go down."

Little Joe woke up. "My head hurts," he said.

Adam told him, "You have a high fever."

"I want some water."

"Hoss, get Joe some cool water and help him drink."

Hoss said, "Hop Sing showed be this tree that you can boil the bark and make something that will make Joe not hurt so much. Maybe at daylight I can find one of those trees."

Adam and Hoss stayed at Joe’s side the rest of the night. In the morning Hoss searched for a tree with bark he could use. He found one and made a tea for Little Joe to drink. Joe made a face when he took his first sip and Adam smiled and told him to drink a little more and then get some rest.

Adam took Hoss aside. "Hoss, you need to go on and buy the cattle Pa wants before they sell them to someone else. I’ll stay here with Little Joe. Come back after you get the cattle, ok?"

"Should I get some more of that bark before I go?"

Adam nodded and Hoss got all Adam needed then was off to buy the cattle. Adam kept putting cool rags on Little Joe’s head.

Hoss made it to town as the sun was setting. He made camp a little outside of town and went to sleep thinking about the cattle he’d buy at the sale the next day.

That night Adam slept next to Little Joe. He woke up several times to check on his brother during the night.

Hoss got up when it was still dark. He was the first one in line to choose the cattle he wanted. He paid for the cattle he chose and told the man Mrs. Green’s hired hands would be moving them with the cattle they’d bought for Margaret Green. Hoss went to the store and bought some tea Hop Sing sometimes gave him when he was sick. Then he rode quickly back to the camp where Adam and Little Joe were. He saw Adam fixing food over the campfire as he rode up. "I got the cattle. How is Little Joe?"

"His fever is going down."

"I got some herb tea." He boiled water and had Little Joe drink the tea. He and Adam kept cool rags on Joe’s head all day and later Joe was able to eat some of the food Adam had cooked.

That night Little Joe’s fever was down, and he felt better. The next day he was well enough to ride home, and the boys rode all day. Little Joe slept well that night. He was still weak, but Adam and Hoss noticed he looked a lot better.

The next day they made it back to the Ponderosa just before it got dark. Ben was at the table when the boys came in. He saw that Little Joe didn’t look like his usual self. "Are you ok, Little Joe?"

"I have a cold, Pa. Adam and Hoss took care of me and got my fever down."

"How?"

Hoss answered, "Hop Sing showed me a tree you boil the bark of. That’s what I did."

Ben smiled. He felt Joe’s forehead. "Are you feeling better now, son?"

"Yeah, just weak, Pa."

"I want you to go to bed then."

Joe nodded. He was in bed when Adam and Hoss came in. "We’re going to bed early too, Joe," they said. "We think we might have caught your cold."

They all stayed in bed for three days. On the fourth day they were all feeling better. Ben had a cold after them and so did Hop sing. The boys took care of them and they both got better within a few days too.

The boys and Ben waited for the cattle to arrive. They were watching as the hands drove the cattle onto the Ponderosa. They smiled.

Ben thought how lucky they were to have the Ponderosa and each other.

The End