The Schoolyard Fight

By Tennessee

Little Joe was playing in the schoolyard. The new boy, Bobby Lightwood, was big for his age, and he was mean to Little Joe. Joe didn't like him at all, and Bobby didn't like Joe either.

One day at lunch Bobby took another little boy's lunch pail. The boy was only seven years old, while Bobby was Little Joe's age. The young boy started to cry and Bobby called him a crybaby. As Little Joe watched Bobby knocked the little boy down.

Little Joe was so mad his face turned red. He walked over to where they were and saw that the little boy was crying. "What is your name?" Little Joe asked him.

"My name is Bill."

"You all right?"

"Yeah, I guess. He took my lunch." He pointed at Bobby.

"You stay out of this, Cartwright," Bobby said. He gave Joe a shove.

Little Joe pushed back and it made Bobby mad. "I’m bigger'n you, Joe Cartwright."

"So? We're the same age."

Bobby hit Little Joe again and Joe fell to the ground. The bigger kids were still in the classroom working when they heard a chant, "Fight! Fight!" All the big kids went to the window to look out but the teacher told them to get back to their seats. A boy named Chris was still looking out the window. "One of the kids is beating up that Cartwright kid," he said.

Hoss jumped up and ran down the steps as fast as he could run, so fast that he hit his head on the door. Bobby was still hitting Little Joe when Hoss got outside. Tess was right behind him. Hoss got Bobby by the shirt and said, "That's enough, kid." Bobby ran away.

Hoss kneeled on the ground where Little Joe was. "Joe? Joe?"

Tess had tears running down her face. Hoss said, "Tess, go to the store. Adam's working there. Tell him to get a wagon."

Tess ran as fast as she could to the store. Ruth was talking to a lady and Tess ran in calling for Adam.

"He's in the office," Ruth said.

Tess ran to the office door. "Adam, Hoss told me to come get you. Little Joe was in a fight. He's hurt bad. Hoss said we need a wagon."

Adam ran out of the office. "Ruth, we need some blankets and some cloth."

"Why?" Ruth asked.

"Little Joe's been hurt in a fight."

Ruth ran to get the things Adam needed. Adam told Tess to tell Big Dan to fill a wagon bed with hay. "And then come to the school. Then go tell Pa and Hop Sing what happened. Tell them to be ready. We'll get Joe home."

Back at the school, Hoss yelled, "Get some rags and water!"

Miss Springwood, Little Joe's teacher, got the rags and water. "What happened?" she asked. "Did anyone see this?"

"I did," said Bill. "That new kid, Bobby, he took my lunch and pushed me down. Little Joe told him to pick on someone his own size and Bobby started hitting and kicking Little Joe."

Miss Springwood asked, "Where is Bobby?"

"He ran off after Hoss came."

Hoss wiped the blood off Little Joe's mouth.

Adam waited until Ruth got the stuff he needed then took off for the school.

Tess ran to tell Big Dan what Adam had said.

Big Dan got the wagon and filled it with hay while Tess got on her horse and rode fast to the Ponderosa.

"Mr. Cartwright!" she yelled when she rode into the yard. "Little Joe's been hurt. He was in a fight."

Ben looked at her. "Where?"

"At school. Hoss is with him, and Adam said they're going to bring him home in a wagon.

"Hop Sing!" Ben yelled.

"I already heard, Mr. Cartwright," Hop Sing said from the porch. "I will get Little Joe's bed ready. And Tess, you boil some water."

"Ok," Tess said.

Ben watched the road for Little Joe, Hoss, and Adam.

Adam ran to the schoolyard. When he saw Little Joe, tears came to his eyes. Joe was hurt very badly.

Hoss said, "We need to get him to Hop Sing, Adam."

"I know. Big Dan is bringing a wagon."

Little Joe moaned and both brothers said, "Don't move, Joe. We're going to take care of you."

"What hap-happened?"

Hoss said, "You were in a fight, little brother."

Big Dan came up with the wagon. Shelby was riding in it. Adam, Hoss, and Big Dan picked up Joe carefully and laid him in the bed of hay.

"Take him home, Big Dan. We'll follow in just a minute." Adam looked at Mrs. Springwood. "Who did this to our little brother?"

Hoss answered, "Someone said his name is Bobby."

"Bobby what?"

Mrs. Springwood said, "Bobby Lightwood. His family is new in town."

"Where do they live?"

"About ten minutes out of town to the south."

Adam said, "Hoss, get your horse and Joe's horse and meet me at the store."

Adam went back to the store to thank Ruth for her help. She turned to ask about Little Joe.

"Some kid named Bobby Lightwood beat him up pretty bad, and all Little Joe was doing was trying to help a kid Bobby was picking on."

A lady in the store looked sad. She said, "My name is Mrs. Lightwood. Bobby is my son."

Adam stared at her. He couldn't think of anything to say so he nodded and went to his horse. He and Hoss rode for home.

Big Dan took Little Joe into the house and to his bedroom. Hop Sing and Tess were in the bedroom. Little Joe had a black eye, his mouth was cut, and his legs were beginning to bruise from where Bobby had kicked him. His nose was bleeding, and his ribs were sore, but Hop Sing said they were not broken.

Ben gently spoke his son's name. "Little Joe."

Joe opened his eyes. Hop Sing gave him some tea to drink and then rubbed cream over Joe's ribs, legs, and arms. "Could you eat some soup?" he asked the boy.

Joe nodded. After eating a few sips of soup, he fell into a deep sleep.

Ben went to talk to Hop Sing, who said Joe would heal just fine but that it would take some time. Ben then went out to thank Big Dan and Shelby for their help. The three were talking when Adam and Hoss rode up.

"How's Joe?" Adam asked.

"He'll be fine, son."

Hoss said, "The kid that beat up Little Joe is named Bobby Lightwood. He's a new kid in school. Guess he was picking on a little kid and Joe took up for the kid."

Shelby pointed to the road. "Someone's comin'," she said.

A man stopped in front of the house. "My name is Mr. Lightwood," he said. "I'm Bobby's pa. My wife told me what happened. I'm sorry."

Ben said, "Your son hurt my son badly. Joseph is in bed. Where's your boy?"

"Packing. We're moving on to the next town. My son can't seem to get along with other kids, Mr. Cartwright. We'll be gone by morning." With that, he rode off quickly.

Ben shook his head sadly. Tess went home, and Shelby and Big Dan went back to town.

Ben, Adam, Hoss, and Hop Sing stayed up with Little Joe all night. When Joe woke up, he was sore but doing better. It took four weeks before he was well enough to go to school again. When he returned to the schoolroom, Bill was glad to see him. He hugged Joe and thanked him for standing up for him.

Joe told Ben about it when he got home that afternoon, and Ben smiled and said, "That is very good, son. Now get to your chores. Your brothers have been covering for you for a long time."

Joe ran to the barn. As Ben watched him, he thought of the day Little Joe was born. He was so tiny then, but now his youngest son was well on his way to becoming a man. Ben smiled and thought of Marie. Ben was still watching Little Joe when Adam and Hoss went into the barn to start their evening chores. Ben then went to the barn to help the boys.

That night Ben went to bed thinking about his three sons. He went to sleep with a smile on his face. The boys were sound asleep too.

The End