Winter Fun

by Gail

“Where are they!” Hoss Cartwright yelled into the air.

Adam sat up in his bed, narrowly missing the bunk above. “Where’s what, brother?”

“Dagnabbit, Adam, my boots are missing.” Hoss looked up at his older brother with a frown on his face.

Adam chuckled. “Just how, prey tell, did you lose your boots?”

“Dang it Adam, I didn’t lose them. They lost themselves. I left them right here beside my bed.”

Adam threw his legs over the side of his bed. He reached down to grab his boots; however, in the place where his shoes once sat, there was nothing but air.

Adam started to scowl. “Hey, someone took my boots!” Adam jumped out of his bed and scurried to put on his pants.

Hoss then looked at Adam; Adam looked at Hoss. “JOSEPH!!” They yelled together.

Like bullets being shot out of a new revolver, Adam and Hoss hurled into the main room. They scanned the area for their youngest brother.

Pa walked out of his bedroom, a puzzled look on his face. “What’s going on? What’s all this noise about?”

Both Adam and Hoss started speaking at once. Ben closed his eyes for a brief moment and decided that it was too early in the morning for such nonsense. He raised his right hand in an effort to silence his two oldest sons.

“One at a time, please.” Ben spoke in almost a whisper.

“Pa, someone done stole our boots.” Hoss pointed a finger at himself then back at Adam.

Adam suddenly jumped into the conversation. “Yeah, Pa, someone took them all right. And if we are correct, it was Joe and one of his dam. . .darn jokes.”

“I see. Do you know where your brother may be?” Ben started walking to the stove in which the coffee pot sat.

“No, sir. We have no idea,” Adam said, as he went and peeked under the kitchen table.

Hoss walked to the front door and opened it. A blast of cold air entered the warm room.

“Dang, Pa, it must’ve snowed a foot last night,” Hoss said, as the flakes of snow slowly fell onto the wooden floor leaving small wet dots.

“Hoss, close the door, son.” Ben ordered.

Just as Hoss was shutting the front door he spotted something sticking out of the snow beside the front porch. Quick as lightning, Hoss stepped out on the porch into the winter wind. He grabbed the object in the snow and pulled it up. Lo and behold, it was one of his boots. He quickly fished around the snow for the other one.

Instead of finding his, he found one of Adam’s. He continued his search till he found all four missing pieces of footwear. Hoss stepped back inside, shivering from the wicked winds. Not only that, he didn’t have any shoes on, so his toes felt frozen.

“Hoss, what on earth were you doing out there?” Adam walked to his brother in the doorway.

Hoss didn’t speak. He simply held up the two pairs of boots. Each pair was filled to the top with the new fallen snow.

“Hoss, go get by the fire. I’ll take care of the shoes.” Adam took the boots from his brother and preceded to dump the snow out of each one into a black pot. He then took a rag and dried the outsides off. Carefully he set the objects by the warmth of the fireplace so that the insides would dry throughly.

“Pa, when I get my hands on that little brother of mine. Well, I’m. . .I’m. . . I’ll think of something.” Adam put the towel in the laundry pile.

Pa sipped slowly on his warm drink. “Adam, no harm was done. I’m sure it was meant as a joke.”

Before Adam could respond to his father’s remark, the front door flew open, revealing a small abominable snowman.

Joseph Cartwright stepped inside. His cheeks were red as roses and snowed lay on his thick eyelashes. He grinned as he started to undress himself. Once the chore was done, he smiled broadly at his family.

“Mornin’,” Joe said, as he moved closer to the fireplace.

Ben, Adam, and Hoss glared at the boy as he sat down on the small fur rug in front of the fire.

Joe could feel the eyes upon him. “What?” The twelve year old boy spoke in a puzzled tone.

“You know what, Joseph Cartwright,” Adam said, as he studied the youngest of the Cartwright family.

Ben cleared his throat. “Joseph, did you perhaps have anything to do with the disappearance of two pair of boots?”

Joe raised his eyebrows. “Oh that.”

Hoss jumped to his feet. “Little brother, I’m gonna pound you into a pulp.”

“It was just a joke.” Joe started defending himself, the smile now gone from his young face.

Ben stood from his seat he then hurried to grab his middle son’s arm. “Erik, there will be no pounding. If anyone is going to get pounded, I will do the job. Understood?”

Hoss sighed. “Yes, sir.”

Joe’s smile started creeping back onto his freckled face. “I love the first snow. Don’t you?”

Hoss and Adam both mumbled under their breath. Ben grinned and moved back over to the table so he could be closer to his cup of much needed coffee.

“Boys, we need to get started. With all this snow, we will have extra chores to do.” Ben sat down the now empty cup and rose from the table.

“Oh, I just love winter,” Adam stated sarcastically.

“Me too.” Hoss’ tone was not any nicer.

Joe got up from his warm spot so he could once again ready himself for the winter bliss. Adam and Hoss moved to the bunk room to dress in their warmest clothing.

“Ya know, Adam, we have to get him back. We cain’t let him get away with what he did to us,” Hoss said, as he pulled on a second pair of woolen socks.

Adam’s eyes danced with mischief. “I think I have just the thing, brother.” Adam then leaned close to Hoss and revealed his winter plan payback.

That night when everyone was asleep, Adam and Hoss quietly slipped out of their warm beds. They moved to the chest of drawers and pulled open the drawer that held Little Joe’s clothing. Hoss then retrieved the pants and shirt that hung behind the bunk room door on the peg.

They then tiptoed to the main room and placed the articles of clothing on the table. They carefully slipped on their boots and coats so as not to disturb anyone in the house. Once again they gathered up the bundle of clothes and without a sound slipped outside the front door.

The winter’s night air was cold and frosty. The snow whirled around their heads as they slowly made their way to the well.

“Dagburnit, Adam, we are going to freeze before we get this done,” Hoss said, as he dropped yet another pair Joe’s pants.

Adam walked on until he reached the well. “We won’t if you hurry up.”

Hoss bent and pick up the dropped items and headed to stand by Adam. They then brought the bucket up from the bottom of the well. They carefully placed Joe’s clothes inside the bucket and lowered it back down. When they felt the clothing was wet enough they pulled them back up.

They then repeated the process until all of Joe’s clothes were soaking wet. Once this step was done, they laid the clothing on top on the new fallen snow beside the porch. They then went inside the house.

Once back in their warm beds, they both had a hard time not chuckling. After what seemed like an eternity they both went to sleep.

“Boys,” Ben called through the closed bunk room door, “it’s time to get up.”

Adam slowly opened an eye as he rolled over and moaned. Hoss pulled his covers over his head.

Joe hopped out and bed and headed to the dresser to get some clean clothes. As he pulled open the drawer a scowl came across his face.

“All right! Where are they?” Joe spoke in a loud voice.

Adam raised up on his elbow. “Where’s what, little brother?”

Joe’s voice grew even louder. “You know what, Adam! Where are they!”

Just then the bunk room door opened. Ben popped his head inside the room. “What’s all the yelling about?”

“Pa, they. . .” Joe pointed to his brothers, “they done stole all my clothes.”

Ben turned his head to look at Adam and Hoss. Hoss was now sitting with his legs thrown over the side of his bunk, a devilish grin on his face.

“All right, boys, the joke is over. Get Joseph’s clothes so he can get dressed. There are chores to do and no more pranks. Understood?” Ben stood waiting for his two eldest to retrieve their brother’s clothing from whatever spot they were hidden within the house.

Adam glanced at Hoss. Hoss glanced at pa and started to speak. “Ummmm. . .Pa, they ain’t in the house–if that’s what you are thinkin’.”

Ben ran a hand down his face. “Then where are they?”

Adam sat up and pointed to the window facing the front the house. Ben turned his body to see what his son was pointing at. He then walked to the window, a puzzled look on his face. When he looked outside he saw his youngest son’s clothes strewn all over the front yard.

Temper rising Ben started shaking his finger at his two eldest. “Get dressed and go get your brother’s clothes. Do you understand me?”

Hoss jumped down off the bunk and pulled on his pants. “Yes, sir.”

“Sure, Pa,” Adam, said as he did the same. “It was just a joke, sir.”

The two young men went and put on their coats and headed outside. Within a few minutes they returned carrying Joe’s clothes that were frozen stiff.

As Adam handed a pair of his brother’s pants to him he said, “It got a little colder than we were expecting.”

Ben snatched one of the shirts from Hoss. “What on earth did you two do to these?”

Hoss cleared his throat. “Dipped them in the well.”

“Dipped them in the well?” The shirt Ben held was starting to become limp as is started to melt.

“Pa. . .what am I suppose to wear?” Joe tugged on his father arm.

Ben glanced down at his youngest. “Nothing.”

“Nothin’?” Joe’s eyes became wide.

“Well, Joseph, its seems to me since you don’t have any clothing to put on you can stay in the house by the fire. Your brothers will take care of your chores.” Ben raised his eyebrows at his two sons.

Adam’s mouth fell open. “Pa. . .that–it’s not fair. Why is it he gets out of doing his share of chores?”

“Because, son, he can’t go outside in this winter weather in nothing but his longjohns. You two get dressed,. You have a lot of chores today.” Ben turned from the room leaving two angry and one smug son behind.

Ben was sitting on the settee when Adam and Hoss trudged out of their room. “Boys, don’t forget to bring in the extra wood.”

Adam and Hoss both mumbled as they exited the house. Ben grinned to himself.

Joe walked over to sit by his father. “Pa, I just love winter, don’t you?”

Ben reached and ruffled his son’s hair. “Sure I do, Joe. I just love all the happy times we spend together in the winter.”

“But, Pa, Adam and Hoss aren’t very happy right now.” Joe scooted closer to his father.

Ben placed his arm around his young son. “I do believe you’re right, Joe. I think their prank snowballed on them.” Ben then laughed loudly, “but remember, you’re the one who started this whole mess. As far as I am concerned we have had enough mischief to last us till spring. Understood?”

Joe nodded his head as he answered. “Yes, Pa.”

Ben knew however that winter had just begun and the pranks had just started. Ben stared into the fire wondering how many more so-called pranks would be pulled. Sometimes, winter is worse than spring fever and that was saying a lot, since he knew just how much trouble spring fever could bring.

The End