Cave-in

By Marion

The usual disclaimers, only the schoolteacher and Annie are my creations. If you don't like this, blame Kierin and Nancy. They are the ones who put the idea of different points of view into my brain. Now I keep hearing voices and they're making me do this…

I was just getting ready to start the afternoon math lessons when Big Dan came into the schoolhouse. I think this might be the first time in his life that Dan's ever been in a schoolhouse and he seemed a bit uncomfortable. I looked at him quizzically but he said nothing until he reached me. He begged my pardon for the interruption, then he dropped his voice to a whisper. "There's been a cave-in," he said, "two men are trapped. Ben Cartwright and that new fellow, Todd Michaels. Can you send these young'uns home to fetch their pas? We need all the men we can get over to Michaels' mine." Then he hurried away.

I made the announcement, leaving out who was trapped. Annie and Joe needed to hear that in private. As the class filed out, I called the two of them back to me. I could tell as soon as Annie turned that she knew why I was holding them back. Joe took a minute longer. The two looked at each other and as one ran for the door. I chased after them.

Annie told me I couldn't stop them. I told her I wouldn't try, but they needed to wait for me. I was going to go with them. I needed to help rescue the man who had befriended me. We got to the mine just as Adam emerged. He looked at me angrily.

"You shouldn't have brought them here."

"They were coming with or without me." He nodded. He understood their need to be here; he squatted in front of them and took their hands.

"I need you two to stay out of the way. We're doing our best, but I can't worry about you and Pa right now" Annie nodded but Joe started to argue.

"I want to help." Adam nodded again.

"I know, Joe, but the rocks are too big and there's not a lot of space. Right now we need the men who can move the rocks in there. Hoss is already working. I'll let you know when you can help." Joe nodded and I had to admire the way Adam acknowledged his brother's need to help while letting him know gently that he was too small. Annie plucked at his sleeve.

"Adam?" She didn't give voice to the rest of her question.

"There's a lot of rock, sweetheart and it's gonna take some time, but we'll find him." He kissed her, ruffled Joe's hair and turned to go. I knew Hoss and Adam wouldn't stop looking until they found him, one way or the other. Please God, I prayed, let them find him alive.

"Adam," I called. "How can I help?" He handed me a pickaxe and I followed him.

I don't know how long I was digging beside him. I thought of Ben, of how he had befriended me and how I had become more than just his children's teacher. He had opened his home to me, he had welcomed me to his family. I prayed yet again that we would find him alive and unharmed. I looked over at his resolute oldest son. I knew if something happened to Ben, Adam would take over as head of the family and he would do his best to fulfill his responsibility. But, at what cost? We had talked at length, Adam and I. I knew his longing for travel, his need to go to college. Having to care for his brothers and his cousin would force him to sacrifice his own dreams. I returned to my digging with renewed vigor.

I got to the mine as soon as I could. First thing I seen was them two little ones o' Ben's, lookin' for all the world like they'd lost their best friend. Trouble was, they mighta lost more'n that. I pasted on a smile for them.

"Hey, you two. Ben wouldn't wanna see them long faces." I sat next to Joe and gave him a playful punch on the arm to cheer him up. No such luck. Annie just looked at me mournfully.

"Uncle Ben's trapped and we can't help."

"If'n I know your Uncle Ben, and I do, he'd say you can help best by stayin' out o' the way." I didn't know what else to say. I ain't the mother hen type and I couldn't think of a way to get their minds off their problems. There was a big crowd o' people around, all help'n and ignorin' the little ones. Trouble was, I wanted to be helpin' rescue Ben, not babysittin'. I looked around and to my relief I saw Ruth and Eli drive up. They had brought food and coffee for the workers. Ruth saw me with the two younguns' and came hurryin' over.

"Joe, Annie, could you please help me? I am not going to be any use in the mine, but we have brought food and drinks for the men working. I think Miss Sterritt can help better in the mine." Thank heavens for Ruth, a mother hen if ever there was one. She corralled them two younguns' and headed back to her wagon.

I hurried into the mine. They had men pickin' at the wall with axes and other men movin' the rock out in wheelbarrows. Lordy, even the teacher was workin' beside Adam. I took my place with the men movin' rocks.

I tried not to think that Ben was dead; I'd become real fond of him over the years. He was like a brother to me. Truth was, I was hopin' he'd become more than a brother to me but I shoulda knowd he'd not forget Marie that quickly. Now there was a lady. She was always real nice to me, even when she made it clear that I'd best never sell any liquor to her boys. She was real protective about them boys. I didn't even know she didn't birth them two oldest until just before she died. Nope, Ben's still in love with his dead wife and there just ain't no competin' with a ghost. A course, he still treated me real good. I looked at his sons. He taught them to be respectful, even to a no-account woman like me. I decided then and there to return the favor. Anytime those boys needed somethin', I'd be there.

Ben was a gentleman. Dang, no, he is a gentleman. Hey, let's get a movin' these rocks. Drinks'll be on me when we get Ben out. 'Sept for you two, Hoss, Adam. Your pa'd nail my hide to the wall if'n I served you without his say-so.

As soon as we arrived, I saw those two children sitting with Shelby. Shelby has a heart of gold, but she is not a mothering type. I could tell she was lost with them. I also knew she would rather be in the mine, helping. So, I took the children under my wing. Eli says I am a mother hen and he is right. Since I first met these children I have loved them as though they were my own. How many more losses could they bear?

The children helped me set up food and drink and slowly men came out of the mine to take a rest. More men took their place. Eli came with Adam and Hoss; I can tell that he had to force them from their work. Ben is their beloved father and their devotion to him is as unswerving as his devotion to his children. Hoss looked close to tears and Adam had on his brave face. I remember seeing that look when Marie was killed and he needed to be strong for his father as well as his brothers. Annie and Joe ran to them, food and drink in hand, ready to serve. The four went to sit quietly together for a few minutes.

I looked at Eli and his face was grave. He said nothing, but I could tell he did not have much hope. I wiped my eyes and looked at the four children. What would they do if they were left orphaned? I knew we would take Annie and Joe to our home while Adam and Hoss worked the ranch but then I looked at Adam. So like his father, I knew he would never give up the children. He would raise them alone if need be. I resolved then that he would never be alone, that Eli and I would always be there to help.

Adam and Hoss stood. They had rested enough. Joseph stayed by himself, lost in his thoughts, but Annie came to me. She was crying and I took her in my arms.

"I'm so frightened."

"I know, little one, but you must trust God. He will watch over you." I wiped her tears on my apron.

"When Papa knew he was going to die, he held me close. He told me that God would never send us more trouble than we could bear, and that we must trust God to know what is best for us."

"Your Papa was a wise man."

"Sometimes, though, it is so very hard." I held her close and she cried.

I stood beside these boys, no these men, these sons of Ben Cartwright and I helped them dig for their father. I prayed to the ancestors to look after my friend. I looked at Hoss, so young, yet so strong, ready to do a man's job. He was doing the job of two men in this cave. I thought how it would be if the worst came to pass and we did not find his father alive. What would he do without his father's gentle wisdom to guide him through this difficult time? He would survive, but he would miss his father. He would stand beside his brother, as he does now, and together they would continue their father's dream, but something would be lost. Their guiding star would go out.

Then I looked to the oldest son. Adam, I think, has never been truly young. Always his father's confidant, his father's partner, he was forced to grow at a young age. He never blamed his father, certainly, and he always treated his father with the honor and respect that a father is due from his son. How would he fare, if the worst came to pass? He is his father's son and he would do what he had to do to keep his family together. He and Hoss would stand against all the world, if need be. I resolved they would not stand alone.

When I first came to the Ponderosa, Mr. Cartwright asked me to call him Ben, as Carlos did. I refused. At first I told myself that I refused because it would be dishonorable to address my employer in such a way. Gradually I came to realize I could no more address him by his first name than I could address my own father that way. Somehow this white man had become to me like a father. I wonder how I would fare, if the worst came to pass. Mr. Cartwright has protected me from the prejudice of ignorant people. He has provided to me a home, he has opened his family to me, he has treated me almost as a son. I looked at Adam and Hoss. They are their father's sons and treat me with respect. We would stand together.

Suddenly we broke through the rocks and made a hole. A small one at first, then larger. I was the smallest man there, except for Joe, and Adam refused to let him go through. I was given the honor of crawling through the hole. They passed me a torch and I saw the men we were so desperately seeking. I reached for Mr. Cartwright.

"He's alive!" I shouted for joy and I heard the joyful cry taken up by those outside as they passed me blankets and water for the injured men. The rescuers took up their tools with renewed energy. I thanked the ancestors for watching over my family this day.

The room was dark. Even with my eyes closed, I could tell that. The house was quiet, too, and I knew everyone was sleeping. A slight noise to my right made me revise my thoughts. One person was awake. Adam, or maybe Hop Sing. A stifled cough. Ah, Adam, definitely. He is his father's son and I was sure he'd been by my side since they brought me home.

I thought of Todd. In one of my lucid moments after they rescued me, I recall asking Adam how Todd fared. A concussion, possibly some broken ribs. Shelby would tend him. I suppose I could blame him for my own injuries, but he didn't force me into that mine. He was convinced it was full of silver, a real bonanza and he wanted my opinion. We found nothing but disaster.

No, not a disaster, really. We spent time talking before we worried about the air and before we slipped into blissful unconsciousness. We talked about our families. He had a wife and children in San Francisco and he was wealthy beyond belief. I realized as I talked to him that he was only interested in becoming more wealthy. He couldn't even tell me how old his sons were, only a vague "somewhere around 8 or 9, I guess." I remember talking of my sons and of Annie and I knew that I was the wealthier man.

The pain in my leg brought me back to the present. I must have moaned out loud, for Adam was leaning over me in an instant. I opened my eyes slowly and saw that beloved face looking down on me.

Poor Adam, he looked exhausted. If I know my two oldest, they were leading the dig. I reached out and touched his hand.

"Are you in pain, Pa? The doctor left something for the pain." I hated taking pain medicine. It always put me to sleep and I worried that something would happen to one of the boys. I shook my head.

"I'm sorry, son." He looked confused. "For causing you worry." He smiled then.

"Just consider it payback." I laughed, then grimaced when the movement sent pain down my leg.

"I worried about you, too, while I was trapped in the cave. At one point, I thought it was truly the end and I worried about you, Hoss, Annie and Joe.

Adam stopped smiling. "I know, Pa. I thought about that, too, although I never gave up hope that we'd find you alive." He took my hand. "You don't need to worry, Pa. I'd always be there for them, you know that. I'd take care of them."

"But who would take care of you? You'd be alone."

Now he smiled again, so slightly only I would know it was a smile. "Did you see all those people, Pa? I'd never be alone. Nothing would be the same, of course, but we would never be alone if we have each other and are surrounded by friends like ours."