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Ben Cartwright could hardly
believe how much the city had grown even in the short time since he had last
been here. It seemed that every time he visited
Glancing at his eldest son,
Adam, standing beside him, Ben smiled as he saw that the young man was
scrutinising a particularly fine looking edifice that was just reaching the
final stages of construction. Adam had returned home only six months previously
from four years of college and architecture had been one of the things he had
studied.
“Look, Pa,” the excited
shout of his youngest son, Joseph, brought Ben’s gaze round to where the ten
year old and his middle brother, Hoss, were just emerging from a store. This
was Joe’s first visit to
Ben couldn’t help smiling as
the Joe ran over to join him. “Hoss bought me some candy,” he announced,
lifting up a package for his father’s inspection, eyes alight with pleasure.
“So I see,” Ben said,
glancing into the bag, which was filled with lemon drops, peppermint sticks and
other assorted sweet things. “Don’t eat too many now,” he warned with a smile,
“or…”
“I’ll spoil my supper.” Joe
finished for him with a cheeky grin. He reached into the bag for a lemon drop.
“Where we going now, Pa?”
“Well, if I remember rightly
there’s a little store just along the street a bit that sells mighty fine
tobacco,” Ben told him. “I thought I’d treat myself to some.”
“I think I’ll just go and
buy a newspaper,” Adam said, hearing his father’s words. “Meet you back at the
hotel in an hour or so?”
Ben nodded in agreement and
Adam turned and headed back up the street towards where they had passed a
vendor selling newspapers.
“Can I go with Adam?” Joe
asked, pulling at his father’s arm, his eyes on his eldest brother’s retreating
back. “Please?”
“Go on then,” Ben told him,
glad that Joe seemed to want to spend a little time with Adam. Relations
between his oldest and youngest sons had been strained since Adam’s return from
college and Ben was hoping that this time together away from the ranch might
bring the two a little closer. He watched for a moment until Joe had almost
caught up with his brother then turned away and headed for the tobacco store,
Hoss by his side.
Joe was just about to call
out to Adam, was almost close enough to touch his eldest brother, when a
display in a store window caught his eye. Pausing on the sidewalk he hesitated.
In front of him Adam also paused and Joe saw his brother cross to look at the
newspapers displayed by a vendor at the side of the street.
Deciding that choosing a
paper was bound to take Adam a few minutes Joe allowed his attention to be
drawn by the store display. He walked slowly across to the window, eyes
widening at the huge array of toys that filled the area beyond the glass. He
had never seen so many in one place before, the mercantile in
“Nice soldiers ain’t they?”
asked a voice behind him and Joe turned to see a boy a year or two older than
him, with straight dark hair and blue eyes who was looking longingly at the
massed ranks of military toys. “Wish I had me some like that.”
“Me to,” Joe answered with a
sigh; he had seen the price on the ticket beside the soldiers and knew they
were well out of reach of the amount he could afford. His Pa had given him a
little extra allowance this month but it wasn’t enough for the toys.
“Name’s Jerome,” the boy
introduced himself, thrusting forward a grubby hand for Joe to shake. “Jerome
Slater, most folks call me Jem.”
“Joe Cartwright,” Joe told
him; not adding that most folks he knew called him Little Joe. “Do you live
round here?”
“Not far,” Jem pointed off across
the road. “Over that way,” he looked down at Joe, taking in his tanned skin and
the leather boots he wore beneath his expensive, obviously new suit. “You ain’t
from round here though.”
“I’m from
“What’s wrong?” Jem asked,
seeing the look of consternation that crossed the younger boy’s face.
“My brother, Adam, he was
over there buying a newspaper,” Joe moved away from the storefront and cast an
anxious glance down the street. “He’s gone.”
“Well, he can’t have got
far,” Jem said reassuringly, coming to stand beside Joe. “We’ll find him.”
“He must have started back
to the hotel,” Joe started walking in the direction he had come from. “I’d
better find my
“Where’s he at?” Jem asked,
falling in beside him.
“He said he was going to buy
some tobacco,” Joe told him, looking at the stores they were passing. “Said
there was a little place along the street a bit.”
“I know the tobacco store,”
Jem grabbed Joe’s arm and dragged him towards the road. “It’s this way.”
“You sure?” Joe looked
doubtfully at the busy thoroughfare before him, more horses and carriages
thronging this one road than in the whole of
“Sure I am. I know this town
like the back of my hand. Come on, we’ll soon catch up to your
With the confidence of
someone well accustomed to the busy city streets Jem darted across the road,
dragging the younger boy along with him. Joe held his breath as they dodged an
oncoming carriage and just missed being ploughed down by an elderly gentleman
riding a bay horse. As they safely gained the sidewalk on the opposite side,
Joe let out a heartfelt sigh of relief.
“Down here.” Jem said,
setting off along the street and the two boys hurried past the rows of stores
until they came to a narrow alley between two impressive tall buildings.
“You sure about this?” Joe
asked, as Jem turned into the alley and beckoned for him to follow.
“Just there,” Jem pointed
and Joe looked over to see a small, red painted door. “Gianni de Rosario. He
sells the best tobacco in
Uncertainly, Joe followed
Jem across to the red door; as the older boy pushed it open the unmistakable
sweet, strong fragrance of tobacco drifted out, enveloping them in its pungent
odour. Reassured that this was the right place, Joe preceded Jem inside.
“Hey,” a wizened little man
peered at the two as they entered the small, dark store. “What you boys doing
in here?”
“We’re looking for a Mr…”
Jem looked at Joe with a frown. “What did you say your name was again?”
“Cartwright.” Joe supplied,
disappointment welling up in him as he surveyed the empty store.
“Mr Cartwright,” Jem told
the little storekeeper. “Has he been in here?”
The man waved his hands at
the boys impatiently. “I don’t know the name of all my customers. What’s he
look like?”
“He’s tall,” Joe said eagerly,
pushing in front of Jem, “with grey hair and brown eyes. My brother Hoss was
with him, he’s sixteen...” he stopped as the little man nodded his head.
“You just missed him. Bought
his tobacco and left not five minutes ago.”
“Did he say where he was
going?” Jem asked, seeing the crushed look on Joe’s face.
“Sorry,” the storekeeper
shook his head. “He didn’t.”
“Thanks, anyway.” Jem
grabbed Joe’s arm and headed for the door. “Come on,” he urged, pulling the
younger boy out of the alley. “See them?” he asked, looking along the street.
Joe looked both ways, hoping
for a glimpse of his father or Hoss but it was difficult to see anything
through the mass of people that crowded the sidewalk and he shook his head
sadly. “No.”
“Any idea where they were
going?”
“Back to the hotel, I guess.
Adam said he’d meet them there.”
“Then you’d better head back
there as well.”
“I can’t,” Joe looked down
at the ground, scuffing his foot on the sidewalk as he fought against the tears
that were beginning to well up. “I don’t know where it is. It was late last
night when we got here,” he explained, seeing Jem’s puzzled look. “I was asleep
and Pa carried me in, then this morning we got a carriage and I didn’t pay any
attention to where we went.”
“Don’t you know the name of
the place?” Jem asked incredulously.
“No,” tears started in
earnest now as Joe realised his predicament. He bit his lip, trying to stop
crying but suddenly felt very alone and afraid.
“Don’t worry,” Jem patted
the younger boy on the back sympathetically. “Tell you what, I’ll take you to
my house, my uncles will know what to do.”
“You think they can help
find my family?” Joe asked hopefully, brightening a little at the thought.
“I know they can,” Jem
assured him. “They know everywhere in this town and they’re bound to know how
to find your Pa and brothers.”
With a nod, Joe straightened
up and scrubbed at his eyes, a little ashamed of letting his emotions get the
better of him. “Okay,” he agreed. “Let’s go.”
Jem led the way and the two
boys were soon heading into the back streets of the city. Dusk was falling now
and the gas lights were on, their cheerful glow lighting the way. Joe looked
about him with interest as they walked, the city beginning to look very
different as they headed away into narrow alleys where tight packed wooden
houses huddled side by side. The sidewalks here were in poor repair, boards
missing in places and Joe tripped a couple of times even though Jem warned him
to watch his footing. The people they passed were not the well-dressed citizens
that had crowded the wide streets they had just left, but shabbily clad men,
hurrying home from work at the wharves and factories. Jem pointed out the iron
works where his Uncle Pete worked. “My Uncle Eddie used to work there too,” he
told Joe. “Until he hurt his leg. He can’t work now, just stays home and looks
after me and Uncle Pete.”
“Are there just the three of
you?” Joe asked, following Jem away from the factory and down another narrow passageway.
“My mother and father died
when I was a baby,” Jem said matter of factly, as they turned right at the end
of the street. “My uncles took me in. I live over here,” he led the way across
to one of a row of tiny, single roomed, wooden houses. “Welcome to the Slater
home.” Flinging open the door he ushered Joe into the dimly lit interior.
“Well, what do we have
here?” A deep voice greeted them and Joe saw a dark haired man sitting at a
table. He was obviously preparing a meal, a pot half filled with vegetables
stood on the table beside him and he was holding a knife and a partially peeled
potato.
“Joe, this is my Uncle
Eddie,” Jem introduced the man. “Looks like Uncle Pete is still out.”
“He’s just gone over to the
outhouse,” Eddie finished peeling the potato and added it to the pot, then put
down the knife and stood up awkwardly. “Who’s your friend, Jem?”
“This is Joe Cartwright,”
Jem announced just as the door behind him opened and another man entered the
house. “He’s kinda lost and I said you’d help him.”
“Lost, eh?” Eddie looked
sympathetically at Joe. “Pete and I will do our best to help you, won’t we?” he
looked across at the other man.
“Sure we will.” Jem’s Uncle
Pete took off his jacket and hung it on a peg by the door then turned to look
at the boys. “Now suppose you tell me just exactly how you came to be lost,
young man?”
As Joe related his story
Pete Slater surveyed the boy with interest. He was obviously from a well to do family;
his clothes bore witness to that. This was confirmed when Joe told them about
his family’s ranch and Pete began to form a plan. “Don’t you worry, kid,” he
told Joe after he had heard all about him being separated from his father and
brothers. “You can stay here tonight. Tomorrow I’ll ask around and I’ll soon
find your folks.”
“Stay here?” Joe looked
uncertainly around the room. “Are you sure you’ve got the space?”
“Of course we have,” Jem
crossed to the curtain that hung down from the ceiling at the back of the house
and lifted it up. “Look, this is the bed and if you and me sleep down this end
there’s still plenty of room for Uncle Eddie and Uncle Pete.”
Joe approached the bed
doubtfully; it was hardly as big as his own bed at home and he had that one all
to himself. True, he had occasionally slept in with Pa or his brothers when he
was younger but the thought of sharing a bed with three strangers was hardly
appealing.
“There’s a pot underneath if
you need it in the night,” Jem told him, indicating the china vessel with his
foot. He looked at Joe with a grin. “It’ll be fun to have a friend to stay.”
“Then that’s settled,” Pete
said from behind them. “I’ll just get us a bite to eat and then you two
youngsters can turn in.”
To Joe, used to Hop Sing’s
substantial suppers, the bowl of vegetable broth and cup of watered down milk
that was placed before him wasn’t much of a meal but he ate it without comment,
realising that it was probably all the Slater’s could afford and that they were
having less themselves so that he could eat.
Getting ready for bed was
another eye opener for Joe. Jem showed him the way to the outhouse, a rickety,
smelly building, situated some distance from the Slater house and used by the
entire street. Jem didn’t wash before turning in as Joe usually did and never
even put on a nightshirt, just stripped down to his underwear and climbed into
bed. Joe copied the older boy, getting in beside him and pulling the thin
blanket around his shoulders, wrinkling his nose a little at the stale sweaty
smell of it. Jem was asleep almost immediately and, despite the strange
surroundings, Joe soon followed, stirring only once when Pete and Eddie climbed
in the other end of the bed an hour or so later.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In the Cartwright’s suite at
the
“P’raps Adam took Joe off to
see something of the city,” Hoss tried to reassure his father, though unable to
ignore the anxious feeling in the pit of his stomach. It was way past Joe’s
usual bedtime and it wasn’t like Adam to keep his little brother out so late.
“He did leave a note.”
“That just said he was going
out for supper,” Ben didn’t turn from the window, still peering out into the
darkness. He and Hoss had returned to the hotel to find the suite empty. They
had been surprised that Adam and Joe weren’t back until Hoss saw the note
propped up on the mantel. “Joe should be in bed by now.”
Hoss came over to join his
father at the window. “I reckon they’ll be back soon and Joe’s safe enough with
Adam.”
“I guess so,” reluctantly
Ben turned away from his vigil and reached up to pull the drapes together. “I’m
probably worrying for nothing.” Seeing the anxious look on Hoss’ face he smiled
at the youth. “And so are you.”
Hoss nodded, then turned
with a sigh of relief at the sound of a key in the lock. “Here they are.”
Ben’s smile of greeting as
the door opened to admit Adam faded as his oldest son came in and closed the
door behind him. “Where’s Little Joe?” he asked tersely.
“Joe?” Adam looked puzzled.
“What do you mean?”
“He isn’t with you?” Ben
asked. A shaft of fear lanced through him as Adam shook his head. “But he went
with you.”
“No he didn’t,” Adam looked
bewildered at his father’s words. “Last I saw of him he was with you and Hoss.”
“Oh, dear Lord,” Ben reached
to grab his jacket from the back of the chair. “He asked to go with you, I
watched until he almost caught up with you.”
Comprehension swept across
Adam’s face followed quickly by alarm as he realised what this meant. “Then
he’s been missing for hours.”
Ben nodded tightly, seeing
his own worry mirrored in both Adam and Hoss. “I want you to stay here,” he
told his middle son quickly as he pulled his jacket on and reached for his hat.
“In case he should find his way back. Adam and I will go to the police and then
start searching for him.”
Hoss nodded numbly. As his
father and brother practically ran from the room he crossed to the window and
pulled back the drapes, watching the street below and hoping against hope that
Joe would appear.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Eddie was up at dawn the
next morning. Sunday wasn’t a day of rest in the Slater house, Pete still had
to work, though he finished at
Putting a pot of coffee on
the table, he went to shake Pete awake, being careful not to disturb the two
boys sleeping soundly at the other end of the bed. Pete got up reluctantly,
yawning and stretching, then came over to drink some coffee before getting
dressed.
“You gonna ask around about
young Joe’s family today?” Eddie asked, pouring the coffee for his brother and
passing him the cup.
Pete shook his head, taking
a long swallow of the hot coffee. “I got other plans.”
Eddie looked at him
curiously. “What sort of plans?”
“Plans to get us out of this
dump.”
“What are you going to do?”
“That kid’s worth money,”
Pete told him, putting his empty cup on the table. “I reckon his father would
pay well for his return.”
“Kidnapping!” Eddie
exclaimed, aghast at his brother’s suggestion.
“Not really.” Pete put a
finger to his lips to warn Eddie to keep his voice down. “We didn’t take the
kid, he came to us, we’re just getting payment for his safe return.”
“I don’t like the sound of
it. He’s only a little boy, Pete; he needs our help, not this.”
“It’s our big chance to make
some money, get a better future for us and Jem,” Pete saw his brother’s
expression soften at the mention of Jem and pressed the advantage. “With money
we could get him a good education, it would mean he wouldn’t have to leave
school this summer and start work in the factory.”
“I guess…” Eddie said
doubtfully. “As long as you promise the kid won’t be hurt then I guess it might
be okay.”
“It’ll be fine,” Pete
assured him. “I’ll see to it all.” He picked up his pants and shirt from the
chair where he had put them the night before and started to get dressed. “Keep
an eye on the boys today,” he told Eddie. “Take them out somewhere. After work
I’ll go look for this Mr. Cartwright.”
“What will you tell him?”
Eddie asked anxiously. “He might go straight to the police.”
“Do you think I’m stupid? I’m
not going anywhere near the man, I’ll send a note,” he glanced over at the
sleeping boys with a frown. “Better take something to prove we have the kid,” he
said thoughtfully.
“Like what?” Eddie looked
alarmed at the suggestion. “I won’t let you hurt him.”
“His jacket,” Pete grabbed
up the garment from beside the bed and Eddie sighed in relief. “That’ll do. Put
it away until I need it. Make up some excuse to the boy and lend him Jem’s
spare one,” he handed the jacket to Eddie and picked up his hat. “I’d better
get going, see you later.”
As the door slammed shut behind his brother,
Eddie set to, preparing breakfast before waking Joe and Jem.
“Where would you two like to
go today?” he asked, as the three of them sat round the table, finishing their
meal. “We could go out to see the bear and bull fight at the Mission Dolores if
you like, I know someone that would lend us a buggy. No point in us sitting
here at home while Pete is out looking for Joe’s family.”
“You wanna do that, Joe?”
Jem stuffed the last of his breakfast in his mouth then stood up, brushing the
crumbs off his clothes. “It’s exciting, they get a real live bear and it fights
with the bull till one of them dies.”
Joe shook his head slowly,
it didn’t sound much like fun to him and besides he was quite fond of bears;
last year Hoss had taken him to see a pair of cubs playing in the woods, their
antics making him laugh. “I don’t think I’d like that.”
“Then how about we go down
to the beach and see the sea-lions?” Eddie suggested. “And the waves. Boy, you
never seen waves like we get here, Joe.”
“I’ve never seen many waves
at all. This trip is the first time I saw the sea.” Joe told him. “Though my Pa
was a sailor when he was young,” he added proudly.
“Beach it is then,” Eddie
decided. “Jem, you clear away the breakfast dishes while I go see if old Abel
will lend me the buggy.”
As Eddie limped away Jem and
Joe cleared the table and stacked the dishes on the side.
“You want me to help you
wash them?” Joe asked as he put the last dish on the pile and placed his glass
beside it.
Jem shook his head. “We only
wash the pots once a day,” he told him. “Water costs twenty five cents a bucket
so we can’t afford to waste it by washing too often.”
“Don’t you have a well?” Joe
couldn’t imagine not having water available whenever he wanted it.
“No, we buy it by the bucket
and store it in that barrel there,” Jem pointed to the water container beside
the sink.
At that moment the door
opened and Eddie came in, looking pleased. “All set,” he announced. “Let’s go.”
Accepting readily enough
Eddie’s explanation that he had spilt some milk on Joe’s jacket and would have
to get it washed, Joe shrugged into the old one of Jem’s that was offered to
him and followed Eddie outside. The boys climbed eagerly into the ancient buggy
that stood there, Joe casting a disparaging look at the horse that pulled it, a
scruffy roan that looked about ready to be put out to grass.
It took them the best part
of an hour to reach the beach, the horse labouring a little, but Jem and Joe
enjoyed the journey. They talked most of the way, Jem eager to learn all about
Joe’s life on the ranch. Reaching their destination Joe found it was worth the
journey. He was enthralled by the waves breaking on the shore, huge creamy
masses of swirling foam, their sound as loud as thunder. Out in the sea, about
a hundred yards from the shore they could see the sea-lions basking in the sun;
there must have been around thirty of them all stretched out on a series of
rugged, steep rocks that were like small islands in the ocean. Occasionally
they called out, their harsh, barking cries audible even above the crash of the
surf. Joe and Jem scrambled down from the buggy and ran down the beach, their
feet leaving tracks in the sand. It was exhilarating standing close to the sea,
the air sharp and clear, more like the fresh mountain air of Joe’s home and he
breathed in deeply, glad to be away from the crowded city streets. Laughing
with delight, he and Jem dodged the waves, uncaring of the fine spray in the
air that soon had their hair and clothes damp with seawater.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“He’s just a little boy lost
and alone in a place he doesn’t know,” Ben said, anxiety apparent in his
expression. “He’ll be terrified.”
“We’ll find him, Pa,” Hoss
laid a reassuring hand on his father’s arm. “I just know we will, especially
now we got the police and all searching as well.”
Ben looked across at his
son, trying to raise a smile for the boy. He could see the fear that lurked in
Hoss’ blue eyes, despite his brave words, and knew how scared he was for his
little brother.
“The police didn’t seem very
helpful to me,” Adam muttered, his eyes scanning the street as their driver
reined in his horse to let a buggy pass by. “And Joe wasn’t alone when he went
in
“I’m sure the police will do
their best,” Ben said, trying to reassure Hoss who was looking upset at his
older brother’s comments. “It’s just that they’re so busy.”
“Too busy it seems, to worry
about a lost ten year old,” Adam’s annoyance at the attitude of the authorities
was apparent. “And suggesting he might have been shanghaied as a cabin boy
wasn’t very helpful.”
“But it’s possible,” Ben
admitted desolately. “It’s like looking for a needle in a haystack, one small
boy in this huge city.”
“You ain’t gonna give up?”
Hoss asked in alarm. “We gotta find him, we just gotta.”
“We won’t give up,” Ben
assured him quickly. “We’ll search every inch of
Adam nodded, not turning
from the carriage window. Privately he feared that the boy with Joe might turn
out to be a very bad thing. He had heard of youngsters who set out to recruit
others for gangs of thieves and worse. If the boy was intending to help Joe
surely he would have taken him to the police, he reasoned, and he obviously
hadn’t. As the driver pulled to a stop and the Cartwrights alighted to begin
their search of the streets and alleyways around where Joe had last been seen,
Adam could only pray that his worst fears wouldn’t be recognised.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Monday morning dawned bright
and clear. Pete left early in the morning for his job in the iron foundry so it
was just Eddie, Jem and Joe who gathered round the breakfast table.
“Thought I’d take Joe round
the harbour today,” Jem told his uncle as he sat down and poured himself a
glass of rather brackish looking water from the pitcher that sat in the middle
of the table.
“Sounds like fun,” Eddie
said, with a smile for Joe. “There are lots of big ships to see. You’ll enjoy
it.”
“Shouldn’t we be looking for
my family?” Joe asked anxiously. He had enjoyed his day with Jem yesterday but
was missing his father and brothers. He missed having a bed of his own too,
having been woken more than once in the night by Eddie’s tossing and turning.
“Don’t you worry about it,”
Eddie looked down at the table, feeling uncomfortable with the knowledge that
his brother had already found where the Cartwrights were staying. Pete planned
to contact Joe’s father that evening. “We’ll soon have you back with your
folks.”
“Uncle Pete is sure to find
them today,” Jem said confidently. “You just wait and see.”
Joe nodded and turned his
attention to the bowl of oatmeal that Eddie placed in front of him. He hoped
Jem and Eddie were right, the thought of his father and brothers seemed to
cause a lump to form in his throat and he swallowed his breakfast with some
difficulty. He really wanted to see his
The meal over, Jem cut a
couple of slices of bread and filled a bottle with water to take with them and
the two boys headed out. For a while Joe forgot all about missing his family as
Jem led him among the wharves of the
Jem seemed to know many of
the dockside workers and they all had a cheery word for the boys. One man
handed Jem a bag of lemon drops and another gave him a piece of fruitcake from
his lunch pail. The two boys ate their own lunch sitting atop a pile of crates
that were waiting to be put aboard a ship bound for the
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Pa!” Adam burst into the
hotel room to find his father standing by the table poring over a map of the
city. “Look at this,” he thrust a package into Ben’s hand. It was roughly
wrapped in newspaper and string but had been partially opened, revealing the
contents.
“It’s Joe’s jacket!” Ben
pulled the remains of the paper from the garment. “Where did you get it?”
“It was handed in at the
desk,” Adam told him. “The porter was just about to bring it up when he saw me.
There was this as well,” he handed his father a folded piece of paper. “I
started to open the parcel then brought it straight up when I saw what it was.”
Ben unfolded the paper with
a hand that trembled slightly. He read silently, then handed the note to Adam
and sat down unsteadily in the chair next to the table. “Thank the Lord he’s
alive,” he murmured softly.
“We have your son,” Adam
read aloud, deciphering the scrawled and misspelled script with difficulty. “He
is safe and well. We want $10,000 or we kill him. We will be in touch tomorrow.
Don’t go to the police if you want the kid to live.”
“We have to get that money,”
Ben stood up, a look of determination on his face. “I’ll go straight along to
the bank now.”
“We don’t have that much in
the account,
“We’ll get it somehow,” Ben
assured him, reaching for his jacket. “You stay here with Hoss, he’s asleep in
the bedroom. I managed to get him to rest for a while.”
“You’re not thinking
straight,” Adam put the letter down on the table and looked at his father. “We
can’t just pay up like that.”
“What else can we do? We
can’t risk Joe’s life.”
“And if we give them the
money? Who’s to say they will return Joe? We don’t even know that he’s really
safe and well, they could already have…” Adam stopped abruptly and swallowed
hard, the thought of his little brother being dead bringing a lump to his
throat. “We just don’t know,” he continued hoarsely.
“I can’t think that way. If
I thought Joe wasn’t coming back…” A desolate look settled on Ben’s face as,
just for a moment, he contemplated that very possibility. “I have to get the
money. I have to believe that they will return him.”
“Okay,” Adam conceded. “But
we have to work out some sort of plan.”
“We’ll talk about it when I
get back,” Ben picked up his hat and crossed to the door. “I just pray that I
can get the money in the first place or Lord knows what will happen to Joseph.”
“If it hasn’t already
happened,” Adam whispered softly to himself as his father left the room.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“What’s the problem, Joe?”
Jem asked anxiously, looking at the younger boy’s unhappy face. “Don’t you like
it here?”
It was mid afternoon and the
two boys were exploring. Eddie had asked them to stay close to home, but Jem
was intent on showing Joe some more of the city. This morning they had been
around the area known as the Spanish quarter, a part of the city that still
retained the atmosphere of the Mexican village of Yerba Buena that San
Francisco had been a few short years ago. Like yesterday on the dockside, Joe
was surprised at the number of people who seemed to know Jem and stopped to
talk with him a while. Lunch had been a bowl of tamale offered to them by an
old Mexican senora and the boys had thoroughly enjoyed the spicy dish, sitting
on the edge of the sidewalk outside the woman’s home.
Now however, they were in
the Chinese quarter of the city and, at the sight of the men in their robes of
silk, their hair plaited into queues that hung down their backs, Joe had felt a
rush of homesickness for the Ponderosa and for Hop Sing. “I just want to find
my Pa,” he told Jem softly. “I miss him.”
Unsure what to do to comfort
his friend Jem looked around him for some distraction. “How about we go and see
if we can sneak into the Chinese theatre?” he suggested, pointing off up the
street. “That’ll be fun.”
Joe shook his head. “I don’t
want to. I just want my family. You said your uncle would have found them by
now.”
“I guess it must be harder
than I thought,” Jem could see that Joe was close to tears and hated to see his
friend so upset. “Perhaps we should try.”
Joe looked up, a spark of excitement
in his eyes. “We could?”
“Sure, why not?” I know
where lots of hotels are, we’ll just go see if you recognise any of them.”
It sounded like a good plan
to Joe and he eagerly followed Jem as he led the way.
Four hours later Joe’s
eagerness had faded away. He was tired, hungry and miserable. Together he and
Jem had gone from hotel to hotel but none of them had seemed familiar and none
had a Ben Cartwright registered among their guests.
“I guess we’d best head
home,” Jem said as they left the lobby of the Adelphi where a haughty desk
clerk had unwillingly checked the register for a Ben Cartwright before telling the
boys to get out of his hotel, quick smart, or he’d call the police.
“Perhaps we should go to the
police,” the desk clerk’s words had made Joe think. If he’d been lost in
“The police!” Jem was disdainful;
his Uncle Pete had told him never to have any dealings with them. “They
wouldn’t be any good. Don’t you worry, Joe, if Uncle Pete ain’t found your folks
then we’ll look again tomorrow. Plenty more places to check.”
Trailing sadly after Jem as
he headed back towards the Slater home Joe resolved that if they didn’t find
his Pa by tomorrow night he was going to go to the police whatever Jem said.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Following Hoss and his captive into the room Adam shut the door and leaned back against it, preventing the boy’s escape. He reached into his pocket and withdrew a piece of paper, which he handed to Ben.
As he quickly scanned the
note, Ben looked over to where Hoss had shoved the youth onto a chair and was
standing over him as though daring him to try and get away. “You brought this
for me?” he asked.
“If you’re Mr. Cartwright
then I did,” the boy looked up, a touch of bravado in his grey eyes. “I just
did a guy a favour is all. Didn’t know I’d get set on by this big lug,” he
glared at Hoss.
“Somebody just gave him a
dollar to deliver it,” Adam said with a sigh. “He doesn’t know who it was.”
“The person who gave it to
you, where did you meet him?” Ben asked. “What did he look like?”
“He was just a regular
feller.” The boy answered readily enough, a puzzled look on his face. “He came
up to me down by the wharf, asked if I knew this place and said he’d give me a dollar
to take that letter to you. What’s the problem?”
“The problem, kid,” Adam
said, deserting his post by the door and coming over to take the chair opposite
the boy. “Is that whoever gave you that note has my young brother as a hostage
and he’s threatened to kill him.”
“I’m sorry,” a shadow of
sympathy passed across the youth’s face as he spoke. “But it ain’t nuthin’ to
do with me, mister.”
“I appreciate that,” Ben
told him reassuringly. “And we’re not going to hurt you. We just need to know
anything you can tell us about this note.” He fingered the paper as he spoke,
the words written on it still fresh in his mind. ‘Leave the $10,000 in the
empty barrel with the blue chalk on it next to the berth of the
Charlotte Anne at five tomorrow evening. Come alone. You will be watched. When
we get the money, we let the kid go.’
The boy was cooperative, but
the man who had approached him was a total stranger and his description of him,
while quite detailed, meant nothing to the Cartwrights. Eventually they were
forced to admit defeat and let the boy leave.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Eddie had wanted Jem’s help the following morning. He was taking clothes and bedding to the Chinese laundry and found it awkward to carry the load with his bad leg. Joe went with them, interested to see the Chinese area again but once more reminded of Hop Sing and home. Jem tried to get his uncle to let them go off exploring after lunch but Eddie insisted that they stay close to home, sending them on errands to the local stores.
“Never mind,” Jem reassured
Joe as they returned from getting bread and approached the Slater’s door.
“We’ll look for your folks tomorrow.”
Joe nodded in agreement
though he had already made up his mind that he was going to slip away once
everyone was asleep this evening and go and find a policeman. “I just have to
use the outhouse,” he told Jem. “I’ll see you in a minute.”
“Okay,” Jem watched Joe head
off along the street before reaching for the door. Hearing raised voices from
within the house he hesitated and instead of flinging the door wide just
cracked it open an inch or so, peering around it. To his surprise both his uncles
were in the room, standing by the stove, their backs to him. About to make his
presence known he was stopped by the mention of Joe’s surname.
“I told Cartwright five
tonight,” Pete was saying. “The wharves will still be busy then so there’s less
chance of us being spotted.”
“You knew I didn’t want to
be involved in this,” Eddie’s voice was angry. “Now you want me to be a lookout.”
“I just need you to watch
and make sure Cartwright is alone.”
“We don’t even know what he
looks like,” Eddie said in exasperation. “How can we watch him?”
“You’ll know it’s him when
he leaves the money,” Pete explained, beginning to outline his plan. “You scout
back along the wharf a bit, reckon you’ll soon see if he’s alone. You’d
recognise a policeman, and if his other sons are nearby they’ll stick out like
a sore thumb in those rich clothes they wear. Then come back and let me know if
the coast is clear,” he chuckled quietly. “Just think, Eddie, he’s giving us
$10,000 for that kid.”
Jem didn’t wait to hear any
more, pulling the door quietly closed he moved away a little and leaned back
against the wall, thinking over what he’d just heard.
“Hey, Jem,” Joe called as he
came down the street on his way back from the outhouse, surprised to find his
friend waiting. “I thought you were going home.”
“Decided to wait for you,”
Jem said, and waited till Joe drew abreast of him before continuing. “How about
we go see if we can find your Pa in a little while?”
“Today?” Joe was a little
startled at the suggestion but eager to get on with the search. “Won’t your uncles
mind us going out?”
“Let’s not mention it to
them,” Jem told him. “I seem to recall they’re going out themselves soon.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“What’s all the commotion out in the street?” Ben asked the porter as he and Adam left the hotel carrying the bag of money that the kidnappers had demanded. “Seems to be a lot of shouting and yelling going on.”
“Bad business Mr.
Cartwright,” the porter shook his head sorrowfully. “There’s trouble brewing.
Seems someone shot the editor of one of the local newspapers. Took exception to
the editorials about political corruption. They reckon there are men queuing up
now to form a vigilance committee and take over running the city. I’d be
leaving if I was you.”
Exchanging a worried frown
with Adam, Ben thanked the porter for the information, just hoping that the
troubles wouldn’t affect his getting Joe back. “I’ll walk part way then get a
cab,” he told Adam as they walked away from the hotel. “You’ll be all right?”
“Sure I will,” Adam assured
him. “Look we’ve been over this a dozen times. I’ll get a cab now and get down
to where that ship is berthed. When you get there ask any of the sailors and
they’ll tell you where it is, I found it easy enough this morning.”
“And you’ll be out of sight but keeping watch.”
“That’s the idea,” Adam
looked down at the rough workmen’s clothes he had borrowed from the desk clerk’s
brother. “I should blend in wearing this. If you do spot me, just ignore me.
When whoever it is takes the money I’ll follow them. Wait for me at the
“Just be careful,” Ben
warned. “We don’t know how desperate these people are.”
“Don’t worry,” Adam gave him
a reassuring smile. “I’ll be on the alert.”
Alighting from the cab a
short while later Adam slipped unobtrusively into a group of men that were
heading down to the wharves. He had been alarmed by the crowds on the streets as
the cab made its way here, groups of men standing around talking, many with
raised, angry voices. The obvious unrest only served to intensify his worries
over Joe, as he contemplated getting caught up in the city’s problems.
The Charlotte Anne was a fine
clipper ship, newly arrived in
“Just got taken on as casual labour and they sent me here,” he told the one man who enquired who he was. Then he set about hefting crates down the gangplank, all the time keeping a close watch on the Charlotte Anne. It wasn’t long before he saw two men approach, both tall and lank with dark hair, one carrying a barrel on his shoulder, the other walking with a pronounced limp. Adam watched as the lame man took up a position on the edge of the dock and the other put down the barrel and then scooted up the gangplank of the Charlotte Anne and crouched down out of sight. It wasn’t long before Ben came into view, walking purposefully toward the barrel that stood by the quayside. He stopped and looked around before depositing the parcel of money, but if he saw Adam he gave no sign.
As soon as Ben walked away Adam saw the lame man start to follow. He expected the other man to go and get the money and was surprised when he remained where he was for some fifteen minutes until his partner returned. Then he ran down the gangplank and delved into the barrel, grabbing the parcel and clutching it to him triumphantly. The two men then turned and started walking away and Adam let them go for a moment before taking off after them, ignoring the puzzled looks from the men he had been working with.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Back at the Orpheus, Hoss glanced again at the big clock that stood against the wall of the hotel room. It was almost six and if all had gone according to plan his father would have handed over the money and he and Adam should be trailing the kidnappers. Crossing to the window, Hoss looked out, he had wanted to go to the docks with Pa and Adam but someone had to stay in case the kidnappers brought Joe here and Hoss had been the obvious choice.
The street outside was busy
and Hoss watched the people idly, until his attention was drawn to two young
boys who were walking towards the hotel. Pressing nearer to the glass Hoss
looked more closely. The smaller of the two had curly brown hair and looked
just like…his heart began to pound in his chest as the boys drew closer…it
was…it was Joe! Running for the door, Hoss was down the stairs as fast as his
legs could carry him and arrived in the hotel lobby just as Jem and Joe walked
in.
“Joe, thank the Lord you’re
safe!” Hoss charged across the lobby and in front of an amazed and startled
clientele grabbed his younger brother and hugged him, lifting the boy clean off
the floor.
“Hoss,” Joe protested as he
felt the breath being squeezed out of him. “Put me down.”
Reluctantly, Hoss set Joe
back on his feet, still keeping a large hand on his shoulder as though worried
he might disappear again.
“This is my brother Hoss,”
Joe told Jem, with a wide grin of delight at being with at least one of his
family again. “Hoss, this is Jem. His uncles have been looking after me.”
“His uncles?” Hoss frowned
as he looked from Joe to Jem, the boy dropping his eyes as Hoss’ gaze turned
his way. “His uncles had you?”
Jem saw enlightenment cross
the face of the big youth and turned to run, but Hoss was too quick, and
grabbed him before he could get away. “Right,” he said, his voice suddenly hard
and angry. “Suppose you tell me exactly what this is all about.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hoss, Jem and Joe caught up with Adam and Ben at the Slater home. The three had left the Orpheus as soon as Hoss had heard Jem and Joe’s story and had rushed through the crowded streets as fast as they could. By the time they reached Jem’s home Eddie and Pete had been caught by surprise by the arrival of the two older Cartwrights. Easily overpowered, Jem’s two uncles were now bound to their own kitchen chairs while a furious and terrified Ben Cartwright demanded to know the whereabouts of his youngest son.
“He was here,” Eddie
quavered, for the fourth or fifth time. “He was here with our nephew. I don’t
know where they’ve gone.”
“If anything has happened to
that boy,” Ben words were low and menacing as he towered over the Slater
brothers. “Then so help me I’ll see you both…”
“I’m here Pa,” At the sound
of Joe’s voice from the doorway Ben whirled around, the Slaters momentarily
forgotten.
“Joseph!” The single word
held utter relief as Ben saw his youngest son standing in the doorway, safe and
well. He reached out and pulled the boy to him, hugging him tightly for a long
while. Eventually he pulled back and held Joe at arms length to get a better
look, reassuring himself that his son was unhurt.
“I’m all right,” Joe assured
him, trying in vain to hold back tears of joy at being reunited with his
father. “Jem, Pete and Eddie looked after me real well. Honest.”
At this reminder, Ben
turned, still keeping a hand on Joe’s arm. “I have my son back,” he told the
two brothers. “And I have my money back but I’m not going to let you get away
with this. Adam, help me get them to the police.”
“No, Pa! Please don’t…”
Joe’s entreaty brought his father’s attention back to him. “Please don’t take
them away.”
“But they did wrong, Joe,”
Ben said gently. “They must be punished.”
“I know they did,” Joe shot
a glance at Jem who was standing beside Hoss, a frightened look on his face.
“But they’re all that Jem has. If they go to prison Jem will have nowhere to go
and he’s my friend, Pa, I don’t want him to be homeless.”
“If it wasn’t for Jem,” Hoss
put in. “Joe would still have been here, he brought him back, helped him find
the hotel.”
“And Eddie and Pete didn’t
hurt me,” Joe added. “They were real nice to me. Eddie took me to the beach and
all.”
“But they threatened to kill
you,” Ben said, though his tone was softer now. “How can I let them go?”
“I didn’t mean that,” Pete’s
voice was hopeful, seeing that Joe’s pleas were having some effect. “I just said
it so you’d get the money. I wouldn’t hurt a kid.”
“Please, Pa?” Joe looked up
into his father’s face, hazel-green eyes pleading.
Ben shot a look at Adam, who
just shrugged his shoulders and put the gun he was holding back in the
waistband of his pants. “All right,” Ben made the decision and was rewarded by
a dazzling grin from his son. “Untie them, Hoss.”
“Thanks Pa,” Joe flung his
arms around his father and hugged him, pleased that Jem’s uncles weren’t going
to prison and so glad to be safe with his family again.
“Good to have you back Joe,”
Adam said quietly, coming over to tousle his youngest brother’s hair
affectionately. “Good to have you back.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As the steamer prepared to leave
“What’s up?” Adam asked from
beside him. “I thought you’d be glad to be going home.”
“I am,” Joe told him, for
that was certainly the truth. Exciting and interesting though the city was he
couldn’t wait to get back to the Ponderosa. “I just hoped Jem might come to say
goodbye.”
“Oh, I see.” Adam looked out
at the crowd alongside the ship. He too was glad to be leaving, there was trouble
brewing in
“Yes, I did,” Joe brightened
at this reminder of his morning’s errand. “Toy soldiers, Adam, you should see
them. They’re real beauties.”
“I didn’t know you had enough
money left to buy something like that.”
“Pa bought them,” Joe
informed him and hastened to add. “They’re not for me,” when he saw a small
frown crease his brother’s brow.
“Joe! Hey, Joe!” the shout
from the dockside interrupted the conversation and Joe left his brother and ran
to the railing just as the ropes were loosened and the steamer began its
journey.
“Jem!” he called excitedly
seeing his friend standing on the quay. “Did you get them?”
In answer Jem held up his
hand in which Joe could see the bright colours of the toy soldiers he had
chosen so carefully that morning and Pa had asked to have delivered to the
Slater’s home. “Thanks, Joe!” Jem yelled as the distance between the ship and
the dock widened. “Come back and visit some time.”
“I’ll write,” Joe shouted
back, waving frantically. Feeling a hand on his shoulder he looked up to see
that his father had joined him, Adam and Hoss standing behind. He smiled up at
Ben before giving a final wave to Jem. He’d never forget his friend in
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