Jeb Carter's Ghose

JEB CARTER'S GHOST

The night was hot and stuffy. All were asleep in the homestead on the Ponderosa. Everything was very still. Not even a breath of wind blew in the trees on the vast ranch expanse.

Inside the house, the family slept peacefully and undisturbed.

The head of the household, Benjamin Cartwright, was in a fitful doze. He had retired about ten o'clock that night after checking on his two youngest sons.

Adam Cartwright, the eldest son, was still reading a book of poetry.

In the next bedroom, Hoss Cartwright, the largest of the boys was spread eagled on his bed. No too many things would wake the sleeping giant until morning.

In the bedroom at the end of the hall slept the youngest member of the family, Joseph Cartwright. Like his brothers and father, he slept on top of the bed clothes but was sleeping on his side. His dark and soft unruly curls fell over his forehead in a messy clump.

Joe Cartwright had only been asleep for a short while. His father had checked on him earlier in the night, but he had snuck out shortly thereafter to have some fun at the Bucket O' Blood saloon in Virginia City. The trip had been mostly uneventful. He had chatted to the pretty bar maids and even won himself $100 dollars in a poker game during the night. But now the alcohol that he had consumed in the form of four beers were lulling him into a deep repose.

The boy was dreaming and smiled at something he was seeing in his mind. Perhaps another pretty girl or maybe riding his horse Cochise. There were many things in this youth's life that brought pleasure.

The clock was about to strike midnight. The date was October 25^th 1859.

**********

Joe awoke to the feeling that the house was falling apart. The bed underneath him shook violently and felt like it was going to fall into pieces. He jumped up off the bed in case his fears became reality and the bed did indeed collapse in on him.

The walls were shaking and things attached to the wall such as photographs and souvenirs began falling onto the floor. Joe managed to grab a much cherished picture of Cochise before it shattered into a million pieces.

For a moment Joe wondered whether he was in fact in his own bedroom on the Ponderosa. He thought somehow that he might have been in San Francisco and this was actually an earthquake.

The deafening noise became louder and louder. At some point he thought he could distinctly hear a whistle or horn blaring in the distance.

The shaking got worse the louder the noise got. What the hell was it. Joe had at first been still half asleep, but now with everything threatening to tumble down around his ears, he was alert and scared.

Little Joe could hear himself through the noise yelling to his father and brothers. The deafening noise prevented him hearing any response. He was about to dive towards the door to the room. He surveyed the shaking room around him and retrieved a photo frame from the bedside table and clutched it to his chest before running.

**********

Ben, Adam and Hoss had not heard any of the noises Joe supposedly heard. They all awoke to the sounds of Joe's terrified voice. All three of them leapt out of their own beds, trying to see the adversary who was attacking the youngest member of the family.

Ben made it to the hallway outside Joe's bedroom just in time to see his youngest come from the other side of the door in sheer panic. He was holding something to his chest and look as though he was running for his life.

When Joe made it outside, he leant up against the wall for support. His breath was coming in ragged gasps and his face was pale and sweaty.

Adam tried to put his arm on his younger brother to see if he was alright. Big mistake. The effect was immediate and devastating. Little Joe let out the scream of his life and almost fainted on the spot, threatening to take Adam to the floor with him.

"Whoa, little buddy, take it easy," Adam said as he tried to hold onto his trembling brother. All three were at a loss as to what or who had scared Little Joe so much.

Hoss and Ben checked out his room, ready to pulverize anything or anyone they found inside. They found nothing. Nothing looked out of the ordinary. They could see no strange person inside. A few things might have looked out of place, but that didn't mean anything, Joseph wasn't the tidiest person in the world.

Ben walked back to his youngest son. He had a questioning look on his face. "What happened, Little Joe?" Ben asked softly "Please tell me what's got you so scared."

"You mean you didn't feel it, Pa,?" Joe asked incredulously "Or hear it?" Little Joe couldn't believe that nobody else had felt the house tremble like he had or hear the dreaded noise coming towards him from outside.

"Hear or feel what, little brother?" Hoss asked Joe.

Joe just continued to stare with disbelief at his family. Could it all have been a terrible dream. "I don't know how to describe it" "It was like the whole house was shaking. I thought it was an earthquake or something.’’

"Earthquake," Adam and Hoss said together and then burst into laughter together. "How many beers did you have tonight, buddy?" Adam asked. He could smell some alcohol on his brother's breath and assumed that there had been some extra curricular activities after they had all retired for the night.

Joe looked back angrily at his eldest brother now that his secret was out. "I didn't have too much to drink tonight, Adam.” He immediately regretted the statement as he looked at the expression on his father's face. He hung his head in shame as he knew he'd been found out.

Ben just stood there for a moment, not sure how to handle finding out about his son's little adventure into town. He knew he should be furious tonight. But he was still coming to terms with the frightened look he had seen on Joe as he came running out of his bedroom. He doubted that any alcohol from the saloon had caused such a drastic reaction in his youngest son.

"Maybe it was just a dream, son," Pa said soothingly as he tried to douse Little Joe's fears. The boy had stopped trembling, but still looked very pale and was looking very around very nervously.

"Yeah, Pa, maybe it was" Joe said finally. He didn't have any other credible answer at the moment. He felt embarrassed at having showed such weakness in front of his family. He normally prided himself on his independence and fought long and hard against any coddling that was dished out by his father and brothers.

"I think I'll go back to bed now, Pa," Joe said. He made sure his feet were firmly placed on the ground and he walked back into his room with all of the confidence he could muster.

Everyone else just watched Joe head back into his room. They shook their heads whilst having a similar question in each of their minds. What or who had scared Joe so much?

*********

The next morning saw three people sitting at the breakfast table as normal. Adam Hoss and their father sat idly chatting about anything but the strange events of last night.

Ben had told his two older sons to let Joseph have a little lie in this morning. It was Saturday. There would be plenty of time to complete the work load tomorrow.

All suddenly looked around in surprise at the sound of footsteps on the stairs. Little Joe was making his way down. His hair was still all mussed up. His eyes looked bleary and he still looked very tired.

The truth of the matter was that Joe hadn't gone back to sleep last night. He laid awake listening to every creak and groan from the roof. Every cricket that sang it's nightly serenade and any other noise that could be heard in the dead of night.

Joe tried to carry on as normal. He wanted to put the images and sounds from last night behind him. He greeted his family with a cheery 'Good Morning' and sat down ready to start the day like any other day.

Ben knew what the game plan was. He knew that Joe wouldn't appreciate him voicing his knowledge of the situation. So he told the boys what their allotted tasks for the day were. He left the lightest and easiest jobs to Little Joe. Adam and Hoss would normally have protested at these suggestions of lighter work for their younger sibling, but today, both could see just how peaked Joe was looking. He really did look tired.

The rest of the day seemed to carry out without incident. By lunch time Ben had returned from Virginia City and Adam and Hoss were returning from further out on the ranch to a much deserved hot meal and bath.

Joe had kept himself busy throughout the day. He had filled Hop Sing's wood pile twice, he had hauled more water to the kitchen than he wanted to remember. At least the work kept his mind from wandering.

By supper time, Joe walked very wearily into the house. Everyone else inside felt a little sorry for the youngest Cartwright. Hoss and Adam even stood aside for the time being and let Joe enjoy the hot water of a steam bath to get some of the kinks out of his aching muscles.

Dinner went well. The topic of conversation was much the same as it had been earlier that morning. Everyone was talking quick glances at Joe whilst trying to hide the fact. Hoss and Pa settled in for the first game of checkers for the evening. Adam sat in is allotted chair and read his book again. Little Joe had sat on Pa's blue leather chair.

Ben had walked into the kitchen to get a refill for his coffee cup. Upon returning to the living room, he could see from behind that Joseph had his feet on the coffee table again. It never ceased to amaze him that no matter how many lectures he gave about the proper care and respect of furniture, almost every day he would need to remind Joe again.

Ben was almost to bellow at his youngest son for the hundredth time this month, when he spied the look on Hoss's face. Hoss was holding his fingers to his lips in a SHUSHING motion.

Ben crept up silently beside his chair and gazed down at the occupant. His heart melted immediately and he felt all of the love he could find gather in his heart. Sitting slumped in the chair, eyes closed, breathing even and regular was his youngest son, sound asleep. The day and previous night had finally caught up with him and now held out the waiting arms of rest. Joe had not protested in the slightest and slipped into a deep slumber without even knowing it.

Adam and Hoss looked at their younger brother also. It was times like this that they all wondered how they could ever had been cross or angry at Little Joe. The angelic features poised in slumber and the handsome image of his mother reminded them of how much they really did care for this most willful person.

Ben hated the idea of trying to wake Little Joe while he was resting so peacefully, but decided that Joe would be a lot better off in the comfort of his own bed. He tried to wake Joe gently at first. He shook his shoulder and whispered his name into his ear. No response. He tried a little harder and a little louder. Still no response.

"Don't think he wants to wake up now he is finally asleep Pa" Hoss said. "Let me take him.”

Little Joe was no match for his big brother. At 120 pounds Joseph caused Hoss barely a grunt as he was hoisted in the huge arms and carried upstairs.

Ben had followed and helped Hoss get Joe ready for bed. They removed his shirt and pants and replaced them with a clean night shirt from the chest of drawers. They jostled him in and out of his clothes, but Joe never stirred once. His face remain so calm and serene to watch.

Hoss laid his younger brother's curly head down on the soft white pillow and bid him good night. Ben also bid his youngest good night and caressed his curls through his fingers before exiting the room. Ben felt relaxed and thought that all was fine with his son tonight. It was 10.08 pm and it looked as though the events of last night were long forgotten. This was to be short lived.

**********

Ben and his two other boys retired soon afterwards. They thought they could all use a restful night of unbroken sleep.

At the stroke of midnight the peace and tranquility of the night was shattered once again by the piercing and terrified screams of Joe.

Joe had been, up until a few minutes ago deeply asleep, but as the grandfather clock downstairs struck twelve o'clock the events of the previous night repeated themselves.

Joe didn't jump off the bed this time. He did exactly the opposite this time. The bed began to creak and shake, the walls were vibrating and threatening to topple over again. Joe cowered underneath the blankets and quilts for protection.

Even through the layers of bedding, his frightened screams could still be heard.

Ben and his sons had again jumped out of bed and raced towards Little Joe's room. They all looked around the room and then noted the trembling lump underneath the sheets.

Joe had momentarily stopped screaming when the walls seemed to stop shaking and the bed no longer rocked about. He peaked his head out from underneath his safe haven just in time to hear the whistle sound he had heard the previous night. Tonight it sounded even closer and louder if that were possible. It sounded right outside his window.

Joe gave another strangled cry of fright and dived back under the covers to shield himself. Ben, Hoss and Adam had not heard the whistle, nor felt the tremors of the building. They couldn't understand Joe's behavior at all.

Ben sat down on the bed and tried to pry Little Joe out from his hiding place. It was very difficult. When he eventually did appear, Joe just curled up in a shaking ball in his father's embrace. He was looking for something to protect him and knew that his father had always been there in times of need.

Adam and Hoss began to talk quietly amongst themselves. "Maybe he's getting sick," Adam suggested. "He might he getting a touch of fever and having delusions as a result of the high temperature. His theory was shot to pieces when Ben felt his youngest's forehead. He found exactly the opposite. Where they suspected there might have been a temperature, the skin felt cold and clammy. He was sweating but so were they all, it was a terribly hot night. Ben had an idea that most of Joe's perspiration was due to another cause other than humidity.

Joe had stopped trembling and the tiredness from earlier returned. He soon fell back asleep in his father's lap. Ben managed to move without waking him. He didn't know what to do. Maybe he should take Little Joe to see Paul tomorrow. Maybe Adam was right; Joe might be getting sick or something.

The remaining three family members returned to their own beds but tonight it was them that couldn't return back to sleep. They kept listening out for any signs of Joe waking up screaming again. They all dozed with one eye open and ready to run to Joe again if necessary.

************

Breakfast the next day was totally different. Every one sat in silent while they ate a sparse meal. Little Joe just moved things around on his plate. He looked even worse than yesterday. His eyes now held an almost haunted look and they were very bloodshot from lack of restful sleep.

Ben told Adam and Hoss that he would keep Joe around the yard again today. Both brothers had no problem with this plan. Both were very concerned for Little Joe.

Adam, Hoss and Ben moved towards the front door out of hearing range of Little Joe. Ben told his sons that he planned to take Joe to see Doc Martin this morning. He would suggest a trip into town and stop of at the doctor's clinic before coming home. He knew that he would have to drag his youngest kicking and screaming otherwise.

Adam and Hoss told their father where they were planning to work today, just in case he needed to get them urgently. Ben assured them that he and Joseph would be fine.

Ben returned to the dining room to find Little Joe asleep at the table. He had pushed his plate aside and now softly snored with his head resting on the table. He hair fell in his eyes yet again. Ben wasn't sure how to tackle the current problem. He didn't even know what the problem was.

Ben had tried to wake Joe like last night, but found the same result. Little Joe was always a source of never ending energy during the day, but when his body did sleep, it slept hard.

This time he moved his youngest over onto the settee to be more comfortable. He was intending to tackle some paperwork and needed Joe somewhere close to keep an eye on him. Ben told himself that he would need to get his son a haircut when they went into town today. Joseph's curls were longer than he would have liked and he started to tell himself that no son of his was going to go around looking like a 'River Boat Gambler'.

Ben let Joe slept until almost lunch time. He had gotten the buck board prepared and was ready to head into town before he woke Little Joe.

Joe woke a little easier this time, but looked around for a moment, wondering why he was asleep on the settee. “How long have I been here, Pa?" he asked honestly and stifled back a huge yawn.

"You, young man, fell asleep at the breakfast table," Ben said in mock sternness. He was trying sound annoyed at his youngest, but every time he looked at those every so long curls and those expressive emerald green eyes, he saw his wife Marie. The boy was so much like his mother it hurt. Ben always felt the pull of a heart string when he looked at Joseph and remembered how much he had missed out on with Marie.

"You mean I have been asleep for nearly five hours?" Joe asked skeptically. He felt like he had been asleep about an hour at the most.

"Yes, you have, but if your ready now, you can help me get some supplies in town" Ben said. He deliberately left out the last little stop he intended to make before heading home.

"Sure, Pa,” Joe said. "Just let me get a fresh shirt on and feel a little human again for a minute.” Joe gave another huge yawn and forced himself to get off the settee and go about getting dressed for the day.

**********

The ride into town was happy enough. Ben talked to his son about the string of horses that he had intended to buy and get ready for the army in a few months time. He was trying to get his son to talk and get his mind off whatever was bothering him.

They had attended at the general store and filled the list from Hop Sing and gathered the sacks of grain and flour they needed. Joe was just about to climb back into the buck board when his father spoke to him.

"Got one more errand before we head back, Joe,” Ben said.

Joe didn't ask where they were going. He was happy just to follow his father for a moment. But upon getting closer to doctor's office, he wanted to back peddle.

"What are we going here for, Pa" Joe asked nervously. He tried to move away, but his father held firmly onto his upper arm and steered him into Paul Martin's waiting room.

"I just want Paul to check you over, Joe," Ben explained. "You haven't been sleeping well the last two nights and have woken up scared to death. I just want to make sure that you're not coming down with a virus or anything.

"I feel fine, Pa," Joe said a little annoyed "So lets go home". Too late. Just as the words left his lips, the person he feared most walked out into the waiting room and came up to his father and shook his outstretched hand.

"Hello, Ben" Paul said. "I didn't expect to see you here. What seems to be the problem? Hi, Little Joe."

Joe mumbled a barely audible hello before telling the doctor he was fine and there was nothing wrong with him no matter what his father thought.

"Well, let's just take a look at you shall we, and I will make the diagnosis," Paul said with a grin. He knew that this was the last place Joe wanted to be. But he also knew that Ben rarely sought his advice for trivial matters.

"What seems to be the trouble, Ben" Paul asked his old friend as he began to do the usual examination on his still protesting patient. He thought he had better get the whole story from Ben as Little Joe was likely to tell him nothing or leave giant chunks of relevant information out in his explanation.

"Little Joe hasn't been sleeping well the last few nights, Paul," Ben started. "Both nights he has awoken screaming and tell us that it felt like the house was shaking and trembling. He said it felt like an earthquake was hitting the Ponderosa."

Paul was about to laugh at Ben when he noted the less than funny look on his friend's face. Ben was far from laughing. He really believed every word he was saying.

"What about, Joseph?" Paul now asked his patient. "What have you got to say about yourself?"

"I feel fine, doc," Joe said without hesitation "I feel fine and I want to go home now."

Paul continued his examination and mentally noted his findings. Reluctantly to say, he couldn't find anything wrong with Little Joe. The boy looked a little tired. But if he hadn't been sleeping well for the past two nights, that was to be expected.

"Okay Joseph, you can pull your shirt back down now," Paul said. "I am just going to have a quick word with your father, then you can go home, okay?"

Joe didn't reply, he just put the biggest scowl on his face he could make. He tried to tell them nothing was wrong with him. Why wouldn't his family listen to him sometimes. He should know, it was his body. He couldn't explain the events of the last two nights, but put it down to something else than a physical thing. Maybe he just dreamed up the whole thing two nights in a row.

Ben walked a little away from his son to talk to the doctor in private. "Well, Paul, what's wrong with him?"

"I don't know what to tell you Ben," Paul said honestly. "I done a complete examination on the boy and other than looking slightly weary, everything's normal."

Ben just sighed in defeat. He didn't blame his friend, but thought he might have been able to come up with a medical reason for his son's behavior.

"Tell you what, just see how he goes tonight, Ben," Paul explained. “If he still continues on the same tonight, I will come out tomorrow and examine him again. I might be able to prescribe some strong sleeping powders for a couple of nights or so to let his body get back to normal. I don't like the idea of using them on somebody so young, but I will if it becomes called for."

"Okay, Paul" Ben said and shook the doctor's hand in readiness to leave. "Thanks for your help anyway."

They both walked back over to Little Joe who still had the scowl on his face. "Finished your little discussion about me now have you?" he said angrily.

"You mind your manners, young man," Ben said firmly back. "Just because you feel a little tired and cranky, doesn't give you an excuse to be rude."

Joe got up and ignored the remark. He pouted his lips and continued this stance all the way back to the buck board. He climbed back into the wagon and intended to keep the conversation to a minimum on the way home.

About half way home, the tiredness Joe felt from lack of sleep again returned and Ben felt his son's curly head rest upon the back of his shoulder as he guided the team home.

He was genuinely worried about Little Joe. He knew something was wrong, and it pained him to not be able to help his son when he needed it. He hoped that tonight would be different.

************

Joe had woken when the wagon came to a stop at the homestead and he helped unload the buck board. He had been thinking about the doctor's suggestion and wanted to ask his father about something, but was a little nervous about it.

Once the unloading was done. Ben and Joe sat down in the living room with a cup of coffee, waiting the return of Adam and Hoss. Joe decided to pluck up the courage and discuss his idea with his father before his brothers came back.

"Pa....." he began, "I was thinking about what's been happening. Do you think you could stay awake with me tonight down here and see if you can hear the sounds I have been hearing or feel the house shake like I have been the last two nights."

"Sure Little Joe, if that's what you really want,” Ben told his youngest.

Whilst Joe was washing up for dinner that night, Ben told his two eldest son's about Joe's request. Adam and Hoss decided that they would stay up to try and help their brother as well. The boy was only seventeen years and although he often showed a wild streak, it was nearly as often that he demonstrated a more vulnerable side to his cheeky personality.

Dinner went just as well as the night before. Joe ate a little more tonight and his father was pleased with the informal nature of the conversations and all tried to relax just a little for the evening.

**********

Hoss and Joe had started an endless round of checkers. Joe won almost all of them, but deliberately let his big brother win on a few occasions just to keep the game interesting.

It was almost 11.55pm went Ben decided that nothing would happen tonight. Joe had fallen asleep again on the settee this time. Adam was sipping at his hot coffee and trying to stop himself from nodding off.

Ben normally didn't allow his son's to stay up much past 11.00pm, but he had wanted to get to the bottom of the mystery of the last couple of nights, for Joe's sake as well as his own sanity.

Ben had shaken Little Joe awake enough to get him to stand on his own two feet. The boy was still half asleep and walked clumsily towards the staircase and his soft bed that awaited him.

Joe had made it half way across the living room floor when he turned to bid his goodnights to his family.

"Night' all," he mumbled through half closed eyes. The words had just fallen off his lips when he heard the sound of the whistle. It was loud and very close. If Joe had been asleep before, he was now wide awake at that eerie noise. It almost sounded to be outside the dining room window.

Joe stopped dead in his tracks and stared at the large glass window with fear and anticipation written all over his face. He clutched at the back rest of the chair in front of him to steady himself. He could not believe what was about to take place.

The whistle sounded again and this time he could see some sort of shadow at the window sill. He tried to take a step back, but absolute fear held him frozen to the floor. His feet just wouldn't obey his minds demands. His heart was pounding in his chest like it was about to explode. He held his breath as he saw the dark shadow loom closer.

Without warning, the shadow not only got closer to the window, but came right through. Joe blinked his eyes to clear his vision, but the same image was there.

Coming through the dining room window was a train. It looked strange as it was illuminated by a green hue. It was this same light that enabled Joe to look right through the train and carriages. The train had a translucent quality about it. It seemed to glow in the darkness of the room. The dark black smoke billeted out of the stack in front and trailed behind the engine. Joe could smell the thick black ash from the burning of coal. It was almost choking.

Ben and the boys couldn't see the ghostly image of the train. What they could see was the trembling body of Little Joe who seemed to stand transfixed to the one spot. At some point Joe thought he could hear voices talking to him. He shook his head to clear his mind and the voices faded away.

What seemed like five hours, was in fact about 3 minutes. The train engine and it's three carriages had rocketed their way through the Cartwright family home. Joe's gaze followed after the train and he turned around and was just in time to see the back end of the carriage disappear through the eastern wall of the house and out into the darkness of the night.

His mind was trying to take in what had just happened. Had he really seen a whole train just come through his house. He was looking at his father and brothers for answers to an endless number of questions.

Joe looked at this family with his mouth agape and his arm extended with a pointing finger towards the ghostly image he had seen He tried to use his voice but nothing would come. His mouth moved but no sound escaped his vocal cords.

Although he showed some signs of weariness earlier, his skin color had been good and he appeared to be healthy enough. Now looking at the pasty white skin that was sweating and clammy in the touch, Joe's family were now truly concerned about Joe's state of mind and health.

Joe swallowed hard and looked at his father with pleading eyes What just happened here Pa? Why am I so scared. Why did I see that train? He was still trying to get a sound from his voice, he tried with all of his might to say something. With all of his concentration and all of his effort he managed to say but one word to his family.

"TR....... TR...... TRAIN.”

His mind decided that enough was too much and he lost what ever pallor he had left. Little Joe felt his legs underneath betray him and loose all of their strength. They now felt like jelly and no longer had the strength to hold him up. Joe felt himself start to topple forward but couldn't prevent the descent. Adam and Ben could see what was going to happen and only just managed to grab a hold of Joseph before he fell unconscious on the floor.

Hoss had gasped and now looked into the face of his youngest brother with fear of his own. He couldn't explain what was wrong with little brother, or what had been apparently happening to Little Joe over the last three nights, but he wanted to protect his brother and let him know he was safe.

Ben had scooped Little Joe's unconscious form into his arms and raced upstairs with his precious burden. Adam had gone into the kitchen looking for a basin to fill with cool water and a cloth. Once obtained, he followed in his father footsteps to Joe's room.

Hoss had gone outside to get one of the ranch hands to go get Doc Martin. The man quickly scurried to the barn and rode away on one of the many Ponderosa horses towards Virginia City.

Ben just looked at his son unconscious on the bed. He didn't know what to do. He had seen Joe's behavior turn very strange over the past three days. He had seen Joe more scared than ever. He knew something was out of place but he couldn't put his finger on it.

Joe was unconscious for about an hour and was only beginning to regain consciousness as Doc Martin came through the front door to the homestead.

"Came as quickly as I could, Ben," Doc Martin said. His eyes quickly turned to the patient laying on the bed. Joe was showing signs of waking up. Hoss had filled in the doctor downstairs of the events of the evening. He told him how Joe had reacted just as he was going upstairs to bed.

Doc Martin sat down on the bed and tried to gain Little Joe's attention. He lifted the boy's eyelids to see the response to bright light, there was some. He felt the boy's steady heart beat by checking his pulse using his wrist. Joe still looked very pale.

The doctor couldn't find anything else wrong with Little Joe. "I don't know what to tell you again Ben. It's just like yesterday, no fever, no sickness, no injuries that I can see. I just don't know what's wrong with him."

"The only word he said downstairs Paul was TRAIN," Ben said "Then he fainted. Why would he say the word TRAIN at twelve o'clock at night?"

"The only thing I can suggest is that maybe all of these incidents have been brought on by stress. Stress that is causing physical symptoms within him. He still looks very tired and you said he has been waking up at odd hours the last three nights. Has there been anything that has been bothering him lately?"

"I don't remember him saying anything in particular, Paul," Ben said honestly. He was trying to think back over the last week. Was there something bothering Joe enough to be waking him up at night and making him sick? He looked at his two eldest for answers.

"Adam? Hoss? Has Joe told you about anything he is worried about?"

Hoss tried hard to think. Joe had seemed his normal self. He had chatted happily enough when he and Hoss had been fence riding or working about the ranch.

Adam was poised deep in thought also. "Can't say as I remember him mentioning anything, Pa," he said. "Not unless you take into account him worrying about which girl he was planning to take to the local dance next Saturday night."

"I don't think Joe has any genuine concerns about whether or not he will have a date or not, big brother," Hoss replied "Having a pretty girl on his arm is the last thing our little brother here would be worried about. Maybe he was worried about how many he would have to dance with," Hoss said trying to inject a little abject humor into the conversation.

Doc Martin and Ben both chuckled a little at Hoss's view of Little Joe. Both sobered up immediately as they came back to reality and needed to come up with a solution.

"Maybe I could send a few telegrams to associates in San Francisco, Ben," Paul said. "I have a few friends who deal specifically with patients who seem to have psychological problems or are have other problems that are not physical in nature."

"You mean that all this behavior might be in Joe's mind?" Ben asked incredulously. Over the seventeen years of his son's life there had been various injuries. Childhood type ailments, gunshot wounds and other afflictions. Ben had never considered that there would be a time in any of his son's lives that their mental capacity would be doubted.

Adam and Hoss just looked at the doctor with disbelief. They too had never given the idea of their brother being affected by a illness or injury of the mind.

"I don't know Ben," Paul answered "I am not trained enough in the field. That's why I thought it would be good to talk to a few colleagues that are familiar with cases like Little Joe's."

Ben closed his eyes and shook his eyes. He didn't like the phrase "Cases like Little Joe's". This was his son. This was his youngest son and he felt more protective towards him sometimes.

Paul could see the raging emotions written all over his friend's face about Little Joe.

Before Paul could utter any words of comfort to the Cartwright men, Joe gave a few small groans to signal he was waking up.

"Uh......." came the response from a very groggy Little Joe. At once Ben was there holding his hand, talking softly to his son.

"Pa........... is that you?" Joe whispered. He opened his eyes and looked about the room. He eyes surveyed the room and finally came to rest on the one face he had trusted all of his life. His father.

"Yes, son," Ben answered almost with a choked voice. "I’m here Little Joe. So are your brothers.” He let Joe get his bearings a little more first before asking him too many questions.

At first it seemed that Little Joe remembered very little of his ordeal downstairs. He was looking questioningly at Doc Martin being in the room. "Why are you here, Doc?" he asked. Then with frightening speed, the images from downstairs came racing back into his mind. He put his hand up to his mouth to hide the scream that was caught in his throat. He immediately sat upright in bed, looking around the room with darting eyes. He was looking for any evidence of what he had seen.

Ben had been holding his hand as he woke and now struggled to get Little Joe to lie down.

The movement of sitting up too fast only made Joe's head spin. He put his hands to his temples and tried to stop the merry-go-round his brain was on. The dizziness was powerful and he had to calm down just a little in order to remain conscious.

Adam and Hoss sat down on chairs in the room, trying to give Little Joe some much needed space. Doc Martin waited a few minutes until he was satisfied that his patient could withstand any questioning as to his health.

"Little Joe," Doc began slowly and quietly "What do you remember about tonight?"

What do I remember, Joe asked himself sarcastically How do I tell them that I saw a locomotive engine and three carriages come through the dining room wall downstairs and pass through the other side? "You will think I am nuts, doc," he finally answered.

"Little Joe," Ben said softly "We won't be upset with you, we're trying to help you. Do you remember what you saw?" A slow nod was the only response. “Can you tell us what you saw?” A shake of the head signaled a negative reply. “Do you want to talk about it and share it with your family?” Another negative reply. The questioning was getting nowhere fast.

Doc Martin could see that his patient was going to be very difficult indeed, even more so that usual. They were probably not going to get any answers by asking him directly. They would have to wait until Joe decided he wanted to share it with his family.

Paul got up and dug around in his little black bag. He tried to hide his actions from his patient as best he could. He poured a teaspoon of white powder from a small drawstring bag into a glass and then used the pitcher beside him on the table to fill the glass with water. The water turned a milky white in color. The doctor tried to dissolve as much of the powder as possible to hide the contents of the glass from his young friend.

Joe still had a frightened look on his face. He was still remembering the train from downstairs. He wanted to tell his father about what he had seen. But again his mind was telling him that nobody would believe him. When the glass of water was offered to him, he gladly drank the contents to take away the dryness of his mouth.

Paul took the empty glass from him and told Joe to lay back down and get some rest. He told Little Joe that he was fine and just needed some extra sleep tonight.

Joe's eyelids began to flutter from the sleeping powder and he soon drifted off without any further explanation of what had happened. Ben continued to hold his hand and stroke his face as Little Joe fell asleep. He hoped that by just touching his son, Joe felt safe from harm.

Now that Joe was deeply asleep, there was no need to talk softly. He wouldn't be disturbed easily tonight and would probably sleep well into the next morning.

"Just let him get the rest he needs, Ben," Paul suggested. "I will contact these colleagues, but it may be a few days before I get a response. Until then, give him a few days off his normal routine. Let him do what he wants to do. Let him go into town and relax a little. If he wants to sleep, then let him sleep all day. That is the best medicine I can offer at this point in time. Maybe a change from day to day activities is just what he needs right now."

*************

The next morning Ben did exactly what the doctor ordered. He let his sons have a few days off from their normal work schedule. Adam and Hoss were surprised that their father had given them any time off, but suspected that they would be needed for other task concerning their younger sibling.

Ben planned a trip into town to try and get Joe to relax a little. Maybe a vacation was just what Little Joe needed. Ben had discussed the ideas he had with Adam and Hoss at the breakfast table. They were in no hurry to got to town. Ben had let Joe sleep in as long as he liked this morning. He had checked on the boy a number of times during the night as had Adam and Hoss. Joe had been peacefully sleeping on each occasion.

It was about 11.00am before Joe started to stir from his drug induced slumber. Joe rubbed at his eyes and yawned widely. He looked at the sun streaming through the window and decided that it was very late into the morning. He went about washing his face in a bowl of water to revive himself a bit more. The effects of the sleeping powder were still present. He pulled on his trousers and a clean shirt and opened his door ready to go downstairs for the day.

"Good Morning, Joseph," came the cheerful greeting from Ben.

"Morning, Pa," Joe mumbled. He headed straight to the kitchen table and poured himself a black of Hop Sing's strong black coffee.

"Hey Short Shanks," Hoss bellowed as he and Adam came through the front door from outside.

Joe just looked up at the cheery face of his big brother. He didn't feel like being happy this morning. He felt terrible. He had the beginnings of a slight headache and his mouth felt like old cardboard. He managed to talk Hop Sing around into giving him some breakfast. At first the little Cantonese man had Hoss and Adam just stared in amazement. Normally they would get a stern argument if either of them were late to the table and requested something after the dishes were cleared. But this morning, after Joe was approximately four hours late to the table, Hop Sing came out with a plate that would have made Hoss's heart swell with happiness. The little man even had a few words of kindness to go with the hearty meal. No matter what he did, Little Joe always seemed to turn most situations to his advantage. He could wrap almost anybody around his little finger in a fraction of a second, like Hop Sing and his father. Ben was probably the more guilty of all.

"Joe, how would you like to go into Virginia City with us shortly?" Ben asked. "We can spend a little time relaxing and even enjoy a beer at the saloon, if you are agreeable?"

Joe spluttered his mouthful of coffee at his father's statement. His father was not an unfair man, but Joe had rarely seen his father offer to give anybody the day off and spend it socially at the Bucket O' Saloon in town. He secretly sensed what the reasons behind the offer were, but on assessment, he wasn't about to argue with an offer for a day off.

Everything seemed to be okay once they got to Virginia City. They had gotten a few small supplies just to keep up appearances. Ben had gone to the bank to do some business and the post office after that to check the mail. Joe had found himself in the Saloon. He was none to happy about the pair of wet nurses that were assigned to follow his every movement, but he grinned and bared it. After two beers he was even starting to relax a little. He was talking to the barmaids in his usual cheeky manner and getting some furious looks from some of the other men in the bar.

Adam and Hoss almost believed that their little brother was back to normal. The short period of relaxation had done wonders. It wasn't until they were mounted and ready to head back to the Ponderosa that they were given a clue as to something still being wrong.

Just as they were ready to ride away, the whistle of the weekly train service from Virginia City through to San Francisco and all points between sounded time to depart.

Little Joe just about jump out his skin at the noise. He kicked Cochise in the flanks and galloped her all the way down the main street back towards the ranch at a very fast pace.

Ben was looking at his other two sons for answers. All were looking questioningly at each other. Why was Joe scared of a train whistle. As a small boy, Joe had been fascinated by the machines. He took every opportunity available when in town to sneak off to the train station and watch the locomotives.

Ben saw this as another huge piece to the jigsaw that was scattered about. The pieces were beginning to accumulate, but for the moment, they were so jumbled that it was hard to see any sort of picture forming. Ben and his sons had heard Joe utter the word train the night before and now, a the sound of a train's whistle, Joe runs in the opposite direction.

When Ben, Adam and Hoss reached the ranch house, Joe had calmed down sufficiently to try and cover his tracks. He was sitting outside on the porch in the rocking chair as nothing at all had happened.

Adam and Hoss approached the verandah cautiously, "Why did you do that, Joe?" Adam asked for his family.

"Do what, big brother?” Joe said trying to sound as if he didn't know what they were talking about.

"You rode out of town like someone was after you heard that train whistle,." Adam said losing his patience slightly.

"Oh, there was a train whistle?" Joe said uncaring. "I was just trying to race you all home," he said and added his best cheeky grin at the end of the sentence.

Everyone knew Little Joe was trying to avoid the subject, but they all asked the same question in their heads WHY? WHY WOULD LITTLE JOE DENY HIS FEAR ABOUT THE TRAIN WHISTLE? WHAT WAS IT ABOUT TRAINS THAT SUDDENLY HAD THE YOUNGEST CARTWRIGHT SPOOKED AT THE DROP OF A HAT?

************

Ben decided to take the sleeping arrangements for the night into his own hands. He had Hop Sing make a large meal for everyone that night. He told the boys to wash up and get ready for supper.

Ben directed the conversation tonight. Talking about everything and anything to keep the mood happy. Joe had eaten a small helping of food. Hoss thought he was about to burst he was so full. Adam also felt full and happy with the evening meal. Hop Sing brought out desert. Hoss just looked at the apple pie with bulging eyes. He would just have to squeeze some of that pie in. Joe just groaned at the thought of having to eat another morsel of food.

"Pa, if you make me eat anymore tonight, I will need to borrow some of Hoss's clothes tomorrow,” Joe said. Everyone laughed at the thought of Joe dressed up in his big brother's oversized clothes.

"That's okay Little Joe, you don't have to eat anymore if you don't want to, but finish up that glass of milk, please," Ben said sternly. He was hiding the real truth about the milk for the time being. He smiled inwardly to himself as he saw his youngest son obey his request and saw that the glass was almost empty when placed back on the table. "Now Little Joe, would you like to go upstairs and grab your bible from your room, we can all sit down and listen to Adam read tonight.” Hoss and Adam looked at their father with a little bit of interest. Their father was up to something, but what?

Little Joe also thought it was strange but did what his father requested and started to head upstairs to his bedroom. The bible Ben was talking about was a present he had received from his mother Marie when he was about 4 years old. He kept in the top drawer of his bedside table and pulled it out every now and then just to capture her smell that was encapsulated in the leather bound book. It made it seem that she was still with him sometimes.

Adam saw his brother's curly head disappear upstairs and immediately turned to his father to ask what was going on.

Ben saw the look from his eldest. "Don't worry son; he won't be coming back downstairs tonight" and smiled a little guilty smile.

"What did you do, Pa?" Hoss now asked.

"I put some of that sleeping powder Doc Martin give me in his milk at supper time," Ben explained. "It should be working, right about now. We all need to catch up on some much needed rest, Joseph especially. Perhaps it's a little earlier tonight, but with the help of that sedative, maybe Joseph won't be disturbed by dreams of any sort tonight."

Just to make sure his theory was correct, Ben tiptoed up the stairs followed by Adam and Hoss. Sure enough, Joe was sprawled on top of the bed clothes, sound asleep with his bible in hand. He was still in the shirt and trousers he had on downstairs, but he looked peaceful and deeply asleep. Ben and Adam went about put on his night clothes. They didn't bother with the covers as it was still warm enough in the room tonight. Ben caressed his son's curly head "Sleep well son". All left the room hoping that the night would be a quiet one.

***********

Ben had woken himself twice before midnight to check that Joe was still sleeping peacefully. On both occasions he was satisfied that every looked okay.

Once again the problems started upon the twelfth stroke of the grandfather clock downstairs.

The first thing that Little Joe felt was the temperature change in the room. He didn't understand how he came to be on his bed dressed in his nightshirt. His addled mind did not have the answers to the questions he tried to form in his mind. He could remember going up to him room the get the bible his mother gave him, after that everything was a blank.

It was the coolness that woke him. When he had gone upstairs the evening predicted to be a hot and sultry one as the last few weeks, but now he found a unique coolness filling the room.

He lay still with his eyes closed and turned on his side on the bed. He was about to go back to the land of nod when a strange feeling of something else being in the room came over him. His fears started gathering in great numbers and his mind was telling him that it wasn't his father or brothers in the room this night.

Against his better judgment he opened his eyes a crack and looked about. His gaze never altered from its position of straight in front of him. He could not believe what his eyes were telling him he was seeing at this moment. His voice was once again deserting him. He wanted to scream, he wanted to scream until he could scream no more. Of all of the events that had happened over the last three or four days, this one left him numb all over.

He closed his eyes again, hoping the image would go away. He reopened them and for the second time he was telling himself to scream.

Laying beside him, on the same bed, not more than a few centimeters away was a dead corpse of a man. The body seemed to be clad in some sort of rags that fell over the skeletal frame like long tendrils. His eyes made him start from the feet and work their way up, forcing him to make a mental note an entire description of what he could see. The feet were housed in a pair of beaten up old boots. There was a hole on the right one where the big toe should have been. There was no big toe protruding out. The legs were nothing more than skin and bits of flesh clinging to them. The arms were in a similar condition with very little remnants of muscle or sinew attached. Most of the man's chest seemed to be missing. There few a few shards of bone that indicated a rib cage, but there was no evidence of any internal organs. The lungs were dried up and withered and half their normal capacity.

Joe tried to stop himself looking and staring but he could not.

Lastingly his gaze rested upon the head and face of the corpse. The hair was straggly and hanging in knots. He couldn't be sure but he thought he saw something moving around in that mess of hair.

He looked at the face with bemused horror on his face. The eyes were devoid of eyelids or lashes and seemed to bulge out of their sockets as they stared directly at Little Joe. There was only a small bony point that indicated a nose was once in place. The mouth was drawn back in a toothy grin. The teeth themselves were yellow and stained. The odor that came from the teeth made Little Joe gag. He fought back the feeling of nauseous with great effort. The corpse continued to grin and stare at him. A worm now broke through the paper thin waxen skin on the man's hollow cheek and peered out from its look out point on the man's face.

"Hello,” he corpse said in a eerie sounding voice. That was the last straw. Joe had found his voice all of a sudden and now scrambled off the bed and backed himself into the corner of the room whilst screaming for everything he was worth. Unfortunately he had backed himself in the farthest corner of the room and behind the bed, so he would have to make it past the dead person to make it safely to the other side of room and to his father and brothers in the other rooms.

Ben Cartwright almost fell out of bed at the scream that radiated through the house. It was unlike any scream he had ever heard. It was full of terror and on the verge of hysteria. He almost pulled the door of his room from its hinges and he thought of his son in danger. Danger, too he told himself, that had to be it, Joe wouldn't scream like that unless his very life was threatened.

Adam and Hoss had gathered in the hallway and had their own fears for Joe written on their faces. They had never heard their brother scream like that, never in absolute and sheer terror.

Ben tried to open the door. It wouldn't budge. The door was locked. They doubted that Joe had locked himself in. Whatever or whoever was attacking Joseph wanted outside help to remain on the other side.

Joe continued to scream. The corpse had remained on the bed and not moved a muscle. Little Joe was now sitting on the wooden floor with his arms held up trying to fend off his attacker.

Ben was making no more progress with the door. "Stand aside, Pa," Hoss demanded.

Hoss took a running start and barreled into the wooden door trying to break the lock. The first attempt failed. As he backed up to take a second go, they heard Joe yell at someone inside.

"GET AWAY FROM ME!!! STAY AWAY FROM ME!!!! PA, HELP ME PLEASE! ADAM, DON'T LET HIM HURT ME!!!" PAAAAAA! " Joe resumed his screams at the sight before him. He had never seen anything so hideous in all of his life. He had read a few horror stories in his time, even seen some terrible injuries inflicted upon a man's body to disfigure him. But nothing he had ever seen or had read could prepare him for this. This was like the devil coming and trying to take his very soul away.

Ben and his boys on the other side tried in vain to break down the door. Their hearts were almost bursting from the pleas the youngest Cartwright was yelling through the other side. They were sure now that at least it seemed that someone was involved rather than something. What was that person doing to Joseph to make him so afraid?

"Get that door open now," Ben roared at Hoss. Hoss took an extra step back and was about to put all his strength behind this effort. Adam had been banging on the door in between assaults by his larger brother, but now he stood back and let Hoss take aim.

The corpse could hear the noise on the other side of the door. He looked at the young man cowering in the corner trying to disappear from view. He knew that he wouldn't be talking to the boy tonight like he wanted to. He would have to change his tactics a little more next time. Each attempt he had made to make contact had only ended up in scaring the young man half to death. With that thought his image now vanished and Joe's bedroom was empty again except for himself. He had yet to notice that the corpse had gone. He was still in the corner with his head between his knees and his arms over him. He was now trembling very badly and his breathing was very shallow and coming in large gulps.

*************

On the last attempt, Hoss managed to break the latch on the locked door. The door was thrust open with his full weight behind it. Adam and Ben followed him into the room trying to look for any other person present in the room.

They had heard Joe calling out for someone to stay away from him and assumed that another physical body had to have been in the room. For a moment their eyes scanned the bedroom without seeing Little Joe.

Upon more careful observation, Ben could see the trembling figure curled up in the furthest corner of the room. His head was still bent down towards the floor boards and he gave no real indication of having heard his family enter the room or attempting to break down the bedroom door.

Adam and Hoss could see that their efforts would not be of much benefit for the time being. The state their brother seemed to be in was more than either of them was capable of handling. They let Ben go to his youngest son with all of his fatherly wisdom.

Ben walked very softly and quietly over to the corner where Little Joe was squished into. He didn't want to startle his son and cause anymore fright or stress. He was a little scared himself at the state he could see Joe in. Joe was still trembling very badly, his fists were clenched and encircled tightly around his drawn up knees.

Ben knelt down and put a gentle hand on the boy's shoulder. At first, Joe made no effort to communicate with his father. He just wanted the floor to swallow him up. He was both angry and afraid. Angry at the weakness he showed to his family and afraid of the situation he still couldn't describe, even to himself.

Slowly Joe turned his face up towards his father. He couldn't hide the tears that streamed down his face.

"Don't let him get me, Pa," Joe managed to say between sobs. "Don't let him touch me."

Ben's heart almost broke into two pieces at his son's sorrowful look. At the same time he was very perplexed about the statement Joe made.

Ben now sat down on the floor beside his youngest son. He waved Adam and Hoss away to leave the two of them alone. He knew that Little Joe wouldn't appreciate an audience. He pulled his son a little closer into his embrace and tried to ease the fear.

"Who was in the room with you, son?" Ben asked softly. "Your brothers and I were worried about you when we could hear your yelling at someone through the door. We thought somebody must have been hurting you."

Joe looked up at his father's question with disbelief and now scanned the room himself looking for the horrible looking corpse that had been on his bed when he woke up.

"But ......... but........... he was right there, Pa," Joe stammered. "He was right there on the bed." He pointed to the bed where he had seen the disfigured remains and shuddered at the memory it induced. "It thought he was going to reach right out and touch me, Pa". He felt another cold shiver go through his spine at this thought. He could still visualize the site and smell the stench that had invaded his nostrils and sinuses.

Joe's emotions now got the better of him. He felt as though no one would believe his incredible story of the dead man on his bed. He leant his curly head on his father's shoulder and just cried out of frustration. Frustration at himself, frustration at the rest of the world. How could he describe what he saw, who would believe him?

Ben was at a loss to what was going on in his young son's life. His son was talking about things that the rest of the family couldn't see or hear. He was scaring himself to death every night. He was scaring his family. He would protect Little Joe with everything he had if he knew what or who the adversary was.

Joe cried long and hard. Cried until there was nothing left inside him to give. He felt this emptiness inside him knowing that he was seeing things and hearing things that others could not. He needed to feel that his family was there to help him as much as possible.

He snuggled closer into Ben trying to escape his memories and thoughts. He wanted to forget everything he had seen or heard over the last three nights. He just wanted to forget and get back to a normal existence.

The room temperature had returned to normal. It was now comfortably warmer. Ben rubbed Little Joe's back, trying to stem the steady stream of hiccups and tremors that still racked his body. The residual effects from the sleeping powder were still present and it didn't take them long to start slowing down Joe's actions and thoughts once again. Whilst he didn't really feel totally relaxed, he felt that his family would be there for him. He let himself drift off and fall into the waiting arms of sleep.
Ben sat on the floor in the corner of the room with his son close to him for another good twenty minutes. He wanted to make sure that Joe was truly asleep. He was trying to come up with a solution to Joe's problems.

Adam had poked his head into Joe's bedroom, worry written all over his face about his youngest sibling. Adam wasn't one to normally wear his emotions or feelings out in public, but Ben could evidently see that all of these events that were affecting Joseph were affecting his eldest son too.

Adam could see that Joe had drifted off to sleep. He could see the awkward position Ben was sitting in on the floor. He moved to try and help his father move the slumbering Joe back to his bed. Adam carefully picked Little Joe up and noted that although he was asleep, there were a few small tremors still running through his body at times. He laid Joe back on his bed and made him as comfortable as possible. He gazed down at his brother for a few minutes. Joe was desperately seeking his family's help with something that was bothering him, but none of them seemed to be able to do anything positive to help him.

"What do you want us to do, Little Joe?" Adam said to an unlistening Joe. "We want to help you, let us in, please" The last word was almost a plea from Adam to his youngest brother. Ben heard the words and saw the mix of emotions raging in Adam's heart. He put a comforting arm around his oldest son's shoulder now. They all needed to help each other at the moment it seemed. None of them seemed to be immune from the symptoms effecting Joe. They needed to discover what the cause was before all of them were screaming in fear like him.

Ben and Adam walked out of Little Joe's bedroom. They planned to have a family meeting downstairs minus Joe. They needed to come up with some sort of strategy or plan of action for the next few days.

***************

The next morning, Ben and his two eldest boys were still discussing the problem around the dining room table at breakfast. None of them had assumed that Little Joe was awake yet.

Little Joe had only been awake a few minutes. If you could call it awake. His mind was not doing anything involuntarily at the moment. Joe had to make all of the conscious decisions just to make it from his bed to the door of his room. He had not forgotten the previous nights events. They were still very vivid and very real to him. As he walked on unstable legs towards the door, he had to be careful not to succumb to the dizziness that threatened of overtake him.

He opened the wooden door very quietly so as not to alert his presence to those downstairs. He stood out of sight but close enough to hear the conversation taking place at the table.

"What are we going to do today, Pa?" Adam asked honestly.

"For the time being, nothing," Ben replied. He saw the reaction this statement brought in his two boys. Before they got to utter their words of protest he continued his sentence. "I don't know what to do boys, so for the time being and today especially I going to do nothing. Maybe when Joe wakes up he can shed some more light on what has been happening to him. Let's just carry on a little normally this morning as though nothing occurred last night and let Joseph decide when he wants to discuss the matter with his family."

Hoss and Adam were not very happy with the response, but they too had drawn a blank as to what to do. The three of them had laid awake for a good number of hours after retiring last night to come up with a plausible suggestion. All turned up to the breakfast table this morning empty handed.

Little Joe had heard his father's words. He didn't blame his family for feeling helpless. He didn't have the answers they sought from him. He barely believed what he had seen himself over the last few days. How could he tell them what he had seen without them thinking that there was something wrong with him.

It was at that moment that Joe decided that he needed to seek out the companionship of somebody else today. He loved his father and brothers more than words could say, but it was at these times of helplessness and when he was looking for an answer to a very difficult problem that he sought the wisdom of another Cartwright entirely.

He closed the door as silently as he had opened it. He pulled on his clothes and boots. He walked over to the window in his bedroom that led out onto the roof. He would not make his appearance downstairs just yet. His family thought he was still asleep and for the moment he was happy enough for them to believe that. He lifted the window and crept out onto the roof . He did not bother closing the window. He walked silently along the back section of the roof and climbed down the drain pipe just outside the rear kitchen door. He landed with a soft thud in the dirt and picked himself and dusted himself off.

He walked around the back of the house and made his way over to the barn and his horse Cochise. The mare gave him a soft whinny in greeting. Joe shushed her and told her to keep quiet. He quickly saddled her and let her out of the barn before they could be noticed. He didn't mount her until they were out of sight of the ranch house. Once mounted he directed the pinto towards Lake Tahoe and his intended spot of solace.

He reached the spot of his mother's grave and dismounted. He made sure Cochise was securely tied within distance of a soft patch of green grass. He knew he would be here for more than a few minutes. He gave the horse a friendly pat and then walked over to his mother's resting place. Before he sat down he removed a few small branches and leaves that had fallen across the grave site. He didn't have any flowers to bring today. He kicked himself as he thought he could have taken a few extra minutes to pick a few roses from Hop Sing's garden before coming here.

"Sorry, Mama," he whispered. He didn't know why he was talking so softly, but assumed that it was better to speak in a quieter voice at this particular place. "I promise I will bring you some flowers tomorrow.“

Marie Cartwright had been Little Joe's mother for but a few short years in his young life. He had barely time to get to know her before she was cruelly taken from him and the rest of the family. Sometimes he felt that he was losing grip on her memories. He couldn't remember all of the times they had been together and that just made him sadder. He wanted to remember everything about her. Her smile, her eyes, her scent. He often looked at the photograph on his beside table and the one his father kept downstairs on the mantel piece and reminded himself about how much he really didn't know about her. Sure he looked like her, they had been telling him that all of his life. But he needed something more material to hang onto. He felt even sadder with the thought that one day he try to recall what his mother had been to him and he wouldn't be able to remember.

Little Joe made himself a little bit more comfortable by leaning up against the rocks that were behind his mother's gave. A slight and cooling breeze blew over the soft green grass from Lake Tahoe. It ruffled his hair as though it were his mother's fingers caressing his unruly curls. He closed his eyes and tried to think back. He felt content for the first time in a few days. He felt like he could tell his mother anything and everything. Here he didn't need to remember who he was or worry about the Ponderosa. When he came to his mother's grave, he was just Little Joe Cartwright, son of Marie. He felt a soft tear fall down his cheeks but he didn't attempt to wipe it away. He would always cry for this woman he barely knew. Joe didn't feel himself drift off to sleep in the soft grass. His body relaxed completely and he dreamt of nothing.

*************

Joe felt as if his body was floating on the wind. He felt the breeze through his hair and felt the soft kiss of the leaves that blew into his face.

When he finally came to rest from his journey, he found himself sitting on a rock overlooking the lake. He turned his head and knew he must be dreaming. He could see his own sleeping body just as it lay beside his mother's grave. Was he dead? Had he been brought to the next life?

He heard the sound of footsteps behind him and turned expecting to see the face of God. Instead what he saw was the face of a man approximately 50 years old. He looked at the man. He seemed to be wearing overalls and a strange looking hat. He gave a small wave and came up closer to sit right beside Little Joe. Joe could help but think he had seen this man somewhere before. He couldn't remember when.

"Hello, there young man," the stranger said. The sound of his voice was also familiar to Little Joe but right now his identity escaped him. Had they met somewhere before; if they had, where?

"Hello," Joe replied out of kindness. "Who are you and where am I?"

"You are asleep at the moment, Little Joe," the man answered. "You can see yourself asleep over there by those rocks. I am merely an image to your sub-conscious."

"How do you know my name," Joe asked with a little hesitation. "Have we met somewhere before?"

"I have been trying to talk to you for the last four days now, but it seems all I do is frighten you," the man said.

It suddenly dawned on Little Joe who this person was. He looked over the face again. He recognized it. It now was a normal color and seemed to be intact. The last time he had seen it, the face and body seemed to be only remnants of what was now standing before him. He couldn't hide his surprise and shock at who this man was.

"Ah, I see you now recognize me. Last time we met, I was how could you say, not entirely all there," the man stated.

"How come you appeared to me like a dead corpse?" Joe said and he tried to settle his nerves. "If you wanted to get my attention, you certainly did that, but you could have done it without scaring me half to death."

"Yeah, sorry about that," the man said with honestly in his voice. "I'm sorry about the other nights as well. I have been trying to get somebody's attention for over a year now. The only time I seem to be able to make contact is when people are asleep."

Joe thought back. The man was right. On all of the occasions that something had happened, Joe had either been asleep or falling asleep. A definite pattern was beginning to emerge out of all of these strange happenings.

"Why haven't you been able to make contact with anybody else?" Joe asked the man.

"I've tried, believe me I have tried," the man said. "More than you know, but it's like with you, every time somebody sees me or hears my train whistle, they just run scared. I don't want to frighten people, I want some help."

"Help?" Joe asked now interested in the man's tale of woe.

"I'm trapped on this plateau between this world and the next," the man explained. "I can't get to my next destination until I can clear my name"

”Clear you name?" came the question again. "You'd better start from the beginning and tell my the entire tale. Don't leave anything out."

The dreaming Joe made himself a little more comfortable in the other world as he had done so beside his mother's grave. He leaned back and prepared to listen to the tale that was about to be told.

"Okay, here goes," replied the ghost a little uneasily.

"My name is Jeb Carter. Up until twelve months ago, I was a train driver for the San Francisco train line. Everything was going fine until that fateful night. I was due to retire soon, even had a nice little lump sum waiting for me from the train company. It wouldn't be much, but enough to see me through my final years. I am fifty now so I didn't plan on living indefinitely.

Anyway, like I said, everything was going fine until my last trip to Carson City. The line runs between San Francisco and Virginia City. Carson City is one of the few stops on the way. One stormy night about 20 miles outside the City something went wrong and the train went off the tracks. I tried to stop in time, but the locomotive just had too much power behind her to stop in a hurry. We hit the dirt and the carriages overturned. Everybody on board was killed that night.

The ghost looked up after reading that story and Joe could see the pain written on the face of the man who felt responsible for other's suffering.

"How many people, Jeb?” Joe asked cautiously.

"About fifteen in all, seven ladies, seven men including me and one child," the ghost accounted. "Couldn't save but one of them," he said in bitterness.

"Why do you need my help, Jeb?" Joe asked. He didn't know what he could possibly do one year down the track, but he would do what he could. The man's ghost was obviously hurting greatly at the other people dying on his train.

"I need somebody to travel back with me to that night, Joe," the man answered somberly. "I need somebody to help clear my good name. Somebody else had something to do with causing that accident that night. Up until now, nobody else has stayed around long enough to hear my story. I have been trying to contact somebody for a whole year now. I tried your father and brothers at first. That father of your certainly seems like a worthy man, but like your brothers when I tried to appear to him, all I saw was doubt and skepticism about ghosts and so forth. When I tried to tap into your subconscious, I got a different message. I could read your fear and nervousness. But I could also sense your belief in things that weren't necessarily visible to the naked eye. You seemed to be able to see something for what it might be other than the way it was shown to you. Something like being able to judge people from the inside and not the outside."

"I came across your presence on the other side a few nights ago and felt like you would be someone willing to help me" the man continued. "I tried to appear to you at first by using the actual train, but only resulted in scaring you away like all the rest. If you can use this plateau between your world and mine, maybe we can go back in time to that night and see who else was around."

"You're just lucky that I can judge people from the inside, Jeb," Joe said trying to add a little laughter to the strange meeting. "If I believed in first appearances all the time, you would have killed off any help I might have given you when you appeared to me like a dead corpse. I don't usually make comments about people's outer appearance, but you just looked plain scary." The ghost seemed to laugh at the fun being poked at him.

"Why do you think someone else was around, Jeb?" Joe asked "Could be that the train came off the tracks through no fault of yours at all. There might have been something wrong with the track."

"I can't be rightly sure, Joe," the man said, "But right before we derailed, I remember seeing something or somebody standing on the track just ahead of us. The lightening and thunder were pretty ferocious. When on of the lightening bolts lit up the track, I could see two or more men standing near the track. There looked to be something in the middle of the track blocking our path. I tried to put on the brakes in time, but we were just going too fast to be able to stop in time. And you now know what happened next," he said sadly. "The next thing I knew was that we were coming off the rails and I couldn't do anything about it."

The real body of Joe Cartwright seemed to be waking from his slumber. The image of the ghost in front of the dreaming Joe flickered a little and seemed to lose distortion briefly. "Looks like my time may be cut a little short, Joe" the man said with a hint of sadness. "Will you help me out, son?”

"Yeah, I'll help you out," Joe responded. He didn't know what drove him to say this. He still had the fresh feelings of fear and dread from the events of the past few days, but at the same time he felt an unavailing sense of urgency to help the stricken man reach his destination in the next world. "What do you want me to do, Jeb?"

"Well, it looks as if the only time you are going to see me or be able to help is when you are asleep," the man said candidly. "We need to make sure that the next time you appear to help me, that you will be asleep for a time long enough to accompany back to that accident night.” Joe could feel himself waking up again and knew that the man's image would not remain much longer.

”How about I go to this site where the accident was?" Joe explained. "I can try and go to sleep at the actual scene. It may help to keep me asleep longer and we might not have to travel too far at all."

"That's a great idea Little Joe," the man replied "But what would your family say?"

"I will have to travel without telling them for the time being," Joe said. "If they found out I intended to got to Carson City on my own, they would never let me out of the house. I know that the doctor gave my Pa some sleeping powders the other day, that's why the real me is asleep now. Until this morning, I didn't know why I had felt so tired. But I overheard my family talking at the breakfast table this morning. They mentioned that they thought the powder that Pa used in my milk last night must still be working. The effects still haven't completely worn off . If I can get a few more of them, then I could take them when I get to the accident site. They will ensure that I stay asleep long enough to help you with your problem."

"I don't know about them sleeping powders, Joe," the man said. "Do you know how many you would need? Any what if you stay asleep too long." "Maybe we had better come up with another idea. I appreciate your help, but I don't want anybody else, especially somebody still living to get hurt because of me again."

"It's okay, Jab" Joe answered. "I doubt that I would be able to sleep long enough without some sort of aid. I normally sleep quite well at night, but the events over the past few nights have my nerves on edge. I am afraid without them I could wake up at any time before solving the mystery. Don't worry, I only intend to take two of them. Pa gave me only one and that was enough to knock me out for quite a number of hours. If I take two of them together, then they will work longer. Two couldn't do too much harm except keep me asleep longer than normal"

"I don't know how to thank you yet, Joe," th