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The bright morning sun flickered through the pine trees as the black sedan wound its way up the dirt road. Inside, feeling very small in the cavernous back seat, ten year old Lee Stetson braced himself against the armrest as they took another curve. He wondered what his uncle would say if he got sick in this rented car. Nothing good, if he knew the Colonel, so he swallowed hard and fought to keep his queasy stomach under control. It shouldn't be too much longer anyway. His uncle had told him the ranch was only ninety miles out of Albuquerque and they had to have gone almost that far already. At least it seemed like it had been hours since they'd left all those boring, stuffy men at the air base. Lee was positive his uncle didn't know even one interesting person. Even the fact the people they were going to visit now were related to his mother instead of his uncle did little to ease the apprehension Lee felt at meeting more adult friends of Colonel Stetson.

He had visions of sitting for agonizing hours. He would have to listen to stiff-backed, old men telling stories about the tragedy of Korea or "The Big One in '42'." Lee had seen a lot of John Wayne movies with the enlisted men and he was convinced that these friends of his uncle had fought a different war than the Duke.

He glanced out the window and watched with detached interest as a group of men went about loading horses into a large trailer. Ordinarily he would have been fascinated at such activities but these men were far off the road; too distant to see well. Besides, today his thoughts were occupied with other things.

He sighed heavily and wished he was out playing baseball with Joe and Packy and the rest of the fliers he'd made friends with on Guam. They were a fun-loving bunch and had taken him under their wing. Not one of them seemed to mind he wasn't quite eleven years old yet. Packy had even taken it upon himself to teach Lee the proper way to throw a spit ball. Lee sighed again and leaned back against the scratchy upholstery. He wished they could have stayed longer than six months in Guam this time but the Colonel was always being transferred to this base or that; one new assignment after another. They never stayed in one place for very long.

"Something wrong, Lee?" the Colonel asked. His distinctively impersonal voice caused Lee to sit up straight.

"No, Sir," he replied promptly.

"Only a couple more miles," Colonel Stetson informed him.

Lee wasn't sure if the statement was meant to cheer him up or reprove him for his restlessness. This was not a new dilemma in his young life. Lee never knew what his uncle meant or what the man expected from him. It made life difficult at best and sometimes Lee wished he could just run away to someplace where nobody ever shined their shoes or got up to reveille every morning or barked at people instead of talking to them.

It hadn't always been like this. In the dimmest recesses of his mind, Lee nurtured fragments of long-ago memories; his mother's voice, a gentle hand; piggy-back rides on tall, broad shoulders; a rich, strong laugh that must have belonged to his father. Bits and pieces of the first four years of his life were all he had left of his parents; before the accident; before the Colonel had appeared to take him away and change his whole life.

Sometimes, in his deepest flights of fancy, he imagined his parents weren't dead. They were merely being held prisoner off in some dragon's lair while he'd been kidnaped by the evil, black knight. Someday he would get away and rescue them and life would return to normal. But that was only a game and he played it less and less the older he got. He knew he couldn't change anything. But sometimes it was fun to pretend.

"Lee. Lee, wake up boy. What's wrong with you?"

Startled, Lee blinked awake. He must have dozed off without realizing it. The car had stopped and Lee scrambled out to stand next to his uncle who was waiting for him. He found himself at the entrance to a sprawling ranch.

It was beyond anything he'd ever imagined. He stared open-mouthed at the mountains rising up behind the long, green pastures. In the distance he could see horses grazing. He felt transported to another era and, as the door to the house opened, he fully expected to see John Wayne come walking through it.

Instead a small, gray-haired woman stood framed in the doorway for a moment. She rushed up the walkway but halted in front of them hesitantly. Lee thought she looked unsure of herself; the way the enlisted men acted around officers. Silently she reached out her weathered hand to the Colonel who shook it solemnly. Lee thought they made an odd sight. The Colonel was so tall and rigid in his crisp uniform. His eyes were hidden behind dark sunglasses. The woman barely came to his chest but she didn't let that intimidate her. She turned to Lee and knelt down. Her clear, blue eyes drank in the sight of him.

She stared for what seemed a lifetime and Lee squirmed under such close scrutiny. At last though, the woman broke into a wide smile and took his hands between her own. She had a friendly face and Lee could see tears in her eyes. He wondered what she could have been crying about. She didn't look sad. In fact, she looked quite happy.

"Lee," she breathed out softly. "I can't believe you're finally here, my boy."

"This is your grandmother Michaels, Lee," Colonel Stetson informed him matter-of-factly. "Your mother's mother."

Lee smiled a timid greeting and suddenly found himself gathered in a tight embrace. It had been a long time since anybody had put their arms around him and though he wasn't quite sure how to respond to this stranger who was his grandmother, he decided he could get used to having her around to give him a hug now and again.

"I don't suppose you want to stand out here all day," the woman said with a self-conscious laugh. She stood up and wiped at her eyes with one hand. She held tightly to Lee with the other. "Come on inside. We weren't quite sure when you'd make it so 'most everybody is gone. But we can have a nice visit."

She led them into a large, rustic living room where she sat Lee down on a huge couch with a plate of cookies in his lap. Delighted with the break in his strictly regimented meal schedule, Lee ate his fill. He hardly paid any attention to what was being said between his uncle and his grandmother. They were deeply involved in adult business and he really didn't care what it was they were talking about. He only knew that this was different than any of the other "visits" he'd been taken on with the Colonel. He felt comfortable here and, for the first time he could remember, he hoped his uncle would go on talking for a very long time.

The hesitant sound of someone clearing his throat caused Lee to look up from his cookies. He saw a man standing in the doorway; younger than the Colonel, somewhere around thirty. He wasn't extremely tall but something about him made him seem larger than he was. Perhaps it was the finely-chiseled features under his dark hair. Whatever it was, at this moment he looked eager to talk to someone. The Colonel glanced up at the interruption and excused himself to go over and talk to the newcomer.

"Colonel Stetson," the man greeted quietly in a refined British accent. "I don't mean to disturb you but I have the reports you requested from Washington."

"Nonsense, Robert," the Colonel replied. "Business always comes first." He turned to their hostess. "Mrs. Michaels, is there someplace private we can talk for a moment?"

"Of course, Colonel. I'll show you."

Lee watched with resignation as his grandmother led the two men out of the room. He should have known there would be some reason besides love of family to get the Colonel to come to this place. He was also more than a bit curious about this man his uncle was talking to. He seemed vaguely familiar; like Lee should know him from somewhere. He couldn't quite pull the memory up clearly. It was just a small tug at the back of his brain that told him this man was no stranger.

After a moment, his grandmother returned and sat down beside him. She took his young hand between her two worn ones.

"I can't tell you, Lee, how happy I am to finally get to see you. Up 'til today all I had of you were pictures your mother sent. And all of those are seven years old at least. You've grown so much."

Lee sat up a little straighter at that; pleased she had noticed. The Colonel never said a word about that sort of thing and Lee was so proud of the two inches he'd sprouted since Christmas.

"I wanna be real tall when I grow up," Lee confided in her shyly. Then he paused; suddenly struck by the thought, this person must have known his parents. "Was my dad tall, Grandmother?" he asked intently. "He looks real big in my picture."

It took the woman a moment to answer and Lee wondered if he'd said anything wrong. When she wiped at her eyes with her apron his heart raced with panic. Wasn't he supposed to talk about his parents with anyone?

"I'm sorry," he apologized hastily. "I didn't mean to..."

"Nonsense, boy," she chuckled. "I'm just old and sentimental. It's been a long time is all. Yes, your daddy was about as tall as they come. A handsome devil too. You look just like him. You're going to be a real ladies' man some day."

Lee blushed with embarrassment. "Aw, I don't know about that."

The woman laughed pleasantly and suddenly grabbed him up in a big hug. She planted a kiss on the top of his head.

"Oh, I'm glad you're here, Lee."

"Me too, Grandmother." Lee smiled up at her.

"Call me Grandma, son. You sound so formal."

"I like to think I've taught him some manners," came the Colonel's voice from the doorway. Lee jumped with guilt for having enjoyed this brief time alone with his grandmother.

"There's a world of difference between having manners and being cold and unfeeling," the woman replied calmly.

Lee froze and his gaze moved from one adult to the other. Never in his life had anyone ever questioned anything his uncle said. He waited for the Colonel's wrath to fall on this kind woman.

Then a miracle happened. Instead of getting angry the Colonel merely shrugged his shoulders.

"I've done as I see best," was his only comment.

Lee relaxed. His grandmother was to be spared. Once more he occupied his attention with the cookies as the two grownups talked about more serious matters he had no interest in. The only thing he cared about right now was this visit should go on as long as possible.

At last however, he saw the Colonel get to his feet, ready to depart. Dismayed, Lee set the plate aside and stood up as well.

"Are we leaving, Sir?" he asked. He tried hard to keep the disappointment out of his voice. He knew how much the Colonel hated whining.

"No, boy," Colonel Stetson replied. "I have some official business to take care of down at White Sands...Classified. You can't come with me. You're going to stay here for a couple of days...get to know your family."

It was an order; as everything was an order. Lee watched as the two adults left the room. It wasn't the first time his uncle had left him to go on a classified mission. There were never any long good-byes. Brisk and to the point; that was Colonel Stetson. But he usually left Lee with someone on the base; someone he knew. This was the first time the Colonel had gone out of his way to drop Lee off like this and he found it a little unsettling. Unsure of himself, he sat back down on the couch. He hated new places. It always took so long to get used to them and then it was always time to move on.

He sat at the edge of the sofa, tugged uncomfortably at his bow tie and wished his grandmother would come back. At least she was a friendly face. A scuffling sound caught his attention and he turned. There was nothing but an empty staircase. His mouth went dry and he wondered if the Colonel knew this was a possibly haunted house.

He was just about ready to run out the door when he heard whispering and then stifled giggles. He breathed out in relief. Everyday curiosity now replaced any fear of the unknown. He got up slowly and made his way over to the wooden banister. Bending across it, he peered upstairs and found himself staring up at two boys about his own age. They sat side by side on the landing, studying him with just as much interest.

The boy on the right was the smaller of the two. He wore a black cowboy hat perched atop his blond head and Lee noted with envy the boots and jeans the boy was wearing. He pulled once more at his own bow tie.

The other boy looked a bit older. He wore a hat as well though his hung down his back from a string around his neck. His hair was a light shade of brown; the same as Lee's. His chin sported a large band-aid. Lee stood there a moment then the second boy broke into a wide grin.

"Hi," he greeted cheerfully.

"Hi," Lee returned cautiously. There had been few children spread among the many places he'd lived. He wasn't quite sure how to deal with boys his own age.

There was an awkward silence and Lee had just about decided he should just go sit back down when he heard his grandmother returning.

"Well, Lee," she said as she breezed back into the living room. "Let's see if we can get you settled in. Then I'll introduce you..."

She paused when she saw where he was standing. The telltale giggles sounded again and Lee glanced back up the staircase to see the smaller boy place his hands over the older boy's mouth in an effort to quiet him. It was too late though. The woman had heard them. She stood in the middle of the room; her hands on her hips, and winked at Lee.

"Andrew! Addison!" she called loudly. "If I don't see you down here front and center I'm going to give all the cookies to Lee here."

She smiled and gestured Lee over to stand next to her. He complied only moments before the two boys galloped down the stairs to present themselves before their grandmother.

"Boys, I want you to meet your cousin, Lee Stetson. Lee this is Andrew Travis. Andy, take off your hat in the house."

The blond boy pushed his hat back to let it hang down his back; revealing the longest hair Lee had ever seen on a boy. It hung down in bangs over his eyes and the back nearly covered his shirt collar. Lee's hand raised self-consciously to his own military-style crew cut. It seemed sadly inadequate somehow.

"And this is Addison Carmichael, Jr.," their grandmother went on to introduce the other boy.

"It's Butch, Grandma. It's Butch," the boy protested.

"Is that what it is this week?" The woman shook her head kindly. "I can't keep up with your nicknames, Honey."

"I'll find one that sticks," the boy vowed emphatically.

"I'm sure you will. Now boys, why don't you take Lee and show him..." She paused in mid-sentence and suddenly frowned at them. "Where's Murphy?" she asked.

"He's out in...Ow!"

"He's out riding Sophie," Andy cut in smoothly as if he hadn't just stomped on his cousin's foot to shut him up. Their grandmother eyed them suspiciously but appeared satisfied. Lee hadn't missed what had happened though and he was suddenly very interested in what these boys were up to.

"As long as he's not off moping by himself," the woman concluded. "Take Lee out and show him around. He's going to be staying with us for a few days. Oh, and see if you can find him something to wear. We wouldn't want him to ruin his good clothes."

Both boys snickered under their breath and Lee glanced down at his khaki green short pants and crisply starched white shirt. He'd never given his clothes much thought before but as he compared his own outfit to the comfortable western things his cousins wore, he realized he probably looked very silly to them. He wondered why his uncle hadn't brought any other clothes for him if he'd known he was going to be staying.

There was a brief moment of awkwardness when their grandmother left but it didn't last long. Andy impulsively reached out and grabbed Lee's shirt.

"C'mon. Addie's clothes'll probably fit you."

"It's Butch, Andy," Addison protested as they marched up the stairs. "Butch. Remember?"

"Aw, Butch is dumb. It's not right for you," Andy argued. "Try another one."

"But I've used 'em all," Addison complained.

"You'll think of something," Andy assured him. 'C'mon. Let's get Lee some real clothes."

"What's wrong with mine?" Lee asked defensively.

"Nothin', nothin'," Andy replied hastily. "Only you can't do nothin' in 'em."

Lee considered a moment then relented and soon found himself decked out in a well-worn pair of his cousin's jeans as well as borrowed boots. They even found an unclaimed hat to complete the look. As they strolled out towards the big barn, Lee felt ten feet tall.

He followed behind his cousins; content to go wherever they led him. He had begun to view this whole experience as a unique kind of adventure. Horses and cowboys and boys his own age to play with were not found every day. To have it all without the Colonel anywhere near was an added bonus. His fears of being left alone vanished; replaced instead by an air of excitement.

As they reached the big, red barn Addison grabbed the door to slide it open on its runners. Andy stopped him however and turned to face Lee solemnly. Lee swallowed dryly and wondered how he had managed to make his cousin mad at him.

"Before we go in you gotta know one thing," Andy informed him sternly.

Lee glanced nervously over at Addison who merely stood by silently and waited for Andy to finish.

"What?" Lee asked timidly.

"Murphy's in there and he's probably been crying. So don't say anything about it. He gets embarrassed."

"Who's Murphy?" Lee asked curiously.

"Another cousin," Addison informed him with a smile. "There's a million of us."

"Murphy's younger than us," Andy went on. "And he's having kind of a hard time right now."

Lee waited to be filled in. He wondered what had happened to this unknown boy that would make him cry all the time. Men didn't cry. Lee knew that very well. It would have to have been something pretty awful and even then Lee didn't think the Colonel would put up with that kind of behavior for very long.

Andy glanced over at Addison and kicked a dirt clod with his boot. He then studied Lee intently as if measuring him up. Lee tried to stand a little taller. He wanted desperately to be accepted by these two and let in on their secrets.

"Okay," Andy breathed. He had apparently made his decision. He leaned close to Lee and lowered his voice to a whisper. "Murphy's mom ran away last month. Nobody knows where she went."

"Ran away?" Lee whispered back incredulously. Adults didn't run away.

"Yep. And she never even said good-bye to anybody...not even Murphy or Steven," Andy concluded in an appalled voice.

"Steven?" Lee asked.

"That's Murphy's brother," Andy said and screwed up his face with distaste. "He's going to be in high school this year and he's a creep."

"Andy!" Addie chided half-heartedly. "That's not the point. Anyway," Addie continued. "It's been rough on Murph. I mean, how would it be if you didn't have your mom around and..." He stopped in mid-sentence and blushed bright red. "I'm sorry," he mumbled. "I forgot about your mom."

Lee shrugged uncomfortably. "It's okay. That was a long time ago."

"And besides," Andy added. "At least your parents died instead of running out on you. I mean, it's not like they wanted to leave you. Right?"

Lee nodded slowly. He wished the conversation would move on to other subjects.

"Anyway," Andy went on. "Just so you know. C'mon. Let's go on inside."

Addison once more pulled on the big, wooden door. As it slid back Lee found himself stepping into something right out of the movies. The barn was large and spacious; divided off into stalls for horses. Many of them were occupied by the most beautiful animals Lee had ever seen. He stood speechless and drank it all in until Addison nudged him in the ribs.

"Pretty neat, huh?" He grinned broadly as Lee smiled his agreement.

"Up to the loft," Andy beckoned as he leaped onto the third rung of the wooden ladder that led up to the huge hay loft. He scrambled up and disappeared over the edge then poked his head out to peer down at them. "Come on, slow pokes."

"Let's go," Addison urged as he raced to the ladder.

Lee followed after him eagerly, anxious to dive into the sweet-smelling hay. He bravely ignored the rough wood that dug splinters into his hands and was soon knee deep in soft piles of loose straw. Unable to resist the temptation, he let himself fall face first into the hay bed. The crisp, dry strands tickled his face and he laughed out loud as he rolled over onto his back to stare up at the low ceiling. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a bunch of straw hit his face and he heard Addison's contagious laugh as more and more hay covered him.

Lee laughed himself and sprang up; both fists full. He aimed at his cousin and let the hay go. At the same instant he realized he had thrown it into the face of a stranger. Lee froze in his tracks, horrified he may have done something unforgivable. He waited for the axe to fall.

This had to be Murphy. The boy Lee faced was nearly as tall as he was but seemed smaller. His face was thin and pale under his blond thatch of hair. But it was his eyes that gave him away. Bright and green; they held a touch of sadness that came through loud and clear.

Lee held his breath; not daring to move, until the boy in front of him smiled and abruptly brought his hand from behind his back to hurl a fistful of hay over Lee's head and hit Addison squarely in the face.

The tension melted as all the boys dissolved into giggles and the air was suddenly filled with flying hay. The confusion lasted a long while until they sank down into the hay, trying to catch their breath.

Lee lay with his hands folded under his head; content to stay this way forever, until the nearby whinny of a horse caught his attention. He got up to wander over to the large open window. As he leaned against the wooden frame, he watched the frisky antics of several yearling colts that had wandered down from the far side of the pasture. He sighed happily and wondered when he was going to wake up from this pleasant dream and find himself back in the barracks again. A small laugh turned him back to the loft where he found his cousins regarding him with interest.

"What's so funny?" he asked guardedly. He still wasn't completely sure of his standing with these boys.

"You," Murphy replied and Lee realized it had been the youngest boy who laughed. "You look like a scarecrow."

"I do not," Lee protested defensively.

"Don't get mad," Andy cut in smoothly. "He only means with all that straw sticking out all over you and...well, you gotta admit your hair is cut funny."

Lee's hand instantly flew to his head and brushed the loose hay from it. "It's not either funny," he retorted hotly. "At least it's not like a girl's."

"Who you callin'..."

"Hey you guys," Addison stepped in between Andy and Lee quickly, before tempers got the better of either of them. "No sense getting sore at each other. Come on."

Lee watched suspiciously as Andy lowered his clenched fists and breathed out noisily. But it wasn't until the boy gave him an embarrassed half-apologetic smile that Lee relaxed and let go of the breath he was holding.

"I'm sorry," Murphy spoke up from the edge of the loft. "I didn't mean anything by it."

Lee shrugged self-consciously. He didn't want to make any enemies. It was important to him for these boys to like him.

"That's okay," he said with a smile for Murphy. Then he turned to Andy. "I'm sorry too," he added for his older cousin.

"Great," Addison exclaimed energetically. "We're all friends again. What do you say we all..."

The blare of a horn and the crunch of wheels on gravel brought all four boys to the window, curious to see who might be coming up the road. Lee stared down in admiration at the shiny, new T-bird as it pulled up next to the long bunkhouse.

"Wow!" he breathed out. "Whose car is that?"

"My dad's," Murphy stated with such obvious hostility Lee turned to regard his cousin curiously. The boy seemed so quiet, it didn't fit that he could feel such anger; and at his own father.

Murphy wouldn't look at him. Instead his eyes were fixed on the tall, blond man emerging from the car. Neither Andy nor Addison offered any added information. They too were gazing down at their uncle intently. Lee once more turned his attention to the man and he realized this was his uncle too. The thought struck him as strange. All his life there had only been one image associated with the word "uncle" and that was Colonel Stetson. It wouldn't be easy to call anyone else by that title. He wondered what kind of man Murphy's father was and how a grown woman could run away from her home and her children. Had this man caused that? He tried to recall his own father; his dim memories. Perhaps Addie had been right. Perhaps he was better off having parents who merely died instead of ones who didn't do what parents were supposed to do.

The kitchen door slammed and Lee heard his grandmother's voice only moments before she came rushing up to throw her arms around Murphy's father.

"Robbie! It's good to see you. I'm so glad you decided to come out after all."

Lee couldn't hear the man's muffled reply but he glanced down at Murphy thoughtfully. Obviously this man had just arrived yet Murphy had been here for some time. Lee frowned and decided he wouldn't be able to figure it out by himself. He'd have to ask Andy or Addie about it all later when Murphy wasn't around.

The two grownups disappeared into the house and all four boys breathed sighs of relief and moved away from the window. They once more sank down in the hay.

"What'd he come here for anyway?" Murphy muttered.

"It'll be okay, Murph," Andy reassured him. "You'll see. He probably won't stay real long."

"Andy's right," Addison put in brightly. "And besides, we don't have to even see him...'cept maybe at dinner."

As if on cue a clanging sound rang in their ears and caused each boy to jump.

"What's that?" Lee asked in alarm.

Addison laughed heartily. "The dinner bell. It's the only thing you can hear all over the ranch."

"We better go," Andy advised. "You know how Grandma hates it when we're late for dinner."

Lee got to his feet and followed Andy to the ladder. They stopped however, and turned back to where Addison stood in front of Murphy. The younger boy had not risen.

"Come on Murph," Addie pleaded. "They'll only come out here and make you go. That'd be worse."

Lee watched in sympathy as his cousin's head drooped down onto his upraised knees. He knew what it was like to have to endure something you didn't think you would be able to. Impulsively he stooped down beside his cousin.

"You can do it, Murphy," he coaxed gently. "We'll all be there so at least you won't be by yourself."

Murphy's head came up and Lee saw the unmistakable evidence of unshed tears there. He smiled and tugged at Murphy's arm. To his surprise, Murphy allowed himself to be helped to his feet and followed after them. The entire way back to the house Lee stuck close to Murphy's side. For the first time in his life he'd found someone whom life had treated as unfairly as himself and he was going to make sure Murphy learned how to tough it out.

Dinner with his newfound relatives proved to be quite an experience. Lee had eaten in many different places; from crowded, noisy mess halls to more elegant, formal restaurants on those rare occasions that he had accompanied his uncle for official dining. But he had never seen anything like the meal he sat down to tonight.

The extra long table was buried under platters and bowls of all kinds. The savory aromas from them set Lee's mouth to watering. He'd never eaten with people who enjoyed being with each other as much as this group obviously did. There was so much talk and laughter Lee felt completely at ease.

Addison and Andy were each seated with their families but Lee had managed to stay near Murphy's elbow long enough to be put next to him. All during the enjoyable meal Lee watched the people surrounding him and tried to learn their faces and place the many names he'd heard with the right person.

On Murphy's left was his father. Lee could see the resemblance between father and son; mostly in the eyes. Robert Michaels wore that same sad expression that Lee had noticed in Murphy's eyes. On the other side of Uncle Robert was Steven, Murphy's older brother. Of all the people in the room, Lee noticed these three remained quiet and participated little in any conversations around them. Murphy spent most of his time toying with his food; moving it around his plate with his fork.

Everyone else was enjoying themselves however. Addie sat amongst his brothers and sisters, helping out with the youngest of them. Andy, apart from being annoyed at having to take his hat off at the table, was also very much involved with the food in front of him. His younger sister sat between him and his father and his baby brother gurgled happily from his mother's lap.

There were so many others. Lee feared he would never know all their names, no matter how long he stayed here. There was stern-faced Uncle Jake who frowned in disapproval when Andy's father, Uncle Clayton, ordered his son to produce the transistor radio from his shirt pocket and set it on the sideboard. There was also handsome Jacob, Jr. who was home from West Point and wore his uniform with pride. He sat next to a pretty girl who never quite took her eyes from his face. Murphy whispered to Lee that these two were engaged.

There was also Grandpa Michaels. He had taken Lee's face into his hands and stared at him for so long that Lee had squirmed in discomfort. He wasn't sure why, but he felt his grandfather wanted to say something to him but for some reason either hadn't found the right words or felt it wasn't the right time.

The one person Lee couldn't keep his eyes off of was Aunt Katie, Andy's mother. He had a small, well-worn picture of his parents that he'd kept with him all these years and the resemblance between his mother and Aunt Katie was startling. It was almost as if the woman in his picture had come to life and he found it hard not to stare at her.

The most curious person at the table however, was the man who had come in to talk to the Colonel. He was younger than most of the other men but he was distinguished as well. He sat next to a young woman who had to be his wife but he didn't really take part in much of the conversation. He looked serious and thoughtful and Lee thought he must be as grim as the Colonel until the man caught him looking and gave him a wink and a quick smile. Lee smiled back automatically but once again he experienced that odd feeling that he should know this person named Robert. But Robert who? He didn't even know the man's last name and no one had rushed to introduce him. It was strange, but with so much else going on around him, he let it pass except for a few curious glances toward that end of the table.

The evening passed wonderfully uneventful. Lee couldn't keep up with all the different conversations but he did pick up a few things. This was apparently a yearly gathering of all his relatives. He had at first thought they all lived here but it seemed they merely came together during the summer for good times and to be sure they all kept in touch with each other.

It was while they were passing around warm peach cobbler that Lee was startled by the thump of a hand on the end of the table. Adult voices grew a shade louder; a fact that told of tempers being restrained. Lee recognized the sound. He'd heard it often enough from officers discussing tactics with his uncle.

"How is it possible? Three more mares last night," announced Uncle Jake with a shake of his head. "They're disappearing out from under us."

"Now son," Grandpa Michaels started gently. His hand came down on Jake's. "Don't get everybody upset. We'll find out what's been happening to the stock."

"Yeah. After we're down to chickens and goats," Jake scoffed. "A lot of good that rookie sheriff is."

"Maybe Robert can help you, Dad," offered the woman beside Jake. It was the stranger's wife.

"Kay," the man admonished softly. He looked embarrassed.

"It's just that while you're here..." She broke off lamely and stared down at her plate. Lee saw the man place a hand gently over his wife's.

"What's the matter, hotshot?" ribbed Jake. "Finding horses beneath you government types? They're thoroughbreds, you know."

Lee watched intently as the man visibly kept his reactions in control.

"I'm not Sam Spade, Jake," he said evenly.

Jake seemed oblivious to the man's anger as he shrugged and shoved in a bite of pie. "Too bad," he stated. "Cuz that's who we need around here."

Conversation picked up again; the bad moment passed. Lee tried not to stare but he couldn't help notice the subtle gestures the woman, Kay, was giving her husband. She was obviously not pleased with what had just happened. The man kept nodding agreement but Lee felt he wasn't really listening to her; a fact confirmed when Robert happened to catch his eye and pantomimed holding a pistol to his head. No one had seen it but Lee and he nearly choked with stifled laughter. Not everyone in the world was wondrously happy. It made this heaven a little less perfect but a lot more substantial.

Lee lay on his back on the large bunk; his arms folded underneath his head. He listened to the rhythmic chirping of the crickets and the gentle rustling of the trees in the soft night breeze. The night was calm and peaceful and it matched his own mood perfectly. It had been a long time since he'd felt this content and for once he didn't fear going to sleep. He was positive no nightmares could find him here. Everything felt so right that it was hard to believe he hadn't always lived here. His nomadic life with Colonel Stetson seemed very far removed; as if it had been only a bad dream itself. It was as if he'd finally come home and he heaved a quiet but happy sigh.

As Lee lay in bed he gazed up at the slats of the bunk above him where Murphy was sleeping. He didn't know how long the Colonel meant for him to stay here but he hoped he got the chance to know his cousin. There were a lot of mysteries about this boy and his mother's disappearance that would be interesting to find out about. But most of all Lee wanted to be Murphy's friend.

He'd never had a friend; not a real one his own age. Sure, the men had let him tag along sometimes but that wasn't the same thing as having someone to share secrets with, play games with and all the other million and one things he'd dreamed of for so long. Now he had the chance to have three friends. It was almost too good to be true.

Lee turned his head to gaze across the room to where Andy and Addison shared bunks like he and Murphy were doing. Addison! Lee didn't know who had thought up that name but he vowed to help his cousin find a suitable nickname. Addie lay on the top bunk; his head and feet reversed from where he'd started out the night. His blankets were wrapped around him in a tangle. Andy had the lower bunk and had fallen asleep with his hat on. A small, white earplug wire led somewhere under his pajama top where he'd hidden his small radio.

Lee smiled. He didn't feel the least bit sleepy. He glanced around the rest of the big bunkhouse. All the men and boys traditionally slept out here he'd been told, although the only others out here with them right now were Steven and Addie's five year old brother, Jefferson. He'd insisted he was too old to be relegated to the house with the babies. Only Grandpa Michaels and Uncle Jake slept in the house with the women and small children. Lee wondered what it would be like out here when Uncle Robert came to bed. Certainly that wouldn't make Murphy very happy.

The thought of Murphy made Lee glance back up at the bunk above him. The wooden slats creaked every time his cousin moved and they had been very noisy most of the night. Murphy must be having a hard time getting to sleep. Then his ears caught a sound that told him exactly what was causing Murphy's restlessness. A stifled sob reached him and he knew his cousin must be crying; quietly, not disturbing anyone, but still tears nonetheless.

Lee hesitated only a moment to be sure no one else was awake. Then he slipped out of bed and peered up over the edge of the bunk. Murphy had his back to him. He was huddled close to the wall; his head buried in his pillow but Lee could see the boy's shoulders shaking slightly. Impulsively he stepped onto the edge of his mattress and leaned his arms on Murphy's bunk. He reached out to touch his cousin's shoulder. When Murphy tensed at the contact Lee drew his hand back but remained where he stood and waited.

There was a long, silent moment. Then Murphy slowly rolled over to meet Lee's concerned gaze. The moonlight filtered in from the window bright enough to reflect the tears on the boy's face.

"Hi," Lee whispered awkwardly.

Murphy blinked at him a few times then he sat up and leaned back against the wall. He hugged a pillow to his chest then dragged a sleeve across his eyes and sniffed quietly.

"Hi," he returned softly. "Did I wake you up?"

Lee shook his head then climbed up onto the top bunk to sit cross-legged at its foot. "Nope," he answered. "I wasn't asleep yet."

Murphy watched him settle in then turned to gaze distractedly out the window. He sat that way for a long moment but Lee waited patiently. He was certain Murphy would talk to him eventually. After they both sat in silence for a while Murphy finally spoke. His voice was soft and sad; his eyes still focused on the yard outside.

"I try not to cry so much but sometimes I can't help it. Steven says I'm being a baby and that at least now they aren't yelling all the time..." He paused and turned to face Lee. His face was bewildered. "I didn't mind the yelling that much. I never complained about it."

Lee tried desperately to think of something to say but he couldn't find the right words. He wasn't even sure he knew what the right words would be. But he had to do something; to say something to let Murphy know that he understood. There was only one thing in his life that came close to his cousin's pain...the loss of his parents. He had never really shared that grief with anyone but Murphy needed someone to talk to and maybe this would be a way to help.

"My mom and dad are dead," Lee blurted out. He was embarrassed by his own awkwardness. "They died when I was four so I hardly even remember them at all. At least you can remember your mom."

"How did they die?" Murphy asked softly.

Now it was Lee's turn to stare out the window as he sorted through memories long pent-up; memories he thought were safely buried deep inside. Now however, as his mind brought them to the surface with vivid clarity, it was as if the things he remembered had happened only yesterday.

"It was a car accident," he stated quietly. "I don't really know how it happened. I just woke up one morning and they weren't home. They'd done that before. We had a housekeeper who stayed with me. But this time they just never came home and after a while the Colonel showed up to take me with him. But he never told me what happened. He never says anything about it at all."

"Didn't you ever ask him?" Murphy asked.

Lee turned from the window in surprise and shook his head. "I never ask the Colonel anything. I'm not supposed to bother him with stupid questions." He sighed wearily. "Besides, he'd only tell me it didn't matter anyway."

"He doesn't sound very nice," Murphy observed.

Lee shrugged his shoulders and tried to appear indifferent. "I don't think nice has anything to do with it. He just doesn't like me very much is all."

Murphy didn't reply and Lee himself didn't feel like breaking the silence that had fallen. He continued to gaze out at the pasture; his thoughts far away on a distant, happier time in his life. Today he'd begun to feel some of that again and he wondered how it would be to go back to living with the Colonel.

As he sat staring, he grew aware that something was moving out among the horses. Something or someone was out in the far corner of the pasture. He sat up straight and pulled his attention back into focus to try and see what was happening.

"What's the matter?" Murphy asked.

"Look out there, Murph," Lee said. He pointed towards the horses. "Can you see somebody out there?"

Murphy turned to peer out the window. His eyes squinted up to see better in the darkness.

"I dunno. I see the horses all moving around...I can't make anything else out. Maybe it's a coyote or something."

"Or something else," Lee concluded. "Remember Uncle Jake talking about losing the horses? Maybe somebody's out there stealing them now."

Murphy favored him with a wide-eyed stare. "You think the rustlers are out there?"

"Maybe," Lee answered. "Maybe we should go see for sure."

"Right now? In the middle of the night?"

Lee heard the fear in his cousin's voice but he ignored it. Maybe a midnight adventure would be just what Murphy needed to help forget about his mother. Besides, Lee told himself, there were no such things as horse thieves or cattle rustlers anymore. They had all been hung in the old Westerns.

"Come on," he urged. "If we catch 'em, we'll be heroes."

Murphy hesitated. His eyes darted between Lee and the window.

"Don't you think we should take somebody older than us?"

Lee considered then nodded. "Okay. We'll wake up Andy and Addie. They're older."

Lee could tell by the look on Murphy's face that their two cousins were not the older companions he'd had in mind. But he nodded reluctant agreement anyway and slid down off the bunk after Lee. Quietly they woke the other two boys; refusing explanations until they were all safely dressed and outside the bunkhouse. Once they had been told, both were eager to venture out.

Addison, feeling the weight of his twelve years, took command of the expedition and insisted on being in charge.

"You have to do what I tell you," he informed them. "If these guys have guns or something, it could get dangerous. So don't be dumb...and follow orders."

"Aye-aye, Skipper," Andy saluted with a laugh. He wasn't taking his cousin's newfound sense of responsibility seriously.

"He's right, Andy," Lee pointed out. "There has to be one person in charge. That's standard military strategy."

"Okay, okay," Andy agreed. "I'll do whatever the Skipper here says. Let's just get going before those guys leave."

With that the four boys made their way silently around the big barn and crept stealthily beside the fence surrounding the huge pasture. Lee felt a thrill of excitement and he almost hoped they would find horse thieves at work here. In the company of these boys he felt he could tackle anything. He'd finally found a place where he felt he belonged and he dared anyone to test the strength he felt among them.

Lee's heart raced excitedly as he followed behind his cousins. They crept stealthily across the large, open pasture; bending low near the fence to avoid being seen. The crickets Lee had listened to so peacefully from his bunk now screeched at them from all directions. Apart from the insects and an occasional nicker from a horse however, there were no other sounds.

From up front Addie stopped and motioned them to do the same. Instinctively all four boys sank down to a crouch as Addie held his finger to his lips.

"Don't move," he warned in a whisper that was hardly more than a breath. "We gotta be near the end of the fence."

"So what do we do now, Skipper?" Andy asked quietly and Lee was close enough to hear the slight tremor in his voice. So he wasn't the only one spooked to be out here. It had all seemed such an adventure in the safety of the bunkhouse but now Lee wasn't quite sure he liked what they had gotten themselves into.

Addie shrugged uncomfortably. "I dunno. Ask Lee. This was his idea."

"B-b-but you're in charge," Murphy stuttered out through chattering teeth. "R-remember?"

"Why doesn't one of us go scout ahead?" Lee suggested. "That way there's less chance of being seen."

"That sounds like a great idea," Addie agreed. "Does that mean you volunteer?"

Lee felt his heart thud and he swallowed hard but he couldn't back down now. This had been his idea; the whole thing. He would have to follow it through.

"Okay," he whispered. "If you hear any shots, run back to the house cuz I'll be dead."

"Shut up, Lee," Andy ordered. "Don't even say that. Why don't we all just...Wait...Did you hear that?"

"What?" Murphy squeaked out.

"Shhh!" Addie hushed them harshly and they all dropped flat in the damp grass.

Lee could have sworn his heart was beating loud enough for everyone to hear. As he listened to the sound of footsteps walking through the pasture he felt Murphy press close against him. He squeezed his eyes tightly shut and willed the steps to go away. But instead of fading they grew louder and louder.

An engine suddenly raced to life from far away and brought them all up straight. Lee craned his neck to see who was out driving at this time of night.

"What are you boys doing out here?"

Lee couldn't stop the cry that escaped his throat at the sound of the deep voice beside them. He whirled and practically fell over Murphy as his cousin tried to get up and run for the bunkhouse.

"Whoa, whoa there. It's all right," the voice assured and Lee looked up from beside Murphy to see the Englishman standing tall above them. He had Andy caught up in one arm and grappled a terror-stricken Addie with the other. They must have tried to flee and ran right into him. Lee breathed out in relief and grabbed Murphy's arm to show him who it was.

"It's okay, Murphy. It's only Robert...See?"

They both stood up to face the newcomer who had by this time succeeded in calming the other two boys. Now all four cousins stood and tried to catch their breath; to let their hearts quiet down.

"Well?" the man asked again with a chuckle. "What on earth are you doing out here?"

Lee waited for someone to talk; to take the lead. But when the boys remained silent; each looking at the other guiltily, he piped up.

"We were looking for the horse thieves. Me and Murphy saw them from the bunkhouse."

Lee saw the man shoot a sharp glance across the pasture then he turned back to the boys. The smile was once more in place on his face.

"Horse thieves, you say?"

Lee nodded solemnly. "We thought maybe we could see who they were so Uncle Jake would know who was stealing his stock."

Once more the man took a long look around. Lee followed his gaze but saw nothing out of the ordinary.

"Well, I should think you've managed to scare them off for now. Why don't we all go back...try and get some sleep. What do you say? That way your mothers won't skin you for sneaking out at all hours."

"That sure sounds good to me," Murphy declared.

"All right then. Let's go, shall we?"

They trooped silently back through the pasture. Andy and Addie led the way while Murphy and Lee each flanked their adult companion. As they walked, Lee glanced up at the man beside him. The darkness made it hard to see clearly but he appeared to be frowning. Lee suddenly wondered what exactly he had been doing out here tonight. He also wondered again where he might have known this man and he decided he had to find out.

"Sir?" he spoke up timidly.

"Yes, Lee. What is it?" The frown had disappeared; replaced by a smile.

"Well, Sir, I..." Lee paused, unsure how to put his thoughts into words. "Sir, I just wondered...well...Do I know you? I mean, have I seen you before?"

"Of course you have," the man laughed pleasantly. "But frankly, I'm surprised you even remember. You were so small at the time...just a little tyke. I remember your father used to tuck you under his arm and tote you around like a football. Oh, your mother would get after him but there you'd be, laughing the whole time. You used to run to me whenever I came over but I think that was more for the candy I had in my pockets than anything else."

"Paddington!" Lee burst out suddenly as the memory flashed vividly. "You're the Paddington Man."

"The what?"

Now it was Lee's turn to laugh. "That's what I thought you were because you gave me a Paddington Bear for my birthday one year."

McCall scratched his head as he tried to remember. "So I did. You know, I'd forgotten all about that. Do you still have that old thing?"

Lee shook his head and the pleasure of remembering suddenly dimmed. "No. I don't have much of anything from before. You know, because the Colonel moves around so much we couldn't take anything."

McCall was silent for a moment. Then Lee felt a hand come down on his shoulder and squeeze it warmly.

"Your parents were my dearest friends, Lee. They were like my family over here. Your dad helped me out when I was very young and green. That's how we met, you know. We worked together. In fact, your parents were how I met Kay. Your mother introduced us one summer when Kay was in D.C. visiting." He paused a moment then he sighed heavily. "I wish I'd been in the country when the accident happened. But by the time I got back and heard about it...well, I..."

"It's okay, Sir," Lee spoke up. He found it strange to have to reassure an adult about anything. "It was just a car crash. You couldn't have helped it."

"Maybe, but...Hey, what's all this 'Sir' nonsense? You don't have to call me that."

"What then?" Lee asked. "You're not my uncle, are you?"

The man rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "No. Cousin-in-law or something like that. You could just call me Robert but that would get confusing with Murphy's father. Why don't you just call me McCall? All my friends do."

"Really?" Lee asked.

"Certainly. All you boys. I hate formality, don't you?"

"You bet," Addie agreed and the other boys nodded emphatically.

"Right then. That's all squared away. Now, here we are. You boys better get right into bed before somebody sees us and spills the beans."

Lee followed the other boys into the bunkhouse but he stayed at the door and watched after McCall as he disappeared into the main house. So here was someone else who had known his parents. It didn't seem fair that everyone had known them so well when he could hardly remember them at all. But at least one mystery was solved. He knew why McCall seemed so familiar. He still wondered though why his newfound friend had been out wandering around the ranch in the middle of the night. He sighed and closed the door. He wasn't going to find anything else out tonight and for the first time all night he felt sleepy.

"Just because we didn't find anybody doesn't mean they weren't there," Lee pointed out for at least the tenth time as they walked their horses along the mountain path. The low-hanging tree limbs made any faster pace impossible.

"It's okay, Lee," Andy assured him in exasperation. "Don't worry about it."

"Besides," Addison put in from the lead horse. "If they are horse thieves, then they might be back. Maybe we'll see 'em again."

Lee perked up at that thought. There just might be a chance to redeem his reputation. "Maybe we can take turns watching for them," he suggested eagerly.

"Sure," Andy agreed. "Only right now we gotta keep a look out for the secret trail. Murphy, move up front. You're usually the first one to see it."

Murphy maneuvered his horse around his cousins' mounts and all four boys focused their attention on the foliage along the path as they strained their eyes to find the trail.

Lee wasn't exactly sure what to look for. This expedition was something he had never been part of before. Glad that the boys had included him though, he tried his best to scour the undergrowth for the secret path that led to his cousins' hideout.

It was a cave, according to Murphy. He had filled Lee in on the details after Andy and Addie approached him with their solemn invitation to join them in this privileged outing. Lee felt the honor keenly and doggedly endured two long hours of Andy's instruction in horsemanship before his cousin pronounced him fit to make the trip. Tired and sore, but elated nonetheless, he started the journey with eager anticipation. He had never seen a secret hide out even though he had read about such places in the adventure books he loved and his uncle frowned upon.

Their horses plodded on; the only sound the striking of hooves on the rocky trail and the intermittent chattering of unseen forest animals. For what seemed forever they continued in this peaceful silence until Lee felt he had become a part of the saddle underneath him. A shout from Murphy up ahead however, brought him up straight.

"I found it!" Murphy announced gleefully and pointed off to his right. "It's here...right here."

The boy slid off his horse and handed the reins up to Andy. He quickly pushed aside the tall grass and overhanging branches.

"Murphy always finds everything." Addie turned to grin back at Lee. "He's like an old bloodhound."

Murphy had disappeared in the brush but Lee now could see his blond head over the grass as he emerged back onto the main trail.

"It's okay. I'm sure the horses can get through," he announced as he took the reins from Andy and hauled himself back up onto his horse. "Come on."

He headed his horse into the barely cleared passage and was soon out of sight. Andy followed right behind him.

Addie pulled up and motioned Lee to go ahead.

"Wouldn't want you to get lost," he laughed.

Lee couldn't have agreed more as he kicked his horse and trotted off after the others. He wasn't that sure of himself as a rider yet. He felt much better knowing there was someone behind him.

The trail might have appeared fine in Murphy's eyes but Lee was more than a little nervous as they rode on. He had to keep bent over to avoid the low branches and he scratched his arms and face more times than he could count on the bushes and twigs that reached out for him. Once he thought he might actually loose his kneecap as his horse rounded a curve so close to an old tree that Lee had to kick out at it with his foot to move the animal away from the trunk. Finally however, the brush cleared away and they stopped their horses at the bottom of a tall, rocky hill.

"Here's where we get off," Andy stated as he slid out of the saddle.

Lee saw the others dismount so he got off as well. He tied his horse to the bush where the boys had secured theirs and set off after them up the side of the hill. They hadn't gone very far when Andy halted in front of what appeared to be the entrance to the cave.

"Is this it?" Lee asked uneasily. He eyed the old, rotted boards that barred the way inside. It didn't look very inviting.

"Sure," Addie declared. "We only left the boards up so nobody else would go in. Makes it look real spooky."

Lee watched in apprehension as Addison pushed the boards aside then motioned for Andy to go first. They had brought a large flashlight with them and when Andy ducked under the boards the blackness disappeared.

"Come on," he coaxed from inside.

Murphy went on in and it was then up to Lee. He hesitated only an instant before he plunged in. Addison came last and replaced the boards after them.

It didn't look so bad in the light, Lee decided. He just wished his heart would stop racing so wildly.

"Stay close to us," Andy advised him. "There are places where the walls are crumbly so don't wander off."

Lee promised whole-heartedly. None of the small, black tunnels looked at all appealing to him. He stuck to Andy like glue as they made their way through the main passage. They moved along for some time until Andy halted before a small, wood-framed entryway.

"Wait here," he instructed Lee then took the other boys through. Lee was left to stand alone in the darkness.

His heart thumped loudly but he could still hear his cousins in the other part of the cave so he didn't panic. He stood alone and wondered how long they were going to make him wait. Then suddenly light poured out from the entryway and he heard Murphy call to him.

"Come on in now, Lee."

Lee stepped eagerly into the light then stopped abruptly. His jaw dropped open in surprise. The room he saw hardly looked like it was carved out of the mountainside. There were brightly colored Indian blankets covering the floor. Old pillows were strewn about as well. Along one wall were stacks of crates stuffed full with games, books, comics, magazines, puzzles and a thousand other things. There were posters tacked to the wooden beams that lined the shaft, pictures of the moon, spaceships and one large picture of John Glenn and Friendship Seven. Model rockets and cars in varying stages of completion littered a large, flat board resting across some boxes and at the far end of this makeshift table sat a pile of electronic-looking gadgetry that Lee couldn't recognize.

"Me 'n Addie found this place a couple of years ago," Andy informed Lee with a great deal of pride. "We brought all this stuff up a little at a time so no one would know what we were doing."

"Isn't it great?" Addie asked as he flopped down onto a pillow and grabbed up an open issue of Boys Life.

Lee nodded in silent admiration. Finally though, he managed to make his feet move to take him on a closer inspection. Andy had gone over to sit down at the table and he began picking through the pile of tubes and wires. Murphy however, followed at Lee's elbow, ready to answer any questions.

"See, we each have stuff that's all our own," Murphy explained. "All the space junk is Addie's. He wants to be an astronaut."

"I'm going to be the first man on the moon," Addison informed Lee in a determined voice.

"What's yours?" Lee asked Murphy curiously.

The boy shrugged uncertainly. "The baseball bats, the basketball. The Hardy Boys Books. I don't really have anything in particular."

"That's okay," Lee assured him. "I like all kinds of things too."

Lee continued his tour then stopped in the middle of the room.

"Nobody knows about this place at all?" he asked in wonder.

Murphy shook his head. "We've been real careful. It's the best secret in the whole world."

"And you can't tell a soul," Addison reminded him solemnly.

"I won't," Lee promised. "Cross my heart."

He made the appropriate gesture across his chest, which satisfied his cousin. He then moved over to stand next to Andy. He watched silently for a moment until curiosity got the better of him.

"Watcha making?" he asked.

"It's supposed to be a ham radio." Andy told him. "But it's not coming out right." He pushed his hat off and let it hang down his back. He ran both his hands through his long hair and heaved a sigh of exasperation. "I've been working on it forever!"

"Who taught you how to build a radio?" Lee asked in amazement.

"Nobody," Addie snorted from the floor. "That's why it's not working."

"You're such a hosepail, Addison," Andy stated vehemently as he turned and threw an oily rag at his cousin. It missed the mark by several inches.

"Good shot," Addie ribbed as he picked up the rag and tossed it into a corner. "And don't call me that again."

Addie's tone was the closest to being angry that Lee could remember hearing. He'd discovered very quickly his older cousin took almost nothing seriously, except perhaps when he had talked about reaching the moon. He'd seemed pretty determined about that.

"Sorry," Andy apologized. "It's Skipper from here on out, okay?"

The smile returned to Addie's face. "I like that one the best. I think we finally found one that's gonna stick."

"Grandma won't believe you," Murphy warned. "She'll think it's just another one like before and she'll keep on calling you Addison."

Addie thought about it for a moment then his face brightened. "How 'bout if we just use it between us for a while. You know, to see if it works out. Then nobody will laugh."

They all agreed and the bad moment passed, ruffled feathers smoothed over. Lee settled down onto the floor and made room for Murphy to pull up a pillow beside him.

"Doesn't anybody wonder where you are when you're up here?" he asked as he shuffled through a stack of comic books.

"They just think we're out riding," Andy explained. He turned from his tinkering and smiled slyly. "That's really the truth too. We're not lying to anybody."

"We just make sure we're home before dark though," Addie went on to add. "We wouldn't want anybody to come up here looking for us. They might find out about this place."

"Besides the fact that we'd all get walloped pretty good for staying up on the mountain that late," Murphy concluded.

"You would?" Lee asked, appalled at the idea. He couldn't remember ever being hit or spanked. Of course, the Colonel didn't need to. His voice was enough to keep the toughest recruit in line, let alone a ten year old boy. He didn't remember being spanked by his father either, but that wasn't quite as clear. He couldn't be positive.

"You bet!" Andy stated with an emphatic nod of his head.

"But nobody's as bad as Uncle Jake," Murphy reminded them in dark tones and the other two boys agreed whole-heartedly. Obviously they had all experienced the wrath of their uncle at one time or another.

Lee still couldn't come to terms with the idea.

"But they all seemed so...nice," he protested.

"They are nice," Andy replied. "But when you're bad they gotta spank you. That's what parents do."

"It is?" Lee was definitely at a loss.

"Sure," Addie answered. "My mom told me once that she only punished me because she loved me."

"Is that why Uncle Jake cut Andy's hair off?" Murphy asked with a laugh.

"Shut up, Murphy!" Andy ordered harshly. He turned his back on them abruptly but not before Lee saw the flush of embarrassment that had colored his cousin's fair complexion.

There was a long moment of silence, during which Lee waited awkwardly for someone to explain Murphy's apparent blunder. Andy wouldn't look at any of them and Murphy's head was bowed. His eyes fixed on his lap in remorse for bringing up an obviously taboo subject. Finally Lee met Addie's eyes and his cousin squirmed uncomfortably. At last the older boy turned to Andy in an appeal for forgiveness.

"I gotta tell him now, Andy. It's okay."

Addie waited for a moment then he turned to Lee and sighed wearily. "It was last summer," he began quietly. "Uncle Jake found some of the horses with their manes and tails cut. He was pretty steamed about it cuz his horses mean everything to him. Anyway, he thought Andy did it."

"I didn't though!" Andy declared angrily. As he turned around his eyes flashed darkly with the memory. "He never even gave me a chance."

"I know, I know," Addie assured him smoothly. "Well, I guess Uncle Jake wanted to show him how the horses felt and he took him into the barn and shaved his hair off. All off."

"All of it?" Lee asked, his hand reached up to rub at his own close-cropped hair. He couldn't image having less hair than his crew cut.

Andy tossed his head defiantly. "All of it," he stated evenly. "But when my mom found out all heck sure broke loose. We didn't come up here to visit for a while after that."

"Not until it all grew back, right?" Addie laughed, trying to lighten the mood.

Andy relented then and smiled as well. "I sure never had to get a hair cut after that. My mom just trims it with the scissors. And nobody touches my hair but her."

Lee was quiet for a moment as he tried to picture the events. No wonder Andy had been sensitive about Lee's earlier remark that he looked like a girl. As he sat there thinking, Andy got up from the table and came over to sit down next to Murphy. He playfully shoved at his cousin to let him know he wasn't mad. Murphy finally lifted his head and smiled in relief that he had been forgiven.

"So who cut the horses' hair?" Lee asked at last.

"Jeffers," Addie replied laughingly. "He was playing barber and thought they needed a hair cut. He was only four years old."

Lee shared his cousin's laughter, reveling in the feeling of companionship. It was something new to him and he was enjoying every minute of it.

It was late in the afternoon when the boys finally emerged from the old mine. Lee stood on the hillside and breathed in the fresh mountain air as they waited for Addie to replace the boards. He let his gaze travel across the horizon until it came to rest at the top of the hill. It had to be a beautiful sight from the summit. He could probably see the whole world from up there.

Without a second thought, he started to make his way upwards.

"Lee!" Murphy called after him. "Where are you going?"

"To the top," he shouted back. "I wanna see up there."

"Lee, wait!" It was Andy's voice. "It's late!"

Lee paused and looked at the level of the sun on the horizon.

"It's not that late," he called. He felt drawn towards the top of the hill. "Come on. It'll be fun."

He waited and watched as his cousins conferred amongst themselves then apparently decided it wouldn't take that long and started up after him. Glad they had decided to accompany him, he turned back and continued his trek to the top. Now that they were coming too, he wanted to be the first one up.

It was a harder hike than Lee had first thought. By the time he reached the peak he was sweat-soaked and breathing heavily. But it was well worth the climb as he scrambled onto a large boulder and surveyed the landscape below. He could even see the ranch far off in the distance. The feeling was exhilarating and, as he saw his cousins below him, he couldn't resist shouting down to them.

"Hey - ey - ey!" his voice echoed down the mountain.

They looked up and waved at him. He sat down to wait for them and soon they were all four perched on top of the boulder, gazing out at the valley below them. Lee had never seen anything quite so beautiful as this expanse of mountain sky. The bright blue had begun to fade into pink and purple as the sun dipped lower, closer to the mountain tops.

He could have sat here forever but suddenly Addie got to his feet and scrambled down off the boulder.

"We better get going," he announced grimly. "It's pretty late."

"Skipper's right," Andy agreed and followed after his cousin. "I think we're gonna be late for dinner."

Murphy slid down wordlessly and Lee hurried after him, fearful that he'd gotten them all into trouble. For some reason coming home late loomed as a fate worse than death for these boys and, as they trotted down the hillside and the light continued to fade from the sky, Lee began to feel the same way. He didn't want to be out here in the wild once darkness fell.

No one spoke as they retrieved their horses and mounted up. The ride back was not nearly as enjoyable as the trip out. When the sun disappeared behind the mountains it took with it most of the warmth of the day and left a chill in the air that was quick to penetrate the boys' light, summer clothing. Lee shivered in the saddle and wished for the first time since he'd arrived here that he was back on the warm beaches of Guam.

They rode on for what seemed like hours and Lee began to wonder why they hadn't reached the ranch yet. It was far too dark to see anything now except Murphy's horse in front of him. He hoped Addie knew where he was leading them.

"Hold up a minute, Skip," Andy called.

Lee jumped, startled by Andy's voice behind him. He'd practically forgotten his cousin was there and, in the stillness of the evening, Andy's voice sounded unnaturally loud.

Addie reined in his horse which caused all the animals to stop.

"What's the matter?" he asked.

"I don't know," Andy replied uncertainly. "Are you sure we didn't miss the trail?"

Lee's heart nearly froze. He hoped against hope that Andy was wrong. Surely Addison knew where they were. They weren't really lost up on this mountain. The long pause before Addie answered didn't do much to bolster any confidence.

"It's gotta be right up ahead," Addie assured them, though his voice didn't sound all that certain.

"I think Andy's right," Murphy spoke up quietly. "We shouldn't have come this far."

"Should we turn around?" Lee asked, hoping that would solve matters easily.

Addie hesitated again then finally gave in. "Yeah, I guess so. Only put Murphy in the lead. He'll find the trail."

"In the dark?" Andy asked skeptically.

"Just let him up there," Addie ordered sternly.

"Whatever you say, Skipper." Andy relented and moved his mount aside to let Murphy move ahead of him.

Once more they started up, going back the way they had come. Taking it at a slow pace, so as not to miss the trail in the dark, the ride went unbearably slow. Lee was cold and hungry and tired. The saddle had ceased to provide any comfort in riding. Instead, it rubbed at his legs and backside with every stride the horse took. All he wanted to do was to get off, even if it meant walking to the ranch. But he couldn't complain. This was his fault, after all. He was the one who had made them stay on the mountain longer than they should have. He couldn't very well start whining about being uncomfortable.

He lost track of the time. His body had been swaying with the rhythm of the animal's gait and he was practically asleep in the saddle when they suddenly stopped. He nearly fell over his horse's head and he grabbed the saddlehorn ungracefully. Somehow he managed to stay on.

"We've missed it again," Murphy announced as Lee blinked back into awareness of their situation.

"How can you be sure?" Addie asked as he moved his horse up next to Murphy's.

"Look here," Murphy pointed out an opening in the brush. "This is the way up to the cave. We just came all the way back."

"Oh great," Andy muttered under his breath but loud enough for Lee to hear. "So now what?"

It was obvious to Lee that none of them knew exactly what to do next. They could wander all night and never find the right turn off. That probably wasn't the smartest move. Lee thought back to his uncle's survival manuals; the only books the Colonel owned that were at all interesting. They all said the best thing to do was to stay in one place until someone came to look for you. The only thing wandering in the dark would do would be to get them more lost.

"We should probably find someplace to stay the night," he offered hesitantly when no one had come up with a suggestion.

"The night?" Murphy asked, fear sounding loud and clear at the thought of sleeping up here.

Lee nodded. "That's what the military says to do when you're lost and someone's looking for you."

"He's right," Addie agreed. "Pop always said the same thing. Find a place and stay put."

"But we're not lost," Murphy protested. "All we have to do is go back again. We'll find the trail this time. We know where we are now."

"It'll be okay, Murph," Andy assured the younger boy. Everybody'll be out looking for us. We probably won't be up here the whole night."

"And even if we are,"Addie put in. "As soon as it's light we can for sure find the trail and then we're home."

"I don't know, Addie. I don't..." Murphy stopped abruptly.

"What's the mat...?"

"Shhh!" Murphy cut Andy's question off. "Listen," he whispered fiercely.

Lee strained to hear what had caught Murphy's ear. The sounds of the night seemed suddenly loud but they were all Lee could hear. They sat in tense silence for some time and Lee was just about ready to dismiss it as a product of Murphy's imagination when he at last heard it too.

It was the distant sound of voices - men's voices. Lee couldn't make out what they were saying but there were definitely several different ones, all talking to each other.

"I hear 'em," Addie breathed. "Wonder who it is."

"It's nobody from home," Andy pronounced. "They'd be shouting their heads off for us if they were."

Lee's heart pounded wildly as the only possible explanation came to him.

"What if it's the horse thieves?" he asked softly.

No one answered him. He supposed they didn't need to. If those men were indeed the people responsible for the missing stock, they wouldn't be too wild about sharing camp with four lost boys.

"We gotta go back and find the trail," Addie finally decided. "We'll get home and tell Uncle Jake where they are. Just be real quiet."

"But they'll hear the horses, Skip," Andy pointed out. "You can't tell a horse to creep along quietly."

"Then we'll leave 'em here," Addie said, his own fear taking the shape of exasperation. "We can walk back."

"Skip's right," Lee agreed. "It'll take longer but it'll be safer."

The decision made, they all dismounted. Lee stumbled and nearly fell over as he tried to make his tired legs work the way they were supposed to. After a few moments he got them under control and tied his horse next to the others.

"Uncle Jake's gonna kill us," Andy warned as they left the animals and began their quiet trek down the trail.

"He'll have to wait 'til my Dad's through with me," Addie informed him with a nervous laugh.

They fell silent as, Addison led the way. Lee followed with Murphy close at his heels. Andy brought up the rear, his head constantly turned back to check behind. Lee tried not to think about who might be following after them. He concentrated on watching Addie's back; so much so that he was startled when he felt Murphy reach forward and grab hold of his hand.

Lee turned to question his cousin's behavior but, in the small amount of moonlight, he could see Murphy's eyes wide with fear and it suddenly occurred to Lee that his cousin needed to hold on to him. Somebody actually needed him. It was a surprisingly gratifying sensation and he gripped the younger boy's hand tightly, feeling terribly protective.

"It's here! It's here!" Addie suddenly proclaimed in an excited whisper. "I found the trail."

Lee breathed a heartfelt sigh. They were going to get off the mountain. They could be back at the ranch soon, where it was warm and there was food and lots of people to feel safe among. The others must have felt the same. They all began running down the grassy path at once until shortness of breath caused them to slow their pace to a fast trot.

After some time the trees fell away. Once more they began to run, charging across the open meadowland towards where the lights from the house shone bright and inviting.

They all reached the house at once and tumbled over one another as they charged through the kitchen door. Giggles erupted from them all and they wrestled with each other on the floor. Relief vented itself in horseplay as they found themselves safe and warm and home. Lee laughed triumphantly as he pinned Murphy to the rug but his laugh stuck in his throat. He suddenly became aware someone was standing in the doorway of the kitchen watching them.

It was Grandma Michaels and Lee was about to greet her happily when he saw the look on her face and stopped. He reached over and nudged Andy who was getting the upper hand with Addie. The room abruptly grew deathly quiet. Without a sound, all four boys got to their feet to face their grandmother. She didn't look happy at all.

Lee sat rigidly straight on the sofa. Punishment of some kind was imminent and he'd learned to face it squarely. The other boys were gone, taken away by their fathers to whatever fates awaited them. Lee had watched them go one by one until he alone remained.

He had no father to walk gravely into the room; to frown at him with disapproval then beckon him away. There was only the Colonel. Lee swallowed dryly. He would rather have faced a dozen spankings than the wrath of his uncle. And there was no doubt it would come. He wondered how long it would take Colonel Stetson to get here from White Sands; how many hours he had left at this wonderful place. Surely it wouldn't be too long. They would have called his uncle immediately of course. He wondered if he would even get the chance to say good-bye to his cousins.

Lee didn't have much longer to ponder the situation for, at that moment, he caught sight of his grandfather standing in the doorway. He didn't say a word but Lee knew what was expected. He got up and followed his grandfather into the kitchen. In a way it would be a relief to know exactly what was going to happen and when. But on the other hand he wasn't looking forward to being asked to leave this place.

When Grandpa Michaels stopped and sat down at the kitchen table, Lee stood military-straight, eyes forward, ready to take his punishment like a man as the Colonel had taught him. If his uncle was going to have to come and get him in disgrace, he wasn't going to add any further embarrassment to the list of his wrong-doings.

There was a long moment of silence during which Lee wondered when the axe was going to fall. Finally however, his grandfather merely sighed heavily. Out of the corner of one eye, Lee saw him shake his head slowly.

"Relax, boy," he told him kindly. "This isn't the Marine Corps."

Lee wasn't sure what that was supposed to mean but he obeyed and fell into an "at ease" stance.

"I'm sorry we were late, Sir," he apologized. "I didn't mean to make anyone worry about us."

"I'm sure you didn't. It's just that it's dangerous up on the mountain after dark. I'm not blaming you, Lee. The other boys know better than that."

"But it was my fault, Sir," Lee argued. "I'm the one who talked them into staying. They wanted to come home earlier."

"I'm sure you didn't twist their arms. At least now you know better as well, don't you?"

"Yes, Sir," Lee answered.

"Okay then. Get yourself off to bed. I'm sure the others will be out there shortly. I think it's best if Jake doesn't run into you boys tonight, especially boys who leave his best saddle ponies out in the wild."

"But, Sir, we had to," Lee hastened to explain, to come to his cousins' defense. "The horses would have made too much noise. The rustlers would have heard us."

"Rustlers?" Grandpa Michaels' eyebrows shot up in surprise. "What are you talking about?"

"We heard the horse thieves, Grandfather. They were camped up on the mountain."

Lee watched as the older man pulled at his chin. A frown further creased his already lined face.

"I can see Jake's going to have to watch his dinner time talk," he said softly. "I guess we all forgot how active boys' imaginations can be."

"But we heard them, Sir," Lee protested.

"Listen to me, Lee. The mountain has all kinds of noises of its own. It doesn't take much to make you think you've heard something."

"But, Grand..."

"That's enough now." Grandpa Michaels' voice was firm. "Forget all about horse thieves and get yourself to bed."

If there was one thing Lee could recognize it was an order. He knew better than to try and argue any longer. He headed for the back door then stopped and turned back to his grandfather, anxious to know exactly how much longer he would be staying.

"Excuse me, Grandfather but... " He hesitated, dreading the answer but feeling compelled to ask just the same.

"What is it boy?"

"Well, I...That is..." Lee's back went ramrod straight again, the only way to request information. "Sir, I was just wondering how soon my uncle would be here."

"Your uncle?" Grandpa Michaels scratched his head. "I'm not sure. Aren't you happy here, boy?"

Lee felt his whole body melt at the question. "Y-y-yes, Sir. I am but I...that is...I thought that after tonight you'd be calling the Colonel to take me back."

"Take you back? Whatever gave you that idea, son?" The man stood up and moved over to the door to stand in front of Lee. He reached down and placed his hands on Lee's shoulders. "Do you know how long we've waited to have you here with us?"

Lee gazed up at the old man and thought he saw tears glistening in those eyes. He had to be mistaken. Hadn't the Colonel told him men didn't cry. But he didn't have long to ponder it for his grandfather broke the moment and nudged him toward the door.

"Come on now," the man said gruffly. "Enough of this nonsense. Off to bed."

Lee went shuffling toward the bunkhouse, but not without a backwards glance at the main house. His thoughts were muddled and confused. Life had been well-ordered up until two days ago. It hadn't been particularly happy but at least it was routine. Now everything was upside down. People weren't acting like they were supposed to. He reached the bunkhouse and went inside to lose himself in the nightly ritual of getting ready for bed. At least that was something he could understand.

Lee sat in his bunk, his back propped up against the wall. He hugged his pillow to his chest and chewed on his thumbnail distractedly. He had tried to sleep but the guilt he felt gnawed at his conscience too much to let him relax. He was the cause of all the trouble tonight. It wasn't fair that his cousins had all been punished while he had gotten off scott free. Well, not entirely free. There was no mention of the dinner they had all missed and he assumed that had been part of the deal. His stomach grumbled its protest at such treatment but he supposed he would last until morning. He didn't think they would keep them from eating breakfast as well.

He glanced across the room to the opposite bunks. He knew his cousins were awake. Addie lay perfectly still; something he would never do in his sleep. His arms were folded beneath his head and every once in a while Lee could see him blink. In the bunk below, Andy lay face down. His pillow covered his head but his ever-present transistor radio was plugged into his ear and his feet still tapped out the rhythm of an unheard beat. Lee couldn't see Murphy but he figured he was probably awake too.

They hadn't spoken a word since they'd filtered in, one by one. Murphy showed up first, tight-lipped and angry, but Lee knew that was probably more from just being around his father than anything else. Murphy had kicked off his shoes and climbed up onto his bunk without even changing into his pajamas. Lee decided Murphy probably wouldn't want to talk right now so he hadn't said anything to him.

Addie dragged in next, rubbing his eyes in such a way Lee knew he'd been crying. Lee was glad the light was out so Addie was spared the embarrassment of he and Murphy seeing the tears. Addie slowly got ready for bed, then settled into his bunk, breathing a shaky sigh. Since he was the oldest, Addie had probably gotten the worst of it.

Andy slammed in like a tornado. Angry and upset, he banged drawers, kicked off his shoes and hurled them across the room, pulled his pajamas on with impatient tugs and jerks, then threw himself down onto his bed in a huff. He'd pounded on his pillow for good measure before he'd buried his face in it. Lee had stayed wisely silent during the entire display of temper.

Now, with everyone settled and quiet, Lee wondered how late it was. He'd lost all track of time since the sun had set. There were still lights on in the house and Steven and Jeffers hadn't come out to the bunkhouse yet. It was probably early in the evening. He sat in the dark and hoped his cousins would still speak to him in the morning. He was afraid to ask them now. He wanted to apologize but didn't want to risk a confrontation while they were still recovering from whatever punishments they'd received.

In the heavy silence his ears suddenly caught the sound of footsteps. He thought it must be the other boys coming out to bed but the way the door opened slowly, cautiously, changed his mind. He tossed aside his pillow and crawled down to the foot of his bed to try and see who was there.

It was an adult, a man. But in the dark it was hard to tell which man. He had something in his right hand and reached behind himself with his left to close the door noiselessly. He stood for a moment, perhaps to let his eyes grow accustomed to the dark. Then he moved silently down the rows of bunks.

"I don't suppose there are any hungry boys still awake in this bunkhouse," the man asked to no one in particular and Lee breathed a sigh of relief. It was McCall.

Lee's stomach growled his answer as he crawled to the edge of the bed. The other boys were up as well and McCall set his burden down at the foot of Lee's bunk. He removed a dish towel and revealed a tray of sandwiches. Lee could smell them already and his stomach rumbled again.

"I don't suppose it's exactly a feast," McCall said as he offered a sandwich to Murphy. "But I'll wager it'll be just as welcome."

"We weren't supposed to have anything tonight," Addie informed him warily. He hadn't accepted the food McCall held out for him. "Our parents are punishing us."

"Well who do you suppose fixed these up for you?" McCall chuckled. "It certainly wasn't me. I ran into a couple of mothers sneaking around in the kitchen."

"Really?" Andy asked in surprise.

"Really," McCall assured him. "So it's quite all right you see."

That was all it took to convince Addie and soon they were all four munching happily. McCall had settled himself on the corner of Lee's bed and waited patiently until the edge had been taken off their appetites before he said anything else.

"Your grandfather says you thought you heard horse thieves up on the mountain tonight," he began conversationally.

"We did!" Lee declared vehemently.

"We did hear something," Addie broke in. "We thought it was the horse thieves."

"That's why we left the horses on the mountain," Andy explained. "That's why Uncle Jake's so steamed and he's never gonna let us ride his ponies again."

"Is that so?" McCall muttered.

This was news to Lee. Not only had he gotten his cousins in trouble with their folks, now it seemed they weren't ever going to be allowed to enjoy the ranch again. Guilt churned at him miserably and he found he'd lost his appetite. He set the remainder of his sandwich back on the platter and slipped under his covers, his face turned to the wall. He was convinced he'd lost the only friends he'd ever had and he didn't know how to deal with that.

He felt a weight come down on this shoulders and he knew without turning it was McCall's hand.

"What's wrong, Lee?"

McCall's voice was gentle and inviting. Lee couldn't look up at him or else the humiliating tears that were stinging at his eyes would spill over and everyone would see them. He didn't want them to think he was a sissy. But McCall would not be put off. Lee felt the pressure on his shoulder increase until he was forced to turn over.

"What is it, Lee?"

The voice was firm this time, still caring but definitely no nonsense, demanding an answer. He could not ignore it.

"Everything!" he burst out suddenly then paused and breathed a sigh. He had to keep control of himself. McCall was an adult after all, even if he had broken the rules for them. "I'm sorry, Sir," he apologized. "You see, it's all my fault. Being late, the horses, no dinner, everything."

"Your fault? Seems to me there are four boys in bed with no supper."

"But it was my idea. I made them stay up on the mountain after dark."

"You made them?" McCall turned to the other boys. "Is that how it was? Did Lee here really make you stay out late?"

"No, Sir," Murphy slid down from his bunk and piped up loud and clear. "We should have come home. Lee doesn't know the mountain like we do."

"Murphy's right, Lee," Addie agreed. "We should have been the ones to make you come home."

Lee blinked up at his cousins; at Andy and Addie sitting up in their beds, and at Murphy standing beside McCall. None of them appeared upset with him.

"Then you're not mad at me?" he asked in surprise. He'd thought they would blame him for their troubles; had genuinely felt they had good reason to.

"Mad? Heck no," Andy assured him.

"There, you see?" McCall put in. "Nobody's blaming anyone."

Lee shook his head in puzzlement. "But your dads must've walloped you like you said they would."

"Boy, I'll say," Addie laughed.

"But nobody walloped me," Lee protested. "You should be mad because you all got whippings and I didn't. That's not fair is it?"

"You mean you wanted to get a spanking?" Andy asked perplexed.

"No, I...I don't know." Lee fell silent. He really wasn't sure what he meant anymore. The world was fast becoming a very confusing place.

"All right, then." McCall stood and gathered up the empty tray. "No one is angry with anyone and I think you boys better get to sleep before we all get into trouble.

There was a moment of hasty scrambling as Murphy climbed back up onto his bunk and the other boys pulled up their covers. McCall made as if to go then stopped and turned back to bend down beside Lee's bed. His voice was low, meant only for Lee's ears.

"Remember, Lee. Just because you don't have your father with you to give you a good wallop now and then, that doesn't mean there aren't people who care about you. You've got the Colonel and your grandparents and all sorts of aunts, uncles and cousins. They all love you very much. Besides," McCall smiled and gave him a wink. "If you ever go off again like you did today, I'll whack you one myself. How's that?"

"That's great, Sir," Lee grinned self-consciously.

McCall chuckled and reached out to tousle Lee's hair, then rose to go. He paused at the door however, and spoke to all the boys.

"Where exactly did you say you left the horses?" he asked curiously.

"Up on Red Mesa," Addie replied. "There's an old trail most of the way up the mountain."

McCall nodded slowly to himself and Lee wondered what he might be up to. Though whatever his plans were he kept them to himself. Without another word he slipped out of the bunkhouse.

Lee's eyes remained on the door for a long while after McCall was gone. Then he snuggled back under his blankets, ready to go to sleep. But it was a long time before the smile faded from his face.

The early morning sun streamed brightly through the bunkhouse windows as Lee struggled to pull on his pair of hand-me-down boots. He was looking forward to breakfast with an eagerness accentuated by the noises in his stomach. Compared with the dismal night they'd spent, the morning had dawned warm and pleasant; all unhappy thoughts banished by the daylight.

"C'mon, slowpokes," Andy prodded from where he swung on the doorway.

"Relax, Tarzan," Addie ordered as he buttoned his shirt. "Nobody's rung the bell for breakfast. We're not late."

"I know that." Andy released his grip on the door frame. Soon all four boys raced out the door to greet the cool, dewy morning.

Lee breathed in a deep lungful of the fresh mountain air. The sun was up, already warming the ground under their feet. The sky was the bluest he had seen, without a trace of a cloud. Preoccupied as he was with these things, he didn't notice when his cousins abruptly stopped. He plowed headlong into Murphy and knocked him into Addie. Any protesting on the boys' part was forestalled however, by Andy's amazed gesturing.

"Look!" He exclaimed. "Over at the paddock."

Lee followed his cousin's wildly waving arm and soon saw the reason for Andy's outburst. Tied to the fence, calmly pulling at nearby weeds, stood the four ponies they'd ridden up to the cave, the same four they had left on the mountain yesterday.

The boys stood in wondering silence for a moment then, raced over to the paddock.

"How the heck did they get here?" Addie asked as he patted the neck of the gray mare he'd ridden.

"Beats me," Andy announced as he climbed up on the fence to stroke the bay's forelock.

"I'm glad they're okay," Murphy stated as he leaned his elbows on one of the white rails. "I thought those thieves probably got 'em."

Lee stood back and gazed at the horses in silence. It was unlikely they merely strayed home on their own. They'd been tied securely to that tree in the woods. If the thieves had untied them they would hardly have let the animals go. The only thing Lee could think of was McCall's questions to them last night. He'd asked where they'd left the animals. It has seemed innocent enough at the time but, by now, Lee realized McCall asked nothing out of mere curiosity. He had to have been responsible for this. He must have gone out last night and retrieved the horses, Lee was positive.

"So you're off the hook, huh?" came a sneering voice behind him.

Lee, his thoughts about McCall interrupted, turned to find Murphy's older brother standing behind them. Nearly fourteen years old, Steven Michaels towered over all of them and he looked like he enjoyed the advantage. As he studied his older cousin, Lee decided he really didn't look much like Murphy, at least not anymore than the rest of them did. Certainly he was related but as far as being brothers, Lee wouldn't have guessed unless he'd been told.

"What do you want, Steven?" Addie asked and Lee could hear the caution in his voice. He thought back to Andy's comment that Steven was a creep. Apparently Murphy's brother meant trouble.

"Nothing from you, Buck Rogers," Steven replied with a laugh. "Seen any bug-eyed monsters lately?"

Lee's heart cringed at the dig to Addie's dreams of space flight but Addie himself appeared not to take offense. He merely sat up on the fence and calmly stroked his horse's nose. Well, perhaps he was used to it but Lee wasn't. Maybe there were benefits to living among adults after all. No one he knew had ever laughed at him or teased him about anything he felt strongly about.

"Go on, Steven," Murphy spoke up. "We're not bothering you."

The older boy ignored the request and came over to lean against the fence beside his brother. Lee could almost feel the tension coming from his young cousin but there was nothing he could do about it. The air that had been so fresh now hung heavy with a sense of impending doom.

"Boy, Dad really laid into you last night," Steven announced dramatically.

Murphy remained silent for a moment and Lee thought he was going to ignore his brother's comment. But at last he turned to regard Steven disdainfully.

"He did not," he corrected in a quiet voice. "He never even touched me."

"'Course not," the older boy went on undaunted. "He knows what a crybaby you are so he didn't dare spank you."

Murphy turned back around to stare at the horses, this time choosing not to answer. This, only encouraged Steven to keep at him, looking for some kind of reaction.

"I did hear him telling Grandma that he didn't know what he was going to do with you. Guess he'll just make you stay here forever then, huh? He sure doesn't want a crybaby hanging around our house. That's probably why Mom left anyway."

That was the nerve Steven had been digging for. Murphy's hunched shoulders jerked as if he'd been stabbed in the back and he screwed his eyes shut tight. Without a word, Murphy whirled and ran away from them all. Lee watched in outraged disbelief as Murphy disappeared into the barn. Slowly Lee turned back to his older cousin. He had never felt so angry in his entire life. There was absolutely no reason for anyone to treat Murphy like that. But for a brother to be so unfeeling, so hateful, was beyond Lee's grasp.

"That was about the rottenest thing you've ever done," Andy spat out at his cousin. "You're lucky he never tells on you."

"Aw, what do you know, Pee-wee," Steven scoffed, unruffled by Andy's remarks.

Lee saw Andy's back straighten up stiffly and he knew there was danger brewing. He could see it in Andy's face. He'd seen enough of his cousin's hot-headedness to know this could only end one way and he couldn't think of anyway to stop it.

"I know a lot more than you," Andy threw back with a defiant toss of his head. "I'm not the one who flunked all his classes and had to go to summer school."

Lee saw Steven's jaw set in a hard line as he glared up at Andy. There was a long silence and Lee thought, for a moment, maybe nothing more would happen. But there was too much temper flaring here to just blow over. Steven finally let his face settle into a wide taunting grin.

"Maybe," he admitted slowly. He turned his back and started to walk away. He stopped and looked back over his shoulder. "But at least I don't wet the bed every night."

"Shut up, Steven!" Addie ordered harshly as he jumped down from the fence and stepped in front of an outraged Andy.

"Get out of the way, Moon Man." Steven shoved Addie into the fence. "Let Pee-Brain here fight his own battles. Or is he too much of a little girl?" Steven turned to Andy. "Sure your name isn't Andrea, Goldilocks?"

He laughed at his own joke and turned back towards the house. He never saw Andy launch himself from the fence. He had no warning until he'd been knocked flat on his face as his younger cousin tackled him from behind with a strength fueled by fury.

Andy was a goner. Lee knew there was no way he could take Steven, who had him by three years and was nearly twice his weight. As he instinctively stepped in to try and help, he felt someone grab his arm to stop him. He turned and saw Addie standing beside him, a lopsided grin lighting his face.

"Wait," he told him. "Andy can take him."

Lee thought his cousin must be crazy but he held off nonetheless, his eyes riveted on the pair of wrestling combatants. There was no doubt who should have been the victor. The fight should have been over before it began. But somehow Andy was getting in a good portion of the blows.

Puzzled, and not quite as concerned that Andy might end up dead, Lee began to study the fight itself. Though bigger, Steven wasn't using his size to his advantage. It looked like no one had ever bothered to show him how to fight. While Andy, on the other hand, was a born scrapper. He'd obviously been shown the rudiments of boxing. Lee wondered why Uncle Robert hadn't taught his son these basic skills. He remembered the hours the Colonel had spent, his exasperation at Lee's clumsiness, the warm glow he'd felt at the few words of praise he'd finally received. Up until today, Lee thought this was part of every boy's education. Apparently he'd been wrong.

"Andy's gonna have to watch it," Addie observed conversationally. "Steven's getting bigger. Last Christmas he'd already beat him by now."

Lee started to laugh then abruptly stifled it, nearly choking in the process as he saw Uncle Jake striding toward them from across the pasture. He nudged Addie in the ribs.

"We got trouble," he advised his cousin.

"Holee Toledo." Addie rolled his eyes and moved over to try and pull Andy away from Steven's flying fists. "Cheese it, guys, it's the cops!" He yanked on Andy's arm and dragged him bodily out of the fight.

"Lemme go, Addie!" Andy yelled as he struggled out of his cousin's grasp.

"C'mon, man! It's Uncle...Oh hi, Uncle Jake," Addie greeted with false pleasure as their uncle arrived to stand before them, hands planted firmly on his hips. His face wore a scowl of disapproval.

"What's going on here?" He bent down and hauled Steven to his feet. Then he reached a long arm over to grab hold of Andy. "You just can't seem to stay out of trouble. Can you, boy?"

Andy stood silently glaring at his uncle from under the hair which hung in his eyes. It was obvious to Lee there wasn't much love lost between the man and the boy. Lee didn't know all their past history but he didn't feel it was fair for Uncle Jake to automatically assume the fight had been Andy's fault.

"Andy didn't start it, Uncle Jake," he spoke up boldly, wanting to come to his cousin's defense.

All eyes turned to Lee and he suddenly felt terribly uncomfortable.

"All right then," Uncle Jake prompted. "What went on here?"

"Well Steven was making fun of..."

Lee stopped in mid-sentence when he felt Addie's elbow against his rib cage. He also noticed Andy looking at him with an almost pleading expression in his eyes. Suddenly Lee realized how stupid he was being. Uncle Jake was probably the last person in the world Andy wanted the subject of his hair brought up to. Lee bit his lower lip and racked his brain desperately for something else to say.

"Well, boy?" Uncle Jake was getting impatient.

"Uh...Well, Steven was calling us names is all," Lee offered lamely. He knew he sounded foolish but the gratitude on Andy's face was enough to compensate for his embarrassment.

"Names, huh?" Uncle Jake scowled at them all. "I think we've had just about enough nonsense for a while." He dropped his hold on his nephews. "Get yourselves cleaned up. Breakfast is almost ready."

With that, he ducked under the paddock fence and went about taking care of the enigmatic horses and their tack. Steven glared at them for a moment then stomped off towards the house. Lee, Andy and Addie scurried back to the bunkhouse. None of them wanted to be around Uncle Jake any more than they had to, especially while he was handling the ponies.

Lee perched himself up on Murphy's bunk alongside Addie while they watched Andy haphazardly wash the dirt from his face and hands.

"I sure hope Uncle Jake keeps his trap shut," Andy managed to get out through all the water he was splashing on his face. "Mom gets so mad at me when I fight."

"You're gonna have a shiner," Addie observed critically. "Steven's gonna be too big for you pretty soon."

"He thinks he's so great." Andy's voice was muffled by the towel he had buried his face in. "I still beat him though."

"But what are you gonna tell your mom about your eye?" Addie persisted.

Andy shrugged. "As long as Uncle Jake forgets about it, I'll tell her I did it last night. She probably won't even ask." He stopped and looked up at Lee. "And just so you'll know, I don't wet the bed."

"I never thought..." Lee sputtered defensively.

"Not anymore anyway," Andy concluded. His face grew red with embarrassment. "Steven knows that too. He's just being slimy as usual."

As the talk continued in this vein, Lee was distracted by a slight noise. He turned to see Murphy slip through the door quietly. His eyes were only a little red. Lee supposed the best thing to do would be to pretend nothing had happened. Murphy climbed up to the bunk beside them.

Andy started to move away from the sink, then he happened to look down at his dirty shirt.

"I guess I better change or Mom'll know for sure."

He rummaged through his clothes until he found a clean tee shirt, pulled it over his head and continued talking.

"You know, I'd sure like to show Uncle Jake a thing or two. We know we heard men up on the mountain. It'd be swell to prove it to him."

"How could we do that?" Murphy asked.

Andy exchanged a secretive glance with Addie, his face breaking into a wide grin.

"Me 'n the Skipper here talked about it last night. We gotta go back up on the mountain and find those guys."

"What?" Lee squeaked out in unison with Murphy.

"Shhh!" Andy ordered. "This has gotta be our secret."

"Yeah, we're in enough trouble as it is," Addie agreed.

"How do you know those guys will still be there?" Lee asked. "They're not gonna stick around for us to find 'em."

"They don't know anybody knows about 'em," Andy explained patiently. It was obvious to Lee his cousin had the whole thing figured out. "They've been stealing horses for weeks and nobody's found 'em. They probably think they're safe."

"So what are we gonna do after we find them?" Murphy asked.

"Nothing," Addie stated firmly with a hard look at Andy. "No matter what you think, Andy. We just find 'em and then go tell our dads."

"Okay, okay," Andy agreed. "I wasn't gonna do anything dumb."

Addie only laughed in reply.

The sudden clang of the breakfast bell put a halt to any further discussion. Hunger was uppermost in all their minds right now as they trooped noisily out of the bunkhouse. The gloom of the previous night had vanished; the fight with Steven forgotten. The only thing Lee could think of at this moment was the wonderful aroma of bacon reaching out to him from the house. All four boys broke into a run to see who could get to the kitchen first.

The mountain night was cold and clear and the stars shone bright against the inky black sky. There was a breeze that rustled through the trees. It was chilly but Lee managed to ignore it for the most part as he followed his cousins once more up the mountain trail.

They'd come prepared this time dressed for the hike in jackets and sweatshirts. It was a long distance to where they'd heard the rustlers.

Lee felt vaguely uneasy that no one knew they had come up here; so much so, that he had even looked for McCall with the intent of confiding in him. Lee felt strongly this old friend of his parents was one adult who would have taken them seriously, but he hadn't been able to find him anywhere.

Of course, if they had told anyone, even McCall, of their plans, they wouldn't have been allowed to make the trip. That was, after all, how they had gotten into trouble in the first place. It wasn't as if they were actually going to confront the horse thieves. No, they were merely going to find out where they were hiding; catch a glimpse of them so no grown up could accuse them of hearing things. Then it would simply be a matter of running home and telling the men where the camp was. They would exonerate themselves in everyone's eyes, even Uncle Jake's. It was worth the risk they were taking so Lee shoved his doubts to a far corner of his mind where they wouldn't bother him.

Instead, he concentrated on following the thin beam of light that shone from Addie's pocket flashlight. They hadn't said much to each other since they'd sneaked out of the bunkhouse. They'd carefully waited until the last light had gone out in the main house then crept out, one by one, certain no one had heard them.

They'd been hiking for what seemed like hours and Lee's legs, sore from his initiation into horseback riding yesterday, were beginning to tire. He was more than thankful when Addie held up his hand for them to stop. He plopped down on the trail with an inward groan. He didn't feel quite so bad though, when Murphy and Andy sank down beside him. He could hear their heavy breathing as well as his own. They were all tired.

Addie stood above them, grim-faced and serious. The role of responsible leader wasn't one Addie liked very much. He probably would have been just as happy to have stayed home tonight. His heart wasn't in this excursion to save their wounded pride. Lee knew Andy had been the driving force behind this trip and Andy had a way of convincing Addie to go along with his schemes.

"We'll rest here a minute," Addie whispered. "We're almost to the end of the trail."

"Then this is where we heard 'em," Andy declared in a low voice. He got to his feet and took the light from Addie's hand. "Here, Skip. Lemme check it out."

Addie grabbed Andy's arm. "Check what out? I told you we're not..."

"Relax. I'm only gonna try and find their camp. They won't be on the trail."

Addie looked indecisive and Lee felt sorry for his predicament. Someone needed to swing the balance. He got to his feet and Murphy followed his example.

"Andy's right, Skip," he stated. "We gotta go look for 'em. We knew that before we left home."

"I know, I know," Addie replied. "But he's not going alone. We all go."

"Great!" Andy beamed. "C'mon then."

With that, he left the marked trail and led the way into the unknown foliage.

In spite of a sense of foreboding, Lee plunged after Andy. He could feel Murphy close behind him and he knew Addie would bring up the rear. They were committed now. There would be no turning back. The first step off the trail marked a point of no return.

As they continued on, it occurred to Lee that none of them knew exactly where they were headed, even though Andy seemed to be leading them with a purpose. He acted as if he knew exactly where the horse thieves would be camped. Well, perhaps he knew the mountain well enough to know where there were good places to stay.

He still nursed some doubts about Andy's leadership and just as he had resigned himself to wander the mountain for the rest of his life, he thought he heard something. His heart thudded wildly as Andy stopped abruptly. He'd heard it as well. They all stood frozen for an agonizingly long minute. The sound came again.

It was a laugh; a deep masculine laugh. After a moment there came a muted voice in answer. There was no longer any doubt lingering in Lee's mind. They'd found the thieves.

In spite of the cold mountain air, Lee broke into a sweat but he ignored it and continued on when Andy gave them the silent signal to follow. Lee kept his eyes to the ground as they walked, gauging each step carefully. The last thing they needed was to give themselves away by snapping branches or rustling dead leaves. As they grew nearer, Andy suddenly fell into a crouch. Lee instantly did the same. He didn't have to turn to know Murphy and Addie had dropped down as well.

The voices were louder now. Lee could make out most of what they were saying and for the most part it didn't make much sense; something about the border and Federales. He listened intently as he sidled up beside Andy who had stopped to settle behind some heavy brush. He felt someone beside him and he turned to see Murphy and Addie crawl up next to him. They lay flat on their stomachs as he and Andy were doing. They were well beyond the circle of firelight. Lee took courage in that and peered through the branches to study the group of men.

There were half a dozen of them, seated in a large circle around the small campfire. Lee could see the faces of all but the two directly in front of him. He didn't like the looks of any of these men. They all needed shaves badly and, even in the firelight, Lee could see they hadn't washed in quite some time. They were eating something that smelled like burned beans. Lee wrinkled his nose at the aroma. He'd always hated beans. The thieves appeared oblivious to it however, as they ate with vigor. Beyond their camp a string of ten or twelve horses stood patiently.

"So, when we get down to El Paso with these nags, where do you come in?" one of the men asked with his mouth full.

His question was directed at one of the thieves with his back toward Lee. The man was sitting on an old log. His hands rested lightly on his knees. His entire appearance seemed casual but Lee sensed a tension there. Perhaps it was the stiffness of the man's back; a readiness for something. Whatever it was, it made Lee uneasy.

"Maybe we should go back," he breathed into Andy's ear.

Andy shook his head silently. He wasn't ready to leave yet.

Lee bit his lower lip with worry. It wasn't going to be easy to drag Andy away from what he obviously felt was an exciting adventure. All Lee wanted was to be as far away from this place as possible. He had no doubt Murphy, and most likely Addie as well, would go with him if he left. He wondered if they ought to do that. Surely Andy wouldn't stay here by himself. But Lee knew he couldn't be positive. The only thing certain was that they couldn't very well argue the point here without being heard by these men.

He turned his attention back to the fire just in time to see the man in front of him shift his position on the log. It wasn't much, just enough to let Lee catch a glimpse of his face before he turned away again. But it was all he needed to see who it was.

"McCall!" he breathed out, louder than he meant to.

He heard three distinct gasps from his cousins at the same time he spoke. They had all seen who was sitting there amongst the horse thieves.

McCall turned toward them as if he'd heard Lee's astonished whisper. He couldn't have, Lee knew. No one could have heard; not over the crackling of the fire and the talking of the other men. But McCall scanned the bushes like he knew they were there. Lee swallowed dryly and wished he was invisible. A few moments ago he would have sworn McCall couldn't see them in the darkness. Now he wasn't quite so certain. In fact, he wasn't too sure of anything where McCall was concerned.

"What's the matter?" one of the men asked.

McCall turned casually back to his companions. "Nothing," he assured the man calmly. "Just a squirrel, that's all. I'm a city boy," he chuckled. "Not used to the backwoods."

The men laughed and continued on with their talk. Lee knew now was the time to leave.

"Andy," Lee whispered. "We've gotta go home! He knows we're here."

"But they've got our horses." Andy's face was grim and determined. "We can't just let them get away with it."

"They won't," Addie whispered from across Murphy's back. "McCall's here."

"So how do we know he's on our side?" Andy argued stubbornly. "He told Uncle Jake he couldn't help us, so what's he doing here now, huh?"

Addie didn't answer. He had no answer. For some reason though, Lee felt compelled to come McCall's defense.

"He's not a horse thief," he declared fiercely. He knew down inside he was trying to convince himself as much as Andy. He felt a little betrayed McCall had put him in this position. "There's gotta be a good reason he's here."

"Yeah!" Andy snorted. "Cuz he's a crook."

"Shhh! Andy, they're gonna hear you," Murphy warned in a pleading tone.

"So what." Andy tossed his head angrily. "Those horses don't belong to them."

"So what are you gonna do, go tell them to give 'em back?" Addie scoffed.

"Nope. Better'n that."

Andy rose to his feet and, before anyone could stop him, disappeared from their sight.

"Andy!" Lee called after him in a desperate whisper.

"He's gonna get killed," Murphy moaned softly.

"Maybe not," Addie stated. "He's stubborn but he's not stupid."

"So what do we do?" Lee asked.

Addie shrugged. "We wait, I guess. What else can we do?"

Once more Lee turned his attention back to the campfire. The exchange between Andy and the rest of them had gone unheard. That was something to be grateful for at least. Now Lee supposed they could only sit by helplessly until Andy either came to his senses and returned or accomplished whatever great scheme he had come up with.

Lee watched the scene in front of him intently. He wasn't going to let his eyes leave this group of men. If something happened, if Andy needed his help, he was ready.

The minutes dragged by slowly. Lee shivered despite his sweatshirt but not because of the cold.

He didn't know exactly when he became aware of the stirring among the horses. He did know the precise moment the men noticed. One of them got up, his intentions all too clear. He was going to check the animals. The last clear image Lee saw was of McCall's hand reaching inside of his jacket. Then everything happened at once.

A boyish shout rang out and the horses bolted with a loud flurry of hooves and whinnies.

"That's Andy," Lee whispered anxiously.

The men exploded into action. They ran this way and that as they chased the animals. Their shouts and curses colored the air around them.

"I got him! I got him!" came a triumphant cry moments before one of the men appeared from the darkness. He was struggling to hold onto Andy who kicked, bit and fought for all he was worth.

"Andy!" Addie yelled and was suddenly gone before Lee could even react.

"No, Skip! No!" his mind screamed out as he watched his cousin run full tilt at the man who had Andy.

Suddenly a shot rang out. The man holding Andy dropped like a rock. Another shot sounded, then another. The men scattered and Lee couldn't tell who was shooting at whom. At the next shot Addie gave a sharp cry and fell to the ground as if he'd been knocked flat.

"Lee! Murphy! Run!" shouted McCall.

Lee obeyed instantly, without stopping to question how McCall knew they were there. He grabbed hold of Murphy and dragged the terrified boy to his feet.

"C'mon!" he cried.

They ran, heedless of the rocks and roots they stumbled over, the branches that whipped at their faces, the gunshots they could still hear echoing off the mountain. Never mind that their cousins might very well be lying dead in the camp. Never mind who might or might not be following them. It was a life and death situation and they'd been given an order. Lee intended to follow that order to the letter. He was a good soldier. His uncle would be proud of him.

"Lee...Lee, wait," Murphy gasped out breathlessly. He was struggling to keep up with Lee's breakneck pace. "Wait...up a...a minute."

"Can't," Lee shot back. "We gotta run."

"But I...I can't."

Murphy tugged at his arm insistently. Lee finally relented. He slowed a bit at first, then finally came to a halt.

"This...this is only...a rest break," he panted out.

Murphy didn't say anything for a moment. He concentrated on regaining his wind as he breathed in great gulps of air.

"But...but what about Andy...and Addie?" he finally found voice enough to ask. "Those men...Lee they had guns." Murphy's voice was small in the darkness. "They were shooting at everything. What about Andy and Addie?"

Lee could hear the panic and knew Murphy desperately needed some kind of reassurance.

"McCall will take care of them," Lee informed him solemnly but found he was trying to convince himself as well. "He told us to run so that's what we gotta do."

But we're gonna get lost if we just keep running," Murphy argued. "We gotta have someplace to run to."

That sounded reasonable to Lee. The only trouble was he had no idea where they were at this moment.

"So where should we go?" he asked. He hoped Murphy would be able to come up with a plan.

Murphy took a moment to look around them, to get his bearings. "I think I know where we are." he stated at last. "I think..."

A gun shot blasted close by and Lee could have sworn he heard a bullet zing past his ear to strike the tree behind them. The shower of bark they received was enough to send them running again. Lee heard two more swift shots but paid no attention. It took all his energy to keep running.

Murphy was in the lead this time and Lee hoped he knew where he was going. He had no desire to get shot but getting lost in these woods wasn't a fun thought either.

"Up there," Murphy cried out as he pointed ahead of him. "We can hide up there."

Lee glanced up ahead to where Murphy was aiming. It was the cave. Lee frowned. Evidently Murphy had the wrong idea of what they were supposed to be doing.

"Not in there, Murph. We'll be trapped."

"No, we won't," Murphy retorted and ran on ahead. "No one knows it's there. We'll be safe."

"Murphy, wait."

But the boy refused to stop and Lee followed after him in exasperation. Murphy obviously needed a lesson in evasion tactics. Maybe he was good at finding things but he had no grasp of strategy. Holing up in that cave would be like waving a red flag to whomever was tracking them.

The moon shone feebly pale so that Lee could barely see Murphy as the boy ducked between the boards blocking the entrance. Lee heaved a sigh of impatience and ran the rest of the way up the hillside. He would have to go in after his cousin and explain things to him. Then they would resume their flight.

He'd made up his mind the ranch would be the best place to head, especially since they knew where they were now. He took one cautious look around him, then he slipped under the rotting boards. He only hoped the men firing those guns hadn't followed them to the cave.

He stopped in the pitch blackness. They'd had a lantern the last time they were here. Lee had never encountered such a degree of darkness. The dim moonlight only reached a few feet inside the cave. Beyond that Lee couldn't see anything.

He stood still for a few moments and listened to his own breathing. He could hear his heart pounding against his chest. He knew he couldn't be alone. Murphy had to be in this place somewhere. He tried to call out to his cousin and found his throat suddenly gone dry. He had to swallow hard before he was able to find his voice.

"Murphy?" he whispered. He took a couple of tentative steps deeper into the cave. "Murphy, where are you?"

"Lee?"

Lee jumped at the sound of Murphy's voice. It sounded like Murphy was right at his elbow. Lee turned, squinting in the darkness, trying to see something, anything.

"Murphy?" He reached out his arm to see if he could touch his cousin. There was only empty space. "Murphy, I can't find you."

"I'm over here," Murphy answered. "I can't see you either."

"Keep talking," Lee said. "Maybe I can follow your voice."

"Okay," Murphy replied. "I...I think I came straight back. I couldn't find the turn for the hide-out."

Lee concentrated on Murphy's voice and took a few more steps. He hoped he was going in the right direction.

"Keep talkin', Murphy," he encouraged.

"I'm trying. It's...it's kinda scary in here without the lantern and without Andy and Addie...and with those bad guys out there shooting."

Murphy's voice sounded shaky but it was growing louder. Lee's own confidence grew. He was getting closer. He held his arms out as he continued to take small, shuffling steps and he was finally rewarded. He made contact with something soft.

"You found me," Murphy crowed joyfully and grabbed hold of Lee's searching hand.

"Shhh!" Lee warned. "Your voice will carry outside."

"I'm sorry," Murphy whispered contritely.

"That's okay," Lee assured him. "Just be careful."

"I will," Murphy promised. "But we'll be safe in here. Those rustlers'll never find us."

Lee hated to burst his cousin's hopeful bubble but he knew those men could very easily find them in here. In fact, if they had been tracking them at all, this cave would probably be one of the first places they would look.

"We can't stay here, Murph," he said gently.

"Why not?"

"Because it's too easy. They'll look up here. We'd be trapped."

"No we won't. Look how long it took you to find me and I was helping you by talking. If we just keep quiet..."

"But they might have flashlights or lanterns. There's no back door here. We won't be able to run anywhere. Hiding might be a good idea if we had options. We always gotta have an out, Murphy. That's good strategy."

"Oh," Murphy murmured humbly. "Did I get us in trouble?"

Lee shook his head, even though Murphy couldn't see him in the dark. "Naw. We'll just get out now. We know where we are. We can head for home."

"Home?" Murphy's voice brightened considerably. "We can go home?"

"You bet," Lee told him with more confidence than he felt. He wanted to keep his voice cheerful. There was no sense scaring his cousin any more than he already was. "Only, we can't waste any more time."

That was it. He had convinced Murphy of the necessity of leaving. The only problem was he didn't really relish going back out into the open again. Gunfire had always been relegated to the movies or target range. Bad men in Westerns always got shot by the good guys. It was always very quick and simple. It was never like this. He knew as much as leaving the cave frightened him, staying here would be even worse if any one of those terrifying men with the guns found them here. They had to go.

His mind made up, he took a step forward and then halted. He felt Murphy stop beside him.

"What'sa matter?" Murphy asked in a frightened voice.

"I...I can't see the entrance." He gulped down his own fear. He didn't want to scare Murphy unnecessarily but he'd gotten disoriented and lost track of the way back. The small bit of light that had filtered through the boards was no longer visible.

"It's gotta be straight ahead, right? Right?" Murphy's small voice held a touch of panic.

"Don't worry," Lee told his cousin with as much bravado as was possible for a boy not yet eleven years old. He had to stay calm for Murphy's sake. His cousin was younger than he was, after all. He was responsible for them both. But it was hard to act brave when he was really scared to death. "We'll be okay, Murph. I think I know the way out."

He was lying, of course. He was completely turned around in the darkness. But he couldn't let Murphy know that. He had to act sure of himself. Besides, he reasoned, some action was better than standing here waiting for those men to find them.

He tightened his grip on Murphy's hand and took a determined step. He waited a moment and, when nothing happened, he took another, then another.

"Are we going the right way, Lee?" Murphy asked hopefully.

"I'm pretty sure," Lee replied noncommittally.

They kept on walking. Lee led the way with one hand outstretched before them to ward off unseen obstacles and his other hand linked to Murphy. Lee didn't want to take the chance of losing his cousin in the blackness. He wasn't completely satisfied they'd gone in the right direction either. It should be growing lighter. If they were headed toward the entrance to the cave they should be able to see the moonlight, but each step they took was blind.

As his uncertainty grew, Lee's pace slowed until they barely moved. Finally he stopped all together. He stood for a moment and listened to the sound of their breathing. It was only his iron grip on Murphy's hand that kept him from feeling completely cut off and alone.

"What's wrong?" Murphy whispered.

"I...I think." Lee paused and had to swallow to find his voice. "I think we're going the wrong way."

Murphy remained silent but Lee felt his cousin's hand squeeze his a bit harder. Lee suddenly came to a decision.

"C'mon. We'll go back."

He turned around and took a long, determined step.

The moment his foot hit the rotted board Lee knew something was wrong. He heard the groan of splitting lumber the instant he felt the ground give out from under his feet. For one swift moment he had the strangest feeling he was standing on air but then he felt the sickening lurch of his stomach and he knew he was falling.

"Leeeeee!" came a muffled scream at the same time he felt a wrench at his shoulder and he knew he'd dragged Murphy over the edge with him. Instinctively he let go of his cousin's hand. Too late to do any good, he'd only succeeded in losing contact with the only other living being in this dark hole.

Lee met the ground with a thudding impact that jolted every bone in his young body and left him gasping. He didn't know how far he'd fallen. He didn't care. For a long time he lay sprawled flat on his back in the dirt, his mind blank. He thought of nothing but trying to breath as he choked on dust and dirt raining down on him from above.

At last his rattled senses told him he had to get up. He had to move. He couldn't stay here, wherever here was. There was no telling how safe the floor was underneath him. If one level had given way, what was to stop another from doing the same thing. More important was the fact those men outside most assuredly heard the cave in. Any minute now they might appear, rifles in had. No, he definitely couldn't stay here.

A stab of pain shot up his right arm as he tried to push himself upright. With a small cry he clutched at his wrist and held it against his body. After a while the pain subsided to a dull throb and he gingerly tested his injury. He tried to wiggle his fingers but gasped at the pain even that slight movement caused.

A voice in the back of his mind told him he must have broken something. He tried to remember what he was supposed to do. He'd read all the manuals. But for some reason he couldn't think. At last he gave up. Tired and hurting, he lay on his side, nursing his hand. He closed his eyes and took a deep, weary breath. He regretted it at once. Somewhere within him something sharp seemed to pierce into his side. Then the pain was gone and the blackness of the cave became even darker as he slipped into unconsciousness.

"Lee? Lee-eee?"

Someone was calling his name.

"Lee, where are you?"

The voice was crying now. It was looking for him. The sobs became more choked and harder to understand.

"Daddy! Daddy, please come find me!"

Lee blinked awake, still not sure he was awake. He couldn't see anything, but he knew it hadn't been a nightmare. He was in this terrible place. A place worse than any nightmare could ever be. He couldn't wake up from this. He was still trapped here alone in the darkness.

But he wasn't alone.

Murphy!

He did his best to get to his feet. He found if he clutched at his side with his good hand that it didn't hurt so bad. He managed to reach his knees and remain relatively stable.

"Murphy?" he called urgently. Murphy couldn't be dead. Lee remembered now the cries in the dark. "Murphy, answer me!"

"Lee?"

The voice was faint and was immediately followed by strangled coughing.

"Murphy!" Lee yelled in panic. "Are you okay?"

After a moment the choking subsided. Murphy's voice sounded again, weak and helpless.

"I...I don't...I don't think so." Murphy gave a hiccupping sob. "Lee, I think I'm bleeding."

Lee felt a lump of fear rise in his throat. His cousin must be hurt a lot worse than he was. He knew a person could bleed to death faster than anything else.

"Where, Murphy? Where are you bleeding?"

"Everywhere," Murphy cried pitifully.

Lee knew that couldn't be true. Murphy was just scared.

"Come on, Murph. Not everywhere. Tell me where."

There was a pause. Lee thought it was strange he could be calm now, dealing with Murphy who needed him. When it had just been himself he was thinking about, he'd been on the verge of sheer panic.

"My mouth," Murphy finally answered from out of the dark. "And my nose, I guess. It hurts, Lee. A lot."

"Okay. That's probably not too bad though," Lee encouraged. "Are you hurt anywhere else?"

"My head," Murphy replied promptly. "I...I think I fell on my head." He had to stop and cough again. He ended up making a sound Lee recognized as spitting. It must be all the blood in his mouth. "Lee, it won't stop bleeding and it hurts so bad and I wanna go home."

Murphy's tirade ended in another onslaught of frightened sobbing. Lee zeroed in on the sound and crawled slowly toward it. Murphy wasn't far from him. Lee's hand met his cousin's stomach and he knew Murphy must be laying on his back. He reached up to grab the boy's shoulder and roll him onto his side.

"Here, Murph. This'll help. It won't all go down your throat now."

Gradually Murphy stopped crying until all Lee could hear was an occasional shuddering sigh. Lee didn't remove his hand from his cousin's shoulder though. It was comforting to know Murphy was with him.

They remained together this way in silence. For the first time Lee let his mind wander to thoughts of Addie and Andy. He wondered what fate had befallen them. For all he knew they could be dead. It certainly had looked like Addie'd been shot. He hoped desperately McCall would help them. After all, he'd warned Murphy and him to run. Didn't that mean the man was on their side? Lee wanted to believe that. He needed to believe that. Then Addie and Andy might have a chance.

He wondered who might possibly come and help him and Murphy. He certainly had no one who would miss him and it was questionable whether or not Uncle Robert cared what happened to his own son. Perhaps their grandfather would come, or maybe McCall. But how would they ever find them? No one would know they had come in here.

Lee breathed out a weary sigh and paid for the privilege with a stab of pain in his side. He was tired, so very tired. He laid himself down next to Murphy, careful not to let go of his hold on his cousin's arm.

"Lee?" Murphy spoke up from the darkness.

"Yeah?"

"Do you think those men will find us?"

"I dunno, Murph," Lee admitted. "If they were close by they mighta heard us fall. I just don't know."

"Lee, I'm scared," Murphy admitted. "I don't wanna get shot."

"I don't think they'll come in here," Lee told his cousin. He didn't know if he believed himself or not but it sounded good to hear it anyway. "If they did they'd fall too. Maybe they'll think it's too dangerous."

"If they don't find us, nobody will." Murphy announced. "We never told anybody where we were going."

"Andy and Skip know we're out here. In the mornin' everybody will be looking for us."

"What if Andy and Skip are dead?"

"They're not dead," Lee declared emphatically. "McCall was with them."

"Are we gonna die?" Murphy's voice was quiet and calm. He didn't sound frightened anymore, just curious.

"I...I dunno," Lee answered truthfully. "Maybe."

"I wonder what it'll be like."

"Hmmm, dunno. Maybe it's heaven like they say in church."

"That would be nice."

"Yeah. My mom and dad would be there."

"Not mine." Murphy's voice sounded strained again. "I guess it wouldn't do much good for me to go there then. My mom wouldn't be there and my dad wouldn't come get me."

Lee could hear Murphy crying again; not the fearful panic of their fall, rather the gentle sadness of the bunkhouse. He wished he knew what to say.

"I thought maybe he would come here and find me," Murphy continued. "But I guess Steven was right all the time. He doesn't want me around. That's why he sent me here."

"Aw, Murphy, that's not true." Lee knew he sounded dumb but he felt he had to say something.

"Sure it is. He sends everybody away. He sent my mom away and then me."

"He sent your mom away?" Lee asked in disbelief. "Andy said she ran away."

"That's what everybody thinks," Murphy replied. "Even ol' 'Know it All' Steven thinks that. But I know. I heard them the night she left."

"What happened?" Lee was as much curious as anything else. He wanted to know what exactly had happened between these two strange adults.

"They were fighting like always." Murphy heaved a tired sigh. "They fought all the time. I used to wake up in the night and hear them arguing in their room. Steven hated it but I didn't mind. At least then I knew they were both there."

As Murphy talked, Lee tried to imagine what it must have been like to have lived in a house like that. His memories of his parents were warm and pleasant. Even life with the Colonel sounded better than what Murphy and his brother must have gone through.

"Anyway," Murphy went on. "That night they were in the living room. I couldn't sleep. I was sitting on the stairs. Mom said she couldn't take it anymore."

"Take what?" Lee asked.

"I dunno. Maybe all the fights." Murphy paused and sniffled quietly. "I don't know why he said that. It was just like all the other nights. Why did he say that?"

"Say what?" Lee prompted gently.

"He told her to leave. He said if she was so tired of everything that she could just go. And she did."

Murphy fell silent. That was the end of the story. Lee knew he hadn't seen or heard from his mother since that night. He wished he could do or say the right thing. But he didn't understand enough himself. He couldn't make things all right for his cousin. It was out of his control.

"Lee?" Murphy's voice sounded again. "Lee, my head hurts somethin' awful. Everything's kinda spinnin' around too."

"Just lay quiet then," Lee told him. He didn't know what else to say. "Try not to talk."

"Okay. I just wish my Dad would come."

"Maybe he will," Lee offered lamely. "Don't give up."

There was no answer.

"Murphy?"

There was only silence and the soft sound of crumbling dirt occasionally settling from above. Perhaps Murphy had gone to sleep. Lee wished he hadn't. It was lonely without his cousin's voice in the darkness.

He gripped Murphy's arm tighter. Just knowing Murphy was there was some comfort. He closed his eyes. Maybe he should try to sleep too. Maybe when he woke up his hand wouldn't hurt quite so bad and he would be able to breathe without that awful pain in his side.

Only he couldn't sleep. He kept hearing things in the darkness. At first he thought it was just the loose dirt. Then it was bigger than that; louder. It sounded like someone was in the cave with them.

Lee opened his eyes wide and slowly sat up. He still couldn't see anything. His heart pounded rapidly against his chest and he had visions of crazed men with guns creeping up on them. The sound came again, muted and indistinct. Lee ached not to be alone and he unconsciously squeezed Murphy's arm tighter.

"Murphy. Wake up, Murph."

There was still no answer from his cousin and the thought struck at his soul that Murphy might be dead. He moved his hand to feel for Murphy's heart. It was there, beating steadily. Lee sighed in relief then abruptly jumped in terror as he heard someone call their names.

"Lee! Murphy!"

Lee didn't respond. His voice was frozen in terrified silence. Who was there? How could those men know their names? Were he and Murphy going to die in this darkness?

"Lee! Murphy!"

The voice was louder now; closer. Lee's head turned upward, toward the sound. The voice was definitely above them, on the main floor.

"Lee! Murphy! Are you down there?"

It was very close now and Lee could actually see the silhouette of the hole they'd fallen into. That could only mean the voice had a light of some kind.

"Boys! Where are you?"

That voice. It was so very familiar.

"Lee!"

Recognition finally registered and Lee smiled. Relief flooded through his entire body and tried to force itself out in tears that welled up in his eyes. He found his voice at last.

"McCall! he cried out at the top of his lungs. "McCall!"

As Lee watched above him, the light grew brighter until he could see the top of the shaft clearly. He had never seen anything so beautiful as that lantern light. He had given up hope of ever seeing anything again.

"McCall, we're down here."

"I know, son," McCall's reassuring voice called down. "We're going to get you out of there. Hang on. Are you all right?"

"Murphy's not," Lee shouted worriedly. "I think he fainted. He said his head hurt."

"What about you?"

"I'm okay. I just hurt my hand. McCall, what about those men? Are they still out there?"

"You don't have to worry about them," McCall assured him. "They won't bother anyone anymore."

Lee shuddered at the finality in McCall's voice. It left little doubt as to the fate of the horse thieves.

"But what about Andy and Addie?" he persisted. "Are they dead, McCall?"

"Of course not, Lee. They're all right. Don't fret about them."

Lee let go a long sigh. It seemed there was little left to be afraid of anymore.

"All right then," McCall continued. "We've got a little wait ahead of us. I've sent for some help. You're going to be fine."

"I know we are," Lee told him confidently. "Now that you're here. I knew you couldn't be one of those rustlers."

Lee thought he heard a chuckle from above.

"I'll try not to let you down," McCall quipped good naturedly then he grew serious again. "Lee, have you tried to wake Murphy up?"

Lee glanced down at his cousin's still form. The light from above allowed him to at last see a little bit now.

"I was talking to him but he wouldn't answer."

"Try again, Lee. See if you can wake him up."

"Okay, I'll try."

He didn't know why they couldn't let Murphy sleep for a while, especially since he didn't feel good when he was awake. But if McCall thought it was important then Lee would obey him.

"Murphy," he called gently. "Murph, wake up. Murph?"

His cousin didn't stir and Lee looked up at McCall again.

"He won't," he called.

"Try again, Lee. Try harder. Shake him a little."

Lee sighed and turned back to Murphy. He took hold of his shoulder with his good hand and gave his cousin a small shake.

"Come on, Murphy. Wake up."

He heard Murphy groan slightly.

"It's working!" he shouted to McCall, then turned back to Murphy. He shook him a little harder. "Murphy, Murphy, c'mon."

"Mmm...Don't..." Murphy sounded groggy and disoriented. "Daddy? Is that you?"

"It's me. Lee. And McCall's here," Lee encouraged.

"Hmmm? Lee?"

Murphy struggled to lift his head but Lee restrained him.

"Just lay quiet. McCall's here to save us."

"McCall?

""Yeah. He found us."

"McCall's gonna save us?"

"Yeah. Aren't you McCall?" Lee called.

"Of course," McCall answered. "You boys just hang on. You'll be home safe in no time. I'm going out now to check on help. I'll be right back."

Lee felt Murphy relax under his hand. He was quiet but at least he was awake. Lee didn't feel much like talking himself. He sat patiently silent and waited for McCall to come back.

It wasn't too long before Lee's ears caught the faint sound of voices; many voices. Soon the cave above them resonated with sound. There were too many people for him to be sure who was actually here. He thought he heard his grandfather call down to him but wasn't certain. It seemed a mass of confusion until he heard McCall's voice rise above the rest and abruptly it was quiet.

"All right, boys," McCall shouted. "Your Uncle Jonathan's coming down on a rope. He's going to bring you up one at a time. Ready?"

"Yes, Sir," Lee called. He was more than ready to get out of this pit. "They're coming, Murphy," he told his cousin reassuringly. "Just a few more minutes."

"Is my dad up there, Lee?" Murphy asked quietly. "Can you hear him up there?"

Lee listened for a moment but couldn't tell one voice from another.

"I dunno, Murphy. Maybe. I can only hear McCall."

There was suddenly a great deal of scrambling around the hole and Lee had to duck his head to avoid the dirt and rocks that crumbled down; only a bit at first, but more and more until Lee dived over Murphy's face to protect him from the shower.

"Stop! Stop!" he managed to cry out while he coughed and choked on the dirt and dust.

"Hold it!" came McCall's strong command.

Once more Lee heard a great commotion from above. He supposed the men were debating on what to do next. It was obvious they weren't going to be able to lower anyone down. The ground was just too undependable. Finally, though, McCall's voice shouted down at them again.

"Okay, boys, it's no good this way. You're going to have to help us out. You think you can?"

"Sure we can," Lee called back. "What do you want us to do?"

"That's the spirit. Now, we've rigged a sort of harness with the rope. You boys are light enough that we'll be able to pull you up without any problems. Murphy? How are you holding up there, lad?"

"Okay, I guess," Murphy answered weakly.

"Are you up to a ride on the rope?"

Lee saw Murphy's head give a small nod.

"He says, 'Yeah'," Lee relayed. He glanced down at Murphy again, thought a moment, then spoke up again. "McCall? Is Uncle Robert up there with you?" Lee knew Murphy needed to find out but was too afraid to ask.

The pause was only a brief instant but it was enough to tell Lee the answer before he heard it.

"Murphy, son," came McCall's gentle voice. "Your father isn't here only because he was in town and didn't know what was happening. He's probably at the ranch right now."

Murphy never said a word. Lee knew the disappointment must hurt more than any of his injuries. He himself could think of nothing to say so he sat by silently and watched the rope snake its way down to them. When it got within arm's reach, Lee caught hold of it.

"I got it!" he shouted triumphantly.

"Good boy," McCall encouraged. "Lee, you help Murphy get into it. We'll bring him up first."

"Okay," Lee agreed. He knew Murphy was hurt and needed attention.

The harness was simple and neat, something Lee was positive McCall must have thought up. There were four loops, one for each arm and leg. Lee reached down to help Murphy sit up. As he did so, Murphy's face came fully into the light for the first time and Lee could see the smear of blood from his cousin's nose. He cringed at the sight but immediately forgot all about it when he felt Murphy slump against his shoulder. He threw his arms around his cousin to support him.

"Murphy fainted again," he cried in alarm.

He wished fervently one of the adults was down here to take over. Things were getting far too scary.

"It's all right, Lee," McCall called down. "Put the harness on him so we can get him up. The doctor's on his way."

Lee's fingers were clumsy in his haste to comply and it was hard to work the rope since he could only use one hand. But soon he had his cousin rigged securely.

"Okay, he's ready."

"Move out of the way, Lee," McCall ordered. "We're liable to knock some dirt loose."

Immediately Murphy began to rise above him. Lee moved back and watched in apprehension as Murphy dangled in the harness like a rag doll.

"Don't be dead, Murphy," he whispered. "Don't be dead."

It was out of his hands. Murphy soon reached the top of the shaft and Lee could see strong arms reach out to pull him over the edge and out of sight.

Now he was truly alone down here. He kept his eyes fixed on the light above. He knew they wouldn't leave him down here but he still breathed easier when he saw the rope tossed back over the hole to begin its descent toward him.

It seemed to take forever but he at last had himself fastened up.

"I'm ready," he cried and felt himself hoisted off the feet.

The loss of contact with the ground sent his head spinning and pain stabbed at his side from the sudden movement and he couldn't help but cry out.

"Are you all right, Lee?" came McCall's concerned voice.

It gave Lee something to cling to; a link to the top of the hole.

"I...I'm okay," he managed to gasp. He closed his eyes tightly and held on. Fortunately the lift up the shaft was not long. Soon he felt someone grab him under the arm and lift him up.

Lee opened his eyes at the sound and found himself staring into McCall's relieved face. The rest of the cave was a blur of bright light and voices. He could see Murphy on some blankets on the ground. Several people were beside him, including Andy's mother and Kay McCall.

"Is Murphy dead?" he asked forlornly.

"No. No, he's going to be just fine," McCall assured him. "We're going to get you both home."

Lee leaned his forehead against McCall's shoulder and breathed a weary sigh. He felt McCall pick him up but he didn't mind. His legs had grown wobbly and he didn't care that he was being carried out of the cave like a baby. At the moment he was too tired to be embarrassed.

"Lee, Lee, are you okay?"

That was Andy's voice. Lee turned to see his cousin standing beside McCall, living proof that McCall had been telling the truth and they were all fine.

"He's just tired, Andy," McCall informed the anxious boy.

Lee was just as glad McCall had answered for him. He didn't think he could find the energy to talk right now.

The trip down the mountain was vague to Lee's foggy senses. He knew he was on a horse with McCall but he didn't know how long the trip took. Most of the time he kept his eyes closed. He never really slept, he just couldn't concentrate on what was going on around him. He heard Murphy say something at one point. When he looked around for his cousin he thought he saw him being carried on horseback by Uncle Jake. Lee supposed he must be dreaming and tried not to think anymore.

It wasn't until they finally reached the ranch that he grew more aware of what was happening around him. The windows were ablaze with welcoming light and it looked like the whole house was waiting for them with open arms.

Lee jumped as the kitchen door slammed and he saw Uncle Robert racing toward them. His long legs brought him to their side in no time. Lee watched curiously as he stood beside Uncle Jake's horse and reached up his arms to take his son and carry him into the house. Lee himself was ushered in by McCall, only to be whisked away by his grandmother and aunts. As he took one last look back at McCall, he saw his friend and rescuer take his wife up in a relieved embrace.

Before Lee knew what had happened, he'd been tenderly bathed and dressed in clean pajamas. He then found himself in a strange room standing before a kind-looking doctor.

The man poked and prodded and found all the places where Lee hurt. The tight wrapping of bandages around his ribs made it easier to breathe without pain. The doctor said the ribs were just bruised but that they might hurt for a while. For his hand, the doctor wrapped a splint on his wrist and placed it in a sling. His orders were to let the swelling go down then they would cast it. Lastly, he made Lee swallow down some nasty-tasting pills to help him sleep and then the man was gone from the room.

Lee felt a little breathless from the quick examination but supposed the doctor needed to be with Murphy. Grandma Michaels then put him to bed. She stopped long enough to tuck him in. She gave him a loving hug and a kiss on the forehead.

"Are you all right now, Lee?" she asked quietly.

Lee nodded. "I'm fine, Grandmother."

"I'm glad you're safe. We were so worried."

"I'm sorry if we caused any trouble," Lee began to apologize but his grandmother put her fingers to his lips.

"None of that now, boy," she ordered with a kindly smile on her face. "Nothing else matters except that you're all home safe. You sleep now. We'll talk in the morning."

With that she slipped out the door.

Lee tried to sleep. He didn't know why he couldn't. He thought after all he'd been through he would have no trouble. Hadn't he been practically asleep on the horse the whole trip home? But for some reason, despite the drugs the doctor had given him, his eyes just couldn't stay shut. Every time he closed them all he could see was the half-lit image of Murphy's bloody face. Perhaps that was it. Maybe if he could just see his cousin, make sure he was alive and well, maybe he could sleep.

Carefully, he slipped out of bed and stole to the door. He opened it a crack but there was no one in the hallway. He could see a light from under one of the bedroom doors and he heard indistinct voices as well. Maybe that was where Murphy was. He crept cautiously down the hallway and stopped at the door to listen.

"Someone should sit with him," a voice was saying. It sounded like the doctor. "He need's to be awakened every few hours. Never can be too careful with these things."

"But he's going to be all right?"

That was a man's voice. It sounded like Uncle Robert.

"I'm sure he will be," came the doctor's answer. "It's just a mild concussion. There shouldn't be any problems."

"Thank you for all you've done, Bart."

That was Grandpa Michaels and the voices sounded nearer the door. Evidently they were about to leave. Lee raced back to his bedroom and ducked inside just in time. He saw them leaving the room as he peeked through his barely open door. The adults soon disappeared down the stairs.

Lee wasted no time in heading back. He slipped inside and found himself in a dimly lit room. Murphy lay in the middle of a huge bed. He wore a large, white bandage that covered his nose. Both eyes looked worse than Andy's shiner. Lee tip-toed over to the side of the bed and put his hand on his cousin's chest. He heaved a sigh of relief when he felt the rise and fall of Murphy's breathing. He wasn't dead after all.

There wasn't anything he could do now. Murphy was asleep and couldn't talk to him. Still Lee was reluctant to leave his cousin's side. He decided to sit here a while until he felt more like going back to bed. He spied an old rocker in the far corner of the room and he settled in; his toes barely touched the floor as he gently rocked.

Lee didn't know he'd dozed off until he heard the bedroom door open. He looked up and saw Steven Michaels standing there. Lee was instantly awake, fearful of what his older cousin might say or do to him. But the corner he occupied was dark and it was obvious Steven hadn't seen him.

Lee barely breathed as he watched Steven move over to his brother's side. Lee was ready to call for help the minute Steven touched a hair on Murphy's head but nothing happened. Steven merely stood there gazing down on the small form swallowed up by the big bed. The only movement Steven made was to wipe at his own eyes.

Lee couldn't believe what he was seeing. The bully was crying. How many times had he brought Murphy to tears? Now here he was shedding his own for his little brother.

Before Lee could contemplate any further on this turn of events the door opened again. This time it was Uncle Robert who came in. He moved over to the bed and placed an arm around his oldest son. Steven immediately turned to bury his face in his father's shirt. Lee could see his shoulders shaking.

"It's all right, Steven," Uncle Robert said soothingly. "The doctor said he'll be fine."

Lee saw his cousin lift his head to gaze once more at his sleeping brother.

"I was afraid we were going to lose him too," Steven said simply.

"No. We won't," was all Uncle Robert said.

The two stood that way, father and son, for a while longer then Uncle Robert gently turned his son toward the door.

"Get some sleep. I'll be with him."

He sent Steven off to bed then pulled a chair up beside Murphy. Lee watched in wonder as his uncle reached out a gentle hand to stroke his son's brow. This couldn't be the same man Murphy talked about with such anger. But then Steven hadn't acted the same in here either. And Murphy himself, for all his talk, had very much wanted his father to be with him in the cave. It was all too confusing. He would never be able to figure people out.

Once more Lee heard the door open and he saw his grandmother come in to stand beside Uncle Robert. He didn't look up until she laid a hand on his shoulder.

"I don't know what I'd have done if I'd lost him, Ma," Uncle Robert's voice was low and Lee could barely hear him. "But then, I'm losing him a little more each day anyway."

"Give it time, Son," Grandma Michaels answered lovingly. "It was a bad hurt and it's going to take a while to heal over."

"I just wish I knew what to say to him...how to reach him. How can I explain something to a child that I can't even explain to myself?"

"I wish I had the answers for you, Robbie. I guess it's something that only the two of you can work out."

Grandma Michaels reached over to tuck the covers in around Murphy when she happened to glance in Lee's direction. She peered over her glasses to see better.

"Lee, boy. What are you doing up?"

"I couldn't sleep. I had to see Murphy."

She smiled and came over to take his hand and lead him from the room.

"So now you've seen him and you know he's all in one piece. It's time you were asleep."

She stopped at the door to bid Uncle Robert good night. Lee took one last look at Murphy and his father. He wondered if their roles had been reversed and he was the one hurt badly if anyone would have sat up with him all night. He glanced up at his grandmother and saw that she was studying him curiously.

"You're really not sleepy?" she asked.

Lee shook his head emphatically. "No ma'am."

"Well then, come with me."

She smiled as she shut the door to Murphy's room behind them and led him by the hand down to her own room. She left him sitting on the edge of her bed while she rummaged through an old cedar chest. While she was thus occupied, Lee took a moment to study the room.

The walls were covered with pictures; everything from family groups to couples to individuals. Curiosity overcame Lee's manners for once and he stood up to move closer.

He saw many of the entire family gathering together; each picture the group grew a little more. Then there were pictures of separate families. He saw Andy's and Addie's. Then he found Murphy's. It was an older picture. Murphy only looked about four or five years old. He sat in his mother's lap. She was a pretty lady and in the picture she looked nice enough. He wondered when she had grown so unhappy.

Then he saw his parents. The picture was the same one that he had, only bigger and in much better shape. His grandmother had preserved it lovingly in an elegant wooden frame. His own small version was faded with age and crinkled from the many places he had carried it.

He stood and stared up at the two people in the portrait. A sudden feeling of loss filled him. He reached up his hand to try and touch them. The portrait was just beyond his grasp even on tip toes.

He felt his grandmother's hand on his shoulder press him back down off his toes. He turned to find her holding a large scrap book in her hand.

"Come on, Lee. I have something you might want to see."

She led him over to a large Boston rocker.

"You too grown up to sit in your Grandma's lap?"

Ordinarily Lee would have pulled away. But tonight that invitation sounded like the best thing in the whole world. He settled in with his head rested comfortably against her shoulder. She opened the book so they could both see.

"This here is your Mamma's book. I keep one for each of my children."

Together they delved into his mother's past. The book was full of pictures, a lock of blonde hair, a baby tooth wrapped in wax paper. Later there were report cards, newspaper articles about making the cheerleading squad, a poem written for Mother's Day. Then there was a picture of a baby. Lee frowned.

"Who's this, Grandma?"

"Why that's you, child."

"It is?" Lee had never seen a baby picture of himself before. It was a rather strange feeling.

"Tell me about them," Lee asked suddenly.

"Well, I didn't know your daddy real well. I can tell you that he was handsome and kind and a good man. Your Mama sure loved him. There's lots I can tell you about your Mama, though. Let's see, where should I start?"

As she talked, Lee closed his eyes and listened. It wasn't so much what she was telling him. It was more like his grandmother's memories were bringing his mother alive again. She had so many more to choose from. She did it much better than Lee ever could. As he sat in his grandmother's lap and she gently rocked him to sleep, he felt closer to his mother than he ever had.

"And then what happened?"

"Then McCall started shooting everybody."

Lee listened wide-eyed as his cousins filled him in on what had happened in the rustlers' camp after he and Murphy had fled. They sat on Addie's bed. The bullet Lee had seen take his cousin down had only passed through the fleshy part of Addie's right calf. That leg was bandaged and propped on a pillow, a reminder of how close they'd all come to death last night. Murphy was still not allowed any visitors so Lee and Andy had camped here in Addie's room. They could give Murphy the details later, when he could have company.

"A couple of the bad guys followed you an' Murph though," Andy added. "So McCall put me and Addie up on a horse and we all took off after you."

"He found those guys and "Bamm-Bamm!" Addie pantomimed holding a gun.

"But then we couldn't find you," Andy went on. "McCall tracked you forever before we got near the cave and..."

"And you know the rest," Addie concluded.

"But what was McCall doing up there with the horse thieves?" Lee asked curiously.

"He had the whole thing set up from the start," Andy explained. "He was gonna lead them right into a police set up."

"Only, uh...we kinda got in the way," Addie stated embarrassedly.

Lee exhaled noisily. "I guess we were pretty dumb. Hey, were is McCall anyway? I thought he'd come see us."

"He got a call early this morning," Andy told him. "He had to leave on some kind of job or something. Kay didn't want him to go. She was crying after he left."

The smile left Lee's face and he felt a keen sense of disappointment. He'd wanted to see McCall, to thank him for saving their lives. Now it looked like he wouldn't even get to say good-bye.

"What'sa matter?" Andy asked. "He'll be back. He has to come back for Kay."

"But I won't be here," Lee protested.

"Where you going?" Addie asked.

"Well, my uncle will be back soon and I'll have to go."

"Oh, that," Andy laughed. "Grandma called him this morning. "Guess what? You get to stay here the whole summer!"

"What?" Lee was dumbfounded.

"Yep, that's right. She talked him into it."

A smile broke out at the corners of Lee's mouth and soon spread into a huge grin.

"The whole summer?" he asked.

"That's forever!" Addie exclaimed with a whoop.

Their celebration took the form of rambunctious laughter and horseplay and, for once, no adult bothered to tell them to stop.

Lee could not remember anything so glorious as the rest of that summer. The nightmare of the cave faded. Murphy quickly recovered and, except for the fact that his nose wasn't ever quite straight anymore, he was no worse the wear for his ordeal. Lee missed McCall but there was so much else to do and see he rarely had time to dwell on it.

Addie had been right. The summer was forever. Here at the ranch there was no lonely past and the future just didn't exist for Lee. The only thing that mattered was getting up for each new day.

There came a day however, when the four of them returned from an all day hunt for arrowheads and found the big, black sedan the Colonel drove parked in the driveway. Lee was totally unprepared. The shock stopped him in his tracks and he stood speechless for nearly a full minute. His cousins stood beside him, all too aware of the ominous implications the presence of Colonel Stetson brought.

They were still standing there by the car when the kitchen door opened and the Colonel stepped outside. He stopped in front of Lee and regarded him with the expressionless face Lee knew very well.

"You need a haircut," was the Colonel's only comment.

That simple remark was enough. It was too much. Not a "hello", not a "nice to see you." Just that one small criticism that let Lee know he disapproved. After all the care and affection he'd gotten here at the ranch the thought of going away with cold, unfeeling Colonel Stetson was more than he could stomach.

"No, Sir," he said boldly.

"What was that?"

The Colonel's face actually took on a look of surprise.

Something inside of Lee suddenly snapped.

"I said No!" he shouted. "I don't want a haircut and I don't want to leave here, ever!"

With that, he whirled and ran full tilt back across the meadow. He ignored the shouts he heard. He supposed he'd raised quite a fuss. He didn't care. He couldn't go back. He wouldn't go back, no matter what they did to him.

On and on he ran, not knowing exactly where he was going. He just knew he had to get away. Maybe he could hide until the Colonel got tired of looking for him. Then maybe he could stay here at the ranch for the rest of his life.

Finally though, he had to stop. His legs were tired and he had to catch his breath. He took a moment to glance around and he smiled. He knew where he was. This was the trail up to the cave. He and his cousins had not been back up here since the accident and Uncle Jake had boarded the entrance uptight. But none of the boys had ever told anyone of their hide-out. Everything should still be there. That was where he could hide.

He reached the hillside without incident and soon had pried loose enough boards to slip inside. He had his flashlight hooked on his belt so it wasn't quite as scary as before. He found his way to the hide-out and soon had the kerosene lantern lit. The place looked actually homey. No one would find him here. He could sneak out at night and get food and supplies. It was a perfect plan.

"Quite a place you've got here, Lee."

Lee whirled at the voice from the entrance.

"McCall! When did you get back?" He narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "How did you know where to find me?"

McCall stepped further in to casually survey the place. He nodded his approval to Lee.

"Yes, quite a place. Oh, I rode in from White Sands with your Uncle. And finding you was easy. This is right where I'd come if I were you."

"Well, I'm not going back," Lee declared defiantly. "He can't make me."

"Actually he could," McCall corrected kindly. "But I don't think he wants to make you. I think he wishes you'd want to come back with him."

"He doesn't care about me." Lee informed McCall bitterly. "He's just doing his duty."

"Maybe," McCall conceded. "I do know he's worried about you. He's out looking for you right now."

"But you didn't tell him where I am?"

"Of course not. I wanted a chance to talk to you first."

"What about?"

McCall turned to face him. He leaned his hands on his knees so that his face was on Lee's level. He looked very serious in the lantern light.

"Lee, I can't change the past or bring your father and mother back to you. No one can do that. What I can do is tell you that no matter how bad things appear, no matter how much you think you can or can't take anymore, there's always at least one person who cares about you...who's thinking about you."

McCall moved back to the entrance and returned with a package. He held it out to Lee.

"Go ahead," he urged. "Open it."

Lee stared down at the package for a moment then he carefully tore at the wrappings. When he lifted the lid off the box his fingers couldn't hold onto it. He stared down and could barely see for the blur of tears that stung his eyes and threatened to spill over. He lovingly lifted out a large Paddington Bear.

"McCall...I..." He couldn't talk. It was all he could do to keep the unmanly tears in check.

"It's all right to cry now and then, Lee."

McCall lifted Lee's chin and Lee could see the mist of tears in the man's eyes. The sight of them there abruptly broke the dam that had built up in Lee for so long. He threw himself into McCall's arms and let out all the anger and pain and fear. How long they stayed like that Lee didn't know. It was some time before he could stop the great wracking sobs that shuddered through his body. Even when he was more in control he couldn't keep the tears from welling up in his eyes until they flooded over and ran down his cheeks.

Finally, McCall stood up. He took Lee by the hand.

"Ready?"

Lee ran a sleeve across his eyes. They were still leaking tears but he could see a little now. He felt he was ready to face whatever was going to happen as long as McCall was with him.

"I think I'm going to leave Paddington here. The Colonel won't understand. This way he'll be here for me whenever I get to come back."

"That's my boy. You know, Lee. Being a man isn't whether or not you cry. It's being able to cry and still do what you have to do."

"Yes, Sir," Lee answered with another swipe at his eyes. "I'm ready."

He moved over and carefully sat the big bear on the table with Andy's radio equipment.

He picked up a stray tube and wondered if the thing would ever get built but supposed he would never know for sure. He wiped at his eyes again and walked back over to McCall.

Together they left the cave. Lee managed to steal one last look at the hide-out. It would be waiting here for his

return. And he would come back no matter what or how long it took. He would come back to Murphy and Andy and Skip...and Grandma and McCall...and Paddington Bear.