SAN FRANCISCO

By Susan

"That’s the last of them, Pa," said Hoss Cartwright as he swung the gate closed behind three head of cattle. The three steers made their way to the center of the large pen, bawling in protest at being so rudely herded into the enclosure which held a large number of other steers.

"Did you get the count?" asked Joe Cartwright as he rode up to the corral on his pinto.

Ben Cartwright held up his hand to quiet his youngest son as he continued to count the marks on his tally sheet. Joe steered his pinto to the pen and dismounted, looping the reins of his horse around one of the fence slats. He glanced at his brother Hoss, standing by the gate, then looked past Hoss to his brother Adam, who was leaning against the side of the enclosure. Both men were watching Ben anxiously. Joe turned to watch also.

Ben continued to count silently, then turned to look expectantly at the man in the gray suit next to him. The man also was counting from a tally sheet. "I make it 212 head," said the man in the gray suit.

"That’s what I counted," agreed Ben with a nod. "That’s 12 more head than you contracted for, Mr. Mason."

"I’m happy to have them," said Mason. He looked off, calculating in his head. "That’s 212 cattle at $30 a head. Looks like I owe you $6,360." Mason turned back to look at Ben. "If you’ll wait here a moment, Mr. Cartwright, I’ll go prepare the bank draft and the receipt." Without waiting for a reply, Mason turned and walked away from the pen, heading toward a small building about 30 feet away. Ben watched Mason for a moment, then turned to smile at his sons.

Joe whistled. "$30 a head," he said in amazement. "They really must be desperate for beef up here in San Francisco."

"Well, it’s a growing town," replied Ben. "I hear there’s more restaurants in San Francisco than in any city west of St. Louis. And they all need meat."

"But $30 a head!" repeated Joe, shaking his head.

"Don’t worry. Mason will make a tidy profit," Ben assured his son. "You should see the prices they’re charging for a beefsteak at those restaurants!"

"I don’t care what they’re charging," said Hoss rubbing his hands together. "Once we get into town, I’m going to find me the biggest steak they have. Steak, potatoes and all the trimmings." Hoss licked his lips. "I can’t wait."

Ben frowned. "I thought we would turn in early tonight," he commented in a serious tone. "I want to get an early start back to the Ponderosa in the morning."

Adam abruptly pulled himself from the fence as he heard his father’s statement. He looked at his brothers. They had the same stricken look on their faces as Adam.

"Uh, Pa," said Adam slowly, "we figured on at least a few days here. You know, sort of a vacation."

"We have a lot of work to do at the ranch," Ben stated, his tone still serious. "I don’t like leaving everything to Charlie any longer than I have to."

"But Pa," complained Joe, "we’ve been on the trail for two weeks. Two weeks of pushing those stubborn steers and eating dust all the way."

"And two weeks of sleeping on the hard ground," added Adam.

"Two weeks of chuck wagon food," chimed in Hoss. He shook his head. "I’d have given anything for one of Hop Sing’s meals. That cook he found didn’t know how to make anything but bacon and beans."

"You know Hop Sing likes trail drives even less than we do," chided Ben. "Besides, he likes to keep an eye on things at the ranch when we’re all away."

"Well, if Hop Sing is keeping an eye on the ranch, and Charlie is handling the chores, it seems to me that we won’t be missed if we take a few extra days," countered Adam in a reasonable voice.

"And we just have to deliver those letters for Hop Sing," added Hoss. "We’ll never get another meal from him if we don’t."

"Pa, we deserve a vacation," said Joe, not bothering with trying to find a reasonable excuse.

Ben looked at the pleading faces of his sons and burst into laughter. He couldn’t keep up the pretense any longer. "All right, boys," he said. "I’ve already reserved some rooms for us at a hotel in town. Mason is going to keep our horses out here for us, and there’s a wagon coming by to pick us up in about an hour. We’re going to spend the next four days in San Francisco."

Adam, Hoss and Joe let out a sigh of relief in unison. "You did a good job on the drive," added Ben. "I brought those 12 extra head figuring we’d lose some along the way. We didn’t lose a single head, so I figure you boys deserve a little bonus."

"A bonus?" asked Adam, raising his eyebrows.

"The $6,000 goes into the bank," said Ben. "I figure after we pay for the hotel room and meals, we’ll still have plenty left over. So each of you gets $100."

"Hot diggety!" exclaimed Hoss with a wide grin.

"Now don’t get your hopes up," warned Ben. "San Francisco is an expensive town. A hundred dollars won’t go near as far as it would in Virginia City."

"It’ll be enough to buy me that steak dinner," said Hoss.

Joe looked thoughtful. "I wonder how many beers a man can buy down on the Barbary Coast for a hundred dollars," he speculated.

"You’re not going to find out," replied Ben in a stern voice. "The last time we were here, we almost got shanghaied down on the Barbary Coast. I’m not about to let you go down there again."

"But, Pa…" protested Joe.

"But nothing," said Ben firmly. "You can find plenty to do for the next few days without going into that den of thieves." Ben saw Mason emerge from the building. "You boys wait here," he ordered, turning and walking to meet the man.

Adam looked at Joe and Hoss, his face as glum as his brothers’. "Well, I suppose we could spend the next few days going to museums and plays," suggested Adam, shaking his head.

Joe looked thoughtful, then grinned impishly. "Don’t worry, Adam," he said. "I’ll find a way to get us down to the Barbary Coast."

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

The rooms Ben reserved turned out to be a suite with two bedrooms and a large sitting room. Joe and Hoss quickly claimed the bedroom to the right of the sitting room, each throwing their saddlebags on one of the two beds in the room.

"You boys get cleaned up," said Ben loudly from the sitting room. "I made reservations for us for dinner at the Cattleman’s Club tonight."

Joe and Hoss looked at each other in surprise then hurried to the sitting room. "Uh, Pa, Hoss and me thought we’d go out and see a little of the town tonight," said Joe.

"You can see the town tomorrow," stated Ben firmly. "Tonight I’m having dinner with my sons."

"Pa, in case you didn’t notice, we’ve had dinner together every night for the past two weeks," said Hoss.

"A plate of beans around the campfire while one of  us watched the herd is not what I consider a proper dinner," answered Ben, shaking his head.

"But Pa," said Adam. "The Cattleman’s Club. Isn’t that a bit…stuffy?"

"It’s a nice quiet restaurant with good food," replied Ben in a determined voice. "It’s about time you boys learned how to have a pleasant evening with having to go to a noisy bar. There’s more to life than drinking beer and chasing girls."

"There is?" said Joe in surprise. He grinned as Ben frowned in his direction.

"But Pa," protested Hoss, "I didn’t bring no fancy duds to wear."

"The Cattleman Club isn’t fancy," said Ben in a firm voice. "I know you all have clean shirts and ties with you. That’s all you need."

Adam looked at his brothers then shrugged his shoulders. "Guess we’re having dinner at the Cattleman’s Club," he said in a resigned voice.

Joe looked thoughtful. "Pa, what time is dinner?" he asked.

"I made reservations for six o’clock," replied Ben. "Why?"

"Oh, I just need to run out and do an errand," said Joe vaguely. "I just wanted to make sure I had enough time."

Ben’s eyes narrowed. "What errand?"

"I..um…I need to pick up a tie," said Joe quickly. "I didn’t bring one with me."

Ben frowned. "I thought Hop Sing told me he made sure each of you packed a clean shirt and tie."

"I must have forgot and took it out or something," said Joe, reaching for is hat on the table. "I’ll be back soon. I promise." Without waiting for a reply, Joe walked quickly to the door of the suite, pulled it open, and disappeared into the hall.

"I’m going to give him one hour," warned Ben in an ominous tone to Adam and

Hoss. "If he’s not back by then, I’m going to find him and drag him back."

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

Much to Ben’s surprise, Joe returned in less than an hour, carrying a small package in his hand and with a satisfied look on his face. Ben watched Joe suspiciously, sure that his youngest son was plotting a way to avoid spending the evening with his family. But Joe calmly washed and dressed for dinner, whistling tunelessly as he tied a brand new tie around his neck. Ben continued to keep his eye on Joe as he left the hotel with his sons. He couldn’t shake the feeling that Joe was up to something, although Ben had to admit he couldn’t figure out what it might be. But he didn’t trust the look of wide-eyed innocence he saw on his youngest son’s face. Ben had learned over the years that this was a look that usually meant Joe was hiding something.

Ben relaxed a bit when the four arrived at the Cattleman’s Club and were shown to their table without incident. There was an air of quiet dignity about the restaurant. The dark wood which paneled the walls was a sharp contrast to the starched white cloths on the table. China plates and silver utensils were set neatly on the table in front of crystal glasses. Most of the people in the restaurant were men, some in suits and some in shirts and ties like the Cartwrights. The restaurant seemed to hum as diners conversed in muted tones.

By the time he ordered and the meals were delivered, Ben had forgotten his suspicions of Joe’s plans for the evening. He enjoyed his meal, and just being with his sons. "Now isn’t this a pleasant way to spend an evening?" asked Ben as he finished his dinner.

"Food sure is good, Pa," said Hoss, forking another large piece of steak into his mouth.

"How could you tell?" asked Joe wryly. "You did bother to chew. You just inhaled your dinner."

"I’m just appreciating the good cooking," answered Hoss as he reached for another roll from the basket on the table.

Ben sat back in his chair and relaxed, feeling pleasantly full and mellow.

"Mr. Cartwright?" said a voice to Ben’s right.

 Ben looked up and an expression of surprise crossed his face. "Mr. Santee?"

Santee smiled. "How fortunate to run into you here," he said. "I wonder if you have a little time to spare. I want to discuss the investment opportunity I proposed in my letter to you."

Ben frowned. "Now?" he replied doubtfully. Ben glanced around the table. "Oh, by the way, these are my sons – Adam, Hoss and Joe."

"Gentlemen," acknowledged Santee with a nod. He looked at each of them in turn. His look seemed to linger a few seconds as he met Joe’s eyes, but Santee turned quickly back to Ben.

"I know it’s an unusual time to discuss business," admitted Santee. "But I really do want to go over the figures I sent you in more detail, and show you the plans for the warehouse and freight line I’m proposing."

Ben’s frown deepened. "As I told you in my letter, Mr. Santee," he said in a voice full of doubt, "I’m not sure this is the type of venture in which I want to invest."

"Perhaps if you see the particulars and give me a chance to explain them, you might change your mind," suggested Santee. "I happen to have them with me. We could use one of the offices here at the Club. They have several available for use."

"Why don’t you go ahead and take a look, Pa," urged Joe. "It might be a good investment."

"But I had planned to spend the evening with you boys," protested Ben.

"We’re finished with dinner," said Adam quickly, a gleam suddenly appearing in his eye. "We’ll just have some coffee and then head back to the hotel. I think Joe’s right. You ought to look at those figures."

"All right," agreed Ben in resignation. He reached into his pocket and pulled out some money. Ben counted some bills and put them on the table. "That should cover dinner." Ben pushed back his chair and stood up. "I’ll see you boys back at the hotel."

"Take your time, Pa," said Joe with a wave of his hand. "Don’t worry about us."

Ben nodded doubtfully, then turned to the other man. "Mr. Santee," he said politely. "Shall we find one of those offices?"

Adam, Hoss and Joe sat silently at the table for a few minutes after Ben left. Then Adam raised his eyebrows and said to Joe, "How did you manage to pull that off?" his tone a mixture of  admiration and curiosity.

"Pull what off?" answered Joe in an innocent voice.

Adam ignored Joe’s protest. "I didn’t think you were paying attention when we talked about Santee’s proposal back at the ranch."

"Big brother, I always listen," said Joe with a grin. "It may not look like it sometimes, but I’m always listening."

"But Joe, how did you know where to find this Santee fellow?" asked Hoss.

Joe shrugged. "It wasn’t too tough." He smiled. "I happen to hear Pa telling Hop Sing about his planning to keep a close rein on us in San Francisco. So I thought it might not be a bad idea to bring Santee’s address along. The clerk at the hotel gave me directions to Santee’s office. It didn’t take much for me to convince him that Pa might not be willing to come to the office, and maybe he might do better to find Pa."

"Little brother, you sure do take the cake," said Hoss shaking his head.

"The hardest part was remembering to buy the tie on the way back," remarked Joe with a grin. He pushed back his chair and stood up.

"Where are you going?" asked Adam.

"Back to the hotel," said Joe. He saw the surprised look on his brothers’ faces. "Of course, I’m planning to go back by way of the Barbary Coast," added Joe. He began to walk away from the table.

Adam and Hoss looked at each other for a minute, then both abruptly stood up. "Hey, Joe," called Hoss. "Wait for us!"

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

The elegant granite and stone buildings gave way to shabbier looking structures as the three Cartwrights walked down the street toward the bay. The closer Adam, Hoss, and Joe got to the waterfront, the more the buildings around them looked plain and slightly weather beaten. Only the gaudy signs and the glow from the gaslights brightened the scene.

The street became more crowded as Joe and his brothers entered the area known as the Barbary Coast. Men in suits were jostled by sailors in faded blue pants. Working men, as evidenced by their sturdy cloth shirts and stained pants, eased past cowboys wearing boots and stetsons. The noise increased also. The faint tinkle of piano music was barely audible over the loud laughter and shouts from the buildings. The Barbary Coast was loud, lively and had an air of decadence. Joe couldn’t wait to sample its wares.

"This is some place," said Hoss as he looked around the street.

"Yeah, well, watch yourself," warned Adam. "A man can get into trouble down here without much effort."

"I think a little effort is in order," said Joe with a grin, rubbing his hands together.

A woman walked out of a doorway just as the three Cartwrights passed a tall, thin building. Her face was caked with a heavy layer of make-up, and a string of cheap beads hung around her neck. Her dress was cut low at the top, and high at the bottom, revealing much of her milky white skin.

The woman held out her hand to stop Joe. "You’re cute," she purred. "Want to party?"

Joe smiled and tipped his hat. "Why, ma’am, we barely know each other," he said meaningfully.

"I can arrange for us to get to know each other better," the woman replied in a sultry voice.

Before Joe could answer, Hoss grabbed his little brother’s arm and pulled him down the street.

"Hey!" Joe protested as Hoss determinedly dragged Joe away from the doorway. "Why did you do that?"

"I don’t mind getting into a LITTLE trouble," replied Hoss in a firm voice. "But what you had in mind was big trouble."

"Now how do you know what I had in mind?" asked Joe with a grin.

"All he had to do was take a look at your face," commented Adam. He glanced down the street. A building on the corner had a large sign proclaiming it "The Golden Slipper". A smaller sign announced the "Prettiest Girls and Best Entertainment on the Barbary Coast". The building looked slightly less shabby and a bit larger than the other structures around it. "Let’s try this place," suggested Adam, pointing to the sign.

A man in a checked suit and bowler had stood near the door of the Golden Slipper.  He shouted to the men walking by, touting the attractions offered within the saloon. Most ignored the barker, although a few turned to listen as they passed by. The barker saw the Cartwrights approaching, and a wide smile crossed his face.

"Good evening, gentlemen," said the barker. He reached behind him and pulled open the door. "Welcome to the Golden Slipper. Finest place on the Barbary Coast. Enjoy an evening of fun and frolic, and all for just a $5 cover charge."

Adam stopped by the door, taken aback. "$5!" he said. "That’s awfully steep isn’t it?"

"Not for what we offer," replied the barker smoothly. "Fine entertainment. Pretty girls. And the whiskey’s not watered down either. Worth every penny, I assure you."

Adam looked over his shoulder toward Hoss and Joe. "What do you think?" he asked.

"I think I want to see the place," said Joe pushing past Hoss and heading toward the door.

"Now there’s a smart young man," said the barker, pulling the door open even wider as Joe strolled in. Adam and Hoss exchanged looks and Hoss shrugged. They walked through the door after Joe.

The Cartwrights entered a small foyer decorated with red velvet wall paper and gold trimmings. A man sat at a table on the other side of the foyer, near the entrance to a larger room. A metal cash box sat on the table, and a velvet rope was strung across the entrance to the larger room. Standing near the entrance was a giant of a man, even taller and broader than Hoss. He had the look of an old fighter, with a crooked nose and puffy skin under his eyes. Music and singing could be heard coming from the larger room, as well as the sound of voices. A few tables with chairs were visible on the other

side of the door.

"Good evening, gentleman," said the man at the table. "That will be $5, please."

"Each," added the big man in a growl.

Adam reached into pocket of his pants and pulled out some currency, folded in half. He unfolded the bills and slipped the top one off, folding the others and stuffing them back into his pocket. Adam walked up to the table and handed the bill to the man. Hoss and Joe came up behind Adam and did the same. The man at the table nodded to the big

man. He reached down and unhooked the rope, letting the Cartwrights into the large room.

Adam, Hoss and Joe stopped just inside the room and looked around. This room

also had red velvet wallpaper and gold trimmings, although they were difficult to see in the dim light. Tables and chairs were crowded into the room, with only a small space separating them.  At the back of the room was a brightly lit stage, outlined by red velvet curtains with gold trim. A piano sat at just to the left of the stage.  A man was playing the piano, and two men were sitting next to him, playing a trumpet and a drum respectively. On the stage, five girls in very brief costumes were singing a lively song and prancing about. About half the tables were occupied. Adam saw an empty table with three chairs in the middle of the room. "Come on," he said with a cock of his head. He started toward the table and Joe and Hoss followed him.

The three Cartwrights sat down and almost at once, a girl in a short dress and carrying a tray walked up to them. "What can I get you fellows?" she asked with a bright smile.

"What’s a beer cost in this place?" asked Adam.

"Beer’s fifty cents, whiskey is a dollar a glass and champagne is twenty dollars a bottle," replied the girl as if she had repeated the answer hundreds of times.

"We’ll have three beers," said Adam.

Hoss shook his head as the girl walked away. "Pa wasn’t kidding about the prices in this town, was he?"

"You only live once, brother," said Joe. "Might as well enjoy it."

"I don’t mind enjoying it," replied Hoss with a grin. "I just want to make sure I can afford it."

The girl returned with three mugs of beers. "If you boys are looking for some real excitement," said the girl as she put the beer glasses on the table, "there’s a couple of poker games going on in the back room." The girl jerked her head to the right, indicating a door behind her.

Joe reached out and gently took the girl’s hand. "Nothing in that room could be as exciting as you," he said gallantly. The girl giggled as she pulled her hand away. She turned to leave but stopped and threw a smile over her shoulder at Joe. Joe returned the smile.

"Joe, you’re missing the show," remarked Hoss as Joe’s eyes followed the girl.

 "No, I’m not," replied Joe. He watched the girl for another minute then turned back to face the stage.

The girls on the stage finished their routine and bowed to a smattering of applause. As they left, a man walked onto the stage and announced a brief intermission. Most of the patrons seemed to ignore the announcement, but two men sitting at a table next to the stage booed loudly. "Come on, Danny," said one of the men loudly, pushing his chair back with a scraping sound. "Let’s get out of here and find some real fun." Both men were wearing rough spun shirts and dark wool pants. The first man was short, with wide

shoulders and thick arms. The second man was taller and thinner. Both men had a flushed look of someone who had been drinking for quite awhile.

The first  man stood and began to weave drunkenly through the tables. His friend followed, also walking with a gait showing he was less than sober. As the first man passed by the Cartwrights’ table, he suddenly lurched to his right, bumping heavily into the man sitting at the next table. "Hey, watch it," said the drunk.

The man at the table was middle aged, dressed in a dark suit and wearing a tan vest. His dark hair with thinning at the top, and he had the pallor of someone who spent most of his time indoors. He looked up at the inebriated man. "I believe you bumped into me," he said politely.

"You calling me a liar?" demanded the first man.

"No," said the man at the table calmly. "I was just pointing out that you bumped into me."

The first man turned to his friend. "This fellow says I bumped into him, Danny."

Danny looked at the man sitting a the table through half opened eyes. "Nobody insults my friend Patrick," said Danny in a slurred voice.

"I wasn’t insulting anyone," replied the man at the table, sounding a bit frightened. "Why don’t you simply go on your way."

Patrick scowled at the man at the table. "No one tells Patrick Callahan what to do," he said angrily. He reached down and grabbed the man, pulling him up by the lapels.

Adam, Hoss and Joe had been watching the exchange. Hoss frowned when he saw

Patrick grab the man and he jumped to his feet. "Why don’t you leave him alone," suggested Hoss as he stood behind Patrick.

Patrick turned toward the voice and his face bumped into a broad chest. He released the man at the table and looked up into Hoss’ scowling face. Patrick swallowed hard as he realized the size of the man behind him.

"What’s it to you?" said Patrick, his voice full of bravado.

"Yeah," slurred Danny. "What’s it to you?"

Joe and Adam jumped to their feet and stood next to Hoss. "I think you’d better leave," said Adam in a quiet voice.

Patrick looked at the grim faces on the three well-muscled cowboys. He wasn’t too drunk to realize he had more trouble than he had bargained for. He looked over his shoulder at Danny, who seemed to be waiting to be told what to do. Patrick took a step back from Hoss. He turned and pushed Danny back a few steps. "Come on," he muttered as he began to ease himself around the table.

 

The Cartwrights watched until Patrick and Danny had left. Hoss turned to the man sitting at the table. "You all right?" he asked with concern.

"I’m fine, thanks to you," replied the man straightening his coat and patting his forehead delicately with the back of his hand.

Hoss nodded and turned to sit down again. Adam and Joe also returned to the table.

"May I join you?" asked the man at the next table, standing and pulling his chair over. "I’d like to buy you all a drink as thanks."

"No need," answered Adam, with a wave of his hand. "But you’re welcome to join us."

"I insist," said the man with a smile. He waved at a girl walking by. "Another round of beers here," he called when she stopped. "And put it on my tab." The girl nodded and walked off.

"I’m Walter Higgins," said the man, turning back to the Cartwrights. He reached into his vest pocket and pulled out a business card, then handed it to Hoss.

"Higgins Brothers Construction," read Hoss. He looked up in surprise. The man sitting across from him was small and rather meek looking, not at all the picture of a construction foreman. "Construction?"

"My brother runs the actual construction crew," explained Higgins with a smile, understanding Hoss’ surprise. "I’m the architect in the family, and I run the front office as well. We have an office and lumber yard in the city, just a block from City Hall." Higgins looked at the other men. "You’re not from San Francisco, are you?"

"No," replied Adam with a smile. "I’m Adam Cartwright, and these are my brothers. The big one is Hoss, and the one with his eyes glued on the girls is Joe".

Joe turned back to the table at the sound of his name and nodded to Higgins. He quickly turned back to admire the women moving among the tables.

"Cartwright?" said Higgins thoughtfully. "I believe I know that name."

"We have a ranch near Virginia City," said Adam. "We ship lumber up to San Francisco from time to time."

"Cartwright! Of course," exclaimed Higgins. "I’ve bought some of your lumber. Fine wood it is. And you have reputation for fair dealing."

"Thank you," said Hoss. "Our Pa would be proud to hear that."

The waitress returned and put four beers on the table. She lingered a minute, smiling at Joe who was looking at her with admiring eyes, then turned and left.

"If you don’t mind me asking," said Adam, sipping his beer, "what are you doing in a place like this. This doesn’t seem to be your kind of place."

"It isn’t," admitted Higgins. "I’ve lived in San Francisco almost all my life, and this is first time I’ve been to the Barbary Coast. " He sighed. "I was with a client, a man from Fresno who is interested in our building a rather large factory for him. This is his first trip to San Francisco and he insisted that we come down here. Once we arrived, he found…um… someone else to entertain him and left. I decided to stay and experience the Barbary

Coast."

"You almost experienced it right into a fight," said Hoss with a grin.

"You’re right," admitted Higgins. "Although I’m afraid it wouldn’t have been much of a fight." Higgins shook his head. "If you hadn’t intervened, I’m afraid I would have been badly beaten."

"The bouncer would have probably stopped in," said Adam, downplaying the incident.

"Perhaps," Higgins replied, "but not before I had some very nasty bruises. I’m very grateful to you all. If there’s anything I can ever do to repay you, you must let me know."

"Hey, Hoss," said Joe suddenly turning back to the table. "Speaking of bouncers, think you could take that fellow by the door?"

"I don’t aim to find out, little brother," answered Hoss, sipping his beer.

"Too badly," said Joe, shaking his head sadly. "I would have paid to see

that fight."

"You’ll have to excuse my brothers," apologized Adam with a shake of his head. "They seem to think drinking and brawling constitute a good time."

Joe turned to scowl at Adam. "That’s not true," he said. He looked at Higgins. "My idea of a good time is a pretty girl and lots of dancing," said Joe with a grin. "Is this a good place for that?"

"I couldn’t say," admitted Higgins. "As I said, this is my first visit to this area. I just wanted to see what it was like."

The band struck up a tune, and two girls danced onto the stage. The music was slower this time, and the girls on the stage began to bump and grind in time to the music. Joe’s attention instantly turned back to the stage. "Mr. Higgins," said Joe over his shoulder, "I think you’re going to have a chance to see what it’s really like on the Barbary Coast."

***********

A hand shook Joe’s shoulder roughly, rousing him out of a deep sleep. "Come on, little brother," Joe heard Hoss say. "You’re going to sleep the day away."

"Go away," Joe mumbled without opening his eyes. He nestled deeper into the bed. "I’m on vacation."

"Well, your idea of a vacation may to spend the whole day in bed," said Hoss, "but I’m not sure Pa would agree with you."

Joe opened one eye and looked up. "Is Pa up yet?" he asked.

"Hours ago," answered Hoss. "He and Adam went out and I figure they’re due back soon. If you’re still in bed when he gets back, Pa isn’t going to be happy. He’s already mad at us for last night."

"Last night?" said Joe in a puzzled voice. "Oh, yeah," he added as images of the Barbary Coast flashed through his head.

"I’m going down and get you some coffee and toast," said Hoss. "Now don’t you go back to sleep."

Joe sighed. "I won’t.”

As Hoss left the room, Joe pushed back the covers. He sat up slowly, and immediately put his head in his hands. He could feel the throb of a headache. His mouth had a horrible taste in it, and his tongue felt as if it would covered with fur. Joe was mildly surprised to realize that he was still fully dressed. Only his boots and string tie were missing.

Joe tried to remember the previous night. Things were pretty clear to him until the show had had another intermission and Higgins had left. After that, Joe’s memory grew a bit fuzzy. He remembered the pretty blonde waitress suggesting he join her at another table, and he remembered buying the bottle of champagne. Images of dancing with the girl, holding her close as she kissed and nuzzled his neck, flashed through Joe’s mind. They had danced several times, Joe recalled, stopping only to refresh themselves with

champagne.

Joe didn’t remember the girl’s name - Sally? Susie? -- or when she had left him. He vaguely recalled Hoss helping him into a cab, and Adam telling him to be quiet as he lurched through the suite to his bed.

Must have been the champagne, though Joe as he slowly swung his legs from the bed. He got up carefully, and stood for a moment as the room seemed to spin around him. Joe slowly undressed, throwing his rumpled clothes into a pile in the corner of the room. He walked toward the wash stand, and poured water from the pitcher on the stand into the basin.

Ten minutes later, Joe felt reasonably human again. The cold water he had splashed on his face helped clear his head. He had run a razor lightly over his face and gargled some cold water to clean mouth. His brown shirt and tan pants felt comfortable and familiar, and his feet slipped easily into his well-worn boots.

By the time Joe emerged from the bedroom, Hoss had already returned with the coffee and toast. The pot and cups, along with a covered plate, sat on a table in the middle of the sitting room. Joe nodded his thanks as he sat down at the table and poured a cup of

coffee. He sipped the coffee, then reached for a piece of toast. His stomach lurched a bit at the thought of food, but Joe knew from experience that he would feel better once he got something solid into his stomach. "Thanks for helping me get home last night," said Joe as he nibbled on the toast.

Hoss’ eyes widened. "I’m surprised you remember," he said.

"I remember," protested Joe. He sipped some coffee. "Well, I remember most of it," he admitted. "Things got a little fuzzy there toward the end."

"Now that don’t surprise me," replied Hoss with a smile. "The way you was guzzling that champagne, I’m didn’t think you’d remember anything."

"I remember the girl," said Joe with a wistful look. "Wonder where she went?"

"She went home," answered Hoss firmly. "She almost went home with your wallet, but Adam stopped her."

"She did?" said Joe in surprise.

"You weren’t exactly aware of what was going on," explained Hoss with a wry smile. "Luckily, Adam saw her slip your wallet out of your jacket while you were busy whispering into her ear or whatever."

Another image flashed through Joe’s mind, and he smiled. Whispering wasn’t exactly what he was doing.

"Anyway, Adam sent her on her way. You were so glassy-eyed drunk, you didn’t even know she left. That’s when we figured we’d better get you back here to bed," concluded Hoss.

"They must have spiked that champagne with something," Joe said shaking his head. He instantly regretted that movement. "I’m sorry if I cut your night short," apologized Joe.

"Naw," said Hoss with a shrug. "Me and Adam was ready to go anyway. He won about $50 playing poker, and he didn’t want to press his luck. And the show was getting kind of boring. Besides, we didn’t want to get back too late. Pa was worried enough without us staying out all night."

"Was he mad this morning?" asked Joe, feeling a bit guilty.

"He wasn’t too happy with us," agreed Hoss. "He didn’t say much this morning, but I’ve got a feeling he’s going to have a lot to say when he and Adam get back."

"Where did they go?" Joe asked curiously.

"Down to look at some warehouse near the bay," said Hoss with a shrug. "They said they wouldn’t be gone long. That’s why I got you up when I did."

The door to the suite suddenly opened, and in walked Ben and Adam. Ben gave

his youngest son a stern look as he strode into the room. "Well, I see you’ re finally up," he said.

"Morning, Pa," said Joe, giving his father his brightest smile.

"Morning?" answered Ben skeptically. "It’s almost ten. Half the day is gone."

"Well, technically, it’s still morning because it’s before noon," said Joe with a grin. His smile faded as he saw his father wasn’t amused.

Ben looked at his sons. "I’m very disappointed in you, boys," he said sternly. Ben almost smiled as he saw the look of guilt cross each of his son’s face. He was disappointed, but that emotion had come at the end of a roller coaster of emotions.

When he first returned and found the suite empty, he had been furious. As the evening wore on, his emotion had changed to worry. Worry had been replaced by relief when the three wayward Cartwrights had returned, no worse for the wear except for Joe being a bit drunk. And relief had given way to resignation as Ben realized once more that his sons were grown men. They weren’t little boys who could be told to go to bed at eight. Ben told himself for the thousandth time that they were capable adults, able to look after themselves. He worried about them, but he also knew he couldn’t stop them from living their lives the way they wanted. Disappointment had been the final emotion. He was disappointed in himself because his sons had felt the need to deceive him. He would have thought his relationship with his boys was better than that. He also was disappointed that his sons, after hearing his expressed wishes that they avoid the

Barbary Coast, had headed there at the first opportunity.

"I’m disappointed in all of you," repeated Ben. "I thought you told me last night that you were going back to the hotel."

"We did head back to the hotel, Pa," said Joe. "We just made a little…detour…along the way."

"I would hardly call going to the Barbary Coast a little detour," stated Ben in a cold voice. "I thought I told you to stay away from there."

"We was just looking around, Pa," explained Hoss. "Just wanted to see what was going on."

"Don’t worry," Adam assured his father. "We kept an eye on each other." Adam cocked his head told Joe. "Especially on Joe."

Joe scowled at his brother, but didn’t reply. He knew they were on shaky ground already with Ben, and arguing with Adam would only add fuel to the fire.

"Well, now you’ve seen what was going on," said Ben sternly. "There’s no need to see it again."

"Yes sir," agreed Hoss. Joe and Adam nodded.

"Hey, Pa, where did you and Adam go this morning?" asked Joe, sensing that the lecture was winding down. Changing the subject seemed like a good idea.

Ben looked at his sons, and his face softened. They were back and safe. He had a feeling that excursions to the Barbary Coast were over….for at least this trip. He had made his point. It was time to let it go. "We went down to look at the warehouse that Santee claims he owns," replied Ben in a more reasonable voice.

"Claims?" asked Joe in surprise.

"I looked at the proposal closely last night," explained Ben. "It looked good. Almost too good. I wanted to see the warehouse for myself."

"What do you mean?" asked Hoss.

"Well, Santee claims he has a warehouse near the bay," said Ben. "It is an ideal spot to take goods off the ships and then in turn load those goods on to freight wagons. Santee says all he needs is some funding to get the freight wagons going and he can ship goods all over the West."

"Sounds look a good deal," commented Joe.

"Like I said, it sounds almost too good," said Ben. He shook his head. "That property down by the waterfront is expensive. If Santee can afford a warehouse there, it seems odd that he couldn’t afford the freight wagons."

"We went down to take a look at where he claimed the warehouse is," said Adam.

"Was it there?" asked Hoss.

"It was there, all right" said Ben. "Standing empty and with no one around. We checked with some of the people who had offices near there, but no one seemed to know who owns the warehouse."

"Maybe Santee spent all his money on getting the warehouse and that’s why he needs money for the freight wagons," suggested Joe.

"That could be," agreed Ben. "But it also could be that he’s using that warehouse as a front. He knows it’s empty so he shows it to investors, hoping to impress them. He may own a warehouse elsewhere, or he may not have one at all." Ben shook his head. "There’s just something about Mr. Santee that doesn’t seem right."

"You could just pass on the deal," said Adam.

"I could," said Ben. "But if it turns out he does own that warehouse and can set up a freight line from it, I’ll be kicking myself all the way back to the Ponderosa for missing out on this venture."

"Is there any way to find out for sure?" asked Joe.

"The only way would be to check the property ownership records at City Hall," said Ben. He sighed. "I don’t know when I’ll have time to do that. I’ ve got several other business matters I want to take care of while we’re here."

"Couldn’t one of us do it?" suggested Hoss.

"I thought you were on vacation?" said Ben, with a wry grin. He shook his head. "Maybe we’ll have time later. For now, we’ve got to head down to Chinatown. We must deliver those letters to Hop Sing’s uncle."

Joe groaned inwardly. He had been with Ben before when they visited Hop Sing ’s family. It wasn’t really a visit. Hop Sing’s family turned it into an event. Formal tea ceremonies and polite bowing that seemed to last for hours would take up most of the day. Gifts would be exchanged and they would sit making polite conversation on topics which held no interest for Joe. He wouldn’t have minded it so much if any of Hop Sing’s younger relatives participated. But only the family elders seemed to be involved. Adam and Hoss never seemed to mind the visits. Adam was interested in the ceremonies and culture while Hoss was satisfied with the constant stream of food put before him. But to Joe, the visits seem a version of Chinese torture. "Pa," said Joe suddenly, "why don’t I go down to City Hall and check out who owns the warehouse while you’re down in Chinatown."

Ben frowned. "Hop Sing’s family expects all the Cartwrights to visit them."

"Three Cartwrights should be enough," said Joe. "I mean, after all, we wouldn’t want to miss out on this deal if it turns out to be the real thing," he added hastily.

Ben looked thoughtful. "It would help to know if Santee owns that warehouse," he agreed. "If he does, I could finalize our investment before we left San Francisco."

"It sure would," agreed Joe, trying not to seem too eager. "Look, just write down the address of the warehouse for me, and I’ll check out the property records at City Hall. When you get back, I’ll have the information and you can decide what to do."

"All right," Ben agreed a bit reluctantly. He walked over to a desk sitting under the window of the suite, and pulled open a drawer. Taking out a piece of paper, Ben wrote down the address.

"Little brother, you seem awfully eager to run down to City Hall," said Hoss. "You got some other mischief in mind?"

Joe shook his head. "No, I just want to help out," he said.

Adam looked at Joe. "This helpfulness is a side of you we rarely see," he commented. "Are you sure you don’t have some other little detour in mind?"

"I’m just going down to City Hall," said Joe in a firm voice. "I swear. There’s no way I can get into trouble doing that."

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

The clock in the tower atop the building was hitting the double chimes of half past the hour as Joe walked into City Hall. He knew that meant the time was 12:30.

 

Joe had taken his time about heading for City Hall and the records after the rest of the Cartwrights had left for Chinatown.  He knew there was no rush; Hop Sing’s uncle would keep the rest of the family occupied for hours. Joe still was feeling slightly hung over, so he took advantage of the opportunity to finish the pot of coffee and even nap a bit. He left for City Hall feeling refreshed and alert.

The man sitting at a desk just inside the City Hall doors told Joe that the records he wanted were kept in the Property Clerk’s office and pointed down a corridor to the clerk’s left. City Hall was built like a T, with two long corridor’s on either side of the entrance and another large area behind the clerk. The area behind the clerk was an atrium flanked by two levels of offices, while the wings on either side were only one story of narrow halls

with offices on either side.

Joe nodded his thanks and headed to the Property Clerk’s office. He saw the words proclaiming the office he wanted on a door to his right, about half way down the hallway. He walked into an office that was long rather than deep, with most of the office to his right. He could see three desks covered with papers, empty chairs sitting behind them. Bookcases filled with flat ledgers and file cabinets lined most of the walls. The walls of the office were tall, maybe 10 or 12 fee high, giving impression of a larger space than

it actually was. A counter stood a few feet away, and a tall, thin young man got up from a

desk behind it. He was wearing a white shirt and string tie, with a gray vest that matched his pants. "Can I help you?" asked the young man in a high, almost squeaky voice.

"Are you in charge here?" Joe asked in surprise as he walked up to the counter.

"No, I’m just a clerk," replied the young man with a shake of his head.

"Where’s everyone else?" asked Joe curiously, looking around the empty office.

"At lunch," replied the clerk. "I’m the newest one in the office so I have to cover things while they’re all at lunch." The clerk shook his head. "I don’t get to eat until they get back, which on a pretty October day like today could be quite awhile," he added glumly.

"Well, I guess that puts you in charge, at least for now," said Joe with a grin.

The clerk brightened. "Hey, I guess it does," he agreed with a smile. "Now, what can I do for you?"

"I need to verify who owns some property," said Joe reaching into the inside pocket of his green jacket. He pulled out a piece of paper and handed it to the clerk. "Can you tell me who owns this property?"

"Sure," replied the clerk as he studied the paper. He walked from behind the counter and went over to one of the bookcases. He studied the spines of the ledgers for a minute, then pulled a ledger out. Returning to the counter, the clerk opened the ledger and flipped through some pages. He ran his finger down the page until he found the entry he wanted. "Says here the property is owned by the Bombay Company," read the clerk. He looked up at Joe. "That help you?"

"Not really," said Joe. "Anyway of telling who owns the Bombay Company?"

The clerk looked thoughtful. "Well, there should be some record over in the tax office," he said thoughtfully. "I mean, assuming they paid their taxes, they’d have to list the directors and principle owners."

"How do I find the tax office?" asked Joe, his face falling. He had a feeling that he was going end up chasing through a maze of officials, trying to find the information he wanted.

The clerk saw the look on Joe’s face. "Why don’t you wait here and let me see what I can find out for you?" he suggested. "I’ve got a friend who works over in the tax office. He’ll look up the records for me a whole lot faster than he will for you."

"I don’t want to take you away from your duties," Joe protested mildly.

"I don’t mind," replied the clerk with a grin. "I’ve been stuck behind this desk all morning. It’ll give me an excuse to take a walk and stretch my legs a bit." The clerk walked around the desk and toward the door. "If anyone comes in while I’m gone, tell them I’ll be right back," said the clerk over his shoulder as he headed out the office door.

Joe stood by the counter, idly looking around the office as he waited for the clerk.

Suddenly, he heard a rumble and ground beneath his feet seemed to vibrate. The glass in the windows rattled, and some of the ledgers slid off the bookcases, crashing to the floor with a loud thud. Joe grabbed the counter to keep his balance. A few seconds later, the vibrating stopped. "Earthquake!" shouted someone in the hallway as they ran by the office.

Having never been through an earthquake before, Joe wasn’t sure what to do. He heard more running in the hall and figured maybe he ought to follow the others outside the office. Joe took a few steps from the counter toward the door. Suddenly, the rumbling began again. This time, the vibrating was more intense. The whole building seemed to be shaking violently. The floor buckled in waves of motion, knocking Joe from his feet. The bookcases and file cabinets fell forward, and the desks spun drunkenly around the room, smashing into each other. Lamps and pictures began falling from the walls, followed by chunks of plaster. Papers flew everywhere. Joe tried to scramble to his feet but a piece of debris hit him in the chest, knocking him on his back. He could see the ceiling cracking above him and he pushed himself up again, desperate to get out of the building. A piece of falling plaster hit him in the side of the head and Joe fell back again, stunned by the blow. Then the roof literally fell in on him.

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

Hop Sing’s uncle starting herding the Cartwrights out of his house as soon as he heard the first rumble. Ben made it as far as the doorway before the second quake hit. He grabbed the door jamb as the floor beneath him began to buckle, and looked out onto the street. If Ben hadn’t seen it with his own eyes, he would never have believed it. To

him, it looked like a scene out of hell.

The street began to move up and down, as if the ground were water and a wave was rolling in. Buildings began to sway drunkenly. Some toppled forward while others collapsed on top of themselves. The street cracked open and huge fissures appeared. An all around, people, horses, and dogs ran screaming in terror.

It seemed to Ben that the earthquake lasted forever, rather than the few seconds of its actual length. When the rumbling stopped and the earth finally stood still, for a moment, there was an eerie quiet. Then chaos erupted.

People poured out of buildings, shrieking and babbling as they sought safety. Ben and his sons were in the midst of Chinatown, so the words had no meaning to them. But one didn’t need to understand the words to understand the pure panic gripping most of the people on the street. Ben turned quickly to check on his sons, and was relieved to see Adam and Hoss crouched behind him. Hoss had his massive arms around Hop Sing’s uncle, doing his best to protect the older man from harm. Ben heard an ominous

sound - the creaking of walls. "Let’s get out of here!" he shouted and ran to join the panic in the street.

Ben stood in the middle of the street, a few feet from the door to Hop Sing’s uncle’s home, and watched as Adam and Hoss followed after him. Hoss helped the old Chinese gentleman to the street. The four men stood in the street as a river of shouting people passed around them. Some seemed to be seeking family, and other seemed to be looking for help. Still more were simply running and screaming with no purpose.

Hop Sing’s uncle looked around and began shouting in Chinese. Ben doubted if anyone could have heard him over the din of the other voices. But within a few minutes, a small crowd – some old, some young, some male and some female – gathered around the old man. They began hugging and touching each other.

Ben watched the scene for a minute with a sense of both pleasure and impatience. He was pleased that Hop Sing’s uncle had seemed to find his family. He was impatient to find the missing member of his own family. "Honorable father," said Ben to the old Chinese, "we must return to the hotel. My youngest son…we must find him."

The old man looked at Ben with knowing eyes and nodded. "Of course," he said. "You must go." His eyes turned to Hoss. "You must tell Hop Sing how grateful his uncle is that he has strong protectors at his side." Hoss nodded and blushed a bit.

Ben didn’t wait any longer. He gave a brief nod and started up the street. Adam and Hoss quickly joined him.

The walk from the hotel to Chinatown had been short – no more than an easy 20 minute stroll. But the return to the hotel was a difficult and arduous journey. Ben and his sons walked as rapidly as possible up the steep hill, but their progress seemed to be impeded with every step. People were milling around, shouting names and calling for help. Some were simply standing and staring, seemingly in shock. Ben could hear the clang of emergency wagons in the distance, and shouts of instructions to clear the streets. No one seemed to pay any attention to the shouts.

As the Cartwrights made their slow progress up the street, they were awed by the destruction the earthquake had caused. There didn’t seem to be a single building that wasn’t damaged. Many of the poorly built structures had simply collapsed. The sturdier buildings still stood, but large jagged cracks were visible in the walls. Chunks of rocks, plaster and other debris filled the street, making them almost impassable. It took the Cartwrights almost an hour to make it to the hotel. The panic caused by the earthquake seemed to ebb as they came closer to the hotel. People no longer seemed to be running aimlessly, and they passed a few people trying to organize the crowd.

As they neared the hotel, Hoss voiced the worry that was in the mind of each of the Cartwrights. "Pa, what if Joe ain’t at the hotel?" he asked.

"I don’t know," replied Ben grimly.

"We’ll never find him if he’s not there," said Adam.

"We’ll find him," said Ben firmly. "If we have to search every inch of this city, we’ll find him."

Ben walked toward the hotel, his eyes searching the skyline. He let out a sigh of relief when he saw the building was still standing. As he neared the hotel, the crowd seemed to thicken again. About twenty people were standing outside the entrance to the hotel, shouting at two obviously beleaguered men standing by the front doors. Ben searched the crowd for Joe, but he could see no sign of his youngest son. His heart in his throat, Ben pushed his way into the crowd.

"Everyone is out of the hotel," Ben heard the man shout to the crowd. "As near as we can tell, no one in the hotel was injured. Please. Just wait here until we can finish checking the building."

"What about our belongings?" shouted someone from the crowd.

"Your belongings are safe, I assure you," said one of the men.

"Where are we going to sleep tonight?" someone else in the crowd shouted.

"Here, we hope," shouted one of the men near the door. "The building has some damage but we believe it is safe. We’re checking to be sure."

Ben pushed his way to the front of the crowd. "I have to get into the hotel," he said.

The man by the door shook his head. "No one is going in until we make sure it is safe."

"But my son may be still in there," said Ben anxiously.

"I can assure you that he isn’t," answered the man. "We checked all the rooms. There is no one in the hotel."

"But he must be there!" said Ben, his voice becoming a bit frantic.

The man by the door looked at Ben for the first time. "Mr. Cartwright?", he said tentatively. When Ben nodded, the man continued, "Are you looking for the young man with the dark hair? The one wearing the green jacket?"

"Yes, yes," replied Ben eagerly. "Do you know where he is?"

"He left the hotel a little after noon," replied the man. "I was on the desk, and he asked me for directions to City Hall. I saw him leave." The man turned away from Ben as someone else in the crowd shouted a question. Ben pushed his way out of the crowd and headed toward Adam and Hoss who were standing a few feet away.

"The clerk says Joe left for City Hall a little after noon," said Ben to Adam and Hoss who watched him anxiously. "He must have been there when the earthquake hit."

"Do you know where it is?" ask Hoss.  Ben nodded. "Then what are we waiting for?" asked Hoss. "Let’s get to City Hall."

***********

Joe struggled out of the dark fog in his head, gasping for air as he woke. He could hardly breathe. He felt a weight pushing down on his chest, making each attempt to suck in air a labored effort. As his consciousness grew, Joe was aware of other weights on his body, not as heavy as the one on his chest, but still the weights pinned him to the ground. His lungs felt full of dust and he coughed, then grunted with pain as the cough seem to cause a sharp stab into his right side. He gasped for air again, feeling the weight on his chest restricting his lungs from working properly. His head was resting on something hard, and sharp objects seemed to be digging into his back. Joe tried to open his eyes as he wondered where he was. His eyes felt gritty, and his right eye seemed almost pasted close. Joe blinked hard,