Ezra hated chores.

When the family returned from school, Chris sent everyone off to finish chores. Ezra had to clean the horse stalls because of his 'gambling problem' as Josiah put it. //Only problem was getting caught// While cleaning the stalls, Ezra over heard a couple of ranch hands talking about their Friday night poker game. Since Ezra had some money, he was going to see if he could get into the game.

"Hank?"

"Yeah Ezra?" Hank was a newer ranch hand that didn't know that Ezra wasn't allowed to play poker or to be in the bunkhouse.

"I was wondering if you would allow me to join in your game tonight?"

"Yer a little young ain't ya?"

"I may be young, but I am very good at poker."

"Okay. Yer money is just as good as any other. Game starts at ten. Most of the men are going to town, so it will be a small group."

"I'll be there. Thank you." Ezra finished his chores quicker with an evening of poker to look forward to. By ten o'clock, everyone would be in bed so he could easily sneak out and then back in.

"Chris are you sure you will be okay tonight with all the boys?" Josiah asked.

"Come on Josiah. I have watched them before."

"I know, but today was the last day of school and they are wound up. I don't want to come home and find them all shot." Josiah chuckled.

"Funny. Laugh it up big brother. We will be fine. It's not like I can't be like the old lady who lived in a shoe."

"Old lady in a shoe?" JD asked from his spot on the rug.

Chris smiled and picked JD up. "Yep. She had sooo many children she didn't know what to do."

JD had a serious look on his face. "Whad she do?"

"She spanked them all soundly and sent them to bed." Chris said as he tickled JD.

"Aw Chris. Stop it or I's gonna pee my pants."

"Well we can't have that now can we." Chris set JD down and watched him return to his toys. Chris walked back to Josiah and said, "Go and enjoy your evening. Buck is already in town and it's just the four of them. Besides, Nate is no trouble and I think Ezra is too sore to be much trouble."

"That just leaves them babies."

"I ain't no baby 'Siah." JD added.

"Sorry pup. I keep forgetting." Josiah left and Chris settled down to read the paper.

Chris couldn't have been more wrong about being able to handle four boys without shooting someone. Dinner was fine, but afterwards, JD, Vin and Ezra started a wrestling match. They weren't too rough until they accidentally bumped into Nathan, who was reading.

"Can't you guys stop it? I'm trying to read."

"Nathan. If you want to be such a stick in the mud, why don't you go read upstairs? We are enjoying ourselves." Ezra said as he pushed Vin onto the couch.

"I shouldn't have too. You guys could read or play checkers instead of rough housing."

"Read? Yuck. Schools out Nate, lighten up." Vin said as he pushed Ezra toward Nathan.

Ezra bumped into Nate again and laughed. Nathan wasn't laughing and pushed Ezra just as JD was moving behind him. Ezra lost his balance and fell, smacking his head against the coffee table. Nathan was shocked.

"Ow! Damn it Nathan. Now I'm going to have a hell of a headache." Ezra said.

Ezra hadn't noticed Chris coming over to check to see if he is okay.

"I'm sorry Chris. I shouldn't have pushed him." Nathan said.

"No you shouldn't have." He turned to Vin and JD. "No more wrestling. Go find something quiet to do or go to bed." Chris waited until JD and Vin sat down to refocus on Ezra. "You okay Ez?"

Ezra sat up and rubbed his head. "Yeah. I'll live."

"Good." Chris stood up and looked down at Ezra. He offered his hand and helped him to his feet. "Oh Ez?"

"Yeah Chris?"

"If I hear that kind of language from your mouth again, I'll be washing it out with soap. Understand?"

"Yes sir." Ezra looked at his feet. //I'll have to watch that//

Chris returned to his paper. Vin, JD and Ezra decided to go upstairs to finish their game.

Around 8:30PM, Chris headed upstairs to put boys to bed. He noticed that they had all became pretty quiet in the last hour. He had heard them wrestling around a little, but as long as he didn't hear crying or furniture breaking, he didn't fuss about it.

He knocked and entered Vin's room to find Vin and Ezra playing cards on the floor. "Boys."

"Hey Chris. Ez was teaching me how to play go fish." Vin said.

"Go fish huh? It better not be poker."

"What sort of sport would that be? Vin has very little money to use for such a venture." Ezra said as he picked up his cards.

"Just make sure it stays that way. Where's JD?"

Vin and Ezra both pointed to the bed. On top of the comforter, JD was sound asleep amidst an entire army of wooden soldiers.

"How long has he been asleep?" Chris asked.

"Maybe a half hour. We didn't notice right away." Ezra said.

"Well it's bed time anyway. I'll take sleeping beauty to his room and you boys can get to bed also."

"It's still early." Vin said as he yawned.

"Yep. I can see you aren't tired."

"Nope." Ezra said with a yawn.

Chris smiled. He picked JD up and started for the door. "Go to bed boys now. No more arguments, complaints, or excuses. I'm going to take care of JD and will be back to tuck you both in." Chris left and Ezra headed to his own room. Chris tucked them all in and was finishing up when Nathan headed for bed. With the house finally quiet, Chris sat for a couple hours enjoying the quiet.

Around ten o'clock, Ezra got up and got dressed. He hadn't heard Chris head for bed yet, but was still pretty confident that he could get out without being seen. He snuck down the back stairs and out the door. He made it to the bunkhouse without any troubles. The ranch hands present where all new so Ezra wouldn't have to worry about getting caught by the hands that knew better. And he would be long gone before anyone who did know better, would be back.

After an hour, the hands realized that Ezra may be young, but he was a good poker player. Ezra managed to make his $5.00 grow into $20.00 before the hands had had enough.

"Boy. Are you cheating?"

"Sir I don't cheat. If you don't believe me, I will simply leave."

Not willing to let Ezra leave without a chance to get some of their money back, the game continued. Ezra was so engrossed in his lucky streak that he failed to hear Josiah return from town.

Upon hearing the excited voices in the bunkhouse, Josiah decided to peek in and see what the commotion was. What he saw made him see red.

Ezra was about to scoop up his latest pot, when he was lifted from the chair by the scruff of his neck. He turned to see the wrath of God in Josiah's eyes.

"Hey boss. Your brother cleaned us out." Hank said.

Ezra groaned.

"He did, did he? Did he also mention that he wasn't allowed in the bunkhouse and he certainly wasn't allowed to play poker?"

"No sir, he didn't. We didn't know."

"Well now you do." Josiah saw the sizable pot and said, "Boys, take what you started with from the pot. Ezra won't be needin' it." The hands quickly did as they were told as Josiah dragged Ezra out of the bunkhouse.

"Josiah?"

"Don't even try young man. I am so mad at you right now I could spit nails." Josiah set Ezra back onto his feet and said, "I'm not going to deal with you tonight Ezra because if I did I would regret it. I want you to go get into bed, and we will be having a long talk in the morning."

"But..."

"NOW!" Josiah sent Ezra running into the house with a hard swat to his backside.

Josiah tried to breath and to calm his emotions. He was about to return to the house when Hank came up to him.

"Sir?"

"Yeah Hank?"

"Here's the money the boy started with." Hank handed Josiah $5.00.

"Thanks Hank. Let the men know that I'm not mad at them. Ezra has a way of talking himself into trouble."

"Yes sir. Good night."

"Good night Hank." Josiah put the five dollars in his pocket and headed for the house. Chris was waiting for him when he entered.

"What happened Josiah? I thought it was you coming in and it was Ezra. He didn't say anything, he just ran upstairs."

"I found him playing poker in the bunkhouse."

Chris groaned. "Didn't you just give him a tanning for that very thing this afternoon?"

"Yep. I can see it helped." Josiah said sarcastically.

"Are you going to deal with him tonight?"

"Nope. If I go up there right now, I will find myself on trial for murder. I'm going to bed. Will you make sure Ezra is in bed before you go?"

"Sure Josiah."

Chris found Ezra sobbing in his bed when he went to check on him. He sat down on the edge of the bed and rubbed Ezra's back. Ezra tried to calm down but his breathing was hitched. He finally turned to see Chris.

"You got your self into quite a fix this time didn't you?" Chris said gently. Ezra just nodded. "Why Ez? Wasn't this afternoons tanning enough to remind you not to gamble?"

"I don't kn...ow. I jussst can't helppppp myssself."

"Well, try to get some sleep and you had better pray that Josiah calms down before he faces you."

"He hates me." Ezra whispered into his pillow.

"No he doesn't. He loves you very much. That's why he wants you to learn right from wrong. If he didn't love you, he wouldn't care how poorly you acted. Understand?"

Ezra nodded. "Get some sleep. I love you Ezra." Chris stood and kissed Ezra on the forehead.

"Night. Love you ttto." Ezra rolled over and tried to sleep. Chris stopped in to check on Nathan and JD then made a final stop at Josiah's room. They said their goodnights and both men went to bed dreading tomorrow.

Ezra felt awful. He didn't sleep at all, dreading his morning visit with Josiah. He tried to think of why he got involved with the poker game after being thrashed that same day for the same reason. No answer came. It wasn't something he could explain. The whole aspect of gambling seduced him every time.

As the sun peeked from the horizon, Ezra decided to get up and get dressed before Josiah made his visit. //Now where are those long underwear and wool pants// He didn't get a chance to find the thicker clothing before Josiah entered

"I'm glad to see you are up. We need to talk." Josiah sat in the chair by the window and motioned for Ezra to come sit on the bed in front of him. After Ezra got settled, Josiah started. "I would like you to explain to me why I found you in the bunkhouse playing poker last night when you know I would disapprove." Josiah hadn't slept well either. He didn't know how to get through to Ezra about gambling.

Ezra just shrugged his shoulders.

"I would like an answer Ezra."

"I don't know. I just don't think about the consequences when poker is involved. I see the money to be made and I don't remember your warnings."

"So you're saying that I need to give you a lasting reminder of the consequences to this behavior?"

Ezra didn't like the sound of that. He looked at his hands in his lap.

"Ezra? Please look at me." Ezra gazed at Josiah and he could see the unshed tears in Ezra's eyes. "Ezra I'm very disappointed in you." Ezra's tears flowed freely down his cheeks. "I also know that you think because of that, that I hate you." Ezra looked surprised at Josiah as he wiped the moisture off his face. Josiah nodded and smiled. "Chris told me. Ezra, no matter how poorly you act, I will always love you. There is nothing you can do or say that would change that. We're family and families love unconditionally. Now I know Maude taught you different, but it's true. All of us, from Chris all the way to JD, love you, unconditionally. Do you understand?"

Ezra just nodded. He understood what Josiah was saying, but still had trouble putting it into his heart as truth.

"Good. I've decided what your punishment for disobeying me will be. Firstly, I want you to hand over that deck of cards."

Ezra's head shot up. "But..."

Josiah put his hand up to stop any protest. "It's obvious you are too tempted by the cards so if you don't have them, then it may remind you not to gamble. Please get them for me."

Josiah watched as Ezra went to his desk and picked up his deck of cards. He held them in his hand almost reverently before he turned back to Josiah. He slowly handed the deck of cards to Josiah.

"Thank you. Are there any other decks?" Josiah saw the shake of his head and a quiet 'no' as Ezra sat back down.

"Okay. Secondly, you will be confined to this room for the next two weeks. And when I say confined I mean you don't come out for anything but to eat, go to the outhouse and go to church. Understood?"

"Yes sir."

"Thirdly, after those two weeks are up, you will be working with me and the horses, but you will not leave the yard or corral area without my knowing why. Understood?"

"Yes sir."

"If you can stay out of trouble for the next four weeks, and stay away from all gambling, I will let you have your cards back. Step out of line and I may have to toss them in the fire. Understood?"

"Pa gave me those cards. Please don't burn them."

"If you behave I won't have too. Pa gave you these cards and made you promise not to gamble with them."

"I have never gambled with those cards Josiah. I play solitaire or games with Vin and JD, but never poker or anything else for money. I keep my promises to pa."

"Good. I want you to keep a promise to me."

"What promise?"

"Promise me that you will not gamble anymore, or at least until your Buck's age."

"I don't know if I could keep that promise Josiah. I'd hate to break my promise."

"Okay I can understand that. Let's see how the next four weeks go, and I will ask you again. By then you should be able to tell me whether you can control the urge to gamble or if we need to get you some help."

"Help?"

"Gambling is a sickness Ezra. I have seen good men gamble away everything. Their homes, family, jobs, everything is lost. I don't want that for you. I want you to take the biggest gamble of your life Ezra."

"What?"

"Trust me and Chris to teach you how to control the urge to gamble. Let us help you."

Ezra started to cry and Josiah heard a quiet, "I'll try."

"That's all I'm asking."

"Okay." Josiah took Ezra into his arms and hugged him close. After a few quiet moments, Josiah looked Ezra in the eye and said, "There's one more matter to discuss, but I want you to get dressed and come eat breakfast first. Then we will finish this discussion in the barn. Understood?"

"Yes sir." Ezra knew what kind of discussing was done in the barn. He just hoped he could get through it and start proving to Josiah that he could make that promise to him in a few weeks.

"Good. I'll let you get dressed and meet you downstairs."

"Okay." Josiah left and Ezra slowly got dressed. He contemplated putting on think pants to protect his backside, but he knew it wouldn't help. The barn session was going to be painful no matter what, but nothing could compare to the pain he felt when Josiah said he was disappointed.

After breakfast, Josiah and Ezra went out to the barn.

"Last thing Ezra. I keep my promises and I promised you a tanning if I caught you gambling. Not only did I just spank you yesterday, but I find it didn't make an impact, so I am going to employ something that Pa did with me once when I refused to listen to reason." Josiah handed Ezra a jackknife. "I want you to take this knife and go out and cut a switch. Just remember, I make the final say whether I will use it or send you back for a different one, so if you want this whole thing over with quickly, choose wisely. I'll be right here when you decide."

Ezra didn't know what to think. He took the knife and walked toward the grove of trees that grew near the back of the house. He entered the grove and ended up standing by the creek. He gazed into the water and saw his reflection. He quickly wiped at the tears that he didn't know were there. //How am I suppose to do this// he asked himself. He inspected a couple of limbs and discounted them for some reason. They were either too small, which would cause him to be sent back out, or so big he figured they would break his back. //Or backside// He giggled. //Great now I've gone mad// Ezra finally gave up and sat down and cried. He looked up quickly when he heard someone behind him. He saw Buck standing quietly, with his hands behind his back.

"Need help Ez?" Buck knew why Ezra was out here.

"Buck. I can't decide. How can he ask me to do this?"

"Pa did it to him once and he remembered to behave after that. It works too. Pa did it to me once and once is enough." Ezra didn't say anything. "Here..." Buck walked over to a Popular tree and cut a switch about two feet long. It wasn't too thin, but wasn't too thick. Josiah would approve. "Take this one. Chris helped me pick mine. It will hurt but this one will meet Josiah's approval and get it over with quickly."

Ezra shakily stood and took the switch. He tried to smile. "Thanks Buck." He hesitated and Buck embraced him.

"It will be okay. Once it's done you start over. Be brave little brother and march back into that barn and take it like a man."

"I'm not a man."

"That's exactly what Josiah is trying to teach you. Men gamble, young boys don't."

Ezra finally understood what Josiah was saying earlier. "Thanks Buck." Ezra headed back to the barn to take his punishment.

Ezra laid, face down, sobbing on his bed. He had never experienced this much pain in his backside. He absently rubbed his behind and thought about the abuse Josiah inflicted upon him. //Thick pants, I should have gone with the thick pants// Upon returning to his room, he had taken off his pants and put his nightshirt back on. It would offer covering without hurting his sore backside.

Ezra didn't know how long he lay there crying, but he jumped when someone knocked on his door. He turned his head and saw Chris enter with a towel and a jar of salve.

"How ya feelin' little brother?"

"Been better." Ezra wiped his eyes again.

"I know. You did well though. Josiah tells me you made a good choice right away."

"Buck helped me." Ezra confessed.

"I know. How do you think he knew where you were?"

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why did Buck help me?"

"Let me put some of this salve on your backside and I'll tell you a story."

"Not much in the mood for a story Chris."

"No? Even if it's about me?"

Ezra looked at Chris and smiled. "Okay."

Chris applied the healing salve and spun a tale of when he had disobeyed their father over and over again. The story ended with Chris having to cut a switch and Josiah helped him with the task.

"So when Buck's turn came and I knew it would, I helped him. I told him that it was now his duty to help the next brother who was facing 'southern discipline' as pa put it. I always figured it would be Nate he'd have to help, but it seems our brother Nate has a good streak that runs deep through him. He never pushed pa that far."

"Probably because of his past." Ezra mused. Ezra knew Nathan on the plantation where they were both brought up in separate homes, one white and one black.

"I reckon. Nathan learned obedience real fast I would imagine." Chris mused.

"On the plantation, before pa showed up, Nathan and I weren't even allowed to play together. Mother had told me about pa and Nathan's mother, so I surmised that Nathan was my half brother. It didn't matter to mothers current husband though. Anytime he caught me and Nate talking, even just in passing, he beat Nathan. Never laid a hand on me because I was 'white' and Nate wasn't. It always made me so mad. Pa didn't even know about Nathan until I told him after Nate's ma died. Mother was furious that I said anything and then pa came and took us both away."

"Did pa ever tell you what he had to do to get you both?"

"No. I'm sure Maude made him pay."

"He did, for both of you. I remember the last time pa returned from seeing you and had found out about Nathan. He was furious. Said he was going to talk to his lawyer about getting custody of you both. It took awhile but in the end, pa ended up 'paying' for custody. That was one of the happiest days of his life."

"Mine too. I know Nathan was happy to get away."

"The duty falls to you now Ezra."

"Who helped Josiah?"

"Being the oldest isn't always the best position. Josiah had to choose his own switch. He still remembers the day even though it was so long ago. I was still a toddler."

"So the 'duty' goes to me now?"

"Yep. It's your duty to help the next brother who finds himself searching the woods for a switch. I hate to say it, but it will probably be Vin. That boy can try my patience most days."

Ezra giggled. "He does like to push the limits."

"Yes I believe you're right but he's not the only one, is he?"

"No sir. I don't suppose he is."

"Speaking of Vin, I need to go check on him. Something's up and I don't like not knowing what it is." Chris stood to leave.

"Hey Chris?"

"Yeah Ez?"

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure."

"If you could get even with someone who was bullying you all the time, but do it in such a way that that person didn't get hurt, would you be mad?"

"Let me get this straight. Would I get mad if a bully got his comeuppance?"

"Exactly."

"Probably not. Why? Did you get even with someone and are afraid I might ask you to go cut a switch?"

"No sir! Never, I will never have to do that again." Ezra rubbed his sore backside again.

Chris laughed. "Well I see you did learn something. I'll see you at dinner Ez."

"Okay."

An hour later, Josiah came up to check on Ezra. Josiah found him sound asleep, face down, on his bed. He checked Ezra's backside and noticed someone put some salve on it. Feeling like someone was watching him, Ezra woke up to see Josiah watching him.

"Hey Ez. How are you feeling boy?"

"Josiah?"

"Yeah?"

"If I confessed something, would you punish me again?"

"Depends on the confession."

"How about if I make that promise first?"

"The one to not gamble again until your 18 or 19?"

"Yes."

"Okay. Complete absolution for your confession with the promise."

"I promise to not gamble anymore until I'm an adult."

"I'll be holding you to that promise. Okay, go ahead and tell me what you want to confess."

"On the last day of school?"

"Yeah?"

"I took bets on how many times a fellow student needed the outhouse. Everyone picked numbers and I split the pot with the winner and Vin."

"Is that were you got the five dollars you used last night?"

"Yes."

"Hank gave me that five dollars."

"He did?"

"Yep. I'll just hold onto it for a while. No more bets, okay?"

"Okay. I am sorry."

"All is forgiven. Keep your promise to me and I will forget it happened."

"Thanks Josiah."

"I love you Ezra. I will always forgive you."

"I love you too."

"Why don't we go down and have some lunch. You better put on your slippers and robe or Nettie will have a fit."

"Sound good."

Ezra dressed and went downstairs for lunch, both feeling better on the inside.