WHEN THE HORSES were hosed off and munching at their haynets, Jessica and her friends gathered in the feedroom. Grace peered down the stable aisle. ‘Just checking that the poo-magnet isn’t around,’ she said, closing the door. ‘I think she’s gone for a trail ride with Tegan Broadbum.’ She sat down next to Jess on a hay bale, wriggling her bottom into place.
Rosie turned a tall white bucket over and inspected its underside. ‘That’s very unkind, Grace,’ she said, dusting off some dirt. She placed the bucket upside down and sat on it.
‘I know. It was meant to be.’ Grace gave a wicked little chortle and nudged Jess in the ribs.
Jess gave her a semi-distracted grunt of approval. She was too busy imagining Walkabout with whip marks up her flanks, a cut and bleeding mouth and spur welts all over her ribs, as would surely be the case if Lawson Blake bought her.
‘Okay, guys,’ said Tom, bringing them to order. ‘We’re having this meeting so that we can help Jess save Walkabout.’ He pointed a straw at Jess, getting straight down to business. ‘So, Jess, when did you find out about this? Who told you Lawson was going to buy Walkabout?’
She was careful to tell the truth, the whole truth, and not to exaggerate as she told them about Lawson’s visit to the mares’ paddock with the stranger, and how the two men had roped Wally and forced her to the ground.
‘I can’t believe anyone could do that to a foal,’ said Grace, disgusted. ‘There was no need to go anywhere near her.’
‘Yeah, that’s what bugs me so much,’ said Jess. ‘It was just so pointless. Now she has terrible rope burns up her neck and she won’t let me near her to check if she’s okay.’
‘Poor little thing,’ said Rosie. ‘I hope she doesn’t think all humans are like that.’
‘I hate Lawson,’ said Grace.
‘You shouldn’t say that about your own cousin,’ said Rosie.
‘Well, he shouldn’t be so cruel. I don’t care if he’s the Queen of Sheba, I hate him,’ snorted Grace.
‘You mean the King of Sheba,’ Rosie corrected her.
Tom interrupted. ‘Jess, did you tell Harry about this incident? He’s responsible for that mare’s care while she’s here, and that includes her foal.’
‘I did,’ said Jess, ‘and that’s when he told me that the strange man was her owner and that Lawson was going to buy her.’
‘Harry does have the right to kick him off the property if he’s mistreating the horses.’
‘Harry had a look at her neck and said it should heal okay by itself,’ said Jess. ‘And anyway, I’d rather he didn’t do that. The guy would take Wally with him.’
‘Good point,’ said Tom, looking thoughtful. ‘And her price is two thousand, you say?’
‘That’s what Harry said.’
‘Reckon the owner would lower his price?’
Luke spoke up. ‘If there are two people bidding for her, he wouldn’t lower the price.’
‘But she would go to a much better home,’ said Rosie. ‘Surely that’s worth more than money.’
‘I don’t think the owner cares about that,’ said Jess.
Luke spoke again. ‘You could make things worse if you bid against Lawson. The price might go even higher.’
Jess was shocked. More than two thousand?
‘Do you have any money saved?’ asked Rosie.
‘Two hundred and forty-six dollars,’ Jess replied. ‘That leaves one thousand, seven hundred and fifty-four.’
‘Oh, is that all,’ said Grace.
The feedroom went quiet.
They were wasting their time. Wally was doomed.
‘Can you ride?’ asked Tom.
‘Of course she can ride,’ Grace snorted. She turned around and whispered to Luke. ‘She’s a really good rider. I’ve seen her at gymkhanas.’
Luke mouthed back, ‘Well, how come she never gets on a horse?’
Jess glared at Luke and Grace, who quickly stopped.
‘If you knew how to campdraft, you could win some money,’ said Tom, pointing his piece of straw at Jess again, as though sizing her up for the task. ‘Luke won eight hundred dollars last season. Didn’t you, Luke?’
‘Yeah, although I would have loved to win out at Longwood – there was fifteen hundred dollars up for grabs in the junior event,’ said Luke. ‘You gotta be pretty sharp to win out there, though. The kids out that way are born on horses, spend every day mustering cattle.’
Fifteen hundred dollars!
‘When is it on?’ asked Jess.
‘In March. Harry will be taking Biyanga and the two colts,’ said Tom. ‘I’ve been training Nosey for months.’
‘I’m taking Legs,’ said Luke. ‘It’s a huge draft, twelve hundred head of cattle. We pack up the truck and go for five days.’
‘Dad’s taking us too,’ said Rosie, sounding excited. ‘It’s one of the biggest drafts in the district. I’ve never been before. I can’t wait.’
Grace leapt off her hay bale and faced Jess. ‘That’s it! Why don’t you come too, Jess?’ She did a crazy little pogo dance on the spot. ‘You could win fifteen hundred dollars!’
‘But I don’t have a horse,’ said Jess. ‘And I wouldn’t have a clue how to campdraft.’
‘Luke’ll teach you,’ said Tom. He looked at Luke, who shrugged. ‘And maybe Harry can find you a horse.’
‘I bet I could find you one in our paddocks at home,’ said Grace. Then she thought better of it. ‘They’re all a bit young, though.’
‘What about the bay gelding in the yard at your place?’ asked Rosie. ‘He looks like a stockhorse.’
‘No way. That’s my cousin’s horse. He’s crazy.’
‘Hey, didn’t you say he comes from out west?’ asked Tom.
‘Yeah, he does,’ said Jess. ‘He comes from . . .’ she paused. ‘That’s weird. He comes from Longwood.’
Grace gasped. ‘Oh my God! It’s a sign!’ She hopped from one foot to another.
‘Jess, I think it might be your destiny!’ cried Rosie.
‘Hey now, slow down,’ said Jess. ‘That horse is a rogue. I’ve only ridden him once and he reared up in my face.’ She looked at her friends. ‘You all saw my face when I first came here, right? Well, that was his handiwork.’
‘Is that how you got the black eye?’ asked Tom. ‘That was a mean one.’
‘Yes, he just kept tossing his head and snatching the reins,’ answered Jess, and before she knew it, she was telling them about the day down on the river flats – about Lawson and his gun, Shara being reckless and stupid, the gunshot and Dodger going crazy. Her friends listened with mouths agape. ‘I’m telling you,’ she concluded, ‘he’s a total fruitcake.’
‘Who are you talking about – Lawson or the horse?’ asked Tom.
‘The horse,’ said Jess.
‘Jess,’ said Tom. ‘Most horses would get a fright if someone let off a gun near them. I reckon it’s Lawson who is the fruitcake, not the poor horse.’
Poor horse? Does it matter to no one that Dodger nearly turned me into a pizza?
‘Did you give that horse its head?’ asked Tom.
Jess gave an exasperated sigh. ‘He was tossing his head around way before the gunshot. I have no idea why he kept doing it. He’s just stupid, I tell you.’
Four voices chorused back at her in perfect unison. ‘There’s no such thing as a stupid horse, mate.’ If they’d practised for months they couldn’t have parroted Harry’s voice any better.
‘I thought we were here to find a way to help Wally,’ Jess said stiffly. ‘I don’t see what Dodger has to do with that.’
Luke said, ‘Why don’t you bring Dodger over and try him at campdrafting? Let Harry have a look at him.’
‘Okay, okay,’ said Jess. ‘I’ll bring him down here and you can see for yourselves.’
‘Attagirl,’ said Rosie, leaning over and rubbing Jess’s leg.
Jess managed a smile, even though she felt green at the thought of getting back on Dodger.
‘Come on!’ said Grace, reaching for the door. ‘Let’s go and ask Harry.’
While the others went to put their horses away, Jess and Grace found Harry in the tackroom, fiddling with an old bridle.
‘Hey, Harry,’ said Grace, pushing Jess forward into the doorway. ‘Jess wants to ask you something.’
‘Hmmm,’ said Harry without looking up from a tricky buckle that wouldn’t come undone.
‘I was wondering if you’d have a look at that horse for me.’
‘What horse is that, Jess?’
‘The one I told you about, the one that reared in my face.’
‘Your cousin’s horse?’
‘Yeah.’
Harry turned and gave her a questioning look. ‘What for?’
‘To see if maybe I could ride him.’
Harry grinned. ‘Good on you, Jessy.’