The next day the sky was brilliant blue all over. There was a fresh dump of snow and everything looked pristine and new. Everything, that is, except Grampy’s truck. It looked like someone had put a giant axe through the front of it.

The tow truck driver attached his chains to it and took some money from Grampy before dragging the wreck off to the repair shop.

‘How will we ever get home?’ said Analita.

‘Looks like you’re stuck here for a while,’ said Zelda, appearing with tea and pikelets. ‘Gonna take some work to get that old thing going again.’

‘We will worry about that later,’ said Grampy. ‘Today, we must ride in the street parade. I’m going to try to talk to Destiny’s owner.’

‘Are you going to buy him?’ asked Ruby.

Grampy put his hands in the air. ‘You know how little money we have. If he will sell him cheaply, maybe. If not, perhaps I can at least show this policeman how to handle him better. Lexie, put a bridle on Chance. We will take her too.’

‘But she’s so difficult,’ said Lexie.

‘Do we have to take her in the parade?’ Ruby asked.

‘I’ll hold on to her,’ said Kit. Although Chance had never really bonded with any of the Tricketts, Kit had the most patience with her.

‘It will do her good to stretch her legs,’ said Grampy. ‘She’s been locked in a stable since we got here.’

The girls prepared the horses and changed into their costumes. They rode into town and gathered at the registration field again. There were even more people than the previous day.

‘All horses to that end of the field!’ The lady in the orange vest pointed a stern finger to the corner of the field.

Unfortunately that meant standing next to the Hexleys. There was a tense silence as both families stood around waiting to be placed in the parade.

Seth adjusted his walrus moustache and combed his hair over. Silvanus stood lazily eating from a bag of sweets. Ruby stayed behind Tinker, trying not to make eye contact. Lexie fussed with the ribbons in Featherfoot’s mane.

Meanwhile, Kit was having too much trouble holding Chance to notice them. ‘Hey!’ she said helplessly. ‘Chance, stop it!’

The mare sniffed at the air and nickered greedily. She dragged Kit towards Silvanus. Kit dug her heels in but the old mare was stronger.

To Ruby’s horror, Chance reached Silvanus and shoved her nose into his bag of sweets. Then she took the whole thing in her teeth and shook it from Silvanus’s hands.

‘Hey!’ Silvanus shouted. ‘Control your horse!’ He watched as his lollies scattered to the ground. Chance dropped her head and hoovered them up, barely bothering to chew. When she had gobbled up the last one, she turned to Silvanus and licked her lips, looking quite pleased with herself.

The boy glared at her.

Chance put her nose against his belly and pushed him. Silvanus screamed as he went feet-up and landed on the ground. Chance dropped her head again and began snuffling all over him, looking for more lollies.

Kit pulled at the mare’s rope. ‘Oh my gosh, I am so sorry,’ she said.

But no matter how hard she pulled, Chance ignored her. Silvanus started chuckling as Chance’s muzzle waggled over his ribs and tummy. Was the old mare tickling him? Soon the boy was squealing with laughter. ‘Get her off me,’ he choked through fits of giggles.

Chance nipped at Silvanus’s pockets with her teeth and eventually found another bag of toffees. She worked them into her mouth, paper wrappers and all, and stood over the top of the boy, dribbling.

‘Get away from me, you big slobber-chops,’ Silvanus said, pushing her away and sitting upright. His eyes twinkled with humour.

Chance ran her nose over his cheek, nickered quietly and closed her eyes, her jaw still chewing and drooling. Silvanus lifted his hands and patted either side of her face.

There was a strange moment while the two held each other and everyone watched them.

‘No, no, no,’ said Kit suddenly, pulling Chance’s head away. ‘This is not happening.’

Chance gave another nicker before turning away, leaving Silvanus to pick himself up out of the dirt and brush himself off. He looked as shocked as everyone else.

A marshal gave a sharp blast of her whistle. ‘Trickstars, to the end of the parade!’ She thrust her finger to the other end of the field. ‘Hexley High Flyers, you go to the centre of the field.’

Ruby sensed relief from everyone as the families went their separate ways again.

‘There!’ said Grampy. He pointed at a white truck with blue stripes. ‘A police truck.’

Several horses could be heard banging about in the back. The ramp was lowered. Four bay horses walked off calmly, led by the two men who had been in the stable last night. The horses wore blue and white checked halters and smart blue rugs. Once they were saddled and marshalled, a man in a blue uniform with medals across his chest mounted the largest of the bays. He took the centre position alongside three other policemen.

So that was Destiny’s legal owner. A whistle blew and he rode forward, leading the parade onto the crowd-lined streets. Within seconds he was lost before a sea of baton-twirling cheerleaders and a huge paper dragon, bobbing up and down like an oversized puppet.

The Hexley High Flyers took their place, followed by tribal drummers and fire twirlers.

The Trickstars brought up the back of the parade. Grampy held Chance and led her alongside the girls. Kit had brushed her coat and woven blue and silver ribbons through her mane and tail to make her look festive.

The streets were busy. People stood shoulder to shoulder, cheering and waving. They danced to the music, blew trumpets and celebrated loudly.

‘One, two, three, stand!’ yelled Ruby, signalling the start of the Trickstars act. The three girls all pounced to their feet. ‘And cross over!’

Kit and Ruby jumped onto Featherfoot and stood behind Lexie. They lifted one leg high in the air and put both arms to the side. Together they formed a star. In the morning sun, their costumes glittered and sparkled. The crowds cheered them on.

Ahead, the Hexleys tumbled about doing some sort of clown act. Seth walked alongside in his ringmaster’s costume. Whatever it was they were doing, it seemed to have the crowd cheering.

One of the Hexleys’ horses let out a shrill whinny. From the corner of her eye, Ruby saw Chance lift her head, toss her mane and prance on the spot. Grampy held her steady.

Ruby heard a shrill whistle before the sound was overridden by the banging drums and blowing horns of a brass band. Chance suddenly went wild, rearing and squealing.

‘Whoa,’ said Grampy, trying to keep her calm. But Chance screamed again.

‘I can barely hold her,’ said Grampy, taking the rope with both hands.

‘Maybe the colt is here somewhere,’ said Kit. ‘She seems to be calling to someone.’

‘Surely they wouldn’t bring a young foal to a street parade,’ said Lexie. ‘That would be cruel.’

Grampy still wrestled with the anxious mare. ‘Easy, girl.’

Chance leapt away from him, tearing the rope through Grampy’s fingers. He growled with pain and shook his hands as he watched the mare bolt through the parade. Chance stopped and stared about for a brief moment before screaming and taking off again.

‘Oh dear,’ said Ruby, holding Tinker steady as he whinnied after her.

The dragon began leaning heavily to one side. People screamed. Trumpets blew out of tune and drums banged erratically. The entire parade began to scatter.

Twirlers lost their batons and dancers forgot their steps. The miniature ponies scattered as Chance galloped through the middle of them.

Grampy swung up behind Ruby. ‘What are you doing?’ she said.

‘Catching Chance!’ Grampy put his arms around Ruby, reached for the reins and kicked Tinker into action. ‘Before she ruins the entire parade!’

Tinker’s great shaggy, iron-clad feet clattered along the road as they gave chase. ‘Sorry!’ said Ruby, as people scattered to get out of their way. Behind her, she could feel Grampy kicking Tinker on faster. She took a large chunk of his mane and held on tight.

‘Rider coming through,’ Grampy yelled as he steered Tinker in and out of the crowds.

Ahead, Chance galloped on, leaping and jumping and dodging and weaving. Her lead rope trailed behind her.

‘Destiny must be here somewhere,’ said Lexie, cantering alongside them on Featherfoot.

‘Not Destiny,’ said Ruby. ‘Look!’

A boy walked out of the chaos and stepped in front of the mare. He wore a red suit.

Chance instantly slowed. She dropped her nose and walked towards him. Silvanus put his arms around her neck as he reached her, and Ruby saw Chance’s belly heave a huge sigh.

Every person in the parade stared at the pair.

‘I don’t believe it,’ said Kit.

‘No!’ gasped Lexie.

‘Ahhh …’ Ruby stammered. ‘I’ve never seen Chance cuddle anyone like that before.’

The police commissioner marched up behind Silvanus and the mare. He led the large bay Waler behind him.

‘Well, looks like we’ve found the thief!’ said the man.