Chapter Nine

You’re with Who?

“Come back!” Megan screamed. “Dandy, come back!”

She ran after her horse, but he was too fast to catch.

“Stop them!” Savannah yelled.

The horses raced around the large field, kicking up their heels. It had been a hard day for them, too. They wanted to play.

Rick-Rack ran and bucked with the herd.

Joker just raised his head and snorted. He didn’t seem like he wanted to run.

“They won’t go far,” Alice called. “The Wilderness Preserve is fenced in. They’ll be okay.”

The horses circled back. Rory tried to grab Hero, but Jennifer’s horse jumped clear and ran on.

“Where’s Major?” Ethan asked, looking all around.

“He’s over there,” I told him. I pointed. Major was grazing by the pond. Alice and some of the lesson kids tried to sneak up on him, but the horse started running before they could catch him.

Merlin was rolling in the dirt to scratch his back.

“I just finished brushing him,” Owen complained. “Somebody do something!”

“Like what?” Megan asked. “The horses won’t come to anyone!”

Mark looked at me. “No, they won’t. Monica, who will horses come to?” he asked me.

I frowned, thinking. Then I realized what he meant. “Another horse!” I yelled. “They’ll come to another horse.” I didn’t waste a second. I ran for the broken rope line.

Joker hadn’t gone far. He let me catch him, and he stood still while I put on his bridle. Then he stayed still while I scrambled onto his bare back.

“Okay, Joker,” I said. “Let’s show these people what a good cow pony can do.”

Joker and I started trotting around the field. I didn’t have to chase Rick-Rack. He walked right up to Joker.

“Thanks, Monica!” Chloe exclaimed. “I’ll bridle Rick-Rack so I can help.”

“Catch Major next,” Ethan said. “I’ll help too.”

Major wasn’t as easy as Rick-Rack. He would let Joker get close. Then he would just trot away. Joker and I kept trying until Major finally stopped long enough for Ethan to walk over.

With Chloe and Ethan helping, it only took ten minutes to round up the rest of the horses.

“Good job, Monica,” Alice said. “That was some really quick thinking and hard work.”

“Joker did most of the work,” I said. I bent down and hugged Joker’s neck. He twitched an ear.

“I guess that old cow pony is good for something, huh?” Grandpa said. He winked at me.

“I guess so,” I said, giving Joker a kiss on top of his head.

“That was fun!” Chloe said. Her face was red with excitement.

“What should we do next?” Ethan asked.

“Can we take the horses in the pond, Alice?” I asked.

“You can try,” Alice said. “They might not want to go.”

Several other kids got their horses ready and followed us, but I noticed that none of the Holly Hills kids did. Except Ethan. But no one seemed to care. The horses were thirsty after their wild run, and they all stopped to take a drink.

“Is the water very deep?” Chloe asked.

“Only in the middle,” another kid said.

Ethan’s horse waded in up to his ankles and stopped.

Rick-Rack got wet to his knees before he refused to go deeper.

“I bet Joker likes to swim,” Chloe said.

“Let’s see,” I said.

Joker went into the water past his knees and then past his belly. When he couldn’t touch bottom, he started horse paddling!

“He’s swimming!” I yelled. I held onto Joker’s mane so I wouldn’t slide off. Then Joker swam back to shallow water and whickered to Rick-Rack.

“He wants to play!” I told Chloe.

“Come on, boy,” Chloe said. Rick-Rack pranced for a minute. Then he plunged in.

Both horses pawed the water, splashing Chloe and me. Most of the other horses finally walked into the pond. Some only went in up to their knees. Jupiter and Major swam in the deep part.

“That is so cool!” Ethan said, laughing.

We played in the water until Grandpa announced that dinner was almost ready.

Ethan and I were the first ones back from the pond. The trainers had fixed the rope line.

Savannah was waiting next to it.

“What’s up?” Ethan asked.

Savannah crossed her arms and pressed her lips together. She narrowed her eyes and tapped her foot. “How come you’d rather pal around with the barn help and lesson kids than hang out with your friends?” she asked him.

Ethan hesitated. Then he put his arm around my shoulders!

“I’m with Monica this weekend,” he told her.

My mouth dropped open. I couldn’t speak.

Savannah looked me up and down. “Oh,” she said. Then she turned and flounced off.

Ethan exhaled with relief.

I was furious!

First Ethan had chased Chloe. After she shot him down he had chased me.

Was he trying to make Savannah jealous? Or did he just want something to brag about at school?

“Park your horse somewhere else, Ethan,” I said. “I’m not your weekend girlfriend.”