Buckskin Bandit by Dandi Daley Mackall

brushes that fit on my fingertips. I can carry them in my purse.”
    Girls ooh ed and ah ed. Even I had to admit it was a great idea, not that I’d ever buy one. But girls like Summer would love it. And there are a lot more girls like Summer than there are girls like me.
    When the bell rang, Kaylee and I walked out together. We battled the stampede to the cafeteria and sat at my usual table, which was totally empty.
    Kaylee bit into her egg-salad sandwich and opened her chips. “So what did you think of the other inventions?”
    â€œI hate to admit it, but Summer’s sounded pretty good,” I said.
    â€œI wonder if she knows they sell finger-combs in Japan.” She poured from her thermos and took a drink. “My parents and I saw them when we traveled to Japan last summer.”
    Japan? Lizzy and I hadn’t been out of Ohio since we’d moved to Ashland.
    We were quiet for a couple of minutes, eating our sandwiches. I said grace without making a big deal of it. Thanks for my lunch, God. And I really don’t think it’s fair that Summer Spidell is inventing something Japanese people already have. Plus, could I go to Japan someday? or at least Pennsylvania? Amen.
    Catman and M sat across from us and lined up their hot-lunch trays. Each tray held six peanut-butter sandwiches, no jelly. Catman grinned hello, and M raised an eyebrow at Kaylee and me, one each.
    â€œHey to you guys too,” I said.
    Catman’s blond hair hung straight to his shoulders, but M’s long, black hair was pulled back in a ponytail. When I started at Ashland Middle School, I was kind of afraid of M, which was pretty dumb. He is definitely one of the good guys.
    It was funny to watch M and Catman nibble the crusts off their sandwiches as if they were mice, racing.
    â€œAnyway,” I said, turning back to Kaylee, “I’ve been thinking a lot about Happy Trails. We need to go back there after school and search for Bandit. That buckskin has to be hidden in one of those back pastures.”
    â€œYou heard what Pat said about Leonard, Winnie. He’s not going to let us wander around looking for a horse he claims doesn’t even exist.”
    â€œBummer,” Catman muttered.
    Kaylee bit into her apple. “I know Bandit’s there. Leonard claimed those other horses didn’t exist either. Remember? He said he only had five horses . . . until he needed two more. The only reason he brought those horses out was so he could collect money from all seven riders.”
    â€œThat’s it!” I exclaimed. “We’ll do the same thing! We’ll show up with eight riders. No way he’ll turn down the extra money! He’ll have to use Bandit!”
    â€œWinnie, that’s a great idea!” Kaylee’s smile faded. “But where are we going to get eight riders?”
    I was already thinking about that. “Okay. You and me, that’s two. Lizzy’s out.” Dad might have done it, but it would be hard enough to talk him into letting me have an hour away from the workshop. “Let’s ask Sal and Hawk!”
    Summer’s table was just behind ours. I shouted over at them, “Hawk! Sal! Come here a minute!”
    Hawk got up, and Summer grabbed her arm and said something, laughing. But Hawk didn’t laugh along. Instead she came over and sat across from me, next to Catman. “I am glad for the chance to talk with you, Winnie. I was thinking. Your birthday is coming up, right?”
    â€œWinnie,” Kaylee said, “you never told me. When’s your birthday?”
    â€œMarch 24th,” Hawk answered. “I was thinking it might be fun to have a horse birthday party Saturday, where those of us who have horses bring them.”
    â€œWhat a great idea!” Kaylee exclaimed.
    Something inside me felt heavy. “I don’t do much for birthdays, Hawk. But thanks.”
    â€œI would do all the organizing and—,”