face was sooty from the smoke. The ends of his blond moustache drooped from the heat.
“Get those horses away from here,” he said, scowling. “Did Alyssa send you out here?”
“Alyssa?” asked Jessie.
Kurt snorted in disgust. “She doesn’t even know that horses can panic around smoke. She’s the worst wrangler I’ve ever seen. If Cookie had hired my friend for the job, this ranch would be run right! Now, get those horses away from here.” He pulled up his kerchief and drove the tractor back to the fire.
The children rode slowly back to the ranch house. “Do you think Kurt turned Honey and Bunny loose?” asked Jessie. “To make it look like Alyssa couldn’t take care of the horses?”
“He did blame her for letting them escape,” said Violet.
Henry looked at the scratches on his hands. “Honey and Bunny didn’t have any scratches. Which means they escaped before the branch fell on the fence. Kurt could have cut the fence wire, turned the horses loose, then dropped the branch on the fence.”
“And maybe he stole Dragon to make Alyssa look even worse,” said Jessie.
“Shouldn’t we tell Cookie?” asked Violet.
“We have no proof,” Henry said. “We need to think of a way to find some.”
CHAPTER 9
A Computer Connection
“Did anyone call about Dragon?” asked the children as they walked in to breakfast.
“Not yet,” said Cookie. “But it’s still early. Not everyone has seen our flyers.” The children ate quietly, then went to do their chores. “Please, ring the cowbell if anyone calls,” said Jessie.
“I will,” promised Cookie. All morning, the children listened for the bell, but it didn’t ring until it called the ranch hands to lunch.
At lunchtime, Cookie set a big platter of chicken on the table. “I talked to a friend who works at the newspaper. He said I should bring him one of our flyers and he’ll put it in tomorrow’s paper.” She pressed her lips together. “He said a couple of other people have called him the past few days about missing horses. It looks like horse thieves might be working in this area.”
The children stared at the food in their plates. Not even Benny was hungry.
Cookie wiped her hands on her apron. “Today is Alyssa’s day off, but you four can go on a ride by yourselves after lunch. It will help take your minds off Dragon. I’ll bring the flyer over to the newspaper.” She took off her apron. “Try to eat a little something,” she said, leaving. “I’ll see you later.”
Benny nibbled a chicken leg. Henry made a sandwich from the peanut butter and jelly Cookie kept on the table. Violet sipped vegetable soup. Jessie pushed a cucumber around her plate. “It’s so hard to sit here doing nothing,” Jessie said. Suddenly, she jumped up. “I know what we can do!” And with that, she ran to Cookie’s office and turned on the computer. The others gathered around as she typed in the words “Stolen Horses.” The screen filled with websites listing missing horses. Jessie typed Dragon’s description on one website after another.
Every time Jessie went to a new website, the children looked at the photos of missing horses. Some of the horses had been found. Some were still missing. Jessie clicked to a new website. Violet gasped. “Oh!” she said, pointing to a photo.
“It’s Lots-o’-Dots!” cried Benny. Sure enough, there on the screen was Benny’s little spotted horse. The writing under the photo said:
POLKY-DOTS
MISSING FOR ONE MONTH
from Edie’s Bead Shop, Big Piney, Wyoming
Our friendly horse is so much more than a pet. Everyone who visited our little bead shop loved our funny little Polky-Dots. He often walked right through our shop to say “Howdy” to our customers. Polky-Dots loves his treats and will poke his nose right into your pocket looking for a sugar cube or apple or carrot. If you have seen our wonderful horse, please call Edie’s Bead Shop.
“That’s why he had beads stuck in his hooves,” said
“Get those horses away from here,” he said, scowling. “Did Alyssa send you out here?”
“Alyssa?” asked Jessie.
Kurt snorted in disgust. “She doesn’t even know that horses can panic around smoke. She’s the worst wrangler I’ve ever seen. If Cookie had hired my friend for the job, this ranch would be run right! Now, get those horses away from here.” He pulled up his kerchief and drove the tractor back to the fire.
The children rode slowly back to the ranch house. “Do you think Kurt turned Honey and Bunny loose?” asked Jessie. “To make it look like Alyssa couldn’t take care of the horses?”
“He did blame her for letting them escape,” said Violet.
Henry looked at the scratches on his hands. “Honey and Bunny didn’t have any scratches. Which means they escaped before the branch fell on the fence. Kurt could have cut the fence wire, turned the horses loose, then dropped the branch on the fence.”
“And maybe he stole Dragon to make Alyssa look even worse,” said Jessie.
“Shouldn’t we tell Cookie?” asked Violet.
“We have no proof,” Henry said. “We need to think of a way to find some.”
CHAPTER 9
A Computer Connection
“Did anyone call about Dragon?” asked the children as they walked in to breakfast.
“Not yet,” said Cookie. “But it’s still early. Not everyone has seen our flyers.” The children ate quietly, then went to do their chores. “Please, ring the cowbell if anyone calls,” said Jessie.
“I will,” promised Cookie. All morning, the children listened for the bell, but it didn’t ring until it called the ranch hands to lunch.
At lunchtime, Cookie set a big platter of chicken on the table. “I talked to a friend who works at the newspaper. He said I should bring him one of our flyers and he’ll put it in tomorrow’s paper.” She pressed her lips together. “He said a couple of other people have called him the past few days about missing horses. It looks like horse thieves might be working in this area.”
The children stared at the food in their plates. Not even Benny was hungry.
Cookie wiped her hands on her apron. “Today is Alyssa’s day off, but you four can go on a ride by yourselves after lunch. It will help take your minds off Dragon. I’ll bring the flyer over to the newspaper.” She took off her apron. “Try to eat a little something,” she said, leaving. “I’ll see you later.”
Benny nibbled a chicken leg. Henry made a sandwich from the peanut butter and jelly Cookie kept on the table. Violet sipped vegetable soup. Jessie pushed a cucumber around her plate. “It’s so hard to sit here doing nothing,” Jessie said. Suddenly, she jumped up. “I know what we can do!” And with that, she ran to Cookie’s office and turned on the computer. The others gathered around as she typed in the words “Stolen Horses.” The screen filled with websites listing missing horses. Jessie typed Dragon’s description on one website after another.
Every time Jessie went to a new website, the children looked at the photos of missing horses. Some of the horses had been found. Some were still missing. Jessie clicked to a new website. Violet gasped. “Oh!” she said, pointing to a photo.
“It’s Lots-o’-Dots!” cried Benny. Sure enough, there on the screen was Benny’s little spotted horse. The writing under the photo said:
POLKY-DOTS
MISSING FOR ONE MONTH
from Edie’s Bead Shop, Big Piney, Wyoming
Our friendly horse is so much more than a pet. Everyone who visited our little bead shop loved our funny little Polky-Dots. He often walked right through our shop to say “Howdy” to our customers. Polky-Dots loves his treats and will poke his nose right into your pocket looking for a sugar cube or apple or carrot. If you have seen our wonderful horse, please call Edie’s Bead Shop.
“That’s why he had beads stuck in his hooves,” said
Similar Books
