their horses when they visited the creek.
They all dismounted. Carole showed Frieda how to clip on a lead rope and secure Patch to a tree branch.
“Unless it’s an emergency, you never use the reins to tie a horse,” Carole explained. “It’s bad for the leather and can make the bit very uncomfortable.”
“She’s a natural teacher,” Frieda told Lisa and Stevie.
“Just try to stop her!” Stevie teased. “Now, where’s the grub?”
Lisa handed her the backpack with their lunches in it.
The four of them headed for the rock the girls knew so well, shedding their boots and socks as they walked.
By the time all four of them had their feet dangling in thewater, Stevie had doled out the lunches, hefting Frieda’s brownie-filled one expectantly.
“Are there a lot of paths around here?” Frieda asked.
“You bet,” said Stevie. “They’re all over the place. This is just our favorite.”
“There’s one through the piney woods,” said Lisa. “It smells wonderful on a summer day.”
“And there’s the crooked trail,” said Carole. “It goes on the other side of the hill—we could have taken it at the split by the big rock, but it twists so much that it’s almost no fun.”
“Are there others?”
“Lots,” Stevie assured her. “Most of them eventually circle back to Pine Hollow.”
“But not all, right?”
“No, there’s the Rocky Trail. That ends up down by the highway. We never go on it, though, because you have to double back—and it’s dangerous, anyway. People get lost on it.”
“But doesn’t everybody know the trails?”
“Not everybody rides them as much as we do,” Carole explained.
“And the dummies who don’t ride often sometimes forget to pick up a map.”
“There are maps?”
“In Mrs. Reg’s office,” Carole said.
“Have you got a map?”
“Not with us, but don’t worry,” said Stevie. “You’re with us and we know exactly where we are, how we got here, and how we’re going back.”
“I know that,” said Frieda. “I was just curious.”
“Well, ask Mrs. Reg for a map when we get back. She’s got stacks of them.”
“I will,” said Frieda. “But I was thinking about that president’s daughter. Like, what if you got lost when you were riding out here with her?”
“I don’t think that’s going to happen,” said Carole. “We were talking about it last night, and none of us can think of a reason in the world to take anything but our favorite trail when we’re riding with Karya.”
“And besides, with all those men in black following our every move, I think it would be impossible for us to get lost even on our least favorite trail. There will probably be bloodhounds sniffing all over the place,” Lisa joked.
“Sounds complicated,” said Frieda.
“It is for them,” Stevie agreed. “They have to plan all kinds of things to make sure we know where we are.”
“And besides, they’ve checked everything out already,” Lisa said. “In fact, I think they were doing background checks on all the horses.”
“Like they’re going to find out about Belle’s criminal record?”
“Better hers than yours!” Lisa teased.
“I don’t think they’re worried about criminals,” said Carole. “My dad was telling me that someone really has threatened to kidnap Karya.”
“Don’t politicians get that kind of threat sometimes?” Lisa asked.
“Definitely,” said Stevie. “And the security guys have to take it seriously. See, Karya’s father was elected, but there arestill people who wish he hadn’t been. And I learned something else.” She paused for effect. “I was doing some research on the Internet and I found the reason Karya speaks such wonderful English. Her mother is American. She was born in Virginia, really near Willow Creek, and her parents still live there. Karya’s actually spent a lot of time here and learned English when she was really little. Not everybody in the ADR thinks that’s a wonderful thing.
They all dismounted. Carole showed Frieda how to clip on a lead rope and secure Patch to a tree branch.
“Unless it’s an emergency, you never use the reins to tie a horse,” Carole explained. “It’s bad for the leather and can make the bit very uncomfortable.”
“She’s a natural teacher,” Frieda told Lisa and Stevie.
“Just try to stop her!” Stevie teased. “Now, where’s the grub?”
Lisa handed her the backpack with their lunches in it.
The four of them headed for the rock the girls knew so well, shedding their boots and socks as they walked.
By the time all four of them had their feet dangling in thewater, Stevie had doled out the lunches, hefting Frieda’s brownie-filled one expectantly.
“Are there a lot of paths around here?” Frieda asked.
“You bet,” said Stevie. “They’re all over the place. This is just our favorite.”
“There’s one through the piney woods,” said Lisa. “It smells wonderful on a summer day.”
“And there’s the crooked trail,” said Carole. “It goes on the other side of the hill—we could have taken it at the split by the big rock, but it twists so much that it’s almost no fun.”
“Are there others?”
“Lots,” Stevie assured her. “Most of them eventually circle back to Pine Hollow.”
“But not all, right?”
“No, there’s the Rocky Trail. That ends up down by the highway. We never go on it, though, because you have to double back—and it’s dangerous, anyway. People get lost on it.”
“But doesn’t everybody know the trails?”
“Not everybody rides them as much as we do,” Carole explained.
“And the dummies who don’t ride often sometimes forget to pick up a map.”
“There are maps?”
“In Mrs. Reg’s office,” Carole said.
“Have you got a map?”
“Not with us, but don’t worry,” said Stevie. “You’re with us and we know exactly where we are, how we got here, and how we’re going back.”
“I know that,” said Frieda. “I was just curious.”
“Well, ask Mrs. Reg for a map when we get back. She’s got stacks of them.”
“I will,” said Frieda. “But I was thinking about that president’s daughter. Like, what if you got lost when you were riding out here with her?”
“I don’t think that’s going to happen,” said Carole. “We were talking about it last night, and none of us can think of a reason in the world to take anything but our favorite trail when we’re riding with Karya.”
“And besides, with all those men in black following our every move, I think it would be impossible for us to get lost even on our least favorite trail. There will probably be bloodhounds sniffing all over the place,” Lisa joked.
“Sounds complicated,” said Frieda.
“It is for them,” Stevie agreed. “They have to plan all kinds of things to make sure we know where we are.”
“And besides, they’ve checked everything out already,” Lisa said. “In fact, I think they were doing background checks on all the horses.”
“Like they’re going to find out about Belle’s criminal record?”
“Better hers than yours!” Lisa teased.
“I don’t think they’re worried about criminals,” said Carole. “My dad was telling me that someone really has threatened to kidnap Karya.”
“Don’t politicians get that kind of threat sometimes?” Lisa asked.
“Definitely,” said Stevie. “And the security guys have to take it seriously. See, Karya’s father was elected, but there arestill people who wish he hadn’t been. And I learned something else.” She paused for effect. “I was doing some research on the Internet and I found the reason Karya speaks such wonderful English. Her mother is American. She was born in Virginia, really near Willow Creek, and her parents still live there. Karya’s actually spent a lot of time here and learned English when she was really little. Not everybody in the ADR thinks that’s a wonderful thing.
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