think of the pots and pans you’d have to wash,” Carole added.
“I love washing pots and pans!” said her father.
“Dad. The whole point is to ride well, pack light, make it easy on the horses—”
“Ah, yes, the horses,” he said.
“Stop teasing, it’s true.”
“Okay. But for a short cattle drive like this, does it really make a difference how
easy
we go on the horses?”
“Sure it does,” said Carole. “After all, you never know how hard they’re going to have to work once the drive gets under way. Or how hard
you’re
going to have to work, for that matter.”
“But, Carole, honey, come on. Don’t you think Walter and John could do this drive by themselves? Easily? To me it feels a little staged, that’s all.”
“I know, we felt that way on our first drive before it began. But we didn’t feel that way for long. After all, it’s real cattle we’re moving, over real range. And most important, it’s on—”
“I know,” her father said, and they both said “real horses” at the same time.
Carole knew she was taking things a bit too seriously,but she was glad she’d said something to her father. The parents’ making fun of the food and drive had hurt her feelings a bit. And she was worried they’d hurt Walter and John too. Maybe once the cattle drive started, the Saddlebags would start taking things more seriously.
“W HAT ’ S WRONG, MOM ?” Lisa asked. Her mother frowned as she drank her morning coffee.
“Oh, nothing, really.”
Lisa wasn’t convinced. “You haven’t smiled once since you got up.”
“Well, I didn’t sleep very well at all,” Mrs. Atwood admitted. “Must’ve been the hard ground.”
Lisa wasn’t so sure about her mother’s excuse. She thought the scowl might have more to do with Lisa’s friendship with John Brightstar than the hard ground. Then again, she thought, her mother was not the outdoorsy type. Maybe she was telling the truth.
John came walking up. “Morning, Lisa. Morning, Mrs. Atwood. How’d everyone sleep last night?”
“Not so well, thanks,” said Lisa’s mother. “I don’t feel rested at all. And this coffee hasn’t helped a bit.”
She took one more sip, then handed her empty coffee cup to John.
Lisa blinked. It was as if her mother thought he was a servant.
But John seemed to take it in stride. He took the cup and dumped it into the bucket of dirty dishes.
After finishing with her bedroll, Lisa gathered up the bucket of dirty dishes and headed down to the stream.
Her mother went with her. “I thought this was John’s job, honey.”
“We all pitch in,” she stated, struggling to hide her annoyance. “And since John’s with the horses right now, it’s our job.” She handed her mother a towel.
Her mother didn’t say another word.
Later, when they were all waiting to mount up, Lisa’s mother took her bedroll over to Spot.
“Lisa, dear,” she called. “Don’t you think John should’ve saddled our horses first, before getting his own horse ready?”
John had saddled Tex and tied his lead to a tree, then gone on to saddle up the other horses. Walter and Carole were helping, and it wasn’t taking too long.
“Oh, Mom, can’t you be a little more patient?” Lisa grumbled.
“It’s just that this bedroll is getting heavy,” said Mrs. Atwood.
“Well, put it on the ground, then!” This time Lisa didn’t even try to control her temper.
F INALLY THEY BROKE camp, put out the fire, and secured all bedrolls and equipment behind the saddles.
“May I have everyone’s attention for a minute?” Walter asked.
Everyone gathered around, like teammates listening to their coach before a game.
“Now, you must remember that every cattle drive
can
be challenging. You just never know. Don’t get lazy, or stop being alert, because that’s always the time things tend to go wrong.”
Colonel Hanson and Mr. Lake nodded politely.
“The less experienced riders,” Walter went on, “should make sure you stick
“I love washing pots and pans!” said her father.
“Dad. The whole point is to ride well, pack light, make it easy on the horses—”
“Ah, yes, the horses,” he said.
“Stop teasing, it’s true.”
“Okay. But for a short cattle drive like this, does it really make a difference how
easy
we go on the horses?”
“Sure it does,” said Carole. “After all, you never know how hard they’re going to have to work once the drive gets under way. Or how hard
you’re
going to have to work, for that matter.”
“But, Carole, honey, come on. Don’t you think Walter and John could do this drive by themselves? Easily? To me it feels a little staged, that’s all.”
“I know, we felt that way on our first drive before it began. But we didn’t feel that way for long. After all, it’s real cattle we’re moving, over real range. And most important, it’s on—”
“I know,” her father said, and they both said “real horses” at the same time.
Carole knew she was taking things a bit too seriously,but she was glad she’d said something to her father. The parents’ making fun of the food and drive had hurt her feelings a bit. And she was worried they’d hurt Walter and John too. Maybe once the cattle drive started, the Saddlebags would start taking things more seriously.
“W HAT ’ S WRONG, MOM ?” Lisa asked. Her mother frowned as she drank her morning coffee.
“Oh, nothing, really.”
Lisa wasn’t convinced. “You haven’t smiled once since you got up.”
“Well, I didn’t sleep very well at all,” Mrs. Atwood admitted. “Must’ve been the hard ground.”
Lisa wasn’t so sure about her mother’s excuse. She thought the scowl might have more to do with Lisa’s friendship with John Brightstar than the hard ground. Then again, she thought, her mother was not the outdoorsy type. Maybe she was telling the truth.
John came walking up. “Morning, Lisa. Morning, Mrs. Atwood. How’d everyone sleep last night?”
“Not so well, thanks,” said Lisa’s mother. “I don’t feel rested at all. And this coffee hasn’t helped a bit.”
She took one more sip, then handed her empty coffee cup to John.
Lisa blinked. It was as if her mother thought he was a servant.
But John seemed to take it in stride. He took the cup and dumped it into the bucket of dirty dishes.
After finishing with her bedroll, Lisa gathered up the bucket of dirty dishes and headed down to the stream.
Her mother went with her. “I thought this was John’s job, honey.”
“We all pitch in,” she stated, struggling to hide her annoyance. “And since John’s with the horses right now, it’s our job.” She handed her mother a towel.
Her mother didn’t say another word.
Later, when they were all waiting to mount up, Lisa’s mother took her bedroll over to Spot.
“Lisa, dear,” she called. “Don’t you think John should’ve saddled our horses first, before getting his own horse ready?”
John had saddled Tex and tied his lead to a tree, then gone on to saddle up the other horses. Walter and Carole were helping, and it wasn’t taking too long.
“Oh, Mom, can’t you be a little more patient?” Lisa grumbled.
“It’s just that this bedroll is getting heavy,” said Mrs. Atwood.
“Well, put it on the ground, then!” This time Lisa didn’t even try to control her temper.
F INALLY THEY BROKE camp, put out the fire, and secured all bedrolls and equipment behind the saddles.
“May I have everyone’s attention for a minute?” Walter asked.
Everyone gathered around, like teammates listening to their coach before a game.
“Now, you must remember that every cattle drive
can
be challenging. You just never know. Don’t get lazy, or stop being alert, because that’s always the time things tend to go wrong.”
Colonel Hanson and Mr. Lake nodded politely.
“The less experienced riders,” Walter went on, “should make sure you stick
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