with riders who’ve spent more time on horseback. Okay, everybody, let’s mount up.”
“I don’t see what could possibly go wrong,” Mr. Lake mumbled as he climbed aboard his horse.
Colonel Hanson shrugged. “Strategic maneuvers,” he said. “After you’ve herded humans all over the world, cows should be a piece of cake.”
Mr. Lake and the colonel started heading their horsesover to the herd. Walter trotted past them to take the lead, and the others followed behind.
They were off.
As the group approached, the herd started slowly walking away from the horses. Walter picked up the pace a bit, and the cattle followed suit, breaking into a loud chorus of moos as they walked faster and trotted along. Then Walter rode to the front of the herd, leaving the others to watch for strays along the sides.
Lisa and John rode together along one side of the lowing herd, and they both spotted a tiny baby calf that had stopped to sniff a bush. When the dogie looked up, his mother was long gone. He raised his little head and started bleating anxiously.
“Time to rescue this little fella,” said John as Tex broke into a lope. He rode up behind the calf to urge it along, and Lisa rode up alongside it to keep it from moving away from the herd. Together, with words of encouragement, they steered the dogie back to the herd, where his mother was now looking around anxiously for him. The cow and calf stopped so baby could nurse briefly. Lisa and John stayed close to them in case they got separated again.
Carole found herself trotting beside Mr. Atwood.“Hey, look over there,” she cried, pointing off to the southwest. “A stray.” Carole started heading off in the stray steer’s direction.
“Need some help?” called Mr. Atwood.
“Sure.” Carole was in a lope by this time. Mr. Atwood rode beside her, and soon they had caught up to the steer, who seemed lost in thought, munching on a patch of greenish-brown scrub grass. Carole circled around the animal, and Mr. Atwood stayed behind him.
He stopped grazing and looked up.
“Hey, you,” called Carole to the steer, “don’t you know where the party is?” With the horses moving behind him, the steer got the message and started trotting off to join the rest.
“So that’s how a roundup is done,” cried Mr. Atwood.
“If you’re lucky,” Carole answered with a smile.
They rode on, keeping their eyes open.
On the other side of the herd, Mr. Lake told Walter, “I just spotted an animal that might need your help.”
Sure enough, off to the left and just ahead of the herd was a steer who had gotten his horns caught in a bramble bush. The beast was trapped, head down, mooing loudly.
They trotted over to the animal’s side. Walter dismountedand gave his reins to Mr. Lake. “Hold these, and try to keep my horse between you and that steer, just in case he gets any wild and crazy notions in his head.”
But as soon as Walter walked up, patted the animal on its shoulders, and spoke to it quietly, the steer seemed to calm down. Then Walter took out his jackknife and quickly cut the bramble bush away.
The steer looked around and trotted off to join the herd.
“That was simple,” said Walter as he remounted his horse.
“You make it look simple,” said Mr. Lake with a smile of admiration, and they followed the steer back toward the herd.
Mrs. Lake and Colonel Hanson had slowed to a walk and let their horses lag toward the back of the herd.
Farther in back of them, bringing up the rear, rode Stevie and Stewball. She could hear snippets of their conversation—“loves secrets.”
Hmm, she thought. What could they possibly be talking about? Then she heard her own name. They were talking about her! She rode a little closer, straining to hear better.
Colonel Hanson laughed. “Of course I know how well she keeps secrets. Remember when I decided to buy Carole a horse? Not only did Stevie and Lisa help me find Starlight, they kept the whole thing a secret all before
“I don’t see what could possibly go wrong,” Mr. Lake mumbled as he climbed aboard his horse.
Colonel Hanson shrugged. “Strategic maneuvers,” he said. “After you’ve herded humans all over the world, cows should be a piece of cake.”
Mr. Lake and the colonel started heading their horsesover to the herd. Walter trotted past them to take the lead, and the others followed behind.
They were off.
As the group approached, the herd started slowly walking away from the horses. Walter picked up the pace a bit, and the cattle followed suit, breaking into a loud chorus of moos as they walked faster and trotted along. Then Walter rode to the front of the herd, leaving the others to watch for strays along the sides.
Lisa and John rode together along one side of the lowing herd, and they both spotted a tiny baby calf that had stopped to sniff a bush. When the dogie looked up, his mother was long gone. He raised his little head and started bleating anxiously.
“Time to rescue this little fella,” said John as Tex broke into a lope. He rode up behind the calf to urge it along, and Lisa rode up alongside it to keep it from moving away from the herd. Together, with words of encouragement, they steered the dogie back to the herd, where his mother was now looking around anxiously for him. The cow and calf stopped so baby could nurse briefly. Lisa and John stayed close to them in case they got separated again.
Carole found herself trotting beside Mr. Atwood.“Hey, look over there,” she cried, pointing off to the southwest. “A stray.” Carole started heading off in the stray steer’s direction.
“Need some help?” called Mr. Atwood.
“Sure.” Carole was in a lope by this time. Mr. Atwood rode beside her, and soon they had caught up to the steer, who seemed lost in thought, munching on a patch of greenish-brown scrub grass. Carole circled around the animal, and Mr. Atwood stayed behind him.
He stopped grazing and looked up.
“Hey, you,” called Carole to the steer, “don’t you know where the party is?” With the horses moving behind him, the steer got the message and started trotting off to join the rest.
“So that’s how a roundup is done,” cried Mr. Atwood.
“If you’re lucky,” Carole answered with a smile.
They rode on, keeping their eyes open.
On the other side of the herd, Mr. Lake told Walter, “I just spotted an animal that might need your help.”
Sure enough, off to the left and just ahead of the herd was a steer who had gotten his horns caught in a bramble bush. The beast was trapped, head down, mooing loudly.
They trotted over to the animal’s side. Walter dismountedand gave his reins to Mr. Lake. “Hold these, and try to keep my horse between you and that steer, just in case he gets any wild and crazy notions in his head.”
But as soon as Walter walked up, patted the animal on its shoulders, and spoke to it quietly, the steer seemed to calm down. Then Walter took out his jackknife and quickly cut the bramble bush away.
The steer looked around and trotted off to join the herd.
“That was simple,” said Walter as he remounted his horse.
“You make it look simple,” said Mr. Lake with a smile of admiration, and they followed the steer back toward the herd.
Mrs. Lake and Colonel Hanson had slowed to a walk and let their horses lag toward the back of the herd.
Farther in back of them, bringing up the rear, rode Stevie and Stewball. She could hear snippets of their conversation—“loves secrets.”
Hmm, she thought. What could they possibly be talking about? Then she heard her own name. They were talking about her! She rode a little closer, straining to hear better.
Colonel Hanson laughed. “Of course I know how well she keeps secrets. Remember when I decided to buy Carole a horse? Not only did Stevie and Lisa help me find Starlight, they kept the whole thing a secret all before
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