The Black Stallion's Sulky Colt by Walter Farley Page B

to be told; he sensed it all by himself. And after having worked for Jimmy Creech so many years, he didn’t like Henry’s cocky assurance, either.
    Henry said, “Alec and I are stayin’ here, George. That’s what I want to tell Jimmy. We want to take over the colt.”
    George looked at Alec sympathetically, and then his gaze shifted to Bonfire’s tack trunk, which he’d already packed and closed. “I spoke to Jimmy a fewminutes ago,” he told Henry. “I couldn’t wait for you any longer.”
    An angry crimson flush swept over Henry’s face.
    George broke the tense silence by closing his suitcase and saying, “Jimmy said to send the colt home just as I’d arranged. He’s meeting Tom and me at the Pittsburgh airport.”
    Trying to keep the anger out of his voice, Henry asked, “Did you tell him I was here and wanted to talk to him?”
    â€œNo,” George said.
    â€œThen you’d better come with me now while I call him,” Henry said, taking George by the arm and moving him toward the door. “I want you to hear what he has to say so you’ll know it’s all right to leave Bonfire with us.”
    Alec watched them go. George had stopped struggling. Now he was even walking ahead of Henry as though eager to make the phone call and have Jimmy put this
intruder
in his proper place.
    Alec went to Bonfire. The colt had his head over the half-door and Alec rubbed him softly behind the ears. It might happen that he would be with this colt only a little while longer. He hoped not. He hoped Jimmy would agree to leave Bonfire behind. Alec knew that with Henry’s help he and Bonfire would get to the Hambletonian.
    Almost an hour went by before Henry and George returned. Alec needed only to look at their faces to know how much the long talk with Jimmy Creech had taken from both men. Their faces weretaut and white with nervous fatigue. Henry had been given charge of Bonfire. Alec knew this from the pinpoints of light in his friend’s eyes. He pulled the colt’s head a little closer to let him know.
    George was not angry but tolerant and submissive. Jimmy’s decision had relieved him of all responsibility for Bonfire. Now his only concern was for Tom. “I’ll go and tell the van driver not to come around tomorrow morning,” he said.
    Henry stopped before the stall, putting a large hand on Bonfire. Alec noticed that it was trembling.
    â€œHow’d it go?” he asked.
    â€œRough,” Henry answered. “Jimmy was never very easy to get along with. He’s worse now. Maybe it’s because he’s been so sick. He has a mind of his own, and he flares up worse than the worst kind of young colt.” Henry paused, his face relaxing a little while he looked at Bonfire. “But we got this fellow anyway,” he added. “Jimmy’s got too much at stake not to take any kind of a chance … 
even on me
.”
    â€œDoesn’t he like you?” Alec asked.
    â€œSure he likes me, or we wouldn’t have his colt,” Henry snapped back. “And I like Jimmy too. It’s just that we don’t think alike. We never did.” Henry paused. “But I don’t want to talk about him any more. Enough is enough.”
    They stood quietly beside the stall for a few more minutes and then Henry said, “When George gets back I want you and me to go over to the hospital.”
    Alec felt his face stiffen. Finally he said, “Sure, Henry. I want to see Tom before he leaves.”
    It was going to be difficult, Alec knew, seeing Tomin the hospital and knowing what lay ahead of him before he’d be able to walk again. Henry must be well aware of this. Perhaps that’s why he had suggested the visit. Henry wanted him to face what he’d done to Tom,
and then forget it
.
    Henry had taken over.

T HE L ONG C HANCE

6
    Alec slept very little that night. He tossed restlessly on