over and Ringmaster Kroon entered the ring to announce the equestrian act.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” he began, “you are about to witness some of the world’s finest bareback riding. The Vascon family will perform the most daring stunts you have ever witnessed.”
Overhearing the announcement in the wings, Nancy smiled. Not only was she not a Vascon or related to any of the other performers, but not one of them was related to any other!
The horses trotted in and took their places in the ring. The performance started, the mares cantering about rhythmically to the music. Singly, and together, the riders did their stunts.
In Box AA, Mr. Drew and his friends kept their eyes riveted on Nancy. “She’s wonderful!” Bess exclaimed.
Nancy outdid herself. She made no mistakes, and her performance was excellent. When Rancoco jumped up behind her on the mare and they cantered around the ring, he whispered enthusiastically, “Superb, Nancy. Superb!”
Pleased, Nancy smiled. The show went on without interruption. But just as one of the men riders began his solo, there was a wild scream in the audience.
Turning, the equestrians saw a hard-thrown baseball whizzing from one of the exits directly at them!
Like lightning, each performer pulled his horse to the tanbark and lay down himself. The speeding ball fiew over their heads and landed beyond the ring.
The audience was divided in its reaction. Some were stunned. But many people thought it was part of the act and clapped loudly. Their attitude steadied the nerves of the riders and the performance went on.
Later, when Nancy and Erika reached their dressing room, Nancy announced that she was changing to street clothes.
“Where are you going?” her roommate asked.
“I’m not sure,” Nancy replied, “but I’m going to try to find Hitch.”
“Oh Nancy, do be careful. You must be back in time for the final pageant!”
“How much time will there be before that?” Nancy asked.
Erika glanced at the clock. “Two and a half hours.”
“I’ll be back in time,” said Nancy, and she left the dressing room.
She asked Dan Webster if the ball thrower had been captured and was told that he had escaped. “It was probably Hitch,” the horse trainer said ruefully. “He’s still at large.”
Nancy went to Box AA. Mr. Drew and the others whispered that she had been a sensation. Nancy smiled and slid into a seat beside Ned. She asked him if he would accompany her on a little sleuthing expedition.
“Of course,” he replied. “Where?”
“Roberto’s stables,” she said, and then she told him about the missing stableman. “Hitch’s clothes are still at the place. He may be hiding there.”
Nancy whispered to her father that she and Ned would be gone for a short time and told him not to worry about them. Then she and Ned got into his car and drove to the riding academy.
“This place is as dark as a tomb,” Ned remarked, “and just about as cheerful.”
He parked a short distance from the stable and the couple walked quietly toward it. They were halfway to the rear entrance when Nancy grabbed Ned’s arm.
“Listen!”
The sound of hoofbeats and frightened whinnies reached their ears.
“Someone is trying to steal Belgian Star!” Nancy exclaimed.
Nancy and Ned raced toward the riding academy. In the dim light they caught a glimpse of horse and rider disappearing down the road.
“I’m sure that’s Belgian Star!” Nancy cried. “We must catch her.”
“Come on!” Ned cried. “We’ll chase them in the car.”
They hurried back and hopped into the car. The two rode in silence until they heard the rhythmic beat of a horse’s hoofs on the road ahead of them.
The rider must have guessed that he was being pursued. Reaching an open field, he turned sharply and raced directly across it.
Ned did the same. The ground was soft and rutted, but he drove on doggedly until they came to a brook with a thick woods on the other side.
Nancy jumped out of the
“Ladies and gentlemen,” he began, “you are about to witness some of the world’s finest bareback riding. The Vascon family will perform the most daring stunts you have ever witnessed.”
Overhearing the announcement in the wings, Nancy smiled. Not only was she not a Vascon or related to any of the other performers, but not one of them was related to any other!
The horses trotted in and took their places in the ring. The performance started, the mares cantering about rhythmically to the music. Singly, and together, the riders did their stunts.
In Box AA, Mr. Drew and his friends kept their eyes riveted on Nancy. “She’s wonderful!” Bess exclaimed.
Nancy outdid herself. She made no mistakes, and her performance was excellent. When Rancoco jumped up behind her on the mare and they cantered around the ring, he whispered enthusiastically, “Superb, Nancy. Superb!”
Pleased, Nancy smiled. The show went on without interruption. But just as one of the men riders began his solo, there was a wild scream in the audience.
Turning, the equestrians saw a hard-thrown baseball whizzing from one of the exits directly at them!
Like lightning, each performer pulled his horse to the tanbark and lay down himself. The speeding ball fiew over their heads and landed beyond the ring.
The audience was divided in its reaction. Some were stunned. But many people thought it was part of the act and clapped loudly. Their attitude steadied the nerves of the riders and the performance went on.
Later, when Nancy and Erika reached their dressing room, Nancy announced that she was changing to street clothes.
“Where are you going?” her roommate asked.
“I’m not sure,” Nancy replied, “but I’m going to try to find Hitch.”
“Oh Nancy, do be careful. You must be back in time for the final pageant!”
“How much time will there be before that?” Nancy asked.
Erika glanced at the clock. “Two and a half hours.”
“I’ll be back in time,” said Nancy, and she left the dressing room.
She asked Dan Webster if the ball thrower had been captured and was told that he had escaped. “It was probably Hitch,” the horse trainer said ruefully. “He’s still at large.”
Nancy went to Box AA. Mr. Drew and the others whispered that she had been a sensation. Nancy smiled and slid into a seat beside Ned. She asked him if he would accompany her on a little sleuthing expedition.
“Of course,” he replied. “Where?”
“Roberto’s stables,” she said, and then she told him about the missing stableman. “Hitch’s clothes are still at the place. He may be hiding there.”
Nancy whispered to her father that she and Ned would be gone for a short time and told him not to worry about them. Then she and Ned got into his car and drove to the riding academy.
“This place is as dark as a tomb,” Ned remarked, “and just about as cheerful.”
He parked a short distance from the stable and the couple walked quietly toward it. They were halfway to the rear entrance when Nancy grabbed Ned’s arm.
“Listen!”
The sound of hoofbeats and frightened whinnies reached their ears.
“Someone is trying to steal Belgian Star!” Nancy exclaimed.
Nancy and Ned raced toward the riding academy. In the dim light they caught a glimpse of horse and rider disappearing down the road.
“I’m sure that’s Belgian Star!” Nancy cried. “We must catch her.”
“Come on!” Ned cried. “We’ll chase them in the car.”
They hurried back and hopped into the car. The two rode in silence until they heard the rhythmic beat of a horse’s hoofs on the road ahead of them.
The rider must have guessed that he was being pursued. Reaching an open field, he turned sharply and raced directly across it.
Ned did the same. The ground was soft and rutted, but he drove on doggedly until they came to a brook with a thick woods on the other side.
Nancy jumped out of the
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