The Secret of Shadow Ranch by Carolyn G. Keene Page A

drops of rain splattered into the dust. The next moment a downpour descended.
    The horses snorted. A vivid flash of lightning split a fir tree some distance up the mountain and the horses shied at the clap of thunder.
    “Sit tight!” Nancy called over her shoulder, “and keep moving.”
    Moment by moment, the cloudburst worsened and the trail gradually became slippery mud. Far below in the valley they could see the sunlit meadow, untouched by the storm.
    “I hope we make it,” Bess said fearfully.
    Suddenly Nancy had a chilling thought. They still had to negotiate the stream which they had crossed the previous day. And Bess’s mount was not a river horse! She dare not urge her own mount faster, for the animal was picking his footing carefully. Yet, with each precious minute, she knew that the stream was rising.
    When they reached its bank the four girls gazed in consternation at the rushing water.
    “We can’t cross that!” Bess wailed.
    Nancy said the only alternative was to stay all night on the mountain. “And we’re not equipped to do that. It’s too risky. Come on, Bess. We can make it if we hurry!”
    As she spoke, Chief whined and put his paw into her stirrup.
    “He’s begging for a ride,” George said.
    The dog leaped to a large rock beside the water and Nancy pulled up close to him. With her help Chief squeezed onto the front of the saddle and Nancy held him there.
    “All right, boy,” she whispered to him. “Here we go!”
    She gathered the reins firmly and guided her horse into the water. The big animal did not fight the current, but swam along easily with it, heading gradually for the opposite bank. Before long, he found footing. As he clambered safely ashore, Chief jumped off and Nancy turned in the saddle to see how the others were faring.
    One by one the big, dependable river horses made the crossing safely, but Bess, on Choo-Choo, was last. Would he behave? The animal entered the stream and walked until the water swirled around his shoulders. Then he stopped.
    “If he doesn’t swim he’ll be swept away!” George exclaimed.
    “Help!” called Bess. “He won’t move!”
    With the torrent rising fast, Nancy spurred her mount along the bank until she was some distance above Bess. Then she guided her horse into the turbulent water.
    “Hold on, Bess! We’re coming!”
    Suddenly, a few yards upstream, part of the muddy bank collapsed, sending a huge surge of water sweeping over Nancy and her horse!

CHAPTER IX
    Tack Room Prisoner
    KEEPING a firm grip on the reins, Nancy stuck tight to the saddle. In a few moments her mount steadied himself and began to swim toward Bess’s horse. When they drew close, Nancy seized Choo-Choo’s reins. While the frightened girl clung to the saddle, her horse was towed to shore.
    “Oh, Nancy!” she exclaimed. “You were wonderful. You saved us!”
    Nancy still looked worried. “We can’t stay here,” she said. “We’re not out of trouble yet. I’m afraid the trail down is going to be slippery and wet.”
    George grimaced. “What’s the hurry? We can’t get any wetter than we are.”
    The girls looked at one another. Despite the situation, they could not repress giggles. All were drenched and mud-spattered, with water streaming from their hair.
    “You’re lucky Bud isn’t here to see you,” George teased Bess as Nancy led the way down the trail.
    Bess shivered and made a face at her cousin. “I know I must be a sight,” she said. “I can tell by looking at the rest of you.”
    George’s joke had served to relieve the tension and now the girls applied themselves to guiding their horses down the precarious trail. As they reached the bottom, the rain stopped, and the sun emerged hot and bright.
    From there on the trip was easier. By the time they reached the big meadow, their clothes were almost dry.
    Chief raced ahead to the stable, barking madly. Bess groaned. “Oh, he’s making so much noise he’ll bring out a reception committee and