Christmas, while I had Judy the vet make sure Starlight was the right choice!”
Stevie beamed to herself. She did love secrets, and Colonel Hanson’s big Christmas present to Carole had been one of her all-time favorites.
“But that was a good secret,” Mrs. Lake said.
Uh-oh. Stevie rode a bit closer.
Mrs. Lake chuckled. “Once she hid Michael’s pet iguana in her room for a month! Michael was a mess!”
So was my room, Stevie thought to herself. But it hadn’t been a month, it was much more like a week. She restrained herself from going over and setting her mother straight. She couldn’t—she wanted to hear more.
Mrs. Lake went on. “But then there
was
the time she got all our kids to pitch in and make me the most incredible scrapbook for my birthday. They must have worked on it for months without a peep. What a lovely surprise!”
Her mother was exaggerating again, Stevie thought. Ithadn’t taken months. But for the record, Stevie would leave that one alone anyway.
“Did you ever hear the one about some craziness she got into out here at a rodeo?” the colonel asked.
“No,” her mother said.
“Well, maybe you’re not supposed to hear that one.…”
They were having so much fun swapping stories about her antics, they never noticed Stevie riding closer and closer.
This is lots more fun than listening to my dad sing, Stevie thought as she rode along.
The only distraction came from Stevie’s stomach, which had started reminding her that it was lunchtime. Up ahead, at the top of a small hill, she saw Parson’s Rock slicing the sky. Then she noticed Walter pull out from in front of the herd and start heading up to the rock. Stevie rode around the herd to find her friends. She was glad they’d be stopping soon for lunch. It had been the scene of one of her favorite moments on her first trip to the Bar None, her surprise birthday party. And what’s more, she was mighty hungry.
T HE GROUP RODE up to the base of the rock and tethered their horses. While they stretched and rested, Carole and Kate passed out peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and lemonade.
Stevie wolfed down her sandwich and stood up. “Hey,” she said to her friends, “let’s go up to the top of the rock.”
“You take your time down here,” Carole said to the parents, “we’ll be back in a bit.”
“Nooooo problem,” said her father, munching on his sandwich and sitting with his back against the rock.
The four girls clambered up to the top of the rock, which was flat and had enough room for them to sit in a circle.
“Perfect time and place for a club meeting,” said Kate.
“So what do you think?” answered Carole. “How’s it going so far?”
“You mean for us, or for the Saddlebags?” Lisa asked.
“Both.”
“Well, I’m having fun,” Lisa said. “Mostly because I’ve managed to stay far, far away from my mom.”
“Why? What’s up with your mom?” Carole asked.
“She’s getting on my nerves. She’s treating John like he’s some kind of servant, and it’s really embarrassing.”
“Talk about embarrassing,” Stevie answered. “My mom and Carole’s dad spent the entire morning telling stories about
me
.”
“How do you know?” Carole asked.
“They were right in front of me.” She grinned. “I didn’t want to listen, but I couldn’t help myself.”
“Listen, you guys,” said Kate. “I think the ride’s going very well so far. Every single Saddlebag has done some good work on this drive.”
“You’re right,” Carole acknowledged. “Lisa, your dad was really getting the hang of things today. He even helped me rescue a stray.” She shook her head and her expression darkened. “But my dad? He spent the whole morning chit-chatting at the back of the herd. Come on! I almost wish something would come up that would teach him a lesson or two. About real riding, and what goes into it.”
Lisa nodded. “I know what you mean.”
“Everybody mount up!” Walter’s call came
Stevie beamed to herself. She did love secrets, and Colonel Hanson’s big Christmas present to Carole had been one of her all-time favorites.
“But that was a good secret,” Mrs. Lake said.
Uh-oh. Stevie rode a bit closer.
Mrs. Lake chuckled. “Once she hid Michael’s pet iguana in her room for a month! Michael was a mess!”
So was my room, Stevie thought to herself. But it hadn’t been a month, it was much more like a week. She restrained herself from going over and setting her mother straight. She couldn’t—she wanted to hear more.
Mrs. Lake went on. “But then there
was
the time she got all our kids to pitch in and make me the most incredible scrapbook for my birthday. They must have worked on it for months without a peep. What a lovely surprise!”
Her mother was exaggerating again, Stevie thought. Ithadn’t taken months. But for the record, Stevie would leave that one alone anyway.
“Did you ever hear the one about some craziness she got into out here at a rodeo?” the colonel asked.
“No,” her mother said.
“Well, maybe you’re not supposed to hear that one.…”
They were having so much fun swapping stories about her antics, they never noticed Stevie riding closer and closer.
This is lots more fun than listening to my dad sing, Stevie thought as she rode along.
The only distraction came from Stevie’s stomach, which had started reminding her that it was lunchtime. Up ahead, at the top of a small hill, she saw Parson’s Rock slicing the sky. Then she noticed Walter pull out from in front of the herd and start heading up to the rock. Stevie rode around the herd to find her friends. She was glad they’d be stopping soon for lunch. It had been the scene of one of her favorite moments on her first trip to the Bar None, her surprise birthday party. And what’s more, she was mighty hungry.
T HE GROUP RODE up to the base of the rock and tethered their horses. While they stretched and rested, Carole and Kate passed out peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and lemonade.
Stevie wolfed down her sandwich and stood up. “Hey,” she said to her friends, “let’s go up to the top of the rock.”
“You take your time down here,” Carole said to the parents, “we’ll be back in a bit.”
“Nooooo problem,” said her father, munching on his sandwich and sitting with his back against the rock.
The four girls clambered up to the top of the rock, which was flat and had enough room for them to sit in a circle.
“Perfect time and place for a club meeting,” said Kate.
“So what do you think?” answered Carole. “How’s it going so far?”
“You mean for us, or for the Saddlebags?” Lisa asked.
“Both.”
“Well, I’m having fun,” Lisa said. “Mostly because I’ve managed to stay far, far away from my mom.”
“Why? What’s up with your mom?” Carole asked.
“She’s getting on my nerves. She’s treating John like he’s some kind of servant, and it’s really embarrassing.”
“Talk about embarrassing,” Stevie answered. “My mom and Carole’s dad spent the entire morning telling stories about
me
.”
“How do you know?” Carole asked.
“They were right in front of me.” She grinned. “I didn’t want to listen, but I couldn’t help myself.”
“Listen, you guys,” said Kate. “I think the ride’s going very well so far. Every single Saddlebag has done some good work on this drive.”
“You’re right,” Carole acknowledged. “Lisa, your dad was really getting the hang of things today. He even helped me rescue a stray.” She shook her head and her expression darkened. “But my dad? He spent the whole morning chit-chatting at the back of the herd. Come on! I almost wish something would come up that would teach him a lesson or two. About real riding, and what goes into it.”
Lisa nodded. “I know what you mean.”
“Everybody mount up!” Walter’s call came
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