Read Online Moonrise by Terri Farley - Free Book Online

Ranch, but Jakehad already warned his family. They’d increased the hours each brother spent riding the range, keeping watch over their beef cattle.
    Brynna’s call worried Mrs. Allen. Just listening to one half of the conversation, Sam could tell Mrs. Allen feared the yapping of her Boston bulldogs, Imp and Angel, might attract the pack of hounds instead of discouraging them.
    When Brynna hung up, she turned to Sam and Gram with a bemused smile.
    â€œShe’s not the sort to just sit and worry, is she?” Brynna said. “Tomorrow, she’s going into town to shop for dog repellent, and she’s convinced there’s something like a bug zapper, built strong enough for dogs.”
    â€œWhere would you shop for things like that?” Sam asked, thinking of the campout.
    â€œDon’t ask me,” Brynna said.
    Gram chuckled. She and Mrs. Allen had recently rekindled an old friendship.
    â€œTrudy Allen is a world-class shopper. If they exist this side of San Francisco, she’ll find them.”
    When Dad returned to the house, Brynna was first to pounce on him with questions.
    â€œIs Jed going to reinforce the kennel so those deerhounds stay home?” she asked.
    â€œThe kennel’s sturdy enough to hold them. Linc’s the problem.”
    â€œThere’s a surprise,” Brynna said.
    Gram cleared her throat and suppressed a smile as Brynna turned to Sam.
    â€œThat was rude of me. I don’t mean to set a bad example, Sam.”
    â€œIt’s not like I wasn’t already thinking the same thing,” Sam said.
    â€œAnyway,” Dad continued, “Linc can’t stay away from those dogs, but he can’t control them, either. Still, Jed thinks Linc’s a little shaken up by what happened today.”
    â€œAs he should be,” Brynna muttered.
    â€œI’m banking on it,” Dad said, as his attention swung to Sam. “Now, as for your campout, you can go if—”
    Sam bounced out of her chair and jumped up and down, celebrating.
    â€œIf,” Dad repeated, more loudly.
    Sam sat down, but her mind was already spinning ahead. She and Jen would ride for two days, only stopping when they felt like it, sleeping out under the stars with two horses for company. It would be amazing, wonderful, cooler than anything she’d ever done.
    But she’d better find out what followed Dad’s if.
    Sam settled back into her chair. All three adults watched her with amusement.
    â€œIf?” she said patiently, as if she hadn’t just rejoiced like a five-year-old.
    â€œYou can go if, at the end of two days, I think you’re gonna be useful out there.”
    â€œOkay,” Sam said carefully.
    â€œYou’d be riding out to do work that should’ve been done right the first time.”
    So you’d better do it right this time . Sam heard Dad’s hint.
    â€œI’m not saying you two can’t have some fun out of it, but you’ve got a lot to learn before you ride out—like ear-tagging a calf, and branding one.”
    Sam struggled to freeze her face. Hurting a calf, even for its own good, wasn’t her idea of fun. But she couldn’t let her city girl squeamishness show.
    â€œWyatt, end the child’s suspense. How are you going to test her usefulness?” Gram asked.
    â€œFor the next couple days, you’re gonna work for me as if you were on the verge of taking over as head honcho,” Dad said.
    Sam did not know what “head honcho” meant, exactly, but it must be someone in charge.
    â€œI’ll work so hard,” Sam promised.
    â€œYes, you will,” Dad agreed. “And in between the usual ranch chores, you’re gonna polish your roping and learn to earmark our stock.”
    â€œYou’ll be glad we don’t do it the old-fashioned way,” Gram said. “Because one thing I know for sure is Samantha Anne Forster is too softhearted for cropping ears with a