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doesn’t want to steal the saddles,” said Drum.
    â€œOh, don’t you start!”
    â€œOK, then get out of my stable,” said Drum.
    I sighed. I didn’t want to fight with Drummer, too. “OK, you have a point,” I agreed grudgingly. “But Jazz loves Snow, you know that .”
    â€œYup!”
    â€œSo how can I persuade the others?”
    â€œWhy are you even bothering?”
    â€œWhat? Do you think I shouldn’t help Jazz?”
    â€œThat’s one option—or you could help her and just not tell anyone.”
    I was going to reply to this, but stopped with my mouth half open, letting Drummer’s words of pony wisdom sink in.
    â€œWhy don’t you just shut up about her and do your own thing?” Drum continued. “You’re asking for trouble, going on about it, aren’t you?”
    I thought furiously, digesting Drum’s words. My head hurt a bit.
    â€œIs that—” I struggled for the word. “Honest?”
    â€œIt’s smart!” retorted Drum.
    I had to agree that it was. Why was I going on about Jazz? It made sense to say nothing. Or—my thoughts raced on—I could simply stay away from Jazz and Falling Snow. I mean, what had I been thinking, going along to watch the race? I didn’t have to go back tomorrow. It had nothing to do with me, did it? I couldn’t help it if she’d misunderstood me. Putting it all on me wasn’t my idea, it was hers, and I had no idea where Jazz could hide out. What was I, a real estate agent for runaways? It wasn’t like I could make a difference—Jazz’s dad was in charge, and we were both powerless. The more I thought about it, the more it made sense.
    â€œWell?” said Drummer, fixing his big brown eyes on me. He was still chewing—I couldn’t imagine a drama big enough to make my pony actually stop eating. The world could stop, hell could freeze over, birds could turn pink and fall out of the sky, and through it all I’d still hear the sound of Drum’s teeth grinding away on his hay. But then, I remembered, the drama was all mine, not Drum’s.
    â€œGood plan!” I told him, nodding. “I’ll forget about Jazz and her pony. Perfect!” Yes, it was, I decided. That was that. Definitely. Done deal.
    â€œThere’s just one problem,” said Drum.
    â€œNo, there isn’t,” I replied, shaking my head, not wanting to hear it.
    â€œShe’s relying on you to help her.”
    â€œBut I don’t know anywhere she can hide,” I wailed. “And even if I did…”
    â€œWhat?” said Drummer, turning to face me. “If you did, what would you do?”
    I didn’t know. I didn’t want to think about it. I wanted my life to be as it was before Jazz and the travelers had arrived. Before James hated me and I’d seen how Moth and Drummer had behaved with Jazz, before it had complicated my relationship with everyone at the yard.
    â€œOh, they’ll be gone soon,” I said, storming out and closing Drummer’s door. “And then we can all get back to normal!”
    â€œOK!” mumbled Drummer. “If you say so.”
    I almost believed it.

Chapter 10
    S o that’s all I have to do , I thought, pedaling furiously out of the yard gates and turning toward home. I just side with everyone at the yard, agree that the travelers—including Jazz—are a pain in the neck, and stay away from her. It wasn’t as if I had the perfect hideaway lined up. Phew.
    It would be easy, I thought as I got to the bottom of the hill and turned right past the old factory. The factory, I remembered, where the boys who had tormented poor Moth had lived. Poor tethered Moth, who hadn’t been able to get away.
    After all, I decided as I braked at the crosswalk to let a woman and a child cross, Jazz was nothing to me, was she?
    Also, I reminded myself as I turned into my road, slowing down