Read Online The Thanksgiving Treasure by Gail Rock - Free Book Online Page A

Grandma.
    â€œMy gosh, I’ll probably have to wear my oxfords to the senior prom when I’m in high school … just to make sure my darn feet don’t get ruined!”
    I got no further with any of my arguments, and I decided I should be happy that I had Treasure to take care of and ride once in a while. It never occurred to me that things might not go on forever just the way they were.

Chapter Ten
    One cold afternoon I went out to Rehnquist’s and found Treasure loose, grazing in the front yard. I couldn’t imagine how she had got there, and I tied her to the porch rail and went to the door. I knocked, but got no answer and went on in. I called and heard Rehnquist answer from upstairs, but I could hardly make out what he was saying. I went up, and found him in bed, looking very pale.
    â€œWhat’s the matter, Mr. Rehnquist? Don’t you feel well?”
    â€œNo,” he said, weakly, “I’m fine … just resting.”
    â€œDo you have a cold? Want me to fix you a can of soup?”
    â€œNo, no … I ain’t hungry.”
    â€œAre you sure you haven’t got the flu?”
    â€œNo,” he said. “I just got a bad case of old age … there’s nothin’ you can take for that.”
    â€œI found Treasure loose in the yard.”
    â€œOh, yeah. I went to see to her, and I just got to feeling so tired I had to come in and lay down.”
    â€œThat’s OK, I’ll go and take care of her now.” I got up and started for the door.
    â€œSit down and talk to me for a minute,” he said. “Treasure ain’t going anyplace. You like that horse a lot, don’t you?” I nodded and sat down in a chair near the bed.
    â€œI like her too,” he said. “She used to be the only thing I talked to around here before you came pestering me. I used to like horses the way you do, when I was a kid.”
    He seemed to be drifting off with his memories again, and I sat quietly and listened.
    â€œThat Pearlie Blake I told you about,” he said. “Her father had a big old plow horse named Lucky. We used to take turns riding him. And in the winter, when he pulled the snowplow, Pearlie and me sat on the plow to make it heavy. Pearlie’s father drove Lucky, and we’d go to all the farms around to push snow off the roads. It was cold … I can tell you that! But Pearlie and me would be all huddled up behind that steamy old horse, and we’d be snug as a bug. Every farmer would give Pearlie’s father some hot cider to warm him up, and he’d give Pearlie and me a taste. The three of us would sing at the top of our lungs and laugh till we about split our sides. What a time! I think that bossy Pearlie was about the best friend I ever had.”
    He stopped for a moment and looked over at me.
    â€œYou’re my friend too, ain’t you?” He reached out for my hand, and I nodded and held his hand for a moment. It felt like it was on fire.
    â€œYou’re so hot!” I said. “I think you have a fever.”
    I tried to feel his forehead. “Hands off!” he said, irritably.
    â€œI’m going to get my Uncle Will,” I said. “He’s a doctor.”
    â€œI don’t want no doctor poking around me. Sit down here and talk to me …”
    â€œI promise I’ll be right back,” I said, and headed out the door.
    â€œCome back here and talk to me,” I heard him say as I left. “Don’t you ever do anything you’re told … bossy kid …”
    I rode my bike as fast as I could back into town and went to Uncle Will’s office on Main Street. When I told him how Mr. Rehnquist had looked, he said we had better go right out there. He didn’t even ask me how I had come to be at Rehnquist’s. Uncle Will had that nice way of never bothering other people’s privacy, and just getting the facts he needed, which was one reason folks liked him so