challenge,” Merrill commented, glancing around at the small selection of shops. “Unless someone is planning to do their gift-buying at the shoe store, that is.”
“Hey, you never know,” Stevie said. “A shoehorn could make a lovely gift for the right person.”
Carole rolled her eyes. “Very funny. Come on, let’s get shopping.”
The four girls wandered off in different directions. Lisa headed for Sights ’n’ Sounds, an electronics store that sold CDs. But as she examined the titles, she realized she had no idea what kind of music Simon liked.
Carole looked through the shelves of the small drugstore but didn’t see anything that would make a good gift for Joe Novick. All she really knew about him was that he liked to ride and to play soccer. “That’s not much to go on,” she muttered, staring at a rack full of stuffed animals.
Meanwhile, Stevie was walking up and down the aisles of the supermarket. “Hmm,” she muttered. “Moldy cheese? No, not personal enough. Pickled beets? Nah, too personal. Chicken livers? Too expensive.” She sighed. The trouble was, she didn’t want to get anything for Veronica. She left thesupermarket and went into the variety store next door. As soon as she entered she spotted Merrill, who was standing near the counter looking around in bewilderment.
“How are you doing?” Stevie asked, joining her.
“I don’t really know what to get for the person I picked,” Merrill admitted. “I guess that’s the problem with being a visitor.”
“Well, not completely,” Stevie said. “I don’t know what to get the person I picked, either. This Yankee Swap business isn’t as easy as it sounded when I first thought of it.”
“I’m sure it will be fun,” Merrill said.
“I hope so,” Stevie said. She glanced around to make sure Carole and Lisa weren’t around. “Listen, I know we’re not supposed to tell each other who we picked, but I think we can make an exception in your case. If you want, you can tell me who you have and I’ll help you shop.” She sighed. “It can’t be any harder than my own shopping.”
“Thanks, Stevie,” Merrill said gratefully. She lowered her voice to a whisper. “I picked Max.”
“Max?” Stevie exclaimed with a grin. “That’s great! Come on, this should be fun.” She began pacing up and down the aisles of the overcrowded shop, which sold everything from water pistols to paper plates to hula hoops.
Merrill followed. “Do you see anything he’d like?” she asked.
Stevie started to shake her head, then stopped in her tracks. “That’s it!” she exclaimed, lunging toward an object on a low shelf. “It’s perfect!”
L ISA HELD HER breath the next day as Merrill took Barq into a trot and rode him toward the first obstacle, a pair of cavalletti set about six inches high. She glanced at Carole and Stevie and saw that they had their fingers crossed.
Barq didn’t hesitate at the obstacle. He pricked his ears forward, then gathered himself and took off, clearing it easily. The Saddle Club could see Merrill smiling as Barq landed cleanly and turned toward the next fence.
The rest of the course went just as well. Max had set up several cavalletti jumps as well as some slightly higher fences. He wanted the students to ride through the first part of the course at a trot, then bring their horses to a canter for the larger fences. Barq kept up a brisk trot over the cavalletti, and then, when Merrill signaled, the gelding obediently brokeinto a smooth canter. He seemed to be enjoying himself as he sailed over the fences. Merrill seemed to be enjoying herself, too. When she finally pulled up at the end, her smile had turned into a full-fledged grin. The Saddle Club cheered as she rode toward them.
“Nice job, Merrill,” Max said approvingly. He didn’t give direct compliments often, so the whole class knew he really meant it.
Merrill blushed. “Thanks,” she said. She looked a little embarrassed, but her friends could
“Hey, you never know,” Stevie said. “A shoehorn could make a lovely gift for the right person.”
Carole rolled her eyes. “Very funny. Come on, let’s get shopping.”
The four girls wandered off in different directions. Lisa headed for Sights ’n’ Sounds, an electronics store that sold CDs. But as she examined the titles, she realized she had no idea what kind of music Simon liked.
Carole looked through the shelves of the small drugstore but didn’t see anything that would make a good gift for Joe Novick. All she really knew about him was that he liked to ride and to play soccer. “That’s not much to go on,” she muttered, staring at a rack full of stuffed animals.
Meanwhile, Stevie was walking up and down the aisles of the supermarket. “Hmm,” she muttered. “Moldy cheese? No, not personal enough. Pickled beets? Nah, too personal. Chicken livers? Too expensive.” She sighed. The trouble was, she didn’t want to get anything for Veronica. She left thesupermarket and went into the variety store next door. As soon as she entered she spotted Merrill, who was standing near the counter looking around in bewilderment.
“How are you doing?” Stevie asked, joining her.
“I don’t really know what to get for the person I picked,” Merrill admitted. “I guess that’s the problem with being a visitor.”
“Well, not completely,” Stevie said. “I don’t know what to get the person I picked, either. This Yankee Swap business isn’t as easy as it sounded when I first thought of it.”
“I’m sure it will be fun,” Merrill said.
“I hope so,” Stevie said. She glanced around to make sure Carole and Lisa weren’t around. “Listen, I know we’re not supposed to tell each other who we picked, but I think we can make an exception in your case. If you want, you can tell me who you have and I’ll help you shop.” She sighed. “It can’t be any harder than my own shopping.”
“Thanks, Stevie,” Merrill said gratefully. She lowered her voice to a whisper. “I picked Max.”
“Max?” Stevie exclaimed with a grin. “That’s great! Come on, this should be fun.” She began pacing up and down the aisles of the overcrowded shop, which sold everything from water pistols to paper plates to hula hoops.
Merrill followed. “Do you see anything he’d like?” she asked.
Stevie started to shake her head, then stopped in her tracks. “That’s it!” she exclaimed, lunging toward an object on a low shelf. “It’s perfect!”
L ISA HELD HER breath the next day as Merrill took Barq into a trot and rode him toward the first obstacle, a pair of cavalletti set about six inches high. She glanced at Carole and Stevie and saw that they had their fingers crossed.
Barq didn’t hesitate at the obstacle. He pricked his ears forward, then gathered himself and took off, clearing it easily. The Saddle Club could see Merrill smiling as Barq landed cleanly and turned toward the next fence.
The rest of the course went just as well. Max had set up several cavalletti jumps as well as some slightly higher fences. He wanted the students to ride through the first part of the course at a trot, then bring their horses to a canter for the larger fences. Barq kept up a brisk trot over the cavalletti, and then, when Merrill signaled, the gelding obediently brokeinto a smooth canter. He seemed to be enjoying himself as he sailed over the fences. Merrill seemed to be enjoying herself, too. When she finally pulled up at the end, her smile had turned into a full-fledged grin. The Saddle Club cheered as she rode toward them.
“Nice job, Merrill,” Max said approvingly. He didn’t give direct compliments often, so the whole class knew he really meant it.
Merrill blushed. “Thanks,” she said. She looked a little embarrassed, but her friends could
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