Stray Horse (6 page)

She paused at a stone wall near CARL to retie a loose shoelace. She was thinking about her parents, realizing that it had been so long since they’d all been together that she might forget some of the things she wanted to tell them. It wasn’t like she needed to boast to them. It was just that they always seemed to get such pleasure from knowing about the good things she was doing, things that made a difference, and she didn’t want to deny them that pleasure. Yes, that was it. She wanted to do that nice thing for them. She took out her assignment notebook and turned to a blank page at the back. She made a few notes to herself.

Dinner tonight
, she thought.
That’s when well all have a chance to talk.

She stood up and picked up her backpack. She could practically hear PJ calling her name.

L
ISA LET HERSELF
into PJ’s paddock. The horse was standing motionless in the small shelter. Lisa approached him, speaking gently. His ears perked.

“You were waiting for me, weren’t you, boy?” she asked. He didn’t answer.

She patted him cautiously, still very aware of his wounds and tender spots. He flinched when she accidentally touched a sore spot, but he never threatened her as he had Judy.

“You’re really a tame old boy, aren’t you?” she asked. He didn’t answer that question, either, but Lisa was confident she had the answer anyway.

She looked again at his scratches. She could see several
that formed a distinct pattern of parallel lines. Judy said it looked as if he’d tangled with a bobcat, and it looked to Lisa as if the bobcat had nearly won. Perhaps that was when PJ had learned to kick so effectively. It was a skill Lisa hoped he would soon forget.

She took the salve off the shelf in the shed and gently put some on each of his scratches to help the healing process. She noticed there was one in particular that seemed swollen, and he didn’t want her to touch it. She took a piece of paper out of her backpack and scribbled a note for Judy. The flesh around that scratch was warm, indicating that PJ might be developing an infection in that wound. Judy might want to give him some antibiotics just to be sure.

“Good boy,” she said, patting him carefully. This time he answered with an affectionate flick of his tail. Lisa’s heart nearly burst with joy. It was a small thing, but from PJ it was really a big deal. He was definitely feeling better, and he wanted her to know it.

She replenished his water bucket and gave him some fresh hay. While he busied himself with his water and snack, she took up the soft brush and again attempted to groom him very gently. Although he was getting cleaner, Lisa found herself thinking that the brushing was more exploratory than anything else, because every time she brushed his coat she found another wound.

When she looked at her watch and saw it was almost eight, she knew she had to leave. PJ whinnied and then nickered as Lisa headed for the gate. She turned around and he nickered again, looking her straight in the eye. It was as if he were trying to say something to her, as if he didn’t want her to go.

“I can’t stay, PJ. I’ve got to get to school.” She hoped he would understand. She turned and he whinnied. What was on his mind?

Then Lisa laughed. She remembered exactly what was on his mind, and if it weren’t for his really good sense of smell, he might not have known to ask for it. He simply wanted his sandwich!

“Okay, okay, you win!” she said, reaching into her backpack. “Half now, half later. But you’ll only get the second half if I hear that you were on your best behavior for Judy’s visit this afternoon!”

She tore off a bit of the sandwich and gave it to him. He chomped very contentedly on his morning treat. To top it off, she gave him a slug of milk from a half-pint container. He positively guzzled the milk, proving that milk is the best accompaniment for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. He made a mess of it, though. Milk cartons had not been designed for horses’ drinking habits.

Lisa checked her watch again, then hurried out the
gate. She had just ten minutes to get to school, and it was a fifteen-minute walk.

“W
HERE’S
L
ISA
?” S
TEVIE
asked Carole. The two of them had agreed to meet at CARL after school so that they would at least have a chance to see their friend. Now they were there and Stevie wondered where she was.

“She had to stay after school because she was late this morning. A half hour of detention,” said Carole.

“Late?” Stevie asked. It was very unlike Lisa to be late for anything, ever.

“She told me she came over here this morning and just couldn’t pull herself away from PJ. Anyway, she’ll be here in a few minutes, and I’m kind of glad you and I have a chance to talk before she gets here. She’s been acting really strange.”

“Surely you’re not saying that just because she’s crazy about this horse, are you?”

Carole smiled. “No there’s nothing strange about that. It’s the way she’s so focused on this project. And the fact that she hasn’t been over to Pine Hollow.”

“Well, at least now we get to meet this horse that she’s so crazy about,” Stevie said.

The two girls went into the main building of CARL together and signed the volunteer log. They left their book
bags and jackets in the cloakroom, then went out the back door to the paddock to meet PJ.

They found the horse standing in the shade of a tree in the corner of the paddock. At first glance he looked unpromising.

“Wow, he’s a mess,” said Stevie, echoing Carole’s own thoughts. Although Lisa had managed to get most of the mud and grime off him, his body still showed the ravages of the wild. Carole noticed some distinct scratches.

“Looks like some sort of cat attacked him—maybe a bobcat?”

“I think Lisa mentioned that,” said Stevie. “And it looks like the wound’s getting infected, too,” she said, pointing to the swelling as they approached the horse.

PJ stepped back as they came near him. They paused, willing to give him all the time he needed to get used to them.

“I’m sure he’s a great horse and all,” said Stevie. “But it’s hard to imagine being obsessed with him.” She now saw past the scratches, all the way to the visible ribs.

“Poor boy,” said Carole. “He’s had a rough time. I’m glad Lisa’s been here for him.”

“Yeah,” Stevie agreed. “Just like I’m glad we’re here for her. I think she needs our help as much as he needs hers.”

“Definitely a Saddle Club project,” Carole confirmed. “Now, if only we knew why she’s acting so weird.”

“Hi, guys. I wasn’t sure if you’d be here yet,” Lisa called from across the paddock. The two girls turned around and waved to their friend. “And I see you’ve met PJ. Isn’t he great?”

“He seems a little nervous about us,” Stevie said.

“That’s just because I haven’t introduced you properly yet. In a few minutes he’ll be your best friend, too. He always behaves when he’s being groomed or getting snacks. See you in a minute.”

In a flash, Lisa had dropped off her school bag and was coming out of the main building, carrying a bucket and some sponges.

“I think it’s time for a bath,” she said. “And I think he’s going to like it.”

As she approached PJ, his ears perked up and his eyes seemed to brighten. It was as if Lisa had some kind of magic potion in the bucket. All the bucket held, though, was warm water and a little bit of shampoo.

Lisa clipped a couple of lead ropes to PJ’s halter and walked him over to the shed, where she cross-tied him. He clearly trusted her as much as he had not trusted her friends. He regarded Carole and Stevie suspiciously all the
way across the paddock. However, when they each picked up a moist sponge, his opinion of them seemed to improve. As soon as the three girls started washing him, he began behaving like a gentleman.

“Oh, this was the secret all along!” Lisa said, glad to see PJ so happy.

“Most horses seem to enjoy some aspect of grooming more than any other. I guess we know now that PJ’s a bath guy!” Carole said, gently working the shampoo into his coat.

When they were finished with the shampoo, they rinsed him with clean water and then helped Lisa put the antibiotic ointment that Judy had left for him on all his wounds. Stevie and Carole were concerned about the mean-looking bobcat scratches. Lisa assured them that they were already getting better after two ointment treatments. Stevie was glad she hadn’t seen the wound when it was more infected than it was now.

When PJ’s coat was as shiny as it was going to get, Lisa gave him some more sandwich for a treat and promised she’d be back soon.

“I have to go ride a horse,” she told her patient. “And when you get better, you can count on me riding you!”

Stevie and Carole exchanged glances. “Unless an owner claims him first,” said Stevie.

“Nobody’s called yet,” said Lisa. “And CARL has advertised and called several vets. Maybe his owner didn’t want him and never will claim him. I mean, what kind of sane person would let something like this happen to their horse?”

It wasn’t a bad question. The girls took the bathing and grooming equipment back into the main building and picked up their book bags.

“Any response to the ads?” Lisa asked Anita.

“Not a word,” she said. “And these just came from the printer. Want to post some?” She held up a thick batch of small posters showing a photograph of PJ with information about his rescue. Anyone who knew anything about him was urged to call CARL.

Stevie wasn’t surprised to see Lisa almost recoil from the stack of posters. She’d clearly fallen in love with this wounded horse, and the idea that anybody else had ever owned him or ever would was painful to her. Stevie was afraid that her friend was in for a big disappointment. Under all the dirt and scratches was a good and probably valuable horse. It was clear that something had happened and the horse had gotten separated from its owner. Maybe PJ’s owner hadn’t seen the ad yet; maybe he hadn’t heard from his vet yet. But he would. Stevie felt sure that this horse would be claimed, and Lisa would be hurt. She
hoped she and Carole would be able to help her see that PJ belonged with his owner, but that was going to be hard.

Finally Lisa took a couple of posters and the girls headed over to Pine Hollow.

“PJ’s sick now, but he’s getting better, and when he’s all healed, if his owner hasn’t shown up yet, he’s going to need a place to stay,” Carole said.

“Do you think?” Lisa asked, reading her mind.

“Well, I don’t know. What do you think, Stevie?”

“It won’t be easy,” Stevie said.

They were all wondering the same thing: Would Max let PJ stay at Pine Hollow? That would make it easier for the girls to look after him. Although Max often worked with CARL, trying to help out when he had extra space in the stable for a temporary visitor, he usually asked for something in return, and that something was more work around the stable.

“He’s going to expect us to clean every piece of tack in the tack room,” Stevie said.

“And all the stuff he’s got stored in the loft,” Carole added.

“And the manure pile,” Lisa said. “He’s going to want it moved.”

“Ugh,” said Stevie.

“But it’s for PJ!” Lisa reminded her.

“Yes, but it’s
our
backs and hands,” Carole said.

“To say nothing of our weekends,” Stevie added.

“We’ll still be at Pine Hollow,” said Carole, looking on the bright side.

“And PJ would be there,” said Lisa.

“All right,” Carole consented.

“Count me in,” said Stevie, suspecting that this would be more for Lisa than for PJ, but nonetheless willing.

Lisa was grinning by the time they arrived at Pine Hollow. She confidently led her friends into Max’s office.

“To what do I owe this pleasure?” Max asked, glancing up from a pile of papers. He was looking wary already.

“Why, Max!” Stevie said. “Don’t you trust us?”

“Not with
that
look on your faces. The last time the three of you came in here looking like that, I ended up hosting a herd of goats for a week.”

“Nice goats,” Stevie reminded him.

Max stifled a snort. “If you say so, Stevie. Okay, so what’s up now?”

Lisa told him about PJ.

“Oh, right, the stray that Judy mentioned. Tangled with a bobcat, I guess. I hope his owner shows up soon,” Max said. “They can’t keep a horse at CARL for very long.”

“Well, that’s just the thing,” Stevie said. “He’s going to need a place to stay.”

“Yes, he is,” Max agreed.

The girls didn’t say anything. They just looked at Max.

He returned their stare.

Finally he sighed. “This is the sort of favor I can only do for my most responsible students,” he said.

Stevie sighed, too. She knew they were about to enter the critical stage of negotiation.

“What’s it going to be then?” she asked. “Tack cleaning? The manure pile?”

“Definitely tack,” he said. “And I’d forgotten that the manure pile needs some attention, so I guess that, too.”

Stevie felt Carole’s glare and realized she’d blown it.

“What else?” she asked finally, breaking the silence.

“Well, we’re going to have some visitors,” he said.