The Pony Detectives sat down under the shade of the tree. Wish stood near them, sleepily whisking away the odd fly with her creamy tail, and nodding her head. After Scout and Dancer gave up rummaging the girls for treats, they stood head to tail, swatting flies and giving each other a lazy groom.
“So, let’s look at what we’ve got,” Mia said, opening her notebook at a clean page. At the top, she neatly wrote,
Lily Simpson’s Missing Pony – Foxy
then continued, “Let’s start with the facts.”
“First off, it doesn’t look like Foxy escaped from Chestnut Grove by himself,” Charlie said, leaning against the thick, rough tree trunk. “He’d have turned up somewhere by now if he had.”
“So that means that he must have been taken by someone deliberately,” Alice concluded.
“Amber reckoned he was most likely taken by a rival,” Rosie said.
“Someone at camp took Pony Mad,” Mia said as she wrote, “then hid it in the muck heap. But only after they’d ripped out part of the article that had a few facts about Foxy in it. Do you reckon there was something in that article they didn’t want anyone to see?”
“Well, if that is the case,” Alice said, starting to smile, “then someone here knows more about Foxy’s disappearance than they’re letting on.”
“Yup, and we think we may have an idea now who that might be,” Charlie said, feeling excited. Between them the girls relayed the conversation they’d just overheard to Mia.
“So, hang on,” Mia said slowly, “Amber thought that a rival who wanted to ruin Lily’s chances of success at Burghley might have stolen Foxy. But, if we’ve understood what you heard correctly, maybe Freddie’s trying to scupper Lily’s chances, leaving the path clear for his girlfriend, Georgie Belle, to win instead!”
“Freddie saw me with Pony Mad, too,” Rosie added.
“And he’s local, don’t forget,” Mia said, hastily scribbling. “So he must know the area like the back of his hand.”
Charlie gasped. “Remember the hack on our first day? We all rode off to search the lanes and fields. But Freddie said immediately that he’d check out the estate.”
“And if Freddie wanted to hide Foxy, it would have to be somewhere that he could easily keep an eye on him!” Rosie joined in. “Like right here! And, now he’s supposedly checked the estate and said Foxy’s not here, no one’s likely to go poking around, are they?”
Charlie, Mia and Rosie grinned at each other.
“Now all we have to do is find where he’s hidden Foxy, and that’s it.” Charlie smiled. “Our first celebrity case will be wrapped up!”
The girls stood up, stretching their aching legs. Scout walked purposefully over to them and the girls made a fuss of him, scratching his withers as he stretched out his neck, his upper lip wobbling in pleasure.
“So what do we do next?” Rosie asked.
“We’ve got the treasure hunt tomorrow afternoon,” Mia said, checking a copy of the camp timetable she’d tucked into the front of her notebook. “And that’s the perfect excuse to search every corner of the estate. If Foxy’s here somewhere, the Pony Detectives will find him!”
Alice patted Scout, then the girls headed to the post-and-rail fencing, climbing over it on their way back to the stables.
“I never thought I’d say this,” Charlie grinned, “but I actually can’t wait to get our first session of cross-country over with tomorrow. Then we can get on with the treasure hunt! This time tomorrow, Foxy’s mysterious disappearance may be solved!”
“And that might cheer Amber up at last,” Mia said. “It doesn’t seem like she’s enjoying camp much…”
At breakfast on Tuesday morning, Amber stood staring at the updated score sheet pinned up above the cereals. She was still at the top, but her lead had decreased, and Holly had risen to joint third with Charlie. There were only twelve points in it. Mia was still ahead of them, because her turnout points were so high.
“Awesome, we’re joint fourth!” Destiny beamed at Alice as she grabbed some toast. Alice grinned back. She’d risen a few places, but Dancer’s jumping display hadn’t earned Rosie many points. Yet, even with Rosie’s score, the purple team had gone into first place, ahead of the reds by just three points. Watty and the blue team were still at the bottom, which she groaned about all through breakfast.
After they’d finished eating, everyone got ready for the ten o’clock inspection. Once they were tacked up, they rode onto the cross-country course at staggered times. That way there wasn’t a huge bunch of riders all trying to jump the same fences. The purple and blue team stood together, watching the green and red teams head out. Destiny’s pony Topaz was a handful, spinning and half rearing, but Destiny did well to sit to her and stay on while they warmed up.
Charlie circled Phantom as the morning grew hotter. He knew something different was happening and he’d started to sweat on his neck as he grew increasingly edgy, waiting for the off. Alice shifted uncomfortably in her tight body protector as she waited on board Scout, who was standing next to Skylark.
“I wish I was in your team,” Watty groaned to Amber, “then I could watch you fly across all the huge fences and pretend I was watching Lily Simpson!”
Alice glanced sideways and noticed Amber grit her teeth, staying silent in her saddle.
But Emily carried on, unaware that Watty’s comment had made Amber bristle. “Copper looks like he was born to do cross-country,” Emily added, admiring Copper’s light frame.
“Unlike some other ponies,” Watty said, nodding towards Holly’s cobby pony. “Skylark’s such a lump. I bet you wish Freddie had chosen a different pony for you this week, don’t you, Holly?”
Mia, Alice and Rosie glared at Watty, but Charlie gave a small smile. She realised that Watty had no clue how to judge a good pony, even when one was standing right in front of her!
Holly looked flustered for a second. “I wouldn’t swap Skylark for the world. My Grammy always says ‘handsome is as handsome does’.”
“Your Grammy can’t have seen Skylark, then.” Watty guffawed at her own joke, turning back to Emily who was snorting too. Beside them, Alice caught Amber making no effort to hide a smirk either.
Holly looked hurt as she reached forward to gently pull one of Skylark’s big ears. The heavy pony turned his head, giving a soft whicker. Holly found him a Polo from her jodhpur pocket, which he lipped from her hand. He stood for a second with his face turned to her, like he was checking Holly was okay.
“Grammy says it’s not about what a pony looks like on the outside,” Holly continued in a quiet voice, “it’s what’s in their heart that counts. And I reckon Skylark’s heart is huge.”
At that moment Freddie called for the purple team to start warming up. Leaving Watty and the blue gang behind, he walked them over to the start of the cross-country course, carrying a long lunging whip with him. Then he got everyone riding in the cross-country position – short stirrups and raised out of their saddles. Alice felt her nerves tingle. But as Freddie talked them through the lesson ahead, he filled her with such confidence that she couldn’t wait to send Scout over the first few inviting fences.
“Remember,” Freddie called out, leaning on his long whip, “this should be fun for your pony, and for you. Right, let’s jump!”
There were two different height options at each fence. Freddie said that anyone from his team could start over the lower options, then move up to the bigger height when they felt ready. Freddie sent Copper out first over the fences as the trailblazer. Amber immediately pointed her pony at the bigger of the two options. The rest of the ride watched in awe as he powered effortlessly across the grass and jumped quickly, barely breaking his stride over the solid fences. Amber didn’t look like she was in charge, but her pony took good care of her, making all the decisions.
Alice followed Freddie’s advice and started off over the smaller obstacles. She picked up canter and Scout flew over them bravely. Mia, not wanting Wish to get any kno
cks on the fences, jumped the smaller options at a steady canter. Holly did the same with Skylark. As Alice pulled Scout up, she turned to watch Holly. On the approach to the first fence, Skylark looked unsure, but Holly squeezed with her legs, her eyes fixed on the fence. She filled her pony with confidence and after just a moment’s hesitation he soared over it.
“Good, Holly,” Freddie called out, smiling as Holly proudly patted Skylark.
Rosie aimed for the lower option, too, then groaned as Dancer ground to a halt in front of the smallest log pile at fence one.
“She’s so embarrassing,” Rosie said, shamefaced.
“I’ve come prepared for Dancer today,” Freddie announced, lifting the long whip. He waved it behind the strawberry roan cob on the approach next time round. Dancer’s eyes goggled, Rosie grabbed a handful of mane and the pair launched over from canter. After the same approach at fences two and three – the tree trunk and the brush fence – something clicked in Rosie and she began to ride into the fences more firmly.
“Wow! Dancer’s verging on energetic!” Rosie puffed, red-cheeked, as they regrouped after fence three.
Freddie then sent them out over the next three jumps – the hay rack, sloping rails and the stone wall. The ponies all flowed over them, one after the other, with Copper leading the ride once more. With each fence he was getting stronger and Amber was having difficulty holding him. He took off on the approach to each fence and jumped so enthusiastically that Amber was almost unseated at the sloping rails.
“You can always jump the smaller fences until you get your eye in,” Freddie shouted, cupping his hand to his mouth. “Come round again, everyone.”
But the second time round, Amber still stuck to the bigger options, ignoring Freddie’s advice. As Copper sped up into the stone wall, he took off a stride early. Amber only just stayed on over the fence and landed back in the saddle with a thud. Copper flung up his head, ears back, charging forward until Amber yanked on the reins and finally got him back under control.
“Remember what I said yesterday,” Freddie called out. “If your pony takes off early don’t use his mouth for balance!”
Phantom showed his massive scope as he tackled the bullfinch. It had tall brush, which the ponies were meant to skip through, but the first time round Phantom cleared the full height of it, taking Charlie by surprise. She kept her balance – just – and slipped her reins, allowing Phantom his head.
“Very well ridden,” Freddie said, patting Phantom. “Now take him round again at a faster canter so that he doesn’t try to showjump it.”
The second time round Phantom was hoof perfect as Charlie squeezed him and he picked up his speed, skimming through the top of the brush.
Next, Mia took Wish round sedately, despite Freddie trying to get her to move into a faster canter. Mia wanted Wish to have fun jumping, but she was still anxious about letting her go too fast in case she bashed the solid, fixed fences. If Wish picked up any knocks or bumps on her legs – even with tendon boots on – they might count against her in the show ring. There was no way Mia would let that happen.
Alice felt butterflies for a second as she turned Scout towards the bullfinch. Riding down to it, it looked ridiculously huge. Alice half closed her eyes in the last stride, but Scout could see through the tall, thin reeds and he jumped over the solid bottom section, brushing through the top. Alice felt the reeds knock against her painlessly before they landed safely on the other side.
“That was awesome!” Alice laughed. She turned in time to see Skylark jump. He was far springier than she’d expected and the expression on his face changed from one of surprise, to one of delight. As he landed he even squealed and put in a playful buck.
At the next fence, the hedge, Alice noticed that Freddie sent Holly out first. Skylark attacked the bigger hedge and Holly balanced easily on her pony. Holly was grinning in the air, and reached down to pat Skylark after they’d landed.
“I can’t believe this is the first time she’s ridden over cross-country fences,” Rosie said, shaking her head. “I’ll never be as good as she is today if I practice for a hundred years!”
“It’s Skylark’s first time too,” Freddie added.
“They must both be naturals, then,” Mia said, feeling pleased for Holly. “Don’t you think?” she added, turning to Amber.
“Oh, I didn’t see them jump,” Amber said breezily as Holly rode back to the team. But Mia suspected that she had, because she looked like she’d just sucked on a seriously bitter lemon.
The rest of the team sailed over the hedge one by one. Amber kicked Copper into it hard, like she wanted him to put in an impressive jump so she could show off. Her pony responded, and put in an even more extravagant leap than Amber looked prepared for. She grabbed the front of the saddle and squeaked, losing a stirrup as Copper touched down on the other side.
“Right, that’s it for this morning,” Freddie said, as Amber rode back, pink-cheeked. “Give your ponies lots of praise and then get them washed down. The treasure hunt is at three o’clock this afternoon and it’s timed, so don’t be late!”
The Pony Detectives exchanged knowing glances. They’d need every second of the two-hour hunt, if they were going to find the treasure they were hunting for…
IN the distance, the cross-country jumps shimmered in the afternoon heat. The four teams lined up alongside the paddocks, looking out over the rolling grassland of the estate. Melissa gave them a last-minute safety reminder to not gallop everywhere, and to remember to give their ponies lots of breaks because it was so hot. Then she blew a whistle and the teams cheered and set off in different directions at a canter.
Each team had been given a copy of a hand-drawn map of the campsite, a list of items to seek out, a saddle bag to put their finds in, and a pen. Amongst other things, the treasures included a pheasant feather, a pigeon feather, a smooth round stone, a plaiting band, an oak apple, a horseshoe and a purple wildflower. Each of the items on the list was worth a single point, except for one, which was worth twenty, but no one knew which.
The purple team trotted their ponies to the edge of the cross-country course. Then they pulled up by the alder trees that lined the brook.
“Do you think we should split up so we cover more ground?” Charlie asked, trying to get around the fact that she and her three friends were planning to go hunting for Foxy when they were meant to be searching for treasure with Amber and Holly.
“Um, okay,” Amber agreed. “How should we do it?”
Alice suddenly realised what Charlie was getting at. She desperately wanted to stay with the rest of the Pony Detectives, but she also knew that there was no way Amber would agree to go off with Holly as a pair. “How about if me, Amber and Holly head off together?”
Mia gave Alice a grateful smile. “Sounds perfect.”
“Why do we have to split that way?” Amber muttered moodily. “Why can’t Holly go with Charlie’s group rather than ours?”
Holly looked awkward for a second, fiddling with her glove.
“No, let’s keep it like this,” Mia said firmly, glaring at Amber. “Come on, we’re wasting time just standing here.”
They quickly divided the list in two and headed in different directions. When Charlie glanced behind her, she saw Amber moving Copper alongside Scout, pushing Holly and Skylark to the back of the small group.
Mia unfolded the map. “I can’t see anywhere on here you could hide a pony. There isn’t a single barn or separate paddock or anything.”
“Well, this brook marks the boundary of the estate,” Charlie said, peering over Mia’s shoulder. “It starts just through these trees. I think we should follow it, so we can be completely sure there are no secret hideaways.”
The girls picked up their reins and trotted along the tree line. To their left they could see the grassy slopes of the cross-country fences they’d jumped earlier. Charlie popped Phantom into canter. Mia and Rosie followed, trailing the meandering brook as it glistened and snaked its way ar
ound the edge of the estate.
They tried to stay in the shade of the trees, and brought their ponies back to walk now and again to give them a break in the heat. The cross-country fences swung away to the left and the brook disappeared out of sight. They kept going straight until the shouts and laughter from the other teams faded into the distance too.
“There’s a pigeon feather in that bush,” Charlie said, pointing. “We’d better pick it up. At least then we won’t go back empty-handed.”
“Good point,” Rosie agreed, sliding from Dancer’s saddle. She handed her reins to Mia. “I’ll see if I can find a smooth stone from the brook while I’m down here as well.”
Rosie grabbed the feather, then ran through the trees and knelt down next to the brook. As she reached into the water for a stone, she looked over at the grassy bank opposite. There were some long scrape marks there, like a horse or pony had dithered on the far side before sliding down. Rosie squinted through the trees on the other side of the bank. Beyond them, there was no estate wall, and she could see a small, winding lane. On the other side of the lane stood a thick hedge, edged with post-and-rail fencing. Dipping her hand into the cold water, she grabbed a round, slimy stone and ran back to tell the others what she’d seen.
“You’ll never guess what!” Rosie gabbled. “It looks like a pony’s been led from the lane out there, through the brook and onto the estate!”
She quickly dried off the stone on a tuft of grass, dropped it in the saddle bag, then jumped back onto Dancer.
“We’d better check that out,” Charlie said impulsively. She immediately rode Phantom into the trees, towards the brook. “Are you coming?” she called over her shoulder to the others.
“But we’re not meant to leave Dovecote Hall!” Mia squeaked.
“This is an emergency,” Charlie replied firmly. “And we’re here now – it’d be a shame to waste this chance to follow up on a lead. Come on!”
Rosie urged an indignant Dancer down the slope, through the brook and up the other side. Wish followed, picking her way neatly between the trees that led towards a narrow, winding lane. Right in front of them was a large hedge, which almost hid the paddocks beyond from view. Slightly further up the lane to their left stood a pale blue cottage with a thatched roof. An old lady was in the garden, pruning the flowers. She looked surprised at the sudden appearance of the ponies on the lane, and walked slowly to her front gate.
Foxy: Rivalry at Summer Camp Page 6