“She still needs to be walked for another half hour before you turn her loose.”
“Don’t worry, Paula,” Carole said. “We can handle it. You go ahead.”
Paula nodded and mounted up. “Are you sure you can find your way back home?”
“Are you kidding?” Lisa said. “We know this ranch like the back of our hands. We’ll see you back at the house.”
With a tip of her hat, Paula rode off.
Carole sank back onto the soft grass.
“Hey, it’s your turn, lazybones,” Lisa chided her.
“Would you mind making a few extra rounds?” Carole pleaded. “I’ve got a huge headache.”
Lisa noticed her friend’s hat on the ground. “How long have you had that off?”
Carole shrugged. “Don’t know. A while I guess. I lost track.”
“You’d better put it back on, then,” Lisa urged. “You could get sunstroke, and that’s dangerous. As soon as I’m done walking the mare, we’ll get you home to rest.”
LISA WAS TIRED and hungry when they finally arrived at the ranch, but she was elated about having helped the mare. Carole, on the other hand, seemed strangely quiet. Lisa figured that Carole, having worked with the veterinarian at Pine Hollow, had probably seen much more exciting things than a simple case of colic, but to her the afternoon had been a real adventure. Only one thing marred the return journey: About three-quarters of the way home, Chocolate had started to favor one of her legs. She’d asked Paula to look her over before their ride out to view the meteor shower that evening.
The large metal triangle hanging from the porch clanged, announcing it was mealtime. “You girls hurry and wash up now,” Mrs. Devine called as they approached the house. “Or there won’t be anything left.”
Lisa laughed at the idea. Mrs. Devine always made enough food to feed a small army. “How’s Kate doing?”
“Not as well as I’d like. The doctor took some blood samples and gave her some medicine, but …” Her voice trailed off, and she looked very worried.
“Do you think we could see her for a minute before dinner?”
At first Mrs. Devine looked doubtful, then she seemed to change her mind. “Yes, of course. A quick visit from you might be exactly the thing to cheer her up.”
Lisa didn’t miss the emphasis on the word quick. “We won’t take long,” she assured her.
“We’ll just say hi,” Carole concurred.
They hurried down the hall and knocked lightly on Kate’s bedroom door.
“Come in.”
Lisa poked her head in. “Hi there,” she said brightly. When she got closer to the bed, she was taken aback by her friend’s pallor and the dark circles under her eyes. “Gosh, you don’t look so hot.”
“Thanks a lot.”
“Nice bedside manner, Lisa,” Carole scolded her, then turned to Kate with concern. “How are you doing?”
“I’m okay,” Kate told her, waving a hand weakly in the air. “It’s only the flu.”
Lisa and Carole exchanged worried looks.
“I feel bad about the whole thing, though,” she moaned. “You two came all the way out here for some fun, and I had all these things we were going to do, and now I’m stuck in bed. I bet you guys are bored out of your minds. You’re never going to want to come back!”
“That’s not true,” Lisa reassured her. “We’re having a great time.”
“Not as good as if you were with us, though,” Carole added hastily.
Kate looked mollified. “I hear there’s a meteor shower tonight. You should go watch it.”
“We’re going right after sunset,” Carole told her.
“We’d better leave now, or your mom won’t let us come back,” Lisa said, edging toward the door. “Sleep tight.”
TO THEIR SURPRISE, Paula was waiting for them when they got to the stables. She had on her usual hangdog expression. “Bad news, Lisa. Chocolate’s out of action.”
“Her foot?”
Paula nodded. “It’s only a bruised frog, but she’ll need to rest it for a few days.”
Lisa nodded. “You can’t be too careful about the bottoms of a horse’s feet.” She was crestfallen. Outside of being very fond of Chocolate, she had been planning to ride her on tonight’s adventure.
“I saddled up Stewball for you instead,” Paula said, indicating the waiting horse. “I figured Kate wouldn’t be needing him.”
Lisa felt her stomach clench. She thought Stewball was a wonderful horse, but his personality was more suited to Stevie than to her. He had always struck her as somewhat mischievous, which was part of his appeal for Stevie. She, on the other hand, preferred an animal that was more solid and reliable. Still, she would have to make the best of it. If she and Carole were going to make it out to the dig in time to view the show, they would have to get moving. “Thanks, Paula, that was nice of you.”
“I wasn’t busy,” Paula grunted. “By the way, I stopped by and checked that mare on the way home. She’s fine. You two did a good job.” She headed back into the barn. “Have a good ride,” she called over her shoulder.
Lisa’s spirits were soaring when they set off. It was a little before ten o’clock and the night seemed perfect, the sky clear and cloudless. A soft breeze caressed her face and ruffled the long grass in front of them as they rode. It rippled like the surface of a vast emerald ocean. Earlier in the day she and Carole had agreed to watch the meteor shower from the top of the canyon that overlooked the archaeological dig site. They both felt that the presence of long-dead dinosaurs would lend a primordial feel to the whole event.
They cleared the last of the trees and approached the edge of the cliffs, the light of the moon highlighting the steep rocky walls of the canyon before them.
“I wouldn’t want to accidentally ride off the edge,” Lisa said a little nervously, looking at the immense drop to the bottom.
“Don’t worry, Stewball wouldn’t let that happen.”
Lisa didn’t share her friend’s confidence.
The two of them rode along the rim of the canyon for a short distance, searching for the perfect place to view the coming spectacle.
Lisa spotted an outcrop of rock. “Let’s tie the horses up and grab a seat,” she suggested, sliding easily from Stewball’s back. She noticed that Carole seemed to be moving a little slowly, but a sudden flash of light in the sky distracted her from worrying about her friend. “Hurry up, I think it’s starting.” She untied the blanket from the back of her saddle, then spread it on the ground. She thought of dangling her legs over the edge but chickened out at the last minute. No sense in taking unnecessary chances.
Then the meteors began streaking through the sky. At first there were only one or two with long moments between, but after a while they came in greater and greater numbers.
“They look like fireworks that haven’t exploded,” Lisa said. “Like when they shoot them up on the Fourth of July and you see that streak of light before they burst.”
“Uh-huh,” Carole said softly at her side.
“Of course, these are coming down, not going up. Hey, shouldn’t we be making wishes? Aren’t people supposed to wish on falling stars?”
“I guess so,” Carole replied quietly.
“Talk about efficient, we could get a whole year’s worth of wishes in one night,” Lisa said enthusiastically. “What shall we wish for?”
“How about a doctor?” Carole murmured.
Lisa turned and was shocked to find her friend curled up in a small ball. “Carole, what’s wrong?”
“I don’t feel very good. I think maybe I caught Kate’s flu,” she mumbled through chattering teeth.
Lisa put a hand on her friend’s forehead and recoiled. “You’re burning up!” she cried.
To Lisa’s horror, Carole began to convulse. Shivering and shaking from the fever, her limbs twitched and spasmed, her eyes rolled back in her head, and she moaned and muttered unintelligibly.
Lisa was extremely frightened, but s
he reached out and firmly held Carole’s head to prevent it from knocking against the ground. Time crawled by with painful slowness; Lisa’s heart seemed to pound out each and every passing second. Finally the spasms eased off and Carole fell still. Moving quickly, Lisa stripped off her jacket to make a pillow, gently slipped it under her friend’s head, then wrapped the blanket around her.
Carole’s eyes fluttered. “What happened?” she said groggily.
“It’s all right,” Lisa hastened to assure her, forcing herself to speak calmly and soothingly, in the same manner Paula had spoken to the horses that afternoon. “You’re sick, but if you go to sleep, when you wake up everything will be fine.”
Carole nodded wearily. “Have to sleep now,” she murmured, then went out like a switched-off light-bulb.
Lisa fought off panic. She desperately needed to get help. What first aid she knew wasn’t going to be nearly enough in this emergency: Carole needed real medical care. The problem was, there was no way Lisa could get her back to the ranch, which meant she would have to leave Carole there alone while she rode for help.
“Carole, I have to go get help,” she whispered softly. “I’m coming back with a doctor, okay? I’ll be back soon.” She had no way of knowing if her friend could hear her, but she wanted to say the words anyway just in case.
Lisa hurried over to Stewball and mounted, her heart in her throat and her stomach twisting with anxiety. “It’s going to be all right, Carole,” she called as she rode off into the night. “I promise.”
Behind her under the blanket, with only the cold stars to watch over her, Carole lay still as death.
LISA DOUBLED BACK the way they had come earlier that night. Her plan was to return to the ranch as fast as possible. As she rode, she was haunted by visions of what might happen to Carole while she was gone. Her friend could have another seizure and swallow her tongue, or a poisonous snake might bite her, or a hungry coyote drawn to the scene by her moans—Lisa couldn’t bear to finish the thought. This was truly a nightmare.
At the point in the trail where Lisa was supposed to turn her back to the canyon and ride away from it, she spotted a light in the darkness below. Not trusting her eyes, wondering if it might only be wishful thinking, she blinked and waited until she saw it again. Someone was down at the dig site.
Of course, she thought. Professor Jackson mentioned they were getting ready to move some of the artifacts to the museum. They’re probably working overtime in the cool of the night to do it. She felt a warm rush of relief. Surely someone would have a cell phone or radio she could use. It would cut the time for help to arrive in half!
Lisa turned Stewball around. Although he seemed somewhat reluctant to comply, she firmly insisted. “I’m the boss here, kiddo.”
She couldn’t really blame him for not wanting to traverse that steep and narrow trail down to the canyon floor. It had been treacherous enough in broad daylight, but this was an emergency. Trying not to think about the consequences of a fall, she urged Stewball forward. Carefully and painstakingly the courageous horse worked his way downward. Once she felt him slip and her heart lurched, but he quickly recovered and continued on.
By the time they made it to the bottom, Lisa was in a cold sweat, and she figured she had used up every one of the wishes coming to her from that night’s meteor shower. At the base of the trail she decided to leave Stewball behind, knowing that with the canyon floor roped off for the dig, it would prove a nasty maze for the horse to try to negotiate by moonlight. She’d actually be able to move faster on foot. The only trouble was there was nothing to tie him to. She knew many cow ponies would ground tie—that was dropping the reins and telling the horse to stay put—but she wasn’t sure Stewball was one of them. If he wandered back up the hill without her, she would have to climb back up on foot.
She took the horse by both sides of his bridle and looked him in the eyes. “Stay here, Stewball,” she told him firmly. “Wait for me here. Stay.” She didn’t know if it was necessary to use certain key words, but there was no point in worrying about it—she’d find out soon enough if it worked. Slipping the reins over his head, she dropped them on the ground in front of him. “Stay.” Then she backed away around the boulder and ran toward the lights.
Lisa was surprised by the amount of activity in the camp. The pace was definitely more frantic than it had been during the day. A man hurried by her and she tried to get his attention. “Can you help me, please? My friend—” He rushed past, ignoring her completely.
Desperate to get help, Lisa made her way across the site toward the tents. She tried several times to get someone to stop and talk to her, but nobody would stand still long enough for her to explain her situation. She didn’t recognize anyone from her last time there, either. She couldn’t find Joanne, and Professor Jackson was nowhere in sight.
Eventually she spotted a small knot of adults standing in the light of a Coleman lantern, passing a bottle and laughing. She was determined to make them listen to her this time. “I need help!” she said firmly and clearly as she strode up. “My friend needs a doctor.”
All four men looked severely startled to see her there. One of them, a fat man with a big black mustache, stepped forward. “Who are you? What are you doing here?” he said sharply. “This is private property!”
“I’m a friend of Professor Jackson’s. I need help. My friend is sick. Can you take me to him?”
Two workers came staggering out of the tent laden down with a large crate. One of them stumbled over a rope, and the box went crashing to the ground.
“You idiot!” screamed the man she had been talking to. “See that you’re more careful, or I’ll have your hides! Those are priceless.”
“Well, not quite priceless,” Lisa heard one of the others snicker as they hurried over to check on the contents.
That was when it hit her. These people weren’t with the dig, they were poachers. Archaeological thieves, stealing the professor’s finds!
She realized at once that she was in serious trouble. If they were criminals, then she was an eyewitness. Slowly, while the men were still focused on the dropped box of dinosaur bones, she began to creep away. She managed to back almost out of the circle of light without drawing their attention, then she slipped on a loose rock and fell heavily to the ground. At once, all eyes were focused on her.
“Get her!” someone shouted.
With a scream, Lisa scrambled to her feet and fled, running as fast as she could, leaping over ropes and rocks. She could hear her pursuers yelling behind her; one man sounded alarmingly close. She risked a glance back over her shoulder and screamed again. A man with a nasty scar across his cheek was reaching out for her. She dodged left and leaped across a pit. Behind her she heard the man fall, hit the ground, and swear harshly. She redoubled her efforts. If she could reach Stewball, she’d have a good chance of escaping. But would he still be there?
The last twenty yards to the big boulder felt like miles, but she finally rounded the corner and her heart jumped. Stewball was standing patiently, exactly where she had left him. “Thank you, thank you, thank you,” she gasped, running to his side. She was afraid he might spook and bolt, but she dared not take the time to approach him properly. The horse rolled his eyes and shuffled nervously but stood his ground.
In a flash she was in the saddle, and none too soon. The men charged around the corner, shouting angrily in Spanish. She didn’t understand their words, but she understood their intentions. “Go, Stewball, go!” she cried.
As the horse started forward, one of the men dived at him. “Got him!” he shouted.
Lisa looked back to see him clinging desperately to Stewball’s tail with both hands.
“No!” she shouted.
She felt the horse lurch beneath her as he kicked out with both hind feet. There was a loud cry of pain, and suddenly they were free, scrambling and stumbling up the path. Within moments Lisa heard the voices behind her receding into the distance. “Atta boy!” she called to t
he horse.
Heart racing in her chest, Lisa slowed the pinto to a safer pace, working her way back up the steep trail from the canyon floor. Five minutes later she had cleared the top and stopped to get her bearings. The sound of an approaching car engine caught her attention. Not twenty-five yards away, a Jeep rolled to a halt. Filled with relief, she was about to call out when something stopped her. Was it possible that whoever had arrived was not friendly, but actually more poachers?
In the next instant her worst fears were realized.
“Check over there!” someone yelled. “She couldn’t have gotten out of here yet.”
The thieves had clearly radioed ahead and their colleagues had come to cut her off. Lisa quickly considered her options. She couldn’t go directly to the ranch because they were blocking the path. She couldn’t go to the left because that would lead them to Carole. Her only choice was to lead them away. If I can get them to follow me, she thought, maybe I can circle around them farther ahead.
At that moment there was a shout and one of the men pointed in her direction. Without hesitation she whirled Stewball around and urged him into a mad gallop. Traveling at breakneck speeds over unfamiliar ground, at the edge of a sheer cliff in the pitch-black of night, was enormously dangerous, especially on a horse she had never ridden before, but she didn’t feel she had a choice. Moments after she took off, she heard the Jeep start up and knew the men were in pursuit.
Lisa didn’t dare look back—it was taking every ounce of concentration simply to stay in the saddle. The path she had chosen was getting narrower and narrower, and, to her dismay, there was a steep drop on either side of her. Any hopes she’d harbored about slipping off onto a side trail were dashed.
A moment later Lisa heard the Jeep grind to a stop. Pulling Stewball to a halt, she listened. The men were arguing loudly; apparently the trail was too narrow for the Jeep. For a moment she felt her hopes soar, and then she saw three figures step into the headlights. They were carrying guns.
“Give it up, little girl,” one of them called. “There’s nowhere to go from there. It’s a dead end.”
Trail Ride Page 8