Free Mary and Jody in the Movies by JoAnn S. Dawson Page B

gettin’. And I rode each of ’em a little
     bit out in the back here.”
    “You rode them? But, Willie, we’ve never even seen you ride! Why didn’t you come get us?”
    “Come get you? I didn’t have time for no foolishness. Now let me be so’s I can go pay the bill.”
    At that,Willie turned and disappeared into the sales office, leaving the girls open-mouthed in dismay.
    “Shut yer mouths, yer catchin’ flies,” Twister said with a grin.
    “But, Twister, we didn’t even get a chance to see the others Willie bought,” Mary said, disappointed. “I thought we could
     help him pick them out.”
    “And I didn’t think you were allowed to buy them before they went in the ring,” Jody added. “Doesn’t the sale barn get upset
     about that?”
    “First off, I don’t think Will needed no help pickin’ out,” Twister replied. “And it’s OK to buy them before they go in the
     ring. The sales barn still gets the commission on them, and they don’t mind much because it saves them time. That’s three
     less horses they had to sell in the ring.”
    Before either girl could ask another question, Willie appeared from the office holding four yellow slips of paper, one for
     each horse bought.
    “We have to show these slips to the man on the way out,” Willie explained, “so they know we got the right horses.”
    “Oh, Willie, can we help lead the horses out to the trailer?” Mary pleaded.
    “Please?” Jody added.
    “Well, I don’t know about that,” Willie said, glancing at Twister with a half-grin. “What do you think, Twister? You think
     they can handle one apiece? Maybe I should take two and you take one, and they can handle one between ’em.”
    “I think that’s a good idea,” Twister replied seriously. “After all, we don’t know these horses. They could be wild broncs
     for all we know.”
    Mary and Jody looked from Willie to Twister, trying to figure out if they were kidding, but their faces gave away no clues.
     Willie simply turned and headed toward the center aisle of the sales barn, and Twister followed. The girls had no choice but
     to fall in step behind them. When they reached the end of the first row of horses, Willie stopped and turned to the right.
    “Here’s the three I bought out back,” he said, gesturing to three horses tied closely together. “And the bay is tied just
     a couple horses down the other way. Now I’ll back these out, and then I’ll let you girls lead the quietest one to the trailer.
     Twister can lead the buckskin out first, you girls walk in the middle, and I’ll get the other two and bring up the rear.”
    Willie placed his hand gently on the buckskin’s rump. “Hey buddy,” he said quietly as he sidled in between the two horses
     tied next to each other. The slipknot came untied easily in his hand, and he backed the horse out, handing the lead rope over
     to Twister. The horse blinked at the girls with enormous dark eyes and sniffed Twister’s hand like a dog.
    “Ooh, he’s pretty,” Jody exclaimed. “I love his color!”
    “All right, now, pay attention,” Willie said sternly to the girls. “Here comes your horse. She’s a mare.”
    The mare was slightly smaller than the buckskin and an altogether different color. She was a light gray with darker gray dapples
     and a dark gray mane and tail. Her delicate bone structure and refined head contrasted with the stocky build of the buckskin,
     but one thing the two had in common was the large size and gentle expression of their eyes. It was all the girls could do
     to stand still long enough for Willie to place the lead rope in their eager hands.
    “This one’s supposed to ride and drive, too. She was a carriage horse in New York City. Now be careful walkin’ her through
     the crowd,” Willie warned. “I’m right behind you with Stumpy and the bay.”
    Mary and Jody tried to turn around to see what Stumpy looked like, but Willie waved them on. “You’ll see him soon enough.
     Get that