Free Carole by Bonnie Bryant

yelled. He had an obnoxious, whiny voice and a soccer T-shirt. “Stand and deliver, ladies! We are here to rob you!”
    “You can’t do that!” Cam said gallantly. “I won’t let you!”
    “Oh yeah?” snarled the middle-sized varmint, a weaselly-looking fellow. He grabbed a rope from his saddle and lassoed Cam before he could make a move. “What are you going to do about it, lover boy?”
    “Stop it! Stop it!” I cried, horrified at the thought that my poochy baby Cam might get hurt by the three bad guys, especially since I had just recognized them as my long-lost evil brothers Chap, Alfred, and Miguel. And the most frightening realization of all?
    They weren’t wearing masks!
    Those were their real faces!!!!!
    I knew I had to help Cam if I could. After all, he was just trying to protect me. I did the only thing I could do. I turned to my wonderfully talented friend Stevie. “Help him, Stevie!” I yelled in a panic. “Use your skills as a black belt kung fu master to save us all from these horrible beasts!”
    “Your wish is my command,” Stevie agreed, leaping out of the saddle. “I am always ready to fight for the cause of good against evil. And my trusty steed, Stewball, can help. He’s a black belt master, too.”
    “Really?” said the smallest of the three bandits, sticking his thumb in his mouth and sucking it like a baby. “I didn’t know horses could do martial arts.”
    “He’s a very special horse,” Stevie said as she proceeded to …
CAROLE HANSON’S RIDING JOURNAL:
    Well, I guess Stevie thinks she’s pretty amusing. I woke up this morning to find her scribbling away in here, cackling at her own wit the whole time. Give me a break. It’s a good thing I woke up when I did and yanked this journal away from her, before she went crazy and filled up the whole thing with her silly story! I’ll definitely have to remember that I can
never
let Cam see this journal!
    Anyway, this morning we went on a ride through the desert. It was really nice to just get out there and ride, especially since we were so busy with the Wild West show yesterday. At breakfast and during the ride, Stevie was acting all mysterious, kind of quiet and smiley, but she wouldn’t tell us why. She said she did have something on her mind, but she wanted to wait until the time was right.
    We were back at the barn after the ride, and John Brightstar was helping us untack the horses, when Stevie finally came out with it. I guess Lisa and John were chatting about the horse auction, and Stevie overheard them as she was leading Stewball toward the corral gate.
    “Hey, John,” she called loudly. “I thought I’d better tell you that one of the horses you’ll be cutting out for the auction is good old Stewball, here.”
    Kate and I couldn’t help hearing that. “What are you saying about Stewball?” Kate asked Stevie. “I don’t think my parents are planning to sell him.”
    “Oh, yes they are,” Stevie replied. She looked around atall of us and grinned. “I wanted to wait to tell you all the big news when Stewball could be with me to hear it.” She slapped the horse fondly on the neck.
“I’m
buying Stewball. Kate, your dad agreed to it. He’s arranging to have him shipped to Virginia right after the auction.”
    “You’re kidding!” Lisa exclaimed, which was pretty much what we were all thinking, I guess.
    “I talked to my dad last night,” Stevie said. “Stewball’s coming home to Pine Hollow.”
    “That’s wonderful!” Lisa exclaimed. “Isn’t that wonderful, Carole? Stewball’s going to live at Pine Hollow!”
    It was all such a shock that I wasn’t sure what to say. “It
is
wonderful,” I agreed cautiously. “You’re sure your parents really agreed to this, Stevie?”
    But John had a different question for Stevie. “What’s a dude like you going to do with a cutting horse like Stewball out East?” he asked bluntly.
    For a second Stevie looked taken aback. Then she put her hands on her