Free The Island Horse by Susan Hughes Page A

she attached the quilt, tying the ends through the loops, struggling to tighten them, working as fast as she could. She pulled hard on the ends so that she was certain it would not fly away, into the wild, wild wind. The quilt was secure.
    And then she pulled on the rope. Hoisting her special flag, the white squares with the beautiful colored edges. She pulled and pulled, and up, up it went, to the very top of the pole.
    Ellie tied off the rope, stepped back and looked.
    The quilt unfurled. The wind caught at it. Pulled on it, opened it out. It flapped in the wild wind, signaling for help.
    â€œI love you, Ma!” Ellie shouted the words into the wind, seeing the quilt flying. “I’ll love you for always, wherever I am!”
    Ellie turned and ran along the beach, pleading fiercely, “Sarah, please see the flag. Please come.”
    She needed to get to Orchid. She needed to find him. Her feet dug into the sand. The wind blew against her. The waves pounded in her ears, and so did her heartbeat. She panted as she ran, and ran, and ran.
    Ellie reached the dunes and collapsed, gasping. She waited and hoped. Would the island horse come to her this morning? He had to.
He had to!
She didn’t dare to think that he might not.
    Ellie waited, and time passed, slowly, slowly. The wind continued to blow, and the sun began to rise higher in the sky. She knew that at midday the riders could come, hooves pounding, cries ringing out, to chase Orchid and his herd, to corral them.
    The horse did not come.
    And still, the horse did not come.
    But then Ellie heard a sound behind her, the sound of hooves, galloping. Her heart leaping, she turned.
    It wasn’t Orchid, but it was Sarah!
    â€œEllie, Ellie! I saw your signal!” Sarah called, slowing her horse. Shannon tossed her head, pranced. “What is it? Is something wrong?”
    Ellie sprang up and ran to Shannon’s side. “Sarah, it’s roundup day!”
    â€œI know,” said Sarah.
    â€œSarah, the horse … my island horse … You saw me with him, that first time you came to visit, and then that second time, before the fog …” Ellie’s voice faltered.
    Sarah laughed. “The day I was spying on you?” she teased. Then, more seriously, she went on, “No, Ellie, I didn’t see a horse. What horse do you mean?”
    Ellie blushed. So Sarah
hadn’t
been spying,
hadn’t
seen Orchid, and she’d accused her …
    â€œEllie, quickly, you must tell me. What island horse? One of the wild ones?” Sarah asked urgently.
    â€œYes, a wild stallion, Orchid. I’ve named him Orchid,” she confided. “Oh, Sarah, I’m so sorry I said you were spying. I’m so scared for Orchid and his herd.” It all came out in a rush. “Sarah, I have to save them.” The wind blew Ellie’s skirt about her legs. She paused, then asked, “Will you help me?”
    Sarah answered at once. “Yes, of course. Of course! What do you want me to do?”
    Ellie swallowed. “I’m not sure,” she said. “My father has gone to join the roundup riders. Somehow he’s going to try to lead them away from the sand hills near the south shore, at the eastern end of the island. I’m hoping Orchid and his herd show up here this morning, soon. Then,” she paused, almost not believing it herself, “I’m going to try to take them there, to hide among the sand hills.”
    Sarah’s face was serious. She chewed on her lip as she listened. “All right. That sounds like a good plan, Ellie.” She nodded.
    Ellie’s heart beat quickly.
Sarah thinks this might work! She thinks we might be able to save Orchid and his family!
    â€œSo, maybe I should do something like your father, try to keep the roundup riders away from that section of beach.” She was asking Ellie, but Ellie saw that she was also deciding to do it as she spoke. Sarah was already urging her