Free Horse-Sitters by Bonnie Bryant Page A

worries about getting everything done, at least temporarily, while she rode Memphis. She found that the books she had read were right—Memphis had clearly inherited the ability to do the running walk, and all her rider had to do was help her along. Once Carole had adjusted to the long stirrups she was supposed to use, doing so had been a pleasure. The high-stepping walk was indeed as fast as a normal trot, and much easier to sit. Besides that, Memphis was a good-tempered, personable horse. Carole couldn’t help enjoying herself, and she vowed to keep track of Memphis’s progress even after the week was over.
    After forty minutes, she reluctantly dismounted. “Great work, girl,” Carole said, patting the pretty chestnut mare on the neck as she walked her slowly around the ring a few more times to make sure she was properly cooled down. “That was a lot more fun than mucking out stalls, I’ll tell you that.” As she led the horse inside, Stevie suddenly rounded a corner and skidded to a stop in front of her. Luckily Memphis wasn’t spooked by Stevie’s sudden appearance, but Carole was. She jumped a foot in the air.
    “Sorry,” Stevie said. “Didn’t mean to scare you. But we’ve got big problems. Emergency Saddle Club meeting—now.”
    * * *
    “A TEA PARTY ?” Carole repeated in stunned disbelief. The Saddle Club was holding their emergency meeting in the quietest spot they could find, the shady hillside overlooking the back paddock. Carole had quickly stowed Memphis in her stall, promising her a full grooming in a few minutes.
    Lisa nodded. “She won’t take no for an answer,” she said bleakly.
    “There’s no way we can do it,” Carole said, shaking her head. “I’m not sure how we’re even going to manage all the horses next week when we’re in school all day.”
    “Didn’t you tell her we couldn’t do it?” Stevie asked.
    “I tried,” Lisa said. “I even tried to talk to Max about it. But he was so busy figuring out where to get folding chairs for the party and exactly when Red should mow the lawn that he didn’t pay any attention to me.”
    “This is bad,” Carole declared.
    But Stevie had that thoughtful look on her face again. “Maybe we can pull it off,” she said.
    Carole and Lisa just stared at her. “Stevie, I think all this hard work is going to your head,” Carole said.
    “No, just listen,” Stevie said. “Lisa, your mother is around after school, right? We’ll have her pick us up and drive us to the supermarket. It shouldn’t take more than a few minutes to do the shopping. And they’ve got that huge deli counter there with all the salads and things already made up. We won’t have to do any of the preparations ourselves. We can just dump it all into some nice dishes and we’re all set.”
    “But that really doesn’t allow us enough time,” Lisa pointedout. “By the time we get out of school, finish shopping, get over here and set up …”
    “Hmm, maybe you’re right,” Stevie said thoughtfully. “Well, no big deal. We’ll just have to do the shopping on Tuesday. I’m sure everything will keep in Max and Deborah’s refrigerator overnight.”
    “But what about all the other stuff we have to do?” Carole asked.
    “We’ll manage,” Stevie said confidently. “After all, Polly comes home Wednesday, so we don’t really have to do much with Romeo. And the polo ponies go home Thursday evening—we can exercise them after the tea party and then give them a really thorough grooming Thursday right after school. Same thing with Memphis—Mr. French comes back Friday.” She grinned. “And the best part is, right after the party Honeybee and Aunt Genie will be out of our hair—permanently. They’re leaving before dinnertime.”
    “I still don’t think we can do it,” Carole said flatly.
    Lisa sighed. “There’s just one problem with that, Carole,” she said. “I don’t think we have any choice.” She glanced down the hill. “Hey, who’s