1
S HORTLY AFTER THEIR ARRIVAL at the Austin Dude Ranch, Brian and Sean Quinn stopped at the door of cabin A to glance down the hill. At the foot of the hill was a swimming pool, its water skimmed with gold in the late afternoon sunlight.
Between the pool and the forest, a meadow stretched like a soft green blanket, broken only by a large campfire pit ringed with split-log benches.
Nine-year-old Sean began to picture a roaring campfireâ¦hot dogsâ¦toasted marshmallows⦠He licked his lips.
âCome on,â Brian said. âWeâve got to show up at the lodge for Mr. Austinâs meeting in less than half an hour.â
Once inside the cabin, they dumped their suitcases on their bunks. Brian and Sean smiled as they glanced around at the plain wooden walls and the floors decorated only with woven rag rugs. The Austin Dude Ranch looked just the way they thought a dude ranch ought to look.
Brian took a deep breath. âSmell that cool mountain air,â he said.
Sean took a couple of sniffs. âIt smells like horses to me,â he answered.
Brian made a face at Sean. âA dude ranch is supposed to smell like horses.â
âDo you think theyâll let us go for a ride right away?â Sean asked. Riding horses was what Sean had been looking forward to most.
âThey have to show you how to do it first,â Brian told him laughingly. âYouâve never even been on a horse.â
âYeah?â countered Sean. âWell, neither have you!â
Just then a wiry, tanned boy, almost as tall as Brian, bounced into the cabin.
âTheyâll talk about camp schedules at the first meeting,â the boy said. âThen youâll know whatâs going on. Oh, and you should know that Iâm Carter Burton III.â
âHi,â Brian said. âIâmââ
âI know who you are,â Carter said. âI read Hankâs roster. Youâre Brian Quinn. Youâre thirteen, and youâre from a dinky little town called Redbud or something.â
Sean glared at Carter. âThatâs Redoaks, California,â he corrected. âAnd itâs not a dinky little town. Itâs a real neat place to live.â
Carter shrugged, muttered a âWhatever,â and resumed talking to Brian. âAnd you came with your dinky little brother, Vaughn.â
âThatâs Sean! And Iâm not dinky, either.â
âThis is my third trip to Hank Austinâs dude ranch,â Carter explained to Brian, ignoring Sean. âI know all about the place, so if you have any questions, just ask me.â
Carter flopped onto Seanâs bunk, pulled a handful of peanuts out of his pocket, and began to pop them open.
âHey!â Sean said as Carter began dropping the shells on the floor. âQuit making a mess.â
âItâs on your side. You clean it up,â Carter said. He smirked. âYou better clean it up or youâll get in trouble when the cabins are inspected.â
Seanâs face grew red as his temper began to flare, but Brian put a restraining hand on his arm.
âCome on,â he told Sean as he scooped up the shells and dropped them into a nearby wastepaper basket. âLetâs go to the lodge. Mr. Austin told us to get our stuff stowed away, then meet in the lodge.â
Sean pointed at the wooden chests at the foot of their bunks. âI guess weâre supposed to put our clothes and stuff in these.â He flipped open the lid, unzipped his suitcase, and dumped the contents into the chest.
âThere,â Sean said. âAll unpacked.â
Brian was neatly arranging his clothes.
âHurry up,â Carter said impatiently. âItâs time to go.â He left the cabin and started up the path toward the lodge. Sean and Brian scrambled to catch up with him.
âCan we ask Mr. Austin when heâll let us ride the horses?â Sean asked.
âIt better be soon,â