Free A Star Discovered by JoAnn S. Dawson Page A

the judge said!” Jody continued, too happy
     to notice Willie’s down-turned face.
    “Oh, what else did he say?” Mary prodded. “Did he say Star was the prettiest colt at the whole show? Because he is, you know.
     That’s what I said. Oh, Jody, do you think we should enter some more classes? We know the judge likes Star. Maybe we could win some more
     ribbons!”
    “No!” Willie spoke suddenly in a voice Mary and Jody had seldom heard from him. “We’ve had enough for one day. Git Star over
     to the truck so we can git loaded up. If we hurry up, I can still make it home for milkin’.”
    “But, Willie, you don’t have to do the milking any . . .” Jody began, but Mary poked her with an elbow before she could finish
     her sentence.
    “OK, Willie, I was just getting carried away, I guess,” Mary said sheepishly. “And Star’s probably getting tired. We’ll gather
     everything up while you get the truck ready.”
    Without another word, Willie turned and headed toward the old pickup truck. Mary and Jody stood for a minute and watched him,
     and then Jody turned and looked at Mary with a worried look on her face.
    “What’s wrong with Willie?” she asked. “He didn’t even look happy about my ribbon, and he’s hardly said a word!”
    “I don’t know, Jode. I don’t know,” Mary said ominously. “But I think we’re going to find out.”

10
    Bad News

    THE RIDE HOME to Lucky Foot Stable in Willie’s pickup truck was much quieter than the ride to the show had been. Mary and
     Jody spoke softly to each other about the judge’s comments, the good and bad qualities of the other yearlings at the show,
     and about how surprisingly good Star’s behavior had been. But Willie was silent throughout the ride, lost in his own thoughts.
     Mary was dying to ask what those thoughts might be, but somehow she knew it wasn’t the right time and that Willie would share
     them when he was ready.
    Finnegan was waiting in the driveway when the trio arrived home, and he greeted them by barking ecstatically and turning in
     circles. Mary and Jody unloaded Star on the barn hill and took him to his stall, where they fawned over him and gave him pieces
     of carrot for a treat. Then they flew out to the big pasture, Finnegan nipping at their heels, to tell Lady and Gypsy all
     about the show. They found the two mares dozing under the weeping willow tree, switching flies with their tails.
    “Lady! Look what Star won! You would have been so proud of your baby!” Jody yelled, running across the pasture waving Star’s
     ribbons over her head. Lady, not the least bit impressed by this pronouncement, simply shook her head and began grazing. Jody
     hugged Lady around the neck and Mary gave Gypsy a kiss on the end of her nose. Then the girls flopped down on the soft grass
     beneath the tree as Finnegan rolled around on his back between them.
    “Lad, the judge in the conformation class said that Star was going to grow into a fine looking horse,” Jody continued to Lady,
     “and he asked me your name and the name of Star’s sire.”
    “Did you tell him it was the Black Stallion?” Mary giggled.
    “No, I was honest and said I didn’t know his name. We never did find out anything about his father after that day we saw him
     at the show.”
    “Wait, Jode, did you say the judge said he would be a fine looking horse ?” Mary asked.
    “Yes, he asked me how tall he was, and I said fourteen hands, and he said he would probably grow at least another hand or
     so. So, Lady, he’ll be taller than you!”
    “Well, his father was huge, remember? Or maybe we just thought he looked huge because he was rearing up and being so mean,”
     Mary recalled.
    As she made the comment, Mary happened to look toward the pasture gate where she saw Willie gesturing for the girls to come
     over. Even from a distance, she could see he didn’t look very happy.
    “Uh-oh, Jode, Willie wants us for some reason,” Mary said, bouncing up from the