Free Stables S.O.S. by Janet Rising Page A

anything.”
    â€œYeah, if I’d gotten Tiffany before I was a half-decent rider, she’d have turned me off riding for life,” Bean laughed. “I’d never have wanted a pony—at least, not one like Tiffany!”
    Everyone was silent. Everyone, except for Bean, was thinking the same thing. You could almost hear the whirring of collective brains in the evening air.
    â€œThat’s it!” cried James.
    â€œOf course!”
    â€œProblem solved!”
    â€œWhy didn’t we think of it before?”
    â€œThat’s genius, Bean!” (That was Dec—of course.)
    â€œOh, that is so going to work!”
    â€œWhat is?” asked Bean, confused.
    Leaping up, Cat threw her arms around Bean and gave her a hug. “I do believe you have just come up with the most delicious plan!” she told her.
    â€œI have?”
    â€œSomebody explain it to her,” said James, shaking his head.
    â€œBambi will need to act like Tiffany for a while,” I told her.
    Bean frowned in confusion.
    â€œJust enough to prove to Aunt Pam that she isn’t a suitable mount for Emily,” continued Dec.
    â€œBut only enough to scare her a bit,” Katy said doubtfully. “It would be horrible if we scared her so much she gave up riding altogether.”
    â€œOh yes, of course,” agreed Cat quickly, almost managing to convince herself if no one else.
    â€œHow will Bambi know what to do?” Bean asked.
    Four pairs of eyes swung my way. I grinned.
    â€œAhhhh, of course!” sighed Bean. “Well, who’d have thought I’d be the one to come up with a plan for our Keep Bambi Campaign?”
    â€œNot me, for a start,” James mumbled.
    â€œShame you didn’t realize you’d nailed it!” Cat told her.
    â€œAnd we’ll need Pia to brief Bambi and put the plan into action,” Katy pointed out.
    â€œThat’s teamwork for you!” said Dec.
    â€œI’ve got to tell Drummer!” I said, running toward the field. He was going to be so relieved we’d come up with a plan—when we hadn’t been trying, just like he’d said. How did he do that?
    â€œAnd Bambi!” Cat called after me. “Tell Bambi, too!”

“OK!” Katy said briskly, rubbing her hands together. “Let’s recap on what we have got and what we haven’t.”
    â€œI have got to clean my tack,” grumbled Dee.
    â€œAnd we haven’t !” giggled Bean.
    â€œYou can help me, then,” Dee told her, flinging a wet sponge across the yard. It landed, splat, on Bean’s knee, leaving her with a wet patch on her pink, checkered jodhpurs.
    â€œThat’s soaking wet and cold!” she squealed.
    â€œThat’s funny, coming from someone who washes their hair in the stables,” James said.
    â€œI meant plan-wise,” Katy reminded us.
    â€œWe have got a plan for the Keep Bambi Campaign,” said Cat, punching the air.
    â€œWe haven’t been so lucky with our Stables S.O.S.,” James said, sighing. “So even if we are successful and Bambi stays, we may all still come up one day to find our ponies tied to the fence with their suitcases packed.”
    â€œTiffany hasn’t got a suitcase,” said Bean, puzzled. James threw her a look of despair. “Oh, I get it,” said Bean, matching James’s glare. “Very funny!”
    â€œNot really,” mumbled Cat.
    Katy stroked Cat’s arm reassuringly. “We’re not beaten yet, are we?”
    â€œNo!” everyone chorused. I wondered whether they felt the same as me—although I joined in with a resounding NO with everyone else, I felt far from confident that we would ever be able to save the stables.
    â€œWe just need another idea,” said Bean. “A second chance.”
    â€œExactly! And of course we’re doing this for Mrs. Collins, too,” Katy reminded us. “I bet she doesn’t want to