Free Star of Wonder by JoAnn S. Dawson Page A

barn. A tall pile of hundreds of bales of hay stacked neatly against the barn wall rose to one side of
     the rope, and a stack of the same height of straw towered on the other, but the stacks were much too far from the rope and
     the rope hung at least ten feet from the floor—too far for the girls to grab it without piling some bales underneath and standing
     on them to reach.
    “Looks like we’ve got work to do,” Mary exclaimed. “First we’ll have to climb up to the top of the high stack and throw some
     bales down, and then we’ll stack them under the rope so we can reach it. Let’s use straw—it’s not as heavy as hay.”
    So up the bales of straw they clambered like mountain climbers, until they reached the top layer, where they were able to
     push and throw enough bales to the floor to build a pile high enough to stand on and reach the rope. When they were finished,
     they stood back to admire their handiwork.
    “That’s a good sturdy stack, if I do say so myself,” Mary bragged.
    “Hey, what about me? I built it too, you know,” Jody chided.
    “Yes, you did, and now I think you should climb up there and see if you can grab the rope. You’re a little taller than me,”
     Mary proposed. “I’ll climb up partway and hold on to your ankles.”
    “Me? I’m barely taller than you, and you’re the one who’s so fearless—remember climbing up the pine tree to cut the top out?”
    “Yes, and that’s why it’s your turn now,” Mary insisted. “Just go up there and grab the rope, and I’ll hold your ankles while
     you try to throw the knotty end up onto the high stack. Then we’ll be able to swing practically across the whole barn!”
    Jody gave Mary one last desperate look, took a deep breath, and turned to the stack of bales. The bottom of the stack was
     wide and sturdy with ten bales in a square, but it narrowed as it went up until there were only two bales for Jody to stand
     on at the very top.
    “Mare, it feels kind of shaky up here,” Jody lamented as she stood with one foot on each of the bales.
    “Never fear! I’ve got you,” Mary crowed, sitting up on her knees on the third layer of bales and grabbing one of Jody’s ankles
     in each hand. “Now just reach up and grab it!”
    “But it’s just about two inches too high!” Jody insisted, stretching up as tall as she could on her tiptoes to reach the elusive
     knot.
    “All right then, you’ll have to jump a little to grab it,” Mary prodded.
    “But I’m going to fall!” Jody cried, beginning to wish she hadn’t ever suggested swinging to begin with.
    “No, you’re not. Just try it. Jump a little and see if you can get ahold of it.”
    So Jody jumped. But when she grabbed the knot, the momentum swung her out and off the stack of bales and then back over the
     stack like a pendulum. Her feet were just about two inches too high to get back on the bale.
    “Mare! What do I do?” Jody screeched, holding tight to the knotted rope as she swung back and forth.
    “Wait—there, I’ve got you again,” Mary soothed, grabbing Jody’s ankles as she swung over. “Calm down, and just drop back down
     on the two top bales again! You’re only a little bit above them!”
    “But they’re not very sturdy! What if I don’t drop right and they topple over?”
    “What in the world is goin’ on in here?” A familiar voice came gruffly from the barn doorway.
    “Willie!” Jody yelled, never so relieved to see the old cowhand. “Mary made me climb up here to get the rope, and now I’ve
     got it, and I can’t let it go!”
    “I didn’t actually make her, Willie. It was just a suggestion,” Mary squeaked.
    Willie didn’t say a word. He just shook his head as he hobbled over to the stack of bales. He climbed deftly up next to Mary
     and wrapped one arm around Jody’s waist.
    “Now let go and drop down a little. I got ya.” Willie said grumpily.
    Jody released the rope immediately, knowing she’d better obey with no complaint.