Free Star of Wonder by JoAnn S. Dawson Page B

Her feet came down solidly on the bales,
     and she breathed a sigh of relief.
    “Now, would you two mind tellin’ me just what you’re tryin’ to do?” Willie demanded, stepping down to the barn floor and turning
     to Mary.
    “Well, Willie, we just wanted to swing on the rope, and we couldn’t reach it, so we had to stack up some bales, and Jody was
     going to grab the end and throw it up to the top of the big stack, so we could go up there and swing across the barn,” Mary
     said all in one breath.
    “And did ya think she was goin’ to be able to throw the rope while she was swingin’ on it just now?” Willie asked crankily.
    “I guess we didn’t really think that far ahead,” Mary replied sheepishly.
    “Good thing I came up here to throw some feed down the chute,” Willie said. “Can you think of any more mischief to get into
     now, or can I get back to feedin’?”
    “No, no, Willie, no more mischief at all,” Jody said quickly.
    As Willie turned toward the grain room, Mary said meekly, “Um, Willie?”
    Willie turned back, his face like a thunderbolt. “What now?” he growled.
    Mary put on her sweetest voice. “Uh, while you’re here, and since you’re taller than us, do you think you could just take
     a second to climb back up on our stack and throw the rope up for us? Please?”
    Willie took off his farm cap and scratched the side of his head. Then he looked up at the hayloft and back at the two pleading
     faces. “Daggone girls,” he muttered, but hobbled over and climbed silently up the stack and onto the top two bales, taking
     hold of the knotty end of the rope and with one motion flinging it easily up to the top bales of the loft.
    “Are ya happy?” he groused, heading back to the grain room to finish feeding the cows.
    “Yes, Willie! Thanks ever so!” Mary cried. “C’mon, Jode, time’s a’wastin’! Last one to the top of the hayloft is a rotten
     egg!”
    Once at the top of the loft, the girls’ brave resolve began to fade as they looked down at the barn floor twenty feet below
     them, but neither would admit it to the other.
    “You go first, Mare,” Jody said, patting Mary on the back encouragingly. “This looks really fun!”
    “Me, go first? Why me? I went first the other day in the circus act. And come to think of it, you never did go after me!”
    “That’s because I was too busy laughing at you landing in the cow plop. And I was the one who just climbed up to try and reach the rope!”
    “Oh, this is ridiculous,” Mary said, “what are we worried about? We used to swing on the rope all the time!”
    “That’s when we were young and not afraid of anything,” Jody replied. Suddenly realizing the silliness of Jody’s comment,
     the girls looked at each other and burst out laughing.
    “All right, enough of this nonsense,” Mary exclaimed. “I will go first in remembrance of days past when we were little and
     fearless.” And without another word, she grabbed the rough rope just above the knot and pushed off.
    “YEEEHHHAAAA!” Mary squealed as she sailed through the air and across the empty space of the barn to the opposite side, where
     she landed atop the high stack of straw.
    “Mare! Are you OK?” Jody yelled from her side of the loft.
    “OK? I’m great! That was awesome! Look out, here I come!” And she pushed off again and swung back to where Jody sat with her
     heart in her throat.
    “Jode! That was the best! I forgot how fun it was! You’ve got to go next!”
    “I don’t know, Mare. It looks scary! I can’t believe we used to do this! What if I lose my grip?” Jody asked nervously, peering
     down at the floor below.
    “You’re not going to lose your grip, there’s a big old knot to hold onto. And look, the floor is covered with loose hay—even
     if you did fall, it would be a nice cushy landing,” Mary insisted. “And besides, you’re not going to fall! Come on, milking
     will be over soon, and we’ve got to go watch Star with the