Free Pack Trip by Bonnie Bryant

you were the smartest creature heknew,” Stevie said. “Now you have a chance to show me just how right he is.”
    The first thing Mel did was to run around the field, as if she needed to figure out the lay of the land. Then, once she knew what had to be done, she got to work. She stood flat-footed by the horse who was frozen in fear and barked. It took only a few seconds for the horse to decide that he was more afraid of Mel than he was of the fire. He turned on his heels and trotted willingly to Carole, who put on his halter and lead rope.
    Mel’s next target was the Appaloosa, who had run toward the fire. The dog circled on the far side of the horse, wagged her tail briskly, and changed the horse’s mind. Spot trotted over to Carole.
    Stevie was so fascinated by Mel’s herding technique that she almost forgot how important it was to finish the job quickly. However, with Mel’s help the rest of the horses remained in a herd, and Stevie was able to move them over to where Carole, and by then John, were waiting for them.
    When the last horse had a halter and lead rope and had been secured, they began saddling up. Stevie didn’t think she’d ever tacked up so many horses so fast in her life. She was working so quickly, she almost didn’t noticeAmy, still leaning against a tree. The sight, however, was too much to ignore.
    “Get to work, Amy,” Stevie said. “The saddles are over there; you can see what needs to be done.”
    “You’re getting pretty bossy, Stevie,” Amy retorted. “Sounds to me like you’ve been spending too much time around the queen boss, Miss Carole Hanson.”
    Stevie was shocked by Amy’s response. Any admiration she had ever had for Amy’s boldness fled. So did any sympathy she’d harbored for the girl’s family situation. All she felt was fury, flamed by her own fear of the approaching fire. “How dare you?” Stevie exclaimed. “This is no time for your stupid games. As far as I’m concerned, you can take whatever risk you want with your own safety, and you can drag your dumb brother down with you if you want, but when it comes to my safety and the safety of my friends and these wonderful horses, you have no right to act the way you do. Grow up or get out!”
    Amy drew herself to her feet and limped away. Stevie didn’t consider her departure much of a loss. Amy hadn’t shown much talent at tacking up horses anyway.
    With Carole, Stevie, and John working as a team, the horses were soon ready. Carole secured the riding horses and stayed with them. John and Stevie took the packhorses along the path to the campsite to facilitate packing.They found Amy once again sitting on a rock near the campsite, fussing with the bandage on her ankle. Stevie was so angry, she didn’t even say a word. John didn’t, either.
    “Where’s Amy?” Seth asked as they entered the campsite. “Wasn’t she with you?”
    Stevie shrugged her shoulders. John told Seth where Amy was.
    “Oh,” Seth said. “It must be her ankle. She needs help!”
    He dropped the tent he had been folding and ran past the packhorses to his sister. Lisa was close on his heels.
    John and Stevie secured the packhorses and took up the tent folding where Seth and Lisa had dropped it. Stevie had learned a lot about tents since her first unsuccessful attempt at putting one up, and one thing she’d learned was that there was a lot of material, and it was difficult to fold, especially with only two people. It would have been much easier with more, but with Seth and Lisa hovering over Amy, there was nobody extra to help.
    John was methodical and organized, and he and Stevie managed without help. They stowed the tent on the horse and helped Eli, Jeannie, and the other riders put everything else away. At the same time the riders had to pack up their personal belongings to be carried by theirown horses. Stevie put Carole’s things away, knowing Carole was too busy with the rest of the horses. She packed up Lisa’s things, too,