Chapter Fourteen– A Race and a Lesson
Benny came out of the barn the next morning after finishing his favorite chore (anyway, it was Jeremy's favorite chore to tease him about), smelling like everything he had ever hated about farm life, when he saw a familiar wagon rumble by the front gate, and a small, familiar figure hop off and vault over the fence into the barnyard. "Jason Owens!" Benny yelled, running to meet his friend.
"Whew!" Jason held his nose and backed away. "I guess I know what you've been doin'!" Then he laughed and tackled Benny. They rolled on the grass and pummeled each other. Benny heard Black Switch neigh, loud and frantic. He looked up to see the stallion vault the pasture fence, cross the road, sail over the barnyard fence as well, and charge straight at them. With a toss of his head he sent Jason flying, and then reared up, hooves slashing the air.
"No Switch! No! It's Jason!" Benny jumped and grabbed Switch's halter. The horse reluctantly came down. He snorted and shook his head as if he didn't believe it. Benny made sure Jason was back on his feet and not hurt, then made a little sign. Switch stretched downward onto one knee and lowered his head.
"Shake hands with Jason, Switch," Benny ordered. Switch stamped and pawed the air. Jason grabbed his leg and then patted Switch's neck.
"He's unbelievable. You are so lucky! Say, it's good to have you back. Ben, can Switch race?" Jason asked excitedly. "There's a cross-country horse race over in Farmington in a week. I bet you he could win."
"Jason, Switch is Jeremy's horse." Benny shook his head. "I'd have to get permission, and I can't do that in a week. Besides, I don't know if Switch would even do it."
"C'mon, Ben. Talk to your ma and your uncle about it. At least see what they say."
"You should really have Jeremy's permission," his mother said uncertainly when he brought up the subject.
"It'd be somethin' if a horse from this farm were to win that race," Uncle Tom said thoughtfully. "I'll bet he could. There's a cash prize of five hundred dollars. Jeremy's going to need money for his trip out west when he gets to go. That'd come in real handy."
"Imagine being able to give Jeremy five hundred dollars," Benny breathed.
"Who would ride him?" Benny's mother looked as if she didn't want to hear the answer.
"There's no one else but me with Jeremy gone," Benny replied.
"Abigail, before you turn white and faint on us, I think the boy should try it. We'll take him over to Farmington today and sign him up. Then we'll go look over the race course."
"My dad's not gonna believe it!" Jason shouted. "Black Switch better win."
He certainly seemed to want to, Benny had to admit. He rode over to Farmington on Switch. His aunt, uncle and mother rode in the wagon. The stallion behaved perfectly. Everyone who saw him complimented Benny on how beautiful he was.
That afternoon they went over the racecourse. Switch would have to jump stone walls and streams, climb small hills and pass through stands of trees to follow the two-mile course.
"Can you do it, boy?" Benny asked. Switch snorted and bobbed his head.
"Just remember, it's for Jeremy. You haven't forgotten Jeremy, have you?"
Benny woke up nervous the day of the race. He and Switch had practiced every day, but they had only had a week to get ready. Benny fretted as he trotted along beside the wagon. He worried about leaving Switch at the tent-stalls provided at the Farmington fairgrounds. The town had set up a lot of carnival games and shows and there was a full day of activities planned, with the race in the late afternoon. What if Switch played his tricks or bit someone? What if he disliked being left alone for the few hours before the race? Benny just wasn't sure he could trust the stallion.
"Lord, I want to win that prize money for Jeremy," Benny prayed. "Let Black Switch want it too."
The day was great fun. Benny and Jason saw and did everything together. They came back to the horse tents to pick up Switch with some leftover rock candy. Switch ate the strings, too, before Benny could stop him.
"That your horse?" the man watching the horse tent asked.
"He belongs to a friend of mine," Benny answered.
"Well, he's the first stallion I've seen without a vice in him," the man said. "Usually they're bad-tempered and full of tricks. I had little children petting him and pulling his tail. He stood there like a lamb and took it all. Hope he's got enough spirit to run."
Benny grinned. "We'll see, Sir," he said.
The other horses were a rough-coated, half-wild lot for the most part. Benny cantered Switch past the milling, starting lot and up to the line. Switch pranced nervously and eyed the competition but waited quietly as the announcer described the course and listed the rules.
Just as he began to read the last rule a horse broke loose and ran off. Benny didn't hear what the announcer said in the commotion. They waited a few minutes but the runaway and his rider never returned.
Black Switch was away as soon as the starting gun cracked. Benny had heard something about pacing a horse in a race, but there was no holding Switch back. He seemed so calm and determined, as if he knew how important it was.
Switch won the race easily. He hardly even seemed tired. People flocked to the finish line, shouting congratulations, patting and praising Black Switch. He stood like a stone, leaving Benny wondering again how he could take the crowds, the noise and the groping hands so well. Benny dismounted as the judge came forward.
"It's a pleasure to see a horse like that run!" he exclaimed. You must be old pros."
"I don't know if he's ever raced before," Benny replied.
"He's so gentle, too. You've trained him well."
"He belongs to a friend of mine, sir. Whatever he knows, it wasn't me that taught him."
"Well, your friend's five hundred dollars richer," the judge chuckled. "We just need the proof of ownership."
Benny strained to hear over all the excited chatter.
"What did you say?"
"We need proof of ownership for the horse," the judge repeated. "Does your friend live nearby? The horse's owner, I mean."
"I – I –" Benny knew that Jeremy had said he had bought Switch from a horse trader and gotten him cheap. He'd never mentioned having any kind of proof or bill of sale. If there had ever been one, Benny supposed it was rotting on the bottom of the Conemaugh River back in Pennsylvania.
"What if he doesn't have one?" Benny asked miserably.
"Just a bill of sale, son," the judge said quizzically. "Or a vet's certificate. He must have something."
Benny felt trapped by the crowd. "I—I'll have to ask him," he stammered.
"We'll hold the prize a day or two," the judge said. "He wouldn't want to lose that five hundred dollars."
Benny vaulted into the saddle and touched Black Switch with his heels. His family and Jason had just made it through the crowd in time to see him gallop off.
Finally Benny cleared the last of the people and ducked into a clump of trees at the edge of the fairgrounds. He threw himself on the ground and sobbed. Black Switch nuzzled him, but he didn't move. He heard the bridle jingle as Switch's head bobbed – one, two, three, four times. Sighing, Benny rolled over and dug in his pocket for sugar. Black Switch had earned it, even if Benny couldn't claim the prize.
"Benny! What's the matter?" His family and Jason came up, gasping.
"We can't prove Jeremy owns Switch," Benny told them. "If we can't prove it, we can't claim the prize."
All of them sank down on the ground beside Benny. Black Switch dropped a sugar cube on the ground and refused to take anymore.
"Poor Switch." Benny's mother reached up to pat the horse. "He must think he's done something very bad."
"He was so good. It was like he knew he was winning for Jeremy," Benny murmured. "Nothing I do to help Jeremy works. I should've known better."
"Jeremy believed in the Lord because of you," Uncle Tom pointed out. "If not for you he'd still be a lying, gambling, drunken thief."
"Oh, he's so much better off," grunted Benny.
"Now he's in prison."
Benny continued to brood after they returned home that evening. "We shouldn't even tell Jeremy about it," he grumbled.
"Tell Jeremy about what?" Doc Daniel had arrived, and he entered the front room where Benny's mother sat knitting and Benny lay sprawled on the floor.
"It's good to see you, Dr. Connors," Benny's mother said to him, holding out her hand.
Doc Daniel kissed it. "Ah, I'll enjoy making Jeremy jealous over that. What's my young thundercloud brooding about?"
Benny's mother explained about the race and the lost prize money.
"Next time find out the rules before you play the game," Doc Daniel said unsympathetically. "I take it then that you didn't ask Jeremy for permission?"
"We only found out about the race last week," Uncle Tom said. "It was earlier than it's ever been, and there wasn't time to write Jeremy."
"Mother and Uncle Tom both said I should do it," Benny said.
"Well, perhaps you're right not to mention it to him at all," Doc Daniel said. Jeremy's got such a lot of good friends thinking about his welfare. That's surely worth more than five hundred dollars to him."
"Why is life so hard for Jeremy?" Benny burst out. "Doesn't God love him? He's had too much trouble already."
"Talk like that makes me think you don't know much about God," Doc Daniel observed. And I know that's not true. What's the Word say about why everybody has hard times?"
"It's like gold being refined in the furnace," Benny said reluctantly. "It makes us purer, stronger."
"And what about God's love?"
"Nothing can separate us from it. Not hard times … not even prison walls."
"You're almost there. Now tell me about troubles."
"The Bible promises that tribulation gives us patience and patience gives us hope." Benny got up off the floor. "How come I always think God's trying to do something for Jeremy when He's really trying to change me?
"Doc Daniel, Jeremy said he had some news for us," Benny said. "Do you know what it might be?"
"I just got back from Indian country," Doc Daniel replied. "Haven't heard from Mr. Carlisle in a goodish long time. I did find a letter from my son asking me to meet him in Jefferson City in a couple of days. Suppose you two come along? If there's news to be had about Jeremy, I'm sure we can get my son to spill it."
Benny and the Bank Robber Page 15
