Buckskin Bandit

by Dandi Daley Mackall

  “Hurry, Winnie!” Kaylee shouted.

  “I’m trying!”

  Suddenly Madeline sprang from the fence and kind of pranced a few feet in the direction of the stable. “Somebody’s coming!” she whispered. “Somebody big!”

  “Leonard!” Kaylee and I said at the same time.

  “The Leonard?” Madeline asked. “The one who hurt Bandit?”

  “Bandit’s afraid of him!” Kaylee cried. “He says he’s going to get rid of my horse!”

  Madeline took a big breath. “Oh, he does, does he? You just leave Leonard to me!”

  “Be careful!” I shouted.

  But Madeline was already storming toward Leonard. Without slowing down, she whipped out her cell phone and dialed. I couldn’t tell who she called or what she said. But the conversation took about two seconds. Without losing stride, she shoved the phone back into her purse and closed the gap between Leonard and her.

  Mason tried to stomp after his mom, but I grabbed him. “I need you here, Mason,” I said. “Go help Kaylee with Buckskin Bandit.” I guided him under the fence and into the pasture. Bandit was a lot safer than Leonard.

  I ran to where I could watch Madeline in action. She charged right up to giant Leonard, who must have outweighed her 10 times over. He was carrying a crop, a small whip.

  “You there!” she shouted. “Halt!”

  Leonard, his beady little eyes doubling in size, halted.

  “How dare you, Leonard!” When Madeline said it, it sounded like a curse. “How dare you lay a finger on that lovely horse! How would you like it if I took the whip and spurs to you? starved you?” She poked his giant belly as she delivered this threat.

  “Go, Madeline!” I yelled, cheering her on.

  “Who are you, lady?” Leonard tried to walk past her.

  Quick as a Quarter Horse, Madeline snatched the crop out of Leonard’s hand. “You get rid of that nasty whip!”

  Leonard tried to grab his crop back. “Lady, I need to get that crazy animal loaded in my truck down there. I’m telling you, get out of my way!”

  “Over my dead body or yours!” Madeline shouted. “And I’m betting on yours!”

  In the distance, I heard a siren.

  A big truck at the end of the drive started backing out to the road.

  “Reggie!” Leonard screamed. “Get back here!”

  But the truck took off in the opposite direction as the siren grew louder and louder.

  Mason covered his ears. Bandit whinnied. Madeline frowned at Leonard and nodded toward the approaching siren. Leonard looked scared. I didn’t know whether to be glad to see the police coming or to run for the hills.

  I watched the flashing lights as a police car pulled into Happy Trails. And behind them came a little blue car I recognized as Pat Haven’s.

  Leonard panicked. He bumped past Madeline, almost knocking her down.

  But Madeline recovered and waved her arms at the police car. “Here!” she shouted. “We’re up here! Hurry!”

  Both cars aimed toward us, speeding up the bumpy lane, past the stable, through the pastures.

  Leonard thundered over to the fence. “You kids!” He spat on the ground. “I might have knowed you were behind this.”

  He stepped on the bottom rung of the fence, as if he meant to climb over. Bandit’s ears went back, warning him not to.

  Suddenly Mason broke away from Kaylee and ran at Leonard. “No!” he screamed. “No! Don’t touch!”

  I ran back to them, ducked under the fence, and blocked Mason before he reached Leonard. Then I knelt down and held him tight. “It’s okay, Mason. We won’t let him touch the horse. It’s okay.”

  The police car tore through the pasture, pulling up a foot from Leonard. A young policeman stepped out of the car and flipped up his sunglasses. “Somebody want to tell me what’s going on here?”

  “I’ll tell you, Officer!” Leonard said. “These little girls were trying to steal my aunt’s horse.”

  “That’s a lie!” Kaylee shouted.

  “What were you doing?” the policeman asked. He was looking at me. Waiting.

  “Well,” I said, “we were trying to get Bandit out of the pasture, but—”

  “See? She even admits it!” Leonard shouted.

  Pat stepped out of her car and ran around to the passenger door. From the backseat a tall man with glasses and a business suit got out. Then I could see who Pat was helping out of the front seat—the old woman we’d seen the first night at Happy Trails.

  The woman squinted over at us. “I saw these girls before, from my front porch,” she said. “Leonard? What is going on?”

  “I caught these girls stealing horses!” Leonard answered.

  “We were not stealing your horses!” Kaylee protested. “We were protecting them!”

  The policeman turned to Mrs. Pulaski. “Ma’am, are you the owner of Happy Trails?”

  “I am,” she answered.

  He turned to Pat. “And who are you?”

  Pat stuck out her hand. “Pat Haven, a friend of the Pulaskis. Mrs. Pulaski phoned me a half hour ago, when this gentleman—” Pat motioned to the guy in glasses, who reminded me of a fit Quarter Horse—“from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, showed up at her door. We were on our way to the stable when you whizzed past us in your police car. I don’t know what’s going on, Officer, but I can promise you that those girls wouldn’t steal a fly, no offense.”

  Pat glared at Leonard but still spoke to the policeman. “And if I were you, I wouldn’t believe one word Lazy Lenny says.”

  Quarter Horse Man looked confused. “We had an official complaint against Happy Trails. But I didn’t expect police involvement.”

  “I don’t know anything about that,” the officer said, scratching his head and gazing around. “Now, which one of you phoned me?”

  “That would be me, Officer.” Madeline brushed by Leonard, accidentally elbowing him. “I’m the one who called you. Madeline Edison.”

  “Because someone was stealing a horse?” asked the policeman.

  “My, no!” Madeline objected. “Because this . . . this Leonard has been abusing that poor horse over there.” She pointed to Bandit.

  “Lenny!” Pat frowned at Leonard. “You haven’t changed a bit!”

  “I want to see my horse,” Mrs. Pulaski said, shuffling to the fence, with Pat hanging on to her, as if she thought the woman might break into pieces.

  “Are you girls all right?” Pat asked.

  “We’re okay, Pat,” I said. “I’m sure glad to see you, though.”

  Mrs. Pulaski held on to the fence and let out a gasp. “My poor Buck!” she exclaimed. “What’s happened to my buckskin?” She gripped the railing and stuck out her hand toward Bandit.

  I watched, amazed, as Bandit’s ears flicked. Then he took slow, cautious steps toward the old woman. He walked within a few feet of her and stretched out his neck to sniff her hand.

  “Oh, Buck,” she said, sobbing. “I am so sorry. I should have looked out for you myself. I should have—”

  “You couldn’t have done anything more,” Pat said, putting her arm around Mrs. Pulaski. Pat turned to Kaylee and me. “She was in the hospital for weeks. The doctor ordered her to stay inside and recover.”

  Bandit rubbed his head against the woman’s hand.

  “You love that horse, don’t you, Mrs. Pulaski?” I asked, still surprised. I’d misjudged her from the first day.

  “I love all my horses.” She wheeled on her nephew so fast that Pat had to keep her from falling. “Leonard, how could you!” she screamed.

  “It’s those kids, Aunt Ida,” Leonard whined.

  “We’re the ones who have been taking care of Bandit!” Kaylee cried. “We got him to trust us. And it wasn’t easy, after what you did to him!” She turned to Mrs. Pulaski. “He was going to get rid of the buckskin. He said so.”

  Leonard sneered at us. “Well, they ain’t your horses, are they? And if I got plans
for this here one, you don’t got nothing to say about it.”

  Mrs. Pulaski’s round back straightened, and she seemed to grow several inches as her eyes narrowed on Leonard. “Nephew, you have nothing to say about it. You’re fired!”

  Kaylee, Mason, and I broke into applause.

  The police officer and Quarter Horse Man from animal protection were so mixed-up that they asked us all to go with them to the Ashland police station and help fill out reports.

  At the station, they talked to us together. Then they split us up and asked more questions.

  Pat was the first to leave, so she could take Mrs. Pulaski home.

  Then Kaylee’s parents came for her. They had a lot of questions of their own, but they didn’t seem too mad. They were almost out the door when Kaylee came running back. “Thanks, Winnie,” she said. “Mrs. Pulaski told me I could come out and see Bandit anytime I wanted. And she offered me a summer job at Happy Trails! I’ll have to ask my parents when they’ve calmed down. But wouldn’t that be perfect? I’d see Bandit all the time!”

  “That’s great, Kaylee!” It was the kind of solution that had God’s fingerprints all over it.

  I watched Kaylee walk out, with one parent on either side of her. And I felt happy for her, honest-to-goodness happy.

  “Winnie!” Dad came racing through the police station, with Lizzy behind him.

  Lizzy threw her arms around me. “Winnie, are you okay? Madeline called us and said to meet you at the police station! And Dad’s cell phone was scratchy. We knew it wasn’t an accident, but—”

  “Winnie, are you all right? I was so worried about you!” Dad hugged me so hard I coughed.

  “I’m sorry, Dad. I shouldn’t have left without talking to you.”

  “Well, it’s about time!” Madeline shouted across the police station. She and Mason came out of the deputy’s office and joined Lizzy, Dad, and me. “We need to have a little talk, Jack,” Madeline continued. “I think you’ve been a little leaf-blocked lately where Winnie’s concerned.”

  Dad’s forehead wrinkled, like when he’s stuck on an invention. “I’ve been what-blocked?”

  Madeline took his elbow and led him to the nearest chair. “Winnie,” she called back, “don’t worry about Leonard. I made them promise that he would never be allowed near another horse again.” She waved a piece of paper at me. “I got it in writing!”

  “Leonard?” Dad asked, looking dazed. “Who’s Leonard?”

  “Way to go, Madeline!” I shouted.

  Madeline sat Dad down on a bench in the corner, while she stood in front of him, her mouth moving as fast as a gallop. I figured she was filling him in on everything, and then some.

  Lizzy scratched her head. “You and Madeline? I want the whole story, Winnie. But first, promise me that you’re all right. When we had to leave for Columbus without you, I felt terrible.”

  Columbus! The state science fair. “Lizzy, how did it go in Columbus? Did you win?” I looked behind her, as if she might have hidden her trophy there.

  She shook her head. “M didn’t win either. But he had great conversations with just about every girl in the contest, thanks to that conversation ball.” She smiled weakly, but I could see through it. “I didn’t even get an honorable mention.”

  I felt like I was going to cry. “Lizzy, I’m really sorry.”

  She shrugged. “Dad was pretty disappointed. He tried hard not to show it. But he’s not much of an actor.”

  I laughed. I knew exactly what she meant. “I should have been there for you, Lizzy.”

  “You had to save that horse, Winnie. You would have been there if you could have.”

  But I knew better. Columbus had been the last place I’d wanted to be. “Lizzy, I didn’t want to go there and watch you and Dad. I’ve been kind of mixed-up. When you won at the science fair, I wanted to be happy for you. But I kept seeing how close you and Dad were, how happy you guys were. And it felt horrible. I couldn’t even be happy for you, Lizzy.”

  “Winnie, that’s what I’ve been struggling with too! I mean, I did want you to win. I really did. But I hated every second in that barn.” She grinned. “And I wanted to spend that much time with Dad too. I kept fighting the feeling that it was so unfair.”

  I laughed out loud. Unfair. It was unfair, but I sure hadn’t seen it that way. Leaf-blocked.

  “You know,” I said, “I don’t think I cared that much about the science fair. I just wanted Dad to be proud of me. He’s always proud of you. What parent wouldn’t be proud of a popular, kind, A+ student, Lizzy?”

  “Me? Winnie, are you kidding? Even in Columbus, Dad bragged to perfect strangers about Winnie the Horse Gentler.”

  “He did?” I glanced at Dad. Madeline was still talking, using her hands. Behind her, Mason waved his arms, as if mimicking his mom.

  Officer Stufflebean, the young policeman, with sunglasses now tucked in his front pocket, came over. “Winnie, is this your twin?”

  Lizzy and I laughed. He wasn’t the first one to make that mistake.

  Lizzy grinned at him. “Well, we were the same age yesterday.”

  “Officer Stufflebean,” I said, “I’d like you to meet my amazing sister, Lizzy, the great inventor.”

  I rode home with Dad and Lizzy in the cattle truck. Madeline and Mason followed us in the van.

  As soon as we turned onto our street, I knew something was up. I leaned out the window and smelled horse. Not just my horses. Lots of horses.

  As we got closer, I spotted Hawk sitting bareback on Towaco. Sal was holding Amigo on a long lead, as the Miniature Falabella grazed on our unmown grass. I saw Grant and Eager Star. Catman had my beautiful Nickers, and M was leading Buddy. Barker came walking out of the barn with Annie Goat.

  “What’s going on?” I asked as Dad turned off the engine.

  “You didn’t think we’d forget your birthday party, did you, Winnie?” Dad answered. “I couldn’t sleep last night, honey. You deserve a real birthday. This morning I called Hawk and worked out everything.” He leaned over and hugged me. “Happy birthday, Winnie Willis.”

  “Happy birthday, Winnie!” Lizzy exclaimed. She hugged both of us, then jumped down from the truck. “You’re late to your own party.”

  “Man, where have you been?” Sal shouted.

  “Long story, Sal,” I answered, hopping down after Lizzy.

  “The horses started partying without you.” Sal pointed to Amigo, enjoying the grass feast.

  “I’ll get the cake!” Lizzy said.

  “Cake?” I asked, trying to take it all in.

  “I hid it in the pots-and-pans cupboard. Didn’t think you’d go there.”

  “You’re right about that,” I agreed.

  “Buddy!” Mason jogged over to his filly and hugged her, while M held the lead. M winked at me. Then he and Mason high-fived each other.

  It was great to see Mason so happy. I could feel it. Share it. “When others are happy, be happy with them.” It was a good thing, sharing joy. I was going to try to remember that. I’d wasted too much joy being leaf-blocked by envy.

  “Happy birthday, Winnie.” Hawk grinned at me from Towaco’s back. She must have had to call everybody herself to pull off the party.

  “Thanks, Hawk.”

  “Happy birthday, Winnie,” Grant said, leading Eager Star up so I could pat him. “Summer can’t make it.”

  “Too bad,” I said, trying not to smile. But Grant smiled back. “Scar acting up on her?” I asked.

  “More like Columbus embarrassment, I think,” Grant said.

  “Huh?”

  “Didn’t your sister tell you?” Hawk asked. “Summer got disqualified at the state science fair.”

  “You’re kidding!” Now I really wished I’d gone to Columbus.

  “She got busted!” Sal explained. “Turns out her ‘original’ finger-combs were ‘made in Japan.’”

  Note to self: Maybe some things aren’t so unfair, if you wait long enough.

  Catman
waved, and Nickers nickered. I went to my horse and threw my arms around her neck. With Catman holding her leadrope, I swung up bareback.

  “Cool day of your birth,” Catman said.

  “Thanks, Catman.”

  From Nickers’ back, I scanned our lawn, still filled with junk. But it was also filled with horses and people who cared enough about me to come to my birthday party. The sun was setting, throwing shadows across the lawn and bringing a chilly breeze, and I prayed that my mind would snap a picture of this moment.

  Lizzy and Dad came out of the house with a big cake for us and cake-shaped, oatmeal-and-molasses treats for the horses. Next year I’d throw both of them birthday parties.

  Out in the road came the clip-clop of a horse’s hooves. Kaylee was riding toward us on Buckskin Bandit, with Pat Haven walking beside her.

  “Winnie, look!” Kaylee cried. “Pat told Mrs. Pulaski about your party, and she wanted me to bring Bandit.”

  I waved. Bandit looked happy and calm, at home with his new herd.

  As I gazed across the lawn—from one person, one horse, to another—I felt as if God were whispering in my ear: It’s unfair, isn’t it, Winnie?

  Unfair. With the leaf down, I could see now. I hadn’t done anything to deserve a herd like this—friends, family, horses. A God who died for me so I could have a life like this and a God who whispers in my ear.

  You’re right, God. It is unfair. Thanks.

  Horses communicate with one another . . . and with us, if we learn to read their cues. Here are some of the main ways a horse talks:

  Whinny—A loud, long horse call that can be heard from a half mile away. Horses often whinny back and forth.

  Possible translations: Is that you over there? Hello! I’m over here! See me? I heard you! What’s going on?

  Neigh—To most horse people, a neigh is the same as a whinny. Some people call any vocalization from a horse a neigh.

  Nicker—The friendliest horse greeting in the world. A nicker is a low sound made in the throat, sometimes rumbling. Horses use it as a warm greeting for another horse or a trusted person. A horse owner might hear a nicker at feeding time.