Authors: Bonnie Bryant
“They did have pretty good balance,” teased Lisa. “Perhaps you’ve found a new hobby for them.”
“You know,” Stevie said slowly, “there may be one slightly greater victory today than beating Veronica. Although,” she added as an afterthought, “that admittedly is a pretty great victory as far as I’m concerned.”
Lisa and Carole looked at each other. What could possibly be greater than beating Veronica?
“Earth to Stevie,” said Carole. “What are you talking about?”
“Since neither of you two have noticed …,” replied Stevie, shaking her head in mock disgust. “It seems that Numbers One through Eight truly are my children, because they’ve taken on my most desirable quality.”
“What’s that?” asked Lisa, stumped. Not that Stevie didn’t have desirable qualities—she just wasn’t sure which one applied to the goslings.
“Well, they seem to have become horse-crazy. Look for yourselves.” Stevie pointed to the pond, where the goslings had been joined by Nickel. Three of the goslings were poised on Nickel’s back, honking delightedly at the free ride. The others waddled around the pony’s feet, trying to figure out how to get on.
Number One, in true leadership fashion, sniffed at his face while he drank from the pond. He honked to get Nickel’s attention and was rewarded with a gentle sniff as Nickel investigated his new friends.
The girls watched in amazement as Number One herded up the remaining goslings and steered them toward the water. Nickel, following the goslings’ lead, carefully made his way into the pond for a swim. The three goslings on his back slid into the water once it reached their level, joining their siblings and Nickel for a swim around the pond.
“It looks as if your goslings have adopted Nickel,” Lisa said softly, smiling at the sight the pony made, swimming around the pond with the goslings.
“I only hope he knows what he’s getting into,” joked Stevie.
“It seems like everything worked itself out,” Carole mused. “You won the competition
and
your goslings have found a new home.”
Stevie lay back on the blanket and shut her eyes contentedly. Everything had definitely worked out. “At last,” she sighed, “I’ll have a good night’s sleep and a clean room!”
Lisa and Carole exchanged amused smiles. As if sensing their reaction, Stevie opened one eye. “What?”
“Oh, Stevie,” Lisa teased playfully, “you’re never going to have a clean room!”
The girls laughed, enjoying the warmth of the afternoon sun while they watched the goslings playing with Nickel in the pond below.
B
ONNIE
B
RYANT
is the author of more than a hundred books about horses, including The Saddle Club series, The Saddle Club Super Editions, the Pony Tails series, and Pine Hollow, which follows the Saddle Club girls into their teens. She has also written novels and movie novelizations under her married name, B. B. Hiller.
Ms. Bryant began writing The Saddle Club in 1986. Although she had done some riding before that, she intensified her studies then and found herself learning right along with her characters Stevie, Carole, and Lisa. She claims that they are all much better riders than she is.
Ms. Bryant was born and raised in New York City. She still lives there, in Greenwich Village, with her two sons.