Rescue! by Bindi Irwin Read Free Book Online

From the window in Hannah’s bedroom, Bindi watched in awe as dawn broke over a beautiful view of the African bush. Right out the front of the farmhouse was a giant baobab tree that Bindi was itching to climb. It had a really wide, gnarly trunk, which was so different from the skinny gum trees back home. She felt sure that from the top of that tree you would be able to see the whole country.
    But climbing it would have to wait, because the trekkers had an early start. Hannah’s mum, Kirsten, ran a horse-trekking business called Trailblazers in Limpopo, South Africa, for tourists who were keen to see African wildlife. Limpopo was filled with game parks and nature reserves. It was a really pretty corner of the country with a wide variety of native animals.
    Bindi, her mum, Terri, and brother, Robert, had been staying in Cape Town to film a movie and had arrived the day before for a short visit before heading home to Australia. Bindi and Hannah would spend the next three days riding with Thabu, Trailblazers’ most senior guide. Thabu and his family lived and worked at the farm. They were of the North Sotho tribe.
    â€œWhich horse is going to be mine?” cried Bindi excitedly as she raced out of the farmhouse toward the stables.
    Hannah was already there, setting up for the ride. She laughed at Bindi’s enthusiasm. “Mum told me I should let you sleep in.”
    â€œNo way. How could I sleep in when I’m this excited?!” Bindi couldn’t decide what she thought was going to be the best part of the ride: roughing it in the wild for three days, cooking their own food, or seeing every kind of African creature, from a dung beetle to an elephant!
    Thabu smiled at Bindi’s energy as he took her to meet her horse. He was a palomino, a tan horse with a beautiful white mane and tail.
    â€œWhat’s his name, Thabu?” she asked as she stroked the horse’s neck and spoke gently to him. He seemed to like it. Bindi knew they were going to be very good friends.
    â€œHis name is Koto.”
    â€œKoto. Ko-to.” Bindi loved to practice saying words in a different language. They didn’t sound anything like Aussie words!
    Hannah was busy saddling her own horse. She was a gray mare (which in horse language meant white) named Pippi. She was named after Pippi Longstocking, because she had black markings on her legs that looked just like stockings. Bindi couldn’t wait to see Hannah ride; she knew she was really good.
    Terri and Kirsten came outside carrying the food and water the riders would need for the trek. “I think you’ll really like the food Kirsten’s prepared for you,” called Terri. As Terri knew, Bindi always got really hungry when they went camping. Food was something she looked forward to.
    While Terri packed the saddle bags, Kirsten turned to Bindi and Hannah with a serious expression. “Now remember, girls, you’ll be seeing lots of wild animals in their own habitat. You are to obey Thabu at all times. You might be riding in a game park but this is no game! Okay?”
    She waited for both girls to nod their understanding before she went on.
    â€œWhen you’re riding the horses, their sweat and scent overpowers your own human smell. This means you’re able to get closer to the wildlife without them realizing. It’s a different story when you’re on foot. At the campsite you must stay close to Thabu. No wandering off.”
    The girls nodded again, this time a little distractedly. They couldn’t wait to get going!
    Kirsten smiled. “Well, have fun!”
    Bindi gave Terri a quick good-bye hug. She looked around for Robert. He had made friends with Thabu’s son, Mpho. The boys were the same age and had bonded over Mpho’s promise to show Robert every lizard hideout on the property. Bindi noticed the two of them huddled over something in the dirt.
    Bindi called out to Robert as she mounted Koto. “See you