Stray Horse by Bonnie Bryant Read Free Book Online

perked.
    “You were waiting for me, weren’t you, boy?” she asked. He didn’t answer.
    She patted him cautiously, still very aware of his wounds and tender spots. He flinched when she accidentally touched a sore spot, but he never threatened her as he had Judy.
    “You’re really a tame old boy, aren’t you?” she asked. He didn’t answer that question, either, but Lisa was confident she had the answer anyway.
    She looked again at his scratches. She could see severalthat formed a distinct pattern of parallel lines. Judy said it looked as if he’d tangled with a bobcat, and it looked to Lisa as if the bobcat had nearly won. Perhaps that was when PJ had learned to kick so effectively. It was a skill Lisa hoped he would soon forget.
    She took the salve off the shelf in the shed and gently put some on each of his scratches to help the healing process. She noticed there was one in particular that seemed swollen, and he didn’t want her to touch it. She took a piece of paper out of her backpack and scribbled a note for Judy. The flesh around that scratch was warm, indicating that PJ might be developing an infection in that wound. Judy might want to give him some antibiotics just to be sure.
    “Good boy,” she said, patting him carefully. This time he answered with an affectionate flick of his tail. Lisa’s heart nearly burst with joy. It was a small thing, but from PJ it was really a big deal. He was definitely feeling better, and he wanted her to know it.
    She replenished his water bucket and gave him some fresh hay. While he busied himself with his water and snack, she took up the soft brush and again attempted to groom him very gently. Although he was getting cleaner, Lisa found herself thinking that the brushing was more exploratory than anything else, because every time she brushed his coat she found another wound.
    When she looked at her watch and saw it was almost eight, she knew she had to leave. PJ whinnied and then nickered as Lisa headed for the gate. She turned around and he nickered again, looking her straight in the eye. It was as if he were trying to say something to her, as if he didn’t want her to go.
    “I can’t stay, PJ. I’ve got to get to school.” She hoped he would understand. She turned and he whinnied. What was on his mind?
    Then Lisa laughed. She remembered exactly what was on his mind, and if it weren’t for his really good sense of smell, he might not have known to ask for it. He simply wanted his sandwich!
    “Okay, okay, you win!” she said, reaching into her backpack. “Half now, half later. But you’ll only get the second half if I hear that you were on your best behavior for Judy’s visit this afternoon!”
    She tore off a bit of the sandwich and gave it to him. He chomped very contentedly on his morning treat. To top it off, she gave him a slug of milk from a half-pint container. He positively guzzled the milk, proving that milk is the best accompaniment for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. He made a mess of it, though. Milk cartons had not been designed for horses’ drinking habits.
    Lisa checked her watch again, then hurried out thegate. She had just ten minutes to get to school, and it was a fifteen-minute walk.
    “W HERE’S L ISA ?” S TEVIE asked Carole. The two of them had agreed to meet at CARL after school so that they would at least have a chance to see their friend. Now they were there and Stevie wondered where she was.
    “She had to stay after school because she was late this morning. A half hour of detention,” said Carole.
    “Late?” Stevie asked. It was very unlike Lisa to be late for anything, ever.
    “She told me she came over here this morning and just couldn’t pull herself away from PJ. Anyway, she’ll be here in a few minutes, and I’m kind of glad you and I have a chance to talk before she gets here. She’s been acting really strange.”
    “Surely you’re not saying that just because she’s crazy about this horse, are you?”
    Carole