The Painted Horse by Bonnie Bryant Read Free Book Online Page B

million laughs,” Carole said.
    “You don’t know the half of it.” Lisa groaned. “Anyway,when we first saw Veronica, she had a white bag in her pocket. Later the bag was in the wastebasket. It was from Jerry’s Joke Shop.”
    “That’s why she told us to go help Max,” Carole said. “She wanted a chance to put itching powder on the chamois cloth.”
    “Exactly,” Lisa said. “She knew we’d wind up making total fools of ourselves.”
    “And we did,” said Carole. “How come Veronica always seems to win?”
    “Because Stevie isn’t here,” Lisa said. “We need her diabolical brain.”
    “I bet she’s having a fantastic time in New York,” said Carole.
    “While Veronica tortures us in Virginia,” said Lisa.
    Twenty minutes later the girls had showered and shampooed and put on fresh clothes. The itching was gone.
    “Let’s have a snack,” Lisa said.
    There were fresh chocolate chip cookies in the cookie jar. Lisa put some on a plate while Carole poured glasses of milk.
    “Maybe Melody will lose the videotape and we won’t be on TV,” said Lisa.
    “Somehow I have the feeling that she won’t,” said Carole.
    From the front of the house came the sound of a door opening. “I’m home,” came Colonel Hanson’s voice. He walked into the kitchen. “Are you on TV again?”
    “Yes, and it’ll be worse,” Carole said. “We looked like even bigger dummies.”
    “Wait until you see,” said Lisa.
    Colonel Hanson turned on the news. The top story was the weather. “There’s good news,” the meteorologist said. “The storm that has been drenching Willow Creek is finally moving up the coast. By tomorrow the sun will be shining here, and New York City will have our rain.”
    “Poor Stevie,” Carole said. “It’s no fun being a tourist in the rain.”
    “Stevie will cope,” Colonel Hanson said with a grin. “She always finds a way.”
    Carole crossed her arms, thinking that somehow she and Lisa never seemed to find a way.
    In the “Genius Kid” segment, Veronica looked as beautifully groomed as a movie star. Her black hair was shining. Her nails and lips were red. Her skin was creamy.
    Veronica explained about a bridoon and a Weymouth bit and why her bridle had four reins.
    “She knows a thing or two,” said Colonel Hanson, clearly impressed.
    “I was whispering the facts to her,” Carole said. “She doesn’t know a thing.”
    They watched as Carole stripped the bridle and then washed it.
    “You girls really do deserve medals,” said Colonel Hanson.
    Then Veronica said that Lisa was going to dry the bridle. Lisa picked up the chamois cloth and her face suddenly got a very odd look. The cloth flew out of her hands. Carole grabbed it. Next thing, the girls seemed to be fighting over it while Veronica told them to share.
    Colonel Hanson watched in silence. When it was over, he said, “Itching powder?”
    “You know about itching powder?” Lisa asked.
    Colonel Hanson nodded. “When I was a new recruit there was a guy in my platoon who used to like stuff like itching powder.”
    “And ice cubes with flies in them?” asked Lisa.
    “Exactly,” said Colonel Hanson. “That guy had the worst sense of humor of anyone I ever knew. He drove us all crazy.”
    “Was his name Albert?” Lisa asked.
    “No, Virgil,” said Colonel Hanson.
    “Oh no, there are two of them out there,” Lisa moaned.
    Colonel Hanson thought for a minute. “What did Max do?” he finally asked.
    “Nothing,” said Lisa.
    Colonel Hanson nodded. “Max is no dope. He knowswhat’s going on. I’m sure he’s got some kind of plan. Just hang in there.”
    “But we always wind up looking like creeps,” Lisa wailed.
    “I don’t think so,” Colonel Hanson said. “Trust me.”

“T HIS IS NOT only unfair,” Stevie said, “it’s inhuman.”
    Tickets for Skye’s show had arrived at the hotel, but Mrs. Martin wouldn’t let Stevie go.
    “I told you Skye was going to send tickets, and he did,” Stevie