The Painted Ponies of Partequineus and The Summer of the Kittens by Peter H. Riddle Read Free Book Online Page B

fall in a groundhog hole and trip or something. I couldn’t keep an eye on him and run fast, too.”
    They sat quietly for a while, staring out over the ocean. The girl ponies had wandered off into the hills for the night, and everything was hushed under the three strange moons. Even the waves were calm, no longer foaming up onto the beach.
    â€œI’m beginning to get an idea,” Vanessa said at last.
    â€œTell us,” Steven said.
    â€œHave you ever tried going together during the day? With the girls riding on your backs, I mean?”
    â€œWhy would we do that?” Alexander said. “We can’t run as fast that way. Besides, only one of us has to reach Paximus in order to break the spell for all of us.”
    â€œI know,” Vanessa said. She furrowed her brow, deep in thought. “Tell me this. Can you understand what the girls are saying to you when you’re a pony, even though you can’t talk back?”
    â€œOf course.”
    â€œGood. Now, this afternoon, when we all went for a ride up to the end of the beach, Guaryntis didn’t pay any attention to us. But we were twice as near to the forest as we are here in the meadow.”
    â€œI knew that,” Steven said. “That’s why I took a chance and made a run for it.”
    â€œSo if you do that again, maybe you’ll be close enough for one of you to make it all the way.”
    â€œI don’t think so,” Alexander said. “Guaryntis would just go after whoever is in the lead, and get him first.”
    â€œBut what if…” Vanessa began. She paused and sat quietly for a few moments. “Listen, Alexander, you said you couldn’t avoid the dragon because you couldn’t see where he was, and still watch where you were going at the same time, right?”
    â€œThat’s the problem,” Alexander said.
    â€œSo what if I…” And she leaned forward and whispered in his ear.
    Alexander sat up straight, and his eyes opened wide. “That just might work!” he said excitedly. Then he frowned. “But if it doesn’t, he’ll capture you, and you’ll have to stay here in Partequineus forever.”
    â€œI know,” Vanessa said. “But it’s your only hope.” She stood up. “Listen, I have to go home now. I’ve been here for hours and hours.”
    â€œDon’t worry,” Steven said. “You’ll arrive back at four o’clock, just like always. No one will know you’ve been gone.”
    â€œBut I’m already very tired. I’ll have to stay up with Mom until at least nine, or she’ll think something’s wrong with me.”
    â€œGo ahead, then,” Alexander said.
    â€œI’ll be back next Friday,” Vanessa said to him. “You tell everyone what our plan is. And when I get here, we’ll all take a nice, quiet ride down to the very end of the beach, just like we did today.”
    â€œI hope it will work,” Alexander said.
    â€œIt has to,” Vanessa said. “Guaryntis has kept you prisoner long enough. You all deserve to go home.”
    Vanessa took one step back.
    â€œDon’t forget about us,” little Frank said.
    â€œI won’t let you down,” she said. Two steps.
    â€œYou’re very brave,” Evan said.
    â€œSo are you.” And with the third step, Vanessa was once again standing by the edge of her bed, with the four o’clock sunshine streaming in through the window. Her pale blue tunic was the only proof that she had been away. She slipped it off and put on her school clothes again, and was on her way downstairs when her mother came in the door.
    â€œHello, sweetheart,” Vanessa’s Mom said cheerfully. “Anything exciting happen today?”
    Vanessa smiled with secret pleasure. “Oh, you know,” she said. “Just the usual stuff.”

NINETEEN
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    The next week passed by very slowly. Vanessa was anxious