Abbey Leads the Way (4 page)

The rain had stopped but the cold wind made the girls shiver. They huddled together as Abbey studied the map again.

‘Ah ha!’ she shouted. ‘I see what we did now. We followed the wrong path. When we thought we rejoined the stream path, it was actually a path along Wight River.’

‘So how do we get home?’ asked Olivia.

Abbey traced her finger along the map. ‘I think I’ve found a shortcut back to the farmhouse,’ she said.

‘So we could go back the way we came or try Abbey’s shortcut,’ Kate said. ‘Why don’t we vote on it?’

Abbey felt nervous. She wondered if the girls would trust her after causing so much trouble. Her heart leaped when all the girls voted for Abbey to lead the way.

Jumping to her feet, Abbey shouted, ‘Let’s ride!’

She and Matilda rode at the front. All together, the six girls pushed their ponies into a trot. Abbey kept checking her compass to make sure they were going the right way. Within ten minutes, they reached an old trail path. It was hidden under overhanging branches and vines.

‘Oh, no!’ Emma groaned. ‘We don’t have to go down there, do we?’

‘Well, we do need to keep going in that direction,’ Abbey said, ‘and that trail route looks like the easiest way through.’

‘Easy? But look at it,’ Emma whined. ‘We’ll get all scratched by the prickly branches.’

Maddie was more worried about her pony tripping on the vines covering the path. ‘I really don’t want to fall off Tiny,’ she said.

Everyone was silent. It was Abbey who finally spoke.

‘Don’t worry. I have a plan,’ she said. ‘Matilda and I will bush-bash so nobody gets scratched. And let’s all dismount so nobody can fall off. I just need two people to lead Cody and Snail by their reins, as well as their own ponies.’

Matilda couldn’t help smiling at Abbey. She really knew what to do.

‘I’ll walk Snail,’ Olivia volunteered.

‘And I’ll take Cody,’ Kate said.

Abbey pulled off her plastic poncho and tore it in half. Then she wrapped the plastic from each half around her hands so they wouldn’t get scratched. Matilda watched on in amazement. Then she did the same.

It was a slow walk along the old trail. Abbey and Matilda carefully pushed through the branches and vines, holding them back so the other girls could walk through, leading their animals.

Soon the girls saw a clearing. Abbey had led them to the end of the old trail and into a paddock. In the middle of the paddock was a huge tree.

‘That’s the old oak tree! I’m sure of it,’ Matilda yelled, mounting Cody.

The girls trotted up to the grand old oak.

‘Hey,’ cried Olivia, ‘isn’t that the stream path?’

‘And look,’ squealed Emma. ‘
Look!
’ She was pointing to a curling plume of smoke.

‘The farmhouse! It’s the farmhouse!’ Matilda shouted, her eyes filling with happy tears. ‘Ab, you did it! Three cheers for Abbey!’

The girls’ cheers rang out as they trotted towards the farmhouse.

‘Oh, girls!’ Matilda’s grandma said, running down the porch steps. ‘We’ve been so worried.’

Just then, Pop and Matilda’s dad pulled up in Pop’s truck. ‘Where have you been?’ Matilda’s dad asked Matilda sternly. ‘We’ve been looking for you everywhere. Why didn’t you answer the phone?’

‘We got lost, Dad, and the phone broke,’ said Matilda, dismounting. She ran over and gave him a big hug.

‘Come on, girls,’ said Matilda’s grandma firmly. ‘Inside, right this minute. You must be freezing.’

Soon the girls were curled up in front of a roaring fire, sipping hot chocolate. It was lovely to feel warm and comfortable again. Matilda was explaining how Snail had run off down another path when Abbey interrupted her.

‘It wasn’t really Snail’s fault,’ Abbey said. ‘It was me. I pushed Snail into a canter and took everyone down the wrong path.’

‘Well, Miss Trotter,’ Pop said to Abbey, ‘so you just couldn’t help yourself?’

Abbey stared into her mug. ‘No,’ she said quietly.

‘But then Abbey saved the day!’ Matilda burst out.

‘Yeah, we ended up at Wight River,’ Olivia said, ‘but Abbey brought a map and a compass. She found us a new way home. She was amazing!’

The grown-ups looked impressed.

‘But Pop,’ Matilda said, looking confused, ‘I don’t remember there ever being a river on the farm.’

Pop nodded. ‘That’s right, Matilda. Wight River was always part of the next-door neighbours’ property, but a month ago we bought their land. I only just finished pulling down the fence last week.’

‘So that’s why we got lost!’ Emma said.

The girls were in their sleeping bags early that night. They wriggled and giggled in the dark, getting comfortable on the floor of the guest bedroom.

‘Abbey, move your dirty great hooves out of the way!’ Olivia squealed. ‘You’re crushing me like a bug.’

‘Well, I’m as snug as a bug,’ Abbey giggled.

‘Wow,’ said Kate, letting out a big sigh. ‘Today was pretty awesome.’

‘Was it the rain or getting lost that you most enjoyed?’ Emma asked teasingly.

Snuggled up safely in their sleeping bags, all the girls had to admit that their day had been an exciting one. They giggled about their ponies and chattered about their plans for the next day. At dinner, Pop and Matilda’s dad had promised to teach the girls how to canter.

Abbey couldn’t wait. She smiled into the darkness and announced, ‘Snail is going to be the cantering king!’

Abbey Leads the Way
published in 2014
by Chirpy Bird, an imprint of Hardie Grant Egmont
Ground Floor, Building 1, 658 Church Street
Richmond, Victoria 3121, Australia
www.hardiegrantegmont.com.au

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eISBN: 9781743581940

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