Christmas Treasure (2 page)

Everyone turned and looked toward the back door. A chorus of laughter erupted as everybody discovered Carole and Stevie in the dark edges of the arena. With sheepish grins, the two girls stopped creeping like cat burglars and hurried over to the rest of the riders.

“Sorry, Max,” said Stevie as they picked their way through the crowd to sit beside Lisa. “Carole would have been on time, except I overslept and made us both late.”

“Just take your seats quickly. If you’re very lucky, I may overlook this, since it’s so close to Christmas,” Max said. “Please try to stay awake for the rest of these slides.”

Everyone laughed again, and the meeting continued. Max showed slides of horses jumping both properly and improperly, mostly because of the aids given by their riders. After Max had described how good riders could help their horses be better jumpers, the slide show ended and he turned on the lights.

“Any questions?” he asked.

Two riders had questions about jumping. Then Veronica diAngelo, the snootiest, richest girl at Pine Hollow Stables, raised her hand.

Max nodded at her. “Yes, Veronica?”

“Are we going to have a Christmas party this year?”

Max frowned. He seemed tired lately, and the little lines around his eyes had grown deeper. “Well, Veronica, that’s not exactly a question about jumping, but I suppose I’m glad you brought it up. Yes, we are having a party. It’s going to be the night before Christmas Eve,
and it’s going to be in here, in the indoor ring.” Max looked at the riders and gave a sly grin. “There’s one thing, though, that we’re going to be doing a little differently this year.”

“What?” asked one of Veronica’s friends, Betsy Cavanaugh.

“In years past at Pine Hollow we’ve always drawn names and given each other gifts. This year we’re not going to be giving anything in the usual sense. This year we’re going to be a different kind of Secret Santa.”

Stevie’s hand waved in the air. “Different?”

Max nodded. “That’s right, Stevie. Instead of giving gifts, we’ll each draw a name and do something for that person.”

“Do something
for
that person or something to that person?” asked Joe Novick with a laugh.

“For that person, Joe,” replied Max. “Remember, it’s the holiday season, and we should all be doing good deeds. But it’s up to you to figure out what thing your person needs to have done—something they wouldn’t ordinarily do for themselves. You’ve got a little less than two weeks to get your good deed accomplished; then we’ll reveal the Secret Santas at the Christmas party.” Max looked around the group. “Any questions?”

A buzz of excitement rippled through the Horse Wise riders. Stevie and Carole and Lisa looked at each other. No gifts this year, only good deeds. This Christmas was going to be really different!

“Okay, then.” Max pulled a riding helmet from the shelf under the slide projector. “This helmet has slips of paper with everybody’s name in it. I’m going to bring it around and let everyone draw one slip. You’ll be the Secret Santa to the person whose name is on that paper. Remember, don’t show your slip to anyone, or tell whose name you drew!”

Max held the helmet at waist level and began to weave through the seated riders. Everyone closed their eyes, reached into the helmet, and withdrew a slip of paper. Some people laughed when they read the name they’d drawn; others wore looks of total disbelief. Slowly Max worked his way around the edges of the group. At last he came over to the Saddle Club.

“Okay, girls,” he said. “Remember, this is a secret!” He shook the helmet, then held it out to Lisa. She reached up, drew a slip of paper, and read it quickly. A smile played across her lips; a second later her blue eyes clouded with puzzlement.

Max held the helmet out to Carole. She fumbled among the papers for a moment, then withdrew a slip. She read it and quickly stuffed it into the pocket of her breeches. Though she was smiling, her brows came together in a thoughtful frown as she stared at the toe of Lisa’s boot.

Max moved on to Stevie, holding the helmet above her head. “Now, Stevie, you’ve got to get this done by
December twenty-third. Under no circumstances can you be late with your Secret Santa job!”

“I know, Max.” Stevie looked up at him, her hazel eyes serious. “I won’t be. I promise.” She reached up and grabbed the first slip of paper her fingers touched. Quickly she unfolded it and read the name. Before she could stop herself, she gave a little gasp, and her mouth curved downward in a horrified grimace. Of all the names she could have drawn from the helmet, this one was the worst possible name in the world!

“O
KAY
.” M
AX HURRIED
back to the projector stand. “The helmet’s empty. Did everybody draw a name, and are there any more questions about the Christmas party or the Secret Santas?”

No one raised a hand. “Then Horse Wise is adjourned,” Max said with a smile. “If you guys do any jumping this week, try to remember to give your horses the proper aids. I’ll see all of you back here at the Christmas party, and don’t forget to keep your Secret Santas secret!”

“Whew,” breathed Stevie as the girls stood up. “That was a close one! I thought Max would be furious at me.”

“I think he might be too busy to be furious,” Carole said, watching as Max dashed out of the indoor ring.

“How come you guys were late?” asked Lisa. “Carole, I thought you and your dad were giving Stevie a ride.”

“We did,” Carole answered. “Stevie just overslept.”

Stevie grinned, remembering how she’d tumbled into the Hansons’ car, pulling on her jacket and eating a piece of toast at the same time. “We had a really long play practice at school yesterday. Auditions are coming up next week, and my teacher wants us all to be prepared, so he’s helping people practice their monologues, songs, whatever.” She yawned and ran her hands through her tousled dark blond hair. “I guess I was more tired than I thought.”

“Looks like you’re still half-asleep.” Lisa laughed, then remembered the crumpled slip of paper in her hand. “How did you guys like who you drew for Secret Santa?”

“Mine’s going to be very difficult,” said Carole with a note of mystery in her voice.

“Mine is, too.” Lisa carefully folded the paper and stashed it in her pocket. “I don’t have a clue about what my good deed’s going to be.”

“Really?” said Stevie, rolling her slip of paper into a tiny ball. “Mine’s not difficult at all. Mine is horrible.” She shuddered. “I don’t even want to think about it.”

“Then let’s go on a trail ride,” suggested Carole. “That way we can forget about being Secret Santa to anybody but our horses for a while.”

“Sounds good to me,” Lisa said. “Let’s meet at the horseshoe. Last one tacked up’s a rotten egg!”

The girls scurried off to their horses’ stalls. Carole found her bay gelding, Starlight, happily munching hay, while Stevie’s mare, Belle, was nosing around her stall for any spilled oats that might be hidden in the straw. Prancer, the ex-racehorse Lisa rode, was curled up like a deer, dozing in the winter sunlight.

“Wake up, lazybones,” Lisa said, laughing. “You’re as bad as Stevie!”

Prancer scrambled to her feet. In just a few minutes the mare was tacked up. Lisa buckled on her riding helmet and led Prancer outside.

It was a tradition at Pine Hollow to touch the horseshoe that was nailed up by the entrance before every ride. So far everyone had honored that tradition, and no one had ever been seriously injured. By the time Lisa got there both Stevie and Carole were mounted up and ready to go.

“Somebody I know’s a rotten egg,” Carole sang softly.

“I know,” Lisa said, pressing one finger against the horseshoe. “Prancer was still dozing when I got to her stall. We’re ready now, though. Which trail shall we take?”

“Let’s do the field trail,” Stevie said as Belle shook her thick mane. “We did the mountain trail last week.”

“Okay.” Lisa climbed up on Prancer. “We can use the practice.”

The three girls rode their horses up the hill behind the stable. Though the air was cold and crisp, the December
sunshine sparkled, and the frost that still covered the delicate limbs of the trees glittered, giving everything a festive close-to-Christmas feel. Even the horses seemed to sense the excitement in the air. They all trotted up the hill briskly as if they, too, were looking forward to a holiday.

“I feel the need for speed,” said Stevie, her nose already rosy from the cold. “We can go all the way to the end of the field and come back by the creek.”

“Good idea.” Carole patted Starlight’s neck. “These guys are really frisky today. A nice long run will calm them down.”

“Okay,” said Lisa with a laugh. “Let’s go!”

Stevie urged Belle into a fast canter. Carole and Lisa followed. They galloped through a small stand of trees, then across the broad yellow fields that opened before them. When the trail wound down into the woods next to the river, Stevie slowed Belle to a walk.

“Wasn’t that wonderful?” she said, almost out of breath. “I think having sunny weather in December is terrific. It makes you feel so energetic!”

“It is nice,” admitted Carole as she and Lisa pulled up beside Stevie. “But I really wish we’d have a big snow. Snow makes Christmas and Kwanzaa so much more special.”

“I know what you mean.” Lisa smiled. “Snow just seems to make everything all the more beautiful.”

“Horses like snow, too,” said Stevie. “Or at least Belle
does. She and I had a wonderful bareback ride when it snowed last winter.”

The girls rode down the trail to the river, enjoying the combination of warm sun and frosty air. They watched as a pair of cardinals ate bright red berries from a holly bush. A fat gray squirrel scurried under an oak tree, digging up the acorns he’d buried in the fall.

“Seeing all these animals munching nuts and berries is making me hungry,” said Stevie, clutching her stomach. “Why don’t we ride back and then have some ice cream at TD’s?”

Carole shook her head. “Stevie, it’s about twenty degrees out here. How could you possibly think about eating ice cream?”

“Well, the sun’s out.” Stevie glanced at the sky. “That makes it ice cream weather to me!”

Lisa shivered inside her warm jacket. “Actually, food doesn’t sound too bad. Maybe hot chocolate, though, instead of a chocolate malt.”

“Okay, then, let’s go. On to TD’s!” Stevie turned Belle around.

“Let’s take the shortcut through the field and jump the creek,” Carole said. “That way we’ll get to the stables faster.”

“Okay,” agreed Stevie. “You and Starlight lead the way.”

Carole and Starlight took off in an easy canter, with
Stevie and Lisa following. The golden fields flew by as the horses raced back toward the stable. Soon Starlight and Carole were approaching the creek. As the big bay gelding neared the bank, Carole remembered the slides Max had shown at Horse Wise. She shifted her weight forward in the saddle as she felt Starlight begin to collect his hind legs under him, and she loosened her hold on the reins as he leaped into the air. For an instant they were flying; then, just as fast, they were landing smoothly on the other bank. Carole smiled and gave Starlight a pat. Every time she jumped a horse she remembered why it was one of her favorite things in the world to do.

Stevie and Belle were approaching the creek at the same easy canter, and at the same spot as Starlight, Belle collected herself and vaulted over the creek. Stevie came down softly in the saddle, then pulled up beside Carole to watch Lisa.

“Hurry up!” Stevie called as Lisa and Prancer neared the creek. “You’re still the rotten egg!”

“We’re coming,” Lisa called. She urged Prancer on a little faster and shifted her weight forward in the saddle. The pretty bay mare picked up speed, but when she reached the spot where Belle and Starlight had begun their jump, she abruptly stiffened her legs and came sliding to a halt.

“Ouch!” cried Lisa, scooting forward in the saddle and bumping her nose on Prancer’s neck.

“Are you okay?” called Stevie.

“Yes.” Lisa rubbed her nose. “Just shocked. Prancer hasn’t shied at water in months!”

“Turn her around and try it again,” advised Carole. “Maybe the creek just took her by surprise.”

“Good idea.” Lisa turned Prancer around, then reapproached the creek at a brisk trot. Again, at the very same spot where Belle and Starlight had leaped into the air, Prancer stopped and planted herself firmly on the ground.

“She still won’t do it,” said Lisa, shaking her head. “But at least I didn’t bump my nose this time.”

“Try and walk her over it,” Carole suggested. “Maybe she’s just having a bad creek day.”

Lisa urged Prancer forward at a walk. The mare took a few steps toward the water, then slapped her ears back and refused to move at all.

“This is terrible!” cried Lisa. “Her water problems have all come back, and I worked so hard to get her over them. I was even planning to ride her in the Fairfax Competitive Trail Ride next month. We can’t enter if she stops dead still at every mud puddle!”

Stevie and Carole looked at each other and frowned. “Maybe you should just get off and lead her across,” said Stevie. “I’ve got a carrot you can reward her with when she gets over here.”