Helping Hands Read Online Free PDF Page B

up?”
    â€œDude, I was just kidding,” he protests.
    â€œNo, you weren’t. I think something is wrong with Buster, and yeah, I don’t know as much as you do about ponies or horses or whatever they are, but you’ve been treating me like I’m lazy or stupid or something. I don’t like it.”
    I stop, clenching my jaw, because a lot of other feelings are bubbling up, things that have nothing to do with David but that have been bugging me for a long time. I feel like punching something or crying or doing both, but if I did anything like that in front of him, I’d feel even worse.
    Buster leans against me again, as if he knows how much I need a friend right now.
    â€œGo,” I tell David. “Just go. Thanks for your help. I’ll clean everything up before Gus gets back.”
    David stands in front of me, arms crossed. Buster pushes more of his weight against me, and I have to move my feet a little so he doesn’t knock me over.
    David stares at the pony, frowning. “How long has he been doing that?”
    â€œSee, there you go again, being Mr. Horse Expert,” I said.
    â€œPlease, Josh,” he says. “Is this why you took him out of the corral?”
    â€œDuh! I tried to tell you that, remember?”
    David slowly kneels, petting Buster’s side. “Can I check this out?” he asks the pony, slowly moving his hands down Buster’s left foreleg. When he reaches the hoof, Buster flinches and pulls away from David.
    â€œOh no,” David groans.

Chapter Seven
    O h no, what?” I ask.
    â€œI don’t know exactly,” David admits, “but he won’t let me check his shoe. This leg is warm, and look”—he points—“it’s a little swollen between his hoof and knee.”
    â€œIs that why he was leaning on me?” I ask.
    David nods. “I bet it hurts to put weight on that leg.” He checks the other hooves. “I’m an idiot,” he mutters.
    â€œWhat did you just say?”
    He stands up, shaking his head. “I should have checked their hooves this morning when we groomed them. I thought about it, but those kids, they wanted to ride, and I figured the ponies only had to walk around in circles a couple times.” He pauses and looks me in the eye. “And then we got so busy that I forgot.”
    â€œIt’s not exactly your fault,” I say. “It’s Gus’s responsibility to take care of them.”
    â€œYeah, but obviously he’s not doing that.” He sticks his hands in the back pockets of his jeans. “I should have taken the time to do it right. I hate this feeling.”
    â€œWhat feeling?” I ask.
    â€œLike I want to punch myself in the face for being so stupid. You probably want to punch me, too; I gave you a hard time about slacking, and you were just trying to help Buster.”
    â€œUm.” I’m not sure what I’m supposed to say. “If it will make you feel better, I can punch you in the face, but that’s not going to help Buster. What do you think is wrong?”
    â€œCould be a lot of things.” He pats Buster’s shoulder and crouches in front of the bad leg again. “You should feel the heat coming off this part of his leg.”
    â€œHow do you know he won’t kick you?” I ask, nervously eyeing the pony’s sharp hooves.
    David brushes his hair out of his eyes. “If I tell you, will you accuse me of showing off again?”
    â€œI won’t, I promise.”
    â€œCool,” he says. “Buster will tell you before he kicks. You just have to speak his language, his body language. First, he’ll put his ears back and bare his teeth. If you don’t pay attention to that, he’ll turn his rear end toward you and lift a back leg. You see a back leg come up? Get the heck out of the way, because you’re about to be kicked.”
    I double-check; Buster’s back feet are