Lucky Horse Read Online Free PDF Page B

nose a final rub. “Looks like you have some wonderful camping companions.”
    “That’s right.” The woman gave the barest of smiles. “We do.”
    Carole hurried back up the path. Most horsepeople she met were friendly, even eager to talk about their horses. These two acted as if they were carved out of rock!
Oh, well
, she thought as she neared her campsite.
I guess horsepeople come in as many temperaments as horses do
.
    She found her father relaxing in a camping armchair in front of their tent. The tent was bright orange and looked so much like a giant mushroom that Carole could barely keep from laughing.
    “Hi,” she called with a giggle. “Guess what I found?”
    “A sunny spot for the solar panels?”
    “Yes, but guess what else?”
    “What?”
    “Two Appaloosas. They’re over at the campsite past the next one. Their owners aren’t the friendliest people in the world, but the horses were great!”
    Colonel Hanson shook his head and started to laugh. “Carole, you’re the only person on the planet who would go looking for a sunny clearing on the top of a mountain and find two horses instead!”
    Carole shrugged. “I guess when your horse radar gets going, it’s hard to turn it off.”
    Colonel Hanson stood up and stretched his arms over his head. “Well, I’m glad you made some new four-legged friends. But now that you’re back, I think I’ll go set up those panels, then dig out a latrine.”
    “Good idea, Dad,” Carole said. “I knew we’d put some of your old Marine Corps habits to good use while we were up here. How about I start supper while you dig?”
    “Deal!” said Colonel Hanson. “Do you think you can figure out how to use the solar oven? It’s already charged up.”
    “I think so,” replied Carole. “If I can’t, I’ll just call my local solar expert, who happens to be close by.”
    Colonel Hanson lifted a small shovel over his shoulder and walked several yards downhill from their camp. In the meantime, Carole began to cook supper. Her dad had piled all the other camping equipment behind the tent, so she had to search a minute before she found the solar refrigerator. She took some cold chicken they’d brought from home, put it inside the solar oven, and turned the dial to 325°F. The oven made a strange chirping sound, but then a red lightcame on and the thing began to heat up. While the chicken was warming, she found their camp table and covered it with a cloth, then set up their chairs, adding two citronella candles to keep the bugs away. By the time her father returned from his digging, the candles were lit and the table was laden with a bowl of potato chips, two big glasses of fruit juice, and a plate of brownies for dessert.
    “Hey, Carole, this looks great!” her father exclaimed.
    “If the solar oven does what it’s supposed to do, then the chicken should be ready just about now.” Carol put on a mitt and opened the oven door. Amazingly, the chicken was hot and toasty brown, just as if she’d heated it up in their oven at home. Of course, they could have eaten it cold in half the time, but she didn’t guess that mattered. Her father was so proud of the solar oven that she was happy to use it.
    She carried the chicken to the table, and they both sat down to eat.
    “Mmmm,” Colonel Hanson said after he took his first bite. “This is wonderful. I guess that solar oven did okay, huh?”
    “It was great, Dad.” Carole smiled. “It was lots of fun to use.”
    “I think eating outside makes everything taste twice as good.”
    “I think eating after you’ve hiked three miles, twoof them uphill, makes everything taste three times as good,” Carole added.
    Her father laughed. “Maybe it’s a combination of both.”
    They were both so hungry they finished all the chicken and potato chips, then half the plate of brownies. By the time they got the dishes cleaned up, the sun was just beginning to drop behind the tops of the tallest trees.
    “Hey, how about