Prize Problems Read Online Free PDF

arm good-naturedly. “But most moms are!” she laughed.
    For one horrified moment, I thought Grace was going to cry. Amber noticed, too.
    â€œHey, only joking! She’s gone now, you’ve got five days of freedom!”
    â€œShe wants me to learn to jump,” whispered Grace, frantically stroking Soot who, quite content in his role as comforter, closed his eyes and purred even louder. “But I don’t want to. I just want to ride Bobbin, my favorite pony at my riding school, but she keeps on talking about getting me a pony.”
    â€œWhy wouldn’t you want to learn to jump?” sneered Ellie. “It’s so totally the best thing. I could jump and jump and jump, it’s so fantastic.”
    â€œWell, not everyone likes doing the same thing,” said Bean. “If you don’t want to jump, Grace, just say so.”
    Grace’s blue eyes widened, her hand hovering over Soot in mid-stroke. “Can I do that?” she asked.
    â€œSure can!” said Amber. “If you can’t, we’ll stick up for you!”
    â€œWhy do you always have to shove your nose in, Amber?” asked Zoe. “It’s none of your business.”
    â€œHey, Grace is worried, I’m being supportive!” Amber said. “We have to stick up for each other, right?”
    â€œAmber’s right,” said Bean passionately. “Grace is here to enjoy herself, not be scared into doing something she doesn’t want to do. And I’m sure you’ll get a fantastic pony, they all looked awesome on the website.”
    â€œI’m sure none of us will be made to do anything we don’t want to,” said Zoe. “We’re on vacation, not at school.”
    â€œWell, I still don’t see why you wouldn’t want to jump!” said Ellie.
    Bean put her arm round Grace. “Stop worrying. You’re going to get a great pony and we’ll all make sure you have a fantastic time!”
    Grace nodded gratefully and resumed her cat-stroking offensive.
    I could tell that Bean’s sympathy with Grace was due to being so out of sync with her own family. Bean loved Tiffany and she rode really well. Her talents lay in other directions from the rest of her family and I wondered whether Grace was the same. Maybe she didn’t want to ride. I couldn’t help thinking that if that were true then Grace wasn’t going to have a very good time on a riding vacation.
    Not a good time at all.

Chapter 4
    The High Grove Farm ponies lined up along the fence, giving us the once-over and looking just as cute and awesome as they had on the website. I felt a shiver of excitement run through me. Never mind that Grace was nervous, I hadn’t ridden any pony other than Drummer for ages. Curling my fingers around Epona in my pocket, I realized how much I was looking forward to enjoying some cozy chats with my allocated pony. Wouldn’t he or she be surprised!
    But then the effect of Epona kicked in and I could hear the ponies. I never learn…
    â€œWill ya look at this group, what a bunch of amateurs!” exclaimed the piebald, Harry, looking us up and down through his long, white forelock. He spoke with a loud, confident, New York accent.
    â€œI bet none of them can ride,” sneered Sorrel, the chestnut. Her mane, by contrast, was pulled short and her legs, unlike Harry’s, were sleek and free from feather. Her voice was clipped and uptight, like someone trying to talk fancy. “I bet I get another rider hanging on to my reins all week. I don’t know what they teach people at riding schools these day, I really don’t.”
    My initial thrill of anticipation tumbled down a notch.
    â€œI don’t care who I get, as long as it’s not the fat one,” whined Cherokee, the bay with white splashes, eyeing up Grace. “My legs won’t stand the weight.” I looked at his legs—white from the knees down, complimented by a splash