The Mystery of the Masked Rider Read Online Free PDF Page B

news that will cheer you up,” he announced. “I’m taking off two days of school and going with you to the show. I might have to study a couple of nights, but otherwise, I’m all yours.”
    â€œReally?” Colleen’s face broke into a huge grin, and she threw her arms around him. “That’s terrific!”
    Yeah, terrific, Nancy thought. Unless Phil was the one behind Nightingale’s injuries. She couldn’t get the idea out of her mind.
    â€œNancy and Bess are going, too,” Colleen told Phil. “They’re going to help watch over Nightingale.”
    â€œThat’s great,” Phil said. Nancy watched closely to see how Phil took the news, but he just smiled and turned back to Colleen.
    â€œThen it’s settled.” Colleen sat back with a satisfied expression on her face. “Thursday morning we’ll all meet here at the barn—seven on the dot.”
    â€œSeven in the morning ?” Bess squeaked. “But Nightingale probably won’t be awake.”
    â€œOh, she’ll be awake,” Colleen assured Bess. “And you will be, too, Bess Marvin!”
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    â€œEven the sun’s smarter than us,” Bess said sleepily on Thursday morning. She was hunched down in the passenger seat of Nancy’s Mustang, her eyes shut. “It’s not up yet.”
    Nancy chuckled. She herself had gotten up at five-thirty to pack a small suitcase and roll up her sleeping bag for the three-night stay at the show. Then she’d picked Bess up at six-thirty sharp to make sure they’d get to the Healeys’ barn on time.
    â€œJust remember, it was you who volunteered us for groom duty,” she said.
    â€œUmmmph. But I said bodyguard duty,” Bess pointed out. “That sounded easy. I figured we’d just sit around the show and watch Nightingale.”
    â€œWell, we’d look pretty obvious if we weren’t doing something,” Nancy said. “A groom is a perfect cover.”
    â€œBut we want to look obvious,” Bess protested. “That way no one will try anything.”
    â€œTrue. Only I want to catch whoever injured Nightingale. That’s going to be trickier.”
    Bess stifled another yawn. “I’m just glad nothing’s gone wrong since our visit Monday.”
    Nancy nodded in agreement. “Me, too. Let’s keep our fingers crossed that nothing else happens.”
    Flipping on the turn signal, Nancy steered the Mustang up the Healeys’ drive. When they reached the barn, they could see the soft gleam of lights coming from the half-open door. Phil’s sports car was already parked next to a pickup that was hitched to a horse trailer.
    When Nancy and Bess walked into the barn, they met Phil standing in the middle of the aisle, holding Nightingale. “Morning.” He nodded his head.
    â€œGood morning.” Colleen greeted the girls with a cheery smile. She was kneeling in the tanbark, wrapping bandages around Nightingale’s front legs.
    Bess gasped. “Nightingale didn’t get hurt again?”
    Colleen laughed. “No. These are leg wraps. They protect her legs when she rides in the trailer.”
    Bess let out a relieved sigh.
    Colleen stood up. “Are you guys ready to help load up the truck?” She pointed to a pile of boxes, bales of hay, and blankets.
    Nancy nodded, then pulled a reluctant Bess toward the pile. “Come on, sleepyhead. A little exercise will wake you up.”
    An hour later Nightingale and all her equipment had been loaded onto the truck and trailer. After saying goodbye to her parents, Colleen secured the trailer doors and checked the hitch.Then she climbed in the driver’s seat. Nancy sat in the middle, and Bess was by the window. Already, Bess had her jacket scrunched into a pillow and was settling down for a nap.
    Nancy chuckled. “She needs her beauty sleep.”
    Colleen laughed, too, as she