Mystery at Saddle Creek by Shelley Peterson Page A

were vigilant horse people. If he wasn’t able to get away, how would she get the wild man home? It would certainly take some ingenuity.
    She didn’t have to worry for long. A moment later, Sunny came galloping. He stopped abruptly at the top of the ridge.
    Sunny! How did you get away?
    They lost interest in me when those men came asking questions, so I escaped.
    What men? The police?
    How would I know?
    If it was the police, there must be new developments. Bird made a mental note to find out when they got back.
    Come on down, Sunny. There’s no time to lose.
    It’s too steep!
    If I can, with two legs, you can with four.
    I’ll kill myself! The show is in three days, and I have to be perfect.
    Sunny, I’m a swollen, burnt bag with bad hair. We’re not going.
    If you can climb down these hills, you can ride a horse around a show ring. I’ll do all the work. As usual.
    I’ll think about it. Why don’t you go around the long way and meet us at the bottom. Try to be quiet.
    Like a rabbit.
    Nearby, Cody had been listening in.
You two argue all the time.
    We do?
Bird was surprised at his observation.
I guess we do. But we love each other.
    They continued down, one step at a time. Cody stopped moving, so Bird did the same. Then she heard it. A low moaning sound. Definitely human—and definitely in great pain.
    That’s him, isn’t it, Cody?
    Yes.
    He needs a doctor. We’ll get him up to the farm.
    Good.
    Sunny appeared at the clearing below the ledge. He looked up at Cody and Bird.
Where’s the wild man?
    Follow the groans. Up on this ledge, a little to your left.
    I can smell him. Now I hear him. Oh, now I see him. He looks yucky, he sounds yucky and he smells yucky.
    Bird got a whiff of charred flesh. To her human nose it was bad enough, but for a more sensitive animal nose, it must have been close to unbearable.
We’re going to bring him up to our farm. And you have to carry him.
    I’m not putting that thing on my back! He’s filthy! You fix him!
    I can’t fix him! He needs doctors. And medicine and creams.
    Then bring them here.
    They can’t get anywhere near here with an ambulance.
    I don’t care! I don’t want him on my back.
    Think about it, Sunny. We don’t have time to wait until the ambulance comes with the paramedics, who’d have to scramble down here and get him. It’s faster if we just carry him back ourselves.
    Not my problem. I’m going home.
    If you don’t help, I’m not riding you in the show.
    No fair! I’m going to win!
    It’s up to you.
    The horse paced and fidgeted for a moment, then stopped.
Okay, I’ll do it. But you have to give me a bath with bubbles and everything.
    Deal.
    Cody slid closer and closer to the man until he was right beside him. He sniffed his face.
We don’t have much time, Bird.
    Let’s figure this out.
    Bird forced herself to take a good look. Sunny had not exaggerated — it was not a pleasant sight. The man lay on a dirty wet blanket surrounded by debris. A rude tent made of stolen horse blankets propped up on rocks sheltered his bed, and the ground was littered with foul garbage. In the worst state of all, though, was the man himself. His entire body was blistering and caked in mud. Bird had no idea how they could lift him onto a horse without causing him extraordinary pain.
    She studied the problem from all angles, and came up with a plan.
    Sunny, move as close to the ledge as you can. Cody, you take that end of the blanket, and I’ll take this one.
    Bird gently pulled the blanket until it lay flat under the man. He was lying on his side, so Bird rolled him onto his stomach and gently straightened his arms and legs. He made no sound.
    Now we’ll slide him onto Sunny’s back, legs first, blanket and all. Are you two ready?
    Ready.
    Ready.
    Slowly, inch by inch, the coyote and the girl slid the blanket to the lip of the ledge. When it was in