Ages 7-11 Story 2

The Lost Calf

By K. D.

Nine year old Andi Carter sat looking upon Taffy’s beautiful back at the ranch as she headed towards her special spot. It was a beautiful ranch with flowers growing in the window sill. As Andi drew closer to her special spot, Taffy’s ears twitched and fear stabbed Andi’s heart.

“What could that be?” asked Andi in a tight voice to herself. Just then a loud cry pierced the air and Andi froze. “Let’s check it out” said Andi, sounding brave though she wanted to turn and run and get her brother Chad, but she could not move. She felt frozen to the spot.

Finally she nudged Taffy into a trot and headed toward the sound. As she rounded a hill a terrible sight greeted her.

There lying on the round two feet in front of her, a baby calf struggled to get up from the ground. “No”, whispered Andi in a hoars voice. Taffy snickered.

Still the calf could not get up. It laid there staring at Andy and Taffy with its beady eyes.

Suddenly Andi knew what she needed to do. She turned Taffy and raced to the Circle C Ranch. “Chad help, Chad help!” she yelled at the top of her lungs as she rode toward the ranch. When she finally got to the yard it was just past noon. “Chad come quick” yelled Andi.

Just then the barn door swung open and out came Chad, Sid, Mitch and Clay.

“What’s wrong?” asked Chad. He had heard Andi’s call when he had put the saddle in the tack room.

“Chad and calf is hurt!” she cried.

“Whao there, tell me what happened”, Chad said as he ran up to Taffy.

Andi explained that a calf had fallen into a small ditch and had blood running from its leg and could not stand up.

Mitch gasped, Clay’s mouth dropped open to an ‘O’, and Sid stood there with a frown and his eyes narrowed.

“Please Chad come with me to check on the calf”, begged Andi.

“I don’t…” Chad started,

“Come on Chad that calf might be hurt bad”, interrupted Mitch. “By the way, I thought you’d be the one jumping on the saddle right about now.”  

Andi looked at the group, “Where did Clay go?”

Chad looked around and started to yell for Clay. Just then Clay led two horses out of the barn hitched to a wagon. Chad gave him a puzzled look and frowned as Clay stopped next to Taffy.

Clay saw the frown and said, ”If you won’t go I will!”

Andi smiled.

Chad saw the smile, “Fine I’ll go but under one condition, if I say we need to get rid of the calf you will not get angry at me, do you understand?”

“Yes sir”, said Andi.

“Good”, said Chad as he jumped into the seat of the wagon. “Come on” said Chad to Andi.

When everyone was ready, Chad slapped the reins, and the wagon jerked and started toward Andi’s special spot.

Andi nudged Taffy into a gallop towards her brothers and Clay. “Wait for me”, she yelled as they left the yard.

When they got to Andi’s special spot Chad looked around and didn’t see the calf at first.

“Where is the calf?” asked Clay.

“Just around the corner” Andi said. “Come follow me.”

Andi rode Taffy around the hill where she had seen the calf. The calf still was laying there trying to get up.

“Is it hurt?” Chad asked as he jumped from the wagon.

“I don’t know”, Andi said as she helplessly looked at it.

Mitch and Clay jumped from the wagon to help Chad lift the calf into the wagon.

“Can I help?” asked Andi.

“Sure”, Chad said.

“How can I help?” asked Andi.

“Grab the back legs and swing them into the wagon gently”, said Chad as they lifted all together.

“Is the calf hurt?” asked Chad again.

Andi looked at the calf and said in a tiny voice” I don’t know”. She looked helplessly at the calf.

“Let’s head back to the ranch” Mitch said.

Andi swung her leg over the saddle while Chad, Mitch and Clay loaded up on the wagon’s front seat. Chad slapped the reins while Andi nudged the reins and they picked up speed.  

The wagon rolled across the prairies toward the ranch. Andi followed the wagon keeping an eye on the calf in the back.

As soon as they arrived at the ranch Sid came running out to greet them. “I made room for the calf in the barn in the far corner, you can lay it there”, said Sid.

Mitch and Chad jumped from the wagon seat to open the back of the wagon.  Clay grabbed an empty hay cart and brought it to the rear of the wagon.

Andi watched her two brothers work the calf to the end of the wagon, each grabbing two hooves. “Don’t hurt it”, she cried.

They lowered the calf onto the cart setting it gently down. They moved the calf carefully to the back of the barn laying it in a heap of fresh hay.

Andi fetched a bottle of warm milk from the ranch house for the calf to drink and sat down to feed the calf. Sid, Mitch, Chad and Clay huddled near there the wagon discussing what should be done with the calf.

When Andi was done feeding the calf, she took a blanket and as gently as she could she rapped the baby calf in it.

Andi walked out of the barn deep in thought. She was in so much thought, she did not see Sid walk right past her,

‘’Andi come here.’’ Chad called.  

Andi ran over to Chad who was leaning against the wagon his face serious. ’’Yes Chad ‘’, Andi said as she slid to a stop next to him and looked up at him.

Chad sat down next to the wagon and motioned for Andi to sit down. Andi sat and looked at Chad.’’ Now we will tell you what we will be doing with the calf, you can keep the calf as long as you remember to do your chores.’’ Chad explained

‘’thank you I…I promise.’’ Andi replied.

Chad continued, “You will need to feed it daily, and keep the stall clean, there is a lot of work required to keep and care for a calf in this condition.”

“I will do my best” Andi said with joy.

Over the next 6 weeks Andi cared for the calf, nursing it back to health. She did her chores without Chad telling her what to do. She took care of the calf the as best as she could.

It was not easy, but Andi worked hard, and in the end Andi grew and so did the calf. Andi fed, brushed and cleaned the calf with the best of her abilities. At nine years old Andi Carter could take care of a calf, a horse, and her household chores.