Old Friends, New Friends

 By Selah M. (ages 9-13 entry)

Winter 1884

            Andi woke up early Wednesday morning.  She sprang out of her bed and opened her window.  After getting ready, she raced to the top of the stairs.  No one was looking, so she leaped onto the banister and slid down, just as she used to when she was younger.  “Whee!” she thought.  Quickly, Andi ran into the kitchen and slid into her chair for breakfast.  Justin said the prayer then handed Andi the eggs and bacon.  Mitch passed her the toast.  “Thanks,” she said. 

            Andi jumped when the clock struck eight.  “Yikes!  Riley said to be out by eight thirty!”  She asked to be excused and Mother gave her permission.

“Don’t wear yourself out,” Justin told her.  “Be back by three o’clock so I can take you to town with me.”  Andi nodded.  Andi, Justin, his wife Lucy, and baby Sammy were going to Peter and Melinda’s house for dinner.  Andi couldn’t forget!

            She ran outside and rinsed her hands at the pump.  “Riley!  Shasta!  Where are you?” she called.  Tucker bounded into the yard followed by Andi’s frisky pup, Scout.  “Have you been making friends, Scout?” asked Andi.  Then she turned to Tucker.  “Find Riley, boy!  Find him!”  A few minutes later, Tucker returned with Riley right behind.  Scout yipped when they came into view. 

“Do you want to explore?” Riley called. 

“Sure!” agreed Andi.  Andi raced as fast as she could to the large paddock, where the young colts were kept.  Riley Prescott, the wrangler and Andi’s best friend on the ranch, watched and trained them for Andi’s brother, Chad.  Andi jumped on the fence and called, “Shasta!  Where are you?”

Riley appeared at her side.  “Don’t you know, Andi?”  he asked.  “Shasta turned three years old yesterday.  He was moved to Taffy’s old stall and has been treated like royalty.”

Andi blushed.  Sid had brought Shasta out to her the past few days and Mitch had unsaddled him and put all Andi’s tack away.  She sighed.  Because she was ‘the youngest’, she had not been informed about the change of Shasta’s home.

            Andi raced to Taffy’s old stall, still a little embarrassed and annoyed.  Shasta tossed his mane and whinnied, nuzzling Andi as she quickly put on his saddle, shining bridle, and smooth leather reins. 

Riley brought his beautiful appaloosa horse, Dakota, to a stop just outside Shasta’s stall.  “I read in a newspaper yesterday about a gold camp a few miles north of Fresno,” Riley said.  “Do you want to look for that?”

“I guess so,” agreed Andi, “Let’s go!”  Andi and Riley led their horses out of the barn.  Riley stroked Dakota’s spotted neck.  He hopped into his saddle and Andi did the same.

            “So, where’s this gold camp?” Andi asked half an hour later. 

“I’m not exactly sure,” Riley said slowly. 

Andi sighed.  Although she just ate breakfast, she knew she and Riley would regret not packing lunch.  Suddenly Shasta splashed through a stream, soaking Andi and yanking her from her thoughts.  “Hey!” she yelled.  Then she looked around.  “Where are we?”

            Riley grinned.  “I guess this is that gold camp.” 

All of a sudden, two streaks of gray darted past Andi, Riley, and their horses.  Andi sighed when she saw it was Tucker and Scout.  The dogs must’ve followed them!  She looked at Riley who shook his head and said, “Those silly runaway dogs!” 

Then he and Andi shouted as loud as they could.  “Come back!  Come back!”  Riley and Andi yelled until their voices were hoarse and ran until their legs were wobbly.  Finally, they collapsed by the creek.  

A boy around Riley’s age, who had been panning gold in the creek, stood up.  “Hi, I’m Jem Coulter.  I live with Mama, Pa, my sister Ellie, and my dog Nugget in that tent over there.”  He pointed in the direction of their tent.

“Where are we?” asked Andi.  “Is this that gold camp?”

            “Yes, this is Goldtown,” Jem replied. 

            Andi thought the name Coulter sounded familiar, but she couldn’t figure out where she had heard it.  Suddenly, three dogs ran up to the small group.  “Come here, Scout!” Andi commanded. 

“Tucker, you silly dog,” Riley scolded.  “I’m going to have to get a leash for you!” 

Then Jem asked his dog, “Nugget, where’ve you been?”

            Then a girl around Andi’s age, who had apparently been following the dogs, arrived and started talking.  “Oh, Jem!  Nugget got away, and started following some other dogs, and I’m going to be late, and…” her voice trailed away when she saw Andi and Riley.  “Who are they?” she asked Jem. 

            “I’m Andi Carter and this is Riley Prescott,” Andi answered.  “Are you Ellie?  What are you going to be late for?” 

Ellie explained, “My name is Ellianna Coulter.  I’m teaching at a school in Fresno, but I need to leave soon!”  Ellie took a breath, then said, “Mama sent me to get you for lunch, Jem.”

Jem thoughtfully replied, “I am hungry!  Do you think Mama would be fine if we brought Andi and Riley along?”  Ellie smiled in agreement.

At that moment, Andi remembered reading in the newspaper that Ellie Coulter was the new teacher at the school in Fresno who started there this past fall.

            Everyone went to the Coulters’ tent, where they introduced themselves, their horses, and their dogs.  Pa fed the horses and dogs and Mama cooked cornbread and pie for dessert. 

Riley went to check on the horses and brought back a small package.  Mama opened it and inside were three sandwiches and dried peaches!  “Thank you, Riley!” exclaimed Pa.  When Andi stared at him, mouth open, Riley chuckled.  “That was going to be our lunch,” Riley explained, “I never leave home without extra food.”  Everyone enjoyed the small meal.

            After lunch, Andi and Riley tacked up their horses and called to their dogs.  Tucker and Scout appeared at their masters’ feet.  They wagged their tails, waiting for their next command.  Andi and Riley jumped into their saddles.  Jem’s family waved and said goodbye, inviting them to come back soon.

            Andi and Riley left Goldtown, and out of nowhere Andi said, “Let’s visit Rosa.  We still have a few hours before we need to be back.”  Riley begrudgingly agreed, knowing Andi tended to lose track of time.  Still, they set off toward Hector and Rosa Florés’ home.  Rosa greeted them at the door.  “Hola, Andi.  Come in.” 

Andi went inside, but Riley unsaddled the horses and put them in an enclosure behind the house.  Rosa’s pony, Flora, whinnied a welcome as the new horses trotted in.  Dakota went straight for the hay, but Shasta and Flora pranced and whickered.

            When Riley came inside, Rosa was telling Andi about her trip to Mexico with Hector.  Riley impatiently listened for twenty minutes until Hector came home, trying not to show his annoyance.  When Hector finally arrived, the two went outside and Riley, using the little Spanish he knew, talked with Hector who knew just a few English phrases.

            Around two o’clock, Andi said goodbye to Rosa, told Riley she was ready to go, and saddled up Shasta.  She smugly told Riley, “See, I’ll have plenty of time to get back and change for dinner.”  She and Riley rode to town to visit Cory.

Just before Andi and Riley passed the train station, a long train pulled in, blocking their path and preventing them from continuing.  Andi groaned with devastation.  She realized she was going to disappoint Justin because she promised him a three o’clock arrival time.  Andi and Riley pulled their horses to a stop.

 After 15 of the slowest minutes of her life, the train finally moved and she could continue on her trip.  Out of the corner of her eye, she was startled to see a familiar horse being led off the livestock car.  “Sunny!” shouted Andi.

            Her friend Macy and Macy’s Aunt Hester stepped off the train.  Macy grabbed Sunny’s lead rope and rubbed his light gold neck.  Then she saw Andi on Shasta.  “Andi!” she exclaimed.

“Howdy, Macy!” Andi greeted her friend, “and hello to you, Sunny.  It’s been two and a half years since I saw you last.  I wish I could talk, but I need to head to my house to get ready for dinner.”

“Actually, Aunt Hester and I came down to visit you, and we are headed to your house, so we can ride with you.”  “Do you have any empty stalls we could put Sunny in?” asked Aunt Hester.  “We arranged with your mother to stay at your house for a few days since Macy is on Christmas break.  Elizabeth said we could stay for Christmas.”

“Yes, I think the stall next to Shasta is empty, or there are a few other empty stalls,” Andi answered, “but we need to get going right away.”

            Andi, Riley, and Macy rode to Blake’s livery, but Aunt Hester took a carriage out to the ranch.  Cory met them outside.  “Howdy, Cory!” Andi hollered.  “Can you help me feed the horses?  I am running late and need to get ready for dinner, but they need energy for the rest of the trip home.”

“Howdy!” greeted Cory.  “No problem, I will help you get out of here as quickly as possible.

Andi looked at the clock.  It was two fifty!  She started to cry because she knew she was going to disappoint Justin and the others.

            “Riley, Macy, we need to get home now!” Andi demanded, startling her friends.

“Okay, Andi,” Macy calmly answered.  They mounted up, said goodbye to Cory, and started off toward the ranch.  The three friends galloped out to Circle C.  As soon as they got there, Riley led Shasta to the barn so Andi could change and do her hair.

As she snuck into the house, she was trying to think up a story to tell Justin as to why she was late.  Before she could think of anything, Mother caught her sneaking in and scolded her for being tardy.  Andi started to cry again, but her Mother said, “Let me help you get ready.”  Andi smiled as she wiped her tears away.

            When Andi finally got to the barn, it was almost three thirty.  Justin was hitching the friendly horse Pal to the buggy.  “Are you ready to go yet, Andi?” Justin asked, disappointed.

“Yes, I’m ready,” Andi sighed.  “I am sorry I am so late.  I was mean to my friends and even tried to make up an excuse to tell you.  But really, I was being selfish, doing what I wanted to do today and I didn’t think about you or Melinda and Peter.  Please forgive me.”

“You really frustrated me by coming so late, Andi.”  But then Justin smiled with compassion, “But I forgive you.  I want to hear all about your adventure on our ride to town.”

Andi then apologized to Mother, Mitch, Chad, Riley, Macy, and Aunt Hester.  Justin and Andi bid them all farewell.  They got into the buggy and rode to town.  On the hour-long trip to Peter and Melinda’s house, Andi told Justin about all the adventures she and Riley had that day.

            “Did you have fun?” Justin asked.  “Oh, yes!” Andi answered.  “Could we visit the Coulters sometime, Justin?” 

“I suppose we could,” Justin replied.  “Get going, Pal.”  Soon they were at Peter and Melinda’s house.

            Melinda greeted them at the door.  “Come in.  We’re so glad you’re here.  Lucy and Sammy are inside.”  Once again Andi apologized for being late.  Her friends forgave her and even complimented her for owning up to her mistakes.
            Everyone enjoyed a supper of ham, potatoes, green bean casserole, and fruit salad.  Andi told about her adventure, Lucy and Melinda talked about the new dresses at the dressmakers, and Justin talked about his newest legal case.

            After supper, Justin dropped Andi off at the ranch.  She went to the barn to say goodnight to Shasta and then ran to the house.  She went into the room she was sharing with Macy and got ready for bed.  Then Andi plopped into bed, satisfied that she told the truth, even though it was hard, and fell asleep immediately.