The Gypsy Cobb

 By Lanae R., age 15

#5 Two Lost Sisters

A good horse is worth something. Not just in its weight in gold or by being a swell cow pony, but in ways I never thought imaginable. It all began last fall…

The heat wasn’t letting up yet in early October and I was feeling like complaining. I still surprised myself that I had made it through the summer. I led my horse around a tree to the creek and dropped the reins to let her dip her muzzle in.

I was mopping my forehead and taking my own drink from my canteen when I spotted a horse’s finely shaped head and long tangled mane poking out behind a tree and thick bushes.

“Golly,” I said under my breath, so’s not to scare the beauty at all. I was an eager beaver the moment I laid eyes and I wanted to see every inch of the horse. The horse was oblivious as it hungrily snatched at the green, saturated grass by the creek.

          I studied the horse for a moment. I was pretty sure it was a Gypsy Cob; I had seen some just last week at the auction selling for a pretty penny.

This horse was sandy with brown flecks. It had a white star and a very long, tangled mane. But wait, there was an old bridle on the horse too. I stopped and looked around, wondering if the owner was nearby. I had to get closer to investigate.

          I gave a soft, low whistle. When the horse did nothing, I spoke, “Hallo there.” I kept my Texas drawl easy, but I wanted the horse to hear me.

          This time I was honored with ears swiveling in my direction.

I decided it was safe to venture closer. I softly sloshed across a knee-high area of the creek and came over to the horse. From the inside of my shirt pocket I pulled out a half-eaten apple and offered it to the horse. The horse sniffed and promptly ate it.

          Grinning like a boy at Christmas, I stroked the horse’s mane. “You sure are pretty.” Then I glanced up at the sun. “I best take you back to the ranch now.” I ceased stroking the horse and slid my hands down to the bridle and tugged.

          The horse would not move.

          “Pretty and lazy,” I concluded with a chuckle. Being more forceful I pulled the Gypsy Cob’s head up and attempted to lead it.

          The horse dug in its heels.

          I turned back. “Don’t tell me you are as stubborn as mule!”

          The horse stomped it’s hooves and all of the sudden I heard a small sound.

          Was that a yawn? I wondered. The horse had refused to leave the tree’s side, so I peered around the tree and the horse.

          “Good grief!” My voice cracked in astonishment. There, nestled against the tree were two little girls with strawberry-blonde hair and dirty white dresses. The smaller one of them was beginning to awaken.

          “Horsey,” she whispered and turned her sweaty face up and opened her eyes.

          My dark gray eyes met her big, gray-blue ones. She blinked a few times then held out her arms. “Horsey!”

          “I’m not a horse,” I told her, wondering if the child was blind.

          She still held out her arms. “Up! Up!” She stuck her lip out in a little pout.

          “Er,” I fought for something to say. I didn’t know what she wanted me to do.

          The little girl clamored rather clumsily to her bare feet and held out her arms again. “Thirsty! Up!” She whimpered. Then it seemed she realized she was very thirsty. “Thirsty! Thirsty!” Little tears began to leak out of her eyes.

          “Oh boy,” I muttered. I rubbed my hands on my jeans and knelt by her. “Shhh, shhh. Please stop that.”

          The moment I was level with her and totted over to me and threw two sweaty arms around my neck. “Up!” She cried.

          I was helpless as she strangled me. As she squeezed me, I remembered my mother’s hugs. She had always wanted me to hug her back. Maybe that’s what this kid wants. I awkwardly put my arms around her and before I knew it, I was carrying her. When she was off the ground, she stopped wailing and sucked her fingers.

          “That’s good,” I said. “Well.” I tried to regain my capable thinking. I looked down at the other girl who was still sleeping. “I suppose you two must’ve come with this horse,” I concluded to the little girl in my arms.

          She simply stared at me. When I looked away and then back again, she was still staring. She stopped sucking her fingers and reached up to pat my chin. “Daddy,” she blubbered.

          I shook my head. “No, I’m not your daddy!”

          She didn’t respond but continued to play with my face. I decided to ignore that. “I got a horse and two little girls plus me and my own horse.” I glanced at the sun again. “And we can’t take all day getting back to the ranch.” Hmmm. I looked at the Cob horse. “Do you want to ride the horse?” I asked the little girl.

          “Horsey!” She grinned.

          I took that as a yes and set her on the horse. She laid her cheek on the horse’s withers and rubbed its coat.

          Now for the other little girl. I knelt by the older one. “Hey,” I said softly. “Wake up.” I gently tapped her shoulder.

          She stirred, opened eyes, and stared at me. “Gyspy?” She whispered.

          I frowned and pointed to myself. “You think I’m a gyspy?”

          She looked scared when I said that, but slowly nodded her head.

          I grinned a little. “Oh, no, I’m not a gyspy. I’m a cowboy. See?” I doffed my hat to her and then pointed across the creek to where my horse was.

          The little girl looked where I pointed but didn’t say anything.

          “Well, do you want to ride on this horse too?” I asked her, standing up. I glanced at the Gyspy Cob and her rider just in time to see the little rider slipping off sideways. I quickly righted the little girl, wondering how she would do on a ride back to the ranch if she couldn’t even stay on while the horse wasn’t moving.

          The little girl giggled and grabbed the horse’s mane. “Maggie, up, up!” She said, looking at the older girl.

          I cupped my hands and gave Maggie a boost up on the tall horse.

“Hang on,” I commanded. I tugged on the horse’s bridle and this time it followed me across the creek.

          “Thirsty, daddy.”

          I glanced at the girls. The little one implored me pitifully. “Okay, just a minute. And I’m not your daddy.”

          When we reached my horse, I found my discarded canteen and made sure both girls drank up. I didn’t want them to have heatstroke. While they drank, I tied my lasso to the Cob horse’s bridle and my saddle.

          “Can you make sure your sister doesn’t fall off, Maggie? We are going for a little ride.”

          Maggie nodded and put her arms around her sister.

          I scratched my chin. That wouldn’t work. If one started slipping, they both would fall, and the Cob was a very tall horse. I rummaged through my saddle bag and found a rope. I looped that around the horse’s neck and tied the ends together. “Can you hang onto that?”

          With her arms still around her sister, Maggie did.

          “Alright, we’ll see how that works.” I swung up on my horse and nudged her into a gentle walk. Every few seconds I looked back. We definitely would not be able to go any faster or I’d lose two little girls.

          I looked at the sky. The autumn sun was slanting downward steadily.

          One hour later the sun was gone, and I had two scared little girls on my hands.

          “Daddy!” The little one wailed. “It dark!”

          Remembering how I used to fear the dark, I was quick to sympathize. I stopped the horses, slid down, and stood beside them. “I’m sorry, I don’t have a light.”

          A little hand grabbed my sleeve. “I scared!”

          Not knowing what else to do, I asked, “Alright, do you want to ride up with me?”

          The little girl had a resounding, “Up!” while the other one simply nodded, which I barely saw in the dark.

So then I piled them up on my saddle and piled me up there too. I set a little faster pace now and soon I could see the lights from the big house. I went to the back kitchen door and unloaded everyone. “I bet you two are hungry,” I said, thinking about how hungry I was.

          They didn’t say anything as I knocked on the door.

          It opened in a moment and Luisa, the Carter’s cook, stood there. “Buck!” She exclaimed.

          Before she could say anything else, I spoke quickly. “Questions later, please? They need something to eat.”

          “Si, of course!” Luisa held the door open wide and I herded the girls inside and set them on kitchen chairs.

          Luisa quickly went about pulling out leftovers.

          “Can—” I licked my lips, wondering if this was foolish to ask. “Can the girls stay here? At least for the night?”

          Luisa smiled. “I will tell Mrs. Carter, but I’m sure she will be fine with it.” After giving the girls full plates that I doubted they could finish, she disappeared. I sat on one of the chairs and waited.

On the table I spotted a newspaper, and I picked it up. After one page I saw a picture. I glanced at the two little girls stuffing their mouths, then back to the picture. Why, it’s the girls!  I skimmed the portion of writing with the picture.

TWO MISSING GIRLS

Two days ago, Mr. Harlem of San Jose California reported that his two daughters and an expensive horse were stolen by Gypsies. If anyone knows of their whereabouts, contact Sheriff Tate of Fresno California.

          I shook my head. The luck of it all. I looked at the girls again. The little one with a buttered mouth had lain her head on the table. I decided I shouldn’t say anything to them until I could contact their father.

I looked back at the newspaper and the name Harlem caught my attention. I wonder… but I quickly brushed it away. Probably not, I figured. Yet part of me almost wished…

          When Luisa returned, she told me to help bring the girls up to a guest room. The littlest one was almost asleep, so I scooped her up and followed Luisa and Maggie.

The next day I wasn’t free until the afternoon. But the minute I was, went to the big house’s kitchen.

          Luisa let me in. “Here to see those little girls?”

          I flushed. “Just checkin’ on them.”

          Luisa smiled. “They’ve been hiding in their room all day, I’m sure they’d like a visitor.”

          Upstairs Luisa eased open the door and peered in. She opened it wider so I could stick my head through too.

          The two girls with their freshly combed hair and clean dresses sat on the window seat looking out over the yard.

          “That daddy,” the little one pointed.

          “No, it’s not, Annie. He’s too fat.”

          I almost laughed out loud.

          Luisa knocked on the door.

          The girls whirled around.

          “Daddy!” the small one shouted and toddled to me. Maggie followed.

          I grinned and ruffled Annie’s hair. I squatted down to their height. “How’ve you two been?”

          Annie proceeded to sit on my knee and jabber. “Bed big! Bubbles! ‘ancakes!”

          Maggie inched over to my other side. She whispered in my ear. “Annie said ‘pancakes.’”

          I grinned and whispered back. “Okay.”

          I got a little slap in my face. “Daddy! Listen!”

          Luisa laughed.

          “Shhh Annie. And I’m not your daddy.” I set Annie on her feet and stood up. “I saw an ad in the newspaper,” I said to Luisa.

          Luisa nodded. “Si, Senor Justin has told the sheriff. Senor Harlem will be here this evening.”

          Relived, I let out a breath. “Good.”

          A moment later Luisa was called away and I was left with the two girls. “So, you had pancakes for breakfast?”

          Maggie nodded, but Annie wasn’t paying attention anymore.

          So, I turned to Maggie. “Why does Annie call me daddy?”

          Maggie’s eyes dropped a little. “You look like daddy.”

          “Your daddy?”

          She nodded.

          “How old are you, Maggie?” I asked.

          She held up a hand.

          “Five?”

          She nodded again.

          “Buck!”

          I jumped to my feet when I heard Luisa holler for me. I went out to the balcony and looked down.

          “Bring the girls here, please!” Luisa said. “Senor Harlem just pulled up!”

          I quickly went back to the room and collected the girls. We went downstairs and Mrs. Carter made us sit in the parlor.

Both girls claimed a spot beside me on the settee. “Are you excited to see your daddy?” I asked them.

          Maggie nodded as she always did, and Annie didn’t seem to understand.

          As we waited, my stomach twisted inside of me, and I was suddenly speculating again who these Harlems were. But I couldn’t hide now.

          “Thank you, Mrs. Carter, for keeping my girls, I will forever be grateful,” said a man’s voice nearing the room.

          Oh no. I knew that voice. I half rose from my seat.

          Mr. Harlem stepped through the door and his eyes went to his two girls on the settee—and to me.

          I barely noticed Annie and Maggie running at him and I don’t think he noticed much either. As they hugged him, he stared at me. “Will—” He barley whispered.

          “It’s Buck now,” I said, somewhat stiffly.

          As typical John Harlem, he didn’t heed. “William,” he clenched his teeth and sucked in a shaky breath. He stepped forward, his eyes searching my face. “I have looked everywhere for you.”

          I stared into my brother’s eyes, breathing hard, questioning him in my mind but forming no words.

          “William,” John said desperately. “I’m sorry. I have always felt guilty after you left. I felt like I had failed Mama and Papa. And when I couldn’t find you…”

          Unbidden tears formed in my eyes. He hadn’t forgotten about me. He cared. A lump formed in my throat. All that time I thought he didn’t care. I thought I was alone. I shoved a sob down and threw myself at him. He thumped me on the back. “You’ve gotten big, little brother. But I’m still bigger,” he teased, but there were tears in his voice.

          I didn’t care. I had my family back now. Maggie and Annie were even mine.

          It was all because of two little girls and their Gypsy Cob.