The Kooky Kidnapping

 by Faith Holston (ages 10-13)

A young girl ran outside, a coat wrapped around her shoulders. A smile played at her lips. “Ah, Spring. What a joy to have you!” She said poetically.

“What a joy to have you!” Said a laughing voice.

The young girl whirled around. A man stood leaning against the ranch house, his arms crossed and a rough coat on top of his dirty blue overalls.

“Chad!” The young girl said annoyed.

“Yes, Andi?” The man replied innocently.

The young girl, Andi, sighed. “Okay, what do ya’ want me to do?”

“Do? Oh, nothing.”

Andi’s eyebrows went up. “Really?”

“No, not really. You need to muck out Taffy’s stall today.”

“Today? But I just did that-“

“Two days ago.” Chad interrupted her.

“But today?”

“Actually before lunch would be better.”

Andi scrunched her nose. “Chad, I wanted to take Taffy down to the creek today. I found a new spot. Even better than my old one! I mean, I haven’t explored it too much. But I did get to glance at it yesterday! Before you dragged me back home.”

Chad stood straight. “You can never just listen to orders can you? You always have to disobey, just a little bit. Besides, today’s Saturday. Work day.”

“Every day with you is work day.” Andi muttered.

 “What was that?”

“Oh, nothing.” She bit her lip. She dragged her feet a little as she trudged over to the barn. Muck out the stalls. Muck out the stalls!! Why is it always that? Andi thought.

When she reached the barn, she walked over to Taffy’s stall. The palomino happily neighed a hello.

“Hey Taffy! Aren’t you dusty!” She gave Taffy’s forehead a pat. “Well, I’ll prove Chad wrong! I can listen when I put my mind to it. I just sorta’, well, you know how it is, Taffy! Sometimes you just can’t resist.

“But I just have to see that new spot by the creek! I’ll die if I can’t.” She went to the tack room and grabbed a grooming brush. After giving Taffy a good brush down, she snatched a shovel and started the job of mucking Taffy’s stall.

If I sneak out during lunch break, they won’t see me. But they will notice that I’m gone. Hmm…” She thought for a minute. That’s it! I can just say that I’m not feeling well! That’ll work!

But a little voice said otherwise. “What about obeying Chad? Mother would surely disapprove of lying and sneaking out of the house. What if something happens to you?”

But another voice contradicted the first one. “Ah, you wouldn’t be disobeying Chad! Did he say you couldn’t go to that new spot by the creek? Mother would understand. She was a young adventurous girl herself once.”

So, in spite of her conscience, Andi decided to go.

***

Luisa, the maid, was bringing out a dish of steaming green beans from the kitchen. She set it down in front of Mrs. Elizabeth Carter.

“Thank you, Luisa.” Elizabeth said in her usual gentle and polite way.

The Mexican maid nodded with a smile.

“Where’s Mitch?” asked Elizabeth.

 “I see him coming to the door, Ma’am.” Luisa replied with broken English

The door opened and a handsome young man walked in. He took off his coat and hung it on a hook near the door.

Elizabeth scanned the table; Justin, Chad, Melissa,– Andi?

Mitch came in from quickly washing up.

“Mitch,” Elizabeth asked, “have you seen Andi?”

“No, Mam’.”

“Mrs. Carter, she told me she not feel too well. She ask me to ask you if she could stay in her room.” Luisa said.

“Of course, thank you, Luisa.”

Luisa curtsied and went back to the kitchen.

***

Andi saw one of the maids walk out the back door to dump out a bucket of soapy dish water away from where people walked.

Andi took the opportunity and quickly got out from her hiding place and sprinted to the kitchen’s back door. She opened the door a crack and peeked in.

She heard Luisa in the dining room, saying something.

Good. The kitchens clear.

Opening the door, doing her best not to make a sound, Andi tip toed over to the icebox. Opening it, she searched for something to eat.

Ah! A grapefruit. She snatched it, then glanced into the icebox for something else. No time! Luisa was coming back.

Andi slipped out the door. Just in time!

Running into the barn, she grabbed some tack and quickly saddled Taffy. Going back into the tack room, she took some saddlebags and plopped the few things she had taken from the house; her journal, food, pencil, and a pocketknife.

After securing the saddlebags, she led Taffy outside her stall and, as silently as possible, managed to mount.

“Okay, girl. C’mon!” She nudged Taffy into a quick trot, then into a gallop. They were whizzing by the house, then suddenly it was out of sight.

Andi sighed with relief.

“Chad was right about you not doing what you’re told!” The familiar little voice nagged her again.

She pushed it to the back of her mind. “Aw, forget it! It’s not like I’m doing a crime or something.” She knew that that was a poor excuse, but she did her best not to think about it.

“At last I can explore that new spot! Eh, Taffy?”

The mare neighed.

***

   By the time Andi and Taffy reached the creek, the cool spring day had warmed up a bit. Andi had put the thin coat she had been wearing into one of the saddlebags.

   Why did it seem like every time she came here it was more beautiful?

   Andi looked over the spot that she would usually like to spend forever at, but not today.

   “Let’s see, I think that new spot was…where was that? Hmm…oh, that’s right!” She eased Taffy into a jump over the creek, then walked her a little ways forward where the twosome suddenly stopped. “Voila! Here we are!”

   Andi slid off Taffy’s saddle and unattached the saddle bags, tossing them onto the ground. Glancing around, she saw a campfire. What was that over there? A blanket?

Why is a blanket here? What? There’s a… Foot??

She gasped. There was a man sleeping behind that tree. What in the world was that guy doing sleeping here?

Suddenly, a hand was clapped over her mouth and she managed a muffled scream. What’s happening? Oh God, help!

A gruff voice said, “Well, looks like I got myself a little lady! Jake. Jake! Get up, Lazy!”

The man sleeping behind the tree mumbled something. Andi saw his foot move, then she could see that he was standing up. He yawned. It was plain to see he hadn’t shaved for a while, and his clothes stunk from not being washed.

“Who’s that? Where’d ya’ find her?”

“Right here’s, where I found her! While you was sleepin’! She could’ve made off with the loot. Now get on over here!”

The man by the tree, Jake apparently, tiredly walked over. “Ya’ find out anything?” He asked amidst another yawn.

“Yup. There’s a ranch house a ways from here. Looks like another one of them rich folks. They need taken down from their high ladder.” He paused.

“Now, little lady. We’s don’t mean to hurt ya’. But ya’ shouldn’t be a snoopin’ round’ where ya’ don’t belong. Now I’m gonna take my hand off yar’ mouth, but don’t scream! Ya hear?”

Andi nodded.

The man slowly took his hand off her mouth. She took a step forward, but not too fast as to alarm them. She bit her lip.

“Who are you?” Andi asked. He heart pounded in her chest.

“No one that yas’ need to be concerned nothin’ about. We don’t want ta’ hurt nobody. Just came to get a little dough. We’re a little short on cash, you might say.”

“Hey Dick,” Jake said, “What air’ we gonna’ do with her?”

“Oh, quiet!” Then in a whisper that Andi barely heard, “We’ll talk when da’ kid’s asleep.”

Andi heard what’d been said, so she made up her mind to not fall asleep that night. But, an hour or so later, the afternoon sun’s warmth made her tired.

A yawn overtook her and she couldn’t stand it anymore, so she fell asleep with thoughts of home.

“Hey,” Jake said in a whisper, “she’s asleep.”

“Yea.”

“So, what’ll we do with her?”

“I dunno.” Dick scratched his chin. “Mebe’ that ranch house place will pay for her. I think she lives there. I’m not certain, but I’m pretty sure I saw dat’ brand on her horse at that place!”

“She don’t talk much.”

“Of course not! She’s done scared.”

“Yea, I knew that!” Jake said in self-defense.

“Well, what do you think about a ransom? Ain’t too hard ta’ do, is it?”

“Will ya’ quit the bubblegum talk and give?” Jake demanded, annoyed.

“Ah! Simple! Think up a juicy price, send in her horse with a ransom note, get the loot, send the girl away, we skip town, easy cash!”

“You think it’ll work?”

“Never hurt to try!”

“Humph.” Jake grumbled, “Never say never. Somethin’ my mother used ta’ say. ‘Never say never.’”

“Forget it! We’ll do it tonight.”

***

As Andi was becoming a hostage, Elizabeth Carter walked up the stairs. Upon reaching her young daughter’s door, she knocked.

“Andrea. Are you feeling better?”

There was a creaking sound which sounded like a no.

“You don’t sound well.”

The same sound.

 “When supper’s ready, I’d like you to come down.” She paused. Opening the door she looked around. No Andi. But there was a toad sitting on Andi’s desk. “Where did you come from?” Walking down the stairs, she saw Luisa.

 “Luisa, when Andi said she wasn’t feeling well, how did she look?”

“She looked fine to me, Ma’am. But never can tell with looks.”

Elizabeth walked outside to the barn, clenching her skirt in her hands. Sid!” She called to the foreman. “Have you seen Andi?”

“No ma’am. Ain’t seen her all mornin’.” He replied.

“I saw her!” Chad walked from the arena, where he was breaking a young foal. “This morning. Why? Isn’t she in the house?”

“No. Did she say she wanted to go anywhere?”

He scratched his chin. “Uh-huh, she wanted to go to the creek. I’ll go down there an’ check.”

Elizabeth nodded. Andi had done this many times. “Wait a minute, Chad. I think she should stay out there for a little longer. You can go fetch her after supper. It might teach her a lesson. She needs to learn she can’t run off whenever she wants to.”

***

   The ropes that tied her hands were beginning to cut into Andi’s skin. “Ugh!” What time is it? The sun’s setting. AH!! Why did I ever even come out here?!

   “Remember? It was your own dumb idea. What a fine mess you’ve got us into now, Andi!” Snapped the contradicting voice.

   “Oh, be quiet! We need to think of a plan.” Offered her conscious.

   Oh, I should’ve listened to Chad. Where’s your bossy brother when you need him? Andi’s thoughts condemned her.

   “What cha’ thinkin’ bout,’ girl?” Jake walked over to her.

   Andi was silent.

   “Don’t ya’ worry! We’ll get ya’ home.”

Andi looked up at him.

“Just a little ransom, that’s all. Do ya’ think ya’ folks’ll mind?” He sneered.

“Aw, leave her alone Jake. We’ll leave in a minute ta’ give em’ a note. Girl, does yar’ horse know it’s why home?” Dick asked.

 “Yea and you’d better not hurt her!” Andi exclaimed.

“Alright, Alright! Here, let me untie ya’. Don’t try nothin’ funny!  I need ya to write somethin’ for me like a good lil’ girl. Here’s some paper and a pencil. Now write what I tell ya’.”

Andi scowled. She took the items and recognized them from her saddlebag.

Dick was speaking, “‘If ya want yar’ girl back, leave 300 bucks in this saddlebag. Send this here horse back, she’ll know where ta’ go, and we’ll send the girl back on the same horse. Do it, or never see yar’ girl agin.’ There!”

“Never see ya’ girl again?” Jake asked questioningly. 

“You don’t think dat’s too mean that, do ya’? I’m just adding in a little scare, see?”

“O-oh.” Jake nodded.

   Dick put the note in one of the saddlebags, hooked onto the outside button, and slapped Taffy’s rear end, causing her to gallop off.

***

“Mother!” Mitch walked into the living room waving a piece of paper.

“What is it?”

“Look at this note I found on Taffy! She just came running in!”

Elizabeth read it. She gasped. “How foolish I was to not let Chad go get her!” She paused, “$300. Hmm…Mitch go to town as fast as you can and tell the sheriff to have a posse ready. We’ll do as the note says, but someone should follow Taffy back, and once Andi’s released, follow the outlaws. But, be quick!”

As Mitch bounded out the door, Elizabeth went to a desk and got out an envelope. Then she quickly retrieved the money and placed it inside it.

The sheriff arrived with his men in an hour’s time, riding at full speed. 

Since the sheriff agreed with Elizabeth’s plan, it was decided that Richard, a smart young man who’d joined the posse, would be the one to follow Taffy back.

They placed the envelope with the money in one of the saddlebags, and sent Taffy off with Richard following at a distance.

Meanwhile, Andi sat uncomfortably under the old oak by the creek.

“Aw, here the money comes now!” Jake said with a grin.

Taffy came trotting in. The two greedy men, yanked off the saddlebags, and opened the envelope with glinting eyes.

“Aww!” Dick said, dreamily. “Here’s your share, Jake. $125.”

“But I should have $150!”

“I was the one who came up with the whole idea.”

“Oh, whatever!”

Andi cleared her throat.

“Oh, sorry kid.” Dick untied her. “You can go.”

Andi was surprised, but didn’t delay. Bounding for Taffy, she quickly mounted and spurred her on. Oh, I hope Mother isn’t to mad. Boy, am I gonna’ get it from Chad now!

When she arrived at the ranch, she slid off the saddle and was met by hugs and relieved expressions.

Elizabeth threw her arms around her, crying “Andrea, don’t ever do that again!!”  

“Oh, you don’t have to worry about that!” Andi clung to her mother and sighed with relief. I think I’ve learned my lesson this time. Or maybe…

***

It was the next morning at the breakfast table when Justin brought in the paper from town. He chuckled.

“Those two poor excuses for outlaws were caught last night. The senseless thieves stopped at the café for something to eat! They should’ve taken criminal etiquette.”

Andi smirked. “They couldn’t have. They’d have sold the workbooks for ‘a little more dough!’”

      The room rung with laughter.