Black Stallion and Satan by Walter Farley

Author:Walter Farley [Farley, Walter]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-307-80495-2
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Published: 2011-08-16T16:00:00+00:00

THE BLACK MEETS

SATAN

11

As the remainder of the week passed and Henry watched Alec take the Black through his daily gallops, he found himself thinking more and more about the possibility of the Black’s actually running in the big race. Alec’s control of the great stallion was impressive to watch, and the boy’s enthusiasm and confidence were transmitted to Henry. It was only when the trainer was alone that he angrily reminded himself it was much too early for optimism … that the Black’s willingness to do what Alec asked of him meant nothing until the Black caught the wind of other stallions. So it was that Henry looked forward anxiously … yet with a feeling of dread, too … to the day the others would arrive.

It came a day earlier than Henry had expected. He and Alec were driving back from town, where they had gone for their evening meal, when they saw the van ahead of them.

“Could it be Satan, Henry?” Alec asked anxiously.

“No. He’s coming in tomorrow morning. Has to be one of the others. El Dorado is my guess.”

“The South American horse?”

Nodding, Henry followed the van through the barn entrance gate and pulled up beside it when it came to a stop before the barn office. “Who y’got?” he asked the van driver.

“El Dorado,” the man replied.

Henry drove on. “Well, it’s the beginning,” he told Alec. “Things will change pretty fast around here from now on.”

“You mean because we won’t have the place to ourselves any longer?”

“Yeah, mostly that,” Henry mumbled.

They were back at the stall only a short time when the van turned down the row, coming to a stop just below them and on the opposite side. Suddenly the Black’s shrill whistle shattered the air, and Alec and Henry turned to him.

He had his head stretched far over the door. His ears were pricked, almost touching at the tips, while his eyes were large and had a startled look. He whistled again and his forefoot struck heavily against the door.

“Shall I close the top of the door, Henry?”

“No, there’s no sense in shutting him up. We’ve got to see what he’ll do from now on. We’ve got to be sure, if we’re going to race him.”

Two men were taking El Dorado off the van. He was a light golden chestnut of medium height. He walked quietly alongside his handlers and his movements were frictionless.

“Supple as a cat, that one,” Henry said. “And a lot of power to go along with it.”

“But his racing records don’t come anywhere near those of Satan,” Alec said.

“No,” Henry admitted, “nor of the others, either. We’ll have to keep an eye on him … but no need to worry too much about him. It’ll be Phar Fly and the European horses that’ll give us the most trouble.”

El Dorado stopped in his tracks when the Black whistled again. Snorting, he turned his golden head in the direction of the Black. He snorted again, then moved about uneasily; his handler led him down the row while the other man got his stall ready.

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