Blown Away! by Joan Hiatt Harlow

Author:Joan Hiatt Harlow
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
Published: 2007-09-03T04:00:00+00:00

The following day Sharkey saddled up Jewel and took her for a ride. I stayed behind with Rudy and added a knotted rope to the gate. “Until Sharkey gets a lock and chain, Jewel will have to chew a lot more rope in order to escape,” I told Rudy, who sat by watching me. “Maybe shell get discouraged and stay put for a change.” When Sharkey returned, he was grinning like an alligator.

“She’s a good riding mule, that’s for sure. Most mules run when they see you coming with a harness or saddle. But not Jewel. She’s only too glad to oblige,” he bragged. “And for your information, Jake, my feet don’t drag on the ground. She’s plenty big enough.”

“You were right,” I admitted.

He put Jewel back into the corral and we began painting Sharkey’s boxcar—this time a bright shade of red paint that Dad had on sale. “This looks like a caboose,” I said when we had finished one side of the car.

Just as we were getting ready to begin the other side, Mara and Star appeared from the road. “Hi, Jake!” Star called. She ran over and gave me a hug.

“We’re real busy here, Star,” I said, brushing her aside. Then she noticed Jewel all saddled up in the corral. “Can I have a ride on Jewel?” she asked Sharkey.

“Star, don’t go around asking for things all the time,” I said. “You’re being a pest.”

“I’m not a pest, Jake.” Her mouth quivered and her eyes filled with tears.

Mara took Star’s hand. “I’m sorry we bothered you, Jake. But we came to see Sharkey.”

“You can have a ride, Star,” Sharkey called, letting Jewel out of the corral. “Come on over here. Jewel’s waiting for you.” Star smiled and ran to him.

Sharkey lifted my sister into the saddle, and she beamed, although she was still wiping a few tears from her cheeks.

“It doesn’t take much to be nice, Jake. Sharkey, Jewel, and Rudy are nicer to your sister than you are,” Mara said, glaring at me. “Someday you’ll regret all the mean things you say to Star.”

“I’m sorry,” I said meekly.

“Don’t tell me you’re sorry. Tell your sister.”

Sharkey led Jewel around the house and down to the shore, with Rudy pacing along in front of them. Jewel walked slowly and gently, as if she knew to be careful with Star. I could hear Sharkey talking to Star. “Deep in the sand under there, baby turtles are waiting to hatch. Pretty soon they’ll be digging their way out and heading to sea.”

When the ride was over, I was the one who lifted Star off Jewel. “Did you have a nice ride?”

Star nodded but eyed me cautiously.

“Thank you, Sharkey,” Mara said, ignoring me. “The reason we came by was to tell you that there’s news about a hurricane heading this way. The veterans were talking about it at the post office this morning.”

“I had heard something about a hurricane too,” Sharkey said. “August is a bad time for storms, all right. But I also heard it’s not likely to hit here.

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