Phantom Horse 3: Phantom Horse Disappears by Pullein-Thompson Christine

Author:Pullein-Thompson, Christine [Pullein-Thompson, Christine]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: JUVENILE FICTION / Animals / Horses
ISBN: 9781841359274
Publisher: Award Publications Limited
Published: 2012-02-05T16:00:00+00:00

It wasn’t signed. At first I felt nothing but an overwhelming sense of relief, for at least Angus was still alive. Then I looked at my watch and saw that it was past seven, which meant I was an hour late already and it was miles to the tower. And which tower anyway? And how was I to get there? Then without thinking I was running towards the stable, throwing a saddle on Phantom’s back; but then I remembered the money, so I raced back to the house and found the bundle of notes we had left among Angus’s socks in the drawer. Five hundred pounds! They must be mad, I thought. How can we possibly have that much money with us? And then I thought how funny it was Angus being kidnapped instead of Dad – if only I could laugh. Phantom looked dejected as I led him out of the stable once more. The sun was beginning to go down. The nearest tower stood in the opposite direction to the path I had taken earlier. There was no path that way. It was going to be a hard ride and Phantom was tired already.

He left the yard reluctantly, looking back to neigh to the other horses. I carried the kidnap note and the money in my jodhpurs’ pocket. The dogs watched me leave from one of the windows of the house. An ambulance drew up outside the O’Reagans’ cottage. Fear evaporated as I rode. Riding Phantom, I felt ready to face anything.

But the tower did not seem to grow any nearer. Phantom stumbled over the uneven ground. Several times I dismounted to lead him, all the while I was aware of the approaching night which would soon darken the distant hills. I pushed Phantom on with my legs. It was seven-thirty now and I seemed to have ten miles or more still between me and the tower. I imagined Angus tied up. What was he thinking? Did he know about the note? Would he be pleased when he saw me? I hit Phantom with the reins. Mercy and kindness deserted me. I imagined Angus being led out and shot because I was late. I imagined telling my parents … life without Angus … life going on just the same. Phantom started to gallop, avoiding the boulders by a miracle, stretching his beautiful neck, struggling, sweating, through peaty earth, going on and on with all his courage towards the tower.

Twice he all but fell. Once I found myself on his neck, my legs wrapped round his withers. But we were nearly there now. Darkness had not come yet, the dying day still hovered between dusk and night. I drew rein and let him walk and thought: Supposing the tower’s empty, what then? My heart was thudding against my ribs again and all my courage disappeared. I drew rein and called, “Anyone about? I’ve come for my brother!”

And from somewhere quite near a donkey brayed.

A boy came out from the tower, carrying a gun as carelessly as you might carry a shopping bag.

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