The Hesitant Hero by Gilbert Morris

Author:Gilbert Morris [Gilbert Morris]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781441270627
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group
Published: 2012-01-22T18:48:49+00:00

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

A Horse Named Crazy

The horse that the Duviviers had loaned to Tyler and Jolie was a strange-looking creature. It was tall and rawboned with a multicolored design that Tyler had never seen before. It reminded Tyler a great deal of a quilt that had come down to him from his grandmother, and he had started calling the horse Crazy Quilt. Rochelle and Yolande, after being informed of the origin of the title, were delighted with it, but they shortened the name of the horse to Crazy. Damien wanted to call it One Eye, for obvious reasons, but he was overruled by Yolande and Rochelle.

“We make a pretty odd-looking parade, don’t we, Jolie?” Tyler asked. He and Jolie were sitting at the front of the wagon with Yolande and the baby in the back. Rochelle and Damien were walking alongside the wagon, finding it easy to keep up with Crazy’s leisurely pace. The dust was thick and the lack of rain had made it so fine that the breeze lifted it in a cloud behind them.

Jolie shook her head. “The horse seems strong enough, but it certainly is a queer-looking animal.”

“We were lucky to get it. I hope it holds out until we get to the coast.”

“I think it will. Let’s hope so, anyway.”

“It reminds me of an English teacher I had in high school,” Tyler said.

“An English teacher!” Jolie cocked her head. “How could a weird-looking animal like that remind you of an English teacher?”

“She was tall and lanky and wore clothes that didn’t match. I think she was color-blind. She would come to school one day with a purple skirt and an orange blouse, and the next day with a pink skirt and green blouse. I don’t think she could see the difference.”

They stopped at noon to have a meal, and afterward they traded places with Rochelle and Damien and let Rochelle drive the horse. She was nervous about driving the horse at first, but Tyler laughed and reassured her, “Don’t worry. He’s not going to run away with you. I don’t think he’s capable of such a thing.”

Before long Damien insisted on having a turn, and no matter how much the children shouted or slapped the reins, Crazy never varied his pace.

“I think he’s a one-speed horse,” Jolie said with a smile. “Just what we need for this trip.”

As the day went by, they saw very little civilian traffic and no military vehicles. As the sun started dropping, they reached a creek that meandered across the road. “I think we’d better camp here for the night,” Tyler said.

“Can’t we go on to a village?” Jolie asked. “It would be good if we could buy some food.”

“I don’t think it would be a good idea. Look, we can pull the wagon off over there behind those trees.” The banks of the creek were crowded with tall poplar trees. “They’re so thick no one will ever know we’re there.”

“I guess you’re right,” she said. “We can buy food if we encounter a farmer along the way tomorrow.

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