Chapter 5

Chapter 5 "Way to go, Josh!" Dink cried. He and Ruth Rose gave him a double high five while everyone else crowded around. "That's the biggest nugget I've ever seen," Jud marveled. The nugget was as large as Josh's hand and almost as flat. Particles of rock and dirt were embedded in the lump, but the rest was pure gold. "Okay, folks," Thumbs said from behind the group. "It's time to get a move on."

Still congratulating Josh, the group trekked back to the ranch. Josh's wet sneakers squished as he walked. Everyone headed to the main house for lunch. Josh plunked his huge nugget on the table next to his plate. "I bet I can make that disappear," said, grinning. "No thanks!" Josh said. "You're a lucky boy," Pa told Josh. "But I wouldn't carry that around with you. You don't want to lose it!" "Why don't you put it in our safe?" Jud asked. "Tomorrow we can take it to town and get it appraised." "What's 'appraised' mean?" Josh asked. "That's when an expert examines the gold and tells you its value," Jud explained. "Then you can sell it if you want." "Okay that'd be great," Josh said. After lunch, the kids followed Jud to the office. The ranch office was small and dusty. Most of the floor space was taken up by a giant oak desk. A brown cowhide hung on one wall. Plants with tiny yellow blossoms were lined up on the windowsill.

Next to the desk stood an old black safe with a vase of dried flowers on top. As the kids watched, Jud hunkered down in front of the safe. He spun the combination lock back and forth a few times, then pulled the safe door open. 'There you go, Josh. Your gold will be safe in our safe," Jud said, grinning. He moved some papers and a green accounts book to make room. Josh stepped forward and placed his nugget on top of the book. Then Jud slammed the door shut and twirled the lock. "You all ready for that trail ride?" came a voice over Josh's shoulder. He turned to find Thumbs standing there with a toothpick sticking out one side of his mouth. "Sure thing," Jud said. "Ready, kids?" "I saddled the horses," Thumbs said as he left the office. Fiona, Ed, and the Clydes followed Jud, Thumbs, and the kids to the barn. Nine horses were saddled and tied to a corral rail. Each horse's name was stitched into its saddle blanket. Pa and Ma pulled up in an old green truck. "Have a good ride!" Ma called. "We're going into

town." Everyone waved, and the truck raised dust as it pulled away. "Can I have a nice gentle horse?" Dink asked. Jud smiled. "All our horses are gentle," he said. "You can ride Trigger here. He really likes kids." Trigger was pale gold with a white mane. He looked at the crowd with mild brown eyes. "Do you have any small horses?" Josh asked. "I'm afraid of animals that look down at me!" "Barney is our smallest horse," Jud said. "He's a good ride, but he likes to stop and eat the wildflowers." "Perfect for Josh!" Ruth Rose said. Josh patted Barney's soft nose. "Be a good horse and I'll sneak you some dessert later," he said. "Do you have any girl horses?" Ruth Rose asked Jud. "Sure do," he said. "You can take Snowball. She's a real sweetie and has the softest gait in the bunch." Snowball was fat and white with long eyelashes. She nickered when Ruth Rose rubbed her side.

Jud soon matched horses with Ed, Fiona, and the Clydes. "Okay, everyone, time to saddle up," he said, standing next to Bullet, a tall silvercolored horse. "Watch how I do it." Holding the saddle horn with his left hand, Jud slid his left boot toe into Bullet's stirrup. Then he hoisted himself up and swung his right leg over the saddle. "Okay? Anyone need help?" "I do!" Dink said. Thumbs helped all three kids into their saddles and showed them how to hold the reins. He adjusted the stirrup straps to the length of their legs. Just then Ed yelled, "Ouch!" He was half in and half out of his saddle. His right foot was hanging out of the stirrup in an awkward position. Jud jumped off Bullet and ran over to help Ed get his foot untangled. "Are you all right?" he asked. "I don't know," Ed said. He took a step, then winced. His face was white with pain. "That really hurts! I think I sprained something." "You'd better get off that ankle," Fiona suggested. "Come on, I'll help you back to your cabin."

"No, you go ahead, Fiona," Ed said. "I'll be fine." "Nonsense. I didn't really want to ride anyway," Fiona said. "I'll get some ice from Lulu." With Ed limping beside her, Fiona walked slowly toward the cabins. "Thumbs, would you mind staying behind to unsaddle Ed's and Fiona's horses?" Jud asked. "Then you can join us in the meadow." Thumbs nodded and began unsaddling Fiona's horse. "We'll ride in a line," Jud told the others. "Your horse will follow the one in front of him." "Who goes first?" Josh asked. "You do," Jud said. "Barney loves to lead the pack. Just touch his sides with your heels and he'll move." Josh gently poked his heels into Barney's sides. "Okay, nice horsey" he said. "Giddyup!" Barney shook his mane and turned his head to look at Josh. His ears twitched, but he didn't take a single step. "Please?" Josh said. Barney snorted, then started to walk briskly away from the barn.