The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1945-08-24

/ Flicka was bred back to Banner I'd
get something out of the ordinary"
They were sitting on the terrace
after supper, Flicka and the FLY
near the fountain in the center Of
the Green. Suddenly they heard the
thunder of hoofs from below in the
calf pasture and saw, rounding the
shoulder of the hill, the Goblin COM
ing at canter. Rob rose to his
feet, astonished-how could the colt
have got into the calf pasture7
In moment they all knew. There
was a four-strand barbed wire fence
between the Green and the calf pas
ture. Goblin cantered easily up to
it-swerved to aim at the gate post,
and cleared 1t easily. He came cam
tering to Flicka and the FLY, neigh
ing greeting.
"Well I'm damned" said Rob.
then put his pipe back slowly into
his mouth. eff he's started fighting
Banner and jumping all the fences,
there's going to be hell to pay from
now on. This means he can come
and go as he pleases."
The boys rushed down to the Green
chattering excitedly.
Nell followed them with Rob.
Goblin and his little sister were In
an ecstasy of reunion.
"He's kissing her!" shouted Ken.
''Look Mother! Look at Goblinl"
cts simply ridiculous to call him
Goblin" said Nell. "That's not a
Goblin. That's Thunderhead."
There was a moments silence.
Ken felt his mothers words 60 right
through him. It had come at last
The white foal seemed inches taller.
He had grown in all his parts so
that he had still that appearance OF
maturity and strange precocity-like
a boy carrying mans responsible
ity.
Nell looked up at her husband.
"Don't you see, Rob? He's COM
pletely changed. He's been changed
ever since he was lost the first time,
when he got those awful cuts"
Elbow do you mean-changed?"
demanded Howard.
"Well-sort of grown-up. More
dignifed. Something has come into
him that was never there before,
and it's ironed out lot of his awk-
wardness and meanness. We must
call him by his right name from
now on-he deserves it.
"The Goblin is dead-long live
Thunderhead," shouted Howard.
Ken got bucket of oats and fed
the wanderer. Then Flicka. Then
offered the bucket to the tiny FLY.
She jabbed her inquisitive little nose
into it, took it out with few grains
sticking to it and jumped away,
mounting them, tossing her head
up and down.
"Dad," said Ken, "where does he
60 when he goes off-Thunderhead,
mean?" Ken almost blushed with
embarrassment when he gave his
colt the great title.
''I wish knew" said Rob slowly.
"And that jumping Of wire fences
he's had no training-he's inherited
that-straight from the Albino. He's
an absolute throwback. That fell
low was great jumper. No fence
could hold him."
When it grew darker they put the
three horses down into the calf pas
T'Not that it will do much good"
said Rob dryly. "That bronc'n come
and 60 as he pleases."
They sat on the terrace again for
a while in the dark. Across the
Green two boot owls were calling to
each other.
Rob said at last thoughtfully,
'Wen Thunderhead can jump.
Thunderhead can buck. Thunder
head can fight. But none of these
accomplishments are important to a
racer. It remains to be seen If
Thunderhead can rum"
Thunderhead could run, but an
other year passed before they knew
it for certain. The boys had come
home from school for their summer
vacation, again, and the colt, being
now two-year-old, was started on
course of intensive training.
He had had his freedom all win
ter. There had been times when,
Rob and Nell knew, he was no.
where on the Goose Bar ranch. He
went south-that much had been dis
covered. He stayed away awhile.
He came back. But now that Ken
was home and had begun training
him in earnest, he was to be kept in
all summer. No more gallivanting.
Ken worked with the colt for a
fortnight. He went through the drill
with halter, grooming, blanketing all
over again. He rode him bareback,
then with saddle. He rode him in
the corral, neck-reining him, doing
figure eights, making him back and
advance, stand. Seldom was day
that he was not bucked off. He final
| " took him out of the corral and
struggled with him in the open. The
colt wheeled, lunged, balked-gal-
loped a little, then fought and backed
and refused-refused-then bucked.
Ken remounted him and the fight