Galloping Gold by Terri Farley

phone call and now he was in the living room.
    She heard the television click on.
    â€œBecause today we got a black-edged notice in the mail,” Ann continued, “and it said Mr. Mel Border, equine specialist for the insurance company, will ‘drop by’ for an inspection on July fifth.”
    Who even knew that insurance companies had equine specialists, Darby thought. But that was exciting. If Mr. Mel Border knew horses, he couldn’t help being impressed that Sugarfoot could chase humansand other horses in a controlled manner.
    â€œYou haven’t been talking,” Ann said. “Do you, uh, have company?”
    â€œYep, I do,” Darby answered.
    â€œOkay, well, call me the minute you know anything. Promise?” Ann said.
    â€œPromise.”

Chapter Nine
    â€œS o then my mom said, ‘Ed, he’s a good-hearted horse and once we work through his problem, he’ll be an asset to the ranch. I just know it.’”
    Ann and Darby were sitting in the ‘Iolani Ranch office waiting for Dr. Luke’s ride-and-tie class to start, and Ann was explaining how she’d persuaded her parents to let her enter the event.
    â€œAnd then my dad said, ‘If you’re set on keeping him, we can give it a try.’”
    â€œThat’s cute,” Darby whispered.
    â€œThey didn’t even mention my leg,” Ann whispered in amazement. “I just had to promise that if this transformed Sugarfoot, I’d continue working with him. Mom found out there are ride-and-tie races throughoutthe islands, and if competing in them is what works, that’s what we’ll do. But if I let him relapse into his bad habits, he’s gone.”
    â€œBut you wouldn’t do that,” Darby said.
    â€œOf course not,” Ann said, and she followed the direction of Darby’s glance over her shoulder.
    Darby pointed out two-thirds of a ride-and-tie team from Oahu. Jack and Jackie Olson were already camping on ‘Iolani land with a gray Arab named Joy Ride. They were quiet, serious, and certain they’d win the race.
    Next, Darby saw Luke’s energetic sisters, Sheila and Sissy Cray. She waved and the pair sat behind them.
    â€œIs this your friend Ann?” Sheila asked, and the girls all introduced themselves.
    â€œYou’ll have so much fun,” Sissy said, and then she and Ann began talking about Samba Splash and the ugly fact that one-third of all racehorses went to slaughter after they no longer had jobs entertaining humans.
    Megan slipped into the seat beside Darby.
    â€œI’m just listening,” she said. “I think this is kind of cool.”
    â€œSo Samba’s really pretty lucky,” Sheila was saying to Ann as Darby turned back to their conversation.
    â€œPretty lucky you found him,” Ann corrected her.
    â€œIt wasn’t us. It was Luke,” Sissy said. “He was supposed to put Samba down. The trainer thought he wasdoing Samba a big favor, paying Luke sixty dollars for a shot to put him to sleep, and when he refused…” Sissy grimaced.
    â€œNever mind about that part,” Sheila said. “When the trainer said that he wanted Samba gone in the morning one way or another—voilà! Luke gave him to us.”
    â€œThat is so cool,” Darby said, and as the young vet sidled through the crowd of people who’d shown up for the class, Darby thought the smiles that his sisters sent him looked a lot like hero worship.
    Â 
    Darby and Ann were furiously taking notes when a rustling at the doorway drew their attention. Pauli, Cade, and Tyson slipped into their row.
    Cade blushed. Pauli smiled. Tyson’s face stayed blank.
    Darby figured it was an improvement over his usual sneer, but Ann leaned close and hissed, “It’s eighty degrees outside and he’s still wearing that stupid sweatshirt!”
    Of all the things Darby disliked about Tyson, his sweatshirt was last on her list.
    Darby