Chapter 17
"Wanna go for a ride?" Jake asked Sam after he had ridden into River Bend one day.
"Sure," Sam nodded enthusiastically. "Let me get George."
"I'll get George, you go ask permission," Jake dismounted from his horse.
"Okay," Sam said, running into the house.
Jake let go an ear splitting whistle and George came to him. He had just gone into the barn to get Sam's tack when she came back outside. He looked at her as she ran up and nodded.
He left the bridle to her and put the saddle on George's back. Jake tightened the cinch and waited for Sam to climb up before he swung up on his horse.
"Where are we going?" Sam asked.
"No where special," Jake shrugged.
"Okay," Sam responded, letting George follow Jake's horse as they rode out.
Jake turned left towards Three Ponies.
"Are we going to Three Ponies?" Sam wondered.
"No," Jake shook his head.
"Oh," Sam murmured.
Jake gave her a superior look and a smug grin. Sam stuck her tongue out at him and he chuckled.
They rode along for awhile, passing the turnoff for Three Ponies. Jake never looked towards his ranch, he just kept riding. Sam followed behind.
"I've seen wild horses up ahead," he finally told her.
"Really?" Sam was enthusiastic.
"Nah, I'm lying," Jake teased with a grin. For a second he thought she'd stick her tongue out at him again, but she didn't.
"The only problem is we have to pass through witch's territory to get to them," Jake went on.
"Witches?" Sam's voice quivered.
Jake nodded. "There's this old lady that lives up ahead. She's a witch."
"Oh, she is not," Sam looked at him sure he was teasing her.
Jake made a cross over his heart. Sam gulped.
"You'll see," Jake said. "Won't be long now."
Sam moved George up closer to Jake. He nodded as he looked down at her.
It wasn't long before they saw the lavender house. Sam gasped. She had never seen a purple house before. Compared to the other ranch houses she had seen in the area, this one looked totally out of place. It was definitely spooky looking.
Jake took a trail that passed near the house. Sam could hear barking and George pranced nervously beneath her. There was an iron fence around the house with long spikes on top. The fence looked like a torture device to Sam.
Suddenly a woman appeared at the front door.
"What are you kids doing?" she yelled at them. "Get out of here."
There was a growl and two dogs were headed towards them, their snarling and growling loud to Sam despite the woman still yelling at them.
"Run," Jake clapped his heels to his horse who shot forward into a gallop.
Sam did the same and George was instantly running besides Jake's horse. She saw Jake turn to look behind them, judging how close the dogs were to them.
Sam started to turn to look too.
"No!" Jake shouted at her. He was afraid she would lose her balance and fall. "Keep riding."
Oh gosh, those dogs must be right on George's heels, Sam thought and urged her horse even faster.
A short time later Jake pulled his horse in and with a sigh, Sam did the same.
"Who is that lady?" Sam wondered.
"Mrs. Allen," Jake told her as his horse blew loudly.
"She is a witch," Sam said.
"Yeah," Jake agreed. "I've heard she eats kids and whatever is left over she feeds to those devil dogs."
Sam gasped. She shuddered.
"We have to go by them again," Jake warned her, pulling up his horse.
Sam's eyes got huge in her face.
"Now though, go ahead and get down," Jake swung out of the saddle. Sam did the same and left George ground tied as she followed Jake.
He led her to a ridge and motioned for her to be quiet. Jake lay on his stomach and Sam followed suit.
Ahead of them was a herd of wild horses. The herd was led by the Phantom. Sam could see the light gray horse up on another ridge looking down at the herd.
Jake looked over at her and she smiled at him. He smiled back at her and they settled in to watch the horses.
A few hours later the herd moved on and the two young friends made their way back to where they had left their horses.
"That was so cool," Sam gushed.
"Yeah, I track them every once in awhile," Jake told her.
They swung back up on their horses and started back the way they had come. This time Sam was ready for the old lady and her dogs. The second the old lady came out to yell at them, Sam urged George faster.
With the dogs hot on their heels, the two horses and their riders made it safely beyond the reach of the snarling and growling devil dogs.