Kelly's mother hurried over waving her hands. She said, "No, Kelly, step away from that big horse. We need to get into town. You've seen the horse, and that's what you wanted."

"But it's fun," said Maggie. "Come on."

"No, that's all right," said Kelly. "We do have to get going, and she's awfully big."

Maggie was disappointed. She wanted to share Molly with her friend, but they left after only a few minutes.

Later that day Dad baled hay. He dropped the bales in the field. "I'll use the team to get them," he told Maggie. "You can drive the wagon."

"Oh boy," said Maggie.

Dad harnessed the team and they set off. When they reached the first three bales, Dad handed Maggie the reins. He loaded the bales and stayed on the ground to pick up the rest.

"Okay," he said. "Bring the wagon."

"Get up," said Maggie slapping the reins against the horses' rumps the way Dad had done. The team followed Dad to the next group of bales.

Maggie felt important to be driving these big horses. Dad loaded all the bales on the wagon and they started home.

Dad drove, and the horses strolled along. He said, "Come on, Girls. We don't have all day." The horses walked slightly faster.

"Maybe they're tired," said Maggie. Then something in the cornfield on the right caught her eye. It was black and white, and the corn was moving.

"Dad," she yelped, "the cows are in the corn."

Polly rolled her eyes at the cornfield and leaped to the left. She dragged Molly along and started to run. Maggie and her dad were thrown back against the hay as the wagon picked up speed. They had a runaway!

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Bales flew off the wagon as it bounced over rocks. The wagon tipped and almost turned over, but Dad managed to steer a little. The wagon rocked back onto all its wheels. Maggie hung on for dear life.

Soon the team got to the barn, and they stopped. Dad jumped down to grab Molly's bridle. "Darned crazy animals," he fumed. "I've got cows in the corn, hay bales all over, and these horses to unharness. Get your mom."

Maggie jumped off the wagon and ran toward the house.

"Bring Corky, too," Dad called after her.

Soon all three Johnsons entered the cornfield carrying clubs.

"Be careful," said Dad. "There's nothing crazier than cows in a cornfield. It tastes so good to them that they go a little nuts."

"Yes," said Mom. "We need to stick together."

They started through the corn, each taking a row next to the other.

The cows were hard to see because the corn was so tall. They yelled, and Corky barked.

Maggie saw two cows just ahead chewing the corn. "Get out of here,"

she yelled, waving her club.

The cows danced away like naughty children and tried to get behind the Johnsons. Maggie ran to head them off. She saw more cows. The Johnsons ran and yelled and waved their clubs until they were exhausted.

Finally the cows were all back in the barnyard. "Whew," said Mom, hanging on the fence while she panted. "Life is never dull around here."

"Nope," said Dad. "The cows ruined some of our corn crop too. We lost money out there."

"I'm glad the cows don't act like that all the time," said Maggie.

The more Maggie rode Molly, the better she liked the big horse, but now Dad was too busy to help her get on. Maggie wished she could just jump on the way Dad did.

One day Maggie went to the pasture to visit the horses, and they were lying on their sides snoring. "h.e.l.lo!" Maggie said loudly.

The horses jerked to attention and started to get up. But when they saw it was only Maggie, they relaxed. Molly's back was now even with Maggie's waist. It was the perfect chance. Should she crawl on?

Maggie hesitated. What if Molly jumped up and ran? Even Dad had fallen off when that happened. With no bridle, Maggie wouldn't be able to steer the horse. It might be dangerous.

But this was such a perfect chance, that Maggie put her leg over Molly's back. She grabbed a bunch of mane and held her breath.

Molly just yawned, and gradually Maggie relaxed. She loved the feel of the horse under her. First she pretended she was herding cows. Then she was riding in the Kentucky Derby. Finally Maggie lay back on Molly's soft wide back and studied the clouds.

Suddenly Maggie heard barking. Molly heard it, too, and her front end shot up. A surprised Maggie slid right off the horse's rump. Then she was looking up at two back legs and a white tail.

Corky ran up barking, and Molly quickly swung around to get between the dog and Maggie.

"Corky, be quiet," Maggie ordered. She got up and went to Molly's head. "Good girl," she said. "You wanted to protect me, didn't you? I like that."

Molly nuzzled Maggie's pockets, but gave up when she didn't find a treat.

Chapter Six

The following day Tim and Jodi showed up. Tim was out of the car before Aunt Jane had turned the engine off.

"Hey Maggie," he said, "look what we have. Dad bought us model airplanes, and they really fly."

Maggie grinned and said, "Well, that's nothing. I can ride a horse that's as big as an elephant."

Tim's eyes opened wide. "What?" he said. "Show me this horse."

"I want to see too," Jodi added.

"Okay," said Maggie. She started toward the barn, but Tim and Jodi raced past her. Maggie had to run to keep up.

Dad looked out of the barn just in time to wave them to a stop. "Hey, slow down," he said. "You can't go running up to horses like that.

You'll spook them."