“Who knows,” Carol said argumentatively, “perhaps he would have eaten the tiger.”
“Oh, dry up!” Valerie said explosively. “When is Phyllis coming back to school, Gale?”
“Next week,” Gale replied. “She won’t be able to start classes right away and she will have to use crutches for two weeks or so, but the doctor thinks by the first of May she will be as fit as a fiddle.”
“Coming back next week?” Carol sat up in inspiration. “We’ll give her a surprise party.”
“Fine,” Janet agreed. “But there is one surprise I am more interested in right now—the one we are going to give Ricky tomorrow.”
A week ago horses had arrived for the students. The girls had all inspected the ten mounts and each privately had her own decided upon. Surprisingly there were not many girls who were interested in the classes. A lot of them, especially the upper classmen, already were horsewomen or had their rosters so full they could not find time for any more after-hour activities. Not so the Adventure Girls, however. They were fully determined to ride as were Gloria and Ricky. The Adventure Girls had ridden a lot the summer they spent in Arizona. They could stick in the saddle of their mount at no matter how fast a pace on a flat stretch of road. At hurdles is where they encountered their difficulties and this is what they wanted to learn. They wanted to learn to take fences and broad jumps as easily as the riding instructor. It promised lots of fun as well as healthful exercise.
Chapter XVI
THE FIRST LESSON
“Now don’t be frightened when the horse looks at you,” Ricky advised Janet patronizingly as the five Adventure Girls with Ricky and Gloria walked to the new stables to meet the other two members of the class and their instructor.
“The horse will probably be frightened when Janet looks at it,” Carol giggled shamelessly.
Janet favored them both with a look of utter disgust and settled her hat at a more rakish angle.