We Were There at the Oklahoma Land Run

by Jim Kjelgaard

"Hello there, young lady," he said.

"Hello," said Mindy. "Gee! That's a lot of trains!"

"There were fifteen," the man said. "All of them made up at Arkansas City, up in Kansas. But they came the sixty miles through the Cherokee Strip to line up at the border just before noon."

"Where are all the people going?" Mindy inquired.

"Most of them are headed for Guthrie to stake city lots," the man said. "But some are jumping off to stake homesteads all the way between here and Guthrie. What can I do for you, young lady?"

Mindy gave the man her message, paid for it, and thanked him. Mounting Thunder, she rode at a swift clip back to the Simpsons' wagon. Looking very worried, her mother met her.

"Mindy!" Mrs. Simpson exclaimed. "Thank God! You're all right!"

"Why, of course, Mother," Mindy said.

"We thought you'd take a work horse!" Mrs. Simpson said. "The one you took is an outlaw!"

"Outlaw?" Mindy questioned. "Why, Thunder's the gentlest pony I ever saw!"