Green Grass of Wyoming Page #5

Sure you do.

- What do you think, Mr Willis?

- Ain't what a man thinks, it's what he knows.

Well, uh, what do you know?

I've seen worse.

- I think she's pretty good.

- Didn't say she wasn't.

- Well?

- More folks asking questions.

- That's what you came here for.

- I thought it was my company you was after.

You got a good square-gaited trotter, Rob.

Might be able to do something with her.

- Then you mean you're gonna take her?

- Well, looking her over casual like I've been,

I'd say she's a whale of a prospect.

Bring her over to my place Saturday.

You hear that, baby? He's gonna take you.

- What's the matter with you?

- Whoa, Jewel!

Whoa! Whoa, Jewel!

Whoa, now. Whoa there, gal.

- Here. Behave yourself.

- Hold her. Come on, let's unhitch her.

- What happened?

- Something must have frightened her.

Looks like I got ajob on my hands, Ken.

You won't have any trouble.

I guess Dad and I just started her wrong.

You ought to have her in a breaking cart,

not that thing. That comes later.

Here, put her up, Ken.

- Listen. That's Thunderhead.

- I told you.

- She's trying to get to Thunderhead.

- If we don't put her away quick, she might.

Gus, look!

- Yeah. He's coming after her all right.

- Yeah.

- Oh, no wonder Jewel acted up.

- He'll hang around till he gets her back.

Or gets shot. Hey, Ken, get my rifle.

Go ahead. Hurry it up.

Well, that brazen son of a gun...

Ken, I told you to get my rifle.

- Keep an eye on Thunderhead!

- Come back here and do as I told you!

Look at him.

I could hit him with a rock. Kenny!

He's come after you, Jewel.

Now's our chance to catch him.

- Come on, baby.

- What are you trying to do?

- Catch Thunderhead.

- She'll get away.

She won't. I can handle her.

Now we'll lose her again.

Easy. Easy, girl. Easy. Easy.

Talk to him, Jewel.

Talk to him.

That's it.

That's it.

Whoa, boy. Here she is, boy.

Don't be afraid, boy.

Watch yourself, son.

Watch it.

Look out.

Jump off her, Ken!

You want to get killed?

You've had this wild-goose chase

for nothing, my boy.

That won't do you any good either.

You're coming back to the ranch with me,

Thunderhead. Coming home. Understand?

You want to come back, don't you?

Sure you do.

Easy. Steady, son.

You're not afraid.

Thunderhead! Come back here!

If you go free now, they'll shoot you.

You won't have a chance.

Come on, boy.

Come on, boy.

All right, Jewel. We'll go.

I thought you'd change your mind.

Ah, stop that.

Just take it easy, now.

Steady.

Steady.

That's it.

Everything's gonna be all right.

Easy, son.

Easy, now.

Steady.

That's it.

That's it.

Sure.

Steady now.

Steady now.

All right, boy. Let's go home.

Come on, Jewel.

How do you like that?

Whether I like it or not, it looks like

I've got that stud in the family again.

Now that Thunderhead was home to

stay, Jewel was as happy as a lark.

But she wouldn't work a lick unless the

old boy was right on the track with her.

Then pretty soon

she settled down and worked fine.

Just as long as she knew

Thunderhead was close by.

You're still sawing at her mouth.

Look at her.

- Looks like I'll never get it.

- Oh, yes, you will.

Just sit up straight and

ease off on your lines.

You talk to a horse

with your voice and your hands.

Your hands are light,

you talk gentle and encouraging.

When they're heavy,

you're talking mean and ugly.

- I'll try, Jake.

- Yeah.

You know, Jewel carries her head to the left.

Oh, I'll show you how to fix that.

Jake was a smart old codger.

The sawed-off billiard cue

made Jewel trot as straight as you please.

And the sheepskin roll... Well, that stopped

her from seeing shadows and being scared.

She kept improving every day,

and it wasn't long before Jake figured she

was ready to step out and show some real speed.

Let her step around at about a 250 gait,

but come the last quarter in 32.

OK.

We gotta teach her to leave the wire fast

and come home fast.

Pull up to the wire.

I want to see how good that mare is.

- Ken'll think we're spying on him, Grandpa.

- That's what we're doing. Pull up to the wire.

Now.

She made that last quarter

in 32 and two-fifths.

- Not bad for a green trotter.

- Not bad. Not bad at all. Pretty good, in fact.

Let's go down and congratulate the boy.

- How was it?

- The mare looked pretty good.

Now you've got to learn

some of the manoeuvres and ethics.

- Huh. What's that old scallywag up to?

- He's just curious, I guess.

He's curious all right.

Didn't learn nothing, though.

Nice work, boys. Nice work. How are you,

Jake? The little mare looks great, son.

- You've done wonders with her, Ken.

- Mr Willis has.

Well, there's plenty to do yet.

You can see that, can't you, Beaver?

- Well, I wasn't watching very close.

- Yeah? Better cool her off, put her away.

- OK. Wanna help me, Carey?

- I'd love to.

She hardly turned a hair.

- That little mare of yours has what it takes.

- That's something coming from you.

You can't tell what's inside her

unless you get in real competition.

Then it's drivers that count

as much as horses.

The best horse ain't worth a lick

with a greenhorn behind him.

- Ken is not exactly a greenhorn, Grandpa.

- Course he ain't. Who said he was?

- And it's a good thing too.

- Yeah? Why?

Greenhorns always freeze to the reins

when the going gets tough.

Especially when they get pocketed

by three or four wise old joes like me.

Grandpa!

I remember once in Lexington

there was a kid there about your age.

He was driving his first race, too.

He got pocketed down by the rail.

The driver in front pulled up unexpectedly,

and that kid's horse put his foot

smack in the other fella's wheel.

- What happened?

- They had to destroy both those horses.

That kid never drove another race.

- I think we'd better go.

- Yes, I guess it's time.

Don't you worry, son.

You're doing fine. Just fine.

See you later, Ken.

Why'd you tell him those terrible things?

You scared him half to death.

Who, me? I was just trying

to give the kid a few pointers.

It was a long drive,

but here we were at Lancaster, Ohio,

the heart of the trotting-horse country.

The fairground was already

waking up to some real activity.

Those horses were pouring in

from every state in the union

to compete for the Governor's Cup.

How was I betting? I'd just planked down

a week's pay on Jewel's nose.

- Thunderhead thinks we're gonna race him.

- I just hope he behaves himself.

I hope you stop growing

and spreading out all over the seat.

Ah, there's nothing like the smell of the

fairground in trotting season. Or a good cigar.

You didn't think I'd make it, did you, ducky?

Well, I fooled you, and I'll fool everybody else.

We'll have my farm back in Connecticut.

I'll follow the Grand Circuit, and...

Grandpa, you could lose, you know.

There are other good horses in the race

besides Sundown.

You can cheer for that McLaughlin boy if you

want, butjust a couple of times, to be polite.

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