Buckskin Bandit by Dandi Daley Mackall Page A

Lizzy’s hand.
    It seemed the whole world was excited for Lizzy. I tried to be too. I was. Really. Only it hadn’t meant that much to Lizzy.
    And it had meant a lot to me.
    By the time I managed to push my way through the crowd around Lizzy, she and Dad were smiling for the cameras, which flashed like nonstop lightning.
    â€œMy dad is the real inventor,” Lizzy said to a woman from the Ashland Times Gazette.
    â€œCongratulations, Lizzy!” I yelled up.
    Lizzy waved and gave me a go-figure shrug.
    â€œPlus,” Geri shouted to the reporter, “this is Lizzy’s birthday! She won on her birthday!”
    Dad was shaking Principal Russell’s hand.
    The principal, grinning, shouted, “I’d love to come, Willis! Thanks!”
    I hoped Dad hadn’t just invited my principal to our house. Our whole house would probably fit in Principal Russell’s basement. And he’d have to refinish it.
    Hawk slid through a crowd of teachers to get back to me. “I am really looking forward to our horse birthday party tomorrow, Winnie.”
    It was a nice thing to say. I felt like Hawk knew what was going on inside me as I watched Lizzy and Dad together. Hawk had been trying to get her dad’s attention ever since the divorce. And she hadn’t had much luck either.
    Suddenly all I wanted to do was go for a long ride on Nickers. I needed to forget about inventions, and Willis and Willis, and everything except the pounding of my horse’s hooves.
    We were allowed to go home for the day after the science fair. But Dad kept talking and talking, until almost the whole gym had emptied. As soon as the last teacher quit congratulating Dad, I moved up. “Dad, I’ll just walk home. I want to ride Nickers.”
    Dad frowned. “Not today, Winnie. Too much to do.” He leaned down and whispered, “We’re having a surprise party for Lizzy.”
    â€œI know,” I answered. “I’ll be back later.”
    Dad shook his head. “You’ll need the rest of the afternoon to get the house in shape, honey. I’ve invited all of Lizzy’s teachers. And your principal. And . . . I can’t remember who else. We’ll need more food. What can you make for snacks?”
    â€œMe?”
    â€œI’ll help all I can, honey. But I have to help Lizzy work out a couple of kinks in her invention before tomorrow.”
    I wanted to shout that it wasn’t fair. But he was already running over to Lizzy’s sleeping-bag tent.
    Note to self: The distance from Willis the Inventor to Willis the Slave is about 20 seconds.

    I walked home and still got there two hours before Dad and Lizzy drove up. Instead of galloping across the pasture, I’d spent my time vacuuming, dusting, scrubbing the toilet, and mopping the kitchen floor. The house still looked like a herd of Mustangs lived in it.
    Lizzy and Dad strolled through the front door, laughing. Neither of them said a word about all the work I’d done in the house. They headed for Dad’s workshop. The workshop door shut, and I went back to Lizzy’s chores.
    Note to self: Just call me Winnie-ella.

    Geri was the first to show up for the party, followed by her mom, who was carrying a giant birthday cake. They brought sandwiches too, which was a good thing, because my applesauce muffins looked more like horse-apple muffins.
    Madeline came early too. She’d left Mason, her better half, at home with a babysitter. She carried in two grocery bags of pop and potato chips.
    By six o’clock our house was so full of people that we had to leave the doors open. Hawk came over and helped me pass out food, pick up dishes, and clean up spills. Conversations buzzed around me, most of them about my sister. Dad didn’t leave Lizzy’s side the whole time.
    At exactly eight Kaylee fought her way inside. “Winnie, are you ready?”
    I’d almost forgotten about Bandit’s lesson. “We