thought to pray myself. At least I had sense enough to ask Lizzy to.
âGod, help Winnie do what she needs to do with this horse. And please keep that little baby horse safe.â Lizzy was talking to God out loud, but it didnât feel weird. She might have been talking to Catman or M.
I caught Catmanâs worried gaze. It was as close as Iâve ever seen Catman come to being rattled. âIâm going to milk her,â I explained. âWeâll save it for her baby.â
âI dig. Then itâs all cool, right?â Catman asked.
I shook my head. âI donât know. The milk doesnât look right. It isnât thick enough. Itâs too white. But Iâll collect it. Itâs all we can do for now.â
M had his ear pressed to Gracieâs side. He stepped back so I could get to her udders. Lizzy got as close as the stall door.
âEasy, Gracie. Weâre going to help you get ready for that foal.â I rubbed my hands together to warm them.
Gracie craned her neck around, saying, I hurt. Donât make me hurt more.
I squatted on her near side, which is what you call the left side of a horse. Positioning the margarine container under her udder, I squeezed with my thumb and forefinger and pulled down gently from each side of the teat. The barn was still except for the squirt, squirt into the plastic bowl.
Nickers stuck her head over the stall divider and watched.
I filled the first container and handed it off to Catman. We didnât talk. Not even Lizzy. I kept milking for two more containersâ worth, until her udders relaxed. Gracie groaned, a contented grunt, as if she finally had relief.
âDone.â I stood up and handed the last container to M, who put on the lid.
âIs it enough?â Lizzy asked.
âCheck it out, man.â Catman lifted the lid and sniffed. âSmells like milk.â
I felt it with my fingers. It wasnât very sticky.
M stared at the bowl. You could almost hear him wondering how weâd know if the colostrum was good enough.
âWeâll test it,â I said, answering his unspoken question. I turned to Lizzy. âRemember that gadget Madeline gave Dad so he could test his antifreeze?â
âThe one thatâs supposed to double as a turkey baster?â Lizzy asked.
âGross!â Catman said.
âNo kidding,â Lizzy agreed. âMadeline says sheâs invented the perfect disinfectant for it, too. So itâs supposed to be safe for antifreeze and  for turkey, as long as you use her cleaner. The patent people admitted she proved her case. But they couldnât get past the idea of antifreeze and turkey, so they didnât give her the patent.â
âYou and Dad havenât used the thing yet, right?â I asked, trying to cut to the chase.
She shook her head.
âGood! I need it.â Iâd seen Mom use a brand-new antifreeze kit on our broodmareâs colostrum in Wyoming once.
âI know right where it is!â Lizzy shouted, running out of the barn. In minutes, she returned with the antifreeze kit.
I took the contraption out of the box and removed the wrapper.
âIt sure looks like a turkey baster,â Lizzy observed. âExcept for the little balls inside.â
I squeezed the plastic bulb on top and stuck the tube into the first container of milk. âIf the balls float in the milk, weâre in business. The colostrumâs good enough quality, with enough vitamins and antibodies to make that foal healthy.â
âAnd if they sink?â M asked out loud.
âThen weâre sunk,â I answered. âThere.â I took the tube, full of milk now, out of the container and held it up so we could all watch.
It didnât take long. First one ball floated to the bottom. Then another. Then another.
We stared at the milk, which was so thin only one lone ball remained afloat. Then it plunged through
Kathryn Lasky
Kristin Cashore
Brian McClellan
Andri Snaer Magnason
Gertrude Chandler Warner
Mimi Strong
Jeannette Winters
Tressa Messenger
Stephen Humphrey Bogart
Room 415