The Runaway Racehorse by Ron Roy Page A

driveway. They had been here once before with Dink’s uncle.
    A minute later, Forest stopped at his garage. At the end of a stone path stood a large brick house. Out back a stone barn nestled between a tennis court and a swimming pool.
    “Here we are,” Forest said.
    The kids climbed out of the backseat with their backpacks.
    “When can we meet Whirlaway?” Josh asked, looking toward the barn.
    “Right now!” Forest said.
    Uncle Warren headed to the house while the kids followed Forest toward the barn.
    Josh dug in his pocket and pulled out a sugar cube. “I brought this for Whirlaway,” he said.
    “That was a nice idea, Josh,” Forest said. “But Whirlaway doesn’t like sugar. He’s the only horse I’ve seen who doesn’t!”
    Josh stuck the cube back in his pocket as the kids entered the cool, dim barn. Dink took a deep breath. “It smells nice in here,” he said.
    “I agree,” Forest said. He also took a deep breath. “There’s nothing like the sweet smell of hay and horse.”

    “Don’t forget chocolate,” Josh added.
    They all laughed as Forest led the way to a stall near the barn’s rear doors. The doors were open and sunlight poured in. Out back was a truck parked on a wide area of gravel.
    The stall door was also open, but there was no horse inside.
    “That’s funny,” Forest said, closing the stall door. He thought for a moment, then smiled.
    “I’ll bet Sunny took Whirlaway out for exercise,” he said. “They should be back soon. Let’s go get you guys settled in the house.”
    He led Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose back outside and into the house. They passed through a small room with boots on the floor and jackets hanging on pegs.
    “This is the mudroom,” Forest said,untying and kicking off his boots.
    He took the kids through another door into the kitchen. The room was yellow with blue tiles on the counter and floor.
    Forest pointed to a low bench. “You can leave your backpacks there for now,” he said.
    The kids stood their packs on the bench. Dink glanced at a newspaper clipping stuck to the refrigerator door with a magnet. There was a picture of a dark horse with a diamond-shaped blaze on his forehead. The headline read LOCAL HORSE BEATS ALL.
    “Is that Whirlaway?” Dink asked.
    “That’s him,” Forest said.
    “He’s real pretty” Ruth Rose said.
    “He’s even prettier in person,” Forest said, opening the fridge. “You kids like fruit?”
    “We like
everything!”
Josh said.
    Forest set grapes and strawberrieson the table. The kids sat down and began to snack.

    Suddenly the door burst open. A small woman in jeans, riding boots, and a flannel shirt rushed into the kitchen.
    “Hi, Sunny,” Forest said. “Say hello to Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose. They’re here to watch you and Whirlaway race tomorrow.”
    “He’s gone!” Sunny said, trying to catch her breath.
    “Who’s gone?”
    “Whirlaway!” she said. “I just got here to take him out. When I looked in his stall, it was empty!”

CHAPTER 2
    Forest looked up in surprise. Then suddenly, his face relaxed.
    “Don’t worry, I’ll bet Whirlaway went to visit his mother again,” Forest said. “I’ll call Mr. Bunks.”
    “Who’s Mr. Bunks?” Ruth Rose asked.
    “Tinker Bunks owns the ranch next to my property,” Forest said. “He tried to raise horses for racing. He never had much luck, so he sold off his stock. That’s how Warren and I got Whirlaway. Mr. Bunks kept Whirlaway’s mother, a nice old mare named Biscuit.”

    “How does Whirlaway visit his mother?” Dink asked.
    Sunny frowned. “The rascal gets out of his stall and cuts through the woods,” she said.
    “I wonder when he got out this time,” Forest said. “He was here this morning when Warren got here. We went in and visited him.”
    “So he could have been gone all day!” Sunny said.
    Forest nodded slowly “Yes, it’s possible, Sunny. But let’s not worry. Last time he ran away, I found him safe and sound, munching hay with