"Yes, he's in the barn," said Maggie. "I'll get him for you."
But Dad stuck his head out the barn door and waved. Meanwhile Maggie
circled the truck trying to see inside. But the openings between the
boards were too high up.
"Hi, Chuck," said Dad, offering his hand. "Let's unload right here."
"Fine," said Chuck. He reached up below the truck's back door and
pulled out a ramp. He and Dad brought gates from the sides of the
truck and fitted them into slots on the sides of the ramp. Chuck
walked up the ramp into the back of the truck.
Maggie saw a flash of gold and heard a nicker. It sounded like a pony.
But it _wasn't_ a pony. Chuck appeared at the top of the ramp with ...
the BIGGEST horse Maggie had ever seen. It was gold with a white mane
and tail and white blaze down its nose.
[Illustration]
The ramp shook as the huge animal tromped down it. The horse towered
over even Dad's head. Maggie could have almost walked under the
animal's belly.
Dad took the horse's halter, and Chuck went back into the truck. He
reappeared leading another horse as big as the first.
Maggie wailed, "Hey, I only asked for one pony." She felt like crying.
Mom got there just then and put her arm around Maggie. "Well, your
father always liked driving his grandfather's team, so he bought his
own."
Dad walked by, leading the horses and Chuck to the barn. "Neat, eh?"
he said, eyes sparkling.
"Yeah, neat," said Mom, and she and Maggie followed.
The men tied the horses in wooden stalls in a very old part of the
barn. The horses sniffed their feed boxes and the walls. Then they
found hay in the feed boxes and started to eat.
"They look happy now," said Chuck. "I'm sure they'll work just fine
for you."