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onfesscay?
    Clint had been a teenager once. He might know
pig Latin. What to do?
    Even now that she'd had time to think about it
Shelby still thought buying the pony had been a good
idea. She was exactly the sort of pony that Shelby
would like to own if she was allowed to have more than
one. Now she had one and a third horses – even if it
was only for a little while. Shelby was looking forward
to calling the pony 'my other horse'. She grinned.
    If only the adults would give them enough time to
explain before they went bananas. When the girls sold
her they were sure to get twice the price they'd paid –
at least!
    They could start their own business buying cheap
horses from the sales, doing them up and selling them
for four times as much. They could make a tonne of
money! Lindsey could teach them how to cut cattle,
and walk out properly, and Shelby could handle them
on the ground so they had nice manners, and take
them out on trails, and Erin could show them how to
do flat work in the arena, or jumping. People would
line up for all-rounders that were quiet and good for
kids.
    They could open the 'Shelinderin Pony Training
Stud'. They would have hundreds of acres, and post
and rail fencing everywhere. They would have five
different arenas and long rows of stables. They would
wear joddies and matching chappettes all day. They
could have stickers made up for people to stick on the
back of their floats that said 'I'm a Shelinderin Pony' .
    People would beg them to hold workshops to
show how they do what they do. Shelby would hold
talks to a crowd sitting on scaffold seating set up
around the edges of the arena – so many people that
she had to use a microphone pinned to her collar.
    When she was at shows she would overhear
mothers talking to each other. 'There's Shelby Shaw. Did you know she started that horse training business when she was only thirteen years old? The other two girls are very good too, but it's Shelby who masterminded the whole thing.'
    The truck pulled into the driveway and she remembered
just how much trouble they would be in if their
parents found out what they had done. Lindsey was
frowning. It was possible she was thinking exactly the
same thing.
    Never mind what Lindsey's mum would think,
Shelby's own parents were going to go completely
berserk! They didn't have very good imaginations. She
could try to explain to them about the Shelinderin
Pony Training Stud, but she knew they wouldn't
understand.
    They needed to keep the pony a secret or all three
of them were going to be in big, big trouble.

3 A Distraction
    As the truck rumbled up the driveway Shelby could
see a silhouetted shape in the office window. That was
bad luck. If Lindsey's mum had been out in the
paddocks somewhere they might have been able to
unload the pony unseen.
    There was still enough time to confess, and to
enlist Clint's help.
    'Lindsey's mum didn't exactly . . .' Shelby began.
    Lindsey pinched her hard on the back of the arm, but
then Clint spoke at the same moment.
    'I've just remembered . . .'
    It was fate. Obviously she wasn't supposed to tell.
'Remembered what?' she asked.
    'No, you first,' he pressed.
    'It wasn't important,' she said.
    Clint pulled on the handbrake. The truck rocked
slightly as the horses shifted about in the back. 'I've
just remembered I have something to do at home,' he
finished. 'So I can't stay for coffee.'
    'That's a real shame,' said Erin, her grin betraying
her words.
    The chestnut mare came off the truck easily and
started whinnying the minute her hooves hit the
ground. Her neck and flanks were dark with sweat
and her eyes were wide. She wheeled about, snorted
and pawed at the ground.
    'Shh,' Lindsey said, quickly moving the horse
around to the side of the truck out of view of the
office window.
    'I'll see you girls later in the week then,' Clint said,
climbing back into the cab. 'I've got a few trims to do,
and some horses to shift on the weekend. I'm sure to
catch up with Brenda at some stage. Good