Moonlight: Star of the Show Read Free Page A

clues!”
    “Think how much chocolate we could buy if there is a reward!” Rosie said, getting excited too. The pair of them started to jump up and down around the barn, holding onto each other’s arms. Beanie joined in too, leaping up and bouncing between them as if he were on springs, yapping and adding to the general noise.
    “I might get my picture in this magazine! They might do a whole feature on me… I mean us!” Mia gasped, looking at the pages of Pony Mad reverently.
    “We’ll be famous super sleuths!” Rosie shouted.
    “Right, come on then, we need a plan,” Mia said, clapping her hands and bringing the others to order as her mind raced with the possibilities of photos and fame.
    “First we’ll have to visit Poppy’s yard, Hawthorn Farm. It’s about four miles away, I think,” Alice said loudly, hardly able to control her voice she was so delighted with her idea. “The ponies can’t go out again today, so we’ll have to wait till tomorrow to start the investigation. That’ll give me time to find a map.”
    The others nodded in agreement.
    “I’ll get a notebook and pen,” Mia said seriously, “to write down all the clues in.”
    “I’ll organise snacks – if the yard’s that far away we’ll need them,” Rosie added even more seriously. “And we’d better take sandwiches, too.”
    “OK, so tomorrow we ride out to Hawthorn Farm and search for clues,” Mia said, before starting to smile. “Imagine how happy Poppy will be if we manage to find Moonlight before the Fratton Show!”
    “That doesn’t give us long, though.” Charlie frowned.
    “Exactly. The next week will have to becrammed with frantic evidence-gathering,” Alice said enthusiastically.
    “And lots of galloping between one bit of evidence-gathering and the next,” Charlie reminded her, thinking how much Pirate would absolutely love that. Not a schooling circle in sight!
    “I say we get going at ten o’clock tomorrow morning,” Mia said.
    “Right, that’s sorted, then,” Rosie nodded.
    “Settled,” Charlie agreed, and they all stood up, gathered the rubbish from their packed lunches and marched out of the den, fired with a new purpose.
    Alice hastily picked up the apple she was saving for Scout and rushed after them. A thought suddenly struck her. In all the excitement she’d completely forgotten about her own plans for the next week. Her stomach lurched again as she thought about how little time there was both to school Scout and to find Moonlight. The show was looming closer by the hour. Alice called Scoutand he came trotting over, his ears pricked as he scuffed to a messy halt by the paddock fence, snorting. As she held the apple out on her hand Alice noticed that it was already starting to shake.

Chapter Two
    T HE next day Rosie stepped out of Blackberry Farm cottage just as Alice and Charlie pedalled up. The two lived in the same street, in the same village not far from the farm, and during the light summer mornings they called for each other at 7.30 a.m. then cycled to the yard together. As they dumped their bikes just outside the gate, Mia’s dad rolled up in his car and Mia jumped out looking a totally fresh vision in pink as the others yawned and tried to wake up. They crossed the yard and picked the headcollars from the hooks outside each of their stables, then walked towards the turnout paddock.
    The four ponies were waiting at the gate. As soon as they saw the girls they set up a chorusof whinnies in greeting. Dancer jostled the other ponies as Rosie slipped on her headcollar, keen to get back to the yard – and her breakfast – before the others. Alice climbed the gate and slid onto Scout’s warm, silky back and Charlie vaulted onto Pirate from the ground. They rode their ponies up to the yard bareback, while Mia and Rosie led Wish and Dancer.
    They tied up their ponies outside the stables in the cool early sunshine and quickly mixed their feeds. Dancer scraped the concrete with a front hoof,