Chapters (14)
"All right, Richard, I'll come," and David knew this was a big decision, for it was only at such times that she called her twin by his full name.
Macbeth was now lying full stretch against a rock. His tongue was lolling and he was gasping for breath, and Sally was irritable and jumpy as she tried to rid herself of her burden and of the torment of flies. David knew that he dare not leave the pony and neither could he take her up the rocks.
"All right," he said. "If you can't find me give the Peewit call and I'll call you back. And for goodness sake be sensible and don't break your legs on the rocks. I think you're a couple of little idiots, but hurry up... Oh, and if you see Peter give me a call."
So the twins scrambled up out of sight, and David leaned back against the rocks in the little sheltered place he had found and slapped the flies off Sally.
It was hotter than ever and very still. The twins' voices died away somewhere over his head, and Macbeth panted at his feet. David half dozed for a minute or two and was roused by the Peewit call. At the same time Sally whinnied. David jumped awake and called in return, and a clear, cheerful voice cried:
"Where are you, David?"
It was Peter! And suddenly there she was on the track just below him, and he realized that she had come from the other side of the rocks.
"Hello, David. Here I am. Where are the others? Oh! and there's darling Sally... Have you been here long?"
They shook hands rather shyly and then, before David could answer, Macbeth whimpered and the storm broke with a shattering crash of thunder. They had no other warning but this. There were no preliminary mutterings and growlings in the distance and no tentative heavy splashes of rain to send them into shelter. The shock was so great that Peter put her hands over her ears and crowded back against David as the blue fire of the lightning crackled round them and Sally plunged and snorted in terror.
Then the rain came in solid sheets. Peter's shirt turned dark blue as David watched her stupidly and helplessly, and the water poured down his neck from the rocks against which he was leaning.
Another crash seemed to bring them to themselves, and Peter jumped forward to pet the pony.
"Where are the twins, David?" she shouted.
"They're up on the top there. Wait here with the animals, Peter. I must go and find them. Gosh! Look at the rain. They'll be wet through already and so am I. The little idiots! They would go."
Then, faint and far away in a lull between the thunder, came the Peewit's call for help and David darted out into the storm.