Now Alec let the Black go where he wanted to. He knew the stallion was enjoying the snow. He headed down into the hollow at the lower end of the field. The snow was a little deeper there. The stallion stepped high and once he rose a little on his hind legs. Alec guided him out of the hollow. The Black broke into a canter and Alec let him go, but kept a firm hand on him. The cold wind blew in his face and the snow went flying. When they reached the end of the field, he pulled the stallion up.

After an hour of riding, he saw Henry wave him in. He turned the Black toward the barn. “He liked the snow,” he said when he came up to Henry.

“Sure looked that way,” Henry said, grinning. “Wasn’t as bad as I thought he’d be!”

Alec dismounted. “He’s acting more like a gentleman every day,” he said.

“Yep,” said Henry, “and when spring rolls around he should be all ready for us to go to work on him.”

“Spring,” repeated Alec. “It isn’t far away, Henry—just a few short months.”

The man and boy looked at each other—both thinking the same thing. Henry’s gaze shifted to the Black. “Maybe around the first of April, if all goes well,” he said.

TRAINING BEGINS
12

Alec’s feet scraped beneath his desk. He fidgeted with the pencil in his hand. The paper in front of him was blank. He couldn’t think about geometry at a time like this. His eyes again went to the clock on the side of the wall—12:15. Another fifteen minutes and he’d be on his way! His gaze shifted to the huge calendar hanging over the blackboard—April first! He had waited so long for that date, and now it was here. Today, after months of preparation, they were to break the Black to bridle and saddle, start the real training of the Black, even though no word had yet reached them from the Middle East concerning the stallion’s pedigree. Henry had written two more letters in the last few months.

Alec saw the teacher looking at him, so his gaze dropped to the paper in front of him. The minutes crept by as slowly as all the months of waiting. He couldn’t stand this much longer—he’d just have to go!

Suddenly the bell rang, and like a sprinter off on his marks, Alec leaped for the door. He had it opened and was out in the corridor before the rest of the class had started to move. He ran down the hall, heard an authoritative voice tell him to stop, but kept running. Nor did he stop when he reached the street. He ran until he was too tired to go farther, then slowed down to a fast walk.

He rushed into the house and threw his books on the couch. His mother had lunch ready. He sat down to eat, but he was too excited. He looked up at his mother. “I’m sorry, Mom, but I’m not hungry today,” he said. His mother looked at him. She saw the high flush of excitement on his face.