“Something important going on?” she asked.

“Kinda, Mom,” Alec answered as he finished a glass of milk. “I won’t be home until dinner. I’ll make up for my lunch then!” He ran out of the house. His mother stood in the doorway and watched him as he tore down the street.

Alec found Henry nervously pacing up and down in front of the barn. “Hello, Henry!” he called.

“Hello, son,” Henry replied, taking the pipe from his mouth. “Nice warm day for it.” He looked up at the sun high overhead.

Alec saw the stallion out in the field. “How does he feel today?”

“He’s been pretty frisky all morning. Guess the warm weather is making him feel pretty good, too,” answered Henry.

They watched the Black for a few minutes. Then Henry said, “Well, son, we might as well get started. Feel okay?”

“Sure. What’s the difference riding the Black with a saddle or without one?”

Henry knocked the ashes from his pipe. “All depends on the horse, but let’s get going. I picked up an old saddle in New York yesterday. It isn’t so good, but it’ll do the trick until we get him on a track and can use mine.” Henry walked toward the barn.

Alec whistled. The Black raised his head and came trotting up to him. “Hello, fella.” Alec put his hand on the stallion’s neck.

The Black shoved his nose into Alec’s side pocket. Alec playfully shoved him away and pulled a couple of lumps of sugar out of his pocket.

“Want some sugar, heh, Boy?”

The stallion swept his long, pink tongue over Alec’s hand and the sugar disappeared.

Henry came toward them carrying the bridle and saddle. “Let’s get over in the middle of the field where you’ll have plenty of room.”

“Okay,” answered Alec. The Black trotted beside Alec. When they came to the center, Henry placed the bridle and saddle on the ground. “We’ll try the saddle first,” he said. “No telling what’s going to happen.”

Alec stood at the Black’s head, a firm grip on the halter. Henry took the saddle in his arms and went around to the left side of the stallion. Alec saw the Black’s eyes turn toward Henry. He sensed something was up and moved uneasily. Alec stroked him and spoke in his ear.

Henry said, “Hold him now, son.”

Alec gripped the halter tighter. Henry raised the saddle over the Black’s back and gently placed it on the stallion. He never got the chance to grasp the cinch. The stallion’s hindquarters rose in the air and the saddle went flying. He turned nervously in a circle, and Alec had his hands full trying to hang on to him. Henry picked up the saddle and once again approached the Black. “This isn’t going to be easy,” he said, between clenched teeth. “Hold him again, Alec!”

Once again Henry placed the saddle on the stallion and once again it went flying in the air. “Doesn’t give me a chance to tighten the cinch,” he said as he picked it up.