One last tug, and they made it over the top onto solid land.
Lucky looked around. The tree where Pru and Abigail had tied the rope had uprooted and tipped over. That was why the rope hadn’t held. Spirit had saved them both.
“I’m so glad you’re safe,” Pru said, dashing forward to hug Lucky. She looked at Oliver and frowned. “Oliver, how could you be so reckless?”
Lucky put out a hand to help him up. “He just wanted some adventure… and to be like Julian.”
“But he almost got you both killed!” Pru protested.
Oliver rose, dusted himself off, and faced Pru, Abigail, and Lucky. “I’m sorry, Lucky. I was mixed up,” he said. “I didn’t mean to get anyone hurt.”
Lucky squeezed his shoulder. “I know, Oliver.”
“Maybe all adventures don’t have to be dangerous like Julian said. Maybe… maybe we can have adventures like you and Pru and Abigail do. Can I come back to PALs Adventure Camp?”
“You know what, Oliver?” Lucky asked with a small chuckle, “I think that sounds great, too.”
Diary Entry
It’s been a wild summer in Miradero! I can hardly believe that today is the final day of the O-Mok-See!
All of Miradero is invited to participate.
There are horse games and prizes. We’re even running competitions that Boomerang, Chica Linda, and Spirit could compete in. In fact, I’m writing this during the break before one that Spirit and I are running in right now!
Mr. Winthrop brought a wagon loaded with ice cream for everyone, and Abigail made cherry pies. Aunt Cora brought more of her cookies. Dad and Kate are here, too.
While the campers decorated their horses and got into costumes for the day, Pru, Abigail, and I met near the barn.
Camp wasn’t over yet, and after the start of the O-Mok-See, there were new kids who wanted to sign up. New kids means more money. We’ve been working hard and earning it! In the end, there’d been enough to buy Aunt Cora the bubble bath and some new decorations for the barn, too.
This turned out to be the best summer after all.
Then, it was time for the Boot Scoot. That’s everyone’s favorite game, and we’d started to do it every day. Today, the teams were mixed. Lester and Lilly with Stella and Turo versus Snips and Bianca and Mary Pat and Oliver!
Pru was right: Oliver had been afraid to ride, so I’d been taking him out after camp, teaching him the basics, and now he was ready. He rode Malu, who’s the most gentle of the barn horses.
Just before the Boot Scoot began, Julian came to me. He held his hands behind his back.
“I got something,” he said, bringing his hands around and opening his palms.
Rainbows from the small crystal bottle glittered in the sunlight.
“You bought it?!” I was immediately mad. “I have the money! You can’t give it to your mom. Please! I need that for Aunt Cora—”
“Slow down, RF,” Julian said. “I got it for you.” He handed me the crystal. It was filled with the lavender bubble bath that Cora loved. “It’s a thank-you present for saving Oliver. Now you can keep all the money you earned.” He gave a suave smile. “Buy yourself something you want.”
“I don’t know what I want.…”
I considered it. I never expected to have this much extra money all to myself.
“Then give me the money,” Julian joked. “And I’ll buy something I want.”
I shoved my money into my pocket. “I’ll think of something,” I assured him.
“I better go,” he said, looking over his shoulder.
Aunt Cora found out that Julian had put Oliver in camp, when he was supposed to be watching him. She dragged him to town, and now he works my old job at the ice cream parlor. I’m not sure how Cora convinced Mr. Winthrop that he did need help after all, but I smiled as Julian slipped my old frilly apron over his head and stepped behind the wagon cart to sell ice cream at the O-Mok-See.
Then Spirit came to get me, and together we strode tall and proud into the ring, ready to start the O-Mok-See in front of the whole town.
I gotta go, though, Diary. Now that the campers have finished their Boot Scoot, it’s the counselors’ turn. Me versus Pru versus Abigail—may the best PAL win!
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