Nate's Story Page 6

  “Yes,” said Nate. “It means that the birds know something we don’t know.”

  Crash! A deer tumbled across the trail in front of the riders, shot into the underbrush, and headed down the mountain. Then six more deer crossed their path without stopping.

  Joe’s horse, April, who was leading the line of horses, hesitated.

  “C’mon girl,” Joe urged. He pressed April forward, and the other horses followed her lead.

  Herschel followed, too, but Nate could feel worry in Herschel’s reluctant steps, and after a rabbit darted out of the woods, ran a frantic zigzag pattern right in front of him, and then dove into the trees heading downhill, Herschel stopped. The horse wouldn’t budge no matter how much Nate tried to make him, so the other horses passed them by, leaving Nate and Herschel a few yards behind. Simon, riding last, pulled his horse up next to Herschel.

  “Wait up, everybody,” Simon called. He said to Nate, “What’s the matter? You—”

  “Simon!” Nate interrupted anxiously. “Do you smell smoke?”

  Both Simon and Nate turned and looked over their shoulders. Nate’s heart pounded; he couldn’t even make sense of what he saw. It looked like aliens coming around a bend in the trail. They wore heavy yellow overcoats, large boots, and black helmets. They carried rakes and shovels, and wore tanks on their backs. Scariest of all were the gas masks they wore.

  “Firefighters,” said Simon.

  Joe rode up just as the lead firefighter said, “Get off the mountain now. A wildfire’s headed this way. The burn line is coming toward us fast. Get these boys and horses to the access road, that’ll be best. Go!”

  “Yes, sir,” said Joe and Simon together.

  Joe’s horse snorted in alarm as Joe spun her around to go back to the head of the line. All of the horses shifted their feet and stepped sideways as the firefighters passed them on the narrow trail.

  Zee’s horse was so startled that she reared, and Zee’s feet came out of the stirrups. Zee clung to her neck, shouting, “I’m gonna fall off!”

  “Get your feet back in the stirrups, Zee,” said Joe in a no-nonsense tone. “Calm her down. We’ll head for the access road. We’ve got no choice. Hear me, boys?”

  “Yes!” all the boys answered. Nate could tell that they were as scared as he was. But they urged their horses forward, and slowly the horses fell into line again, following Joe on April as he led the way through the woods.

  Although the sun had gone down completely, the sky wasn’t black. Instead, it was a sickening gray—the color of smoke. The stars were hidden, but when he looked up, Nate could see what looked like a million fireflies lighting up the evening sky as sparks flew. The air reeked of smoke. It was so thick that it was hard to breathe, and it made Nate’s eyes itchy and watery. Nate coughed. He tried to wipe his runny eyes on his sleeve without loosening his grip on the pommel, but he couldn’t reach, and he didn’t dare let go. Beneath him, Herschel was tense, but quiet. He moved forward cautiously. The other horses shook their heads and whinnied, sounding as if they were frightened.

  Will’s horse stumbled, and the horses in front and behind shied off right and left. “Talk to your horses, boys,” said Joe. “Tell them it’s going to be fine. When we get to the access road, we’ll go straight down the mountain, no problem.”

  But it wasn’t that simple.

  As the riders got closer to the access road, Nate could see red lights flashing through the trees. Huge fire trucks clogged the road, and others were driving up, sirens screeching. Voices crackled on radios. Firefighters shouted to one another and swarmed up the road in packs. Across the narrow road, the fire burned its way down the mountain, consuming the trees in its path in an evil, unstoppable, wave of flames.

  Still in the woods a few yards from the road, the riders stopped and gathered. Herschel planted his feet, but the other horses shifted their weight restlessly, and jerked their heads up and down, terrified by the noise and chaos on the access road.

  “Follow me,” ordered Joe. He had to shout to be heard. Joe squeezed April and spoke to her gently, but she moved sideways and refused to go forward toward the road.

  Nate saw Simon’s horse toss his head. His neck was covered with sweat, and he acted like he was about to explode. The horse’s anxiety was contagious. It spread from horse to horse like a sort of fire itself. All the horses except Herschel danced and acted fretful. They balked when the boys tried to make them walk forward. Not one horse would move toward the road.

  Suddenly, Yasu swung off his horse and stood on his own two feet.

  Joe turned around in the saddle. “Yasu, what are you doing?” he shouted.

  “She’s too scared,” Yasu said of his horse. “I’m going to lead her.”

  “Get back on that horse,” said Joe. “Now!”

  Yasu tried, but his high-strung horse wouldn’t let him remount. With Yasu on the ground, the rest of the horses seemed more unnerved than ever. Then a burning tree crashed, sending embers sparking up, and Simon’s horse reared and bucked, throwing Simon to the ground.

  “Simon’s down!” shouted Vik. He had to yell for Joe to hear him above the sirens and the thunder of the helicopter that was now circling above the trees.

  Joe jumped off April and ran to help Simon. Simon stood up and dusted himself off. He grimaced, holding his back, and tried to grab his horse’s reins. But his horse ran loose, charging back and forth across the trail between the other horses and upsetting them.

  Joe handed April’s reins to Simon. “Stay with April!” he said. Then, talking in a soothing voice and walking slowly forward, Joe managed to get hold of Simon’s horse’s reins and calm him. But now there were three riders off their horses, and precious time had been lost. Nate could feel Herschel trembling beneath him, though he was the only horse standing still. All the others shuffled, trying to turn away from the road.

  Suddenly, Joe turned to Nate. “We’ve got to get out of here,” he said. “I need you to make Herschel walk out of these woods and onto the access road. The other horses will follow Herschel. Can you do it, son?”

  Chapter Ten

  No! Nate wanted to shout. Not me! I can’t! I’m the shakiest rider here. He had never been so overcome with fear in his life. His heart pounded, his hands shook, and his teeth chattered.

  All the boys looked at Nate, their faces pale and frightened. Even Vik looked worried, though he tried to grin encouragingly at Nate. Just then, Nate remembered what Vik had said to him before: Doing what you’re scared of? That’s brave.

  Nate took a shuddery breath. He did not want to let his friends down. Slowly, but definitely, he nodded at Joe. “I’ll do it,” he said.

  Joe nodded back. “It’s up to you, Nate.”

  Nate leaned forward and patted Herschel’s neck. Joe’s wrong. It’s not up to me, he said to his horse without speaking. It’s up to you, Herschel. Just think of me as one of those cowbirds. They trust you, and I do too. Let’s go.

  Nate squeezed with his legs and asked Herschel to walk toward the road. Herschel pointed his ears forward, then took a step forward, and then another.

  “Good boy,” said Nate. He was scared, but if Herschel could put one foot in front of the other and walk toward the noise and commotion, the smoke and the blood-red lights, and the dust whorls whipped up by the helicopter, then Nate could face it too. Nate looked back to check on the others. He could see the tense faces of the boys as they whispered calming, encouraging words to their horses. Nate was glad to see that the other horses were following Herschel, even if only reluctantly, and with hesitant steps.

  The lights from the fire trucks illuminated the road so Nate could see it through the trees. He pushed back the tree branches that scraped and clawed at his face, snapping them the best he could to make the path a little more clear for everyone behind him. He was so focused on clearing the way to the road for the others that he didn’t feel the scrapes or the cuts from the sharp branches that scratched his arms. Meanwhile, Herschel plodded ste
adily forward, leading the line of skittish horses.

  Step-by-step, inch-by-inch, Nate and Herschel led the line of horses out of the woods. When they emerged onto the road, Nate turned right sharply and kept Herschel as close as he could to the edge, as far away from the fire trucks and commotion as possible.

  Then Herschel walked cautiously down the access road. With every step they took away from the fire and the racket and the smoke, Nate’s heart beat more slowly. Above them, gradually the night sky cleared, giving them just enough moonlight to find their way.

  No one spoke. The sirens grew fainter behind them and soon, the only sounds were the gentle clinks of the horses’ bridles and the soft thud of their hooves on the dusty road. Steady and steadfast, Herschel led the tired group back to Camp Wolf Trail, then along the path to the farm. By now the horses had picked up their pace and seemed to know they were headed home. Behind the riders, Joe and Yasu were on foot, leading their horses. Last of all was Simon, leading his horse and limping a bit, bringing up the rear.

  Silently, the riders entered the paddock. One by one, they slid off their exhausted horses onto the grassy ground. They set to work taking off the saddles, rubbing their horses down, giving them water, and settling them for the night.

  When they were finished, Joe said, “Good job, men. I’m proud of you.”

  “Thanks, Joe,” the boys said.

  Vik spoke up. “Thank you too, Nate,” he said. “You and Herschel got us home safely.”

  All the boys murmured in agreement. “Yeah, thanks, Nate,” they said.

  Nate felt so pleased and proud that he was grinning from ear to ear. “Thank Herschel,” he said. “He did it. All I did was sit on his back.”

  First thing the next morning, before breakfast, Nate and Vik walked over to the farm.

  Simon and Joe were in the paddock, checking all the horses to be sure they were okay after their adventure the night before.

  “Let me guess, you want to see Herschel?” Simon asked when he saw Nate and Vik.

  The boys nodded.

  “Herschel is fine,” said Simon as they walked toward him. “Healthy as a horse, you know the old saying.” Simon looked at Nate and said earnestly, “You and Herschel made a pretty good team on that ride, Nate. Impressive.”

  “Thanks,” said Nate. He patted Herschel’s neck.

  Joe spoke up. “I’ve got some good news,” he said. “First of all, the fire is out. Secondly, I got some emails from people wanting to adopt horses. Looks like we might find homes for Christmas Wish, the grays, and the chestnuts, at least.”

  “Cool,” said Vik.

  “What about Herschel?” asked Nate, resting his hand on Herschel’s shoulder.

  Joe seemed to be trying not to laugh. “Yeah, got some crazy coot who wants Herschel, believe it or not,” he said.

  “Seriously?” asked Nate happily. “Is he a nice guy?”

  Now Joe burst out laughing. “Ask him yourself,” he said. He pointed at Simon.

  “You?” asked Nate and Vik together.

  “Yeah,” said Simon. “I’ve decided to use the money I earn as a counselor this summer to adopt Herschel. He’ll be great at my mom’s school. She needs smart, steady, gentle horses because some of the kids she teaches are disabled. Good old Herschel proved beyond a doubt last night that he’s unflappable, so he’ll be a good starter horse for kids who are beginners, or kids who are iffy about riding.”

  “Or scared stiff, like me,” said Nate.

  Pffffft, snorted Herschel. It sounded exactly as if he was saying, Cut it out, Nate. You’re not scared anymore.

  Nate laughed, but he had to agree.

  Vik and Nate walked back to camp together.

  “The Isabels are going to be happy when we tell them that Simon is taking Herschel,” said Vik.

  “Yeah,” said Nate. “And—”

  Just then a shadow sped across the sunlight on the path. Out of the trees swooped the largest owl Nate had ever seen. Its gray and brown feathers whooshed over their heads as the owl passed them on quiet wings. Then, as quickly as it had appeared, the owl disappeared into the woods.

  Vik gasped, and Nate said, “Whoa! Did you see that? That is what they call a flying tiger.”

  “Want to follow it and try to find it in the woods?” asked Vik.

  “Nah,” said Nate. “Now that I’ve seen the owl itself, I don’t need to see where it lives.” He grinned. “It’s okay with me if the owl wants to keep that a secret. I don’t have any secrets left myself, anymore.”

  “Right!” said Vik. “Everybody knows about how you’re crazy for the birds, and after last night, you being scared of horses isn’t true anymore. No more secrets.”

  “Unless you have one,” Nate said. He was tossing the still unopened owl pellet from hand to hand. “Which I think you do.”

  Vik slid him a sideways, smiling glance. “Good thing you’ve got the rest of our time here at camp to find out,” he said.

  REAL BOYS CAMP STORIES

  Ray Danner

  Ray Danner is a biologist who studies how animals interact with each other and their environment, how they evolve over time, and how they can be conserved. He is specifically interested in migratory birds and endangered birds that live on islands. For his research, he spends a large amount of time outdoors watching wildlife and dreaming about that when he is sitting inside at his computer.

  It was after dark and Dad was leading us on a night hike. Our less brave friends and family had stayed to watch the campfire, but we wanted adventure. We wanted to explore nature. We had left our camp in the forest and now stood on a beach along the river. We turned off our flashlights and looked around. A big moon hung in the sky and we could see just like it was daytime. The rocks all around us looked white in the moonlight, and I thought, This is what the surface of the moon must look like. I could see my mom’s smile and my sister’s eyes widen as a shooting star flew overhead. The water was clear even at night, and was beautiful, sliding like silk between the smooth rocks.

  Night hikes were full of discoveries. If we stomped our feet on the rocks, they sparked. Our dad said these were the flint rocks that our ancestors used to start fires. Suddenly, a bat flew low over our heads, and I ducked. Some people would be scared, but we knew the bats were only chasing moths for their dinner, so we weren’t afraid. Along the edge of the river, crayfish rocked back and forth gently in the small waves. When we tried to catch them, they raced into deeper water. At night crayfish seemed to be everywhere in the water, but we never saw them during the day. Where do they go? we wondered.

  When it was time to return to camp, Dad asked me to lead the way. I was a little scared, because I wasn’t sure I would remember the route. But I was proud my dad trusted me to lead, so I agreed. After a few wrong turns, we made it safely back to camp and the cozy beds in our tents.

  Exploration and adventures like these were highlights of my childhood and are highlights of my life as a scientist today. Since I was very young, my parents took my little sister and me camping for a month every summer. We would load the car with a tent, sleeping bags, fishing and cooking gear, and a canoe. Then we’d drive to the Ozark Mountains and camp in the endless forests along rivers. Playing in the wild made me curious about how the natural world works and taught me how to be independent—both important qualities for a scientist.

  Night hikes were just one of our many adventures. One day, after breakfast, I swam with a school of fish, trying hard to keep up with their quick movements. At lunch, I saw a rare bird dive powerfully into the water and spear one of those fast fish, making my sandwich seem boring. That afternoon, we caught insects and noticed their beautiful colors before letting them go. After dinner, as I neared the edge of our campsite, eyes of an unknown animal shined back at me in the dark. I wondered if this animal was friendly or not.

  When I was older, I went to summer camp where there were new challenges. One summer we rode horses. The horses were impressive with their sleek, shiny hair a
nd strong muscles. Their strength scared me too. I had never been on a horse and was worried that instead of walking, it would gallop and buck me off its back. One day we were on a long trail ride. Our horses were in a long single-file line, walking slowly. I was tired and about to fall asleep. All of a sudden, my horse left the line, trotted down a steep hill to a stream, and began to drink! After it was done, I pulled the reins to the left, and to my surprise, comfortably rode the horse back to the group.

  Watching and interacting with animals while camping and at summer camp made me want to understand how they work. I wanted to know how bats catch insects in the dark and where crayfish go during the day. I wanted to know how birds could catch fast fish and why some insects are so colorful and others are not. Today, I still ask questions like these and use science to answer them.

  As a scientist, I spend as much time as possible outdoors watching animals. By watching animals closely, we can learn how they work. I study birds. I study little birds and big birds, dull birds and bright birds. I study birds in the summer and birds in the winter. I study birds near my home and birds in far away places. To study birds, I have camped in forests in Alaska and Canada, on secluded beaches in Hawaii, and in the mountains of Central and South America. In each of these places, I’ve explored and had adventures, and feel just as excited and curious as when I was young.

  I encourage everyone to get out and experience life in the wild. This does not require camping on secluded riverbanks in the Ozarks Mountains or jungles in South America. It does not even require camping! In your backyard or in the park down the street, plants and animals are doing a lot of exciting things! They are finding food, growing, and having kids of their own. They help one another and sometimes fight. Weather is constantly changing, stars shoot across the sky. You can take part in the exploration and adventure of learning about these things by simply spending time outside your door. And who knows, maybe you’ll want to be a scientist too.