"Can't we stay and talk with Mr. Brent for a little while?" Cindy asked. "Don't get in the way." "In the way!" Pete snorted. "My two sweet-hearts in the way! Why, Mrs. Simpson!" "I'd like to stay too," Alec said. "Good!" said Pete. CHAPTER TWO _Pete's Story_ Cindy always loved to visit Pete Brent, partly because she liked him, partly because she liked his horses, and partly because she liked Gramps and Granny Brent, his father and mother. Besides, Gramps knew the most wonderful stories, and Granny baked the most marvelous ginger cookies which she passed out with a very free hand. Cindy had looked forward to bringing Mindy to their wagon for a visit. Even though Gramps and Granny were asleep in the wagon and Mindy would not meet them until tomorrow, it was a lot of fun to be with Pete and to look at his horses. "We'll have to be very quiet because Gramps and Granny Brent are sleeping now," Cindy whispered to her twin. "Let's go see the horses." Two of Pete's four ponies were roan-colored, the third was sorrel, and the fourth was black and white. The two roans and the sorrel were very friendly and gentle, but the pinto trusted nobody and even tried to buck Pete off whenever Pete rode him. Now the three gentle ponies and Pete's huge draft horses crowded as close together as they could and thrust their heads over the picket line, each horse trying to get as much attention as possible for himself. The pinto pulled as far back as his tie rope would let him go and snorted suspiciously. Though she had been on the point of warning her twin to be careful around the pinto, Cindy forgot to do so. Alec, who had never wanted to be anything except a farmer, liked the heavy-footed draft horses best. Cindy and Mindy turned naturally to the fleet ponies. Suddenly the pinto snorted again, softly and gently this time, and came up to thrust a friendly muzzle at Mindy. "Mindy!" exclaimed Cindy. "What's the matter?" asked Mindy, who was happily stroking the pony's soft nose. "That's Thunder, and he isn't supposed to like anyone!" "He likes me," Mindy said. "Oh! Don't they remind you of birds?" "Yes, they do! But Pete told me that, though they can start at a fast clip and keep it up long after a race horse would be winded, a race horse would beat any of them in a short sprint." "I don't believe it," Mindy said. "I don't believe any other horse could even keep up with them." "Except Daddy's Sunshine," Cindy said. "Yes," Mindy agreed loyally, "Sunshine might." Except for Thunder, who would let only Mindy touch him, they petted each pony in turn, stroked the draft horses, petted the ponies again, and Cindy asked Alec, "Wouldn't you just love to have one?" "Sure would," Alec agreed, "but I'd rather have this work team. They could pull a plow for ten hours, then do it again the next day and the day after, and still come back for more." "You have the team, and we'll take the ponies," Cindy said. "Let's go back and see Mr. Brent."