Read the excerpt from The Land."Well, Mister Sutcliffe, I know what a rider's pay is around here, and it's not worth losing my job because of it. My boss told me not to ride a horse that's not his, so I know I'd be in real trouble with him if I did. No, sir, I thank you for your offer, but I don't figure to risk my job for just rider's pay."
Read the excerpt from The Land.Mitchell almost smiled. "Well, don't want that. Thing is, though, Paul, this here's a dangerous-looking animal.""Dangerous enough for me to reconsider?""Well, that's up to you. You the one hafta ride him."I walked up to the grey and looked into his eyes. "I'll ride him," I decided right then for a fact. "I've got only my neck to lose and four times a rider's pay to gain."
Read the excerpt from The Land.Ray Sutcliffe looked me up and down, and I knew he hadn't liked what he'd heard from me. But he gave me the leeway. "You just make sure you win. We've got less than two hours before that start."
Read the excerpt from The Land."I asked a question," said my daddy, and his voice was still low. "I expect an answer." He looked straight at Mitchell's daddy. "Willie?"Willie Thomas eyed his son, then cleared his throat. "W-well, now, Mister Edward," he began, not looking at my daddy but at Ghost Wind instead, "th-these here two boys jus' done brought this here stallion from them woods yonder, and they done brung him back all torn up like this. Seem like t' me Mitchell, he done rode this horse knowin' he ain't s'pose t', and I done told him that time and time again—"
Read the excerpt from The Land.My daddy shook his head. "Paul only rides horses he knows.""Horses I'm talking about aren't wild or anything," said Ray Sutcliffe. "They're my own horses, come straight out of Alabama, not any of these wild, new-breed western horses. In fact, I've got a fine stallion, a grey, I want to race, a real winner if he's got a good rider on his back. I'd pay your boy well. I'd pay you a fee too, on the wager, if I win."My daddy smiled. "Well, if anybody could ride a horse and win a wager for you, it would be Paul here. But I still have to say no. I don't want this boy or the horse getting hurt. Like I said, my boy rides only horses he knows. I thank you, sir, though, for the offer."
Read the excerpt from The Land."You?" questioned my daddy. "Paul, you did this?""Yes, sir," I said, looking straight at him. "I did."My daddy took a breath deep, then walked around Ghost Wind, inspecting him long and hard this time, before he came back and stood right in front of me. "Paul," he said to me, "you're a good horseman, one of the best I've ever seen, and you know how to handle Ghost Wind. Now you going to stand here and tell me you rode this horse and let this happen to him?"I looked straight up at my daddy and lied again. "Yes, sir."
Read the excerpt from The Land.At first I just walked the grey, letting him get used to me. Then I bridled and saddled him and finally I mounted. I let him get accustomed to my weight on his back as he walked around the pasture, then knowing our time was short, I put him through paces, first a trot followed by a gallop before slowing him down and taking him back to the cool of a shade tree. I gave him more apple wedges. I let him drink from a stream nearby before I brushed him again. All the while I never stopped talking to him.
Read the excerpt from The Land.I gave him one. "He's got no hold," I said. Mitchell looked at me, then kept on with what he was doing.Ray Sutcliffe smiled. "Well, you ride for me today, and I'll make it worth your while."I glanced at Mitchell and took my time before I asked, "Mister Sutcliffe, what're you figuring as worth my while?"
Read the excerpt from The Land."I have to finish brushing down these horses first," I said.Ray Sutcliffe's face took on a look of exasperation. "What? You got a race to tend to, boy!""I'm sorry, Mister Sutcliffe, but I told Mister Logan I'd brush these horses down for him, and he taught me a long time ago to do what I say I'm going to do."
Read the dialogue between Mitchell and Paul from The Land."You know, you could be lookin' for a broken neck.""You sounding like my daddy now."Mitchell almost smiled. "Well, don't want that. Thing is, though, Paul, this here's a dangerous-looking animal."
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