CHAPTER NINE


As you already know, apart from being budding gardeners, we still " deputize" for Noah's Ark's manager.

It took Digital and Rézéda, our new four-legged pets, a short week to agree to let us steer the Ark.Between you and me, I must confess we bribed them shamelessly with carrot and apple pieces, stale bread, sunflower seeds and peppermint.Well, whatever the truth of the matter, we had gained the know-how and things were going on smoothly.

Last week a couple of lifelong friends went with us to see and feed the horses. When we parked near the meadow, we immediately caught sight of Digital, but Rézéda didn't show up.  First we thought she had gone further down the field, but soon we had to face the facts : she was not there, either !
We called her out in vain : Rézéda had cleared out.
Digital looked panic-striken and kept pacing up and down the fence, then stopping and staring through the  bushes. Puzzled by his behaviour, we approached  him and to our great relief we could see the fugitive feasting on fresh new Spring clumps of grass in another meadow.
It is well-known that the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence !
My husband could find a way in and managed to take the mischievous girl back to her place. But till he could see his sweetheart back safe and sound, 
Digital was in a tizzy, galloping along the hedges, head held high, ears forward and mouth open to locate his beloved mate.


We heaved a sigh of relief but a bit too early... In our wave of panic we had forgotten to close the door where the bales of hay are stored !! The two
accomplices had sneaked in and were celebrating their reunion on the sly !!
Fortunately we had some carrots left and they couldn't resist and went out of their Aladdin's cave. We locked the place in a jiffy and rushed out of the 
paddock before the two partners realized the trickery ! As we say :
Two can play at that game !

I hope such a mishap will not cool off our friends' eagerness and that they will join us again for other adventures full of twists and turns !