Pony Problems Read Online Free Page B

the Faynes’ willow tree.
    â€œWhat are you doing here?’ Nancy asked Buttons. Buttons neighed and chewed off a few more leaves.
    â€œI wish Buttons could tell us how he’s getting out of the petting zoo,” Nancy said. “It sure would make this an easy mystery to solve.” Buttons neighed again as if he understood and was trying to tell.
    Just then, Bess noticed a strange red markingon one of Buttons’s back hooves. She pointed it out to George and Nancy. They stepped in a little closer to get a better look.
    â€œGirls!” Mrs. Fayne called from inside the house, through the kitchen window. “Stay back from that pony. I know he likes kids and is nice at the farm, but you need to be careful when Mr. Johnson isn’t around. I’ve already called him. He’s on his way.”
    â€œBut Mom—,” George began.
    Mrs. Fayne didn’t repeat herself. She just shot them a warning look.
    â€œNo really, Mom.” George moved back from the pony and closer to the kitchen window. “We were checking Buttons’s hoof. It looks like he’s bleeding.”
    Mrs. Fayne came out of the house, drying her hands on a small towel. Slowly she approached the pony, talking softly and making a nice clicking sound with her tongue.
    â€œI didn’t know your mom knew about ponies,” Nancy told George.
    â€œShe grew up on a farm in Ohio,” George answered. “Sometimes she talks about how much she misses living on a farm.”
    Mrs. Fayne put a soothing hand on Buttons’s side, being careful to stay in front of his hind hooves. She bent low to take a look.
    â€œThat’s not blood,” Mrs. Fayne remarked at last. “Hooves are hard and wouldn’t bleed even if he did break one. There is no scratch on his leg.” She looked closer at the red mark. “That looks like paint.”

    The girls were surprised.
    â€œPaint?” Bess cried. “Like the red paint Amanda Johnson was using yesterday!”
    Nancy immediately pulled out her notebook and pencil. In the clue column, she wrote down:
Red paint on Buttons’s hoof.
    â€œMaybe Amanda got paint on the ground and Buttons stepped in it?” George asked.
    â€œI don’t think so,” Bess replied. “Amanda was outside the fence painting. Buttons was inside with the other animals.”
    â€œWeird.” Nancy tapped her temple with the pencil eraser. Since Mrs. Fayne knew about ponies, Nancy asked her, “Can Shetland ponies jump?”
    â€œDo you think Buttons might have jumped over the petting zoo fence?” Bess cut in. “Maybe he dragged his hoof on the rail at the last second?”
    â€œI was just thinking.” Nancy shrugged.“Jumping would explain the paint. And possibly solve the mystery.”]
    Mrs. Fayne gave Buttons a final pat on the back and stepped away. “We didn’t have Shetlands on our farm in Ohio.” She came over to where the girls were standing. “I don’t know how high Shetlands can jump. They’re different from other ponies.” A truck engine vroomed as it turned onto George’s street. “Here comes Mr. Johnson. Why don’t you ask him?”
    Mr. Johnson parked the truck and pony trailer in front of George’s house. The girls waited for him to get his rope and tie it around Buttons’s neck. Before he put the pony in the trailer, Nancy showed him the paint marking on Buttons’s hoof.
    â€œCan Shetland ponies jump?” George asked.
    â€œThey can,” Mr. Johnson answered. For a second, Nancy thought they’d solved the mystery. “But that’s why I built the extra-tall fence around the animal pen.” Nancy recalled noticing that the fence was above her head. “Shetlandponies can’t jump that high,” Mr. Johnson said. “Nope. There’s no way Buttons jumped over that fence.”
    The zoo owner put Buttons in the trailer for the ride back to