Little Britches

Ralph wakes to find his father has made him his own special whip for the cows. He shows Ralph how to use it, and then Ralph heads to work. He is scared of the cows eating at Fred’s alfalfa, but he soon discovers Fanny to be a more than capable ally at herding. She is not only fast but also intelligent, herding the cows instinctively. Though Ralph falls off a few times, he finds Fanny much easier to ride than Ned. She knows all the cows’ “tricks,” and Ralph’s job mainly becomes anticipating her movements so as to not fall.

At noon, Grace brings Ralph his lunch. While he eats, she tries to herd the cows herself. Ralph warns her not to ride Fanny, but she persists. She does not heed Ralph’s advice, however, and falls off while chasing a cow. The next time she tries, she nearly gets run over, barely saving herself by hugging Fanny around the neck as she falls off. Grace finishes herding the cows by foot, then leaves, telling Ralph how much better of a rider she is.

Ralph is worried Grace “ruined” Fanny, but after only falling off her once that afternoon, he concludes Grace did not. He has trouble getting the cows home that night but manages to resolve the situation without any help from Fred or his father. Ralph is proud of his work, and even more so when Mrs. Corcoran gives him a quarter. When he gets home, however, his father scolds him for “playing cowboy” and over-riding Fanny. He explains that a good cowboy, like Hi, spares his horse, describing the techniques Ralph should use in the future to save Fanny’s energy.

The next day of herding goes well for Ralph. He only falls off one time, and only because he tries to copy one of Hi’s tricks. Otherwise, he tries to herd the cows the way his father told him to, working until Grace arrives with lunch. He wants to show off to her, but ends up hurting himself instead, and Grace blackmails him into letting her ride Fanny again. Ralph agrees and Grace goes for another precarious ride on Fanny. Grace continues to guilt Ralph into letting her ride every day at noon. For his part, Ralph gets better at copying Hi’s tricks and, after the first week, he no longer has any trouble with the cows.