“We’ll be out there and all settled down by morning,” he said. “That’s the beauty of flying.”

“Yeah, but you keep your eye on him every minute.”

“Sure, but he’ll give me no trouble. He’s been up before and knows what it’s all about.”

“I know,” Henry said. He stopped at the doorway. “Feed him light. Don’t overload his stomach up there. It’s no place for him to get sick. Keep the blanket on him. It’s bound to be a little drafty. Keep him warm.”

“Yes, Henry.” Alec pushed his friend onto the ramp. “If you don’t get going, I’ll start advising you on the care and feeding of the horses back at the farm.”

Henry grunted. “That’s not necessary.”

“I know.” Alec smiled.

Upon reaching the ground, Henry helped close the portable lightweight ramp and get it inside the plane. The captain went to his compartment, but the co-pilot stayed behind to shut the rooftop doorway.

Alec went to his horse. The plane’s takeoff might bother the Black a little.

“You’ll be all right?” the co-pilot asked.

“Sure.”

The man’s eyes were on the stallion. “I’ve always wanted to see the Black,” he said. “I saw him beat Cyclone and Sun Raider in that big match race in Chicago some years ago. I’ll never forget it.”

“Nor I,” Alec said.

“You never raced him again after that one, did you?”

“No.”

The co-pilot left, closing the door of the compartment behind him. The plane’s engines shattered the quiet, sputtered, then settled into a steady drone. A few moments later they were moving and the Black shifted his weight to keep his balance.

“Easy, boy,” Alec said softly.

Suddenly the plane came to a stop again, its engines slowing to idling speed. The cabin door opened, and the co-pilot returned.

“Your friend is out there shouting his head off about some keys … keys to the van, I believe he said.”

Alec’s hand went to his pocket. He’d forgotten to give Henry the ignition keys. He remembered, too, that in his wallet he was carrying the registration licenses for the van and all the other farm vehicles. Henry might need them during his absence. Quickly he took all his money from the wallet and, putting the keys inside, handed the wallet to the co-pilot. “You can throw him this,” he said. “And if he can hear you, tell him all the registration licenses are there, too. He can send me my wallet later.”

The co-pilot left, and a few minutes later the plane was once more moving out to the airport’s runway. Through the small windows, Alec caught a glimpse of Henry waving at them. Fortunately, Henry had only a short drive back to the farm from the local airport. He’d be home in time to see that the horses were all taken care of for the night.

But I’m supposed to be forgetting all that, Alec thought.