The Black Stallion's Courage

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THE BLACK STALLION SERIES BY WALTER FARLEY

THE BLACK STALLION
THE BLACK STALLION RETURNS
SON OF THE BLACK STALLION
THE ISLAND STALLION
THE BLACK STALLION AND SATAN
THE BLACK STALLION’S BLOOD BAY COLT
THE ISLAND STALLION’S FURY
THE BLACK STALLION’S FILLY
THE BLACK STALLION REVOLTS
THE BLACK STALLION’S SULKY COLT
THE ISLAND STALLION RACES
THE BLACK STALLION’S COURAGE
THE BLACK STALLION MYSTERY
THE HORSE-TAMER
THE BLACK STALLION AND FLAME
MAN O’ WAR
THE BLACK STALLION CHALLENGED!
THE BLACK STALLION’S GHOST
THE BLACK STALLION AND THE GIRL
THE BLACK STALLION LEGEND
THE YOUNG BLACK STALLION (with Steven Farley)

Published by Yearling, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books a division of Random House, Inc., New York

Copyright © 1956 by Walter Farley
Copyright renewed 1984 by Walter Farley

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eISBN: 978-0-307-80485-3

Reprinted by arrangement with Random House Books for Young Readers

v3.1

For Timothy

CONTENTS

Cover

Other Books by this Author

Title Page

Copyright

Dedication

1. Old Mare, Young Man

2. Fiery Aftermath

3. The Racetrack

4. Again, the Derby

5. Backside Backfire

6. “Bring on Eclipse!”

7. The Preakness

8. Black-Eyed Susans

9. Futurity Farm?

10. 1 Pound = 1 Neck

11. Speed!

12. The Big Apple

13. The Belmont

14. And More Speed!

15. Skyrocket

16. Boom!

17. Bust

18. Three in a Row

19. The Brooklyn Handicap

20. Black-Out

About the Author

OLD MARE, YOUNG MAN

1

Alec Ramsay opened his eyes and stared into the darkness of his bedroom. He could not sleep. The darkness was familiar enough, but not the complete silence that lay over everything.

Long moments passed and he could hear the stillness. It was more than the hush, the quiet of late night. It was more than the complete absence of sound. It was a vibrant, living silence and he listened to it as one would to the soft rustle of leaves in the stir of air. He listened to it while his eyes opened again, searching the darkness—for what?

Suddenly he swung out of bed and went to the open east window. If he couldn’t sleep, the thing to do was to get up and find out what was the matter.