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Kate and Pi mud pies while Caleb went to check on the horses He’d built an open-sided shelter on the far side of the paddock to give them cover from the weather, and that here he found them now Handso hard and showing the whites of his eyes He was also holding his left rear hoof off the ground The horse let hih for Caleb to see a small puncture wound in the raised central structure of the hoof So and sharp was stuck in there He walked to the shed and returned with a halter, needle-nosed pliers, and a rope He was fixing Jeb’s halter when he saw Kate co his way

"He doesn’t look so happy"

"Got a pricker in his hoof"

"Could you use an extra set of hands?"

He was fine on his own, but the wooing to say no to "The ropes should hold hiripped the leather near the horse’slike that?"

Caleb was crouched at the rear of the animal "You’re the doctor--you tell led the pliers to the wound There wasn’t rab hold of As the tipsand tossing his head

"Keep hi!"

"He’s a horse, Kate Show hi hi none of it Caleb left the shelter and returned with a length of three-quarter-inch chain, which he ran through the halter, up and over the horse’s nose He tightened the chain against Jeb’s jaw and gave the ends to Kate

"Hold this," he said "And don’t be nice"

Jeb didn’t like it, but the chain worked Caught in the tips of the pliers, the offending article slowly e, it was id, nearly translucent uess," he said

The horse had relaxed so frolossed with sweat Caleb washed the hoof ater froering near the shelter, watching them cautiously While Kate held the halter, Caleb sheathed the hoof in a leather sock and secured it with twine There wasn’t much else he could do at this point He’d leave the ani

"Thanks for your help"

The two of theht was just about gone