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flirting with Ev that she’d forget.
    Ev was looking south at the mountains. “Is that the Wall?” he said.
    “Nope. The Walls off that direction,” I said, pointing across the Tongue. “Those are the Ponypiles.”
    “Are we going there?” Ev said, looking sappy-eyed again.
    “Not this trip. We’ll follow the Tongue south a few kloms and then head northwest.”
    “Will you two stop sight-seeing and get over here and load these ponies?” Carson shouted. He had the ponies up and was strapping the wide-angle to Speedy’s pommelbone.
    “Yes, ma am,” I said. Ev and I picked our way over to him between grass clumps. “Don’t worry about the Wall,” I told Ev. “We’ll see plenty of it. We have to cross it to get to where were going, and after we do we’ll follow it all the way north to Silvershim Creek.”
    “Not unless we get these ponies loaded,” Carson said. “Here,” he said, handing the reins of one of the ponies to Ev. “Get Cyclone loaded.”
    “Cyclone?” Ev said, looking warily at the pony, which looked to me like it was getting ready to fall over again.
    “There’s nothing to it,” I said. “Ponies—”
    “Fin’s right,” Carson said. “Just don’t make any sudden movements. And if he tries to throw you, hang on for dear life, no matter what. Cyclone doesn’t get violent except when he senses fear.”
    “Violent?” Ev said, looking nervous. “I haven’t had much experience riding.”
    “You can ride mine,” I said.
    “Diablo?” Carson said. “You think that’s a good idea after what happened before? No, I think you’d better ride Cyclone.” He held out the stirrup. “You just put your foot in here and take hold of the pommelbone nice and slow,” he said.
    Ev took hold of the pommel like it was a hand grenade. “There, there, Cyclone,” he murmured, bringing his foot up in slow motion to the stirrup. “Nice Cyclone.”
    Carson looked across at me, the edges of his mustache quaking. “Isn’t he doing good, Fin?”
    I ignored him and went on attaching the wide-angles to Useless’s chest.
    “Now swing your other leg up and over, real slow. I’ll hold him till you’re on,” Carson said, holding on tight to the bridle. Evelyn did it and got a death grip on the reins.
    “Giddyap!” Carson shouted and smacked the pony on the flank. The pony took a step forward, and Ev dropped the reins and grabbed for the pommelbone. The pony took two more steps toward Carson, lifted its tail, and dumped a pile the size of Everest.
    Carson came over to me, laughing fit to kill.
    “What are you picking on Ev for?” I said.
    He laughed awhile before he answered. “You said he was smarter than he looks. I was just checking it out.”
    “You should be checking out your scout,” I said, pointing at Bult, who had his binocs up to his eyes again, “if you want to depart any time today.”
    He laughed some more and went over to talk to Bult. I finished attaching the surveying equipment. Bult had his log out, and from the looks of it Carson was yelling at him again.
    I swung up onto Useless and rode over to where Ev was sitting on his pony. “Looks like well be here awhile,” I said. “Sorry about Carson. It’s his idea of a joke.”
    “I figured that out,” he said. “Finally. What’s his real name?” he said, gesturing at the pony. It took a step forward and stopped.
    “Speedy,” I said.
    “And this is as fast as it goes.”
    “Sometimes it doesn’t go this fast,” I said.
    Useless lifted its tail and unloaded.
    “Tell me they don’t do this all the time,” Ev said.
    “Not like this,” I said. “Sometimes after we have ‘em in the heli they get the runs.”
    “Great,” he said. “I suppose sudden movements don’t spook them?”
    “Nothing spooks them,” I said, “not even nibblers chewing on their toes. If they’re scared or they don’t want to do something, they just stand there and won’t budge.”
    “What don’t they like?”
    “People riding