WILD HORSE ISLAND

Ranch life on a lake island in Montana, a tame deer and a mysterious wild mare are the unusual elements in this Western horse story by the author of Ride 'Em Peggy Jim Roberts ten, moves with his parents from Chicago to Montana where a friend of his father's has a horse ranch on an island which was once the refuge of wild horses. All though the exciting days of ranch life, making new friends on the mainland, school and running about with his dog and the tame deer Diane, Jim dreams of taming a wild mare he believes will return to the island some day. The day comes when Jim sees the mare, but it is her foal which he takes for his own. Some points of honor are involved and Jim, mindful of his Cub Scout code, returns the foal to the owner of the island. But honesty has its rewards and Jim is given the colt (or filly- the author seems to have been undecided as to the sex in the last few pages). A likeable story but may be too quiet for some -- we prefer the author's work for girls. Fine animal sketches by Paul Brown, as expected.