The Littlest Vaquero

Chapter 1: Manuel and Alberto had a pony race and Manuel won. When they got off their ponies to shake hands Alberto notices something strange in a bush. The boys get captured, but Manuel comes up with a plan and gets away and so does Alberto. They run to the rancho and Manuel yells, "Indians Indians!" and the boys get rewarded for saving the rancho.
Chapter 2: Manuel wakes up early the next morning and gets a candle and gets his horse, Gordo, ready to go to Mission Espada. While he's there he meets Alberto and they go eat breakfast, then skip rocks in the river. Alberto hears a crying sound and screams, "It's La Llarona!" so they get on their horses and run back to the rancho. Then they go to Mission Espada and meet Lt. Menchaca. Juan Ruiz, Manuel's father, gets an offer to trail about 900 head of cattle to Opelousas, Louisiana.
Chapter 3: Manuel's dad accepts the offer. The boys watch the new arrivals with their cattle, eat lunch, say thank you to Lt. Menchaca, and pretend to nap with Miguel and Jose. They get their horses a safe distance away from Miguel and Jose.
Chapter 4: The boys meet Doña Maria and all three go on the trail ride. The next morning they awaken early and the boys take a swim. Doña Maria goes farther up stream and the boys hear something so they hide. They are forced out of their hiding places and are caught by the vaqueros. Then they tell them where Doña Maria is and Lt. Menchaca tells them how many problems they've caused. Manuel finds out that his dad was careless because he thought Manuel was a mystery rider and got a broken leg. Manuel begs his dad and Manuel substitutes for his dad.
Chapter 5: Manuel eats stew and then goes to sleep, then the next morning he wakes up to a hard shove on the shoulders. Manuel goes to a stream and washes up and eats breakfast. He follows Santiago to the wrangler and gets a cow pony. Manuel mounted his pony and thought about becoming a true vaquero and home. Then they work with the cattle. Manuel sees a creature on horseback with a wolf's head and a human body in the dust. He asks Santiago what it is but Santiago doesn't see anything.
Chapter 6: Manuel was tired of watching the cattle but then he could practice with his reata (rope). A cow got away. Her name was La Senora Loca because she did strange things. Manuel tried to get a hold of her, but his rope only caught one horn. As Manuel rode along he saw a cow that lost her calf so he put on his chaparreras to protect his legs. Then he saw the creature on horseback with a wolf's head and human body. It pulled off its wolf's head. It was just a Comanche. Manuel thought he was too old and useless so they kicked him out of the tribe. Manuel could see the calf so he untied it and gave the Comanche some dried beef.
Chapter 7: Everyone was hot and thirsty. "We sure could use some rain," Antonio said "We should reach the Colorado River by night," Eduardo explained. "We will have to get there fast because if the cows smell water they will bolt and run causing a stampede." At night they reached the Colorado River and crossed it and camped on the banks of the river. The next morning Indians cut out some of the cattle and startled the rest. "Stampede," someone yelled and everyone rode fast to get the cattle back. The next morning a number of cattle were missing so everyone searched. Manuel found a bull to chase, but he fell off his horse and knew that the bull would gore him to death. Manuel tried to grab on a tree, and somehow he landed on the bull's back. After riding the bull a long way he fell off and Santiago saved him.
Chapter 8: They reached the Brazos River and camped there. In the morning Eduardo and Santiago told him things about la reata, then La Senora Loca made eye contact with Manuel. Manuel caught both of her horns with la reata and tied it around her heels. He tightened up on la reata then loosened up on it and let La Senora Loca go. Manuel said that heel tripping would've injured her, and from then on La Senora Loca stayed with Manuel and the herd.
Chapter 9: "Two cows got big thorns in their hides," Eduardo announced, Manuel said that he would help him lasso them. The next morning they crossed the Neches River and two calves got away and so did their mothers. Manuel went after the calves, while Antonio went after the mothers. Manuel threw la reata around the neck of one calf, but the calf made la reata wrap around Manuel and pulled him across the stream. When they got across the stream Manuel and the calf almost drowned in quicksand. A lady in a blue robe saved him. When he told the others they crowded around to hear the story.
Chapter 10: The next day Captain Ybarbo and his men inspected the cattle and cut out thirty-seven of the bulls that belonged to Juan Joseph Pacheco, because they weren't licensed. Then Jesus went with Captain Ybarbo to live with his people. While the cattle were grazing the vaqueros called Manuel over and when Manuel got there everyone was standing in a row and they said compliments about how everything was put and cleaned on Manuel's horse and Santiago even knew about the old Comanche. Then everyone said,"That makes him a true vaquero!"
Chapter 11: That same day soldiers came and told Lt. Menchaca that Spain has declared war on England. He said that the cattle would feed the Spanish warriors in battle. Then everyone got eleven pesos each. After that he purchased a silk dress for Mama and fabric for Doña Maria. Then Lt. Menchaca gave La Senora Loca to Manuel and everyone went home.
Chapter 12: When Manuel, Santiago, and Antonio got to Rancho de las Cabras everyone had a party waiting for them. Manuel gave his Mama her silk dress and Doña Maria her fabric. Manuel hugged his father and told everyone all of the adventures. Then the vaqueros asked how they kept the food fresh and someone said that an Indian told them how. Manuel rode Gordo to a hill and looked at the hilly area and thought about how they would become famous.