Last horse on the sands

by Arthur Catherall

A brother and sister risk their lives and that of an old cart horse while trying to rescue victims of a plane crash before the tide comes in.

128 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1973

About the author

In addition to his own name, Arthur Catherall also wrote under the names A.R. Channel, Dan Corby, J. Baltimore, Linda Peters (Adventure at Brackendale), Peter Hallard, Margaret Ruthin, and Trevor Maine.

He was a prolific author of magazine short stories, single novels and series novels for all age groups and genders. His children's adventure stories were popular in book club editions and can be found in several languages.

Reviews

[Charlotte · Rating 4 out of 5]

The sands in question are a part of coastal England pockmarked with deadly quicksand at low tide, and the tide itself can be deadly when it comes rushing back in, but going out to gather cockles at low tide is a way of life. A brother and sister find themselves desperately racing against time to save the piolet and passenger of a small plane that has crashed on the sands, just as the tide is about to turn. This plane was reporting on a much larger plane crash just up the coast, where all the adults with their tractors are desperately rescuing people. So there is no one but two kids and a horse to save those on the smaller plan. The horse was the last equine cockle hauler left, the others having been by tractors, and his owner can't afford to keep him anymore. But it is his instinct for where the quicksand is, and his great heart, that saves the day after many many close shaves. It was a single sitting read for me, hence four stars, but I would have liked it much better if there had been more context (it all takes place on one day, with not much information about the character's lives provided) and very little characterization, without which it is hard to be personally invested.

[Sharon Buxton · Rating 3 out of 5]

C. fiction, adventure; children and horse save the day; from stash, discard