From Chapter thirteen - "Gibbon's Secrets" - The Boys In The Barn

     The winter  was holding on tight, with flakes of snow gently floating down from dark gray puffy clouds.  The low temperature seemed threatening to both man and beast (even boys).   Bud and his friends would seek refuge in Mr. Ross's big red barn during the cold days of winter.  The bran's haymow  was packed high with had, and the cows were all lined up in their stalls with their heads deep in the managers munching on hay.  The created warmth that drew the boys in to it like a magnet.
     One of Bud's favorite things in the winter was to see the big work horses come out of the barn into the corral, with the steam rising off their backs as the they plodded along.  These cold morning always created a visible cloud of cold air erupting from their warm nostrils and circling around their long faces,.  Bud had learned a trick to get the big horses to come over to the corral fence, and he shared it with his friends.  "Watch what those horses do!  I'm going to put some carrots in my pocket and show you guys what happens when I climb up on the fence."  Bud climbed up on the fence, and sure enough one of the big horses came right over and nuzzled his pockets.  Bud laughed and said, There hoses are very smart and can smell the carrots in my pocket Their nose tells them I have something for them to chew on."  Donny was already up on the fence, and another horse was headed in his direction,  "Hey, that is one neat trick!  Let me have a couple carrots for my pockets!"  Bud quickly handed Donny the carrots, and he put them in his pocket before the horse made it over to him.  Sure enough, the horse found which pocket they were in right way.  Bud climbed down off of the fence and gave carrots to each of the other boys for their pockets.  Duncan, Wally and Stanleyclimbed up on the fence with the same results.  Each in turn was squealing with delight as the big horses nuzzled their pockets.