"To Colorado! to Colorado, with you and Mary!" chanted Molly.
A squeal of delight from Polly was followed by one scarcely less joyful from Mary, and then the three took hold of hands and danced around the steamboat cabin till they dropped in a heap at the feet of their aunt and uncle.
"Just think," said Molly when she had recovered her breath. "We'll all be together just as we were this summer, you, Polly, and Mary and Uncle Dick and Aunt Ada."
"You must count me out, Molly," said her Aunt Ada. "I shall do no more than see you all safely at the ranch, and then I am going to spend the winter further south with my dear friend Janey Moffatt who has been married a whole year and whom I have never yet visited. I have just had this letter setting the time for me to come. I think Miss Ainslee and your Aunt Jennie can keep you three in order."
"If not, there am I," put in Uncle Dick scowling savagely.
"As if you——" began Polly. But he made a dive at her and she disappeared behind a pillar of the cabin.
"Now," said Miss Ada, "it is just as I said: there will be no difficulty in deciding where Cooney is to go, and to tell you the truth, my dears, I think he will thrive better in a cool climate than anywhere else, for with their fluffy coats, these little coon cats are liable to fall ill and die where it is too warm for them. The ranch will be just the place for him." So Cooney's future was assured and in time he reached his new home safely, none the worse for the long journey, during which he was tenderly cared for. Luella had gladly taken charge of Cosey, promising to return to Miss Ada the next summer and to bring the little cat with her.
"Even if I'm married," she said, "Granville says I may live with you summers, Miss Ada, whilst he's off fishing."
When Molly had spent two weeks with her parents and Mary had seen her father, the three little girls were ready to set out upon their longer journey, though it must be confessed that at the last Molly found it hard to say good-bye, and Mary looked rather grave. Polly, however, reminded Mary that there would be no Miss Sharp at the ranch, and Uncle Dick whispered to Molly that he didn't see how any one could be other than happy at the prospect of spending part of each day in Miss Ainslee's company, and from that began to make such delightful plans that in a short time they were happy in thinking of the good times ahead of them. Uncle Dick promised to provide each with a safe little broncho to ride. Aunt Ada told them that their Aunt Jennie had put three small beds in her biggest room, so that the little girls could room together. Miss Ainslee told Molly confidentially that it made all the difference in the world to her that she was to have one of her own little pupils with her, and Polly, who really loved Cooney more than either of the others, was so delighted at not having to give him up that she was ready to share him generously with her cousins, and always lifted him over into Mary's or Molly's lap whenever one of them said: "Now, Polly, you have had him long enough."
Altogether the long journey was not unpleasant, and when the travelers at last arrived, though they were weary, they were very happy, and that night cuddled down in their little white beds while around their dwelling place towered up the great mountains, steadfast as the friendship which was born that summer in the hearts of the three little cousins and which lasted their lifetime.