CHAPTER XVII
SECRETS
"There's only one thing nicer than going camping," Blue Bonnet declared.
Her grandmother looked up. "And that is—?"
"Getting home again!" Blue Bonnet laughed happily.
They were in sight of the ranch-house now, and could see the girls and Alec dismounting at the veranda steps. Don and Solomon leaping excitedly about the group, suddenly caught sight of the approaching buckboard and raced madly to meet their mistress. Even the horses seemed glad to be home again and tired as they were with the long day's travel broke into a trot.
Benita's brown face beamed at them from the doorway, and over her shoulder peered Juanita, with eyes only for Miguel.
Kitty had sunk immediately into one of the deep veranda chairs.
"I had to see how it feels to sit in a real live chair with a back once more," she explained. "And next I want to look at myself in a mirror that's more than three inches square; and have a drink out of a glass tumbler; and put on a clean white, fluffy dress!"
They each did all these things as eagerly as if they had been marooned on a desert island for many months; even Grandmother Clyde wearing fresh white linen, and Alec, for the first time on the ranch appearing in a starched shirt. Whereupon the girls broke into deafening applause.