“Not very big,” Virginia commented, squinting at the sky. “Whyn’t you pick a big one?”
“Wait until it grows up,” Gale murmured. “Just like me, wait until I grow up!”
“Won’t that be sompin’,” Virginia giggled. “What are you going to be? A female Lindbergh?”
“Never can tell,” Gale said. “Maybe I’ll be another Columbus.”
“I don’t know whether there are any lands left to discover, so you might have a little difficulty along that line,” was Virginia’s opinion. “Meanwhile--I’m getting sleepy.”
She fell silent and Gale, too, pulled her blanket closer for a cool wind had sprung up. The last thing she remembered before Tom brought them all wide awake with a loud banging on the frying pan was the wild, untamed howl of a coyote.
With the first dancing rays of the sun, the riders were up and about their business. Packs securely fastened on the pack horses and the girls mounted, they started on their way. As always when riding their spirits rose with the sun. Tom was playing his harmonica and Janet and Carol both insisted on giving voice to the tune Tom was playing until the other girls threatened dire punishment unless they stopped.
Noon found them riding into the valley with the K Bar O ranch house just ahead of them. To the girls it seemed as though there were a great many men gathered about the bunkhouse and the corral. The very air seemed tinged with suspense and mystery. Unconscious that they did so, all the riders spurred their horses on at an increased pace. Why should there be such activity where usually there were peace and orderliness unless something had happened? It was as if a cloud of trouble had descended on the K Bar O.
“I wonder what’s the matter?” Virginia murmured to Gale. “I hope nothing has happened----”
“We’ll soon find out,” Gale answered as the horses trotted up to the corral and the girls dismounted. “Look, isn’t that the Sheriff?”