“That is all the gratitude I get,” Janet mourned in an injured tone. “I do my best to make our trip a success and you don’t appreciate me.”
“What? Aren’t you dressed yet?” Phyllis demanded as she and Madge entered the other girls’ room. “Slow pokes!” she teased.
“Yes, do hurry,” Janet pleaded. “I want to get outside and see the horse I’m to ride.”
“I’ll wager you don’t even know what side of a horse to get on,” declared Carol as the latter two disappeared into their own room.
“Well--ah--um--we won’t go into that,” Janet evaded.
Virginia laughed and the other girls smiled sympathetically.
“Don’t mind anything they say,” Madge advised Virginia. “They don’t mean a word of it.”
“I gathered that much,” Virginia said, rising as Janet and Carol returned, this time fully dressed and eager to get outside.
The Adventure Girls were dressed alike in brown breeches, leather boots, and khaki shirts with brown silk ties to match. Some of them wore crushable felt hats while the others carried them. They had been delighted with the prospect of spending a summer in the open air on the ranch, looking forward to unknown adventures with keen anticipation. The six had dubbed themselves the Adventure Girls when on school hikes and outings they had usually managed to stir up some kind of excitement. It was their desire to spend their summer becoming better acquainted with the country out here, rather than spend their months free from school in loafing about home. They wanted to get out in the air, see new wonders, and enjoy new adventures.
When, in response to a letter from Virginia, Gale had suggested to the other five girls that they come West and spend the summer in Arizona it had seemed delightful and intriguing, but not probable. Gradually the girls had won round parental objections and collected the things they would need. Now they were here, with a full summer of freedom before them.