The K Bar O Ranch was one of the biggest in the state. This the girls did not fully realize until later, when they began to ride around the countryside. Henry Wilson, Virginia’s father, dealt in cattle and his herds were large and of the finest stock. There were horses too, and it was these that the girls were most interested in.
Virginia led the way to the corral. Tom was there, talking to a cowboy and when he saw the girls, brought up three saddled mounts, the cowboy following with a string of four more. The western ponies were sturdy little animals, sure-footed and fast.
The girls claimed their mounts and Gale and Valerie, already experienced riders, mounted their horses immediately.
Janet looked her horse over with speculative eyes. “Well, horse,” she said, “I think we are about to become better acquainted and I hope you are as nice as you look.”
“They’re all tame,” Tom assured the girls, assisting Carol into her saddle.
“Hey,” Carol called to Janet. “You’ll never get on that way!”
Virginia had her horse and by the time Tom had helped Janet into the saddle, the girls were moving forward. Virginia rode ahead with Gale, the two setting their ponies at an easy trot over the trail.
“We won’t go far,” Virginia said, “it will be suppertime shortly and I know you wouldn’t want to miss it. The lunch you had wasn’t very substantial.”
“And this Arizona air certainly gives one an appetite,” Gale declared. “What’s that?”
They had come to the crest of a hill and in the green valley below could be seen a slowly moving herd of the K Bar O cattle. But it was not to the cows that Gale called her friend’s attention. Off to the left had sounded a series of sharp explosions, as a fusillade of rifle shots.