“So you see it is useless for you to argue,” Virginia added, as Jim opened his mouth to protest.
“But Dad wouldn’t like it, Virginia,” Tom said with a frown. “Jim and I are responsible for you girls. If anything happens----”
“Nothing will,” Carol assured him. “We all bear charmed lives. We shall return to the K Bar O when our trip is over just as we started out,” she declared.
“But what about Valerie?” Madge put in. “Do you think she can stand a lot of hard riding?”
Gale grew thoughtful. “She came through tonight with never a protest. I believe Val can stand a lot more than we give her credit for.”
Later, lying on her bed of pine boughs beside Phyllis, Gale thought of Valerie again. It had been strenuous, climbing down from the roof and later fleeing through the underbrush and over that huge boulder had been particularly wearying, without considering that they did it all on top of a day’s riding. Val had borne up marvelously well. True she had been near collapse at the end, but then she herself had not had much vitality left and she had always been stronger than Valerie. Yes sir, Val was in a much better physical condition than when they had started for the West.
The morning, however, found Valerie not as robust as Gale’s optimistic thoughts had pictured her. Breaking camp was delayed until lunch time in order to give Val the benefit of a few more hours rest. After luncheon, the party saddled and mounted their horses. After a while, Jim picked up the trail of the outlaws and they followed it a short distance. But the bandits had evidently suspected a chase and rode their horses into a stream. From there all trace of trail was wiped out.
Sunset found them miles from the scene of the girls’ adventure. Supper was prepared and after it had disappeared they sat about the campfire telling stories or singing songs. They retired early and were up with the first rays of the sun.
Day after day they followed the same procedure. Their skins were getting tanned and their appetites were enormous.
“I never thought I could eat so much,” wailed Janet, after a particularly hearty meal.