“Saddle a pony for me, Eddie,” she explained. “I want to take a little ride.”
“Sure!” he assured her cheerily. “Have it ready in a jiffy,” and away he went, uncoiling his riata, toward the little group of saddle ponies which stood in the corral against necessity for instant use.
In a couple of minutes he came back leading one, which he tied to the corral bars.
“But I can't ride that horse,” exclaimed the girl. “He bucks.”
“Sure,” said Eddie. “I'm a-goin' to ride him.”
“Oh, are you going somewhere?” she asked.
“I'm goin' with you, miss,” announced Eddie, sheepishly.
“But I didn't ask you, Eddie, and I don't want you—today,” she urged.
“Sorry, miss,” he threw back over his shoulder as he walked back to rope a second pony; “but them's orders. You're not to be allowed to ride no place without a escort. 'Twouldn't be safe neither, miss,” he almost pleaded, “an' I won't hinder you none. I'll ride behind far enough to be there ef I'm needed.”
Directly he came back with another pony, a sad-eyed, gentle-appearing little beast, and commenced saddling and bridling the two.