“Oh, they can’t touch us!” exclaimed Andy. “They don’t even know us. And we’ve as much right to use the trails around here as anybody—the land isn’t fenced in.”
“Yes, but you know what Jackson said,” went on Fred. “He said the Bimbel outfit wasn’t a very nice one and that Bangs was very miserly and peculiar. That sounds as if both places were good ones to steer clear of.”
“Oh, come on! Let’s go anyhow,” put in Spouter. “I’m anxious to know what sort of neighbors we have. They can’t find any fault with us for coming over when they find out that my father owns this ranch.”
The boys talked this matter over several times, and the next day obtained permission to take the horses and go off for a day’s outing along the river. They were to take their lunch with them, and did not expect to come back until evening.
“I wish we could go along,” sighed Martha.
“We’ll take you along next time, Martha,” answered her brother. “This time I’m afraid the ride will be a little too long for you.”
“Never mind, Martha and I will take a little ride of our own,” declared Mary. “We can go up to the edge of the woods and pick some wild flowers.”
“Let’s do it!” answered her cousin quickly. “One of the cowboys tells me there are all sorts of wild flowers up there near one of the springs.”
Hop Lung was told to prepare a lunch which the boys might take along with them, and set to work immediately. As he got the things ready the Celestial had a faraway look in his eyes and once or twice he stuck out his tongue suggestively.
“One flishee—two flishee—lot flishee,” he murmured to himself. “Hop Lung fixee boys,” and he smiled in his own peculiar way.