Fred Garrison had a friend who came from Skemport and wanted to visit him. The others were willing, and Fred went off with Tom and Sam as soon as the boat was tied up. When they came back, late in the evening, the others were told that the friend had invited all hands to visit a large stock farm in that vicinity the next afternoon to look at the horses there.
"That will be nice!" cried Dora. "I love a good horse."
Two large carriages were hired for the purpose, and Aleck was allowed to drive one, a man from the local livery stable driving the other.
"How soon will you be back?" sang out Captain Starr after them.
"Can't say exactly," replied Dick.
The distance to the stock farm was three miles, but it was quickly covered, and once there the Rovers and their friends were made to feel perfectly at home.
"I'd like to go horseback riding on one of those horses," said Dora, after inspecting a number of truly beautiful steeds.
"You shall," said the owner of the stock farm; and a little later Dora, Nellie, Dick, and Tom were in the saddle and off for a gallop of several miles, never once speculating on how that ride was to end.