"It's the scout!" exclaimed Bartley, laughing.
"We're coming, Jimmy," called Dorothy.
"But before we're taken into custody--" said Bartley; and as mentioned before, the moon had not appeared.
Little Jim, astride of the ranch gate, querulously demanded where they had been and why they had not told him they were going somewhere.
"And you left the gate open, and--everything!" concluded Jimmy.
"We just went for a walk," said Dorothy.
"What's the use of walkin' up the old road in the dark?" queried Jimmy. "You can't see anything."
"What do you say to a rabbit hunt to-morrow morning early?" asked Bartley.
"Nope!" declared Little Jim decisively. "'Cause my dad was talkin' with Aunt Jane and Uncle Frank, and dad says me and him are goin' back to Laramie where ma is. And we're goin' on the train. Aunt Jane she cried. But shucks! We ain't goin' to stay in Laramie all the time. Dad says if things rib up right, me and ma and him are comin' back to live in the valley. Don't you wish you was goin', Dorry?"
"You run along and tell Aunt Jane we're coming," said Bartley.