“I guess he wants me to help him, same as he did when he had trouble with Bucktooth Slither,” suggested Rick, in answer to his mother’s suggestive glance.
“But I thought that Slither went away,” said Mrs. Dalton.
“He did, so this must be somebody else,” spoke Rick. “Oh, Mother, may Ruddy and I go?” he pleaded.
“We’ll have to see about it,” was her answer, “and talk it over with your father. Of course there is no school now, and you always wanted to see the west. But as for taking Ruddy—”
“Oh, I couldn’t go without Ruddy!” cried Rick. “Could I, old boy!” and he flung his arms around the shaggy head of his beloved dog.
“Well, we’ll see,” was all Mrs. Dalton could say. “Where is this Bitter Sweet Gulch, anyhow?”
“Out west—that’s all I know,” answered Rick. “Oh, boy! Out west! And Uncle Tod says for me to bring another fellow!” he added.
“Whom will you take—that is providing you can go?” asked his mother.
“Chot, of course,” was the ready reply. “He and I are better chums than any of the other fellows, though I like ’em all. But Ruddy will mind Chot almost as good as he does me. I’m going over and tell Chot to get ready.”
“No! Not yet!” commanded Mrs. Dalton, catching Rick as he would have rushed from the house. “Maybe you can’t go, and there’s no use getting Chot all worked up and then disappointing him.”