"I don't know what's come over Ted of late," said Mrs. Martin to her husband, who came up the side street just then from his store.
"What's he been doing?" asked Mr. Martin.
"Oh, he's been pretending he was a bucking bronco, like those Uncle Frank has on his ranch, and he tossed Trouble downstairs. But the baby didn't get hurt, fortunately. Now Ted's playing Wild West stagecoach with Nicknack and Janet got frightened and wouldn't ride."
"Hum, I see," said Ted's father slowly. "Our boy is getting older, I guess. He needs rougher play. Well, I think I've just the very thing to suit him, and perhaps Janet and all of us."
"What is it?" asked Mrs. Martin, as her husband drew a letter from his pocket.
"This is an invitation from Uncle Frank for all of us to come out to his ranch in Montana for the summer," was the answer. "We have been talking of going, you know, and now is a good chance. I can leave the store for a while, and I think it would do us all good—the children especially—to go West. So if you'd like it, well pack up and go."
"Go where?" asked Ted, driving around near the veranda in time to hear his father's last words.
"Out to Uncle Frank's ranch," said Mr. Martin.
"How would you like that?" added his mother.
"Could we have ponies to ride?" asked Ted.