Seizing the girls’ two bags, Roy carried them into the station while the others followed more slowly. Mr. Manley had but a small hand bag, and Teddy left this with the station agent to be brought over later on the wagon. When the ranch-owner traveled, he wanted to be ready to “light out in a hurry,� as he expressed it. Usually a clean shirt and some collars completed his traveling kit. Mr. Manley had lived in the West all his life, and had the Westerner’s contempt for “dofunnies,� as unnecessary equipment was called.
“But once you get used to a horse,� Mr. Manley went on, as he walked toward the rear of the station, “you’ll never set foot inside an auto again,� he assured the girls. “Now, I have a horse I call General. Gentle, strong, and quick as a flash. Him, me, an’ this corncob pipe have been through plenty of rough places together in the last four years. Tell you, I wouldn’t trade General for ten of the best mustangs in the state!� and he nodded his head decidedly, so that little rings of smoke detached themselves from the bowl of the pipe and drifted gently away.
“I’m sure we’ll just love it out here,� Ethel remarked enthusiastically. “Of course, we’ve both ridden in the city, but we always used much smaller saddles than you use here,� she commented as she saw a rider pause in front of Rimor’s Place.
“Postage stamps!� Mr. Manley said, with a grin. “That’s what we call those saddles out West. The kind we ride are real saddles. Like the one I have on General, for instance. He wouldn’t know what to do if some one pasted one of those English saddles on his back.�
By this time they had reached the corner of the station. Back of the freight station the three horses had been tied by Roy and Teddy. Mr. Manley was in the lead. He turned suddenly and faced Nell and Ethel.
“Now I’m goin’ to show you three of the prettiest ponies you ever saw,� he declared. “Whenever I go to the city I always have Roy or Teddy meet me with General, so’s I can ride back on him. I suppose you tied ’em in the usual place, Teddy?� he asked.
“I sure did, Dad,� Teddy answered. “Tied right on the old rail.�
With a smile of anticipation on his face, Mr. Manley stepped forward. Then he paused, and those behind him heard him give a gasp of surprise.
“Why,� he said in a puzzled tone, “what’s this? A joke?�
Roy and Teddy stepped quickly forward. Their eyes stared at the rail. Where the ponies had stood, there remained nothing but the hoofprints in the soft dirt of the spot!