“Why should they, Stacy? They do not belong to our party,” answered Nora Wingate.
“Oh, there isn’t any reason, of course,” grumbled the fat boy.
“Did you ever help anyone out?” questioned Emma.
“Oh, lots of times. I have been doing that all my life,” answered Stacy, sauntering away to go in search of the guide who had failed to meet them.
The girls offered to help put the gangway in place, but the two men would not permit them to do so. At this juncture the agent came out and offered his services, and a moment later the gangway was in place. The station agent then opened the car door.
“There. Now you can get your stock out,” he said.
Hippy took one amazed look at the interior of the car and uttered an exclamation.
“Here, here! What’s this?” he cried.
The Overlanders ran up the gangway and peered in.
“For mercy’s sake!” cried Nora Wingate. “Those are not our ponies.”