“Happened!” roared Hippy Wingate, limping back to camp with a stone bruise on each foot. “Somebody stole the whole outfit, that’s what happened. Dear friends, make up your minds to kiss your ponies good-bye. The chances are that you never will see them again,” he added, nodding at Miss Dean.
“Thank you. I do not kiss horses, but I wish I could get near enough to mine to do so if I wished,” replied Emma.
“The question is, what are we to do now?” reminded Grace.
“This being my party I will furnish new mounts if I can find them,” announced Hippy. “I’ll tell you what. Tom, you and Stacy go with me and we will get a ‘rig’ and drive out to the stock farm that you and Grace found out about. If we can get animals there that are worthwhile I’ll buy them and we should be ready to start for the Park early to-morrow morning. All agreed?”
“Yes!” cried the girls.
“While we are absent, find out all you can about the route to the Park, you stay-at-homes,” directed Tom.
Tom Gray started a fire, and by the time the men had finished dressing, the girls were busily engaged getting breakfast.
Breakfast was a hurried affair, for Tom and Hippy were eager to be off in order that they might settle the question of mounts before the day came to an end. An hour later, with Stacy Brown riding on behind, the three started away in a buckboard for their drive into the country.
After breakfast, Grace and Elfreda went into town to make inquiries as to their proposed journey. From a Park guard, whom they found at the post office, the two girls learned that a government road led from Cinnabar directly into the Park. He said that there was no possibility of the party losing their way, and gave them information about what they should do after reaching the Park.
Before leaving the post office Grace and Elfreda had a picture of the route well in mind. The Park guard also informed them that they would have no difficulty in picking up a guide once they reached the Park itself.