It was a drive of about ten miles to Three Star Ranch, and it was just getting dusk when the place was reached.
"Welcome home, six little Bunkers!" cried Uncle Fred, as he jumped from the wagon and began helping down his sister and the children. "Here we are, at my ranch at last."
"Where are the Indians?" asked Russ eagerly.
And just then came wild yells and whoops, and the air resounded with the firing of what the children thought must be giant fire-crackers, bigger than any they had ever heard.
"Whoop-ee! Whoop! Bang! Bang!" sounded on all sides.
CHAPTER VIII
RUSS MAKES A LASSO
There was so much noise that, at first, no one could make his or her voice heard. Then, as the sound of the shooting died away a little, and the whoops and shouts were not so loud, Laddie cried:
"Is that the Indians, Uncle Fred? Are they trying to get us?"