“Think I could help you?”
“Mebbe Boss an’ Meesr Verny do. Mebbe need good extra hand to help,” said the guide.
“All right, Tally. Mr. Vernon and I will send scouts in automobile and we will help you drive the animals to St. Michael’s Mission,” agreed Mr. Gilroy.
This quieted the Indian’s doubts and Mr. Gilroy left him to finish the last bed for his horses, and went to the hotel to bed.
The only change in the program, therefore, was that both men, instead of motoring with the scouts over the road which ran to the edge of the Navajo Land, were to ride with Tally and lead the extra horses to the Mission. Mr. Walters had secured two cars, one of which was equipped with a large rack at the back. This suggested a good idea to Julie.
“Verny, why not strap the tents and kitchen stove on that rack?”
“Yes, Captain; gasoline ‘ain’t got no feelin’s,’ but horse-flesh has. By making the motor do the work we spare our horses,” said Joan.
“Just what we’ll do!” declared the Captain. “Maybe we can pack away the utensils in Gilly’s and Verny’s places in the car.”
Thus they started: the Captain and four girls with their suit-cases in one car, three girls and as much of the camp outfit as would go comfortably into the spare room in the second car.
The road was good, the day was fine, the two automobiles roomy and comfortable, and the drivers experienced; hence the trip from Gallup to the Mission was delightful. The scouts kept up a rapidfire of calls to Mrs. Vernon to look.