At breakfast the following morning, Mr. Gilroy outlined the trip. “We’ll leave here immediately after we’re through eating, and ride to the first forest, which I’m told is only six miles away. The second forest is three miles south and east of the first one. But Chalcedony Park, the third forest, is about thirteen miles south and west of here, and Rainbow Forest is another two miles in a northwesterly direction from the third one.
“I’ve learned that the roads are fine, the grades are easy, and camping facilities are excellent. So why leave the horses here for two or three days to eat their old heads off while we pay for their holiday and at the same time have to hire a team or two for the outing? No, sir! We’ll take our camp outfit with us and give the horses plenty of time in which to amble to the first and second forests.
“We’ll camp to-night and go on to the third forest to-morrow morning. It is only a hop, skip and a jump from Chalcedony Park to Rainbow Forests, so we can do that on our way back to Adamana. Now who wants to object to my motion?” Mr. Gilroy gazed at his friends but no one opposed the program. Instead, they all approved, and he added: “Motion made, seconded and carried by the chairman—he being the whole thing.”
Tally had been told to stock up for a few days’ camp, and this being done and the horses saddled, he brought them up to the front of the Forest House and waited. But he had not long to wait.
The scouts came hurrying out while discussing with Mr. Gilroy the interesting process that took place in order to petrify the trees to their present state of preservation.
With a smiling good-morning to Tally the scout-party climbed into the saddles and started on the trail; Tally, with the three pack-horses, bringing up the rear.
As they rode, Mr. Gilroy explained the cause of the Petrified Forests. As he had proved to be so interesting in the Rockies the previous summer when he described the formation of the glaziers, so now he entertained the girls with his explanations.
“Way back in the days when this earth was young, ages before the grasses and flowers appeared, and very many aeons before the birds and beasts were dreamed of, these grand old forest trees stood and flourished.
“The floods had not yet come, though the times were at hand. The rain began to fall in its customary manner, therefore the trees thought nothing of such a natural occurrence. But it kept on raining without cessation; rather, indeed, did the downpour of water increase, and the wise old fellows of the forest trees began to grumble and wonder ‘when, in thunder, the bloomin’ thing would end.’” An appreciative giggle told Mr. Gilroy that every one was attending.
“Then came a torrential emptying of the clouds, and the winds rose, until, finally, these great monarchs of the forests were torn loose from their roothold in the steep sides of the mountain and went crashing down.