“You do not have to, you know,” retorted Julie, “You may stable yourself for a rest, if you prefer it to ‘going on’ with us.”
“Not much! I don’t want to be left out of any fun,” laughed Joan. “But I sure will be thankful to be left out of that saddle for a few days.”
“Oh, as for that, we’ll all be thankful for that dispensation,” added Mrs. Vernon.
Mr. Gilroy rode up to the girls at this moment and said: “Captain, Sandy tells me that he knows of a first-class little ranch house just on the outskirts of Santa Fé where our party can be accommodated in an unostentatious way. We won’t have to consider dressing for meals or pay attention to style. What say you?”
“I should prefer it to any hotel in the city,” replied Mrs. Vernon. “How about you, girls.”
“Is Sandy and his friends going on to a hotel in the city?” asked Julie.
Mr. Gilroy chuckled. “No, they plan to stop at Belnap Ranch, that’s why they seem so anxious to have you stay there.”
“Then we’ll stop at Belnap Ranch—just to spare our nerves the rack of trying to keep up with tourists at a city hotel,” was Joan’s emphatic reply.
It was with hopes centered upon the fun to be had in the next few days’ visit at Belnap Ranch that the young folks rode forward to the slight elevation from which they could get a good view of Santa Fé. Sandy acted as official information bureau now. He pointed out the Museum, the Old Palace, the Cathedral which was started in 1612, the San Miguel Church, centuries old, and then he directed their attention to the up-to-date churches, hotels and business buildings. Finally they turned and rode on down to Belnap’s Ranch House.
“What narrow streets the city seems to have,” commented Joan.