“When do we start from here, Gilly?” asked Joan, eagerly.
“Well, that depends. I expected to meet a few friends in Santa Fé to-morrow, and I shall have to wait for them. They should have been here to-day, but I hear they were delayed in Denver by one of the party who had important business to attend to in that city. To-morrow they will surely meet me, then I shall be free to go west with you.”
Not one of the scouts suspected who the friends might be, so they took it for granted that Gilly had business men to meet; but they planned with Mrs. Vernon what to do in the morning, while Mr. Gilroy met his friends from Denver.
To the delight of the girls, the four young men and Mr. Vernon were at breakfast in the morning, when they entered the dining-room. The Ranger instantly sprang up and welcomed the party.
“I suppose you are all on the qui vive this morning, eh?” asked Mr. Burt, smilingly.
Mrs. Vernon hurriedly endeavored to signal him to keep the secret, but the newspaper man did not see.
“We’re trying to kill a morning with nothing to do,” laughed Julie.
“Oh! then you are not going to the station to meet the train that will bring your chums?” was Mr. Burt’s surprised query.
“To meet whom?” demanded the scouts.
Mr. Burt glanced from one to the other, and finally met the glance from Mr. Vernon. Too late, he realized that the plan had been to take these four scouts by surprise.