Sary rushed out to spare her prey any shocks, and the other members of the party gazed at each other doubtfully.
"Oh, well, it's not our funeral, Potty!" said Eleanor.
"Shall we join the dancers?" asked Anne.
"Yes, but I fear Bob will be ostracized," said Mrs. Brewster.
"Serve her right! Anne and I told her not to dress like that, but she would, you know. She wanted to show folks the style," explained Eleanor, taking silent Polly by the arm and leading her out to the main hall.
As they left the cloak-room, the girls heard the fiddler shout: "Git yer pardners fer the Grand March!"
And from that time on to midnight, the three girls had the best fun ever. But poor Barbara stood near the cloak-room as isolated as the plague, for the ranchers dared not even look at a gown without a top, let alone dance with the doubtful thing.
CHAPTER XI
IN THE WILDERNESS
Each day the four girls rode along various trails until, in the judgment of Jeb, they were practiced enough to take a longer ride in the mountains.