"Not to-day. They missed their train and expect to be here on to-morrow's noon-train. What is your name, may I ask?"
"Jeb," laconically replied the man, looking about as if he still missed a necessary item for the return trip.
"Oh! I guess you want my baggage. It's that small trunk over by the box-car," explained Anne, and Jeb grinned with relief.
As he carried the trunk lightly as if it were a stick, Anne remarked:
"It's too bad to make you take this trip again to-morrow."
"Not so-es you-all kin notice it! To-morrer is pay-day fer the miners, en Oak Crick is a lively town, them times," explained Jeb, winking an eye to show what fun he expected to have next day.
"Then it's a lucky thing for you, Jeb, that my friends missed the train to-day."
"Jes' so!" chuckled Jeb, as he gathered up the reins and snacked the whip over his horses' heads.
Conversation lagged after the start, for the bumping and rumbling of the heavy wagon as it went over rocks and ruts in the rough trail, forced all the breath from the passenger's lungs.
The wagon drew up beside the porch of the ranch-house and Anne found the family waiting to receive them. She jumped from her perch and greeted Polly, then smiled at Mr. and Mrs. Brewster as the girl introduced her. Even Sary felt flattered at the kindly greeting accorded her by this pretty school-teacher.
"Wh-hy—you are all alone!" gasped Polly.