The Curlytops at Uncle Frank's Ranch; Or, Little Folks on Ponyback

creamed Janet.

tumble down the stairs himself after his little brother. Te

et, and she tried to get past her older

room talking to Nora Jones, the maid, h

ried. "Teddy-Janet-wh

nnounced Teddy. "I was pl

downstairs!" s

ead over heels, and partly sidewise, down the padded steps, landing right

in, catching the little fellow

. He had his mouth open but no sound came from i

t ready to telephone for his father and the doctor in case he's badly hurt," and then she and the maid began looking over Baby W

tell those of you who meet the Curlytops for the first time in this book someth

you about Ted and Janet and Trouble Martin and their father and mother, when they went to Grandpa

gave them many nice rides. There were many cherry trees on Grandpa Martin's farm, and when some of the other crop

Curlytops on Star Island," they went camping with grandpa. On Star Island in Clover Lake they saw a

ter. What happened then is told in the third volume, called "The Curlytops Snowed In." The big storm

ad come again, and the children were ready for something else. But I mus

g he had done that was wrong. So he was more often spoken to as Ted or Teddy, and his sister Janet was called Jan. Though oftener still they were called t

been born a year apart, Teddy being about seven years old and

seen it you would never have believed hair could be so curly! It

angled and she would have to pull a little to get it loose. That is one reason Ted never

sometimes called him "A bunch of trouble," and his mother spoke of

ick by his wife (whose name was Ruth) owned a stor

the children's grandfather and grandmother, but I will only mention two now. They were Aunt Josephine Miller, called Aunt Jo, who lived at Clayton and who had a summer bungalow at Mt. Hope

w a little of what has happened to them in the past you may be

ere and there. Trouble had closed his mouth by this time, having

you anywhere?" his moth

ny place. I wants to wide

Martin with a sigh of relief. "I

since we put the new carpe

getting hurt. It was like rolling down a feather bed. But he might have got his

urse," began Janet, "and Ted

stairs if you were playing that

d Western bronco, like those on Uncle Frank's ranch, and I was giving Trouble a ride on

uble in a chair, having made sure he was not hurt, and that there was no need of telephoning for h

answered. "I wo

g," put in Janet. "It's no fu

to stop pretty soon. If you get your rain-coat

o?" begge

'll all sleep better if you get some fresh air

icknack and have a r

raining," sai

ped from the trees. Then the clouds broke away, the sun came out, the rain stopped and with shouts and laugh

" cried Janet. "You're

room and to spare for Janet, Ted and Trouble. Up and down the stre

Ted, as he made Nicknack

, don't go so fas

going to play Wild West. This is the stage coa

ed Janet. "You'll make Trouble fall out and get hurt. Come on, Trouble!

m," shouted Ted. "G'lang there

reamed Janet, "I

e goat and Janet, taking Trouble with he

Martin from the porch where she ha

West in the goat-wag

begged his mother of her littl

ch," he said. "You've got to go fast when t

mean!" dec

" said Mrs. Martin to her husband, who came

en doing?" as

ch, and he tossed Trouble downstairs. But the baby didn't get hurt, fortunately. Now Ted

lder, I guess. He needs rougher play. Well, I think I've just

artin, as her husband drew

e answer. "We have been talking of going, you know, and now is a good chance. I can leave the store for a while,

around near the veranda in time

rank's ranch,"

like that?" a

ponies to rid

I thin

cried Janet. "

aid of them!"

and down the way you did with Troub

oncos always do, don't they, Dad

said Daddy Martin. "But since you al

Nicknack?"

if you have a pony,"

Hurray! What f

Indians out the

But they're docile Indians-not wild. They won'

ranch, but though he could tell them, in a general way, what it looked like,

of horses, ponies and

th us, to ride around the ra

t," her father said. "You'll

with Nicknack t

swered his father. "I was thinking of asking Mr. Newton to take car

" agreed Teddy. "I'd lik

w days before we leave for the West," said Mr. Martin. "Bob will have a

ked Trouble, not quite underst

llow up in his lap. Trouble said nothing more just then but, afterward, Ted r

artly packed, ready for the trip West, Mr. Martin ca

ob's house. I spoke to Mr. Newton about it, and he said there was pl

to us when we come home,

won't lose your goat," sa

harness Nicknack to the wagon, Ted and J

k is gone!" e

sister. "Maybe Bob

out telling us," went on Ted.

le yard and in the barn.

to them from the house, where their father was waiting for them to

Where are you?" c

Mother!" Te

le there

No, he i

world can he be? Nora says she saw him going out

is gone and so is Nicknack! I

to look,"