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

er sound had come. Instead he stood still and looked as hard as he could toward the hole a

!" begged Janet

e what it is,

that'll bite you," suggeste

sounded again. It ce

ndian, Ted! Maybe it's one of the kind that

e pile of rocks, but now she stood

n!" she

not want t

looking around but still not seeing

e an Indian!"

. "And if he's as sick as all that I'm not

much as she sometimes heard her mother

he really did not feel brave. But he was not going to show tha

looked first at the rocks and then over her shoulder, as thoug

t afraid!" de

e me it's got to come o

be it will

ee it and run!" wen

d leave me all al

. "I'd run and I'd help you run. But I don't gues

me Indians are wild. I heard Uncle

n if he is wild, is just like ours, and it isn't big enou

as she and her brother still stood by the rocks and listened again

big mouth," remarked Teddy. "Mayb

n Indian, could h

a boy, same as I am, only his mouth's bigg

urt?" ask

I'm going in there and see what

in order that he might forget all about what he intended to

loudly than before. It came so suddenly that Teddy and Janet jumpe

e another minute!" cried Janet

and come right out again-that is if it's anything

shook her head very decidedly to say "no

ome in," Teddy said. "I'll

ss the fields, and she saw

other. "Here's a man! We can get

ere was a man going along. He was quite a distance off, but

. "He'll hear us and come to h

ew how to give. He had strong lungs and was on

Come over here

d things look much nearer than they really are. So, though the man seemed to be only a little distance away, he was more

this two or three times, and Jan had helped him

n't he

aid Janet, speaking of an elderly wo

us," said Teddy; "so he won't c

rother to go into danger. "If he can't hear us, T

ht this ove

e can do that. But h

gh the man had turned his horse toward the children, who st

ing Janet's hand, he and she wal

ies. They kept their eyes on the man, now and then looking back toward the

" said Teddy. "Maybe he can

had seen Uncle Frank do when he wanted to call to a cowbo

. Man! Come h

too far away, and the wind was blowing from him toward Teddy and Jan. If the wind had been blowi

He stopped, and, shading hi

ming toward us. He's getting littler all the wh

e little girl. "He is going away, Te

the rocks, and his sister followed. He

u going to d

nd see what that nois

ried, hoping to turn him

! I'm going to

. "I'm going home. You

e direction she thought the ranch house of Ring Rosy Ranch should be, she

toward the hole in the rocks

in here," he said. "It

ed Janet, trying to pre

ad gone camping with Grandpa Martin they were braver than they used to be. Of c

g brave enough to go close to the cave among the rocks with him, hardly knew what to do.

ain!" cried Janet, on

aid. "It didn't war-w

he couldn't,"

," went on Teddy. "I'm going to ho

and tell daddy or Uncle

ve up once he had started anything. He felt it would be a

who took Uncle Frank's ponie

ime not quite so loud, and afte

? What's the ma

e to this. Th

o tell my uncle on you. He owns th

ound. It was one that the Curlytop

se whinnying!

like that. Oh, Ted, maybe it's a poor horse

orse or a pony. There was no

, Janet. He's one of Uncle Frank's cow ponies and

It's an awful little cave, and I don

ony could,"

some quite small ponies, not only on Ring Rosy Ranch but

he stood at the mouth of the

ick you," w

yhow, I'll keep out of the way of his feet. That's all you've got to do, Uncle Fran

er be careful," w

o come in?" Teddy

you here. Oh, maybe if it's a pony we can

ed. "I'm going t

groanings sounded plainer to him than to Janet, and Teddy was sure t

nto the shadow cast by the rocks, he began to see better

the rocks, the form of a pony. The animal raised its head as Tedd

e you hurt? I'm so sorry! I'

talking to?

awn nearer

all right," Teddy told his

b'lieve I

hurt you! He's s

went in. In a little while she, too, co

she cried. "Teddy, w

e said. "We've got

ick-a pony or anybody-they want a drink. Let's find s

in the cave, the Curlytops