Part 21 (1/2)

”Are you going to say you don't want to go?” Bet asked in a vexed tone.

”Of course we'll go!” a.s.sented Enid. ”We're The Merriweather Girls; one for all and all for one! What day do we start?”

”Why not go tomorrow, if our folks agree? I'm anxious to see those claims put on record,” said s.h.i.+rley, ”and the sooner business matters are attended to, the better for everyone. And just think, girls, it's our second business venture. s.h.i.+rley's Shop was a success and still is, for mother is keeping it going, and she said in her last letter that she was not doing badly at all.”

”s.h.i.+rley's Shop was a success and the Merriweather Mining Company will be, too,” Bet declared. ”It _must_ be a success.”

”It will be!” determined Enid.

Only Joy did not share their optimism. ”I think the storm was a bad omen, don't you, Kit? It's hoodooed!”

”Joy Evans!” cried Bet her eyes flas.h.i.+ng. ”Half an hour ago I would have let you say that, but now if the creek were near, in you'd go!”

Joy laughed and got beyond the reach of Bet's hand, then said impishly: ”As for boys, I think they are simply wonderful! Mexican boys have beautiful eyes and Phil Gordon always smiles at you, Bet.”

For answer Bet ran into the house and slammed the door to her own room.

Joy had wept after the storm, and thus relaxed her nerve tension but Bet had not had any such relief. As a result of the strain she found herself irritated by Joy's nonsense and got out of the way to avoid a quarrel.

It was two days later when the girls started on their trip to Saugus.

The first faint flush of dawn was in the sky as they set out, the exhilarating air acting as a stimulant. Even the horses seemed to feel it as they tossed their heads and pawed the ground when the girls were getting ready to start. The restless animals were as eager to be off as their riders, and at the first touch of the reins they sprang forward as if for a race.

”Take it easy, Powder,” laughed Kit as she tightened the rein and drew up the horse's head. ”You have a full day to show how clever you are.”

Kit talked to the pony as if it were a human being and the horse seemed to respond to whatever mood she was in. He slowed to a prancing trot, high-stepping along the level like a spirited race horse.

Kit leaned over and patted his neck with pride as she called: ”Look, Bet, isn't he a beauty?”

”He is!--That is in looks. But I don't like his disposition. You are welcome to ride him.” Bet laughed aloud in her joy as she made her pony dance along the trail.

”But if Powder didn't act up like a perfect fiend at times, I'd be bored to death with him. I like them naughty. I hate a horse without any spirit. Powder keeps me on my toes all the time.” Kit ran her finger along the horse's mane and with a spring Powder reared and bucked, and did all the things that an untamed bronco would do when he was first introduced to the saddle.

”You can have it all to yourself,” said Bet, as Kit finally brought her quieted horse to a standstill. ”I like riding, but I don't want to be a bronco buster.”

Although they planned on being in the town by noon, the girls carried a lunch strapped to their saddles. A rest and a bite to eat along the way was half the fun and they had not gone more than a mile before Joy was digging into the little bag that hung from the horn of her saddle.

By ten o'clock when the other girls were ready for a rest and something to eat, Joy was down to the bottom of the bag.

”Never mind, Joy, you can have half of mine. Mother always puts up enough for an army.”

”Aren't we ever going to get there?” complained Joy, as she squatted in the scant shade of a mesquite tree and ate some fudge.

”Five miles more!” Kit announced.

”I'll never be able to do it! If they only had a change of scenery, I wouldn't be so bored. And those tall, smokestack cactus make me sick.”

”Smokestack cactus!” snapped Kit with contempt. ”If you'd only take enough interest to learn the names of the trees and things you see, you wouldn't be so bored.”

”Well, what are they called?”

”Sahuara. And if that word is too big for you to remember, call them Giant Cactus.”

Suddenly Bet shook Joy by the arm. ”Keep quiet and watch that road runner. Isn't he a beauty?”