Part 15 (2/2)

”This is certainly the boundless West!”

It was Dave who spoke, and he addressed the others, who were on the rear of the observation car with him. As far as the eye could reach were the prairies, dotted here and there with hillocks and clumps of low-growing bushes. Behind were the glistening rails and the wooden ties, stretching out until lost in the distance.

A night and the larger part of the next day had been spent on the train.

They had crossed the Mississippi and made several stops of more or less importance, including those at St. Paul and Minneapolis, and now they were rus.h.i.+ng westward through North Dakota to Montana.

It was a warm, suns.h.i.+ny day, and the young folk and Mr. Porter enjoyed the trip to the utmost. Dave's uncle had traveled through that section of the country several times, and he pointed out various objects of interest.

”I haven't seen any Indians yet,” said Jessie, with a pout. ”I thought we'd see some by this time.”

”We'll see them a little further west,” answered Dunston Porter.

”They'll come down to the railroad stations, to sell trinkets,” and his words proved true. They saw a dozen or more redmen and their squaws the following morning, at a station where they stopped for water. But the Indians were so dirty that neither Jessie nor the others wanted to trade with them, although one Indian had a set of polished horns Roger admired very much.

”Never mind, we'll get some horns at Star Ranch,” said Laura. ”The cowboys know how to polish them just as well as these Indians, and they'll sell their work just as cheaply, too.” And this proved to be true.

They pa.s.sed Livingston, which, as Dunston Porter told the young folks, was the transfer point for Yellowstone Park, and then continued on their way to Helena. Here the young folks left the train, to continue their journey on a side line running northward.

”Sorry I am not going further with you,” said Dunston Porter, as he kissed his niece and shook hands warmly with the others. ”I hope you get to the ranch in safety, and don't forget to send word to me at Spokane as well as to send word home.”

”And you'll be sure to come to the ranch for us in about a month?” asked Laura.

”Yes, unless some special business detains me, and then I'll wire when I can come,” was the reply, and then the train rolled off, Dunston Porter standing at the end, waving the boys and girls adieu.

”Now we have got to take care of ourselves,” remarked the s.h.i.+powner's son. ”Girls, you don't feel afraid, do you?”

”Oh, we are not so very far from Star Ranch,” answered Laura. ”And you'll remember, I asked Mr. Endicott by telegraph to have somebody meet us. If he's at the ranch, maybe he'll come himself, and bring Belle. I know Belle will be just wild to see what sort of a brother I have found,” she added, with a warm glance at Dave.

”I hope she likes me, Laura. I know I am going to like her. She's a jolly-looking girl, by her picture.”

”Oh, I know she'll like you. Jessie, you had better look out!” went on Laura in a whisper, and this made Jessie turn very red. Dave heard the words and grew red, too, and commenced a lively conversation with Phil and Roger, about nothing in particular.

The train on the side line was a big contrast to the luxurious coaches they had just left. The cars were of the old-fas.h.i.+oned variety and but two in number, and drawn by an old mountain engine that had seen better days. Moreover, the roadbed was very uneven, and the cars rocked from side to side as they rolled between the hills towards Bramley, where the young folks were to get off. The cars were about half filled with miners and cattlemen, and a sprinkling of hunters and sightseers, and the boys and girls overheard a good deal of talk about steers and horses, mines and new discoveries, and about the outlook for hunting and fis.h.i.+ng.

”Why, Mr. Todd, is that you!” cried Laura, suddenly, as a cowboy was pa.s.sing through the car where she sat.

”It sure is me, Miss Porter,” answered the cowboy, coming to a halt with a broad grin on his weatherbeaten face. ”Must be you are on your way to the ranch,” he added.

”We are,” answered Laura. ”I am glad to see you.” She held out her hand, which the cowboy took very gingerly, removing his sombrero at the same time. ”This is my friend, Miss Wadsworth, and this is my brother, Dave, and his two school friends, Mr. Morr and Mr. Lawrence. This is Mr.

Sidney Todd, Mr. Endicott's head man,” she explained.

”Just Sid Todd, miss, that's good enough for me,” said the cowboy, as the others shook hands with him, one after the other. ”I ain't used to no handle, I ain't. The boss thought you might be on this train, but he wasn't sure when I left. He told me to keep an eye open for you, though. I hope you had a nice trip.”

”We have had a lovely trip, Mr.--Todd,” said Jessie. She could not quite bring herself to drop the mister.

”I've heard of you,” said Dave to the cowboy. ”My sister told me how you taught her to ride and do a lot of things. I hope you'll take me and my chums in hand, too, when we get settled at Star Ranch.”

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