but a thoroughbred,
every inch of him.

After breakfast the two boys set out to hunt for Knight's horse, as
nothing had been seen or heard of that frisky pony since he had
vanished so unceremoniously the evening before. Alec carried a lariat,
for learning to lasso had become the absorbing passion of his life,
and young Judson, in spite of the hampering folds of the sling about
his left arm, could give lessons in that art to any boy of his age in
Texas.

Blue Bonnet and Mrs. Clyde looked after the youthful pair with
interested eyes. It was plain that Knight had brought a new element
into Alec's life, and these two good friends rejoiced, though they
said nothing and only smiled with new understanding.

"I'm glad we nearly tipped over!" Blue Bonnet suddenly declared.

"Blue Bonnet!" exclaimed her grandmother in a pained tone.

"Well, I reckon I didn't mean that," confessed Blue Bonnet after a
moment's reflection. "But I'm glad we've met Knight Judson. Alec has
had too many girls around him here. He needs a spell of roughing it,"
and then, as she saw an odd look on her grandmother's face, she asked
quickly: "Isn't 'roughing it' in good society?"

Mrs. Clyde laughed. "I believe it moves in the best circles--here."

"That's good, for there isn't a Massachusetts word that could possibly
take its place."

"The dining-table is cleared, Benita says," Sarah announced from the
doorway, "and we can begin our sewing lesson."

They all repaired to the house, and a few minutes later the big
dining-room was the scene of great activity; the table strewn with the
bright-hued pieces of material, Benita smoothing and pinning the
patterns, the Senora superintending, and the girls cutting and
snipping to their hearts' content. At the same time there went on an
incessant chatter, chatter, to the cheerful accompaniment of the
sewing-machine.

When Juanita entered to spread the cloth for their early dinner, the
girls looked up in surprise.

"I never knew time fly so quickly before," said Debby.

"If I'd known this kind of sewing was so easy and so fascinating,"
Blue Bonnet declared, "I'd have taken it up before. It's much nicer
than embroidery or mending. Just see how much I've done!" She proudly
held up the bright red garment.

Sarah scanned it with perplexed eyes. "It looks rather queer to me,"
she said.

Kitty examined it, too, then snatched the suit from Blue Bonnet's
hands. "Look!" she bade the rest, "--there's no place t