vously.

"Where?"

"There--just by the magnolia," she whispered.

It was almost dark, but Alec could manage to make out a dark figure
standing half within the shadow of the big tree. He crept silently a
few steps nearer and paused, whirling the loop around his head. The
hair rope spread into a circle, hissed and flickered for a moment in
the air, then dropped straight over the victim. It was a good throw.
Alec gave a twitch--not too hard--to the lariat, and the thing was
done. Blue Bonnet clapped her hands and started forward with Alec to
see which one of the girls he had caught. Both suddenly stopped in
dismay. There was a struggle, a shrill scream, and a very angry
Spanish oath.

And as the two of them hastened up full of surprise and apologies,
they saw--Juanita and Miguel both caught in the one noose.

Stifling their laughter, Alec and Blue Bonnet released the embarrassed
pair of sweethearts, and then the boy made a handsome apology. Juanita
hung her head and was silent, but Miguel, after the first blazing up
of his anger, cooled down and accepted the explanation in good part.

Still weak with suppressed laughter, the two miscreants hurried on,
waiting to be out of ear-shot before giving way to their wild mirth.
As they drew near to the veranda they heard the crowd there singing to
the accompaniment of Shady's violin.

"Nita, Jua-a-an-ita, ask thy soul if we must part!"

came tremulously from Uncle Joe and the We are Sevens.

It was too much. Blue Bonnet collapsed in a heap on the grass.

"Oh, Alec!" she gasped. "Miguel ought to have been singing that,--only
he ought to have said--'Jua-a-an-ita, bless my soul if we can part!'"

CHAPTER X

ENTER CARITA

TWO days later Knight appeared at the table minus his sling, and
announced that this must be his last day at the ranch. There were
expressions of regret from everybody, and from Blue Bonnet vigorous
objections. The boy quite glowed under the tribute.

"I simply must go," he protested firmly. "Though it's a big temptation
to stay, I tell you. But it isn't fair to Uncle Bayard for me to be
away any longer. Those twelve boys keep things moving for him. I hope
you will be able to come up for one of our Sundays," he said to Mrs.
Clyde.

"Grandmother has missed her church more than anything else," Blue
Bonnet remarked. "It's been pretty warm to drive to Jonah, and none of
the Padres has visited the ranch since we came."

"We have an outd