the 'simple life,'" remarked
Blue Bonnet, "for I should like to take Juanita along. It's a pity to
separate her and Miguel just now, when things are progressing so
nicely."

"How do you know?" Kitty looked up quickly.

Blue Bonnet bit her lip. She and Alec had agreed not to tell of the
incident of the lasso, and she had kept the secret, though she burned
to tell the romance-loving We are Sevens. "Just by signs," she
answered evasively.

But Kitty could read signs, too, and privately longed to shake the
mystery out of her hostess. Suspecting the trend of little Miss Why's
thoughts, Blue Bonnet went on hurriedly: "How shall we go--in the
buckboard or on horse-back?"

"Horse-back!" exclaimed all four of the others.

"Did I hear you speak, Sarah?" Kitty inquired.

"You did if you were listening," replied Sarah calmly.

"I believe Sarah and Comanche have formed a real attachment for each
other," said Blue Bonnet who secretly exulted in Sarah's growing
spirit.

"It must be a patent attachment then," laughed Kitty, "--something
that keeps Sarah on!"

"Grandmother will have to go in the buckboard--Uncle Joe's going to
drive and--" Blue Bonnet did some hasty calculating, "I had better
stay with Grandmother--it's smoother riding with two in a seat.
Firefly will hate being led, but I reckon some disciplining won't hurt
him."

They were up before dawn in order to complete the first stage of the
journey before noon. As they gathered about the lamp-lighted table for
breakfast, yawning and rubbing their eyes, Blue Bonnet gave an amused
laugh.

"'In _summer_ I get up at night
And dress by yellow candle-light.'"

she quoted.

"I think it would have been a good plan to have had breakfast before
we went to bed," said Sarah. "Thank you, Mrs. Clyde, I will take
coffee, I think it will wake me up."

"Never mind," said Blue Bonnet. "You can just alter the lines a bit--

"'In camp it's quite the other way,
We'll all go straight to bed by day'--

and make up for the loss of our beauty sleep. And you'll see something
worth getting up for later. Sunrise on the prairie, Kitty, makes the
Massachusetts article look like your pink lawn when it came back from
the wash."

They were several miles from the ranch when Uncle Joe raised his quirt
and pointed to the east. "There she comes!" he warned.

The whole crowd came to a standstill in the middle of the road in a
hush that was almost reverent