nd be in good hands. Your father and
mother will stop for you on their way home. As for me----"

Molly did not wait for the last words, but rushed over to where Mary
and Polly with heads together were excitedly talking over the plans for
the coming winter. Molly precipitated herself upon them in a tumult of
excitement. "I'm going, too! I'm going, too!" she cried.

"Where? Where?" exclaimed Polly.

"To Colorado! to Colorado, with you and Mary!" chanted Molly.

A squeal of delight from Polly was followed by one scarcely less joyful
from Mary, and then the three took hold of hands and danced around the
steamboat cabin till they dropped in a heap at the feet of their aunt
and uncle.

"Just think," said Molly when she had recovered her breath. "We'll all
be together just as we were this summer, you, Polly, and Mary and Uncle
Dick and Aunt Ada."

"You must count me out, Molly," said her Aunt Ada. "I shall do no more
than see you all safely at the ranch, and then I am going to spend the
winter further south with my dear friend Janey Moffatt who has been
married a whole year and whom I have never yet visited. I have just
had this letter setting the time for me to come. I think Miss Ainslee
and your Aunt Jennie can keep you three in order."

"If not, there am I," put in Uncle Dick scowling savagely.

"As if you----" began Polly. But he made a dive at her and she
disappeared behind a pillar of the cabin.

"Now," said Miss Ada, "it is just as I said: there will be no
difficulty in deciding where Cooney is to go, and to tell you the
truth, my dears, I think he will thrive better in a cool climate than
anywhere else, for with their fluffy coats, these little coon cats are
liable to fall ill and die where it is too warm for them. The ranch
will be just the place for him." So Cooney's future was assured and in
time he reached his new home safely, none the worse for the long
journey, during which he was tenderly cared for. Luella had gladly
taken charge of Cosey, promising to return to Miss Ada the next summer
and to bring the little cat with her.

"Even if I'm married," she said, "Granville says I may live with you
summers, Miss Ada, whilst he's off fishing."

When Molly had spent two weeks with her parents and Mary had seen her
father, the three little girls were ready to set out upon their longer
journey, though it must be confessed that at the last Molly found it
hard to say good-bye, and Mary looked rath