from the stable connected with the hotel, and had given
Dick his first riding lesson.

Ted met them as they were dismounting in front of the hotel.

"Ted, that boy is going to be a second edition of you in the saddle,"
cried Stella enthusiastically. "I never saw such a seat for a kid. Why
he takes to a horse like a young duck to water."

"That's good," said Ted. "Do you like to ride, Scrub, I mean Dick?"

The boy flushed at the name Scrub, but he recovered himself immediately.

"Yes, it's fine," he answered. "I like horses, and they seem to take to
me. I'd like to ride a horse all the time."

"Well, you'll have all you want of it when you get out to Moon Valley,"
said Ted. "Would you like to go out again? If you do, go ahead. I guess
we can trust you not to break your neck."

The boy smiled and nodded, and climbed into his saddle again, and was
off.

"Ted, that boy is going to be a credit to us all," said Stella. "But he
must have an education. Although he speaks well and doesn't use much
slang, that is, for a boy, he knows absolutely nothing that he hasn't
picked up. He must go to school some day, but not now, for he hardly
knows his alphabet, and as for other branches of knowledge, why, he
doesn't know they exist, and he is as full of superstition as a Cocopo
squaw. Wherever he got his beliefs, I can't imagine."

"All right, Stella, he shall go to school. It doesn't really matter
much, that he has never been to school before. He'll learn so fast that
he'll make up for lost time, don't fear. That boy has a good head."

"I'm going to teach him myself until he is able to take his place in
school with boys of his own age. He's just crazy to learn."

"His early education is up to you. I'm not afraid he will learn anything
he shouldn't from you. Go at him slowly and sensibly. Don't try to stuff
it all into him at once. Meanwhile, I'll teach him to ride, shoot, herd,
rope, and all that, occasionally impressing upon him the cardinal
principles of the broncho boys--truth, honesty, sincerity, courage, and
kindness."

"He'll be a fine fellow some of these days, Ted, and a good-looking and
good-tempered one."

"I think he will. Suppose we take a little walk, if you have nothing
better to do. I want to get your opinion on some matters."

"The very thing. I saw a pretty little park on the bank of a river.
We'll walk there."

"I have promised to go out to Colonel Billings' ranch to-morrow, and I
took the liberty o