"

"And do people go around shooting all the time?" asked Bet. "Do tell
us about it."

"Of course they don't shoot _all_ the time. But there's nothing a
cowboy likes better than to hear the noise of a gun, I do believe."

"And are you a cowgirl?" asked Joy. "I'd love to be a cowgirl and
swing a rope around my head. Kit, won't you teach me how to throw a
rope?"

Kit laughed in some confusion. The tears were not very far away. As
she looked around her she said suddenly, "Well perhaps in time I'll get
used to this."

"Used to what?" asked Bet puzzled.

"The houses and stores and no place big enough to stretch in! It's
horrible!"

The girls looked at each other in surprise. They did not know what she
was trying to say. Evidently Lynnwood did not please her. Indignation
was not far away from Bet, who thought her home town was the best place
in all the world.

Feeling that some explanation was necessary, Kit said: "I thought I'd
choke down there with all those houses around, then I came up here
where I could breathe, and I bumped into that "Private Property"
sign--and, oh, I'll never get used to it. Never! I want to go home."

Bet's arm was around her. "Don't you mind, honey! You have us, and
we'll make up to you for a lot of things, ponies and everything."

"Aw come on, cheer up!" sang Joy Evans. "It isn't so bad here as you
may think. As long as Bet and Shirley and I are around and take you
under our wings, you'll never miss what you left behind, because I'll
tell you right now, we're a lively bunch."

"Oh I know," agreed Kit. "It's just because I'm disappointed in the
place. Mrs. Stacey, who is a girlhood friend of mother's, wrote that
she had a lovely big yard for me to play in. And it is the biggest
yard on that street, but after the desert and the mountains that go on
for miles and miles, why this is just nothing at all, and I feel as if
I were a wild bronco put out on a hobble."

At which everybody laughed heartily and the ice was forever broken.

"Come over on the other side of the wall," invited Bet, and seeing the
girl hesitate with a glance at the sign she added: "Oh don't mind that
sign. That's only for tramps. This is my home, I'm Bet Baxter and
these are my two chums, Shirley Williams and Joy Evans."

Kit hesitated once more. "Were you having a picnic or something?
Perhaps I'm not wanted."

"It's a picnic and you _are_ wanted," cried Bet. "We all want her,
don't we girl