tikes in
here with me, and any of the rest of you who perfer the buckboard can
pile in. That red--the girl with the game hip--you better ride with
us, too."

This suited Gloriana perfectly, and she lost no time in making herself
comfortable among the leather cushions with Rosslyn and Janie beside
her; but the rest of the party declined that method of transportation,
and mounted the animals standing patiently in the scant shade of the
porch. In less time than it takes to tell, the hilarious procession
was on its way to the canyon, and the baking town was left behind.

"Let's race," cried Billiard, who was mounted on an innocent-looking,
lazy beast.

"Come on!" cried Susie, giving her animal a prod with a sharp stick she
had snatched from the woodpile as they clattered out of the yard; and
away they flew, shouting and flapping reins, urging the stolid little
burros out of their poky gait into a surprised run.

But the race came to an abrupt and unexpected end. Susie's mount
seemed more ambitious than its mates, or else the youthful rider goaded
it to desperation; for, with a mighty spurt, it took the lead, and shot
three lengths ahead of the rest, cantering off across the desert as if
racing were its daily delight. Rosy-cheeked Susie glanced back over
her shoulder, waved the sharp stick triumphantly in the air, and
jeered, "Yah, yah! Why don't you come along? Has you burro gone to
sleep?"

This was too much for Billiard, and grabbing a needle-pointed Spanish
bayonet frond from the hands of his brother, he gave the brown-coated
beast beneath him a vicious stab, as he yelled in disgust, "Giddap, you
old demon! Wake up and stretch your legs a lit----"

Brownie awoke into surprising activity, leaped forward with unseating
suddenness, planted his forefeet firmly among the rocks, and with one
deliberate, energetic kick, sent Billiard flying through the air. The
watchers behind held their breath in terror. Would the boy be killed
for his folly? Then a wild shout of laughter rose from eight throats.
But who could have resisted it? For the luckless Billiard, after
turning a summersault high in the air, fell astraddle the neck of
Toady's burro, and slipped to the ground in a sprawling heap, while the
second startled beast bolted across the desert with its plucky rider
still clinging to its back.

The dazed Billiard picked himself up from the ground considerably
shaken but not hurt, and gazing ruefully first aft