all unusual rooms, being both about the same size and
nearly square and furnished about as simply as they could possibly be.

"If it weren't for the different colored cretonne at the windows," said
Mollie, with a chuckle, "these rooms might be twins. You and Grace can
have the lavender cretonne, Amy, and Betty and I will take the blue."

"Don't those beds look heavenly?" sighed Grace, as she pulled off her
hat and threw herself upon the big, snowy-sheeted bed.

"Goodness!" cried Amy, in dismay. "She's flopped. Get her up, somebody,
before she gets the bed so dirty I can't sleep in it to-night."

For answer Betty made a dash for Grace, pulled her to her feet, and
pushed her over to the washstand.

"See that water, Grace Ford?" she cried sternly. "Now use it!"

"And make it snappy," added Mollie slangily, as she and Betty
disappeared into the adjoining room. "I can smell 'Miz Cummins'' cooking
clear in here!"

CHAPTER VII

A SUDDEN STORM

The girls spent the rest of that day getting acquainted, at which
agreeable task Andy Rawlinson, the head cowboy, assisted pleasantly. The
latter introduced them to several others of the ranch hands, all of whom
were as picturesque and good-natured as Andy himself.

Escorted by Rawlinson and followed by the admiring glances of the other
cowboys, the girls were introduced to the interior of the bunk houses
which, with their rude wooden cots built into the side of the walls,
their scanty and rather severe furniture, and the romantic looking
trophies fastened to the bare boards of the walls, filled the girls with
curiosity and interest.

Then on to the corrals, where some spectacular broncho busting was
staged for the sole benefit of the visitors. In this dangerous business
Andy himself took a part, and the girls gasped with dismay and later
with admiration as the boy ran alongside a vicious looking animal for a
few paces, then flung himself recklessly upon the beast's back and
clung there, seemingly defying all the laws of gravitation.

"Oh, he surely will be killed!" cried Amy, clutching Betty in terror.
"That horse will throw him----"

"Keep quiet, can't you, Amy?" cried Mollie impatiently, beside herself
with excitement. "Don't you suppose he has ever done this sort of thing
before?"

Then followed such an exhibition of sheer grit and skill and dauntless
courage as none of the girls would ever forget.

The vicious brute raced madly around and around the corrals