ley was the business girl and
had made a success of a little gift shop in Lynnwood. She had helped
to support her parents and been able to continue at school with her
chums. In this venture, The Merriweather Girls had all joined. They
had worked and planned under the leadership of Colonel Baxter, and the
little shop had given them many interesting adventures.

Shirley had developed a commercial instinct and, together with her
talent for photography, was what the girls liked to call a business
success.

The sameness of the desert country through Texas, the dust and dirt was
a bit trying to the nerves of the girls. But there was no complaint.
They looked ahead to the wonderful experience that would be theirs when
they would leave the train and journey into the cowboy land.

"Kit, do tell us about them," begged Joy.

"I won't do it. You've got your own ideas from the movies and I can't
change them. Now you'll just have to get disappointed. There aren't
any _handsome_ cowboys in my country."

Kit spoke impatiently.

"Isn't Seedy Saunders handsome?" Joy asked again.

Kit shouted with laughter as she brought a picture of the old cowboy to
her mind. He was a small man, bow-legged and thin. A sort of dried-up
desert rat. In looks Seedy was nothing at all. Only when he was in
the saddle did he shine, for he could throw a rope better than anyone
Kit had ever seen, and as for taming a wild horse, there was no better
cowboy in the mountains than this old hand at the game.

"No, of course Seedy isn't handsome. He's old, and plain and common
looking," Kit answered.

"I'll not believe it until I see one. For I'm very sure that some of
the cowboys on the screen are the real thing. Just see how they can
ride and throw the ropes and catch the cows by the horns! Why, they're
wonderful!"

Bet Baxter laughed. "Go on, Joy, rave some more! And don't worry,
we'll find a handsome cowboy if we have to import one from the movies
for you."

"Thanks, Bet," laughed Joy, blowing her a kiss from the ends of her
fingers. "I'll pick my own. Kit is trying to discourage me, but I'll
find a handsome cowboy. You just wait and see!"

CHAPTER III

_THE WASH-OUT_

"This time tomorrow we'll be at Benito!" exclaimed Kit. "I do wonder
if mother will be there to meet me. I'm homesick for a sight of her."

The heat was intense as they sped through the desert. Small
sand-storms swirled across the flat land, and filled