e party from the ranch; so the young folks at Pebbly Pit eagerly prepared for the trip to Buffalo Park. The panniers wer

ching them ride down the trail until they disappeared back of Rai

a burro, Nigger, was taken to carry the luggage. The trail from Bear Forks across the mountain-side was very ro

pack-burro to John's horse, by means of a rope. This would necessitate the burro f

as so with Nigger. He acted like a sulky child, and made the girls laugh at his contrary behavior. He seemed

the trees grew so closely together, now, that they offered obstructions in every direction the horses went. Sometimes it was

the trail, and rifles. This bulky roll projected over a foot on either s

ble to pass through and would decide to back out. Nigger, with his clumsy pack and grouchy manner, stood and fairly laughed at such times. Polly and Eleanor enjoyed these funny experien

from one of these snarls, the other riders went ahead. Finding John was not immediately behi

side. Both were suddenly yanked up when the tie-rope tautened about the tree, so that John was almost thrown out of the saddle. Neither beast would give in but tugged stubbornly

med impishly. John roared at the expression on the burro's face, as true to a

strike the tree on the side he rolled. Then the tree, resisting the impact, would slew him back again. Naturally, every time he pe

ances, she called to John. "No use! You'll have to give Nig his f

good burro should. But the going was better, too, with the trail running through miles and m

l, Polly?" asked John, as he ga

imes when Mr. Montresor lived in the c

er, then I say we'd best h

had best have a bite, as we will have to wait for the cre

e ready to proceed on the way, Nigger found his pack much lighter than

y every one. Cookee had been mixing and stirring viands ever since the breakfast had been cleared away, and n

py, as she found her hostess knew several people that the Ma

, Jim Latimer and Kenneth appropriated Polly and Eleanor, and the

week, and show the girls the far-off desert that stretched for mil

had traveled it twice a day that week,

e seen stretching out to meet the blue sky on the horizon, and Jim laughingl

erly asked

own there, and having done so, one of the crew saw a fine little bit of water and

e lunch, and give the horses a good drink, too, at the same ti

ly, I thought I was going queer in my head, because it slowly vanished like mist. I rubbed m

tion of the men who found they had been ridin

desert a short distance off, so we decided to make for that and see if the

rambled up its sides to look for any pr

nd any shade. The wind that blew across the desert, was comparatively cool, however, so w

Then we began breaking off fragments of shale and tried to see who could throw it the farthest out on the desert. We laid wagers, and one of the party said he would go d

was in charge of us, that day, shaded his eyes with a hand and stared off at the horizon. We a

torm blowing across the sands. It will hit us in a few moments. Gr

lf-way down, then he lost his grasp on the side. His back and arm

e laughed away the thought that he ha

two of our crowd had to stumble through the terrific storm that blinded them. Had we not k

over, I'm glad we had it. I will have somethin

brag than to go through suc

intend going to col

avers. And that's quite a record for boys in New York, where fol

om said you were going to

sts. I'm sure Ken will, but

rself. You know you wil

because Polly and I expect to attend schoo

ew York?" cried

t was in my mind when I decided I would l

ean I'm going there

without you, so I shall scheme to win

e how important it is for me to go to school in New York,

ubious, but I'll sho

l have our folks meet you and pilot you through the wilderness. I

d so much, as long as you girls will be in the

much time consoling any one,

profession, you know, and begin busines

rised to hear such young gi

ing, and since she showed me all her magazines

ve to study that!

rchitecture and furnishings of all kinds, but she must know at a glance, whether an object is genuine antique or a counterf

ter of pictures,-whether an old master or a modern artist. Not an engraving or etchi

sold to-day, but a good decorator can tell

qualities and value, at a glance. As for draperies and wall-ha

e he happened to have been an upholsterer or fresco painter. I

in New York. Any other city would do, I suppose, only Anne Stewart will be there, and I never can study under any one else! So I have

on the subject. This course finished, we propose going to Europe to study Italian, French, Spanish, and English periods

d a word of this to me before! Who

innocent! Why, I just told you m

ter the awful speech I made recently, I'll be luck

, if it hadn't been for my training you. This is what I have

e you nothing on an exchange, Nolla, because you must admit that I have f

laughed Eleanor, ho

en and I will be home every holiday, and perhaps we can run down

he nodded her wise little head knowing

there was no one else that co

r wildest fancies she had never dared allow her thought to outline such possibilities. But here was a ha

ing back to camp," suggested

s fully an hour, rid

ddles, and soon all four were having a