But poor Barbara stood near the cloak-room as isolated as the
plague, for the ranchers dared not even look at a gown without a top,
let alone dance with the doubtful thing.
CHAPTER XI
IN THE WILDERNESS
Each day the four girls rode along various trails until, in the
judgment of Jeb, they were practiced enough to take a longer ride in
the mountains.
Polly had been urging Jeb to give a favorable opinion on their ability
to stand a prolonged ride to the Flat Tops, but he was careful and
practical and persisted in making them try a greater distance daily to
finally harden them to a rough trail.
Then Jeb said he reckoned the girls could start for a real outing.
Immediately, they planned where to go and what to see.
Polly outlined a trip that might take a whole day, so they would have
to take food and kit for cooking purposes. Each girl would ride her
favorite horse or burro and the extra burro, Choko, could carry the
outfit.
Of course, Polly decided to ride Noddy, as the burro was well
acquainted with her mistress's ways and the mountains. Eleanor
preferred a burro also, because, as she said comically, "if one falls
from a burro's back it is not far to Mother Earth." The two other girls
selected horses, sure-footed and trained for climbing.
On the morning chosen for the trip, Mrs. Brewster and Sary were up at
day-break preparing the kit and packing the panniers. At breakfast,
four eager girls, with wide sombreros on their heads, heavy mountain-
shoes and leather puttees covering feet and limbs, talked of the great
adventures they were about to meet with.
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