feet higher than the bottom of the gulch," returned the ranch girl.
"The water seems still to fill the gulch as high as the entrance.
Can you wade through ten feet of water?"

"Oh!" murmured Grace.

"Wish I had a pair of Billy's stilts," said Bess. "It might be
done."

"Do you suppose they will come hunting for us?" Nan asked.

"Who?" asked Rhoda practically. "Let me tell you, every boy on the
place will be having his hands full right now. I don't think the
main line of the tornado struck across toward the house. At least,
I hope not. But I bet it has done damage enough.

"If it hit the herds of horses--those wild ones--good-by! They will
all have to be rounded up again. And the cattle! Well, make up your
minds the boys are going to have their hands full with the herds
for a couple of days after this. They won't have time to come
hunting for a crowd of scared girls."

"Oh!" said Grace again.

"And why should they?" laughed the ranch girl. "We are all
intact--arms and legs and horses in good shape. I guess we will
find our way home in time."

"But Walter?" asked Walter's sister.