I can't ever be a real wild-wester. Go on, Jan! Run along and let me
lasso you!"

Jan did not want to, but Teddy teased her so hard that she finally
gave in and said she would play she was a pony for a little while.
Teddy wanted her to be a wild steer, but she said ponies could run
faster than the cattle, and Jan was a good runner.

"And if I run fast it will be harder for you to lasso me," she said,
"and that's good practice for you, same as it is good for me when I
practice my music scales fast, only I don't do it very much."

"Well, you run along and I'll lasso you," said Teddy. "Only we'd
better go around to the back of the house. Maybe they wouldn't like
to see me doing it."

"Who; the cowboys?" asked his sister.

"No, father and mother," replied Teddy. "I don't guess they'd want
me to play this game, but I won't hurt you. Come on."

The little boy and girl--Teddy carrying his small lasso--went out to
a field not far from the house, and there they played cowboy. As they
had planned, Teddy was the cowboy and Janet the wild pony, and she
ran around until she was tired. Teddy ran after her, now and then
throwing the coil of rope at her.

Sometimes the lasso settled over her head, and then the little boy
would pull it tight, but he was careful not to pull too hard for fear
he might hurt Jan. Once the rope went around her legs, and that time