"Can't you ride without a saddle?" asked Janet.

"Well, not very good I guess," Ted answered. "A horse's back has a
bone in the middle of it, and that bumps you when you don't have a
saddle."

"How do you know?" asked Janet.

"I know, 'cause once the milkman let me sit on his horse and I felt
the bone in his back. It didn't feel good."

"Maybe the milkman's horse was awful bony."

"He was," admitted Ted. "But anyhow you've got to have a saddle to
ride a horse, lessen you're a Indian and I'm not."

"Well, maybe after a while Uncle Frank'll give you a saddle," said
Janet.

"Maybe," agreed her brother, "Oh, see how the ponies look at us!"

"And one's following us all around," added his sister. For the
little horses had indeed all come to the side of the corral fence
nearest the Curlytops, and were following along as the children
walked.

"What do you s'pose they want?" asked Teddy.

"Maybe they're hungry," answered Janet.