"Why?" asked Janet.

"Well, you _might_ get lost, you know, and then--oh, well, don't go
off by yourselves, that's all," and Uncle Frank turned to answer a
question Daddy Martin asked him.

Ted and Janet wondered why they could not go off by themselves as
they had done at Cherry Farm.

"Maybe it's because of the Indians," suggested Jan.

"Pooh, I'm not afraid of them," Teddy announced.

Just then one of the cowboys--later the children learned he was Jim
Mason, the foreman--came walking up to the porch. He walked in a
funny way, being more used to going along on a horse than on his own
feet.

"Good evening, folks!" he said, taking off his hat and waving it
toward the Curlytops and the others.

"Hello, Jim!" was Uncle Frank's greeting. "Everything all right?"

"No, it isn't, I'm sorry to say," answered the foreman. "I've got
bad news for you, Mr. Barton!"