"No, Curlytop," answered Aunt Millie. "He and some of the cowboys
have gone over to the field where the ponies were kept to see if they
can get any news of them."

"Can we learn to ride a pony to-day?" asked Janet.

"As soon as Uncle Frank comes back," answered her father. "You and
Ted and Trouble play around the house now as much as you like. When
Uncle Frank comes back he'll see about getting a pony for you to
ride."

"Come on!" called Ted to his sister after breakfast. "We'll have
some fun."

"I come, too!" called Trouble. "I wants a wide! I wish we had
Nicknack."

"It would be fun if we had our goat here, wouldn't it?" asked Janet
of her brother.

"Yes, but I'd rather have a pony. I'm going to be a cowboy, and you
can't be a cowboy and ride a _goat_."

"No, I s'pose not," said Janet. "But a goat isn't so high up as a
pony, Ted, and if you fall off a goat's back you don't hurt yourself
so much."

"I'm not going to fall off," declared Teddy.

The children wandered about among the ranch buildings, looking in