So we'd better begin to get
together our things."
"Shall we be at Uncle Frank's ranch in an hour?" asked Teddy.
"No, but well be at Rockville. From there we go out over the
prairies in a wagon."
"A wagon with ponies?" asked Janet.
"Yes, real Western ponies," said her father. "Then well be at the
ranch."
And it happened just that way. On puffed the train. Then the porter
came to help the Martin family off at Rockville.
"Rockville! Rockville! All out for Rockville!" joked Daddy Martin.
"Hurray!" cried Teddy. "Here we are!"
"And I see Uncle Frank!" exclaimed Janet, looking from the window
toward the station as the train slowed up to stop.
Out piled the Curlytops, and into the arms of Uncle Frank they
rushed. He caught them up and kissed them one after the other--Teddy,
Janet and Trouble.
"Well, well!" he cried, "I'm glad to see you! Haven't changed a bit
since you were snowed in! Now pile into the wagon and well get right
out to Circle O Ranch."
"Where's that?" asked Teddy.
"Why, that's the name of my ranch," said Uncle Frank. "See, there's
the sign of it," and he pointed to the flank of one of the small
horses, or ponies, hitched to his wagon. Ted and Janet saw a large
circle in which was a smaller letter O.
"We call it Circle O," explained the ranchman. "Each place in the
West that raises cattle or horses has a certain sign with which the
animals are branded, or marked, so their owners can tell them from
others in case they get mixed up.
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