"But I thought you were
afraid of Indians."
"I used to be, but I'm not any more. Anyway, if you'd stay with me I
wouldn't be. And, anyhow, Uncle Frank says the Indians won't hurt us."
"Course they won't! I'm not afraid! I'd go on the trail after 'em if
they'd let us."
"So would I. We could throw stones at 'em if they tried to hurt us,
Teddy."
"Yes. Or we could ride our ponies fast and get away. Uncle Frank
told me the Indians didn't have any good ponies, and that's why they
took his."
"But we can't go," said Janet with a sigh.
"No; we've got to stay at home."
A little later a cowboy came limping out of the bunkhouse. His name
was Sim Body, but all his friends called him "Baldy" because he had
so little hair on his head.
"Hello, Curlytops!" cried Baldy in a jolly voice, for he was always
good-natured. Even now he was jolly, though he had a lame foot where
a horse had stepped on it. That is why he was not on the trail after
the Indians with the other cowboys.
"Hello," answered Teddy, but he did not speak in a jolly voice.
"Why, what's the matter?" asked Baldy with a laugh, as he limped to
the bench and sat down near the two children. "You act as sad and
gloomy as if there wasn't a Christmas or a New Year's any more, to
say nothing of Fourth of July and birthdays! What's the matter? Seems
to me, if I had all the nice, curly hair you two have, I'd be as
happy as a horned toad and I'd go around singing all day long," and
Baldy rubbed his hand over his own smooth head and laughed.
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