The little river ran through the valley, and in the moonlight the
children could see that a fence had been made at the end nearest
them. It was a wooden fence, and not one of barbed wire, such as
there were many of on Ring Rosy Ranch.
"This is a queer valley," said Janet.
"Yes, and look!" exclaimed Ted, pointing. "Don't you see things
moving around in it?"
"Yes," agreed Jan, as she looked. "Why, Ted!" she cried. "They're
horses--ponies--a lot of 'em!"
"So they are!" exclaimed Ted. "Oh, we're near a ranch, Janet! Now
we're all right!"
"Yes. But maybe we're a good way from the ranch house," answered
Janet. "We maybe can't find it in the dark. Some of Uncle Frank's
ponies are five miles away from the stable, you know. Maybe we'd
better not go on any more in the dark. I'm tired!"
"Well," agreed Teddy. "I guess we could stay here till it's morning.
We could sleep in the blanket. It's plenty big enough for us two."
"And in the morning we can ride on and find the ranch, and the
cowboys there will take us to Ring Rosy," added Janet. "Let's do it,
Teddy."
They looked again at the strange valley in which the horses were
moving about. Clipclap whinnied and one of the other ponies answered.
But they could not come out because of the fence, part of which was
built in and across the little river.
Then, throwing the reins over the heads f their ponies, and knowing
the animals would not stray far, Ted and Janet, taking another drink
from the canteen, rolled up in the blanket and went to sleep on the
prairie just outside the hidden valley that held a secret of which
they did not even dream.
Pages:
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171