en by their nicknames?"
asked Mother Martin with a smile. "It isn't nice for children to do
that."

"But, please, Mother, we don't know his other name very well," said
Teddy. "Everybody calls him Baldy."

"Yes, that's right," agreed Aunt Millie. "I do myself. I guess he
doesn't mind."

"Very well, if he'll saddle your ponies for you, take Trouble for a
little ride," agreed Mrs. Martin. "But be careful."

The Curlytops said they would, and they were soon taking turns riding
Trouble on the saddles in front of them. Clipclap and Star Face liked
the children and were well-behaved ponies, so there was no danger in
putting Trouble on the back of either as long as Ted or Janet held him.

"But don't go riding off with him on the trail after the Indians," said
Baldy, playfully shaking his finger at the Curlytops.

"We won't!" they promised.

Up and down on the paths among the ranch buildings rode the children.
Trouble was allowed to hold the ends of the reins, and he thought he was
guiding the ponies, but really Teddy and Janet did that.

But finally even such fun as riding ponyback tired Trouble. He wanted
something else to do, and said:

"Le's go an' s'ide downhill on hay in de barn."

Teddy and Janet knew what that meant. They had learned this kind of fun
at Grandpa Martin's Cherry Farm. Here, on Ring Rosy Ranch, there was a
large barn filled with hay, and there was plenty of room to slide down
in the mow, or place where the hay was put away.

"Come on!" cried Janet. "We'll give him a good slide, Teddy."

A little later the Curlytops and Baby William were laughing and shouting
in the barn, rolling down and tumbling over one another, but not getting
hurt, for the hay was too soft.

Pretty soon the dinner horn blew and, with good appetites from their
morning's fun, the children hurried in to get something to eat.

"This is a good dinner!" announced Teddy as he passed his plate a second
time.

"Yes," agreed Mother Martin. "I hope your father and the cowboys have as
good."

"Oh, they'll have plenty--never fear!" laughed Uncle Frank's wife. "They
never go hungry when they're on the trail."

After dinner Trouble went to sleep, as he generally did, and Teddy and
Janet were left to themselves to find amusement.

"Let's go for another ride," suggested Teddy.

"All right," agreed Janet.

The saddles had not been taken off their ponies. Their mother and Aunt
Millie saw them go out and, supposing they were only