hey had ridden on a little farther.

"Course it is," agreed Ted. "We couldn't both ride Nicknack, though he
could pull us both in the wagon."

"Maybe he'd be afraid of Indians," suggested Janet.

"No, I don't guess he would," answered Teddy, after some reflection.
"Nicknack's a brave goat. I like him. But I like Clipclap, too."

"And I like Star Face," added Janet. "He's an awful nice pony."

On and on the ponies trotted, carrying the Curlytops farther and farther
from the Ring Rosy Ranch house. But the children were not afraid. The
sun was shining brightly, and they had often before ridden this far
alone. They could look back at the ranch buildings when they got on top
of the little hills with which the prairie was dotted, and they were not
lonesome.

Off on either side they could see groups of horses or cattle that
belonged to Uncle Frank, and Ted and Janet thought there must be cowboys
with the herds.

"I'm going to get a drink when we get to the rocks," said Janet, as
they came within sight of the pile of big stones.

"Yes. And we'll give the ponies some, too," agreed her brother. "I guess
they're thirsty."

Indeed the little animals were thirsty, and after they had rested a
while--for Uncle Frank had told the children it was not wise to let a
horse or pony drink when it was too warm--Clipclap and Star Face had
some of the cool water that bubbled up among the rocks.

"It tastes awful good!" exclaimed Janet, as she took some from the cup
Ted filled for her.

After Clipclap had been found at the spring, the time he was hidden in
the cave, one of the cowboys had brought a tin cup to the spring,
leaving it there, so if anyone passed the spring it would be easy to get
a drink without having to use a hat or kneel down on the ground. For
horses and cattle there was a little rocky basin into which the cool
water flowed.

"I wish we could take some of the water with us," said Teddy, when,
after a rest, they were ready to follow the trail again.

"If we had a bottle, like some of the cowboys carry, we could,"
remarked Janet. "Maybe we'll get awful thirsty if we ride on a long way,
Ted."

"Maybe we will, but maybe we can find another spring. I heard Uncle
Frank say there's more than one on the ranch. Come on!"

The children took another drink, and offered some to the ponies, each of
which took a little. Then, once more, the Curlytops were on the trail
after the Indians, as they believed.

"Which way do we