unch?" asked Shirley.

"Oh like as not we'd take a Dutch oven along and bake biscuit--and make
coffee. They are great on coffee in the desert. Sometimes we have
great big picnics when people for miles around come."

"And are there lots of cowboys there?" asked Joy. "Now I'm getting
interested. Imagine a picnic with lots of handsome cowboys. Oh, Kit
you should have seen the show the other night. It was simply grand!"

"Oh, Joy, do keep quiet! Kit was telling us about the big picnic.
What do they have at that?" Bet was interested in the description of
the country that was unknown to her.

"That's when they have a barbecue."

"What in the world is that?" demanded Joy.

"The men dig great holes in the ground, and make a fire in it, and when
there is a good bed of coals they hang a whole steer in it until it is
roasted."

"I don't see how they can do it," said Bet.

"Of course the men have to dig the big trench and get the fire going
the night before in order to get the bed of coals. Then they put in
the sides of beef on iron rods, and cover it all over with green
boughs. --And when that meat is roasted, you never tasted anything so
good."

"It must be nice to live out there," mused Joy.

"I'd like to go and take pictures sometime," said Shirley.

"Maybe you can someday. Wouldn't I love to show you my mountains and
desert!"

"And would you let me ride Powder?" asked Bet.

"Yes, that is if you _wanted_ to after you'd see him buck. That horse
is a rascal. And how he bucks! Even I have to hold on for dear life."

The picnic lunch ended with iced orangeade and little tarts filled with
raspberries.

"Those must have been cooked for you, Kit, for we've never had any of
them before," laughed Bet. "And one thing sure, if Auntie Gibbs had
known that there was to be a new girl with us, she would have made her
something special. She's a dear!"

"This lunch was simply perfect, Bet. I've eaten too much, as usual.
I'm a little piggy. But oh how happy I am!" sang Joy.

Shirley had finished some time before and was setting the camera in
place for a picture, arranging the attachment that enabled her to be in
the group.

"What's she doing?" asked Kit as Shirley announced that everything was
ready.

"It's this way," replied the girl. "I'm the only one who knows how to
take a decent picture, so I have always had to be left out. I got
tired of it and bought an attachment so I can snap the thing and be