k
he goes just as far as he knows I can handle him. He's brainy, that
pony! No one knows how I've missed him."

The professor looked at her with the same admiring glance as Jim
Hawkins, the riding master on Campers' Trail, had done. His eyes were
not seeing the fancy riding in quite such a professional manner as Jim,
but nevertheless he gloried in the poise and daring of this slight bit
of a girl. Things were very different when he was a boy. Then girls
clung like plants and were sheltered.

The professor had never seen such riding and he stood staring over the
mesa as Kit once more gave her horse the spurs.

In spite of her parents' confidence, he could not believe that Kit had
the horse under control for the animal raced madly, then suddenly
without any warning, stopped short and tried by every method known to a
horse, to throw off his burden. He reared, he bucked, he "sun-fished"
but all to no avail. The girl stuck to her saddle.

"Won't somebody help her?" the professor prayed desperately. "She will
be killed!"

CHAPTER IX

_LOST CANYON_

The four girls at Casa Grande were hardly awake that first morning,
when a shout brought them to the window.

It was Kit, seated on her spirited pony, that pawed the ground as she
drew him up by the wall.

"Wake up, lazy girls!" cried Kit. "The Judge has been out for a ride
before breakfast, and here you are missing the best part of the day.
Come to the window and meet my friend, Powder."

"Oh, Kit," called Bet excitedly, "is that Powder? Do wait and let me
ride him."

Kit laughed. "As I told you before, if you want to ride Powder after
seeing how he acts with me, you can take a chance. He's trying to show
me how much he loves me. Hurry up and get a bite to eat. I see Tommy
getting the horses ready."

Much to the disgust of Tang, the girls hurried through their breakfast,
hardly knowing what they were eating, so excited were they over the
prospect of a ride in Lost Canyon.

"Are your western horses very wild?" asked Joy as she joined Kit in the
courtyard. "I--I don't know how to ride very well."

"Don't worry, Joy! I brought you a safe one. We always give Dolly to
people who can't ride well. She's as safe as a rocking chair."

Even Joy could feel no apprehension when she got into the saddle.
Dolly was decidedly safe. On the least upgrade she puffed and stopped
short to rest.

"Poor thing! She's all tired out!" exclaimed Bet, watching