Adventure Girls at K Bar O , livre ebook

The Floating Press - Clair Blank

Découvre YouScribe en t'inscrivant gratuitement

Je m'inscris

Obtenez un accès à la bibliothèque pour le consulter en ligne
En savoir plus

108 pages

English

Vous pourrez modifier la taille du texte de cet ouvrage

Obtenez un accès à la bibliothèque pour le consulter en ligne
En savoir plus

A propos
Informations
Extrait

Description

In this exciting tale for younger audiences, a group of six fun-loving friends get the once-in-a-lifetime chance to spend a vacation on a ranch in Arizona. Before long, they're confidently riding on horseback through the desert -- but myriad dangers are lurking in the desolate landscape.

Sujets

Children's

Informations

Publié par	The Floating Press
Date de parution	01 mai 2015
Nombre de lectures	0
EAN13	9781776589739
Langue	English

Informations légales : prix de location à la page 0,0134€. Cette information est donnée uniquement à titre indicatif conformément à la législation en vigueur.

Extrait

THE ADVENTURE GIRLS AT K BAR O
* * *
CLAIR BLANK

*
The Adventure Girls at K Bar O First published in 1936 Epub ISBN 978-1-77658-973-9 Also available: PDF ISBN 978-1-77658-974-6 © 2014 The Floating Press and its licensors. All rights reserved. While every effort has been used to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information contained in The Floating Press edition of this book, The Floating Press does not assume liability or responsibility for any errors or omissions in this book. The Floating Press does not accept responsibility for loss suffered as a result of reliance upon the accuracy or currency of information contained in this book. Do not use while operating a motor vehicle or heavy equipment. Many suitcases look alike. Visit www.thefloatingpress.com
Contents
*
Chapter I - Arrival Chapter II - Robbery Chapter III - Gale's Adventure Chapter IV - Discovery Chapter V - Pursuit Chapter VI - Ghost Cabin Chapter VII - Landslide Chapter VIII - Prisoners Chapter IX - On the Trail Chapter X - Rustlers Chapter XI - Surprise Chapter XII - Gone Chapter XIII - Rescue Chapter XIV - Trapped Chapter XV - Capture Chapter XVI - Alarm Chapter XVII - Revenge Chapter XVIII - Premonition Chapter XIX - Help Chapter XX - Reward Chapter XXI - Adios
Chapter I - Arrival
*
The thing that went under the name of automobile wheezed into theranchyard and rattled to a halt. With creaks and groans in every jointthe car discharged its six very dusty, very weary occupants.
At the same time, the screen door of the ranch house banged shut and aflying figure descended on the new arrivals.
"Oh, Gale, but I'm glad to see you," the girl from the ranch housedeclared hugging the foremost one of the visitors.
Gale Howard returned the hug with equal warmth. The two were cousins,and Gale and her friends, The Adventure Girls, had traveled West tospend the summer on the K Bar O Ranch, owned by Gale's uncle.
"But don't tell me you traveled all the way West in that!" VirginiaWilson murmured aghast, when the introductions and first greetings wereover.
"We wouldn't have lived to tell the tale," declared Carol Carter. "Inever knew a car that had so many bumps in it."
"We came West to Phoenix on the train," Gale explained. "It was there webought the car and drove up here."
"You wouldn't think we bought it second hand, would you?" Janet Gordonmurmured.
"No," Phyllis Elton agreed with a twinkle in her eyes. "It looks asthough we made it ourselves."
The last two of the new arrivals, Madge Reynolds and Valerie Wallace,who had been busy unstrapping luggage and tumbling bags onto the ground,turned now to the ranch girl.
"What shall we do with our stuff?" Madge asked.
"I suppose you will want to change from your traveling suits," Virginiasuggested, "so just bring along what you want now. Leave the rest here.Tom can bring it in later."
Tom was her elder brother and as the girls walked toward the ranch househe crossed the yard from the corral. Behind him came Gale's uncle.Virginia called her mother and more greetings and introductionsfollowed.
"But how did you manage to leave home without a chaperon?" Virginiaasked from her position on the bed in the room shared by Gale andValerie.
"It was all we could do to get away without one," a laughing voice inthe adjoining room declared, and Janet appeared on the threshold.
"Finally our parents decided that Gale and Valerie, being the only saneand level-headed ones among us, could be trusted to see that we behavedproperly," Carol added, hanging over Janet's shoulder.
"That shows how much they really know Gale and Valerie," added Janetmischievously. "If they had any sense at all, they would have appointedme guardian angel of the troupe."
"Then we would never have gotten this far," Valerie declared, strugglingto pull on a brown riding boot.
"Yes, Virginia," Gale laughed, "when we did let Janet drive for a littlewhile, she ran us into a ditch, went the wrong way on a one way streetin a little town below here, talked back to a policeman and nearlylanded us all in jail."
"Yes, we had to let Gale drive thereafter for self preservation," Carolmurmured.
"That is all the gratitude I get," Janet mourned in an injured tone. "Ido my best to make our trip a success and you don't appreciate me."
"What? Aren't you dressed yet?" Phyllis demanded as she and Madgeentered the other girls' room. "Slow pokes!" she teased.
"Yes, do hurry," Janet pleaded. "I want to get outside and see the horseI'm to ride."
"I'll wager you don't even know what side of a horse to get on,"declared Carol as the latter two disappeared into their own room.
"Well—ah—um—we won't go into that," Janet evaded.
Virginia laughed and the other girls smiled sympathetically.
"Don't mind anything they say," Madge advised Virginia. "They don't meana word of it."
"I gathered that much," Virginia said, rising as Janet and Carolreturned, this time fully dressed and eager to get outside.
The Adventure Girls were dressed alike in brown breeches, leather boots,and khaki shirts with brown silk ties to match. Some of them worecrushable felt hats while the others carried them. They had beendelighted with the prospect of spending a summer in the open air on theranch, looking forward to unknown adventures with keen anticipation. Thesix had dubbed themselves the Adventure Girls when on school hikes andoutings they had usually managed to stir up some kind of excitement. Itwas their desire to spend their summer becoming better acquainted withthe country out here, rather than spend their months free from school inloafing about home. They wanted to get out in the air, see new wonders,and enjoy new adventures.
When, in response to a letter from Virginia, Gale had suggested to theother five girls that they come West and spend the summer in Arizona ithad seemed delightful and intriguing, but not probable. Gradually thegirls had won round parental objections and collected the things theywould need. Now they were here, with a full summer of freedom beforethem.
The K Bar O Ranch was one of the biggest in the state. This the girlsdid not fully realize until later, when they began to ride around thecountryside. Henry Wilson, Virginia's father, dealt in cattle and hisherds were large and of the finest stock. There were horses too, and itwas these that the girls were most interested in.
Virginia led the way to the corral. Tom was there, talking to a cowboyand when he saw the girls, brought up three saddled mounts, the cowboyfollowing with a string of four more. The western ponies were sturdylittle animals, sure-footed and fast.
The girls claimed their mounts and Gale and Valerie, already experiencedriders, mounted their horses immediately.
Janet looked her horse over with speculative eyes. "Well, horse," shesaid, "I think we are about to become better acquainted and I hope youare as nice as you look."
"They're all tame," Tom assured the girls, assisting Carol into hersaddle.
"Hey," Carol called to Janet. "You'll never get on that way!"
Virginia had her horse and by the time Tom had helped Janet into thesaddle, the girls were moving forward. Virginia rode ahead with Gale,the two setting their ponies at an easy trot over the trail.
"We won't go far," Virginia said, "it will be suppertime shortly and Iknow you wouldn't want to miss it. The lunch you had wasn't verysubstantial."
"And this Arizona air certainly gives one an appetite," Gale declared."What's that?"
They had come to the crest of a hill and in the green valley below couldbe seen a slowly moving herd of the K Bar O cattle. But it was not tothe cows that Gale called her friend's attention. Off to the left hadsounded a series of sharp explosions, as a fusillade of rifle shots.
Virginia had grown a little pale under her tan, and the hand thatgripped her horse's reins was clenched tightly, but she summoned a smilefor Gale's benefit.
"Just some of the boys having target practice, I reckon," she saideasily.
But Gale was not to be deceived. Target practice would not causeVirginia to appear suddenly so nervous. However, Gale did not press thesubject at the time. She knew if there was something wrong at the K BarO she would know it before long.
Chapter II - Robbery
*
"I'm going into town, ride along?" Virginia asked, coming into the ranchhouse living room the next morning.
"I will," Gale said immediately.
"And me," agreed Valerie.
"Did you say ride?" groaned Janet. "On a horse?"
"Of course," Virginia laughed.
Janet made a wry face and with the greatest care eased herself into achair piled with cushions.
"Not this morning, my dear Virginia. I don't believe the horse likesme."
Carol laughed from her position before the fireplace. "For once in mylife I agree with Janet. You won't get me on a horse today."
"I shall stay right here, too," Madge murmured. "Somehow I appreciatecomfort this morning."
"I'll go with you," Phyllis said, "if you will go nice and slowly."
Accordingly the four mounted and rode away, leaving the other threecomfortably fixed with books and magazines. It was almost an hour's rideinto the little town of Coxton at the pace the girls went, but theyenjoyed it. They found a lot of things to talk about and besides theywere in no great hurry.
"I'm going to get me a rope," Gale proposed as the girls left theirhorses and mounted the sidewalk. "If I'm going to be a westerner, I'mgoing to learn to rope."
"And I want a pair of gloves," Valerie added.
"I have to see a man at the bank on business for Father," Virginia said,"do you want to come along? Or do you want to do your shopping and meetme here in a few minutes?"
"We'll meet you here," said Gale. "We won't get lost," she added with asmile, taking in the few stores and buildings on the single street thetown afforded.
"No danger," laughed Virginia. "See you here then."
With a cheery wave of the hand she was off across the street. The girlssauntered along, regarding the stores and one of two lounging cowboyswith interest.