Part 5 (2/2)
There was only one occupant of the observation platform, and to Gerald's delight, he wore the wide brimmed Stetson hat which the boy had often seen on the screen.
”I'll bet yo' he's a cattle-man. I bet yo' he is!” Gerry gleefully confided to his small sister while their guide said a few words to the Westerner. Then, turning, the conductor beckoned to them.
The stranger arose and held out a strong brown hand to a.s.sist the little girl to a chair at his side.
”How do you do, Julie and Gerald?” he said, including them both in his friendly smile. Julie bobbed a little curtsy, but Gerald's attempt at manners was rudely interrupted by the necessity of seizing his cap.
”We have to watch out for our hats,” the stranger cautioned, ”for now and then we are visited by a miniature whirlwind.”
Gerald was almost bursting with eagerness. ”Oh, I say, Mr. Packard,” he blurted out, ”aren't you a reg'lar--er--I mean a reg'lar----” The boy grew red and embarra.s.sed, and so Julie went to his aid with, ”Mr.
Packard, Gerry thinks maybe you're a cow-man rancher like we've seen in the moving pictures.”
The bronzed face of the middle-aged man wrinkled in a good-natured smile.
”I am the owner of a cattle-ranch fifteen miles from Redfords,” he told them.
This information so delighted the boy that Julie was afraid he would bounce right over the rail.
”Gee-golly! That's where we're going--Redfords is! Our daddy owns a cabin way up high on Mystery Mountain.”
The man looked puzzled. ”Mystery Mountain,” he repeated thoughtfully. ”I don't seem to recall having heard of it.”
Then practical little Julie put in: ”Oh, Mr. Packard, that isn't its really-truly name. Our daddy called it that 'cause there's a lost mine on it and Dad said it was a mystery where it went to.”
The man's face brightened.
”O-ho! Then you must mean Redfords' Peak. That mine was found and lost again before I bought the Green Hills Ranch. Quite a long while ago that was.”
Gerry nodded agreement. ”Yep. Dan, our big brother is most twenty-one and he hadn't been born yet.” Then the boy's face saddened as he confided: ”Dan's sick. He's got a dreadful cough. That's why we're going to Dad's cabin in the Rockies.”
”Our doctor said the al-te-tood would make him well,” Julie explained, stopping after each syllable of the long word and saying it very thoughtfully.
Gerald looked up eagerly. ”Do you think it will, Mr. Packard? Do you think Dan will get well?”
The older man's reply was rea.s.suring: ”Of course he will. Our Rocky Mountain air is a tonic that gives new life to everyone. Are you three traveling alone?”
Julie and Gerald solemnly shook their heads, and the small girl, in childish fas.h.i.+on, put a finger on her lips as though to keep from saying something which she knew she ought not. It was Gerald who replied: ”Our big sister Jane is with us.” The boy said no more, but Mr. Packard was convinced that, devoted as the youngsters were to Dan, Jane, for some reason, was not very popular with them.
Then, as he did not wish to pry into their family affairs, the genial rancher pointed out and described to fascinated listeners the many things of interest which they were pa.s.sing.
The afternoon sped quickly and even when the dinner hour approached the children were loath to leave their new friend.
”Me and Julie have to eat alone,” the small boy began, but, feeling a nudge, he looked around to see his sister's shocked little mouth forming a rebuking O! and so, with a shake of his head, he began again: ”I mean Julie and I eat alone, and gee-golly, don't I wish we could sit at your table, Mr. Packard. Don't I though!”
”The pleasure would be mine,” the man, who was much amused with the children, replied. Then, after naming an hour to meet in the diner, the youngsters darted away and Mr. Packard laughed merrily.
It was quite evident that some one of their elders had often rebuked them for putting ”me” at the beginning of a sentence, he decided as he also arose and went within.
<script>