Sunset Ranch: A Story of a Boy's Adventures in the West — page 267: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Sunset Ranch. 255 Perhaps it would be best for Polly to make off to- ward the south. She would stand a chance of es- cape, though the dangers of desert and plain were not pleasant to consider. It chanced, however, that Polly had a mind of her own, and was able to assert it, for when she heard what Karl was considering, she settled the whole matter by flatly refusing to leave him. “Besides,” she said, as a clinching argument, “I should surely die of fright if night caught me alone on the prairie. No, Karl, the dangers that threaten you must be shared by me. We'll stick together through thick and thin.” And Karl, deep down in his boyish heart, was ready to bless her for those words—“through thick and thin.” Fortunately, at about this time, a shrill whistle sounded near by that startled Polly, but gave Karl the liveliest satisfaction. “That’s the signal of Little Buckshot; bully for him! We’re all right, now, Polly. Here’s the dead tree, after all, and there he comes with the horses.” Again the situation began to look hopeful, and Karl felt like tossing his hat into the air with one of his old-time cow-puncher yells. But discretion caused him to refrain, for they were not yet out of the woods. Buckskin was, of course, delighted to see his be- loved master again. He had been giving the Indian boy a little trouble, for it seemed as though the yellow broncho never would get over his antipathy to the race. How good it seemed to be on his back again! Karl felt as though he could defy any danger, now that he once more bestrode a horse—the old cowboy instinct over again. “Listen, Karl!” said the young brave, as he fin- comiclooks C©