"
Arrangements were quickly made for the trip to Jessup's, and the boys,
full of anticipations for a pleasant day in the saddle, donned their
chaps and spurs, and began practising with their ropes, while the
ponies were being saddled and made ready for the journey.
"Do we take our rifles, Professor?" asked Stacy.
"You do not," answered the Professor, with emphasis. "What do you
think you will need with guns at a horse race?"
"I--I don't know but that we might meet some wild animals," stammered
Stacy.
Everybody laughed.
"Why, there are no wild animals of any account here," laughed Tom.
"Nothing bigger than a jack rabbit," said Ned.
"And Ned Rector got all there was of them," added Walter.
Laughing and joking, the lads mounted their ponies and set off for a
day's pleasure.
The entertainment at the ranch was scheduled for the afternoon, so
they had plenty of time in which to make the journey. They arrived
shortly before noon, just in time to see the preparations made for a
barbecue. A large Texas steer had been chosen for the occasion and
roasted in a pit, and they were making ready to serve it.
Stacy's eyes stuck out as he saw the cook with a knife almost as long
as a sword, cutting off slices as large as a good-sized platter, and
serving them on plates scarcely large enough to hold the pieces,
without the latter being folded over.
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