"Why, Mr. Todd, is that you!" cried Laura, suddenly, as a cowboy was
passing through the car where she sat.
"It sure is me, Miss Porter," answered the cowboy, coming to a halt with
a broad grin on his weatherbeaten face. "Must be you are on your way to
the ranch," he added.
"We are," answered Laura. "I am glad to see you." She held out her hand,
which the cowboy took very gingerly, removing his sombrero at the same
time. "This is my friend, Miss Wadsworth, and this is my brother, Dave,
and his two school friends, Mr. Morr and Mr. Lawrence. This is Mr.
Sidney Todd, Mr. Endicott's head man," she explained.
"Just Sid Todd, miss, that's good enough for me," said the cowboy, as
the others shook hands with him, one after the other. "I ain't used to
no handle, I ain't. The boss thought you might be on this train, but he
wasn't sure when I left. He told me to keep an eye open for you,
though. I hope you had a nice trip."
"We have had a lovely trip, Mr.--Todd," said Jessie. She could not quite
bring herself to drop the mister.
"I've heard of you," said Dave to the cowboy. "My sister told me how you
taught her to ride and do a lot of things. I hope you'll take me and my
chums in hand, too, when we get settled at Star Ranch."
"Ride, don't you?"
"Oh, yes, but not in the fashion that cowboys can," said Dave, and then
he invited Sid Todd to sit down with them, which the cowboy did.
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