He was not
afraid, but he knew Jessie would be greatly worried if he attempted
anything dangerous.
However, his chums got him up early the following morning, and, directly
after breakfast, Roger led the way down to the corral.
"I am going to try it, even if you are not," said the senator's son, and
insisted upon it that one of the unbroken ponies be brought forward. The
saddle was adjusted by Sid Todd, who held the animal while Roger leaped
into the saddle.
The experience was not as exciting as had been anticipated, for the
reason that the animal chosen by Todd was somewhat tame. The cowboy was
attached to the boys, and did not wish to see any of them run the risk
of breaking his neck.
After Roger came Phil, and he was timid enough to ask for a horse "that
didn't look as if he wanted to eat somebody up." Phil had more of a
time of it than Roger, but managed to keep in the saddle and ride around
the corral several times.
"It's not so hard as I supposed," said the shipowner's son, as he leaped
to the ground, and the pony, freed of the saddle, galloped off. "I
thought I'd be half-killed."
"Those ponies were not so wild as those used yesterday," answered Dave.
"Not but that they were bad enough," he continued, with a smile.
Sid Todd had remained to hold the pony ridden by Phil and had then been
called away to attend to some business at another part of the ranch.
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