Mrs. Clyde did not meet her granddaughter's eye; that young lady's method of taking responsibility was not such as to inspire one with unlimited confidence. "I can send Miguel ahead with one of the cook-wagons," Uncle Cliff suggested. "You can have Pancho, too, if you like,--he cooked on the round-up this spring and didn't kill anybody. Lisa's too fat and Gertrudis too old for that ride." "And we want Lupe for wrangler," said Blue Bonnet. "A wrangler looks after the horses, Sarah _mia_," she explained, anticipating the question. "If we go," said Senora, "let us go as simply as possible. Surely we don't need such an army of men." "But, Grandmother," Blue Bonnet protested, "there has to be a cook, and somebody to pitch tents, and one to look after the horses and--" "I don't see the necessity. You miss half the pleasure of camping out if you have everything done for you. When I was a girl we used to camp out in the Maine woods, and we girls took turns cooking and washing dishes, while the boys gathered wood for the fires, caught fish and looked after the horses. To take a crowd of servants along would rob the life of all its simplicity." Blue Bonnet looked rather blank. Cooking and washing dishes did not seem altogether simple to her. "I can make caramel cake," announced Kitty. "That's lovely--especially for breakfast," said Blue Bonnet. "I don't like sweet things for breakfast," said Sarah. "Beans and bacon are as good camp fare as one needs," said Knight. "It is pretty cool in the mornings and evenings, and one gets hungry enough to eat the dishes." "We'll agree to anything if Grandmother will only go," said Blue Bonnet eagerly. Grandmother, however, withheld her decision until she had held a serious conversation alone with Uncle Cliff. "Don't you think you are encouraging Blue Bonnet in habits of extravagance?" she asked, smiling inwardly at the likeness of her question to some of Lucinda's. Uncle Cliff pondered for a moment. "That depends on what you call 'extravagance.' According to my definition it means spending more than you can afford." "Blue Bonnet is certainly spending a great deal this summer. It must cost something to keep up a big place like this, so many servants besides all the guests." "Mexicans don't draw down princely salaries, you know," he argued. "And we're not used to counting noses at table. Besides, Blue Bonnet has enough to do just about as she likes with. Miss Clyde and I had some talk about it last winter--when she put the poor child on an allowance. Three dollars!" Mr. Ashe made a comical grimace. "Why, Mrs. Clyde, I've been putting by Blue Bonnet's profits every year for nearly sixteen years, and they've been pretty tidy sums, too. Besides, she's going to have every penny of mine, some day. And now she's old enough to enjoy spending, I don't quite see the use of making her skimp." He looked very much in earnest and ready to "have it out" then and there.