"Golly, I wish Ernest and Sherm could see us!" Chicken Little was already sighing for new worlds to conquer. "You said Golly again." "Golly, I did, didn't I? It's awfully hard to quit anything like that. Say, I want you girls to pinch me every time I say it, then I'll remember." "You'll get mad if we do," replied Gertie, wise beyond her years. "No, I won't! Honest to goodness I won't. I truly want to stop it." "All right," said Katy firmly, "but you will get more pinches than you are expecting." Katy and Gertie and poor Calico were all ready to settle down for a rest. But Chicken Little was burning to show off before Ernest and Sherm. She untied Caliph and took several turns around the tree, going faster and faster. "Pooh," she said after a while, "I bet I could ride Caliph anywhere. Suppose we go meet the boys. You and Gertie can both ride Calico bare back. I guess they'll be surprised. It's most noon; I can tell by the sun." "But Jane, we can't go to meet the boys this way." Gertie looked distressed. "Oh, I forgot. What can we do? I'd be afraid to ride Caliph with even a short skirt--he's never had a woman on him before." "What if the boys do see us? Nobody else is likely to come along just at noon. Anyway, your father thinks it's dangerous for girls to wear long skirts to ride in. I heard him say so." Katy was plausible and Chicken Little wanted to be persuaded. "I don't care, if you don't." "All right, let's do it. I think you look real nice that way, Chicken Little, honest I do." "Well, they're heaps more comfortable. I feel so light. You make an awfully cute boy, Katy, and Gertie is just sweet. And you couldn't ride bare back half so well sidewise." It took some persuasion to secure Gertie's consent, but she finally gave in. They rode gaily out into the lane. Calico was too tired to make any protest to his double burden. Once in the lane, they waited in the shade. But the boys did not come. They waited until Jane was sure it must be one o'clock and their appetites suggested two at the very earliest. Calico waited patiently enough, but Caliph was uneasy over the flies. Finally, they decided to give the boys up and go back and have their picnic alone. "We might take one gallop down the line to the creek to make sure they're not in the meadow," Katy suggested. "I bet they finished the weeds sooner than they expected and went fishing." Chicken Little strained her eyes in the direction of the meadow. They started the horses off at a smart pace, then faster and faster, till they broke into a swift gallop. "Isn't it glorious?" Chicken Little called back. She was several lengths ahead.