"You wait a bit," laughed Mrs. Edwards. "Those long-legged dogs are just what we need hunting the jacks. And if we didn't have guns, at that, there would be few of the rabbits caught. All ready, Sam Harding?" "Jest when Miss Frances says the word, Ma'am," returned the foreman, coolly. "Of course! Frances is mistress of the hunt," said the ranchman's wife, good-naturedly. Sue Latrop had been coaxed to leave her Eastern-bred horse behind on this occasion, and was upon one of the ponies broken to side-saddle work. The tall bay would scarcely know how to keep his feet out of gopher-holes in such a chase as was now inaugurated. "Be careful how you use your guns," Frances said, quietly, when Sam and the Mexican, with the dogs, started off to round a certain greasewood-covered mound and see if they could start some of the long-eared animals. "Never fire across your pony's neck unless you are positive that no other rider is ahead of you on either hand. Better take your rabbit head on; then the danger of shooting into some of the rest of us will be eliminated." Sue sniffed at this. She had no gun, of course, but almost wished she had--and she said as much to one of her friends. She'd show that range girl that she couldn't boss her! "Why! that's good advice about using our guns," said this girl to whom Sue complained, surprised at the objection. "Pooh! what does she know about it? She puts herself forward too much," replied the girl from Boston. It is probable that Sue would have talked about any other girl in the party who seemed to take the lead. Sue was used to being the leader herself, and if she couldn't lead she didn't wish to follow. There are more than a few people in the world of Sue's temperament--and very unpleasant people they are. But it was Frances who got the first jack. The creature came leaping down the slope, having broken cover at the brink and quite unseen by the rest of the hunters. This was business to Frances, instead of sport. If allowed to multiply the jack-rabbits were not only a pest to the farmers, but to everybody else. Frances raised the light firearm she carried and popped Mr. Longears over "on the fly." "Glory! that's a good one!" shouted Pratt, enthusiastically. "A clean hit, Frances," said Mrs. Edwards. "You are a splendid shot, child." Miss Boston sniffed! The dogs did not bay. But in a minute or two a pair of the rabbits appeared over the rise, and then the two long-legged canines followed in their tracks. "Wait till the jacks see us and dodge," called out Frances, in a low tone. "Then you can fire without getting the dogs in line." Mrs. Edwards was a good shot. She got one of the rabbits. After several of the others snapped at the second one, and missed him, Frances brought him down just as he leaped toward a clump of sagebrush. Behind it he would have been lost to them. "My goodness!" murmured Pratt. "What a shot you are, Frances!"