"See here, Fred," said Terry, "we have no musical instrument on the ranch, so sister had better go in to-morrow and buy a piano." "Oh, my! how extravagant you boys are becoming," she exclaimed. "The idea of a piano on a ranch would certainly astonish the natives." "Yes, so it would, but for all that we've got to have it." "Well, one of you must go in after it, for I won't." "I'll go," said Terry, "for a good piano we must have; and, besides that, we must have a good violin, a good flute, and---" "A bass drum," Evelyn interrupted. "Yes," added Fred, "and a hurdy-gurdy." The next morning Evelyn, was up before either of the boys, for as soon as she heard the little chickens peeping around she sprang up, put on a wrapper and went out to see them and feed them. The dairyman was up feeding and milking the cows. Evelyn looked on for a while, and finally took up a pail and began milking, too. The dairyman looked on in astonishment. "Great rattlers, miss!" he exclaimed. "Where did you learn how to milk?" "Why, up at my home in New York state," she replied. "I made all the butter from two splendid cows, and more often did the milking than the hired help did." "Well," said he, "I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen you milking this morning." She was talking with the dairyman when Fred showed up, exclaiming: "Hello! Why didn't you make an alarm when you got up so that I could have heard it." "Oh, I didn't like to break up little boys' sleep. It is good for them." The dairyman chuckled at the retort, and so did Fred. Evelyn milked the pail full, turned it over to the dairyman and went to see the little pigs. "Evelyn," said Fred, "how would you like to take a ride over the ranch? We'll get back in time for breakfast." "I would like it very much, provided you give me a safe horse to ride." Fred went into the stable and saddled the big grays. They were almost a match in size and appearance for the two big grays which Evelyn had sold up North, and she greatly admired them. She stood there in the lot waiting for them to be made ready, and then, without going into the house to get a hat or any other article of dress, she placed her foot in Fred's hand, which he held out for her, and was quickly lifted in the saddle. "Are you going without your hat, Evelyn?" Fred asked. "Yes, the early morning sun can do me no harm, for it has hardly got its eyes open yet." "All right; open the gate, Joe," and the dairyman went to the outer gate and held it open for them to pass through. They went dashing down toward the spring, and when they reached there Fred dismounted, went to where a big, native-raised gourd was hanging to a bush, dipped it full of the water and handed it up to her. She drank copiously of it, smacked her lips and said: "Oh, my, Fred! I can taste both sulphur and iron plainly." "Yes, those ingredients are the strongest in its composition, if it were nearer town it would become a the place of resort."