"And we'd be the first out, if we didn't carry stuff," returned Harry. "We'd be frozen out and starved out, both. Now, let's see." He scratched his nose, and was solemn--save that his pointed chin twitched, and his wide brown eyes laughed. "We can't have the oxen; and we mustn't take the old mare or the colt, because they're a part of the ranch; or the brindled cow, because she belongs to Mother Richards' butter and milk department; or Pete the turkey, because he can't swim; so that leaves us Jenny and Duke." "That old yellow mule, and a half-buffalo!" yapped Terry. "But they're a part of the ranch stock, too, and besides----" "No, they're ours," corrected Harry. "Jenny's mine, and I'm hers. I brought her in here--or, rather, she brought me in; in fact, we brought each other. And Duke is yours. You rescued him from a life among the wild buffalo--a rough, low life, the ungrateful brute!--and his mother's disowned him since he learned to eat grass and hay, and nobody else wants him. Jenny works for her keep, but he doesn't do a thing except bawl and eat and sleep and pick quarrels with his betters. He's only an idle good-for-nothing." "What do you aim to do, then?" questioned Terry, staring open-mouthed. "Ride 'em? We can't have the wagon. You going to ride Jenny and make me ride Duke? We'd both of us be split in two! I'd rather walk. I'd make great time, wouldn't I, on that buffalo--and Jenny mostly moves up and down in one spot! Your saddle's falling to pieces. It's just tied with rope." "Hum!" mused Harry. "We'll hitch them." "What to?" "A wagon. I know where there are two wheels and an axle." "Where?" "In an old mud-hole. The front end traveled on, but the hind end stayed." "Jenny won't pull single, and Duke won't pull at all." "Make 'em pull together, then." "What'll we do for the rest of the wagon?" "Make it." "Huh!" reflected Terry, trying to be convinced. "That'll be a great outfit. Where'll we get our supplies?" "Maybe somebody'll grub-stake us, on shares. But no matter about that. We'll learn not to eat when we haven't anything to eat. If," continued Harry, "a couple of fellows our size, with a yellow mule and a half-buffalo and two wagon-wheels, can't get through to the mountains, I'd like to know who can! So it's high time we started. Come on." "What are you going to do first?" demanded Terry, bewildered by Harry's sudden movement. "Educate Duke, of course. We'll put him and Jenny to the drag and give them their first lesson. You be driving Duke in and I'll talk with Jenny."