“He’s your friend for life,” Roy declared, with a grin, as he, Ethel, and Teddy walked back to the house, leaving the cowboys to “professor” Nick Looker. “Say, this dance will be a riot! I’ll bet every one of those boys, except, maybe, Pop Burns, is in love with Norine! There’s going to be some wild struggle to decide who has the first waltz with her!” Supper at the X Bar X was quickly concluded, and the hour for the dance approached. By dint of much coaxing, Gus obtained permission to sit on the side and watch. “Won’t hurt me a bit,” he proclaimed. “I feel fine! Arm don’t hurt a-tall.” As the darkness deepened, Nell and Ethel became somewhat worried about their evening dresses. Surely Bug Eye should have been here by now. Mr. Manley went to the phone and called up the 8 X 8. When he returned his face wore a puzzled look. “Pete Ball says Bug Eye started three hours ago. He’s got your dresses in the flivver, an’ said he should have reached here by six o’clock. Something must have happened to him--a puncture, or a blowout. We’ll just have to wait, that’s all.” A half hour went by, and still no Bug Eye. Nell and Ethel began to grow restless. The party would be a total failure without their evening dresses, they felt. “Do you think he’ll come?” Nell asked Mr. Manley, over and over again. “Unless he’s hurt, he will,” the cattle owner responded. “I guess he’ll get here before the dance starts. We’ll wait till late before the music begins.” But when nine o’clock arrived and there was still no sign of Bug Eye with the dresses, it was decided to go ahead. Ethel and Nell were disappointed, but they made the best of it. Belle and her mother lent them some scarfs and accessories, but they did not have dresses that would fit either of the visitors. “I guess we’ll just have to go without party gowns,” Nell sighed regretfully. “But it would have been such fun if we could only be dressed up like you, Belle!” “Never mind, the boys won’t know the difference,” Belle consoled them. “And certainly Teddy and Roy won’t mind. You can have just as much fun in knockabout dresses. Anyway, Bug Eye might still arrive.” By nine-thirty all hope of getting the dresses was abandoned, and the “orchestra” started to tune up. Sing Lung drew his bow across the fiddle strings. Nick let out a blast on his mouth-organ. Jim Casey sent into the air a long, wailing note from his accordion. Every person on the ranch had gathered in the living room. Pop Burns had his shoes polished until they rivaled the high-lights of his bald head. Gus Tripp sat proudly in the seat of honor at the side of the room, his arm swathed in bandages. Rad Sell was resplendent in a new yellow-striped shirt. Also it was noticed that Nick Looker had given up the idea of a diamond stickpin. He had on a green tie, as did every other hand on the ranch. The punchers were waiting eagerly for the music to start. And, Teddy noted gleefully, Norine stood demurely in a corner, garbed in a _red_ dress!