Weak and trembling, she sank down and buried her face in her hands. Then Alec was beside her, and Alec's strong arm was comforting her. "We're here, Mindy," Alec called. "Come right across and up." "I'm coming." Three minutes later she climbed out of the arroyo, sat down beside her twin, and hugged Cindy tightly. "I wasn't afraid!" she said happily. "I _like_ being a tomboy!" "G-g-gosh!" Cindy shivered. "What's the matter, Cindy darling?" "I was just th-thinking that, from now on, I'll never be anything but a l-l-lady." "Let's rest awhile," said Alec, wise beyond his years. "Then we'll go back." They rested, but their rest was broken by Mindy's "Ee-eee!" "What's the matter?" Cindy asked hurriedly. "Look!" Mindy pointed. A big brown beetle was crawling up her shirt, Cindy plucked it off and threw it away. "It was nothing," she assured Mindy. "Just a beetle." "Shall we start back now?" Alec asked. "I think we'd better," Cindy and Mindy said in the same voice. Mindy added, to Cindy, "May I sit in the saddle and hold the reins?" "Why, of course," Cindy said. Mindy climbed into the saddle and took Sparkle's reins. Cindy climbed on behind and put two loving arms around her twin's waist. "We're ready," Cindy called. "Let's go," said Alec. He grinned as he followed his sisters. He did not realize exactly what had taken place. But it seemed to Alec that, from now on, each of his sisters would be a pleasing mixture of lady and tomboy. Considering everything, Alec decided, the Simpsons just couldn't have done better. _About the Author_ Jim Kjelgaard was born in New York City but spent his childhood and youth in the Pennsylvania mountains. There he learned to hunt, fish, and handle dogs. He still likes to hunt and has done so in most parts of the United States and Canada, though he has exchanged his rifles and shotguns for cameras. After graduating from high school, he spent two years at Syracuse University Extension. Since then he has held a variety of jobs ranging all the way from trapper to factory superintendent, and has been writing professionally for twenty years. Of some twenty-seven successful books, all but one are for young people--particularly for a sixteen-year-old daughter who, according to Mr. Kjelgaard, is a lot smarter than her daddy. _About the Artist_ Chris Kenyon was born and brought up in Phoenix, Arizona. While in high school, he won many art awards, including seven first prizes in the National Scholastic Art Contest. In 1950 he went to the Art Center School in Los Angeles, California. The Korean War interrupted his work there, but he returned after spending two years in the Army and in the Far East. His work appeared in _Stars and Stripes_ while he was in the service. The great outdoors is Mr. Kenyon's first love, and he has made numerous pack trips into the Southwest and Mexico. He spent two years with the U. S. Forest Service in Montana, and a year with the Arizona Fish and Game Commission.