"Two sets of reins chawed to pieces; a throat latchet gone; three saddles with holes eaten through them, and two bridles cut to bits, all because of a little carelessness!"
"I fixa dem allight!" exclaimed Omney, eagerly.
"But that means a morning lost while you make repairs," replied Mrs.
Vernon.
Then Omney stiffened his spine and lifted his head in a majestic fury at the porcupines. He glowered down the trail and shook his clenched fist vengefully at the imaginary depredator, saying in hissing voice, "Him one bad darn beas"!"
Every one laughed at his suppressed fury, and the tame exclamation he had just used, but the poor guide felt better again.
The harnesses were finally mended with rope and bits of wire from Tally"s outfit kit, and by noon everything was in readiness for continuing the trip.
Toward the end of August, the tourists reached Estes Park again, and upon riding to Long"s peak village, they replaced the mended harness with good sections, and then rode on to Loveland, where they proposed leaving the horses they had leased for the summer.
While Mr. Gilroy and Tally led the horses back to their owner, the Captain took the girls to the department store and soon they were busy trying on readymade dresses that they might start for Denver. Mrs.
Vernon had strenuously vetoed their appearing in civilization again in the patched and faded scout uniforms that had stood such rough usage while camping in the mountains.
But the uniforms were carefully packed to take back home as souvenirs of that eventful summer.
When shop-made shoes were tried on the feet that had been free all summer from city footgear, and the scouts tried to walk on the stone pavements of Loveland, they winced with the pain of their toes in cramped quarters.
"Goodness, girls! Isn"t it awful to have had such freedom all summer and then return to prison cells again for feet and body?" cried Julie, frowning.
"Yes, and it will be the same when we go to bed to-night, no more forest vastness for a chamber, no more pine for a roof, and no more singing of wild notes to lull us to sleep!" sighed Joan.
That evening Mr. Gilroy condoled with the scouts over the immediate future--school, orthodox clothing, and bandbox rooms to live in all winter.
"But there is always the hope of heaven before you," said Mr. Vernon, smiling at the circle of faces.
"What do you mean?" asked Julie.
"There is next summer again, you know, and if Gilroy is as good as his word, he will see that you are escorted to Arizona and New Mexico for a trip!"
"Remind me of it next spring, girls, and we"ll see," laughed Mr.
Gilroy, winking an eye at the Captain.
So with this ray of hope for a future outing, the girls were encouraged to start back East, and take up the irksome tasks of acquiring a necessary education in the humdrum daily lessons of school.