The Project Gutenberg EBook of Blue Bonnet's Ranch Party, by C. E. Jacobs and Edyth Ellerbeck ReadThis eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and withalmost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away orre-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License includedwith this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.netTitle: Blue Bonnet's Ranch PartyAuthor: C. E. JacobsEdyth Ellerbeck ReadIllustrator: John GossRelease Date: June 28, 2007 [EBook #21960]Language: English*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BLUE BONNET'S RANCH PARTY ***Produced by Suzanne Lybarger, Brian Janes and the OnlineDistributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.netBLUE BONNET'S RANCH PARTYCover "BLUE BONNET . . . WATCHED THE SUN RISE OUT OF THE PRAIRIE.""BLUE BONNET . . . WATCHED THE SUN RISE OUT OF THE PRAIRIE." (See page 303.)Border TopBorder TopByLela Horn RichardsBLUEandCaroline E. JacobsBONNET'SDividerEach, one vol., large 12mo,RANCH PARTYillustrated $1.75A TEXAS BLUE BONNETA TEXAS BLUE BONNETBLUE BONNET'S RANCHBY PARTYC. E. JACOBS BLUE BONNET IN BOSTONBLUE BONNET KEEPS HOUSEANDBorder Left Border Right Border BorderBLUE BONNET—DÉBUTANTESide Side Side SideEDYTH ELLERBECKBLUE BONNET OF THE SEVENREAD STARSA SEQUEL TOA TEXAS BLUE BONNETBYTHE COSY CORNER SERIESC. E. JACOBSBy Caroline E. JacobsEach, one vol., small 12mo,Illustrated byillustrated $0.75JOHN GOSSEmblem BAB'S CHRISTMAS ATTHE PAGE COMPANY STANHOPEBOSTON - - ...
The Project Gutenberg EBook of Blue Bonnet's Ranch Party, by
C. E. Jacobs and Edyth Ellerbeck Read
This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or
re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net
Title: Blue Bonnet's Ranch Party
Author: C. E. Jacobs
Edyth Ellerbeck Read
Illustrator: John Goss
Release Date: June 28, 2007 [EBook #21960]
Language: English
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BLUE BONNET'S RANCH PARTY ***
Produced by Suzanne Lybarger, Brian Janes and the Online
Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.netBLUE BONNET'S RANCH PARTY
Cover "BLUE BONNET . . . WATCHED THE SUN RISE OUT OF THE PRAIRIE."
"BLUE BONNET . . . WATCHED THE SUN RISE OUT OF THE PRAIRIE." (See page 303.)
Border Top
Border TopBy
Lela Horn RichardsBLUE
and
Caroline E. JacobsBONNET'S
Divider
Each, one vol., large 12mo,RANCH PARTY
illustrated $1.75
A TEXAS BLUE BONNETA TEXAS BLUE BONNET
BLUE BONNET'S RANCH
BY PARTY
C. E. JACOBS BLUE BONNET IN BOSTON
BLUE BONNET KEEPS HOUSEANDBorder Left Border Right Border Border
BLUE BONNET—DÉBUTANTESide Side Side SideEDYTH ELLERBECK
BLUE BONNET OF THE SEVEN
READ STARS
A SEQUEL TO
A TEXAS BLUE BONNET
BY
THE COSY CORNER SERIESC. E. JACOBS
By Caroline E. Jacobs
Each, one vol., small 12mo,Illustrated by
illustrated $0.75JOHN GOSS
Emblem BAB'S CHRISTMAS AT
THE PAGE COMPANY STANHOPE
BOSTON - - PUBLISHERS THE CHRISTMAS SURPRISE
Border Bottom PARTY
A CHRISTMAS PROMISE
Divider
THE PAGE COMPANY
53 Beacon Street, Boston, Mass.
Border Bottom
Copyright, 1912
By The Page Company
All rights reserved
Made in U. S. A.
First Impression, July, 1912
Second Impression, October, 1912
Third Impression, May, 1913
Fourth Impression, January, 1914
Fifth Impression, April, 1914
Sixth Impression, February, 1915
Seventh Impression, June, 1915
Eighth Impression, July, 1916
Ninth Impression, April, 1917
Tenth Impression, March, 1918
Eleventh Impression, July, 1919
Twelfth Impression, May, 1920
Thirteenth Impression, December, 1921
PRINTED BY C. H. SIMONDS COMPANY
BOSTON, MASS., U. S. A.CONTENTS
chapter page
I. The Wanderer 1
II. In the Blue Bonnet Country 16
III. The Glorious Fourth 32
IV. The Round Robin 45
V. The Swimming Hole 60
VI. An Adventure 71
VII. A Falling Out 86
VIII. Consequences 101
IX. Texas and Massachusetts 112
X. Enter Carita 124
XI. Camping by the Big Spring 142
XII. Poco Tiempo 155
XIII. Around the Camp-fire 169
XIV. A Falling In 183
XV. Sunday 200
XVI. The Lost Sheep 215
XVII. Secrets 230
XVIII. Some Arrivals 242
XIX. Blue Bonnet's Birthday 259
XX. Conferences 275
XXI. Blue Bonnet Decides 290
XXII. Hasta la Vista 300LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
page
"Blue Bonnet . . . watched the sun rise out of the prairie" (See page 303) Frontispiece
"Comanche . . . leaped forward like a cat" 41
96"'I believe the only way to learn to swim is to dive in head-first'"
"They all gathered gypsy-fashion about the fire" 187
"It was an exquisite miniature, painted on ivory" 261
"Alec surveyed her proud little profile" 290Blue Bonnet's Ranch PartyCHAPTER I
THE WANDERER
Blue Bonnet put her head out of the car window for the hundredth time that hour, and drew it back with a sigh of utter
exasperation.
"Uncle Cliff," she declared impatiently, "if The Wanderer doesn't move a little faster I'll simply have to get out and
push!"
"Better blame the engine, Honey," said Uncle Cliff in his slow, soothing way. "The Wanderer is doing her best. Might
as well blame the wagon for not making the horses gallop!"
"I know," she confessed. "But it seems as if we'd never get to Woodford. This is the longest-seeming journey I ever
took—even if it is in a private car." Then, fearing to appear inappreciative, she added quickly: "But I do think it is mighty
good of Mr. Maldon to let us take his very own car. I can just see the We are Sevens' eyes pop right out when they see
this style of travelling." Blue Bonnet's own eyes roamed over the luxurious interior of The Wanderer, dwelling with
approval on the big, swinging easy chairs, the book-case cunningly set in just over a writing-desk, the buffet shining with
cut glass and silver, and the thousand and one details that made the car a veritable palace on wheels.
Blue Bonnet had been spending a few days in New York with her uncle, who had insisted that she should have a little
"lark" after her long months in school. Now, in a private car belonging to one of Uncle Cliff's friends, they were on their
way back to Woodford, there to gather up Grandmother Clyde, Alec Trent, and the other six of Blue Bonnet's "We are
Seven" Club, and bear them off to Texas for the summer.
"I reckon Sarah Blake and Kitty Clark aren't very used to travelling?" suggested Uncle Cliff, more to draw out Blue
Bonnet than with any consuming desire for information.
"Used to travelling! Why, Uncle Cliff—" Blue Bonnet shook her head emphatically—"not one of the other We are
Sevens has ever so much as seen the inside of a Pullman in all her life!"
Mr. Ashe hid a smile under his moustache. The fact that Blue Bonnet's own introduction to a Pullman car had occurred
just nine months before, seemed to have escaped the young lady's mind.
"Well, well," ejaculated Blue Bonnet's uncle, "they've some experiences ahead of them, to be sure!"
"Oh, Uncle,"—Blue Bonnet was struck with a sudden fear,—"do you suppose they will all be ready to go? We're two
whole days earlier than we said we'd be—"
"They'll be ready, don't you worry. Your grandmother is not one of the unprepared sort, and the girls don't need much of
a wardrobe for the ranch. Besides, I wired them explicit directions—to meet The Wanderer and be ready to come
aboard immediately. We shall have only a few minutes in Woodford."
Blue Bonnet settled back in her red velvet reclining chair and shut her eyes. Slowly a smile wreathed her lips.
"What's the joke, Honey?"
Blue Bonnet looked up with dancing eyes. "Benita!" she laughed. "Won't she be just—petrified, when she sees seven
girls instead of one? And can't you imagine the boys—"
"Benita had better not get petrified this summer," interrupted Uncle Cliff. "She has to do some tall hustling. I've wired
Uncle Joe to get extra help while the ranch party is in session. If they can get old Gertrudis from the Lone Star Ranch—
she's the finest cook in the state of Texas. And her granddaughter might wait on table."
"Oh, I do think a ranch party is the grandest thing in the world," cried Blue Bonnet. "I've read of house parties, but they
must be downright tame compared with this kind of a party. And it's not to last just over a week-end either, but two whole
months! Why, Uncle Cliff, any ordinary man would be scared to pieces at the prospect."
"But I'm not an ordinary man, eh?" Mr. Ashe looked pleased as a boy as he put the question.
"Well, I reckon not! You're a fairy godfather. You grant my wishes before they're fairly out of my mouth. And I seem to
have plenty of wishes. Just think, Uncle, how many things I've wished for since my last birthday!"
"First," said Uncle Cliff, "you wished to go away from the ranch."
Blue Bonnet nodded assent. "Because I was—afraid—to ride. Doesn't it seem ridiculous, now I'm over that silliness?
But oh, how I did wish I could get over being afraid! That was about the only wish you couldn't grant, Uncle Cliff."
"That wish was never expressed, Honey—don't forget that. Maybe I could have helped even there," Mr. Ashe
suggested gently.
"I know, it was my own fault. But I was—ashamed, Uncle Cliff. You don't suppose—" Blue Bonnet's face clouded, "you
don't think, do you, that the fear will come again when I get back where I saw José—dragged?" She shut her eyes and
shuddered."Nonsense, Honey. That fear died and was buried the day you rode Alec's horse, Victor. A good canter on Firefly over
the Blue Bonnet country will make you wonder that such a feeling was ever born."
"Dear old Firefly! Won't I make it up to him though! Isn't it queer how many of my wishes have come true? It makes me
feel almost—breathless. I no sooner got through wishing I could leave the ranch and go East and be with Grandmother—
than I woke up in Woodford. And I wanted—thought I wanted—to be called Elizabeth. Blue Bonnet became Elizabeth!"
"A real lightning change artist," murmured Uncle Cliff.
"And I wanted to go to school. Granted. I wanted to know a lot of girls, and behold the We are Sevens!"
"And when was it you changed names again?" Uncle Cliff asked slyly.
"When I got tired of being Elizabethed. Everybody thinks Blue Bonnet suits me better, except Aunt Lucinda—on
occasions."
"And the next wish? They're stacking up."
"I reckon it was about the Sargent prize in school. I wanted Alec Trent to win it—and he did. And next I wished to pass
my school examinations—"
"And even that miracle was achieved!" said Uncle Cliff, pinching her cheek.
"And, finally, I wanted to go back to Texas, and, at the same time, I wished I didn't have to leave Grandmother and
Alec and the girls. That might seem a contrary pair of wishes, but it doesn't daunt Godfather Ashe. He straightway makes
a private car arise from—from what, Uncle Cliff?"
"Tobacco smoke," promptly supplied Mr. Ashe, with a reminiscent smile on his lips.
"Why tobacco smoke?" asked Blue Bonnet wonderingly.
"I taught Maldon to smoke when he was a young chap visiting out our way, and we've been friends ever since. The
private car seems to have grown out of that," replied her uncle.
"I see," Blue Bonnet nodded. "But don't tell Aunt Lucinda,—I fancy she doesn't approve of smoking."
"So I've noticed," rather grimly rejoined Mr. Ashe. Blue Bonnet's prim New England aunt had not suffered him to
remain long in ignorance of her disapproval of tobacco in any form.
"There's one thing I don't understand at all," Blue Bonnet knitted her pretty brows. "And that is what was in Uncle Joe
Terry's telegram the other day. Won't you tell me, Uncle?"
"Nothing much,—only that I