One, Two, and Three climbed over the fence, laughing at how easy it was to do in Levi’s. They walked among the horses and chose three.

Trapper joined them and checked each horse’s teeth, legs, and eyes. He ran his hand from mane to tail and back again.

Each girl did the same.

“Pick your own mount, ladies. You’ll be the one taking care of them.”

Once they’d picked, Trapper took the time to show Four and Five how to saddle her horse. None of the mares were as big or would be as fast as his Midnight, but Trapper figured they’d do.

While the girls rode their horses around the corral, Trapper noticed the old drunk from the trading post was finally out in the sun.

“You picked my three best horses. Damn it.”

“I didn’t, they did,” Trapper answered.

“I didn’t sell you the saddles. You just going to take them? They are worth as much as the horses.”

“I’ll give you a twenty for the three.”

“Twenty-five.”

“Twenty. The girls can ride bareback to the next trading post if you don’t take the price.”

“Damn. You’re as tough to trade with as your daughter, mister.”

Trapper didn’t correct the old goat.

A few minutes later he told One to drive the wagon, and he rode ahead with Two and Three traveling beside him.

They were not as skilled as Number One at riding, but both could handle their mounts. As the miles passed, he told them how to watch for trouble. How to move leaving the fewest footprints on the land. He said they had to feel trouble in their gut before their brains.

As the day aged, he traded places with One and let her ride with her sisters. The only rule was to stay in sight of the wagon, and the three ladies pushed that limit to the edge.

Before sundown they camped.

Emery and the two little ones made biscuits that looked like rabbits as Trapper made sure the older three took proper care of their horses. When he came back to camp, he whispered to Emery that he’d seen Number Three smile twice that day.

The old wool hat was retired to become the cornhusk dolls’ bed.

After supper all the little ladies turned in. Trapper said he’d wake up One at midnight so he could sleep for a few hours.

She nodded. He swore she’d matured these last two weeks. No bedtime stories or songs tonight; the girls were all tired.

Trapper kept the fire low even though the wind was kicking up from the north. He figured if the four riders were looking for them, they would have already been traveling back. Once they passed the trading post, it wouldn’t take long for them to catch up.