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"Well, you stay here and I'll go see what it was," went on grandpa, and he started off toward the hollow log with a big club. He was not gone very long, and when he came back he was laughing, as he had the night before when Nicknack gave them a scare. "Just as I thought!" cried the children's grandpa. "It was a big, red fox in the hollow log." "And not a bear?" asked Ted. "Not a bear, Curlytop!
So he was more often spoken to as Ted or Teddy, and his sister Janet was called Jan. Though oftener still they were called the "Curlytops," or, if one was speaking to one or the other he would say "Curlytop." That was because both Teddy and Janet had such very, very curly hair.
"Yes," answered Baldy, and there was a queer smile on his face, "but I guess I forgot to tell you that the time I was captured by the Indians I was a little boy, not as big as you, Curlytop. And the reason they picked me up off the prairie was that I had wandered away from my home and was lost. So the nice squaw kept me until one of the Indian men had time to take me home."
"Indeed I did, my little Curlytop. They may not be hot now, but maybe your mother can warm them on the stove," and picking up a package he had laid down near the tree to which he had tied Trouble, the lollypop man gave it to Mrs. Martin with a low bow. "Waffles for the Curlytops," he said laughing.
"I can crawl in there and run and get him before that bronco " "You stay right where you are, Curlytop!" exclaimed Jim Mason. "We don't want you both hurt, and if you go in there now you might start that crazy horse to kicking. Stay where you are. I'll get Trouble for you." "Maybe if I called to him he'd come," said Janet. She, too, spoke in a whisper.
"I don't want to see any Indians." "But they're tame ones," said her brother. "They can't be awful tame, else they wouldn't run away with Uncle Frank's cows," declared the little girl. "That's right!" laughed Uncle Frank. "I guess we won't bring any Indians here, Curlytop, even if we catch 'em, which we may not do as they have a good start of us.
"After a while maybe I'll learn how to ride so I can go off with you and help get the Indians that stole your horses. Do you think I can, Uncle Frank?" asked Teddy one day. "Well, maybe, Curlytop. We surely must find those Indians, for I don't like to lose all those horses. As soon as I get some of my work done I'll have another look for them."
We couldn't think of letting you!" answered Uncle Frank. "Come on, boys! Get ready. We'll have to ride fast! "We can ride fast!" added Teddy. "You said, the other day, Uncle Frank, I could ride real good!" "So you can, Curlytop." "Then why can't we come? Jan she's a good rider, too!" "Why the idea of you children thinking you can go off on a hunt for Indians!" exclaimed their mother.
"Can't I come?" asked Ted, as he saw his grandfather start into the dark hole which spread out from the open place into which Ted had fallen. "I'm not coming," declared Janet, "and I don't want to stay here all alone." "You stay there with your sister, Curlytop," directed Mr. Martin. "If I find out it's all right and is safe, I'll come back and take you both in a little way."
Usually Ted did not mind what game his sister played with him, but since Hal had spoken of gold the little Curlytop boy had acted differently. "We don't want girls in the gold mine," repeated Ted. "Course we do!" laughed Hal. "Jan's a strong digger, and I can't do very much, as my foot that used to be lame isn't all well yet. It used to be almost as strong as the other, but now it isn't.