“Mother!” she cried, “it’s quarter to eleven!”
“Goodness!” exclaimed Mrs. Merrill; “we’ll have to fly for they’ll be out in front promptly at eleven.”
“Wait and see,” teased Mrs. Merrill as she drippingly made her way up the steps and toward the dressing rooms.
Nobody took long to primp that time and at five minutes to eleven they were leaving the Casino.
“That’s plenty of time,” said Alice comfortably.
“Well, none too much,” said Mrs. Merrill doubtfully, “because I have to go up to the room and change my skirt.”
“Why, Mother,” said Alice, “that’s a nice one you have on.”
“Just so,” laughed Mrs. Merrill, “too nice. Let’s see, have you both your gingham bloomers on this morning--I forgot to notice. Yes, you have. Then you don’t need to change. You may wait for me here.” And she hurried off toward the elevator.
Soon she was back, wearing an old denim skirt that the girls didn’t remember ever seeing. They thought it an awfully queer looking thing but had no time to ask questions because she hurried them right out through the garden.
Through the garden, past the hedges and there--right by the leafy gate--all saddled and bridled and ready to go, stood three of the prettiest little ponies the girls had ever seen!
“Oh! I know! I know! I know!” shouted Alice; “we’re going to take a pony ride.”
“Goody! Goody! Goody! I’m glad I’m me!” cried Mary Jane and she danced up and down and clapped her hands so hard that the man who was holding the ponies laughed and laughed.
“So you really think it will be fun?” asked Mrs. Merrill, happily, as both girls, with never a thought that they were on the street, nearly smothered her with a great bear hug; “well, I think so too. So let’s be off. See, the ponies are pawing to go.”
First they decided which pony Mary Jane should ride. The groom put her on one, but he seemed most too big so she was changed to another. Then Alice was lifted up onto hers.
“Don’t bother about me,” said Mrs. Merrill, “I can manage very well with this stone. Please start off with the girls.” So the groom trotted after the girls whose ponies were walking briskly toward the market place.
When Mrs. Merrill caught up with them, she suggested that they turn south, down the quiet, narrow street at the right, as the main street seemed too crowded for even safe ponies when they were ridden by folks who had never been pony-back before. So they rode a few blocks past quaint old Spanish houses and gardens--which the girls didn’t even glance at!--then east past the old barracks and south to the open country. By the time they had ridden a couple of miles the girls were getting “on to” the knack of sitting straight and of holding their reins and guiding their steeds, so the groom suggested that they go west, around the village and ride around the old fort at the north.