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They stood looking at the ponies for some little time, and then Russ decided he wanted to make a boat and sail it in the creek that was not far from the ranch house.
"I'll sail one, too," said Laddie.
"And we'll take our dolls down by the creek and let them have a bath," said Rose to Violet.
"You don't mean a real bath?"
"No, just make believe."
"All right. Only I think I'll make a boat. Su-San doesn't need a bath. She had one once when we were at home. But I'll take her along so she can see the water."
"We'll all go down to the bank of the creek and sit there in the shade until Daddy and Uncle Fred come back," said Mrs. Bunker. "That will make the time pass more quickly."
"I hope they bring back the lost cattle," said Rose.
A little later the six little Bunkers were walking with their mother down toward where a creek flowed through the Three Star Ranch. It was not a very large one, but it had enough water in it to give hundreds of cattle a drink when they were thirsty. When the spring went dry the water from the creek had to be used in th...
Russ and Laddie and Vi -- Vi keeping Su-San near by -- made some boats out of old pieces of wood they picked up around the ranch house. These boats they tied strings to, and let float down the creek, pulling them back from time to time and starting them off on another voyage.
Mrs. Bunker sat on the grassy bank, in the shade of a willow tree, while Mun Bun and Margy and Rose played near her.
Mun Bun had his pail and shovel that he had brought from the beach at Cousin Tom's, and the little boy began digging holes in the dirt near the edge of the creek. Margy played with her Japanese doll as did Rose.
It was rather warm, for that time of year, and Mrs. Bunker, leaning up against the tree trunk, began to feel sleepy. She closed her eyes, meaning only to rest them a minute, but, before she knew it, she was asleep. The children did not notice her as they were playing so nicely, Russ and Laddie and Vi a little way down ...
After a while Margy said:
"I'm going to take a walk with my doll. She hasn't had a walk to-day."
"Where are you going?" asked Rose.
"Oh, just a little way," Margy answered. "Want to come?"
"No, my doll doesn't feel very well, and I've sent for the doctor. I've got to stay in till he comes," replied Rose.
Of course this was only make-believe, but the children often played that.
She made a bed for her doll in the soft grass, and covered her with some leaves picked near by.
"I guess I'll play my doll is sick, too," said Margy, "'stead of taking her for a walk."
"No, don't play your doll's sick," objected Rose to Margy. "She must be a trained nurse for my doll."
"Oh, yes. That'll be more fun. I wish the doctor would hurry up and come."
"So do I," murmured Rose, pretending to be anxious.
Then, after a while, they made believe the doctor had arrived in his automobile, and he left some medicine for Rose's sick doll, which the trained nurse, who was Margy's doll, had to give with a spoon. The spoon was just a little willow twig, of course.
Down by the creek Russ and Laddie and Vi were still sailing their boats.
Pretty soon Vi said she was tired playing sail-a-boat, and was going to take Su-San for a walk.
After a while Russ and Laddie grew tired of playing boats, and came up the bank to where their mother was.
"Oh, look! She's asleep!" whispered Russ.
"Don't wake her," replied Rose.
But just then Mrs. Bunker opened her eyes and smiled at the children.
"I was asleep," she said, "but I heard what you said. Did you have a nice time? Shall we go back now? It must be almost supper time. Why, where's Vi?" she suddenly asked, as she did not see the curly-haired girl. "Where's Violet?" and Mrs. Bunker stood up quickly and looked all around.
Chapter XII
Laddie Catches A Riddle
Mrs. Bunker was startled when she did not see Violet with the other little Bunkers.
"Where's Vi?" she asked the other children. "Where did she go?"
"Oh, she just took her doll for a walk," said Russ. "She went away a little while ago, over there," and he pointed to the rolling plains behind the willow trees.
The plain was not flat, like a board. It was rolling land, with hills and hollows here and there. Some of the hills were high enough to hide a man behind them.
"Where did she go?" asked Mrs. Bunker, and now her voice was anxious.
"Just to give her doll a walk," explained Russ. "She got tired of playing sail-a-boat, she said, and she went for a walk, and took her doll."
"Violet! Violet! Where are you?" loudly called Mrs. Bunker.
There was no answer.
Mrs. Bunker ran to the top of the nearest little hill, or knoll, and looked across the plain. The five little Bunkers followed her. There were only five with her, as Violet had gone for a walk with her doll.
"But where can she have gone?" asked Mrs. Bunker, as she did not see her little girl, nor hear her answer the call.
"Maybe she went home," said Russ.
"Oh, yes," agreed Rose, not wanting to think that anything had happened to her sister. "Maybe her doll got tired, and she took her home."
Sometimes the little Bunker girls were so real in their make-believe play that they did things a grown person would have done.
"Would she know the way home alone?" asked Mrs. Bunker.
"It's right over there," said Russ, pointing. "You can see the ranch houses from here."