Page:Betty Gordon in the Land of Oil.djvu/107

Rh, and her dark eyes and heavy straight dark hair, which she now wore in a thick braid down her back, would have enabled her to play the part of Minnehaha, or that of a pretty Gypsy lass, with little trouble. Her khaki riding suit was very becoming, and to-day she had knotted a scarlet tie under the trim little collar that further emphasized her vivid coloring and the smooth tan of her cheeks. Although the sun was hot, she would not bother with a hat, and Bob, too, was bareheaded. They looked what they were—a healthy, happy, wide-awake American boy and girl and ready for either adventure or service, or a mixture of both, and reasonably sure to call whatever might befall them "fun".

"Why don't we go to that north section Dave Thorne is always talking about?" suggested Bob. "He is forever harping on the subject of a fire there, and I'd like to look it over."

"But it must be five miles from here," said Betty doubtfully. "Can we get back in time for dinner?"

"If we can't, we'll get some one of the Chinese cooks to give us a lunch," returned Bob confidently. "Let's go, Betty. I know the way, because I studied the map Uncle Dick had out on the table night before last. The north section is shut off from the others, and it's backed up against the furthest end of that perfect forest of derricks