Ruth had traveled before this—­north, south, east and west—­and there was scarcely anything novel in train riding for her.  But a journey would never be dull with Jennie Stone and Helen Cameron as companions!

They ruined completely the morale of the car service.  The colored porter could scarcely shine the other passengers’ shoes he was kept so much at the beck and call of the two wealthy girls, who tipped lavishly.  The Pullman conductor was cornered on every possible occasion and led into discourse entirely foreign to his duties.  Even the “candy butcher” was waylaid and made to serve the ends of two girls who had perfectly idle hands and—­so Ruth declared—­quite as idle brains.

“Well, goodness!” remarked Helen, “we must occupy our minds and time in some way.  You, Ruthie, are confined to that story of yours about twenty-five hours out of the twenty-four.  Even Wonota has thought only for her tiresome beadwork when she is not studying her part with Mr. Hooley and you.  I know we’ll have fun when we get to the Hubbell Ranch where Mr. Hammond says your picture is to be filmed.  I do just dote on cowboys and the fuzzy little ponies they ride.”

“And the dear cows!” drawled Jennie.  “Do you remember that maniacal creature that attacked our motor-car that time we went to Silver Ranch, years and years and years ago?  You know, back in the Paleozoic Age!”

“Quite so,” agreed Helen.  “I have a photographic remembrance of that creature—­ugh!  And how he burst our tires!”

"He, forsooth!  What a way to speak of a cow!”

“It wasn’t a cow; it was a steer,” declared Helen confidently.

Ruth retired from the observation platform where her chums were ensconced, allowing them to argue the matter to a finish.  It was true that the girl of the Red Mill was very busy most of her waking hours on the train.  They all took a recess at Chicago, however, and it was there a second incident occurred that showed Dakota Joe Fenbrook had not forgotten his threat to “get even” with Ruth Fielding and the moving picture producer with whom she was associated.

The special car was sidetracked just outside of Chicago and the whole party motored into the city in various automobiles and on various errands.  The Hammonds had relatives to visit.  Ruth and her three girl companions had telegraphed ahead for reservations at one of the big hotels, and they proposed to spend the two days and nights Mr. Hammond had arranged for in seeing the sights and attending two particular theatrical performances.

“And I declare!” cried Helen, as they rolled on through one of the suburbs of the city, “there is one of the sights, sure enough.  See that billboard, girls?”

“Oh!” cried Wonota, who possessed quite as sharp eyes as anybody in the party.

“We can’t escape that man,” sighed Jennie, as she read in towering letters the announcement of “Dakota Joe’s Wild West and Frontier Round-Up.”