Patsy Doyle's life is never quiet for long. When she comes home in the rain with a battered puppy she has rescued from cruelty and named Mumbles, her practical father is horrified, her indulgent Uncle John is amused, and the household is instantly transformed by her stubborn kindness and irrepressible charm. With Louise gone and the family feeling the loss, Uncle John soon proposes a bigger remedy than comfort: a winter trip to California by automobile, with Patsy thrilled by the adventure and Major Doyle protesting every hardship he can imagine. The journey west becomes a lively test of nerves, humor, and heart. Along the way, Patsy and Beth meet Myrtle Dean, a lonely, lame orphan traveling alone to search for a never-known uncle, and the family quietly takes her under their protection. The road grows rougher, the country wilder, and the travelers camp on lonely mesas, where coyotes howl, Wampus proves unexpectedly resourceful, and a rattlesnake threatens the tent. Through mishaps, desert nights, and stubborn optimism, the novel blends domestic comedy with frontier adventure, revealing a close-knit group whose generosity carries them toward sunshine, danger, and discovery. This edition has been fully restored with modern typesetting, custom cover design.