[Transcriber's note: Extensive research found no evidence that the U. S. Copyright on this publication was renewed. ]

The Merriweather Girls

IN

QUEST OF TREASURE

BY

LIZETTE M. EDHOLM

AUTHOR OF

"THE MERRIWEATHER GIRLS" SERIES

THE GOLDSMITH PUBLISHING COMPANY

CHICAGO

COPYRIGHT 1932 BY

LIZETTE M. EDHOLM

Made in U. S. A. 

CONTENTS

CHAPTER

 I On Their Way II A Street Leading to the Capitol III The Wash-Out IV The Desert V A Solitary Explorer VI Casa Grande VII The Map of Mystery VIII Kit's Home Folks IX Lost Canyon X The Professor's Job XI Staking a Claim XII Double Dealing XIII The "Orphan Annie" Claim XIV Treasure Trove XV A Spy XVI Missing XVII Indian Trading XVIII The Old Chief's Daughter Walks XIX A Brass Bound Chest XX "Compliments of Kie Wicks"

In Quest of Treasure

CHAPTER I

_ON THEIR WAY_

The four Merriweather Girls were assembled at the railroad stationwhere the long string of Pullman coaches stood ready. The girls werestarting on a vacation trip to the southwest. 

"What's the matter, now, Joy Evans? Why all the tears?" Bet Baxter, her blond hair in disarray, caught the girl by the shoulders and gaveher a rough but affectionate shake. 

"Oh, let her alone, Bet, " laughed Shirley Williams. "That's Joy'sgood-bye. She likes to weep when she goes away. "

"But why?" insisted Bet, her blue eyes serious for a moment. "We'vebeen planning on this western trip all winter. We've thought ofnothing but Arizona for months. Tell me why you are crying?"

"Because I feel like it, Bet Baxter, " snapped Joy. "It's so thrillingto be going away for a long trip, and when it comes to the luxury of aprivate car, why it's twice as thrilly. " Joy choked as a laugh and asob got mixed up together. Then making an elaborate but not verypolite grimace at her chum, she disappeared into the car that was tocarry her and her chums westward. 

"There, she's herself again, " laughed Bet. "That face indicates thatJoy is happy. "

Bet was glowing with excitement. It was her first long trip away fromher home in Lynnwood on the Hudson, and the promise of a summer ofadventure in the Arizona mountains was almost too good to be true. Orso it seemed to the girl. 

Her one regret was that her father was not coming with her. From theobservation car she was calling her farewell messages to him as hestood on the platform of the station. Bet was his only child and theresponsibility of looking after her and trying to make up for the lossof her mother, was sometimes a heavy burden on Colonel Baxter. Therewas an anxious look in his face now, although he knew that his daughterwould be well taken care of by Judge Breckenridge and his wife, who hadinvited Bet and her chums to be their guests for the summer. 

Anyone but an over-anxious parent would have felt confident that BetBaxter could look out for herself under any circumstances. Herstraight young body had poise and assurance of power and she had aresourcefulness of mind that made her a leader among her friends. 

Bet was nearer to real tears than she would have admitted to any one. Back there was her father, the very best chum she had, and to be goingaway where she could not see him every week-end made a strange catch inher breath. 

Shirley realized what Bet was experiencing and stepping to her side, called gaily to the Colonel. 

"Hold that pose, Colonel. I'm going to take a picture of you. "

Wherever one saw Shirley, they usually saw a camera for she rarely letit out of her hands during a trip, and now as the shutter clicked shesaid to Bet: "That's the third picture I've taken of him. You'll havethose to look at. "

"Thanks, Shirley, that's good of you. And I shouldn't feel sofrightfully homesick for Dad may come out to see us in a few weeks. "

"Oh, won't that be great, " exclaimed Shirley. "He is just like one ofthe boys. "

"Doesn't it seem strange not to have the boys here to bid us good-bye. It's never happened before. "

The boys were Bob Evans, Joy's brother, and his chum, Phil Gordon, favorites with the girls and always included in their activities whenboys were wanted at all. The week before, the girls had waved themgood-bye as they started on an auto trip with Paul Breckenridge. 

The girls missed their parting nonsense. It didn't seem like goingaway at all, without the boys to keep up the fun. 

As the train began to move, Bet smiled bravely back at her father andwaved until a curving road carried them out of sight of the station. 

Only then did she answer the insistent calls of the girls inside thecar. 

"Bet Baxter, do come here and see this, " cried Enid Breckenridge, alarge blond girl whose serious face told of trouble lived through thathad been too heavy for her young shoulders. Her gray-blue eyes weresad. 

Bet was about to speak to Enid when the other chum, a tall dark-eyedgirl, grabbed her by the hand and dragged her across the room. 

"Look at this, Bet!" Kit Patten exclaimed. "You're missing everything!"

But Bet stood stock still and gazed about her in surprise. This wasnot a bit like an ordinary train. It gave the impression of a veryhomey living room in a small house, with its shaded reading lamps andthe easy chairs that invited one to their soft depths. 

"Isn't it wonderful?" breathed Bet with a happy sigh. "I'd love to sitright there and watch the scenery go by. "

But that was only the impulse of a moment. There were too many thingsto see in this marvelous train. And Kit was demanding her attentionfrom one side and Enid Breckenridge from the other. 

Kit won, and opening a door, displayed a small bedroom beautifullyarranged and furnished. 

"Isn't it just too lovely for anything?" asked Kit as she heard Bet'sgasp of astonishment. 

"I didn't know trains were ever fixed up this way, " Bet was taking inall the delightful details of the room. "I always thought it was alower berth if you were lucky and an upper one if you were out of luck. Why this is just like a lovely little playhouse. Who will sleep here?"

"This is for mother, " said Enid. "She gets the best room. "

"Of course she does, " assented Bet. "But where do _we_ get put awayfor the night?"

"In here!" Kit suddenly opened a door and at Bet's look of surpriseshe went on: "You didn't know there was a door there, did you? It'salmost like magic. "

And magic it seemed to the girls as they wandered from one thing toanother. The electrical appliances in the dressing room!

"Why, girls, we don't know what half of them are for, " laughed Bet. 

"We'll have to have a maid to show us how to get dressed here. " And asKit spoke a trim little colored maid appeared as if she had heard acall. 

"Is everything all right?" she asked looking at Enid. 

Bet had always taken the lead and was chief spokesman. She was aboutto answer when she remembered that Enid was hostess. "Here's whereI'll have to take second place, " thought Bet. But in her heart she wasglad to see Enid in the position of hostess. Her life had been full oftragedy. Stolen from her wealthy parents, she had not known a home orfriends until the previous year when she had been rescued by the chumson Campers' Trail. 

The car in which the girls were travelling belonged to Enid's father, and the girl was glad to show her friends around the place. 

"Here's one compartment with two beds, and opposite is one with threebeds, " said Enid. "How will we divide up?"

"As usual, I guess, you and Kit and I in one and Shirley and Joy in theother. "

When the maid had left, Enid laughingly pushed Kit into a chair infront of the dressing table. "Sit still now, while I curl your hair!"she directed. 

The other girls joined the laugh, for Kit's hair was a mass of darkringlets that clung close to her head. Bet Baxter, with her straight, blond hair always envied Kit those curls, while her own unruly lockswere flying out at all angles. 

"But do come and see what I discovered, " said Enid at last, pulling Betby the sleeve. "It's a darling little dining room! Why it's--it's. . . "And Enid stopped because in all her experience she could find nothingto compare with the tiny room which glittered with crystal and silver. 

"I do believe that lunch is getting ready, " said Joy Evans. "And letme tell you, it can't come too soon to suit me. I'm starved. "

"As usual, " laughed Shirley. "You're always hungry, Joy. And it's sonice you can eat _everything_! And still you're thin!" Shirley wasinclined to plumpness and had to choose her food more carefully thanthe others. 

As they turned toward the salon once more, Bet dropped into an easychair and picked up a book. 

"Oh, Bet, don't get interested in a story yet! You'll have heaps oftime to read before we get to Arizona. Come on, let's see if we canpeek into the kitchen. To my way of thinking, that's the mostimportant room on the train, " laughed Joy. 

"That's what we'd expect you to think, Joy, " teased Shirley. 

Enid rose and motioned the girls to follow her toward the kitchencompartment, then gave a shrug of disgust as she noticed a sign on thedoor, "Private. "

"Why, the idea, " pouted Bet Baxter. "Right on our own car, too! Idon't think we ought to stand for it. " Then a spirit of mischiefovercame Bet. She tiptoed toward the door and shoved it open, bouncinginto the room without even looking. The girls watched to see whatwould happen. 

Plenty happened, for at that moment Sam Wilkins, the huge colored cook, was bringing in a large tray of ice water. There was a loud crash. Two glasses fell to the floor, and the man himself almost lost hisbalance. 

Sam's usual smile faded. "Ain't you seen that sign, nohow?" hedemanded pointing a long, black finger at the word "Private. "

"Why how stupid of me!" Bet tried to look innocent. "Was that there_all_ the time? Imagine me not seeing it!" There was remorse in hervoice but a merry twinkle in her eyes that did not escape Sam. 

"Maybe you can't read yet, " he said, frowning. 

Bet bestowed on him one of her compelling smiles. "I'm very sorry, "she said with her sweetest accent. "I'll promise never to come in hereagain--that is unless you want me to see your darling kitchen. I knowI'd just love it. "

Sam's white teeth showed in a broad smile. After that, he was willingto do anything for Bet Baxter. He ushered her into his kitchen as ifshe were a queen. 

When Bet came back triumphantly to the drawing room a few minuteslater, Enid greeted her with a shake of her head:

"You certainly have a way with you, Bet Baxter. No one can resist you, no one!"

"What about Edith Whalen?" Bet reminded her. 

"Oh, that girl!" said Enid contemptuously. 

"Every rule has to have one exception. She doesn't count at all. "

"Speaking of Edith, I wonder where she is this summer?" asked Kit. 

"Why spoil a perfectly good day by speaking of Edith at all. She'sjust nothing in my young life. She belongs to the dim and distantpast. A summer of real happiness is before us!" exclaimed Bet. 

"Huh! That's just what you said last year when we went to Campers'Trail, and see what happened! Edith was there and managed to make ourlives miserable for a month and more, " Joy reminded her with shrug ofher dainty shoulders. 

"Well, there is one thing sure, girls, " laughed Kit Patten. "She willnot be in Lost Canyon. So you are safe in planning on a happy summer. "

"Now if we can only persuade Bet not to find any problems to solve, wewill have a heavenly time. " Shirley had been working hard during thewinter. She was the level headed, business girl. She was always readyfor a good time, but if she were asked to choose, it would be a quietone with no great excitement. But Shirley always took things as theycame and enjoyed herself. 

Joy Evans was different. Her impatience often made her miss the goodtime that was right at hand. Now she was looking forward to hervacation in the Arizona mountains on Judge Breckenridge's ranch. 

"Oh, I'm so glad we're off. I can hardly wait until I see the cowboys. I think they must be marvelous!"

"Joy, do try to use a little bit of sense. There's nothing remarkableabout a cowboy, " Kit Patten, the mountain girl, replied. For Kit hadlived most of her life in Arizona at the head of Lost Canyon, and asluck would have it, only about half a mile from the ranch belonging toJudge Breckenridge. 

Kit had been away from her home for two years and at present was allexcited about seeing her father and mother. 

"What are you looking forward to, Enid?" asked Shirley. "Joy wants tosee the cowboys, I want to rest and Kit wants to see Dad and Ma Patten. "

"I want to see what my western home is like. It's so good to have ahome, girls, " Enid replied, and the girls gave her a tender smile, remembering the experiences on Campers' Trail. 

"And I suppose Bet wants some wild adventure, " teased Joy. "Problemsto solve, great deeds to be done!"

"Oh, I'm not so sure. Maybe I'll be a cowgirl and learn to ride likeKit, and rope a steer like her friend, Seedy Saunders. There are heapsof things I'd like to do. I'd like to meet a western bad man that youread about. "

"If you want that, Bet, you'll have to go to the movies. Western badmen are a thing of the past, " Kit answered decidedly. "In the earlydays, Lost Canyon was a wild place but now it's the most peaceful spotin the world. "

"Just my luck!" pouted Bet. "I did want to catch a western bad man, single handed, and turn him over to justice. "

The girls laughed. They were each looking forward to somethingdifferent, some particular plan or desire of her own, as far apart asthey could possibly be, yet these five girls had bound themselvestogether, one for all and all for one. 

Two summers ago, Bet Baxter, Joy Evans and Shirley Williams had firstmet Kit Patten, the homesick western girl. They had formed a littleclub that took its name from Colonel Baxter's estate, MerriweatherManor, a delightful old mansion on the Hudson with its romantic storyof Revolutionary days when Lady Betty Merriweather reigned in itsstately rooms. Her story inspired the girls to find adventure in lifeand to be true to their highest ideals. 

In the story The Merriweather Girls and The Mystery of the Queen's Fan, these four girls solved the problem of the stolen fan. They had tensemoments when it seemed as if they had failed, but they held on and wonout. 

The next year a new member was added to their club. In TheMerriweather Girls, On Campers' Trail, they found Enid, then known asTilly, The Waif of the Woods. The girls with quick thinking, daringand devotion were able to discover the girl's parents, and as a proofof their gratitude, Judge Breckenridge and his wife had invited them onthis lovely vacation trip to Arizona. 

Suddenly the train gave a little jerk and Bet looked up quickly to seeEnid Breckenridge staring at her. Each knew that the other had beenlooking back for a moment and being thankful that they had met and werenow journeying together for a summer of happiness. 

At that moment Sam's grinning face appeared at the door with theannouncement that lunch was ready. Enid jumped to her feet andhastened to help her invalid mother to the table. Years of anxiety andworry over her daughter's disappearance had broken her health. Strength was coming back slowly and it was hoped that a summer in thesouthwest would complete her recovery. 

With the judge on one side and Enid on the other, the frail invalidwalked the few feet to the table. Her face was aglow with happiness. Virginia Breckenridge was still young and the white hair onlyemphasized the youthful lines of her face. She did not appear mucholder than the group of girls who surrounded her at the table. 

"Isn't this wonderful!" cried Bet in her enthusiastic way, waving herhand toward the passing landscape. "I could keep on like this forever. "

"So could I, " laughed Joy. "But when do we get to Washington?"

"Not until four o'clock! Why all the hurry?" Shirley was enjoying herday of travel. When the train stopped at stations she was all readywith her camera in case some interesting bit presented itself. Shirleywas in her glory. Colonel Baxter's parting gift to her had been a newcamera and plenty of films, so Shirley felt that she could takepictures to her heart's content. 

"We've got a good cook, " whispered Joy across the table to her hostess. "I don't know what he calls this mixture, but it's wonderful!" Joy'sface was expressive and Sam noticed her approval of his lunch so duringthe remainder of the trip it was to Joy he turned if he wanted to makesure that any dish was appreciated. 

And while the girls did not find the time dragging, they were ready andwaiting when the train pulled into the station at Washington. Theywere shunted about for a few minutes and finally stopped on a sidetrack where the car would remain while they were in the Capital. 

As Bet emerged from the station she gave a little scream of delight. "There it is, girls!" she cried. "The dome of the Capitol! At last myeyes have really seen it!"

"Wait a minute till I get a picture of it, " said Shirley. "I might notget such a good view again. "

"That view isn't worth taking, " interrupted Mrs. Breckenridge. "You'dbetter wait. That dome is visible from all parts of the city. It'swasting a film to take it here. "

"Oh, girls, I can hardly wait until I see everything. TheCongressional Library, the. . . . . "

"The place where the money is made! That's what I want to see. I hopethey'll be making thousand dollar bills. I think that would be fun, "sang out Joy as the Judge helped her into the taxi. 

When they reached the hotel steps, Shirley was thankful that she hadnot wasted her film on the other view of the Capitol. In the haze ofthe late afternoon, the dome looked like a huge bubble. 

"There's your picture, Shirley, " gasped Bet. "And see, the street infront of us leads right up to the Capitol. "

The girls followed the Judge rather unwillingly into the hotel. Theywere anxious not to miss any of the sights of the city and it seemed awaste of time to go indoors. 

"Come on Bet, don't be so slow, " called Kit from the doorway. 

"This is so nice I'd like to look at it forever, " she said with a sigh. The girls laughed for Bet was always wishing things to last forever. 

Mrs. Breckenridge had not stood the trip as well as they had expected. She seemed completely tired out and Enid refused to leave her. 

"You go along and have a good time, " Enid proposed to the girls, butwithout their friend they felt they could not enjoy anything, so ashort walk was all they saw of Washington that evening. 

They retired early, for even youth gets weary with excitement and newscenes. The girls were glad to get into bed. 

"We'll have a hard day ahead of us tomorrow, if we want to seeeverything we plan on seeing, " said Bet as she snuggled down. 

Within half an hour they were all asleep. 

When Bet opened her eyes it was daylight and she felt ready for thestrenuous day ahead. She scrambled out of bed, gave Kit a shake andthen ran across the hall to see if Shirley and Joy were up. 

Shirley was still sleeping. But Joy was not there. 

"Why, she's up and dressed! Her clothes are gone!" exclaimed Bet invexed tones. "I think she might have wakened us. "

Dressing quickly they went down stairs to find Joy. 

The lounging rooms and halls and the foyer were empty at this hour. Noone had seen Joy or knew anything about her. 

She had simply disappeared. 

CHAPTER II

_A STREET LEADING TO THE CAPITOL_

And when breakfast was over there was still no Joy. 

Finally one of the porters was found who said he had seen a girl leavethe hotel about seven o'clock. "She walked up the street in front ofyou, up toward the Capitol. "

"There, didn't I tell you! Joy's all right. Nothing can happen to herhere, " said Shirley reassuringly. 

"Let's walk up that way. We'll probably meet her coming back. " Kitlooked anxiously toward the hill. "I can't imagine why she stayed solong. She can't get inside any of the buildings. "

"Maybe I won't have something to say to that girl!" exclaimed Betangrily. "She hasn't any right to run off like this and frighten us. "And if Bet had met her at that minute, the girl would probably havebeen told many things about herself. 

But they did not meet Joy. There was no sign of her on the streetleading up to the Capitol, and no sign of her on the grounds. 

Where was Joy?

Even the Judge looked worried. "Not that I think anything will happento her, but I'm responsible and I wish she had not gone out byherself, " he declared. 

The girls were seeing the Capitol in a very different way than they hadplanned. They were in no mood to be impressed by the majesty of thebuilding. They were watching for the tiny figure of Joy to appear atevery corner. 

"It's no use, we might as well go back to the hotel and wait. Maybeshe's there by this time, " suggested Judge Breckenridge. 

Still Joy had not returned when the party reached their quarters. 

"There may have been an accident!" Bet shivered at the thought. Theirlaughing Joy! That would be too terrible to think of. 

The Judge was about to notify the authorities when Sam Wilkins thecolored steward on their train, walked in leading Joy, a woe-begonelittle creature, tear-stained and tired. 

"Why Joy Evans! You----" Then catching sight of the girl's whiteface, Bet ran and threw her arms about her. "You darling! We thoughtyou were lost and you were at the train all the time. Oh, Joy dear!"Tears came to Bet's eyes. 

Joy did not break down and cry again until she had reached her ownroom. Then the tears came in a flood. 

"Oh, I was so frightened, " she sobbed. 

When she had quieted down, half an hour later, she told her story. "Iwoke up hours and hours before the rest of you and I couldn't sleep. And when I'm at home I always go walking early in the morning. So Iwalked up the street leading to the Capitol. "

"Yes, we know. We went up there, thinking we'd meet you coming back. How did you get lost? The hotel is at the end of the street. "

"Just you go up there and look!" Joy's eyes snapped, but in a minuteher sense of humor returned. "I wouldn't have believed it possible toget lost, for, as you say, the hotel is at the end of the streetleading up there. "

"Then what happened?"

"Oh, I'm so dumb!" began Joy. 

"Tell us something we don't know!" laughed Kit. 

"Well, I didn't look at the name of the street. And that old Capitol!Girls, I don't care if I never see it again! It stands up there onthat hill as if it were the most important thing in the world, andstreets lead up to it from _everywhere_, like the spokes of a wheel. _All_ the streets lead to the Capitol!"

"And you didn't know which street you came up?" asked Kit. 

"That's it. So I walked down all those streets, up and down and up anddown. Why I've seen that building from every angle. It was terrible!"

"Why didn't you just take a taxi to the hotel?" asked the practicalShirley. 

"Oh, I'm not so dumb. I thought of that!" exclaimed Joy with a toss ofher head. "But the taxi man laughed at me. I didn't know the name ofthe hotel or the name of the street, and I'd already told him I didn'thave any money. "

"You poor little kid, " soothed Bet. 

"He finally went away and I saw him make a sign to another taxi driveras much as to say I was crazy. Then I got frightened for fear they'dspeak to me and laugh some more, so I ran away. "

"And did you go down all those streets again?" asked Shirley. 

"No, I was tired of that. I'd been on all of them, I guess. Then Iremembered the train at the station, and I walked there. "

"Oh Joy! All that long way? You could have taken a taxi there, " saidEnid. 

"No, I couldn't! I didn't have any money and I wasn't going to belaughed at any more. I couldn't be sure that Sam was there to pay forme. "

"Well, it's over now, and we'd better go sight-seeing. We've wastedhalf the morning, " exclaimed Bet sharply. 

"I don't want to go sight-seeing!" said Joy decidedly. 

"Don't be a spoil-sport, Joy. We're not angry at you or anything. Butwe do want to see Washington. " Bet's voice was raised to a point whereangry words were apt to come. At a signal from Kit, she quieted downhowever. 

Kit turned to Joy. "You wouldn't want to leave this city withoutseeing everything--the Congressional Library and the Capitol. . . . . . "

"_Please_ don't take me to the Capitol! I think I'll scream if I everlay eyes on that dome again! I've seen it a million times to-day, andthat's plenty. "

"All right, you can sit in the car while we take a look at it, " laughedShirley, patting the still half frightened girl. 

Still Joy shook her head. "I can't go!" she finally exclaimed. "Thebreakfast at the hotel is over and I'm so hungry I'm weak. "

"You poor little girl!" spoke up the Judge with a twinkle in his eyes. "Enid, you take her down the block to that restaurant and get her agood breakfast. She'll be ready for anything when she gets back. "

"Not the Capitol, Judge! I draw the line at that. " She laughed likethe old Joy once more. 

Half an hour later Joy returned and announced that even the sight ofthe Capitol would not prevent her from accompanying them. 

For the rest of the stay in the city she had to put up with a good dealof teasing, and the Judge noticed that she did not allow the girls toget out of sight for a moment. 

Joy had learned her lesson. 

"We're just like tourists, " sighed Bet when the day was almost over. "We've rushed around from one thing to another. I don't like it. Myeyes ache from looking at so many pictures. Imagine two galleries inone afternoon, besides the White House and the Capitol. That's toomuch sight-seeing! I'll be glad when we go. "

But the trip down the river to Mount Vernon the next day was enjoyed byall the girls, and when they caught sight of the old mansion, Betcried, "Why, it looks something like Merriweather Manor. "

"A little, " said Joy, "but I think Merriweather Manor is much nicer. "

"Thanks, Joy. I'm always so proud and happy when you girls say youlike my home. To me it's just the loveliest place in the world. Iwouldn't change it for anything modern. Sometimes Auntie Gibbs getsfussy and says it's too much work. "

"Your dear old housekeeper is getting old, " said Enid. 

"Yes, Auntie Gibbs is almost seventy and Dad wants her to have plentyof help. But she won't hear of it and she won't retire. So what arewe to do?" said Bet wistfully. "You know Dad and I love Auntie Gibbsand Uncle Nat as much as if they were really members of our family. "

The girls were thrilled as they stepped inside the old mansion. HereWashington had lived. He once sat at that very table, used thosedishes, drank from those glasses. They could scarcely believe it. 

They tried to imagine him as he had been before the responsibilities ofthe great war lay heavy on his shoulders. The young Washington, ownerof the estate. There must have been gay parties in this house. Betshut her eyes for a second and could see the belles of that day. Shewondered if Lady Betty Merriweather had ever been a guest in the house. It would not be impossible. She hoped that it was so. 

"Some day, " said Bet, as they were returning to Washington on the boat, "let's come and live for a winter in Washington. Then we can seethings thoroughly. This is just skimming the surface. We haven't seenanything well. "

"Oh yes, we have!" laughed Joy. "There's that Capitol. I could drawit with my eyes shut!"

But the girls were tired enough so that, a few days later, theywelcomed the announcement that they would leave Washington at midnight. 

The train with their cozy berths looked good to them and they settleddown for the two days' trip to Arizona. It was good not to have to gosight-seeing for a while. 

Shirley strapped her camera in its case and laid it away. She hadtaken so many pictures in Washington that she was tired, for once inher life. 

But that did not last long. Very quickly the nature of the countrychanged and they were going through the south-land, where the huts ofthe negroes added a picturesque touch to the landscape. Charminglittle black-eyed pickaninnies were at the stations and grinned atShirley while she took their pictures. 

"Girls, I'll have pictures enough for my shop this winter, and for halfa dozen more!" Shirley exclaimed. Shirley was the business girl andhad made a success of a little gift shop in Lynnwood. She had helpedto support her parents and been able to continue at school with herchums. In this venture, The Merriweather Girls had all joined. Theyhad worked and planned under the leadership of Colonel Baxter, and thelittle shop had given them many interesting adventures. 

Shirley had developed a commercial instinct and, together with hertalent for photography, was what the girls liked to call a businesssuccess. 

The sameness of the desert country through Texas, the dust and dirt wasa bit trying to the nerves of the girls. But there was no complaint. They looked ahead to the wonderful experience that would be theirs whenthey would leave the train and journey into the cowboy land. 

"Kit, do tell us about them, " begged Joy. 

"I won't do it. You've got your own ideas from the movies and I can'tchange them. Now you'll just have to get disappointed. There aren'tany _handsome_ cowboys in my country. "

Kit spoke impatiently. 

"Isn't Seedy Saunders handsome?" Joy asked again. 

Kit shouted with laughter as she brought a picture of the old cowboy toher mind. He was a small man, bow-legged and thin. A sort of dried-updesert rat. In looks Seedy was nothing at all. Only when he was inthe saddle did he shine, for he could throw a rope better than anyoneKit had ever seen, and as for taming a wild horse, there was no bettercowboy in the mountains than this old hand at the game. 

"No, of course Seedy isn't handsome. He's old, and plain and commonlooking, " Kit answered. 

"I'll not believe it until I see one. For I'm very sure that some ofthe cowboys on the screen are the real thing. Just see how they canride and throw the ropes and catch the cows by the horns! Why, they'rewonderful!"

Bet Baxter laughed. "Go on, Joy, rave some more! And don't worry, we'll find a handsome cowboy if we have to import one from the moviesfor you. "

"Thanks, Bet, " laughed Joy, blowing her a kiss from the ends of herfingers. "I'll pick my own. Kit is trying to discourage me, but I'llfind a handsome cowboy. You just wait and see!"

CHAPTER III

_THE WASH-OUT_

"This time tomorrow we'll be at Benito!" exclaimed Kit. "I do wonderif mother will be there to meet me. I'm homesick for a sight of her. "

The heat was intense as they sped through the desert. Smallsand-storms swirled across the flat land, and filled their train. Theywere dirty and tired. They would all be glad when the little desertstation of Benito would be reached and they could transfer to theautomobiles that would carry them to the hills and the ranch. 

Summer storms raged ahead of them, big black clouds that threatened. The girls watched from the windows the deluge of rain in the distance. 

"That's what we call a cloud-burst, " said Kit with a pleased smile. "It's good to get home again!"

"Do you mean, " asked Joy, "that you are glad to see that terriblestorm? You _must_ be homesick if _that_ pleases you. "

"I love it!" Kit answered. 

Suddenly the train jerked to a stop, and all heads came to the windowto see the cause of the delay. The train had been flagged. "Dangerahead!"

"What's the matter?" Bet called to the conductor, who had descended andwas walking toward the engine. "A wash-out! That cloud-burst you sawtore away a bit of the track. We'll be stalled here for hours, verylikely. "

The heat seemed worse than ever now. As long as the train was going, there was some breeze, but at a stand-still, the sun blazed down on theroof of the car and made it almost unbearable. 

Soon it became apparent that the delay might be longer than theyanticipated. 

"There's a good hotel at the next station, " said the conductor. "Ifyou will ride in the work train ahead, you can go in there in a fewminutes. "

"Oh, do let us!" cried Bet who was always ready for somethingdifferent. "We've never ridden in a work train in our lives. "

With Sam's help they carried Mrs. Breckenridge across the broken tracksand into the work train. The girls laughed with pleasure as theysettled themselves in the box car. 

Bet suddenly had a new idea. "Judge Breckenridge, the engineer says Ican go in the engine with him, if you will let me. Please say yes, "Bet's face was rosy with excitement. "This might be the only chanceI'll ever have to ride in the engine, and I'd hate to miss it. "

The Judge hesitated but finally gave in. And when Bet joined herfriends at the hotel in Willowmere she said:

"It doesn't seem quite fair that we are starting out with so manyadventures. It will make the summer seem so uneventful. "

"That's just what I was thinking, " added Kit anxiously. "I'm so afraidyou'll be disappointed. There aren't many adventures in the mountains. It is just one day after another. Nothing new, nothing to do, no placeto go, and absolutely nothing ever happens, nothing thrilling, I mean. "

"That's what we've decided that we want this year. We'll learn to ridehorseback well and we'll learn to use the rope, that is if we ever can, which I doubt, " laughed Bet. "And we can read and lazy around. I callthat an ideal summer. "

After lunch at the hotel, the girls started out to explore thesettlement. "I love those adobe houses of the Mexicans, " said Enid. "Let's go over and get acquainted with some of the women. "

But the women were shy. Most of them disappeared into the huts as theysaw the girls approaching. Only the children remained and stopped intheir play to stare at the newcomers. 

"Aren't they pretty when they're little! Look at those dreamy blackeyes!" whispered Enid to Bet, who was trying to coax one small girl tocome and get a piece of candy. 

Suddenly there was a scream and from the house at the end of the streeta small boy dashed out of the door, his clothes a mass of flame. 

"It's Pedro Alvarez!" cried a Mexican woman nearby. But she made noattempt to do anything. And the other women were screaming but seemedhelpless to rescue the child. 

Bet did not wait to ask for a quilt or rug, there was no time for that. She quickly slipped out of her dress, and catching the little fellowwrapped him tight in the gown, smothering out the flames. 

One look at the burns and she cried, "Oh the poor boy! Get the doctorquickly, Kit. "

While Bet held the child, Enid tore the half burned clothes from hisbody. 

"Bring oil!" Bet shouted, but the women seemed dazed and did notunderstand. Bet looked about her desperately. "Run to the hotel, Enid, and get oil, lots of it. Will that doctor never come!"

Kit at that moment came running back with the word that the doctor wasaway and would not be back until noon. 

The child's mother stood helplessly by, wringing her hands in despair. She watched as Enid returned and poured the oil upon the burns. 

"I wonder what they would have done if we had not been here, " whisperedShirley as the screams quieted down in the settlement. "They don't actas if they knew anything about such things. "

Bet held the little fellow in her arms until his cries ceased, thengetting clean sheets and pillows from the hotel they fixed up a bed forhim. 

Later on, when the doctor arrived and examined the boy, he declared hecould not have given any better treatment than the girls had done. 

"I'm so glad we were right here on the spot, " said Bet. "We weretrying to get acquainted with the children when it happened. "

After the accident, it was an easy matter. The children followed themabout the settlement and the women offered them all that their smallstores contained. They insisted that the girls must eat tamales, enchilades, tortillas and all the other Mexican dishes that theycooked, with corn meal and peppers. 

And when the train left late that night, the whole settlement turnedout to bid them good-bye. 

"What a miserable time we would have had, " exclaimed Joy as she wavedher hand back toward the station, "if it hadn't been for thoseMexicans. "

Much to the disgust of Sam, a package had been sent aboard by thegrateful mother of Pedro Alvarez. It contained more of the Mexicancooking that the girls had praised. 

But only Joy really cared for it. "Of course it burns, but can't youget that wonderful flavor?" she exclaimed as Shirley and Bet turned uptheir noses at the food. 

"You like anything that can be eaten!" said Bet with a laugh. 

Shirley had brought away many picturesque bits of western life from thelittle settlement. "If they just come out as lovely as they were inthe finder, I'll have some beauties to send back to Colonel Baxter. "

The girls were too excited to drop to sleep quickly that night. Earlythe next day they would reach Benito. 

"Dad says that Tommy Sharpe will be there to meet us, " said Enid. "Iwonder if he has grown?" Enid had found this boy on Campers' Trail. He was half starved and ill. And when her parents had found her, Enidinsisted that the child who had helped her, should be looked after. Judge Breckenridge, on the advice of the doctor, had sent the boy tohis ranch in Arizona, hoping that he would grow strong. 

"Oh, I almost forgot about Tommy, " said Bet. "Won't we be glad to seehim!"

"I do wish Dad and Mum would come to meet me. I don't suppose theywill, but I don't see how I can wait until I get to the hills. "

"I think they'll come, " said Enid. 

At the first peep of dawn Kit was awake. She dressed quickly and wentto the window in the drawing room to watch the sun rise on the desert. 

Out of the violet-grey mist, streaks of rose shot out like longfingers, reaching far up into the sky. Kit stood it as long as shecould alone, then ran and wakened the girls. 

"Do come, girls, you don't know what you're missing. "

Slipping into robes, they quickly joined Kit at the window. 

"Isn't this gorgeous!" Kit's breath came almost in gasps, so excitedwas she at the spectacle. "Now you never saw anything as gorgeous asthat in the way of a sunset over the Hudson. Own up, Bet, you know youhaven't!"

"No, Kit, this is magnificent. Do you have this every day?"

"Almost, " she answered. 

The mountains caught the glow and turned to purple and rose, and deepshadows of blue, and sometimes a bare mountain side shone out like gold. 

Shirley had pointed her camera toward it, then put it away, saying, "Itwon't look like anything in black and white. "

"I am going to try and make a sketch of it, " said Bet as she flew backto her room for her note book and colors. "But if I painted it thatway, no one would believe it. It's too vivid, too spectacular!" shesighed. 

Kit often tried to sketch when Bet was at it, but this morning she wastoo excited to settle down. She walked about the car like a restlessanimal. 

She was glad when Sam announced an early breakfast. Not that she washungry, but it put in time and that was good. The hour to wait untilthey reached Benito was one of the longest she had ever known. 

"The next station is ours!" called the Judge. "Everybody ready!"

But Kit was already standing at the door, her suitcase beside her. 

Kit had tears in her eyes. It wasn't often that she gave way, but whenthe train pulled into the station, the tears were running down hercheeks. 

The Judge's car came to a stop at last at the siding of the station. Benito was a typical desert settlement, the very last link withcivilization. For beyond the three squat adobe shacks, lay the sandy, cactus-dotted land that stretched far out in every direction to therising foothills that skirted the rugged peaks. 

"Oh, girls!" cried Bet. "Isn't this wonderful?"

"Yes, just like the movies. I've seen it dozens of times, and I almostexpect to see the villain and the handsome cowboy ride up this veryminute!" laughed Joy. 

"Kit, come here!" called Bet. 

But Kit was missing from the group. Her arms were thrown about atanned, alert little woman. What she was saying the girls could nothear, but they could guess. 

Finally she broke loose and with a wave of her arm she cried: "Come on, girls, it's Mum!"

CHAPTER IV

_THE DESERT_

It was not the strange country that interested The Merriweather Girlsat the moment of their arrival, but an old friend. 

A tall boy was shaking hands vigorously with Judge Breckenridge. AndEnid stepping from the train at that instant, stood and stared inastonishment hardly believing that she was seeing aright. 

"Tommy Sharpe!" she cried, running to him with both hands outstretched. "Why, you've grown! You're almost as tall as I am. And what a grandcowboy's outfit!"

Tommy did not speak. He shook Enid's hand but words would not come. The boy's face was burned to a rich shade of brown, his eyes werebright and the huskiness was gone from his voice. Health had come tohim in this dry climate. Tommy looked as if he belonged there. He wastall, thin and muscular, a desert dweller, not at all like the sicklyboy that Enid had known and cared for on Campers' Trail. 

In a moment the boy was surrounded by the girls and everybody wastalking at once. It took some time for Tommy's embarrassment to wearoff. 

Even Mrs. Patten was inclined to be shy with these friends of herdaughter but Mrs. Breckenridge in her tactful way soon put her at ease. Kit's mother was a born nurse and one glance at the sick woman made herrealize that she was needed. She helped to get the invalid into thecar with the least possible jar; she arranged pillows and a footstoolin order to ease the bumps on the rough road. 

"See, she's deserted me already, " laughed Kit as she watched hermother. "I knew I wouldn't count when she saw Mrs. Breckenridge. "

Suddenly there was a sort of war whoop and Billy Patten, who had hiddenbehind the station, dashed out at Kit, much to the amusement of TommySharpe. 

"Why you little imp! You haven't changed a single bit, Billy Patten!You're just as bad as ever, " declared his sister. "You're a pest!"

"I am not! You're another!" said the boy, and to Kit it seemed as ifshe had never been away from home, for the brother and sister hadstarted again just where they left off, half teasing, half in earnestas their quarreling always was. 

Billy Patten was not bashful. "Bold, " would have described hisattitude more than anything else. 

"See this stick!" He addressed Bet suddenly at the same time frowningdefiantly as he caught Kit's eye. 

"Of course I see the stick. What about it?" laughed Bet Baxter. 

"It's a humming stick that grows out here in Arizona. Isn't itwonderful! You just tap it gently like that and you can hear it hum. "

Kit made a gesture to interfere but the Judge smiled tolerantly andsignalled the girl to keep quiet. 

Bet took the stick, which seemed like a hollow tube, and tapped itgently on the ground. A strange, buzzing started, continued for a fewmoments, then quieted. And Bet raised the stick once more. 

Billy put forth his hand to capture the rod, but before he couldinterfere, Bet had brought it down with a thud on the ground. A waspflew from the hole with an angry buzz and lighted fair and square onBilly's nose, burying its stinger deep into the flesh. 

The boy gave a howl, then choked back the tears. He was too much of asport to make a fuss, especially as the joke was on him. The hollowstem was the insect's nest. 

"Oh, I'm sorry, Billy! Please forgive me, " pleaded Bet contritely. "Ididn't know there was a wasp inside that stick. I really thought itwas a strange Arizona plant. "

Kit was chuckling. Never before had retribution come so quickly to heryoung brother who delighted in playing tricks on a newcomer to thedesert. 

But she only smiled at the boy. She wanted to say, "It serves youright, " but she had only been back for ten minutes and decided that itwas too soon to plague the child. But Billy saw her gleam of triumphand decided he would get even with Kit at some later date. 

"Let's get started, girls! Everybody pile in!" commanded the Judge. "You girls go in that car with Matt Larkin. I want Tommy Sharpe withme. "

There wasn't a prouder boy in the whole world at that moment thanTommy. Judge Breckenridge wanted him, and maybe someday he would behis right-hand man, as the Judge playfully called him. To himselfTommy promised that it would not be his own fault if he did not measureup to the Judge's estimate of what a right hand man should be. Bet wasamused to notice the slight swagger that Tommy assumed as he took hisplace beside his friend in the car. She exchanged a smile ofunderstanding with Enid. 

A shower of sand hit the chassis of the car as the driver started alongthe road. The girls gave a cry of alarm as they saw a jack rabbit thathad been startled, bound ahead of them for a few yards, then with awild jump it landed in the shelter of the sage brush. 

"Doesn't everything smell good?" Shirley sniffed the air in longindrawn breaths. 

"Didn't I tell you it was wonderful!" said Kit. "I used to get solonesome just for a whiff of the desert. And you girls could neverunderstand it. "

"Of course we didn't understand. How could we? We'd never been here!"Bet Baxter's face was glowing with happiness. 

It was only ten o'clock but already the sun was blazing hot. There wasa fury about the heat that the girls had never before experienced. They were glad to be under the shelter of the automobile top. 

"Oh, Matt, " called Kit, when they had driven a few miles, "let's stopand get the girls some of those cactus fruits. They've never tastedthem, think of that!"

"You don't say so!" The driver smiled back at the eager young facesand brought his car to a stop. The girls jumped out glad to get nearerto the strange plants of the desert. 

Suddenly a rasping whirr seemed to come from the ground at their feet. It was a sound to hold the nerves taut, to send the cold shivers up anddown the spine. 

"A rattler!" exclaimed Kit delightedly. "Now I do feel as if I werereally home again. Where is it? I want a good look at my old friend, "she added as another insistent whirr was heard. 

Matt Larkin had taken his automatic from his belt and pointed it, andin that instant the girls saw a black and yellow skinned snake coiled, its head poised with darting tongue, ready to strike. 

There was a menace in that coil. 

But the next minute the head had been neatly severed by a shot and thelong body writhed and squirmed on the ground. 

"Oh!" cried Bet. "Look at the pretty pattern on its skin. "

"Pretty!" snapped the man beside her. "When you live in Arizona younever see any beauty in a rattler. He's just plain pizen to everybody. There ought to be a reward offered fer every snake killed. Then maybethey could be exterminated. "

The girls were glad to get back into the automobile again, out of theglaring sun. Each held a luscious cactus fruit gingerly in herfingers, trying to open it without getting the tiny pronged spikes intheir fingers. The driver climbed into his place and set the car goingonce more, headed toward the hills that seemed to beckon them. 

They had outdistanced the other car, for Judge Breckenridge was drivingslowly for the sake of the invalid. 

When they saw the foothills ahead of them, Kit began to get excited. "I've been up that road, " she exclaimed. "Once Dad and I went up toJasper Crowe's claims to sell him a horse. "

But Shirley was staring ahead. Suddenly she cried: "There's a lake!Isn't it refreshing after so many miles of desert? I had no idea youhad such large bodies of water in this country. "

The driver turned and glanced at Kit, then spoke to Shirley: "How faraway do you reckon that lake is, Miss?"

"A mile!" replied Bet decidedly. 

"No, it's more than that, " corrected Shirley. "I remember of readingsomewhere that distances in the desert are very deceiving. It'sprobably a lot farther off than it seems. I'll say five miles. "

"Let's hurry and get there so we can eat our lunch at the water'sedge, " suggested Joy. 

"That's an idea!" replied Matt with a sly glance at Kit. "We'll tryand get there by lunch time. "

"And look at the lovely trees!" cried Joy. "It's like an oasis in thedesert, isn't it?"

But half an hour later they were no nearer the lake than when they hadfirst seen it. A haziness now hung over the water, partly hiding it, and the trees seemed to be floating in mid air. 

"That lake might be called 'Lake Illusion, '" laughed Bet. "Itcertainly is unreal enough! Don't let us wait until we get there toeat lunch. I'm starved. After we've eaten we'll appreciate the viewmore, anyway. "

Even as they watched the mistiness increased and then suddenly seemedto dissolve, leaving the desert stretched out before them, hard, sullenand cruel. 

The lake was gone. The waving trees were gone. 

Then the girls realized what they had just witnessed. The mirage ofthe desert! That enticing promise of water that had been the undoingof many a pioneer of the early days!

A thoughtful expression came into the faces of the girls, and theirenthusiasm vanished for a few minutes. Stories of by gone days cameinto their minds, stories of weary travellers who had been beckoned bythe mirage and taken miles out of their way by this false promise, perhaps to die of thirst. 

"How hard life used to be for the pioneers, " said Bet wistfully. "Andso easy for us!"

"But why did the pioneers go out on the desert?" asked Joy lightly. "They didn't have to do it, did they?"

"Of course not, Joy, " answered Bet. "But they wanted adventure andthey were seeing another sort of mirage. It was the hope of gold and afortune in the hills. "

Bet gazed out over the vast stretch of mesa as if she were livingthrough those early days herself, instead of being carried along by ahigh-powered car that ate up the miles easily and swiftly. 

A low whistle from Matt brought the girls out of their day dreams tofollow his glance ahead. 

Far along the sandy road was a man trudging along with a bundle overhis shoulder. 

"That ain't no desert man, " said Matt quietly. 

"How can you tell from here?" asked Bet. 

"You can always tell a desert man by his walk. That fellow looks as ifhe were used to walking on city streets, " Matt returned. 

"And he hasn't even a burro, " exclaimed Kit contemptuously. "Let'sgive him a lift and see what he's doing here so far from civilization. "

The man ahead had turned at the sound of the automobile, deposited hisbundle on the ground and stood waiting expectantly. 

The girls smiled as they greeted him. His clothes, a neat businesssuit and light colored shirt, were soiled, his face was streaked withdust but in his eyes there was that indefinable gleam that marks thesoul of an adventurer. He was offered a lift. 

"I'm very dusty, " said the traveller. 

"We don't mind at all, " answered the girls. They liked the little manwith his far-away look as if he belonged to another world and wereseeing sights that no one around him was seeing. 

"Isn't he a dear!" whispered Bet. "I like him!"

Little did the girls dream that most of their summer adventures wouldcenter around this shabby figure; adventures that would thrill them andat times almost overcome them. 

If they had guessed it, they could not have been more cordial in theirgreeting and more eager to help him. Although none of them realizedit, a problem to solve was already presenting itself. 

CHAPTER V

_A SOLITARY EXPLORER_

As Matt Larkin brought his car to a stop, the traveller greeted them asif he were an old acquaintance and had made an appointment for them tomeet him at this very spot in the desert and had been waiting andexpecting them to come along. He took it as a matter of course that hewould be invited to ride and the moment the door of the car was openedhe scrambled in with quick, nervous movements. 

He was a thin faced little man, stoop shouldered as if he had spent hislife bent over books, but there was a charm in his twinkling eyes thatmade friends at once for him, no matter what society he entered. Hewas equally at home with people of wealth as he was with the poorest ofhis friends. 

So eager was the old man to be seated, out of the scorching rays of thesun, that he left his bundle lying at the side of the road. 

"Your pack!" called Kit, as Matt was about to start the car. "You'veforgotten your pack!"

The man gave her a grateful smile. "That's just like me to leave it. Alicia said I was sure to do just that, " he laughed nervously. 

He jumped out of the car and quickly recovered his property. "Don'tknow what I would have done if I'd lost it--all my sustenance andbooks. "

"Listen to the old chap, " whispered Joy in Shirley's ear. "He's aregular highbrow. Hear him talk! 'Sustenance', what does that mean?"

"Why, his food, of course, " replied Shirley with a laugh. 

"Then why didn't he say so? Isn't the word 'food' polite enough forhim?" giggled Joy. 

"I wonder who he is?" Kit was puzzled by the man. He did not belongto the desert, of that she was sure. 

As if in answer to her thought, the stranger announced: "I am AntonGillette of Dorsey College. I'm on an exploring expedition. "

"A professor!" gasped Joy in a low voice. "He'll spoil all our fun. We'll have to pretend we're clever or something of the sort. " This waswhispered in Bet's ear and brought forth a laugh. 

"Be yourself, Joy! Don't try to be clever. It might strain you. " Betleaned forward eagerly and addressed the old man. "An exploringexpedition! How interesting that sounds. What are you going toexplore? And where?"

"Are you going to find a buried city?" asked Enid excitedly. 

"Hardly a buried city in this country, " he returned. 

"But why? When there were seven cities of Troy and maybe more, whycan't it be possible that there is one buried city here?"

"And maybe we could find a King Tut grave, " suggested Shirley. 

"That's an idea, " said Bet, and the girls joined in the laugh, but theprofessor was serious. 

"I don't mind telling you that it is something of that sort that I amafter. I want to find the ruins of an old Indian village and find thegrave of a certain old chief. How did you guess it?"

"We didn't, " laughed Kit. "We were just hoping it might be so. "

"This old chief was supposed to have been buried with many historicalobjects of the tribe, and it is his grave that I must find. It is allvery interesting--very, " nodded the professor. 

"There are Indian mounds all over Arizona, " said Kit. "I don't see howyou will ever find the right one. "

"I have a clue. It may be only an old legend without any foundation oftruth in it, but I don't think so. It was at the scene of an Indianmassacre. A common enough story it is. The white men encroaching onthe Indian lands, " began Professor Gillette but Kit interrupted. 

"There are thousands of legends like that. They are like the cactus, they grow everywhere in Arizona. "

But the old professor was not to be discouraged so easily. "TheIndians killed some white men and then soldiers came and there was amassacre--mostly whites. "

"There's nothing unusual about that story, Professor Gillette. "

"True. But in this case a princess, the daughter of a chief, cursedher own people for their cruelty. And within a year the tribe at thatvillage died out. Every man of them. "

"Why that's the legend of Lost Canyon!" exclaimed Kit excitedly. "Anddoes this princess come back and haunt the canyon, does she appear whenanything crooked is being done around that section?"

"Yes, yes, that's the story. Lost Canyon, do you know where LostCanyon is?" asked the old man with trembling eagerness. 

"Lost Canyon was my playground since babyhood. It's like my frontyard. I love it!"

"How wonderful! Then maybe you know this man. " He fumbled in hispockets, taking out the contents of all of them, before he found theletter which he handed to Kit. "This is an introduction to a man whomay be very useful to me. "

Kit laughed happily as she read the name on the envelope. "Mr. WilliamPatten. " Returning the paper to the professor she said, "I should knowthat man well. He's my father!"

"Oh isn't that jolly, Kit!" cried Joy. "Imagine meeting someone who ison the way to see your father! That's a bit of luck, isn't it?"

"Dad will be very glad to help you, " continued Kit. 

"What a strange coincidence!" remarked the professor glowing withpleasure. His boyish smile offset the formal style that might havebothered the girls. His dark eyes were small and twinkling and he wasso very nearsighted that it was necessary for him to look intently inorder to see anything. 

At that moment a loud report startled them. Joy gave a scream offright. "What is it?" she cried excitedly. "Indians!"

"Shooting?" exclaimed the professor, half rising in his seat. "Is it ahold up?" He looked around in all directions. But the desert seemeddevoid of human life. 

"It means that we've blown out a tire, " smiled Matt as he brought thecar to a stop at the side of the road and got out muttering, "Of allthe ding-busted places to get a flat! Not even a spear of grass forshade and no water hole nearer than Coyote Creek and that's ten milesaway. " Matt puffed as he unstrapped the spare tire and prepared tojack up the wheel. 

The girls stood around, anxious to make themselves useful, but Mattpaid no attention to their offers of help. He even scowled atProfessor Gillette, and went on without answering him. Matt's face wasred with the effort under the burning sun that scorched the flesh withits blistering rays. It seemed impossible that life could exist inthat burned-out sandy waste. 

Bet Baxter had not spoken. She was tremendously interested in thethings she saw around her. Suddenly she gave an exclamation ofsurprise as her foot touched what appeared at first to be alight-colored stone, and saw it move. 

"What under the sun is this?" she cried as she stooped over the nowmotionless little creature. 

"Oh, that's a horn toad, it won't bother you, " laughed Kit. "You'llsee plenty of them around. "

"Isn't it pretty!" Bet picked up the little creature between her thumband forefinger gingerly. "Just look at its funny little tail! I neverknew a toad had a tail. "

"And look at the thorns all over its body. Isn't it funny?" Enidpoked her finger at the toad, prodding it in the sides. 

The toad was motionless now as if dead, only an occasional blinking ofthe eyes showed that it had life. 

"If it isn't poisonous, I'd like to take it along for a pet. " Betturned toward the car. 

"Oh, leave it where it is, Bet. Maybe it wouldn't want to be partedfrom its family, " said Shirley in her quiet way. 

Kit burst into a peal of laughter. "That's what I call considerate. Its mother mightn't like to have it go out for a ride in an auto withstrange people. "

Bet paid no attention to Kit's nonsense. She was fascinated by thisstrange creature, covered with horn-like spines. 

But at that moment Matt's voice rang out: "Let's go! And here's hopingwe'll have no more tire trouble before we reach the ranch. "

Bet turned to put down the horn toad, then exclaimed excitedly: "Look, Kit, what kind of a bird is that?"

"That's just a road runner. You'll see plenty of them before thesummer is over. "

"What a funny name for a bird!" answered Bet. 

"You can call it a Chapparal Cock, if that suits your fancy, " laughedMatt Larkin. 

"I'll do it!" Bet said with a toss of her head. "That name sounds verystylish. And it suits it much better. Look at its lovely blue crest, and its bronze-green body!" The girls gave a little gasp as the largebird, evidently startled by the engine, went off on a run that lookedridiculous in a bird. Aided by its large wings, it made rapid progress. 

"I like that bird!" cried Joy with enthusiasm. "I believe it could betaught to dance. "

"You can have the job of teaching it, " remarked Shirley Williams with ashiver. "I wouldn't want to get a nip from that long bill. "

"If you want to know what that bill can do, just get the opinion of therattlesnakes and lizards around here. Those birds are the worstenemies the snakes have. They certainly fade away when Mr. Road Runneris out for a walk. And by the way, Bet, this bird has a third name, it's 'Snake killer'. "

But Matt was calling impatiently and the girls finally left theirobservations of desert life and took their seats in the car. 

For a few miles Matt sent the machine ahead at a rate which troubledthe girls but finally his impatience wore away and he slowed down tohis ordinary careful driving. 

Kit nodded approval and whispered to Bet: "Matt forgot he was driving acar; he thought he was riding a bronc. "

"I am greatly relieved, " said the professor quietly. "Speed is thecurse of the age. We should take lessons from the Indians. "

"That's all you know about Injins, Injins ain't so slow as you mightthink. I've seen 'em with plenty of ginger in 'em. They're only slowwhen there's work to be done. " Matt Larkin had made the longest speechthat Kit had ever heard from him at one time. He was not a talkativeman, and rarely addressed anyone. 

But that did not shake the professor in his conviction that Indians hadled a quiet, placid existence and should be an example. 

"Yes, we have much to learn from the red man, " he continued just as ifMatt had not spoken. And if he heard the contemptuous snort from thedriver, he did not let on. 

Mile after mile slid by quickly and soon the walls of the ranch housewere visible. 

"There it is!" cried Kit, hardly able to sit still. "We're almosthome!"

"At long last!" Joy burst out impatiently. "I had almost given upexpecting it. It's been ages since we left the station. "

"But wasn't every minute of it perfect!" Enid Breckenridge wasenjoying the feeling of ownership in the land. Part of this strangecountry was hers, her home. "Didn't you enjoy it all?"

"No, I didn't, " Joy answered. "I got so tired of those tallsmoke-stack cactus things that I wanted to scream. " She pointed herhand at the towering pillars of the suhuaro, or giant cactus. "And Ihope I'll never have to see a cow again. They're everywhere! Only onething I dislike more, that's cactus. "

"Why, Joy Evans, I think they are the most romantic looking objectsI've ever seen. They're wonderful!" exclaimed Bet. 

"And as for me, I've taken pictures every time Matt has slowed downenough. That shows what I think of them. I'm enthused overeverything! I've taken six pictures of cattle. " Shirley, the quietone, rarely spoke so whole-heartedly over things. She appreciated butseldom expressed her emotions. 

Bet had half risen in the auto and craned her neck to catch a glimpseof the ranch buildings, but all they could see for the moment was thehigh wall of sun-dried bricks. 

"What's the idea of that wall about a ranch?" she asked. In spite ofBet's lively imagination, she always wanted a reason for everything shesaw. "They don't have Indian raids any more, do they?" Bet's toneindicated that she almost wished they did. 

"Oh, I hope not!" cried Joy. "Those fierce-looking Indians that we sawracing toward the station didn't look exactly peaceful. I'm sure Idon't feel so very safe. "

"Don't worry, girls, the Indians are tame enough now. But the wallsdate back to the time when they weren't, " Kit explained. "When thatwall was built the settlers needed it badly. "

"Isn't it romantic!" Bet thrilled as she looked at the old adobe wallfully ten feet high with small porthole openings at intervals. "Andthere are the tiny windows they used to shoot through at the Indians. I'd love to have seen it. "

"Oh, Bet, you make me ashamed of you! And you know well enough youwouldn't have wanted to see an Indian raid, " sniffed Joycontemptuously. "You're just trying to appear brave and wild. "

But there was a look in Bet's eyes that confirmed her remarks. Shelonged for adventure, wild fighting and glorious deeds of valor. Ifshe had been born earlier and been a boy she would have chosen the lifeof a soldier or a pirate. Of that she was very sure. 

"And down back of that wall is the canyon, where the Indians hid andthen rushed the ranch before the people inside knew they were there. The old Indian trail runs off over the mountain on the other side ofthe canyon, " Kit informed her friends. 

"Think of having to live out here in those days when there was so muchdanger! I'm glad I didn't have to, " Enid sighed. The memory of herown isolated existence on Campers' Trail through that hard winter wasstill too fresh in her memory. She did not often mention theunpleasantness of her life. Most of it was too bitter. 

Eagerly the girls watched for the first sight of the ranch house, butit was not until the car reached the wide gateway that they were ableto glimpse it. It stood far back toward the edge of the cliff and wasso completely surrounded by trees that it was impossible to tell justwhat kind of a house it was. If it had not been for a few windows itmight have been taken for part of the old wall. There was no attemptat ornament, in that adobe structure. The front was bare and withoutimagination. The door was in the center with a stone walk leading toit. 

Bet especially felt disappointed. She had planned on a Spanish castleor something equally imposing. A romantic setting for Enid, a gorgeousframe that would bring out all the loveliness of her friend. 

Everything was quiet. There was no sign of life. 

Matt brought the car to a stand-still, and jumping out, opened thedoors. The girls dismounted and stood there hardly knowing what to do. 

Then a Chinese boy opened the door of the house and Bet caught aglimpse beyond him of a great patio, or interior court, full oftropical plants like a hot house. 

Here at last was a spot romantic enough to suit her taste. Bet clungto Kit's arm as they went along the stone walk to the door. 

"It's perfect, Kit, it's perfect!" she gasped. 

CHAPTER VI

_CASA GRANDE_

The soft, tinkling ripple of a fountain in that interior court added toa feeling of unreality. It was a stage set for a play. Palm trees andmany flowering plants grew in profusion and The Merriweather Girls, unused to the luxuriant verdure of the south, stood looking about themin surprise. 

Even Kit was astonished, for Casa Grande had been neglected for yearsbefore Judge Breckenridge had bought it and restored its beauty. 

Enid's face shone with happiness. She was the first to speak. "Isn'tit glorious!" she cried as she clasped her hands together. "Just thinkof being miles and miles away in the desert and having a place likethis. It's like a miracle! I love it!"

"Who wouldn't?" laughed Joy. "You are a lucky girl, Enid. You simplycan't appreciate it!"

"Can't I?" Enid smiled as she gave a little sigh. 

Joy noticed the wistful look and hastened to add: "Of course youappreciate it, Enid. I'm just envious, that's all. "

Bet was so moved by the loveliness of the garden that tears stood inher eyes. "I'd like to stay here always, " she said with a catch in hervoice. 

"Do you mean it, Bet?" asked Joy. "I think it's great, of course, butit's too much like a hothouse to suit me. I wouldn't think of livinghere forever. "

At that moment they were interrupted by the silent appearance of Tang, the Chinese cook. A tea wagon was being wheeled in by two youngChinese boys, Tang himself being too dignified to help in the serving. When he wanted to give an order to his boys he clapped his hands andthey responded as quickly as if he delivered his command in a loudvoice. 

Tea was served in small Chinese bowls with preserved fruits, ginger andwafer-like cakes. A bland smile covered the face of Tang as he glidedsoftly about the veranda; a well satisfied air expressed his contentwith life. He motioned to the boys to place a stool here and anotherthere beside the chairs. These were to be used as tables. 

"Some service!" whispered Shirley in Bet's ear. "Don't you love it?"

"I feel like a million dollars--or maybe two!" answered Bet. 

The old professor seemed quite at ease. He accepted the attention ofthe servants without the least surprise or embarrassment over hissoiled clothes. 

The honking of an auto horn announced the arrival of the second car. Somewhere during the trip the silent Judge seemed to have lost much ofhis reserve. He hailed Tang as if he were an old friend, and thedignified Chinaman placed the pillows on a reclining chair whichawaited Mrs. Breckenridge, as the Judge carried her into the patio. The invalid might have been a child, so easily did the tall man lifther and move her from place to place. 

"How lovely this is!" the woman cried. "I'm sure I'll get well now. Ibelieve all the peace in the world is right here. "

Enid was standing beside her mother, arranging and rearranging thepillows to make sure that the invalid was comfortable. 

"Of course you'll get well, " laughed the Judge. "Before long you'll bebusting broncos, as Kit says. You can't help but feel better in thisglorious air, " he said, stroking her thin hand. 

The woman smiled at the happy faces about her then her eyes restedhungrily on her daughter. Her heart had not yet been satisfied, shewas eager to make up to that daughter for the years of separation. 

The Judge had owned the ranch for three years, but this was the firstvisit his wife had made to it. The doctors had tried to persuade herto leave the Long Island home where the memories of her lost daughtersurrounded her, but she had clung to the place, always waiting, alwaysexpecting the child to be returned. 

She had had a long wait, but happiness had come at last. And infinding Enid, they had found The Merriweather Girls, those four chumsthat had crept into their hearts. 

Tang was once more gliding about the veranda, following after the boysto see that tea was served properly. And when a sudden shaft ofsunlight struck across the face of the sick woman, Tang clapped hishands sharply once more and the boys ran to his side. As the older manindicated the chair, the boys picked it up gently and carried it to ashaded spot. Not a word had been spoken. 

"Service!" chuckled Joy. "That's service!"

Shirley was already busy with her camera. She had it pointed towardthe invalid's chair. 

"Don't take a picture of me, yet, Shirley, " exclaimed Mrs. Breckenridge. "Wait a few weeks until I am well. "

But Enid interrupted: "No, Mother, we want one now. You know you dolook lovely there, and besides we want a picture to show how much youimprove. "

"Before and after taking!" Mrs. Breckenridge's cheery laugh echoedthrough the corridors. 

The Judge smiled back at her. It was good to see her happy once more. 

The old professor had found his way into the hearts of the Judge andhis wife. He had a charm about him. Most people immediately likedhim, and his childlike qualities brought out a protective feeling inothers. And everybody from Tang and his boys to the Judge were eagerlywatching a chance to do him a favor. 

And without trying to do it, the professor had gained the Judge'sinterest in the Indian excavations. Not that the Judge was interestedin Indian relics in themselves, but the professor had a way of passingon his enthusiasms to others. 

Kit's mother was hovering about the sick woman, eager to serve, suggesting all sorts of things that might help her. One could see thatalready Mrs. Breckenridge was looking toward the mountain woman foradvice. 

"They are going to be good friends, those two, " whispered Kit to Bet asshe watched them. "Isn't it good!"

"Who could help being friends with your mother, Kit? I love heralready, " returned Bet a little wistfully. While Colonel Baxter wasdoing his best to make up to his daughter for the loss of her mother, it couldn't entirely satisfy her when she saw other girls being caredfor. 

Suddenly footsteps were heard on the walk outside and a queer coupleintroduced themselves to the Judge. The man had the face of a hawk, along beak that seemed as if it were prying into the most privateaffairs of his audience. His loose-jointed body sprawled as he stood, leaning against a post. 

He was very different from the compact little woman beside him, whoheld her plump body stiffly erect. 

"My name's Kie Wicks, " the man explained. "And this is the missus!"Then on seeing the familiar face of Mrs. Patten he grew confused for amoment and added: "Mrs. Patten there can tell you we're O. K. We havethe store over at Cayuga and I thought as how I'd better be a welcomingcommittee and drop in and say howdy. "

"Come right in, " greeted the Judge, amused at the manners of themountaineer. 

"We'll probably be seeing a good deal of each other, so I says toMaude, (that's the missus) we'll just go over first thing and getacquainted. "

"That's very kind of you, " smiled Mrs. Breckenridge from her chair. "Do sit down, Mrs. Wicks. There's a nice shady place right here besideme. "

The Judge sized up the pair at once and did not care to be alone withthem at this time. Seeing that Mrs. Patten was getting ready to leave, he begged her with a glance to delay her departure. 

"You was just a-goin' wasn't you, Mrs. Patten?" enquired Kie Wicks. "Don't let us stop you. "

"Oh, I'm not in a hurry. I'll sit a while. It's been a long timesince I've seen Mrs. Wicks. "

This did not seem to please Maude Wicks, but were was nothing furtherto say. Mrs. Patten settled back in the easy chair and smiled. 

Kie Wicks and his wife talked about the weather, the stock and thesheep men, who should be run out of the country, he assertedvehemently, and when finally he rose to go he said: "I'll be over someday and have a talk with you private-like, Judge. There's people inthese mountains that you should be warned against. And I'm willing togive you the inside facts about them. It's come to such a pass thatyou can hardly trust anyone around you. "

"Oh, now, Mr. Wicks, " laughed Mrs. Patten. "You know that isn't so. Ithink the people around here are a fine lot. They're neighborly andkind when you're in trouble. Only last year when Dad cut his foot, themen and boys came every day and helped with the cattle. "

"Sure, that's right, Mrs. Patten. They _are_ kind hearted even if theyare ignorant, " broke in Maude Wicks, her sharp little eyes shining outfrom the depths of her fat cheeks. 

Kit at that moment made a face behind the back of Kie Wicks and Betsmothered a giggle and hastily left the veranda, motioning the girls tofollow her. Once outside they ran far enough away to indulge in a goodlaugh. 

"Where's Tommy?" asked Enid suddenly. "He disappeared and I can't findhim anywhere. "

"We're looking for Tommy Sharpe, " called Kit to a boy who stood nearthe ranch house. He was dark-skinned and handsome. 

The boy turned and Joy gasped with surprise. "Who is he?" shewhispered to Kit. "Who is that boy?"

"Oh, just one of the cow hands, " answered Kit. 

"You mean a cowboy?"

"Sure. "

"But Kit Patten, you said there were no _handsome_ cowboys! Did younotice his eyes?" Joy pulled at Kit's arm to stop her. "He'swonderful! So romantic!"

"Come along, Joy Evans, and don't be a little fool. That's just aMexican boy and I don't see anything romantic about him at all. "

"But his eyes!" thrilled Joy. "I don't think I ever saw such beautifuleyes. Can't I speak to him?"

"No!" snapped Kit. "Not now! Wait until you get a little bit ofsense. We don't make friends with the Mexican laborers. "

Joy turned reluctantly away. "Just my luck!--when I find a handsomecowboy to be told I can't make friends with him. "

"Oh, come on, Joy. You're silly!" laughed Bet. 

"Don't _you_ think he's handsome, Bet?" asked Joy. 

"Well, maybe, a little bit. But if Kit says you're not to be seentalking to him, that goes. Kit knows the ways of the mountains. "

"Yes, and like as not she'll introduce me to some man as ugly as thatfellow who just called on the Judge, and I'll be expected to besatisfied with that. "

"Who is that man, Kit?" demanded Bet. "I don't like him!"

"Few people do like him and those who do are not the kind to chumaround with, " answered Kit. "I've known Kie Wicks ever since I was alittle girl, and I've never yet heard any good of him. "

"He looks crafty, " said Shirley. 

"Like a cat that's just eaten the canary, " added Enid. 

"Well, let's not spoil our day by thinking up mean things about thatman. Let's nail down the furniture and anything that can be carriedaway. " Bet laughed merrily as she strode toward the center of thecourt. "Come on, let's find Tommy. "

"Oh, look at that lovely dog!" cried Enid. A large collie was comingtoward them leisurely. "He looks like the owner of the ranch. "

"He is! Judge Breckenridge told me about him one day when we werecomparing him with Smiley Jim, my own dear dog. I get lonesome forSmiley some days. I do hope Auntie Gibbs is looking after him allright. " Bet patted the head of the collie. 

"What's his name?" Enid stooped to examine the brass plate on hiscollar. "It's Rex. That's a nice name for a dog. "

Rex showed his friendship by waving his tail around and going from oneto the other of the girls. But a moment later he growled menacinglywhen Kie Wicks and his wife appeared. 

"Evidently he doesn't like that pair any more than we do, " smiled Bet. 

And the dog continued to growl until the couple had gone. 

"There's a man we want to steer clear of. " Bet was in deadly earnest. "Rex has warned us. "

At that moment Tommy Sharpe appeared. "Come on over and see my home, "he called. 

Bidding good-bye to Mrs. Patten and the professor who were just leavingand after promising that Kit would be allowed to go home soon, thegirls hurried out to see Tommy Sharpe. 

The boy was as proud of his own little corner of the ranch as if he hadan estate. It was the first home the poor fellow had ever known. 

Enid took the boy by the arm as they walked across the court toward therear wall. Billy Patten was dancing ahead of him eager to show offTommy's house. The boy, although a few years younger than Tommy, hadbecome great friends and Billy was often to be found in Tommy's home. 

As they reached the door, the boy took off his sombrero and made asweeping bow. 

"The Merriweather Girls are welcome in the castle of Tommy Sharpe!" hesaid. 

"The Merriweather Girls are proud to enter, " she answered with a laugh. "We are honored!"

CHAPTER VII

_THE MAP OF MYSTERY_

Tommy Sharpe had been given an old shed on the edge of the cliff fromwhich he could look straight down into the canyon behind the ranchhouse. He had made it over into a home. There were two rooms; one heused as a bedroom and the other was his den into which he put all thetreasures he had collected. 

Outside, a narrow veranda had been built out over the cliff and it washere that the boy loved to sit and watch the sky grow bright with themorning sun and again at evening see the rosy glow of sunset. 

Tommy Sharpe's cabin met the approval of the girls. 

"You make me very proud of you, Tommy, " laughed Enid. "You do creditto my teaching. "

"You were a good teacher, " and Tommy put on such a doleful expressionthat the girls screamed with laughter. "Do you remember the time youmade me clean out the cabin three times before I got it right?"

"Tilly was a cruel lady! But aren't you glad now? See what a goodhousekeeper I made of you. " Enid looked proudly about the clean littleshack and showed her approval. 

"Sure, " said Tommy simply. 

"That boy is just as much of a bluffer as ever, " exclaimed Kit. "I sawCheerekee here with a broom. She disappeared as we came in. Tommynever dusted this place today, I know he didn't. "

"Of course today is different. I couldn't go to the station to meetyou and clean house at the same time. Cheerekee did the work today. "Tommy agreed without a smile. 

"And every day. Look here, Tommy Sharpe, tell the truth and say youhave never swept or dusted this cabin in your life!" Bet grabbed himby the shoulder and turned him around. "Look me in the eye and tellthe truth. "

"Well, if I don't, I see to it that Cheerekee does, " he acknowledged atlast. 

"What's more, Mr. Tommy Sharpe, " cried Enid gleefully, "you give herstrict orders not to touch anything up on that shelf. Heavens! Lookat the dust, girls, it's an inch thick. "

"Ah ha, Tommy, we caught you there!"

"You would! I might have known you girls would see a little thing likethat. But what's the difference?"

"None at all, Tommy, only we won't allow you to take credit for thingsthat you don't do, " scolded Enid playfully. 

"That's because you are all hard-hearted girls, " Tommy answered with ascowl. 

"Now, let's see your treasures. " Bet was already peering on the highshelf. "I want to see every one of them. "

The girls looked eagerly about on the shelves that ran three deep aboutthe room, and each shelf was full to overflowing with his strangecollections. Enid smiled as she noticed several little pine conefigures that she had given him for his own. These he had treasured andthey now held a conspicuous place in his assortment of knick-knacks. 

There were stuffed birds, arrowheads, old bits of pottery, and manyIndian baskets. 

"And look at that snake skin! Ugh, Tommy, how could you bear to touchthe wriggling thing?" exclaimed Joy with a shudder of disgust. 

"It had stopped wriggling when I touched it, " returned Tommy. "Can'tsay as I like them squirmy, myself. "

"And what is this, Tommy?" called Enid. "Girls do come and look atthis ugly thing in the jar. What is it? It's like a big brown lizard. "

"That's a baby Gila monster. Isn't it a beauty? If you'll look at itclosely you'll see that it's not ugly at all. Look at the design ofhis back, like an Indian rug. " Tommy took the jar in his handcaressingly. 

But Enid shuddered and turned to something more interesting which Betwas already examining. 

"What's he got there, Bet?" asked Enid laying her arm across herfriend's shoulder. 

"Looks like an old map! Isn't it quaint?" Bet was looking at itintently. "I love old maps. Where did you pick this up, Tommy?" sheinquired. 

"Oh, a Mexican wanted some money and offered to sell it to me for fivedollars, " the boy answered with a smile. "He was such a wicked lookingold fellow that I figured I might as well buy something from him ashave him rob me. So I gave him five dollars. The map was all intatters but I pasted it together. I rather like it myself. "

"Five dollars!" exclaimed Bet. "And I'm almost sure you could sell itto a museum for fifty. That map is a beauty. "

"If I ever get my five dollars back from it, I'll be surprised. Personally I don't believe it's worth fifty cents, Mex. " Tommyshrugged his shoulders, and rather scorned Bet's enthusiasm. 

"Why it's worth more than that just as a curiosity. Look at the arrowsand X marks. And that weird looking tree! I wonder what it's allabout?"

"It's a useful map, " declared Tommy with a smile. "It hides astovepipe hole in that chimney. I couldn't do without it in thesummer. "

The girls all laughed. Only Bet was seriously interested in the map. 

"I believe it's a treasure map, " she murmured half to herself as ifdreaming. "I'd love to hunt for treasure. " Then she turned to TommySharpe: "Judge Breckenridge says there is an old legend of a treasurehere in Lost Canyon. Of course he makes fun of it, but it might betrue. What do you think about it, Kit?"

"I'd hurt too many people's feelings if I told you what I think aboutit, " answered Kit. 

"Go on, don't mind us. Say what's on your mind, " laughed Tommy. 

"Well, I'm surprised, Tommy Sharpe, that you would fall for that oldstory about a treasure being buried here. I thought boys were supposedto be clever, " Kit said contemptuously. 

"There's a treasure there all right, " Tommy stated it with certainty. "I have Ramon Salazar's word for it. He looked me in the eye and toldme. "

"Now I know you're not telling us the truth. Ramon Salazar couldn'tlook one straight in the eye. " Kit dropped into a chair, shriekingwith laughter as she visualized Ramon Salazar trying to look anyonestraight in the eye, for he was the most weirdly cross-eyed person shehad ever seen. 

"Maybe that's why he could look at me and lie like a pirate, " repliedTommy. "I paid him five good dollars for that map. "

"You must have been crazy, Tommy. "

"I wasn't. Ramon knew I had that five dollars, and if I hadn't givenit to him, he would have stolen it. "

"There's something fishy about the whole story, Tommy. There must havebeen some other reason for Ramon Salazar wishing that old map off onyou. " Kit knew the dwellers in the hills. "I can bet a nickel on itthat he thought you might get interested and dig for the treasure andmaybe find it. " Suddenly Kit jumped up, "And I bet a dime on top ofthat that Kie Wicks was back of it. "

"And I have reason to think you are right, Kit. Kie came in one day, saw the map and claimed that Ramon had stolen it from him, but when Ioffered it to him for nothing, he refused. Said that would be takingadvantage of me. "

Kit gave a boisterous shout of laughter. "Oh girls, if you only knewKie Wicks, you'd see the joke of that. Why that man lives by takingadvantage of people, and he never puts through a deal of any kindwithout cheating. He's notorious. That's his business in life, totake advantage of people. "

Tommy smiled. "I think Kie had a lot to do with it. I think he putRamon up to selling it to me. But I don't know why. "

"I wonder why Kie didn't take back the map when you offered it to him?That surprised me. Usually he doesn't turn down any kind of a gift. "

"He didn't need this map, " said Tommy quietly. 

"How do you know?"

"Because the map had been copied before I got it. The tracing markswere on it for a full day, then disappeared. I don't pretend to knowwhy, " Tommy turned away from the map, and one could see that he was notinterested. 

"It's a mystery, " exclaimed Enid. "Get to work, Bet Baxter. Themystery of the treasure map! We'll give you a week to solve theproblem. "

"Don't do it, Bet, please don't! If you go mooning away abouttreasures and all that sort of thing, we'll miss half the fun of theranch. When you hunt for treasure, it's work, work, work! And a bigdisappointment in the end, " advised Kit Patten. 

"I've always had a yearning to dig for something. Once when I was alittle girl, Uncle Nat was digging in our garden and he found an oldrusty cannon ball and a piece of a flintlock, and ever since that I'vealways wanted to get a shovel and dig. " Bet's voice had a longing init that set the girls into screams of laughter. 

"You ridiculous girl!" cried Joy affectionately. "You would try tostart something!"

"But you'll have to acknowledge that Bet usually finds what she goesout after, " remarked the quiet Shirley, pointing her camera toward thecanyon wall opposite Tommy's door. "And while we usually object, we'venever had more fun or thrills than when she leads us into adventure. "

"Maybe so. But. . . " began Joy. 

"And so I say, " continued Shirley, "let Bet lead the way and we'llfollow. If it's treasure, we'll help her dig. And if she goes in forfancy bronco busting, that's O. K. Too. "

"Oh, Shirley, don't say that! You make me feel responsible and I don'twant that. Let's not make any plans at all. Just be ready to dowhatever comes our way. That's always more fun. " Bet liked to havethe thrill of unexpected adventure, hoping that something new wouldcome their way. 

"I have my heart set on teaching some of you to rope a steer, " Kitspoke up. 

"Sure! It wouldn't do at all for them to go back east before they'dlearned that, " agreed Tommy, his eyes glowing at the prospect ofshowing off his skill with the rope. 

"It isn't as hard as it looks, " Kit encouraged the girls. 

"I imagine we'll find it harder than it looks, " laughed Bet as she toreherself away from the map. "It doesn't look a bit difficult when thatrope twirls through the air. I've seen it in the movies and once Itried it with the clothes line but I couldn't do more than get the ropearound my own neck. I know I'll never learn. "

"Before the summer is over, Bet, you'll be a regular cowboy. I'llteach you myself, " Tommy asserted. 

"And I don't want to be taught. I'm sure I'd hate it, " exclaimed Joy. 

"Nobody will learn if we are going to get interested in treasure mapsand that sort of thing, " pouted Kit. 

Bet spoke up firmly: "I've decided not to go treasure hunting. As awork of art, that map is a treasure in itself, I love it, but I'm goingto leave the treasure hunting to Tommy and Kie Wicks and the cross-eyedMexican. "

Bet was so positive in her assertion that the treasure could remain inthe ground for all she cared, that no one guessed that before the monthwas out, not Bet alone, but all The Merriweather Girls would have nothought of anything except that treasure, and all the adventure itbrought. 

From early morning until late at night their one interest would beunravelling the mystery of Lost Canyon. 

Even the old professor whose mind was set on Indian relics, wouldforget his errand to the hills and all that it involved and be heartand soul in the venture of the hidden treasure. 

For Fate upsets all plans and leads into strange and undreamed-ofadventures. 

CHAPTER VIII

_KIT'S HOME FOLKS_

Kit's greeting to her quiet, undemonstrative father was as effusive ashe would allow it to be. She threw both arms about him with a cry ofjoy but all he said was: "You're home! That's good!" His tall, stooped figure was that of a hard working man, an outdoor man. Hisface bore criss-cross wrinkles stamped by the winds and heat of themountain. 

It was from him that Kit had inherited her deep-set brown eyes, hertall, slight body. Father and daughter were very much alike in looksbut her mother had given her a disposition of joyousness that hersilent father admired but utterly lacked. 

Kit knew her father's way. She saw the happiness in his eyes and knewthat he had missed her, perhaps even more than her sociable mother haddone. Ma Patten could make friends with everybody who came near, andin that way she had worked off a lot of her loneliness at herdaughter's absence. But Dad Patten confided in no one, not even Maknew what was in his heart. 

After the greeting was over the old man turned to the professor andcontinued his conversation without another glance at Kit. One couldsee that the professor and the mountaineer were already friends. Notmany words had passed between them by way of introduction but thevigorous handshake assured the city man that he was welcome, and onlywhen they began to talk of Indians and their ways did Dad Patten speak. The two men were in the middle of a discussion when Kit arrived home. 

After a few minutes she disappeared and the next thing the professorsaw was Kit trying to embrace a stout old squaw. But the two yearsseparation from Indian Mary had made Kit a stranger to her, at leastone would judge so by the graven image attitude she put on. 

Kit grabbed her by the shoulder. "Now look here, Mary, don't put onany airs with me. Didn't you pretty nearly bring me up? Why, I'malmost like your own child. Tell me, don't you love me almost as muchas you do Young Mary?"

The Indian woman shook her head for no, but Kit laughed. "I don'tbelieve you! You always liked me better than Young Mary. --Where isshe? I brought her something from New York. "

"Where? What?" asked Old Mary. 

"I want to give it to Young Mary myself. It's so pretty that if yousaw it first you'd never let Mary have it. Where is she?"

"Way off visiting at the reservation. Pretty soon she come home. Lotsof Indians come soon. "

"I'm so disappointed, " exclaimed Kit. "Here, I brought something foryou, too. " And Kit held out a large package. 

The old Indian woman unwrapped the large bundle and disclosed a dress. Kit had chosen it with the idea of pleasing her old nurse, who, aboveeverything else, delighted in bright clothes. A pleasing mixture ofreds and yellows; modernistic, they called it in New York, but inArizona it was just plain "Injun Caste. "

The old woman gave grunts of satisfaction as she patted the brightcloth, then scurried away to show her treasure to her husband, IndianJoe. He hurried out and shook hands with Kit and beamed on her whenOld Mary displayed her gown. The Indian was more up-to-date than hiswife. He had been to school when young and knew the ways of the whitepeople. 

Kit extended a package to Indian Joe. 

"Ah!" breathed Mary excitedly when Joe undid the string and she saw apair of comfortable felt slippers. "He like much, " she said with a nodof her head. 

But when they saw a stranger watching them from the window they becameembarrassed and wanted to hide away until Kit told them that ProfessorGillette was a great friend of the Indians and would want to meet themand get acquainted. 

Old Mary shook her head with disapproval. It took her a long time tomake up with strangers. But Joe was different. When Kit told him thatthe professor was going to pitch a tent in the canyon and live therefor the summer, he nodded and said: "Me fix him up. Joe knows where. "

And Kit knew by that that Indian Joe and the stranger would be friends. 

The professor had studied his Indians well. He waited patiently forthe proper chance to introduce himself. It came the first evening. Joe and Old Mary always built a little bonfire back of their shack andsat around it, as they had done in previous days when outdoor cookingwas their custom. In fact they had never outgrown the habit ofpreparing a meal over the glowing coals. 

But on this evening the fire was only to look at. And very quietly theprofessor approached and squatted down beside them. He merely noddedand then stared into the fire as Indian Joe was doing. 

This continued for a long time, then the professor got up as quietly, said goodnight and left. 

After that Indian Joe and Old Mary were his devoted friends. 

The professor returned to the house as pleased as if he had alreadyfound the ancient ruins that he was seeking. 

"I'm afraid you can't expect to get much help from the Indians, "remarked Dad Patten. "There's a legend in these mountains to theeffect that Indians massacred a band of white men, and the daughter ofthe old Indian chief cursed her own people. Within a year the tribehad died out or wandered away. The village was deserted. Now thedaughter is supposed to appear at times when there is treachery goingon, a sort of warning to those who are doing wrong. "

"That's a good idea, " laughed Professor Gillette. "It has probablykept many a man on the straight path. "

"Maybe so, but I haven't ever noticed it. There is plenty ofcrookedness goes on in the canyon. And no one, Indian or white man, issafe from the ghost. "

"Ah, that's interesting!" exclaimed the professor rubbing his handstogether in his excitement. 

"The Mexicans believe it to a man, " broke in Kit. "They will hardlycome into the canyon at night, especially if they have anything ontheir conscience. Some white men are afraid of that ghost. Maybe youbelieve in ghosts yourself, Professor Gillette?"

"No, I'm afraid not. But that ghost does complicate matters. TheIndians will not want to give me any information and I had planned tosave time by winning their confidence. "

"Don't worry, " replied Dad Patten. "Make friends with them and sooneror later they'll let it slip out without meaning to. That is if theyknow anything about a lost village. And truly, Professor, we alwaysthought that was just a lot of silly talk about there being an ancientIndian town near here. I've never seen it and I've never seen anyoneelse who has. So I doubt it. "

"We'll see. " The professor's eyes were aglow once more at the prospectof finding the ruins and winning glory for himself. "If there is onehere, we'll find it, if it takes all summer. And now I'm very tiredand I'd like to go to bed, " he added as simply as a child. 

Ma Patten was in her glory. Here was another person for her to mother. And she fluttered around the old man as if he were indeed a child. 

Long before daylight the next morning, Professor Gillette was awake andhe waited impatiently for the first sign of life in the house. Itwould never do, he thought, to disturb the family on his first morningin their house. 

But he did not have to wait long. Dad Patten was an early riser and atthe first sound the professor was ready to go out in the yard. Here hefound Indian Joe already busy, going doggedly about his work, never ina hurry, never flustered but accomplishing a surprising lot of jobsduring his long day. 

He had brought in Kit's horse, a beautiful, dark, slender animal thatpawed the ground and whinneyed impatiently. 

Kit slipped from the house with a cry of joy. "Oh, Powder, you dear, dear old thing! I love you! And you'll never know how much I missedyou!"

There was a sparkle in Joe's eye as he hastily put on the saddle whileKit ran into the house for her riding knickers. The professor watchedadmiringly as she swung into the saddle. Then he stood paralyzed withfear as the horse stood straight up on his hind legs, then with asudden spring he reversed his position with his hind legs in the air. 

Kit had half expected this performance and had put on spurs which shedug into his sides. Not for a second did she leave the saddle. Shefinally turned the horse's head toward the road and with a prod of thespurs sent the animal down it at a speed that made the professor gaspin fright. Every moment he expected to see the girl thrown against thejagged rocks at the side of the narrow thoroughfare. But Kit held thereins. Soon she was out of sight and the old man went in search of DadPatten. 

"Kit's horse is running away with her, " he exclaimed, his handtrembling. 

But Dad Patten and Indian Joe merely smiled. "It had to come, " saidthe girl's father. "Whenever Kit leaves that horse, even for a week, she has to go through this. Powder wants to be boss and tries to win, but Kit is always master. "

"She knows what she's doing, " Ma Patten reassured the old man when heexcitedly pointed out Kit far over the mesa, struggling with her ponywho was once more bucking. "Kit has been riding a horse ever since shewas a baby. "

Kit returned half an hour later, her cheeks glowing, her eyes dancingwith excitement. And when the professor voiced his fears to her, shereplied: "You know I don't believe that horse would throw me. I thinkhe goes just as far as he knows I can handle him. He's brainy, thatpony! No one knows how I've missed him. "

The professor looked at her with the same admiring glance as JimHawkins, the riding master on Campers' Trail, had done. His eyes werenot seeing the fancy riding in quite such a professional manner as Jim, but nevertheless he gloried in the poise and daring of this slight bitof a girl. Things were very different when he was a boy. Then girlsclung like plants and were sheltered. 

The professor had never seen such riding and he stood staring over themesa as Kit once more gave her horse the spurs. 

In spite of her parents' confidence, he could not believe that Kit hadthe horse under control for the animal raced madly, then suddenlywithout any warning, stopped short and tried by every method known to ahorse, to throw off his burden. He reared, he bucked, he "sun-fished"but all to no avail. The girl stuck to her saddle. 

"Won't somebody help her?" the professor prayed desperately. "She willbe killed!"

CHAPTER IX

_LOST CANYON_

The four girls at Casa Grande were hardly awake that first morning, when a shout brought them to the window. 

It was Kit, seated on her spirited pony, that pawed the ground as shedrew him up by the wall. 

"Wake up, lazy girls!" cried Kit. "The Judge has been out for a ridebefore breakfast, and here you are missing the best part of the day. Come to the window and meet my friend, Powder. "

"Oh, Kit, " called Bet excitedly, "is that Powder? Do wait and let meride him. "

Kit laughed. "As I told you before, if you want to ride Powder afterseeing how he acts with me, you can take a chance. He's trying to showme how much he loves me. Hurry up and get a bite to eat. I see Tommygetting the horses ready. "

Much to the disgust of Tang, the girls hurried through their breakfast, hardly knowing what they were eating, so excited were they over theprospect of a ride in Lost Canyon. 

"Are your western horses very wild?" asked Joy as she joined Kit in thecourtyard. "I--I don't know how to ride very well. "

"Don't worry, Joy! I brought you a safe one. We always give Dolly topeople who can't ride well. She's as safe as a rocking chair. "

Even Joy could feel no apprehension when she got into the saddle. Dolly was decidedly safe. On the least upgrade she puffed and stoppedshort to rest. 

"Poor thing! She's all tired out!" exclaimed Bet, watching Joy's horselumber up a heavy grade. "I think it's a shame, Tommy Sharpe, to letan old horse like that carry a load. "

"I do sort of feel sorry for that horse, Dolly, " drawled Kit. "Joy issuch a heavy-weight that Dolly just has to puff. Why, she tips thescales at ninety-two pounds. "

Everybody laughed and Tommy drew in his horse and waited until Joy cameabreast on a level stretch. Then he reached over and dug into thehorse's side. 

Dolly leaped forward as Joy gave a cry of fright, but this only lastedfor a moment. Dolly's speed was soon over and she settled back intoher usually lazy pace. 

"That horse is a cheat. If I were riding her she'd step along livelywithout urging. But she has a lot of sense and knows who is on herback, " laughed Kit, offering Joy her quirt, which she carried onlybecause it looked pretty. Powder never needed a quirt. 

"Dolly isn't so very old. She's lazy!" said Tommy. 

"Don't say that, Tommy. She isn't lazy, she was born tired, " reprovedBet. 

Joy refused the quirt. "Oh, I just couldn't use a whip, Kit. I justcouldn't. Dolly's a nice horse and I wouldn't think of hurting her. Ithink you people are terribly hard-hearted and cruel. " And as if Dollyunderstood just what was being said, she made for the shade of a largetree and stood still, and no amount of coaxing on Joy's part would makeher budge. 

"She won't do as I tell her, at all, " pouted Joy. 

"Then maybe you'll accept a quirt now and say 'thank you', " and Kitextended the quirt once more. 

"I hate to use it, " Joy looked bewildered, but the others were going onand would soon be far ahead. She brought the braided leather down onthe side of the horse. Dolly sprang into action, galloped for a fewminutes, then settled down to a jog trot. But by this time Joy wasgetting impatient. Again and again the quirt descended, and for a fullminute at a time the horse trotted. 

"Why you cruel, hard-hearted girl!" Bet shouted over her shoulder. "How can you bear to hit that gentle creature?"

Joy wrinkled up her nose at Bet and motioned her to go on. 

"Keep up the good work, " called Tommy Sharpe. "We'll never get over toSombrero Butte to-day, if you let Dolly set the pace. I wish I hadgiven you Oso. That's a mean little imp of a burro. But at that Ibelieve he'd have gone faster than Dolly. "

"Oh, Tommy, I'd love to ride a burro. Will you let me, truly?" beggedJoy. 

"And so do I want to ride a burro, Tommy. I'm always thrilled topieces when I see the picture of one. " Bet had a sudden inspiration. "Let's have a burro party some day and all ride burros. I think thatwould be fun. "

"That's O. K. For me, if you ride them, Bet. As for me, I'll ridePowder, " spoke Kit contemptuously. "Why should anyone want to ride oneof those contrary little beasts? I think they are horrid. "

They had suddenly followed a trail into a canyon, which brought themdown into the bed of a stream. 

"This is Lost Canyon!" Kit called to the girls. 

"I wonder how places get their names?" asked Bet. "Why did they callthis Lost Canyon?"

"Nobody knows, " responded Kit. "When I was a very little girl I alwaysfelt sorry for it. I truly thought it was lost and in my childish mindI planned to have the canyon find itself someday. Wasn't that silly?"

The girls laughed heartily, and the echo of their voices came back tothem from the walls of the canyon. 

But soon they left the large stream and rode up over the mountain. Tommy had his heart set on reaching Sombrero Butte, a high andinaccessible peak shaped like a huge cowboy hat, that rose above aflat-topped mountain. On reaching the foot of the butte, the youngpeople drew rein and dismounted. 

"I'm glad to be on the ground again!" Joy exclaimed with a heavy sigh. "I don't care for horseback riding very much. "

"What do you like, Joy? I mean in the way of sports. What do you liketo do more than anything else?" asked Enid Breckenridge. 

"I like dancing. I'm not as much of an outdoor girl as the rest ofyou. I go along, not because I like it, but I like the company. Nowit's different with dancing, I could dance all day and all night. "

"She's the ladylike member of The Merriweather Girls' Club, " smiled Betwith an affectionate glance toward Joy. "She's a butterfly. As forme, I can't imagine why Fate played me such a mean trick as to send meinto the world a girl, when I'd just love to have been a boy. " Betshot out the words with a vicious snap. 

"Say, you girls don't know when you're well off. " There was a wistfulnote in Tommy's voice. "People expect so much more of boys and arenever satisfied with what we do, while you girls have your paths strewnwith roses. "

"Listen to him talk!" exclaimed Shirley. "I guess we girls have tostruggle to live. "

"And what girl wants her path strewn with roses anyway?" demanded Betin disgust. "I want to have to fight my way, I want to do worth-whilethings. Right now, if I were a boy, I'd try to climb Sombrero Butte. "

"Would you really do a silly thing like that, Bet Baxter?" asked Joyseriously. "I mean it. Tell me just why you'd do it?"

"I don't know why, but I'd do it because it would seem like a big thingto do. It would be hard work and when I accomplished it, I couldalways say, 'I climbed Sombrero Butte'. "

"That's not much of an ambition. I should call that simply foolhardy!"Joy could never understand such a desire. It was too far away from herown temperament. 

"Then, " continued Bet, "I'd travel. I'd discover things, I'd find anew continent or a river or something. I'd like to go to South Africaand dig for diamonds. That would be romantic. "

Joy laughed. "Now I can half-way understand that. Diamonds are worthwhile. If you were a man, whom would you bestow those diamonds on?"

"You--most likely. Men who do big things always fall hard for ahandful of fluff like you, " returned Bet, her eyes flashing dangerously. 

"And there you'd show your good sense, " Joy smiled in a provoking way. "I almost wish you were a man, Bet. "

As everybody laughed Bet soon regained her poise. Such flare-ups werefrequent with Bet, a sudden flash of fire and then calm. The girlsunderstood her and did not resent her bursts of impatience. 

Tommy Sharpe leaned over and picked up a small stone from the ground, exclaiming: "Look here, girls, while you're talking of discoveringthings, I find a treasure. "

"What is it?" cried Bet grasping Tommy's closed hand. "Let me see?"

"An arrowhead!" Kit burst out contemptuously. "Not much of a discoveryin that. I'm sick and tired of arrowheads. "

"Why, I think it's wonderful to find one!" Bet examined the littlesharpened piece of flint. "I wish I could find one. "

"I'll let you have this one, " Tommy offered. 

"No, that wouldn't be the same. To make it a real treasure I must findone myself, " answered Bet as she looked longingly at the stone. 

The girls began to search the ground for arrow-heads, but Shirley wasthe only successful one and even her find was a doubtful treasure as ithad a large nick in it. 

"You don't need to worry, girls, you have all summer to findarrowheads, if that's what you want, " laughed Kit. 

"I have a cigar box full of them at home, " said Tommy. "I'd like togive you some. But now we'd better be going. It will be dinner timebefore we get back to the ranch. "

"Let's go!" Kit swung herself into the saddle and as Powder's spirithad returned he gave an exhibition of bucking and rearing that made Joyscream for she was certain that Kit would be dashed against the rocks. At Joy's scream, Powder took fright and madly raced down the steeptrail with Kit clutching the saddle horn for dear life. 

"Oh, Bet, she's going to be killed, I know it!" sobbed Joy. "Oh, Ihate horses. Bet, do something! Kit will be hurt!"

"Don't worry about Kit. Just watch her and see how she sits in thesaddle, for all the world as if she were part of the animal. " Bet wasfascinated by the skill with which Kit handled her horse, and she urgedher pony forward so as to watch Kit more closely. It took all ofEnid's and Shirley's persuasions to get Joy into the saddle. 

"Come on, Joy, don't be a silly! Kit's a trained cowgirl. That horsecan't unseat her. "

Knowing that she was headed toward home, Dolly kept up a steady trotthat covered the miles rapidly. There was no more stopping to pant andblow. Dolly knew that food and drink was waiting at the ranch. 

Just as they reached the end of the canyon and prepared to take thetrail to the ranch house, a slouching figure rose from the side of thecanyon. 

It was Kie Wicks. 

"Well, well, and what are you folks doing in the canyon this morning?"he asked, for all the world as if he owned the whole district andfeared that they were stealing from him. 

"I took them over to Sombrero Butte, " replied Tommy Sharpe. "I'm toshow them all the interesting places in the mountains this summer. "

Kie Wicks smiled, but the girls could see that he resented theirpresence there. 

"That's a fine idea. I hope you'll bring them over to Cayuga. Maudewill show them around, " he invited cordially, yet as the girls turnedtheir horses' heads up grade, Bet turned suddenly and was surprised atthe look of hatred and distrust that was in the face of the storekeeper. 

"I wonder why he dislikes us so much, " thought Bet, but decided not topass on her knowledge to the others. Joy would be sure to get nervousand Kit might get into an argument with Kie or Maude and EnidBreckenridge would certainly tell her father and he would insist onthem having an escort, or not allowing them to go into the canyon again. 

So Bet kept her secret, and the girls did not suspect that Kie wasactively unfriendly, they thought him a brusque, ignorant desertdweller whose friendship they could depend on, if needed. 

They had not yet learned that Kie Wicks could not be depended on forfriendship or loyalty to anyone. He was a suspicious man, alwaysbelieving the worst of people, and when The Merriweather Girls showedan interest in Lost Canyon, old Indian relics, and even the pleasure offinding arrowheads, Kie Wicks was certain that they had heard of thetreasure of Lost Canyon and were going to hunt for it. 

And Kie Wicks considered that to be his own special mission in life. He believed implicitly in the old legend that there was a treasureburied in the canyon, and all of his spare time was used up in a searchthat had continued for ten years. Twice he had formed a company tolocate the treasure, he had spent all the money subscribed and hadfailed. Still his faith held that he would eventually find it. 

Maude usually tended the store and Kie spent days at a time driftingaround the canyons and hoping that he would stumble upon a clue thatwould reveal the hidden gold. 

He watched the girls ascend the steep hill, gazed after them until theydisappeared over the summit, then shook his fist toward the place wherethey had been. 

"Let them take care not to cross me. I can only stand just so much, "he muttered. 

Kie turned slowly away, mounted his horse and rode down the canyontoward Cayuga. 

Ahead of him was a great hole in the rock, an undertaking of his datedsome years before and financed by his friends. He frowned at thetunnel dug into the bank, then his frown became a scowl and a ferociousone, for a man was standing there studying the workings, so intent onit that he did not hear the approach of the rider. 

"What you doing there?" roared Kie Wicks. And as the man turned herecognized the little professor whom he had met at Judge Breckenridge'sranch the previous day. Kie laughed to himself. Here was one man heneed never fear. Inefficiency and irresponsibility were stamped uponever line of the little man's figure. 

"He's childish and perhaps a bit off, " thought the mountaineer. Heturned to the professor. "That's a mining claim belonging to me. Ithas promise of wealth in it. You're not by any chance looking for somelikely claims, are you?"

"No, " replied the professor truthfully. "I've come out here to huntfor Indian relics. "

Kie eyed the professor distrustfully. To himself he said: "That's alikely story! Indian relics! What would a grown man want with them?"Then he turned to the old man. "You are in the wrong district, " heasserted. "Who ever told you there were Indian relics in this section?Why, we don't even find arrowheads in this part of the country. Nowover on the San Pedro there's lots of mounds and things. There's whereyou ought to go. "

"That's a great disappointment. I've come a long way to unearth an oldvillage or something of the sort. "

"You're barking up the wrong tree, mister! There ain't nothing aroundhere. "

As the professor took leave and rode up the trail, his face was apuzzle. "That's queer, " he sighed. "Judge Breckenridge certainly toldme that he had made some very important discoveries himself. But thisman who belongs here should know more about it. I can't make it allout. "

Even Ma Patten's good cooking and her cheerful chatter could notrestore the old man's optimism. 

"He's tired himself out the first morning, " whispered Kit to hermother, after the professor had left the table and seated himself on alarge rock overlooking the canyon. 

Then, as they watched, they saw him slap his knee vehemently as hearose with a smile. 

"That fellow is a fraud! He's trying to mislead me! I know his typenow. He wants to keep everything for himself. "

He would have been certain of this if he had seen Kie Wicks emergingfrom the canyon. Kie shook his head decidedly. "There, I put a spikein the professor's gun. He simply wilted. I'm rid of him all right. "

But, as the horse followed the well worn trail, he mused. "There'streasure there, I know it! It's _my_ treasure! Mine!"

CHAPTER X

_THE PROFESSOR'S JOB_

Within a few days the professor's tent and cot arrived, and after thatMa Patten pleaded in vain for him to stay with them. The old man wasindependent and insisted on getting established in his own quarters. He had already chosen a spot in Lost Canyon with the aid of Indian Joe, who knew the best springs and the best place to pitch a tent. 

And Professor Gillette could not have had a better helper. Under ahuge cottonwood tree, there was a bubbling spring, cool and clear, anddown the creek a short distance was a small pool. 

"Why, there's my bath room!" laughed the old man. "Talk about modernconveniences, I have them all. "

The Merriweather Girls were eager to help the old man get settled. Andwhen the five of them with Tommy Sharpe got to work they soon hadeverything in order. Tommy levelled a space and beat it down until itwas smooth. Judge Breckenridge had suggested that boards be laid for afloor but at this the professor protested vehemently. 

"I've come out here to live the simple life, the life of an explorer. I want to rough it, even endure hardships. It will do me good, " heasserted, objecting to anything that might seem like luxury. 

But after a day or two of trying to cook his meals over a small outdoorfire, he accepted a tiny stove from Mrs. Patten. Primitive living wasall right, but it was a waste of time to cook over an open fire. 

And one day he returned from a long hike over the hills and settledinto a rocking chair that the good neighbor had placed before his door, in his absence, and did not protest but took it gratefully. After astrenuous day, it would be good to drop into the restful depths of aneasy chair and enjoy the glories of the canyon. 

But he refused her help very decidedly when she dropped in one morningand found him at his weekly wash. His shirts and overalls were spreadout on a large flat stone in the creek and he was beating themincessantly with a small paddle. 

"I'm enjoying the washing, " he declared with a laugh. "I don't mind itat all. "

"But your work, your discoveries?" inquired Ma Patten. 

"They can wait while I get clean! Anyway I haven't had much luck. TheIndians will give me no help at all. "

"Why are you so keen about these Indian relics? We can give you anynumber of arrowheads and baskets and stuff. You're welcome to them ifit will help you any, " offered Mrs. Patten sympathetically. 

"That's not exactly what I want, " the professor said. "I'm interestedin American Indians, and have always been considered an authority onthe subject. But I'm getting old and younger men are stepping into thefield. They think I'm just a musty old professor with nothing but abook knowledge of Indian ruins. So I have to show them. "

"What's the use?" answered Ma Patten contemptuously. "These youngfellows always can beat us in the end and we might as well give upgracefully. "

"But that isn't all. My job's at stake. If I don't do something toget up-to-date I'll be shoved out. They want men who go out and dospectacular things that get them into the newspapers. I was told thatmy department would have to be snapped up a bit! Isn't that terriblelanguage for educators to use? And if my job goes, I don't know whatI'll do. I've got responsibilities, heavy ones. "

"Have you a large family, Professor Gillette?" asked the woman. 

"No, I have only one daughter but she is an invalid. She was studyingto be a dancer and one slippery day in winter she fell and broke herhip. And she has never been able to dance since. "

"Oh, that's terrible! The poor child!"

"She's as happy as a lark. She has never given up faith that as soonas she is taken to see a specialist in the city, she will be cured. Itis for that operation that I must earn more money. And with the fearof losing my position in the college you can see why I must make goodthis summer. "

"Well, you'll find plenty of Indian signs around these mountains, " Mrs. Patten informed him. 

"That's strange!" The professor exclaimed, "That man, Kie Wicks, claims that there never were Indians in these hills. None to speak of, he said. Told me I was barking up the wrong tree. Oh yes, he wasquite certain I was going to fail. But I mustn't fail! I can't fail!"

"Of course you won't fail! And you needn't believe a word that KieWicks says. He doesn't want people to come into this canyon. Hebelieves in the myth about the treasure and he makes it hard for anyonewho comes in. One old prospector had to leave because Kie had it infor him. He just couldn't stay. "

"What did Kie Wicks do?" asked the old man. 

"Well, for one thing he would sell the prospector meat and at nightsteal it all back. And the old chap was shot at in the dark andthreatened until he gave up after putting in several months working onthe claims. So you needn't expect any help from that ruffian, " stormedMa Patten. 

"I don't know what to do. I must find that Indian village. " ProfessorGillette had no notion of giving up, not for all the western bad men hehad ever heard about. He had come to Arizona to find an Indian villageand that he must do. 

"Why don't you go over the hill there? We used to find bits of potteryand arrowheads and even some Indian ornaments made of silver. I have afew of them at home. Be sure to remind me to show them to you. You'llbe interested. "

The professor's face glowed with excitement. "I'd like to ask you formore particulars as to the exact place, " he exclaimed. 

"I'll do better than that. Kit will take you over there some day andlike as not you'll find just what you are after, " Mrs. Patten assuredhim. 

While they were still talking Tommy Sharpe arrived with a note fromMrs. Breckenridge. It was an invitation to supper that evening. 

"Isn't that kind! I'll be so glad to go. She's a beautiful andgracious woman. "

"It's a sort of party, I judge, " said Mrs. Patten, beaming withpleasure and opening a note that Tommy had passed her. "We're allinvited to dinner. "

That was Virginia Breckenridge's way of keeping in touch with herneighbors. On learning of Professor Gillette's business in themountains, she had sent to New York for books on Indian legends, Indianruins and anything that might give the professor a clue to what hewanted to find. And much to her surprise, a book on Indian legends waswritten by Anton Gillette. 

"Our professor is a modest man, " laughed Enid. "Imagine him nottelling us that he had written a book. He's got his typewriter withhim, I wonder if he is planning another book. "

"Let's go and ask him, " announced Bet, jumping up and starting towardthe door. 

"It's ten o'clock! He'll be sound asleep, " said Shirley. "Don't youthink you can wait until morning?"

Bet had waited and then asked the old man, but she got littlesatisfaction. The professor was shy about his work. 

But that was exactly what he was planning to do. If he could make somediscoveries, get some practical knowledge and then write about it, hewould save his job and increase his income so that his daughter mightget the treatment to restore her health. 

A sum of money had been offered to the old man for research work, andhe had accepted it gladly. He knew from the history of Arizona that alarge Indian village must have been situated in the region of LostCanyon, and it was here that he hoped to find the burial place of thewealthy chief. 

The younger teachers heard of his plan and smiled with condescension. They did not imagine for a minute that the old man could stand thestrenuous trip to the southwest and find the Indian village. It was astunt that they would have hesitated to undertake. 

But Anton Gillette was made of different stuff. Here was his chance, he must win out. As he looked into the pale face of his daughter, Alicia, her eyes glowing with hope both for her father and her ownfuture, he had vowed that no hardships would be too great for him toovercome. 

And here he was in the mountains, camping in Lost Canyon within, hebelieved, arm's length of the ruins. But so far he had not found them. 

Luck was with him, that he knew. Everywhere from the time he had lefthome, he had found friends to help him. They gladly gave him advice, and in the case of The Merriweather Girls, they would have been happyto serve him in every way. They were quite indignant when the old manpitched his tent far from the ranch where they could not see him sooften. 

"It will never do, " thought the professor. "I'll get soft if they waiton me and give me the idea that I can't do things for myself. "

But the invitation from Virginia Breckenridge was another thing. Thesevisits he loved. They were always helpful. The Judge was asinterested in the finding of the ruins now as the old man himself. Itwas his only way to help the independent professor, who refused allfinancial aid, and the two men were often seen riding the hillstogether, speculating on the prospect of an ancient village there. 

But still they had not found it, after a week of search. 

Someone else was anxious to accompany the old man on his trips. It wasKie Wicks. 

And while Professor Gillette enjoyed the daily visits of the girls andthe occasional calls from Judge Breckenridge or Dad Patten, he foundthe storekeeper very trying. Kie arrived at the tent early and stayedlate. 

"That man acts as if he were spying on me. I wonder what he's afraidof. There is nothing here to steal that I can see. "

This continued for a week and then ended abruptly. After that KieWicks came only once in a long time. This had been Maude's doing. 

"You ain't getting no where at all, Kie. You keep that old book-wormfrom hunting or doing whatever he wants to do. Now if I were you, I'dlet old Booky do his searching, then cook up a plan to do him out ofwhatever he finds. "

"Maude, you're a wonder! Why didn't I think of that myself? Icouldn't have found a better wife anywhere than you. "

So Kie did not appear the next morning. 

But it was not until noon that the professor knew that he had beendeserted. His patience was at an end so he had risen before dawn andleft the tent, striking off over the hills where Mrs. Patten hadindicated. He returned at noon with arrowheads and a stone axe butthere was no sign of ruins. 

But the old man was not discouraged. These signs of Indians merelygave him the necessary urge to investigate. 

Before he had finished lunch the girls arrived. 

"Where's your bosom friend today?" they asked mockingly. "You and KieWicks are almost inseparable. It's quite touching to see suchdevotion, " laughed Bet, who knew of the old man's impatience. 

Bet laughed and the contagion of her merriment started the other girlsand their voices echoed back to them from the canyon wall opposite. 

While they stood there, a strange procession appeared around the bendin the trail. A band of horses one after the other, filed by. 

"Poor horses!" exclaimed Bet in sympathy. 

"Horses!" sneered Kit. "Those are not horses, they are just racks ofbones, that's all. And that's the way most of the Indian ponies look. "

The professor was speechless. He watched the procession with interest. Fat squaws rode huddled over their nags, each carrying a baby strappedto her back. Small boys ran beside the horses or clung on behind themother. The men usually rode free and on one of the animals, theprofessor saw an old Indian. 

"I wish I could talk to him, " he whispered to Kit, who was standingnear him. 

"You'll have your chance before the day is over. They usually campright here where you are. I'm surprised that Indian Joe suggested thisspot. They are not apt to go far away from here. "

As Kit spoke the squaw heading the procession stopped, and it looked asif she rolled off her horse as she dismounted. She had evidently founda suitable place to camp. The professor was delighted that it was onthe opposite side of the stream where he could watch them. A tepee wasmade almost before the squaws were all out of their saddles. A largepiece of sacking was thrown over small bushes which were tied togetherat the top to form an arch. This was the only shelter put up by theIndians when on the march. 

The men dismounted, sat down by the stream and smoked their pipes, while the women and children scurried about, gathering fire wood andstarting a blaze. 

In a few minutes they had settled down to life for a few days, the lifethat the Indians loved, carefree, indolent and happy. 

The professor was greatly elated. Here was a chance to watch themodern Indian at least and see how he lived. He would have somethingto tell his class. 

"That's Old Mapia, " confided Kit. "He's supposed to be about a hundredyears old. You're in luck if you can get him to talk. Some of theyoung ones will translate for him if he gets stuck. I'll send Old Maryover, if he won't talk to you. She can make him tell stories. "

Before the afternoon was over, the professor had invited the old Indianto have a smoke with him, then offered him cookies and otherdelicacies, and while he accepted without a sign of appreciation, theice was broken and when the professor began to ask questions the oldIndian answered as well as he could, and Young Wolf supplied themissing words that his grandfather had forgotten. 

"Yes, once a very long time ago there were many Indians here, a city!"droned the old fellow and the professor edged closer to hear him, fascinated by the wrinkled face. 

"My father--my grandfather, yes, he know. Up yonder somewhere a largevillage, where the Indians make baskets and rugs and silver andpottery, long ago. There were good times then. Indians plenty rich. No white men. My grandfather tell me heaps. "

"Where was the village?" asked Professor Gillette. 

"No find any more, --gone!" The Indian shook his head and with a waveof his hand indicated every hill surrounding the canyon. 

"I think he knows, " the professor confided to the girls that afternoonwhen he went up to see Dad Patten. "But it's probably a secret. "

"No, it's on account of the curse, " said Kit. 

"But what has the curse to do with it?" the professor asked. 

"Plenty. The daughter of the old chief still walks at times, and shecursed that village, and the Indians try to forget that there ever wassuch a place. None of them will go near it. "

"What does the ghost look like, Kit?" asked Bet. 

"She always wears a costume of deerskin and feathers. And at night shejust appears out of nothing in Lost Canyon. One minute she isn't thereand the next she is. And when she appears she is supposed to cursethose who see her. They run for their lives. "

"Is that true?" Joy's voice was trembling. "If it is, I won't ever gointo this canyon again. "

"Don't worry, Joy. If you are good you'll never see the ghost. Onlythose who are planning to do wrong see her. "

The girls laughed at the timid Joy. "Don't worry, dear, " Bet pattedher hand lovingly. "I'll take care of you. "

"Some say, " went on Kit, "that the ruin of the village must be leftuntouched, and that any one disturbing it will see the ghost. "

"And that's why Old Mapia won't talk, " said the professor. "He'safraid of the curse. It would hasten matters very much if I could getsome reliable information as to the location of the village. "

"And are you really going to hunt for the village after that?" Bet'seyes were glowing. 

"Yes, I'm not afraid of the curse. I'll find that village. Alicia isexpecting me to. I must make good. "

"That's the way to talk, Professor Gillette! And remember this, TheMerriweather Girls will help you in any way we can. We're not afraidof any curse. We're with you, every one of us. "

Joy started to speak. She turned pale then suddenly gave up. "Allright. If Bet leads, I follow!"

But there was no wild enthusiasm in her promise. 

CHAPTER XI

_STAKING A CLAIM_

But it was rarely ever that the professor wanted company in his search. Bet was inclined to feel offended, for she had hoped that he wouldaccept her offer of help and consider The Merriweather Girls aspartners. 

"All right, Kit, let's do something by ourselves. What's the use ofjust looking at the glorious scenery? If an old man like ProfessorGillette can go out and hunt for a lost village, we should be able tofind some copper claims or other interesting things. Let's do it. "

The girls were in the saddle while Bet discussed the possibility ofdiscovering something. It was really adventure that Bet was seeking. 

The horses stepped gingerly over the slippery rocks of the creek bed asthe girls chatted and laughed on their way to Table Mountain, a greatflat-topped summit in the high hills. 

Joy Evans suddenly laughed outright. "Bet Baxter, it would take you tothink of a thing like this. What under the sun will we do with acopper mine if we do locate one? I'm very sure I have no use for one. "

"Don't be a spoil-sport, Joy! Think of the romance and the fun. Why, we'll be mine owners!"

"What I want to know is, who will do the actual work?" It was ShirleyWilliams, the practical girl of affairs who put the question. 

"We'll hire the work done, of course. It would be foolish for us towaste our valuable time digging holes in the ground, " returned Bet. 

"Certainly, " giggled Kit. "We'll do the brain work and let the_greasers_ do the digging. "

"Please don't call the Mexicans that horrid word again. It doesn'tsound nice. I think the Mexican boys have such wonderful dreamy eyes. "

"We've heard that before. Go on, Joy, rave some more!" Bet treatedJoy's outbursts of enthusiasm over boys with contempt. "I'm going todo something useful in life. "

"Like finding copper mines! Hm! What use are they?" snapped Joy. "I'd rather think about boys any time. "

"Of course you would! Go on and dream then!" Bet was angry. She andJoy were often near to a quarrel, but somehow it was always averted. 

"Quit your fighting, girls, " laughed Enid. "What's to hinder us fromfinding our mine and letting Joy dream of romantic brown eyes at thesame time?"

"I'm for the mine! I've always had a secret passion to locate claims, myself, and see them develop into a big mine. " Kit caught some ofBet's enthusiasm and wanted to start out at once. She continued: "It'slots of fun to locate a claim. Once I followed an outcropping of oreup over a high hill, but when I got to the top I found it alreadylocated. "

"Oh, what a shame!" cried Bet. "And did you give up then?" Bet lookedher disappointment at Kit's lack of enthusiasm. 

"I did for a while but I've never really given up wanting to and had afeeling that I _would_ sooner or later. Guess I was waiting for you tohelp me. Say, girls, let's follow this stream. "

"What for?" asked Shirley. She was looking about her in a bewilderedway, which set Kit into peals of laughter. 

"Well, you see the stream carries bits of ore and if we follow it, wemay find the place the ore comes from. Watch for copper stain on therocks. "

"But it's such a tiny stream!" protested Joy. 

Kit had already guided her horse to the right and led through a narrowpassage between the high canyon walls. "This is the Iron Gate, girls. It's a landmark around here. "

Bet looked up at the high cliffs. They towered above her. 

"The Iron Gate! Doesn't that sound romantic?"

Suddenly Enid called excitedly, "Oh, Kit, is that greenish color on therock copper stain?"

"That's it, " said Kit, "but here there is hardly more than a tint. Let's go on farther, " and Kit urged her pony ahead. 

After half an hour of slow travel through the creek, the girls wererewarded. The tiny canyon had widened out, the stream was larger andthey found sufficient emerald green stain to suggest that there mightbe a large deposit of copper nearby. They also found more fragments ofore. 

Dismounting, the girls left their horses standing with trailingbridles. Bet suggested unfastening the rope she had brought forpractising, to tie her pony to a tree. Kit laughed. 

"The very idea! Don't insult a mountain horse in that way. He'd neverforgive you. Never! Look, here's a small outcrop!"

Kit led the way up over the hill, following an exposed vein of copperore that appeared at intervals. Bet squealed with delight. 

"Just look at it! Isn't that lovely? Kit, do you think it's rich ore?"

"I can't tell you that, Bet, but Dad said there were a lot of fineclaims up this way. "

"Oh, isn't it glorious?" enthused Bet. "We'll stake them out and own amine!"

"And if we find any good claims, we'll locate them today, for Dad gaveme some location blanks to give to the professor. Dad thinks that itis all foolishness to hunt for a lost Indian village, so he was tryingto persuade the old man to go in for mining. And I have those blanksin my saddle bag right here. " And Kit waved her hand back toward thecanyon where Powder was standing patiently waiting his mistress'sreturn. 

The girls had reached the flat and here they found a large outcroppingof greenish ore. Delightedly they set to work. On the legal formsthat they had brought with them, they filled in a description of theclaim. They erected a monument built of stones in the center and thenpaced off the required number of feet and placed a small pile of stonesat four corners. 

"It's a good thing I've watched Dad and other folks build theirmonuments. Now I know just how to do it. " Kit was jubilant. It wasthrilling to be able to show the girls the way to locate claims. 

Kit took the blank that had been filled in and placed it in the centerof the monument. "There!" she exclaimed. "The first time we come backhere we'll bring a tin can and put that paper in it and bury it in therocks again. That will keep it dry. "

"What a funny thing to do, " laughed Bet. 

"It's the rule up here. We're doing it the same as all the prospectorsdid. Every claim was located that way!" Kit carefully covered theblank, then folded up another, a duplicate and handed it to Bet. "Keepthis one. "

"What for?" asked Shirley. 

"That is the one we send in to be recorded at the County Office. "

"I'm excited!" cried Bet as she dropped beside the pillar of rock inthe center of the claim. "Isn't it just too wonderful for anything toown a mine like this? I feel rich already. And just think there maybe a big mine on this very spot some day!"

"Bet, you should have been a prospector. Every old miner in the hillsthinks that his own particular claims are going to be the biggest minein sight, " laughed the Arizona girl. "As soon as he builds a monumenthe begins to talk of private cars and mansions. "

"I almost wish I were a prospector. It must be lots of fun to havemarvelous hopes of success. If I hadn't come a girl, I'd be aprospector. Just think of it, not having anything to do in life butroam around the hills and look at the rocks!" Bet lost herself in herdreams. 

"And build funny little play monuments!" added Enid. 

"Yes, and half starve to death before you get ore enough mined tosell, " Kit reminded her. 

"Oh, Kit, that isn't fair to wake me up so rudely. Why not dreampleasant things while you're about it?" Bet laughed. "Where do welocate the next claim?" They followed Kit to some distance from themonument and when they had found sufficient outcropping they repeatedthe same process. 

There was a hot breeze that seemed to intensify the heat of the sun andbrought the aromatic scent of the greasewood. The wild beauty of thecanyon was not lost on the girls. From the cliff they could see downinto the depths, they could hear the rippling of water over the rockybed of the creek, the flash of a bright bird in the trees would bringthem out of their day dreams. It was good to be alive, good to beroaming through the hills looking for romance and adventure. 

"I'm glad we gave up the idea of hunting for treasure, " declared Betwith a shade of contempt in her voice as she paced off the requirednumber of feet for marking the fourth and last claim. "Somehow orother that seems silly now. This is far more important and worthwhile. "

"After seeing those excavations that were made, I could never think ofit seriously, " Enid said quietly. "Kie Wicks must have spent a fortunetrying to find treasure in that spot. "

"Yes, but not _his_ fortune! He formed a company and sold stock, so itwasn't his own money he spent, " Kit reminded them. 

The girls stood looking over their claims with affectionate glances. "I love them, Bet, and I'd just hate to have anyone else do thedigging. Why can't we do it?" asked Kit. 

Enid spoke up. "Don't do it, girls. Take my advice and hire it done, it will be cheaper in the end. "

"Maybe Enid's right, " agreed Bet. "We mustn't get too ambitious orwe'll miss half the fun. "

"Say, when do we eat?" demanded Joy suddenly. "I'm famished! I can'tdo another thing until I get my lunch. "

"Poor starved child!" laughed Enid. "Do you suppose you could rolldown the hill so we can build a camp fire by the stream? If you thinkyou can't, we might fix up a stretcher and carry you. "

Joy answered with a toss of her head and a puckered-up grin. "I thinkI can manage to crawl there, if I am sure of a feed immediately. "

The girls scrambled down the steep cliff side and began to unpack thelunch. Joy chose a large granite rock in the middle of the stream andperched thereon, she surveyed her surroundings. 

"Isn't that a lovely copper stain? And to think it's coming from ourmine!" she enthused in a mocking tone, while the other girls unpackedthe lunch or hustled around to find sticks for a fire. 

Their lunch preparations were to be quite elaborate, roast potatoes andcorn on the cob and steak. Enid and Kit built the fire with care andsoon a bed of coals was ready. While the two girls worked over thefire and Shirley gave attention to spreading the feast, Bet sat on thecliff, dreaming of the mine to be. 

"This is adventure! This is romance!" she cried to her friends. 

"Romance!" chuckled Joy. "It's not what I call romance. "

"Dark brown eyes and a heavenly smile on the face of a boy, is youronly idea of romance. You are a silly girl!" Bet shrugged her boyishshoulders and laughed at Joy as she undid her long rope, and standingup straight, tried to send the loop over a stump in the manner approvedby Tommy Sharpe, her teacher. Her efforts were not very successful. Out of twenty attempts she managed one that coiled over the spot thatshe was aiming at. Bet decided then and there that she would not makea good cowboy. While she practised the throw again and again, shecontinued to talk to Joy who seemed half vexed as she snapped:

"You needn't talk about liking boys, Bet Baxter. I don't blush everytime the mail arrives and a letter is handed me. And you seem to haveno objection to dreamy brown eyes yourself. I've seen the way youlooked at Phil Gordon. Now Phil's eyes haven't got enough snap in themfor me--they're altogether too brooding to suit me. I think that youngMexican's eyes are much more exciting. "

"Why, Joy Evans, how dare you say that I like to look at Phil's eyes?He's a dear boy, one of our best chums, but I don't think at all abouthis eyes, " retorted Bet. 

"You don't think his eyes are nice? Answer me, Bet?" teased Shirley. 

"They're all right I tell you, but I think you girls are just toohorrid trying to insinuate that I'm in love with Phil, " protested Bet, her face flushing, her blue eyes snapping with anger. 

"We don't have to insinuate anything, Bet. You give yourself awayevery time his name is mentioned, " was Joy's emphatic reply. 

"I move we change the subject. It's a sore point with me for I'm halfin love with Phil myself, " laughed Kit. "He's one of the nicest boysI've ever seen. But when Bet's around he won't even notice me. "

"What will Bob say to that?" laughed the impish Joy for it was nosecret that Bob Evans had lost his heart to the Arizona girl from thefirst time he met her. His heart was hers to crush or treasure as shesaw fit. But at present Kit preferred to hold on to her girlhood andnot allow the thought of love and grown-up responsibilities to enterher head. 

That was one nice thing about the relationship of the girls and theirboy friends. There was comradeship and loyal friendship. 

Bet suddenly jumped down from her perch on the cliff and saiddisgustedly: "Joy Evans, I think you are corrupting all of us with yoursilly ideas regarding boys. I love Bob and Phil and Paul Breckenridgeand Tommy Sharpe just exactly the same, and I won't be teased about anyone in particular. "

"Methinks thou dost protest too much, my dear!" exclaimed Joytantalizingly. "We'll change the subject for the time, but when I getyou alone, Bet Baxter, I'll make you own up that Phil Gordon is alittle dearer to you than any of them. " Joy dodged and slid from thegranite rock just in time to miss the loop of rope that Bet had aimedat her with no gentle hand. 

"Come on girls, you selfish things, give your horses a chance, " and Kitstroked Powder's muzzle and gave him a nosebag of oats. All the girlsfollowed her example, then while the potatoes were getting ready, Bettook a book from her pack behind the saddle and lost herself in a story. 

"Do read aloud, Bet, " begged Enid, dropping down beside her friend. "Iwill always remember how you read to me on Campers' Trail when I washurt. "

So while Kit tended the fire, keeping a bed of hot coals just right forthe baking, and Shirley fried steak and cooked the corn, Enid stretchedout on a flat rock and listened to Bet. She had chosen "The WonderfulWindow" by Dunsany, and when she finished Enid sighed softly. 

"I like a story that gives you something to think about, " said Bet, moved by the loveliness of the tale. 

"I don't see anything particularly nice to think about in that story, Bet, " objected Joy with a shrug. "It isn't lively enough to suit me. "

"Of course you wouldn't!" laughed Enid. "Your idea of a story isCinderella. There has to be a girl, a prince and a wedding. Isn'tthat right?"

"Of course, " answered the butterfly girl, twirling about on her toes asusual. "It's the only kind that counts. I wouldn't give a snap of myfinger for any other kind. "

With a bound, Bet jumped to her feet, caught the slight form of Joy, lifted her clear off the ground, then ran with her down to the creek. 

"Come on, Enid, this girl needs to have her head soaked in cold water. Let's do it. " And in spite of the protests of the kicking, shriekingJoy, the girls managed to get her to a pool of water in the creek bed. 

"Now, Joy Evans, will you behave yourself?"

Bet held Joy's head under her arm, and using her arm as a dipper shepoured water freely over the girl's head. 

Kit and Shirley came to the rescue at Joy's screams, but Shirley heldthem off. 

"She had it coming to her, girls. It will do her good. "

Between Bet's bursts of laughter she managed to say, "Promise you won'ttalk about boys and love for a week at least, then I'll let you go. "

"Don't be as unreasonable as all that, " protested Shirley. "She mightlive through twenty-four hours of it, but not much longer. "

"Then promise that you won't mention a boy's name for two days!" andfor good measure another handful of water splashed into Joy's laughingface. 

"I promise! I promise! Please let me go!" choked Joy who had openedher mouth just in time to get it full of water. 

"All right! Here you go!" And Bet gave a quick shove, landing thedripping girl on her feet, then she stood back admiringly. "There isone fine thing about you, Joy Evans. You're a good sport. I couldn'tbe as good natured as that. " Bet threw an arm about the smaller girlaffectionately. 

"Yes, I am good natured. I let you abuse me just turrible! I'm sokind and lovable and. . . . . . "

"Give her another bath!" cried Kit, making a bound to catch Joy. Butquick as a flash the girl had sprung to a rocky ledge and wasscrambling up the cliff-side like a mountain goat. 

The girls shrieked with laughter and the echoes resounded back andforth across the canyon like the voices of a thousand imps. This setthem deliberately to letting their voices out in strange calls andweird whisperings in order to hear the echoes coming back to them. 

"Isn't it wonderful!" exclaimed Bet. "There are so many more things toentertain one here than in the cities. And after this, Lynnwood willseem dull. "

"I could never call Lynnwood dull, " said the sensible Shirley. "Wealways managed to have plenty of adventure there, thanks to Bet who canfind a thrilling mystery anywhere. "

"Say, girls, I wish you'd get that silly idea you have of me out ofyour heads. From now on I'm a business woman, a mine-owner, and allother adventures are out. I'm going to be known as Sensible Bet. "

"Listen to her! She thinks it will be an adventure to work a copperclaim. My idea of an adventure is altogether different. I can't seeany thrill in five girls getting out in the hills, miles away fromnowhere, and without the boys. . . . . . "

Bet made a dash toward Joy, who had just stepped down to the creek fromher place of refuge. 

"Put her in the creek!" Bet shouted. "This time she goes in all over!"

"Oh please!" begged Joy, taking refuge once more on the steep trail. "Truly I forgot! I won't say it again. "

"All right, come on down, and we'll let you off this once, but nexttime, in you go, head and all!"

Kit had drawn away at some distance from the girls and was lookinganxiously at the sky. "Looks to me as if a storm was coming up. We'dbetter get home at once. "

On mountain weather forecasts, Kit was authority so the girls quicklyseized their horses' bridles, tightened the cinches as Kit directed, then hastily mounted and started toward home. 

"It's beginning to look worse and worse! Don't waste a minute. Wemust reach the pass down there before it catches us. Otherwise we'llbe in a jam. "

The horses sensed the excitement and the tenseness that goes before astorm and raced through the creek-bed without any urging. Even the oldhorse, Dolly, needed neither spur nor whip. Snorting and blowing ingood earnest, she held her own with the more spirited animals as theypicked their way around boulders and pools of water. 

At the first drop of rain, Kit drew in her pony. "We can't make it, girls! We'll never make it in time, " she cried in a panic of fear. 

"Of course we can make it. There it is right ahead of us, " Enidencouraged them. "We can get through the pass. "

"No, we can't!" declared Kit anxiously. 

"Then we'd better stay right here where it's dry, " said Bet. 

"We can't do that either, " screamed Kit. "In ten minutes this will bea raging torrent instead of a little trickle of water. You don'tunderstand. "

It was not often that Kit lost her presence of mind, but theresponsibility of looking after the girls quite unnerved her. 

"Then what shall we do?" asked Shirley, who never got excited or losther head. 

Kit looked at the canyon walls on both sides. They were steep, theyseemed straight up. 

"Oh, I shouldn't have started back, I should have waited, " in Kit'svoice was a sob. 

Heavy clouds had shut out all the blue of the sky. Never before hadthe girls seen such black and menacing clouds. They rolled and seethedlike foaming billows. It looked as if the demons of some underworldwere engaged in a tremendous battle. Black, castle-like shapes piledup, to be tumbled into the abyss, the next second. It was an infernothrough which a flash of lightning darted from time to time, followedby thunderclaps. 

The girls were terrified. 

Joy was sobbing outright and at every blast of thunder a high-pitched, uncontrollable shriek broke from her lips. The horses stood still, trembling with fright. 

"We're in terrible danger here. We must get out!" cried Kit, frantically. "Come on back. Let your horse take you wherever he wantsto, and hold on for dear life. "

Kit wheeled her horse back the way they had come and the girlsfollowed. And just at that moment the downpour came and looking backtoward the pass, the girls saw a strange sight. A body of water cameroaring through the narrow opening as if a gigantic fire-hydrant hadburst. A cloudburst in the mountain beyond had sent the water roaringand tumbling down the bed of the stream. 

Just what happened the girls could hardly tell afterwards. They heldon as Kit had directed and the horses raced madly away from theoncoming torrent. 

Bet's heart almost stopped beating as her pony took the trail up thewall of the canyon, so steep that she would not have dared to attemptit on foot. Half way up the wall, the horse stopped. 

"I've never seen anything braver than that! This is thrilling!"breathed Bet as she held on to the horn of the saddle with a grip thatstrained her hands. Although she was as frightened as any of thegirls, she still had an eye to the adventure. 

The stream bed was a river now, swirling, foaming and roaring. It madeone dizzy to look down into it. 

Bet finally got up the courage to turn her head to see if the othergirls were safe, and behind her on the trail, she made out Joy's horse. 

The animal had followed Bet's lead and it stood on the trail dejectedand drooping, a picture of woe. 

And the saddle was empty. 

"Joy! Joy!" screamed Bet. "Where are you? Joy!"

No one, even a few feet away, could have heard her call and if therehad been any answer, the roar of the storm deadened it. 

The rain came down in a heavy sheet, soaking her to the skin andshutting out the hills across the canyon. She was alone in thisblinding downpour. It seemed as if the inferno she had witnessed inthe sky had fallen upon her and was eager to swallow her up. And yetBet was thrilled. 

She wanted to huddle over her pony, hold on to the saddle horn, but shedared not do it. She must find Joy. 

What had happened to the other girls? Kit was probably with them, andleading them to safety. Joy was near and in need of help. 

Bet carefully took her feet from the stirrups and slid to the groundwith a death-grip on the saddle. There was only room for one foot onthe tiny shelf of rock, and that slight space was slippery with therain. Slowly Bet lowered herself, with the aid of the stirrup, andclutching at the tough-fibred plants, she lay down flat on her stomach. Sliding and wriggling, an inch at a time, down that slippery incline, she managed to hold on to the narrow shelf. 

"Joy! Joy! Where are you?" she cried. 

At last Bet could hear the heavy breathing of Joy's horse, got hold ofa stirrup and clung there trembling. 

Again and again she called, then listened. 

Finally above the roar of the storm she thought she heard a faint cryfrom the trail below. Bet crept along the trail, this time underDolly's feet. She had to take a chance even though one move on thepart of the horse might send her over the side of the cliff. 

Then Bet saw Joy. She was clinging to a mass of bear grass, her facewhite and her eyes wild with fear. It was impossible to reach her. She seemed to be clinging there only with her hands, her feet swingingwithout any support. But of that Bet could not be certain. 

It would be sure destruction to attempt to climb down that wall. 

Then quick as a flash Bet thought of the reata on Joy's saddle. Bethad insisted that the girl carry the rope with her, and Joy hadprotested as usual. 

That rope was her only chance. 

Bet slowly crept up the incline to Joy's horse and managed to get toher feet and undo the long coil of rope. Then crouching to her kneesonce more she made a loop, thankful that she had learned to do thatstunt as a child. The other end she tied to the saddle. 

Bet heard a groan from the cliff and hastened toward it. 

But haste was one thing that could not be attempted with safety. Betregretted that effort. Her body slipped, a plant gave way and her feetslid over the wall. 

Bet's mind was clear. She heard once more Joy's faint cry in thedistance and knew that it depended on her to rescue her friend. Theempty hand clutched and found another tough root, and slowly, now, shebrought first one foot then the other to the ledge. She was saved!But would she reach Joy in time?

With greater caution she crept the few feet along that treacherous pathuntil she came close above Joy's head. 

"Hold on, Joy, don't give up! I'll help you in a minute. " Betencouraged her. 

Working desperately, Bet got to her feet and clung there. It was theonly hope for Joy. The rain had ceased to pour down in such a torrent, and Bet could now see her friend clinging to that slender plant. Leaning over as far as she dared, she dropped the loop over Joy's headand shoulders. 

"Joy dear, " she called. "Put one arm inside the loop, quick!"

Joy heard and understood. She let go with one hand. There was ashriek, a groan, a shower of rocks descended as Joy slipped down thatsteep wall. 

For Bet, everything went black. She grew faint and closed her eyes, then suddenly pulled herself together, and looked over. 

The rope was taut. It had held. 

A second shower of rocks came from the trail, started by the suddenjerk on the saddle. The horse pawed the ground in an effort to keepits footing. 

It held. And Bet gripped the stirrup with her foot and drew on therope. 

It was well that Joy was tiny. Even then, Bet had difficulty inbringing her up. She tugged, she pulled, trying to ease the girl'sbody over the sharp projecting rocks. 

Bet was weak and trembling when she clasped Joy in her arms, perched onthat narrow shelf of rock. 

And that was the way Kit found them ten minutes later, when the stormhad passed and the sun shone fiercely down once more. 

Joy was sobbing as if her heart would break and Bet was saying in acrooning voice: "Joy dear, you can talk about the boys as much as youwant to from now on. I'll never again object to anything you do. "

CHAPTER XII

_DOUBLE DEALING_

An anxious group was waiting for the girls to arrive in camp. MaPatten had run over to make her daily call on Mrs. Breckenridge. EvenTang and the two Chinese hoys were watching eagerly and scowling towardthe tempestuous sky. A thunder and lightning storm in the hills wasnot a thing to laugh at. A flash! A roar! And a large mass of rockwas cleft apart as if a mighty hammer had struck it. 

Tommy Sharpe and Seedy Saunders had saddled their horses and gone insearch of the girls as soon as the storm threatened, but not knowing inwhich direction they had headed, it was like hunting for a needle in ahay stack. 

They did find Professor Gillette, however, soaked to the skin, abedraggled, shivering figure that set the boys laughing in spite of thepathetic look of the old man. They helped him up the hill to thePatten household where he could be taken care of, and once more went insearch of the girls. 

But it was not until the storm was over and the girls were climbing upthe last trail to the ranch that Tommy spied them. 

"There they are, Seedy! They're safe!" Tommy's voice trembled withemotion. The mountain | storms still terrified the boy, although hehad experienced so many of them. 

By the time the girls reached the house, the strain they had undergonewas beginning to wear off and they were able to laugh at theiradventure. That all except Joy, who shuddered whenever she thought ofit and turned pale when the women asked excited questions. 

"I hate these mountains, " whispered Joy to Shirley. "I wish I weregoing home tomorrow!"

"Why, Joy Evans, you know you don't. " Shirley put her arm around thefrightened girl. "You're having a grand time here, and the fun is justbeginning. You're not going to quit over the first unpleasant thingthat happens to you. That's not playing the game. What would LadyBetty Merriweather do?"

Joy laughed in spite of herself. "We always used to ask that questionwhen we were in Lynnwood. Lady Betty meant a lot to us, didn't she? Iguess she wouldn't have cried and taken on the way I did down there onthe cliff. "

"Do you remember, " said Shirley softly, "how Lady Betty rode throughthe night to help her wounded husband? That was bravery!"

"But that was so long ago. The Revolutionary War seems like a storyand not real life, " Joy said with a toss of her head. "Maybe it didn'thappen at all. "

Lady Betty Merriweather had been the first owner of the MerriweatherEstate, Bet's home on the Hudson, and from an old picture of her thatadorned the great entrance hall of the Manor, the girls had come tofeel that she was their friend and companion, an ideal for them to liveup to. 

"Anyway, " continued Joy, "she liked horses. And I don't. And I don'tlike their old cactus plants with their sharp needles that seem to jumpat you. And the sun is cruel. It bites. And even the mountains lookhard and angry as if they wanted to do you a mean turn. --And thatstorm! Did you ever see anything more terrifying? I thought the dayof judgment had come. I don't believe Lady Betty would have been anybraver than I was. Well, not much braver!"

Shirley laughed softly. "Joy dear, how you exaggerate things! Arizonais wonderful. Did you ever see such glorious sunsets? I'm crazy aboutthem. "

"The sunrises are just as wonderful!" interrupted Bet. "And I'mwondering who is going to be game enough to start to Saugus beforedaylight some morning. Kit says we will have to take an early start ifwe are to make the trip in one day. "

"Why are we going there?" asked Joy. 

"To record our claims. We _could_ mail the filled-in blanks but it'slots more exciting to take them. And it's good experience for us. Besides the County Recorder should get acquainted with us, for somedaywe'll own a great big mine and be people of importance. "

The girls laughed at Bet's seriousness. 

"Are you going to say you don't want to go?" Bet asked in a vexed tone. 

"Of course we'll go!" assented Enid. "We're The Merriweather Girls;one for all and all for one! What day do we start?"

"Why not go tomorrow, if our folks agree? I'm anxious to see thoseclaims put on record, " said Shirley, "and the sooner business mattersare attended to, the better for everyone. And just think, girls, it'sour second business venture. Shirley's Shop was a success and stillis, for mother is keeping it going, and she said in her last letterthat she was not doing badly at all. "

"Shirley's Shop was a success and the Merriweather Mining Company willbe, too, " Bet declared. "It _must_ be a success. "

"It will be!" determined Enid. 

Only Joy did not share their optimism. "I think the storm was a badomen, don't you, Kit? It's hoodooed!"

"Joy Evans!" cried Bet her eyes flashing. "Half an hour ago I wouldhave let you say that, but now if the creek were near, in you'd go!"

Joy laughed and got beyond the reach of Bet's hand, then said impishly:"As for boys, I think they are simply wonderful! Mexican boys havebeautiful eyes and Phil Gordon always smiles at you, Bet. "

For answer Bet ran into the house and slammed the door to her own room. Joy had wept after the storm, and thus relaxed her nerve tension butBet had not had any such relief. As a result of the strain she foundherself irritated by Joy's nonsense and got out of the way to avoid aquarrel. 

It was two days later when the girls started on their trip to Saugus. The first faint flush of dawn was in the sky as they set out, theexhilarating air acting as a stimulant. Even the horses seemed to feelit as they tossed their heads and pawed the ground when the girls weregetting ready to start. The restless animals were as eager to be offas their riders, and at the first touch of the reins they sprangforward as if for a race. 

"Take it easy, Powder, " laughed Kit as she tightened the rein and drewup the horse's head. "You have a full day to show how clever you are. "Kit talked to the pony as if it were a human being and the horse seemedto respond to whatever mood she was in. He slowed to a prancing trot, high-stepping along the level like a spirited race horse. 

Kit leaned over and patted his neck with pride as she called: "Look, Bet, isn't he a beauty?"

"He is!--That is in looks. But I don't like his disposition. You arewelcome to ride him. " Bet laughed aloud in her joy as she made herpony dance along the trail. 

"But if Powder didn't act up like a perfect fiend at times, I'd bebored to death with him. I like them naughty. I hate a horse withoutany spirit. Powder keeps me on my toes all the time. " Kit ran herfinger along the horse's mane and with a spring Powder reared andbucked, and did all the things that an untamed bronco would do when hewas first introduced to the saddle. 

"You can have it all to yourself, " said Bet, as Kit finally brought herquieted horse to a standstill. "I like riding, but I don't want to bea bronco buster. "

Although they planned on being in the town by noon, the girls carried alunch strapped to their saddles. A rest and a bite to eat along theway was half the fun and they had not gone more than a mile before Joywas digging into the little bag that hung from the horn of her saddle. 

By ten o'clock when the other girls were ready for a rest and somethingto eat, Joy was down to the bottom of the bag. 

"Never mind, Joy, you can have half of mine. Mother always puts upenough for an army. "

"Aren't we ever going to get there?" complained Joy, as she squatted inthe scant shade of a mesquite tree and ate some fudge. 

"Five miles more!" Kit announced. 

"I'll never be able to do it! If they only had a change of scenery, Iwouldn't be so bored. And those tall, smokestack cactus make me sick. "

"Smokestack cactus!" snapped Kit with contempt. "If you'd only takeenough interest to learn the names of the trees and things you see, youwouldn't be so bored. "

"Well, what are they called?"

"Sahuara. And if that word is too big for you to remember, call themGiant Cactus. "

Suddenly Bet shook Joy by the arm. "Keep quiet and watch that roadrunner. Isn't he a beauty?"

The bird had risen and poised above the mesa, then with flutteringwings darted downward. There was a rattling brr, and the girls knewwhat was happening. The road runner was attacking a rattlesnake. 

"That bird isn't much of a sport, " declared Bet, watching the littledrama with eager eyes. "It doesn't give the snake a fighting chance. I feel sorry for it. "

Kit laughed. "Don't waste your sympathy on rattlesnakes. Takesomething worthy of your respect. "

Kit watched the struggle with little emotion but the other girls turnedaway not wanting to see the end of the uneven fight. 

"Let's go, " said Enid, jumping to her feet. "I've seen enough. "

An hour later when the girls were entering the little desert town ofSaugus, and just as they came to the first adobe houses, they saw ahorseback rider coming toward them. As he rode nearer the man wavedthem a greeting. 

"It's Kie Wicks! And he's good-natured, " grunted Kit suspiciously. "Wonder what he's doing over here today? Up to some meanness, I know, otherwise he wouldn't be so cordial to us. "

"Well his meanness doesn't concern us, " answered Bet. 

"You can't be sure of that. He's probably bought up some second handfood stuff that he plans to work off on the ranchers during the summer. "

"And what's your errand over this way?" inquired Kie Wicks bluntly. 

"I came to visit an ice cream parlor and go to a movie, " chuckled Joy. 

But Kit did not deign to answer the man. She dug her spurs intoPowder's sides and he leaped past the rider and raced toward the town. 

"That fellow looks as if he had been taking advantage of someone. Wasn't he feeling good? On top of the world! The old cheat!"blustered Kit, as she dismounted at the stables where they were toleave their horses for a rest and a good feed. 

The girls took their time, went leisurely about the town, ate theirlunch at the Grand Palace Hotel and later went to the County RecordingOffice. 

"Why, that's funny!" said the clerk, giving them a searching look. "Those same claims were recorded not more than an hour ago. Man by thename of Ramon Salazar. What are you trying to do, jump his claims?"

"Why, we wouldn't do such a thing, " exclaimed Bet indignantly. 

"Was Ramon here in person?" asked Kit. 

"No, he sent the papers in by a neighbor, " returned the young man. "Afellow by the name of Kie Wicks. "

"Kie Wicks!" That explained everything. 

The girls suddenly wilted. All their sparkle was gone as they watchedthe clerk checking over the descriptions with the ones already recorded. 

"You have one here that has not been recorded, " the clerk announcedwhen he had finally finished the checking. 

"Wonder how he happened to leave out that one?" snapped Kit. 

Bet held out her hand for the blank. "Let's see which one it is. Oh, girls, what a shame! It's the most unpromising claim of all. That'sthe last one we located, the one we called, 'Little Orphan Annie. 'It's too mean for anything. " There were tears of disappointment andanger in Bet's eyes. 

"Do you want it recorded?" The girls heard the clerk's voice but itseemed to come from far away. 

"What's the use of one claim? You can't make a mine out of just onemiserable claim!"

"I don't care, I want it anyway!" Bet shrugged her shoulders defiantly. 

"I told you there was a hoodoo on those claims, " Joy spoke cheerfully, as much as to say, "I told you so. "

Joy's pessimism was all that was needed to decide Bet. 

"Yes, we'll record it, and we'll be locating some more soon, " sheannounced with determination. "We are not going to let Kie Wicks andRamon Salazar beat us. We'll get even with them somehow. "

"They wouldn't have dared to do this if we were men. Just because weare girls, they think they'll get away with it. "

"Oh, by all means!" Joy taunted provokingly, "Be sure to locate somemore claims and let that man take them away from us again. "

Bet turned her back on Joy and watched the clerk as he put the blankthrough the usual routine and then turned to leave the office. TheMerriweather Girls were the owners of one very unpromising copper claim. 

They dragged wearily out into the fierce sunlight. There was adiscouraged droop to their shoulders, but Bet suddenly straightened. Her eyes were flashing as she said:

"I have a hunch! Something tells me that we are not down and out onthis deal. "

Joy squatted on the steps of the General Mining Supply Company's officeand laughed. "You ought to win with a disposition like that, BetBaxter. I don't admire your judgment, but I do like your spunk. I'mwith you. I'll never say a discouraging word again. "

"I don't know why, but somehow that Little Orphan Annie claim is goingto help us win out!"

"But how?" whispered Kit to herself. 

CHAPTER XIII

_THE "ORPHAN ANNIE" CLAIM_

Disappointments could not long dampen the spirits of The MerriweatherGirls. Youth soon conquered discouragement and by the time they wereawake the next morning, they were happy and ready to take the next stepin the adventure. 

But Judge Breckenridge, with his strong ideas of justice, was not soeasily appeased. And when the girls told him of what had happened hesat for a long time with a worried frown on his brow, then got up andwalked in the court. It was plain to be seen that he was agitatedabout the claim jumpers. 

"If you are bothered about us, Judge Breckenridge, " said Bet, linkingher arm in his and skipping into step beside him, "You might just aswell not think about it. We didn't like it at first either, but now wedon't care at all--not much, I mean. It will save us lots of work. And probably we couldn't be mine owners very well, anyway. "

"You're a great little girl, Bet!" The Judge patted her handaffectionately. "You're a sport, all right. Now, _I'm_ mad cleanthrough!"

"That's what I thought, and I have never seen you angry before. "

"I'm sorry, child, I didn't mean to have you see me in this mood, ever, " said the Judge with a trembling voice. 

"But I'm so glad I did. I usually snap and snarl when I have a temperspell, and I did not know it could be done in such a dignified way. Ithink it was wonderful!"

The Judge stopped short in his walk and laughed, his voice echoingthrough the patio. 

Enid heard it in her own room and came on the run to see what amusedher father so greatly. When she saw Bet, she smiled. 

"I might have known it was you. Dad always laughs at you. " And thetall girl slipped up at the other side of her father, and snuggledclose with her head on his shoulder. 

"Two daughters are better than one!" The grey-haired man clasped hisgirl to him as if he had not seen her for weeks. Then turning to Bethe said:

"Aren't you going to work your one claim?"

"Is it worth it?" she asked. 

"I think I would. You can get a Mexican to do the assessment work, andhe'd be glad of the money. You never can tell what may happen, "advised Judge Breckenridge. 

"I had a sort of hunch that we ought to keep it, but then again in thenight I decided that it would be foolish. We can go elsewhere andlocate more claims. "

"I'll take a trip over there with you this afternoon and have a look at'Little Orphan Annie. ' Tommy Sharpe is threatening to lay in wait forKie Wicks with a shotgun. "

"Tommy's a fool! He always was!" exclaimed Enid impatiently. "Hecan't imagine there is any way of getting the better of a person exceptby shooting him. He even wanted to go after Sol Curtin. I believe hehad the notion that he could do it all by himself. He's a funny boy!"

The Judge frowned. Although a year had passed since Enid had beenfound, the father could not talk, without emotion, of the man who hadkidnapped his daughter when she was a child. Sol was in jail and wouldbe there for many years, but still the father was uneasy. 

"This Kie Wicks makes me think of Sol, " he said bitterly. "And I wantyou to keep as far away from him as possible. Have a man do the workfor you if you keep this claim near his. "

That afternoon the Judge rode with the girls down Lost Canyon, throughthe Iron Gate to the smaller creek and picked their way around theboulders of the river bed. 

About a mile from the claim, they met Professor Gillette. He had beenfar over one of the hills in search of the ruins. Half a dozenarrowheads were his reward. He was preparing a belated dinner in thecreek-bed, over a smouldering fire. 

The girls were impatient to go on, and dragged the Judge away from hisfriend. 

"Come on up over that hill when you finish your lunch, " invited theJudge. "I have to obey, so I'm off. "

"What made you think of coming away up here to locate claims, Kit?" theJudge asked as they brought their horses to the summit. 

"Dad said there were some good claims over this way, and I've hadexperience. I've lived out here all my life and know how they go abouttheir location work. "

"I'll say your view is worth as much as 'Orphan Annie, '" enthused JudgeBreckenridge, as he looked over the ranges of mountains and thedeep-cut canyons. 

"But views are not worth a Mexican dime out here. You can't cash in ona good outlook, " returned Bet with a chuckle. "It's the mine thatcounts. Now tell us, don't you think we made a good job of locatingthose claims?"

"I think you did, Bet. However as Ramon Salazar and Kie Wicks willreap the benefit, I think we might go on to other promising spots andlet them have a free hand here. You are only girls and can't fight menlike them. "

No other remark could have roused all the spunk in the girls. 

"I don't see why we can't hold our own against any man, " sniffed Kit. "Ramon Salazar is a cross-eyed Mexican with a lame leg, and Kie Wicksis a coward. I guess The Merriweather Girls could beat them with theireyes shut. "

"That a girl, Kit! Of course we can, " cried Bet indignantly. "And wewill!"

The Judge chuckled at their flare of independence, and turned to Joy, the timid one. 

"What about you, Joy? Do you want to help the girls fight for theclaim?"

"I'm not saying that I want the old mine, if we can hold it, but I'mwilling to help fight, if the girls say so. The Merriweather Girlsstand together. "

"Good for you, Joy Evans! I didn't expect it of you. "

"You didn't? What are you trying to insinuate, Bet Baxter? I'm not atraitor!"

"Why, of course not, Joy, but you don't like digging mines and ridinghorseback and all that sort of thing. "

"Maybe not. But you've never known me to back out of anything, especially where the honor of The Merriweather Girls was at stake. "

"That's right, " responded Bet quickly. "I didn't mean to hurt yourfeelings. You've always been a sport when it came to doing things, although you've sometimes made a frightful fuss about it. "

"That's part of the game, " laughed the butterfly girl. "Somebody hasto be a kicker. And I'm it. "

"Please do it with your feet from now on, it's much more graceful!"teased Enid. 

"I may do it with my feet and I may do it with my tongue, " returned Joywith a happy laugh, "but you'll find me ready to back up any one ofyou. "

"Well said, fair lady. Now let's have a look at 'Orphan Annie. '" TheJudge's eyes were sparkling with amusement as Bet led him up the gentleslope of the mountain. Suddenly Bet threw herself from the saddle. 

"See folks, I found an arrowhead! Oh, boy! Isn't that lucky?"

The girls dismounted and grouped about her, all except Kit, who hadpicked up arrowheads since babyhood. 

"It's a perfect one. I'm the happiest girl in all the world!"

"Doesn't take much to make some people happy, " began Joy, then shestarted to laugh. "Come on, where's our little orphan?"

"This way, follow me, " called Shirley Williams. "This is it, isn't it, Bet?"

"Yes, that's our baby. Poor little thing. " Bet was trying to becheerful but there was a tinge of bitterness in her voice. There wasalways a great soul conflict when Bet's well developed plans went amissand in this case, where it involved double dealing, it was harder thanusual to give up. 

"Nine chances out of ten, " remarked Enid quietly and with littleemotion, "those other claims have all the ore and this one has nothing. "

"For my part, I don't care if it hasn't any ore in it at all, I like itanyway, " and Bet squatted down on a big flat rock within the boundariesof the claim. "It feels good to be on my own property, " she added witha sigh of contentment. 

But in a moment she had started up with a little cry of surprise. "What's the matter, Bet? Be careful! If it's a strange bug, it mightbite you. There are so many stinging things out here, " cautioned Kit. 

Bet's head was bent over the rock. She did not hear what was said. Suddenly she called, "Judge Breckenridge, do come here and look atthese strange markings on the rock. "

"Markings on a rock, " said Joy Evans contemptuously. "I thought it wasa tarantula or something. "

"Well, you wouldn't have liked to see a tarantula any better than themarkings, and these at least are not poisonous, " Bet retorted. 

Judge Breckenridge was examining the markings with interest, and gave alow whistle of astonishment. "This is the sort of thing one readsabout. I'm wondering though if Kie Wicks put them here to fool you. "

"It might be markings that tell of a buried treasure. See the arrow!Look the way the arrow points. "

"Yes, look the way the arrow points, " mimicked Joy. "Now at last youhave your mystery, Bet. I wish you joy of it. Follow the arrow andthen you'll come to a tall cactus, and in the cactus you'll find abullet. . . "

"Oh, keep quiet, Joy Evans!" flashed Bet angrily. 

"We haven't found a mystery and I don't believe there is a treasurehere. This is far away from Lost Canyon, " said Kit. 

"I'm going to believe in the treasure!" cried Bet, fired withenthusiasm at the prospect of finding something unusual. "Why, I couldeasily believe in a buried treasure. What's more I'll find it. "

"I'm going to go and call Professor Gillette, " called Enid, already inthe saddle. "He can probably tell us what it means and what theIndians looked like who made the markings. "

"These lines were not made by Indians, " remarked the Judgethoughtfully. "There's a Spanish word there. "

But when the professor came a few minutes later, he was all at sea asto the meaning of the tracings on the rock. 

"It is very much like the sort of thing people used to draw when theyburied treasure. You've seen the map in Tommy Sharpe's room but thatdoesn't say that if we located the proper spot that there would be anytreasure left. Other people can read signs the same as we can, andmany people have been over this ground since that sign was carved, "Judge Breckenridge explained to the girls. 

"Why be so sensible, Judge?" laughed Bet wistfully. "Why not let usthink that there is a treasure hidden in the ground somewhere? I'mthrilled all to pieces just thinking about it. "

"And that's right, too, Bet. Don't let an old fellow like me spoilyour dreams by my common sense. " The Judge acted as if he wanted tobelieve it himself and only needed a little urging. 

"And there is just as much chance that no one has passed over this rocksince the early days and that we may find a fortune hidden. " Theprofessor smiled around at the group with a happy, child-like stare asif he were one of the characters of a fairy story. 

"Now that's the way to talk, Professor Gillette. You never can be sureunless you look around. " Bet nodded at him approvingly. 

The Judge suddenly looked at his watch. "I move we get home to dinner. Tang will be waiting and he hates that. "

Bet very carefully spread some tiny twigs and sand over the rock sothat no one else would see the markings on the stone. 

"Come along up with us to dinner, Professor, " suggested the Judgecordially. "We'll have a meeting tonight and talk things over and seewhat is best to do. I have a feeling that the shrubs and rocks haveears around these claims of Ramon's. "

"That's what I say. Otherwise how did Ramon and Kie Wicks find outabout the claims in the first place?" asked Bet. 

"There's no mystery in that, Bet. Kie saw us coming here and followed. He spied on us, saw us building the monuments and then came and jumpedthe claims, " explained Kit. 

"All but one!" cried Bet as she clapped her hands. "And on that onelittle neglected claim, we find the tracings that will perhaps lead usto the buried treasure. That's luck!"

"Oh Bet, wake up, you're dreaming!" laughed Shirley, the quiet, sensible girl. Never in the world would Shirley have dreamed or lether imagination run wild. She was a practical, well-balanced girl, aclear thinker and not given to romantic flights of fancy. 

"The bubble's burst!" sang Joy tantalizingly. 

"It has not!" Bet swung easily into the saddle. "The bubble isn'tblown yet. Just wait and see!"

In single file they rode down into the canyon below them and let theirhorses pick a way through the rocks of the creek bed. 

Just as they passed through the Iron Gate, the narrow pass that led toLost Canyon, they met Kie Wicks. 

"Nice weather for a picnic!" he called to them gaily with a wave of hisdusty sombrero. "That's an interesting canyon!"

"Yes, " the judge replied with his most courteous air. "We find it veryinteresting. The girls located a claim up that way, and have startedwork on it. "

"You don't say so! Well, everybody to his liking. I'm through withlocating claims. It's a slave's life, forever digging, digging, digging! I don't care if I never see another copper claim as long as Ilive, " Kie Wicks returned with decision. "I run a store, that's agood, clean business. "

"You're right, Mr. Wicks. Stick to storekeeping, " advised the Judge ashe took the trail toward the ranch. 

The girls smiled back at Kie Wicks and waved him good-bye. They haddecided to play a part with this man. And not for worlds would theylet him know that they suspected that he had anything to do with theclaim jumping. Later, much later, they might get strong evidenceagainst him. They would deal with him then. Just now they could notafford to antagonize the man. Open enmity might be worse than thepresent situation. Kie and Maude, as long as they were making apretense of friendliness, might let drop some of their plans withoutmeaning to. People who talked so freely often did that. 

"We'll string 'em along, " said Joy slangily. "Maude Wicks can't keep asecret, if _I_ know anything. "

"Which is doubtful!" laughed Bet. 

"Say, who are you talking about? Maude Wicks or yours truly?" retortedJoy, at the same time making a face at her friend. 

"Both!" cried Bet and gave her horse a tap on the neck, getting out ofthe way of Joy's quirt. 

Everybody liked to tease Joy, perhaps because she flushed so prettilyas her slight anger rose. But whatever the reason she was always thebutt for their good natured teasing. And no matter how much sheresented it, she turned it off with a joke. Yet it could be seen thatshe always turned to Shirley Williams, who never teased her. 

Tang was watching anxiously from the kitchen door when they rode up thetrail. He was always punctual and frowned on the late comers. 

In the corridor of the patio, after dinner, the council met. Mrs. Breckenridge, although she could scarcely hope to be able to take sucha long ride to see the claim, was the most enthusiastic one of thegroup. She was a dreamer by nature, and the thrill of hidden thingsalways intrigued her. Bet threw both arms impulsively around her. 

"You're a darling, " Bet cried. "You are a real chum, a person after myown heart. "

"But you see I've been reading lately and it seems that there is basisfor the story of hidden treasure in Lost Canyon. Lots of people havebelieved it. "

"And lots of people have hunted for the treasure and failed, " returnedKit skeptically. 

"Perhaps we won't fail. It's that word 'perhaps' that adds thegreatest spice to life. It won't do any harm to spend a little timestudying out this sign on the rock. Tomorrow I'll make an accuratecopy of it and then we can have it here at home to puzzle over. And ifyou say so, I'll begin that assessment work on your one claim so thatthere will be an excuse for being over there so much. " ProfessorGillette suggested. 

"You're a dear! That's an awful good idea! But what about your Indianruins? You must find them. " Bet was anxious for the old man torealize his desire and find the ancient village of the vanished tribe. It meant so much to his crippled daughter. 

"That can wait for a little while. This looks as if it might be muchmore interesting. " The professor's wrinkled face was flushed with theexcitement of a mystery to be unearthed. "I'll begin tomorrow, " hedeclared as he rose to join Kit and her mother and accompany them home. 

Bet's face was radiant. "Here's where the fun begins!" she laughed atthe prospect. 

But little did Bet realize that the hunting for a treasure was to bringto the girls, not only the most thrilling adventure of their lives, butdanger, suspense and fear. 

CHAPTER XIV

_TREASURE TROVE_

To the delight of the girls, the next morning was clear. It had rainedin the night and they had been sure that it would storm and they mighthave to stay at home. 

The sun rose pleasantly warm, but the hour was five o'clock and thegirls knew that before breakfast time it would be almost unbearably hot. 

"But what do we care?" laughed Bet gaily. "We're out for adventure. Today is the grand and glorious event. We will hunt for treasure. "

"Oh, no, we won't, " Enid returned decidedly. "You forget thatProfessor Gillette and Dad decided that it would be better to do thelocation work on that claim first. "

Bet frowned. It was not her way to be patient. At last she said, "Oh, well, if it has to be done, we'll do it. We'll go over early andfinish that ten foot hole by noon, then we'll have all afternoon forthe treasure. "

"Kit said it would take us at the very least, a full week, to do thatwork, " returned Enid. 

"Don't be a spoil-sport, " pouted Bet. "You don't know anything aboutit. "

But Shirley Williams and Joy Evans both backed up Enid. "Why, Bet, that hole has to be dug through solid rock, almost. "

"How stupid!" shrugged Bet. 

"If you should dig right into a vein of rich copper ore, you won'tthink so. Why not have hopes of a mine and forget the treasure?" saidShirley quietly. "Have you given up the idea of being a mine owner?"

"Not exactly. But to tell the truth, 'Orphan Annie' doesn't look veryhopeful to me. " Bet shook her head dolefully. "Well, it's no usefretting. If that hole has to be dug before we start looking for thetreasure, it has to be, that's all. "

"Now you're being sensible, Bet. It's just as the professor says, it'swise for us to have a real claim on the land around that tracing. Itmight be worth something. Perhaps there is a treasure buried there, but it isn't likely. " Shirley was not a dreamer and Bet, for themoment, was disgusted. She turned away and left them. 

"Let's get breakfast over, " called Enid, leading the way toward thedining room. "We'll be pleasing Tang and that's a good start for theday. Then we'll be ready for Kit when she comes. "

"Where do we meet the professor?" asked Shirley. 

"He'll be waiting for us by the pass into the small canyon. Isn't he adear to help us out instead of looking for his village? I like him!"declared Bet. 

It was only seven o'clock when the girls bade good-bye to Mrs. Breckenridge, listened to her instructions about taking care ofthemselves, and started down the trail, Kit in the lead. 

Although it was twenty minutes before the appointed time, ProfessorGillette was waiting for them. On his burro, borrowed for the occasionfrom Dad Patten, he carried all the tools needed for prospecting. 

"You look as if you expected to dig twenty mines, " laughed Bet, as shedrew up her pony beside the old man. 

"Only one, " insisted the professor. "At least I hope that is all wewill need. But no one can tell for sure. "

"I think it is all foolishness anyway, " Joy exclaimed. "What we wantnow is that treasure, and instead of looking for it, you are going todig a well. "

Kit laughed as she always did at Joy's mistakes. "Call it a well ifyou want to, " she said patronizingly, "but don't let Tommy Sharpe orSeedy Saunders hear you say it. They'll tease you unmercifully. "

"It's this way, Joy, " explained Bet, impatiently. "Kie Wicks might getwise to it, and come in at the end of two months and snap up this claimtoo, if we haven't done our work. That has to be done within twomonths. "

"Then he'd get the stone with the markings?"

"Yes, that's it. And he might find the treasure, if we don't watchout, " added Kit. 

"Then let's get to work at once!" cried Joy, digging her spur intoDolly's side. 

"You mean, Professor Gillette will get to work at once while you andthe rest of us stand around and look pretty, " said Enid. 

"Why we don't mean any such a thing, Enid Breckenridge. I'm perfectlywilling to work and do my share, " snapped Bet, her face red with anger. "I'll not have Professor Gillette imposed on like that. "

"We'll all do what we can, " soothed Kit. "Although I'm not sure we'llmake much headway with the pick and shovel. "

"I think we should have a Mexican do the work, girls, " said Enid. "He'd do it in half the time. "

"Professor Gillette said it was better not to have anyone else aroundfor a while until we could find out something about this treasure, " Betsaid. "So we might as well make up our minds to dig right in and workhard. "

Once on the site of the claim, the professor unloaded his tools andlooked about for a suitable place to put down the ten-foot shaft. Hisknowledge of mining was not very great but he and Kit finally decidedon the best spot. 

The old man started in at once, swinging the pick as if it were ahammer. He soon dug away the thin layer of earth and crushed rock, andreached solid stone. 

"It's a good thing I brought the drills along!" the professor threwdown his pick and took up a drill and heavy hammer. 

"Isn't it exciting!" cried Bet. "Do let me try to use the drill. 

"All in good time, child, all in good time, " he promised her as headjusted the tool. "This is a two-man job anyway. Somebody has tohelp me. "

Bet crouched down close beside him and held the drill steady while theold man prepared to hit. She glanced up at him, dubiously. The oldman laughed. 

"Don't know as I blame you any, " he said as he twisted a piece of heavywire about the drill and gave Bet an end to hold. "There, you cansteady it with that, so I won't hit your fingers. "

"Oh, I wasn't afraid, " began Bet but the professor laughed and Bet didnot finish her sentence. 

"You looked as if you were very much frightened indeed. You werecertain I would hit your fingers, and I'm not sure I wouldn't have, " hechuckled. 

And his first strong blow did miss the drill and the girls, watchinghim, laughed. 

"Gee, if Bet's fingers had been there!" gasped Joy. 

"Well, maybe I'd have been more careful if her hand had been there. Inever take chances. "

While Bet held the drill in place the professor dealt blow after blowuntil he was ready to drop with exhaustion. 

"And some men keep that up all day, I'm told, " he gasped as he threwdown the tool and dropped to the ground. "I don't believe they do, " headded. 

"I've seen men keep at it pretty steadily for hours, " interrupted Kit, "but they don't go at it so strenuously. You put all your soul andbody into it. They don't get excited and they don't wear themselvesout with wild flourishes. You see when a prospector has that work todo, he doesn't have to hurry. He has all the time there is. "

"To tell you the truth, " laughed the professor sheepishly, "I'm soanxious to start looking for the treasure that I don't want to dig thisshaft, I'm like a child with a new toy. "

"Come here, Kit, " called Bet. "You hold this drill for a while and letme swing the hammer. I'm just dying to do it. "

"And maybe I'm not glad there is a wire to hold. You'd hit me, sure. "

"Don't trust me even yet, " Bet returned with a gay laugh. 

"That's right, Kit, " trilled Joy. "You are only two feet away from herhammer, she might easily miss the mark by that much. " Joy was glad ofa chance to tease Bet. 

Bet swung the hammer with vigor, bringing it down on the drill with aforce that seemed impossible from her slender arms. 

"Go it, Bet. You'll get there yet, " shouted Joy. 

Bet was soon worn out and the girls took turns and had the joy offinishing one hole to the required depth for setting the charge. 

The professor was bending over the tracings on the rock. He hadforgotten all about the location work that had to be done. While thearrow pointed southwesterly and showed the direction in which to look, it pointed over a deserted country that stretched for miles into Mexico. 

"If there is anything thrilling about this, I'd like to be shown, "pouted Joy. And in sheer boredom she got up, walked to a rocky ledgeand scrambled up the steep face of it. 

Enid and Shirley, who were watching the professor studying the markingson the rock, heard a cry of surprise from Joy, but before they couldturn toward her, they saw her falling, clutching wildly at the ledgesin an attempt to save herself. 

Joy had turned her head to speak to her friends and had missed herfooting. As she touched the ground, her ankle bent under her and shefell with a groan. 

Bet ran to her help. "Speak, Joy, speak to me, " we said shaking thegirl. Joy's face was deathly white but her eyes fluttered open andseeing Bet she cried hysterically:

"I found it! I found it!"

"Found what, Joy? What did you find?"

"Another arrow. Right there on the rock!" Joy was struggling to herfeet, but at the attempt she fell back with a groan. 

"For the love of Mike, is that all? Why, Joy Evans, you'd get soexcited over an arrowhead that you'd lose your footing!" Kit cried. "I thought you had more sense than that. "

Between clenched teeth Joy answered, "It wasn't an arrowhead! It wasan arrow carved on the rock. "

"Don't be silly, Joy. You're dreaming!" laughed Kit. 

"If I thought you were just teasing me, Joy, I wouldn't be sorry aboutyour poor foot. " Bet stared at the girl with a threatening look. "Itisn't nice to tease about things as serious as hidden treasure. "

"But the arrow's there, " Joy answered. 

"Which way did it point?" asked Professor Gillette, the only one whoseemed to credit Joy's story. 

"Why, really, I don't know. I never thought to notice. I saw an arrowand I think it was pointing toward that hill over there--but then againit might be pointing away from it. I'm not sure. " Joy stoppedhelplessly, and clutched her aching foot. 

"You're helpful at least, " Kit shrugged her shoulders. "I do believeshe's just teasing us. Joy would never find anything!"

"Then go and see for yourself!" snapped Joy. 

"I'll do it, " replied Bet suddenly letting go of Joy in her excitement. Joy collapsed with a groan. 

Bet turned to help her but Enid shoved her aside. "Here is where Ishine. You go and find your arrow and I'll play nurse and fix up Joy'sankle. You're lucky, Joy Evans, that it isn't broken. "

"It feels as if it were, " sobbed Joy. 

"I don't see any arrow, " called Bet in a disgusted tone. "Don't bemean, Joy. If there isn't one here, say so. "

"Go on, Bet, up a little higher!" cried Joy. 

Bet crept along the ledge, climbing from one projection of rock to thenext. 

There was a sudden cry of joy. "Here it is!"

The professor craned his neck to get a glimpse of the arrow. "Whichway does it point, child?" he asked eagerly. 

"It points toward the hill, that way, " replied Bet, studying themarkings carefully. 

"That's our good luck. If it went the other way, it would be acrossthe claims of Kie Wicks and his friend Ramon. Come on down, child, before you fall. "

Bet slid down easily, her nimble body could cling to the sheer cliff, or so it seemed to those who watched her. 

"I think we'll call you the goat girl, Bet, you sure can climb rocks, "exclaimed Kit admiringly. "I never could do it. "

"And you an Arizona girl?" laughed Bet. 

"An Arizona girl only knows how to ride horses, " retorted Kit. 

"And if they can all ride the way you can, they need no otheraccomplishment. " Bet ran to join the professor. 

The old man was examining the ground in the direction the arrow waspointing. 

"Who ever would have thought to look up at that rock for an arrow, " Betsaid excitedly. 

"But you see, Bet, we're starting in the middle. Somewhere there's amap that shows all this, and by that map you would know you had to lookat that cliff for the arrow, " explained the professor seriously. 

"But where to next?" asked Bet. 

"Follow the arrow, that's all we know, " answered Kit. 

There was no more digging on the claim that day. Even lunch was eatenby them in a half-hearted way. Joy was suffering with her ankle or shemight have done justice to Tang's picnic spread. 

The professor was in a delightful dream. This was the sort of thingthat he loved. 

"Do eat something, Professor Gillette. You'll be sick if you don't, "pleaded Bet. 

"Why, I'm not hungry in the least. I do wonder why the arrow ispointing that way. There doesn't seem to be a thing in sight. "

"Maybe if we climbed the hill, we'd find it, " suggested Enid. "Supposewe divide up in teams. Some go over the hill and some hunt on thisside. "

"Who's going to stay with me? I won't stay alone, " cried Joy her voicetrembling with fear, "I'm afraid of buzzards. I've read about them. When they see people sick or crippled, they fly around, waiting forthem to die. And sometimes they don't wait, they pick at them whilethey still live. "

"Don't worry, Joy. I'll stay with you!" Enid looked longingly towardthe hill, then turned to Joy. 

The two girls watched the other members of the group, scramble up thesteep ledge to the flat-topped hill. 

"It's stupid to have to stay here, " said Joy with impatience. "Couldn't you help me over there to that wall? There's some low bushesthat will keep this horrible sun out of my eyes. "

"Let's try it anyway. Come on!" Enid lifted Joy to her feet andsupported her. "Now lean on me and just hobble along. Don't put anypressure on that ankle. Hop like a rabbit!"

Joy groaned as she limped along. By resting many times the girlsreached the clump of Palo Verde trees, and were glad to drop down intheir scant shade. Joy's face was white and strained. 

"I know what I'd do if I had my way, " announced Enid anxiously. "I'dget you home at once. "

"But I won't go. I want to wait for the others. "

Enid sat down on the ground beside Joy, crouched under the bushes. They were close to the wall of the cliff. 

"What a funny rock!" said Enid. "I wonder what causes these strangeformations. Doesn't that look like an altar? And there is a figure ofa man in a long robe. And the professor will tell us that it is allmade by the rain. "

"Yes, " said Joy indifferently. "You know, Enid, I'm tired of thisArizona country. I hate these bare mountains, and I hate the herds ofcattle that stare at you and then race madly away. Everything isunfriendly. Yet, I'm almost sure I'll be homesick, like Kit, when Ionce get away. "

"It's glorious!" answered Enid. 

"It frightens me. Everything seems cruel. I'd give a dollar thisminute to see a soft, green meadow. "

"I'm perfectly happy right here, I wouldn't have it different. " Enidwas gazing over the ranges of mountains that seemed to go on and on. 

It was half an hour later when the girls heard Bet's familiar call. 

"She's found the treasure!" whispered Enid. "You can hear thehappiness in her voice. "

But the girls were mistaken. The group had searched high and low butnothing was in sight. The professor had found a bit of old ruin, partof a wall that he claimed was Indian fortification. But that was all. No mounds or signs of a village. 

"Why Joy and I found something just as interesting as that, " laughedEnid. "Under the trees here, the wall of that small cliff has the mostpeculiar weather markings. Take a look at it, Professor Gillette. It's interesting. "

The professor bent away some of the branches of the trees so as to geta good view of the rock. The girls standing near, heard him give agasp of astonishment. 

"What's the matter now?" asked Bet Baxter. 

"Those markings were never made by the weather. They were carved byhuman hands. And our arrow is pointing straight toward it. I don'tunderstand why we didn't see it before. "

"It's the treasure!" exclaimed Bet. "Let's see what's there!"

CHAPTER XV

_A SPY_

The professor's hand trembled with excitement as he scratched thesurface of the rock, tapped the face of the wall for a possible hollowsound, then called on Bet to bring him a pick. 

He dug at the base of the wall, but soon came to solid rock. 

"There's nothing there!" he exclaimed. "But this is interesting. " Thedesert weeds had grown over all the crevices in the rock, and when theprofessor had carefully scraped them away, he found what he had hopedfor; a small opening. Behind that wall there was a tunnel. As helooked into the darkness, a rattlesnake glided through the hole, andthe old man sprang back just in time to save himself. 

"That was a close shave!" Wiping his forehead with his handkerchief, Professor Gillette sat down on the rock to decide what the next stepwould be. 

"Guess we'd better call it a day. We are all tired out. We can justget back in time for dinner, " said Enid. "And Dad said you were tocome home with us, Professor. "

"I'd like to consult with the judge, " said the old man. "He can giveus valuable advice I'm sure. " He wouldn't for the world acknowledgethat the hot dinner, already prepared, tempted him to accept theinvitation. 

The girls turned away from the wall, unwillingly. They now felt surethat they were leaving a treasure behind them. And tomorrow seemed sofar away!

Bet and Enid helped Joy to hobble along to the edge of the cliff, andKit hastened down the incline to where they had left the horses nearthe stream. 

"I'll bring Dolly up, that is if she'll climb, the lazy thing!" calledKit as she disappeared. By this time Joy's foot was badly swollen andwas giving her acute pain. 

Before leaving the wall, the professor had concealed the opening thathe had found. As he turned to go he picked up a bit of the rock thathe had pried loose. 

It was this rock that kept the secret of the tunnel from Ramon Salazar, hidden in the brush of the hill opposite, where he had been set to spyon the girls by Kie Wicks. 

He had become rather weary of his job until he saw the professorexamining the wall of the cliff, then he braced himself up expectantly, but relaxed again when he saw the old man looking closely at a rock inhis hand, which he carried away with him. 

"He's found a colored stone that he likes, " Ramon said to himself witha sneer of contempt at the professor who was always treasuring thebrightly colored mineral specimens. 

And it was this report that he carried to Kie Wicks: "They just fooledaround, had a picnic, and climbed the hill above the claims. I don'tbelieve they even know you jumped them. "

"You mean you jumped their claims, " corrected Kie Wicks. 

Ramon laughed and slapped his leg. "That's a good one, yes, I jumpedtheir claims. "

"And you'd better get busy with the assessment work, too, " advised Kie. 

"Who pays me for that?" demanded the cross-eyed Mexican. 

"There you go again! Always wanting money! I find you some goodclaims and a chance, maybe, to sell out at a big price in the future, and you want pay for doing the assessment work. You're an ungratefulcur!"

"Then I won't do the work. No pay, no work!"

But even as he spoke, Ramon knew that he would do whatever Kie Wicksasked him to do. The habit of obedience to this man was too strong inhim. He had been a tool for this unscrupulous rogue for more than tenyears. Just why, he could not have told, for Kie Wicks was not agenerous master and the Mexican got little enough for his work. Rarelyever did he get any cash out of the storekeeper, and the supplies thatKie doled out were given grudgingly. Yet the man always returned, after promising himself many times that he was through. 

Kie had given him a small shack in the canyon, that had once been usedby some friends of his for a summer vacation, and it was this home thatsheltered his wife and eight children, which kept the Mexican faithfulto Kie. 

Ramon had a bad name in the hills. He had tried his hand at every kindof rascality. Cattle had disappeared, horses rustled and Ramon wassuspected of knowing more about them than he should. Yet it was KieWicks behind him, threatening and driving him on, that made Ramon thecharacter he was. 

And while Ramon refused, at first, to go on with the assessment work onthe stolen claims, he knew that he would do it in the end, and that Kiewould also give him supplies while he was working on the job. 

Ramon did not like to meet the girls and perhaps Judge Breckenridge. The professor, he felt, was harmless, a silly old man who roamedthrough the hills, but the impressive looking judge was a differentmatter. 

Yet the next morning when the professor arrived with the girls, Ramonwas digging away at the farthest claim, and did not even look up. 

"Guilty conscience!" whispered Bet to the professor. 

"He complicates matters considerably, " frowned the old man. "I hardlyknow how we are going to proceed, if he stays around here. "

"With Ramon watching, the only thing to do was to go on with thedrilling on the Orphan Annie claim. Bet fumed and fussed, scoldinganyone who came near her. She insisted on being the professor'shelper, holding the drill in place with the strong wire while hehammered. This gave her an audience and was an outlet for her angeragainst Kie Wicks and his Mexican hanger-on. 

"Take it easy, child. There's lots of time to find that treasure--thatis if there is one. We don't need it right away, you know, " soothedthe professor. 

But it took Bet a long time to regain her poise. The other girls hadrecovered from their disappointment and were trying to make friendswith the Mexican before Bet would even smile. 

"I do wish we could tell which of us he's talking to. His eyes are socrooked they overlap, " whispered Enid to Bet. The Mexican did not wantto make friends with the girls. He answered a few words to theirquestions then went moodily on with his work. But not for long. Without a master over him, the man grew lazy and before the morning wasfar advanced he had disappeared in the canyon. 

"I thought he'd get tired of it, " smiled Kit. "A Mexican miner has tohave someone to keep him on the job. And I don't believe that KieWicks will spend much time over here. "

Ramon was no sooner out of sight than the professor dropped the drilland they rushed for the wall to begin digging there. They had juststarted to work when Judge Breckenridge rode up. 

"Let's have a look at that treasure tunnel, Professor, " greeted theJudge with a laugh. "How much bullion have you found?"

"Not any yet, but who knows?" returned the old man, his eyes shiningwith excitement. 

"Stranger things have happened!" The Judge followed the girls andlooked at the wall. "Well, well, " he exclaimed, "this certainly looksinteresting. "

The professor had already begun to pick away the crumbling rock at thesmall opening, and found that they had hit upon the spot where themouth of the tunnel had been filled up. After half an hour's work hehad opened it sufficiently to look in. Using a flashlight, he couldsee that the tunnel was very shallow, another wall confronted him andthis appeared to be the solid rock of the mountain. 

He was about to give up when he noticed a peculiar stone on the floorof the tunnel, or what appeared to be a stone. With the pick hedragged it forward and was able to reach it. Drawing it forth, hestood before the Judge with glowing face. 

"See this!" he exclaimed excitedly. "This comes up to any story ofburied treasure that I've ever read in my life. " He displayed hisfind, a tiny disc of copper and on it were engraved strange figures andsigns. They had no meaning to the group of people that stood about thetunnel. But that little copper plate was telling a story, of thatthere could be no doubt. 

"What do you think of it?" the professor gasped in a hoarse whisper. The old man was almost too excited to speak. He made several attemptsthen gave up, but he held the disc as if it were a jewel. 

"Let's sit down away over here and have a look at it, " the Judgesuggested. "And if anyone is spying on us, he'll not be apt to suspectanything. "

Judge Breckenridge examined the disc carefully then spoke. 

"Now there is a possibility--a slight one, we'll say, that there is atreasure in that vault somewhere. Do you think your friend Ramon issuspicious?"

"It's hard to say, " Kit burst out. "Kie Wicks may be watching us thisminute from over the hill across the canyon. "

"We will want to carry on the work as quietly as possible, but if Kiehears about a treasure, we'll not have a minute's peace, " said theJudge, rising and surveying the ground. "The first thing we ought todo, " he continued, "is to stake out a claim covering this wall. Thenwe'll own it. "

"Yes, and have Kie Jump that claim, if he is watching us. " Betshrugged her boyish shoulders. 

"We'll get ahead of him on that. We'll stake the claim and I'll send aman over to record it first thing in the morning, and tonight we'llhave a watchman--two in fact. We'll not leave the tunnel unguarded fora minute until we find out what it contains. "

"Oh, please, Judge, let us guard it!" cried Bet. 

"No!" There was a harsh, decided ring in the Judge's voice and thegirls did not urge him further. That "no" meant exactly that. 

"I think it might be a good idea for me to go back to the ranch and getTommy and some of the boys to move the professor's tent up here andTommy and Seedy Saunders might stay for a few nights to guard yourclaims. You'll have all the excitement there is in it, even if thereis no treasure. "

Bet flared up at once. "We're not so silly as to want excitement andnothing else. We want the treasure now that we have started out tofind one. Nothing else will do. "

The Judge laughed as he mounted his horse and rode down the trail. 

But when he returned to the ranch and informed the boys what he wanted, he was met with roars of laughter. 

"You want us to guard a buried treasure! That's a good one!" saidSeedy Saunders, the old cowboy who was now staying with JudgeBreckenridge. "Let Tommy do it! He has a treasure map in his shackthat he paid five dollars for. He'd love to do it!"

However, when the cowboys heard how much it meant to the girls to havethe tunnel guarded against Kie Wicks, they entered into the spirit ofit, and even though they laughed and joked, they carried out theJudge's instructions. 

They moved all the professor's belongings over the mountain, and tookanother tent and cots for themselves. 

"There just naturally has to be two of us, " insisted Seedy. "We'd bescared stiff to sleep alone there, even with the professor. "

"Which are you scared of?" laughed Tommy Sharpe. "Kie Wicks or theghost of the Indian Chief's daughter?"

"Both, " returned Seedy pretending to shake with fright. "But I'mmostly scared of that there ghost that walks. "

The boys were hilarious as they unpacked their stuff at the OrphanAnnie claim. 

"By rights we ought to camp in the canyon, we'll have to pack all thewater up the hill, " suggested Tommy. 

"You'll camp right at the mouth of that tunnel, boy!" insisted Enid, and there was something of Tilly the Waif in her command. Tommy lookedup at her quickly, then burst into laughter. 

"Yes'm, " he said meekly with a twinkle in his eye. "I obey!"

They had the tents pitched and the girls were arranging the beds andmaking them cozy when Judge Breckenridge returned, with a boy driving aburro loaded with provisions. 

In his hand he held something white which he waved as he came up themountain?

"It's a letter!" exclaimed Bet. "I hope it's from my Dad. I haven'thad a letter for a week. "

"It's a letter for me, " announced the Judge, "but it may contain newsthat will please you. The boys will arrive this week. Phil and Bobare going to join us. "

A shout went up and echoed through the hills. 

Tommy gave an Indian war-whoop and the girls danced about, hugging eachother in their joy. 

"Won't it be good to see them!" exclaimed Bet. 

"Is Paul coming with them?" asked Enid. "I'm homesick for my brother, "she murmured with a happy sigh. 

"Yes, the three boys will come together by airplane to Phoenix, " saidthe Judge. 

"By airplane!" echoed Bet Baxter. "If they don't let me go up withthem, I'll never speak to them again, never. I want to fly!"

The hunting for treasure took second place now. The coming of theirfriends was more important than anything else. 

"You know, " said Kit solemnly, "we shouldn't get so fond of those boys. We'll spoil them. "

"I've never seen any spoiling!" Billy Patten had helped JudgeBreckenridge bring over the supplies, and now confronted Kit. "Don'tpretend you're soft-hearted, for you're not. "

Kit laughed at her teasing brother and with a wave of her hand pushedhim aside. "Children should be seen and not heard, " she said. 

"What did Joy say when you told her that Bob was coming?" asked Bet. 

"She shed a few tears; perhaps she was afraid she would miss all thefun with her sprained ankle. "

"She's in luck if she only knew it, " laughed Enid. "A girl with asprained ankle will just appeal to the sympathy of those boys. Joywill be the center of the stage. "

"And won't she love it?" chuckled Kit. 

With many final instructions to the boys to guard the tunnel, the girlsmounted their horses and hurried toward home, their faces glowing withjoy. 

From the mountain opposite, where Ramon had watched the previous day, Kie Wicks was on guard. He saw the preparations for camping at theclaims and wondered what it was all about. 

His eyes narrowed to pin-points when he saw the professor examining thewall of the cliff. 

"What's he got there?" he muttered to himself. "But he can't putanything over on me. If I could get my hands on Ramon, I'd teach himto do as I tell him. If he had stuck around, I'd know what all thisfuss is about. "

But that was all that Kie was to know for some days. He watched by thehour, he questioned every man, woman and child he met, but theprofessor and his men were not talking. The location work on theOrphan Annie claim and the digging of a tunnel seemed to be their onlyinterest. 

Kie noticed that a monument had been built to cover the claim where thetunnel was being driven and smiled to himself. "These city fellowsthink they've got a mine with a couple of claims. They've got a lot tolearn!"

The secret had to come out, of course. And when Kie Wicks heard it afew days later, he was wild with fury. 

"Digging for treasure, are they?" he snorted. "I'll get them yet, those two-faced, underhanded robbers. They haven't got no business inthese mountains. I'll show them!"

"If they've found a treasure, it's _mine_! I've hunted for it foryears! I'll get it somehow!" Kie Wicks was almost beside himself withrage when he reached the store and told his discovery to Maude. 

"Oh, maybe it's not the treasure, " Maude tried to soothe the angry man. "Come eat your supper. "

But Kie was too unhappy to eat. He glared about the cheerless kitchenand did not seem to see anything. He stared moodily. Finally he roseand went outside, grumbling like a spoiled child. 

He sat for a long time, his head in his hands, not looking up to greethis customers. 

"What's the matter with the old man?" inquired a neighbor. "'T ain'toften you see Kie Wicks sick or under the weather. "

"Somebody's stolen some property from him, and he's thinkin' out a wayto get even. Let him alone, " counselled Maude. "The more down heseems, the better schemes he can think up. And this one will be adandy. He ain't eat a bite and he won't talk. " Maude seemed quiteelated. 

It was not until some hours later that Kie came to life once more anddemanded his supper. On his face was a determined scowl, as if he wereready to challenge the whole world. As he went into the store he waswhistling cheerfully. 

Maude smiled at him. But no words were exchanged. That smileexpressed everything. Kie had a scheme, a big one, and Maude couldafford to wait until he was ready to tell her what it was all about. 

Meanwhile on the hill near Orphan Annie, the professor was dreaming ofIndian villages and treasure, and with the two watchmen beside him, hadno uneasiness. 

CHAPTER XVI

_MISSING_

The boys were still asleep the next morning when the professor got upquietly and went into the canyon for a dip in the creek. 

He wandered up the stream a short distance and was surprised to see asaddle horse standing dejectedly on the trail. The next moment KieWicks had hailed him genially from the cliff above. 

"Say pard, " he called. "Last night when I was going home over the hillhere, I found what looks like the ruins of an Indian village. Do youwant to take a look at them?"

"How far away is it?" asked the professor. "The boys are camping overthere with me, so I'd better go back and tell them where I'm going. 

"It won't take you ten minutes, my friend, " Kie answered. "You'll beback before they have breakfast ready. " Kie descended the steepmountain and leading his horse, he urged the professor on with adescription of the marvelous ruins that he had discovered. ProfessorGillette was almost wild with excitement. He fairly danced fromboulder to boulder along that rocky trail, and when they reached anarrow pass between the high canyon walls, Kie stopped his horse for amoment. 

At that same instant two men suddenly sprang into the trail in front ofthem, grabbed the unsuspecting professor, bound and gagged him and tiedhim to a horse. 

Professor Gillette could not imagine why he should be treated likethis. Why should he be robbed? He had nothing. And where was KieWicks? Had the men kidnapped him as well? It took the kindly mind ofthe professor a long time to grasp the idea that Kie Wicks might havesomething to do with the affair. 

The old man did not struggle as he had an impulse to do. He knew itwould be useless. The men were powerful, while he was frail, andhelpless in their hands. It would be much better for him to save hisstrength so that his mind could work out a scheme for escape. 

He was not the sort of person to waste energy in worry. He believedthat nothing could harm him, and he lay quietly in the uncomfortableposition on the horse, wondering where he was going and how long theywould hold him captive. What would The Merriweather Girls do when theyheard about it? He had to smile at the thought of the adventure theywould make of it. Yet perhaps it was nothing to smile about. He mightnever return alive. 

The boys did not miss the old man until breakfast was ready. They knewthat it was his custom to start the day with a dip in the stream and sothey went on with their breakfast preparations without giving him athought. Finally they sat down and started to eat. 

Still the professor did not come. 

Tommy Sharpe called him from the summit of the cliff, waited, andcalled again many times. But there was no answer. 

"Guess you'd better take a walk down there and see what's keeping theold chap, " advised Seedy Saunders. "He never goes far away without hisbreakfast. "

Tommy returned in a few minutes without seeing anything of theprofessor. He said: "I saw tracks going up the creek and there arefresh hoof prints, but that doesn't tell a thing. "

"Oh, he's all right. I won't worry about him, " laughed Seedy. "I canjust see his face if he thought we imagined he was lost. He's such anindependent old fellow, he'd be displeased. "

Nine o'clock came and still the professor did not make his appearance. The boys each took turns in riding down the creek and calling, but whenthe girls arrived at ten, the missing man had not returned. He had notbeen to the ranch and the girls had seen nothing of him. 

"Something has happened!" exclaimed Bet anxiously. "The professorisn't the sort of man to wander away like a lost soul. He's toointerested in this treasure to leave it for a minute. Some enemy is atwork. "

"Melodrama from the movies, " laughed Kit. "Bet is bound she's going tohave some western bad man stuff. "

"Don't be silly, Bet, " said Enid impatiently. "Our old professorhasn't got an enemy in the world. "

"Hasn't he? How do you know? Just suppose Kie Wicks found out aboutthe treasure. He'd want to get rid of the professor first thing. "

"That's an idea, Bet, " replied Enid, suddenly growing excited. "Inever thought of Kie. "

"But what good would it do him to get rid of the professor?" asked thesensible Shirley. "Kie Wicks knows we are all backing the old man, sowhat would be the use of making away with him?"

"That's true, " agreed Bet with a puzzled frown. "If I thought that KieWicks had a hand in this I'd. . . I'd. . . . "

"What would you do, Bet?" asked Shirley. 

"I'd tell him right to his face what I think of him. "

"Heaps of good that would do, " Kit shrugged. "Kie has heard abouthimself from lots of people. "

But Kie Wicks' scheme worked out just as he planned. In their anxietyover the professor's disappearance, the treasure was left unguarded andwhen the girls returned to the camp, they were confronted with gunsheld in the hands of two burly ruffians, swarthy, heavy giants whoterrified them by their looks. 

The four girls wasted no time in that neighborhood. They raced theirhorses into the canyon and were heading toward the ranch. 

"Say, what's the matter with The Merriweather Girls?" cried Bet, bringing her horse up sharply. "We're letting two cowardly ruffiansfrighten us away. I'm going back this minute. "

"You are not, Bet Baxter! Father would be frightfully angry if you do. He trusts us not to take any big risks. I know he wouldn't want us togo back where those men are. " Enid put her hand on Bet's shoulder. "Come on, Bet, be good!"

"But are we going to let those fellows get our treasure?" Bet criedhysterically. "No, I won't run away! I'm going straight back thereand tell them what I think of them. "

Shirley laughed quietly. "What's the use, Bet. They probably knowmore mean things about themselves than you can tell them. They're likeKie Wicks. "

But Bet was stubborn. She hated to give up. 

"I won't go home! I'm going to stay right here for the present andthink out a plan. "

And it was there that Judge Breckenridge found them, heard their storyand commanded them to return to the ranch house without any delay. 

Judge Breckenridge's word was law. Bet turned her horse's head downthe canyon toward the home trail, her eyes flashing dangerously. Shemuttered:

"To think of being sent home when the excitement gets good! Oh, I wishI were a boy!"

"Well, since we have to go, let's hurry and have the fun of telling itall to Joy. "

But Joy and Mrs. Breckenridge were a disappointment. They did notthrill to the danger, as Bet did. They were decidedly angry and afraid. 

"You must never go into that canyon again while you are here!"exclaimed Mrs. Breckenridge. 

"Please don't put that down as an order! That would be a tragedy. Idon't believe that even the Judge would be willing to deprive us ofthat joy. " Bet's voice was pleading. 

"All right, dear, I'll take back the order and will leave it entirelyto the Judge. But you must abide by his decision, that I insist upon. "

"We will, " said Bet. "I hope he'll be a good sport about it. I wantto know what's going on. "

Mrs. Breckenridge walked up and down the corridor in an anxious manner. She had been gaining strength so rapidly in the mountains that she hadeven threatened to try horseback riding. But the Judge had put heroff. He wanted to be certain that the trial would be a success. 

"I'm glad I wasn't with you, today, I'd have screamed, " said Joy. "Iknow I would. "

"That's probably what those bandits wanted. To scare us so we wouldn'tgo back. I hate to have them get away with it. "

At noon when the men returned to lunch, they had no good report. Although they had hunted the hills for miles, not a trace of theprofessor had been found. He had disappeared. 

Before lunch was over Kie Wicks appeared at the ranch house. "I justheard of the old man being lost, so Maude wanted me to come right overand join the search party. I think a lot of the professor and want todo my bit. "

Bet looked at the man in astonishment. 

"I would never have believed it, " she whispered to Kit. "It just showshow we misjudge a person. I thought he would be the last man in theworld to appeal to for help, and here he comes of his own free will andoffers it. "

"People always have _some_ good in them. "

Joy shook her head. "From the first I hated that man and feared him. "

"And now you see, Joy Evans, how mistaken you were. He's a good man atheart, " exclaimed Bet. 

But Kit was skeptical. "I wish I could believe it. I feel as if Iwere playing with a rattlesnake. He's treacherous! I think we'dbetter watch our step. "

"Of course, I know that Kie Wicks is unscrupulous in the matter ofjumping claims, but you see he has a human side after all. He seemsquite cut up about the professor being lost, " Bet interrupted. 

"And did you notice how indignant he was over the ruffians at theclaim? I believe he'll help us to get rid of them, " said Enidconfidently. 

"But those men didn't do a thing worse than Kie Wicks! Not half asbad, for they were open and above board. They pointed guns on us andKie sneaked up after dark and stole our papers. No, girls, his changeof heart is altogether too sudden to be sincere. Keep an eye on him!"advised Kit. 

Whether the men at the ranch believed in Kie's innocence or not, theyaccepted his offer of help and let him organize the searchers. 

"Let's go over and see what Ramon Salazar is up to. He's a scoundreland looks it. Maybe he knows something about your old man, " suggestedKie. 

"Can't we go, too?" begged the girls. The judge was about to object, but when he saw the look of disappointment in Bet's face, he changedhis mind. 

"Why, it's all right, I think. I don't see that there will be anydanger if you stay with me. "

Bet ran for her horse. "Come on, girls, let's go!"

The group divided into two sections. The judge and the girls and Tommywent under Kie Wicks' leadership. Tommy was very contemptuous at theidea of help from Kie, but he followed without any remarks, decidingthat the man needed watching. And that job would be his!

Instead of being offended at the arrival of a searching party, RamonSalazar seemed to welcome them and even his wife acted as if she hadbeen expecting a visit. 

"Take a look around, folks, " said Kie Wicks as he himself opened a doorand looked into a bed room, littered with mattresses and soiledblankets. 

"He ain't here, " said Kie. "I didn't more than half think he was. Butyou never can be sure unless you take a look. "

Bet caught a quick glance of understanding between the two men, but inthe next second decided that it was a glance of approval. 

"They're up to some mischief, " whispered Kit in Shirley's ear. "Idon't trust that Kie Wicks and he is altogether too sugary today tosuit me. But don't say a word to Bet. She will flare up and then wewon't be able to watch him. "

Shirley agreed with Kit, who knew Kie Wicks better than the others. 

Tommy was watching the two men, his nerves keyed up and every sensealert to the slightest movement of the men. He had noted the quicklook between Kie and the Mexican and felt sure that it was a dangersignal. It conveyed a message. Not for a second did the boy doubtthat Kie and Ramon knew where the professor was. 

The boy was angry clean through, but he held his temper under control. Only in that way could he keep in touch with these rascals and watchthem. Sometime he would catch them off their guard. 

Ramon joined this group of searchers and made some suggestions as topossible places to look. 

"What we ought to do is to round up them fellows at the tunnel and make'em talk. They probably killed the old man and threw his body over acliff. " It was Ramon who spoke. 

Kie Wicks looked startled. He had not told Ramon that the men at theclaim were being paid by him. He frowned toward the Mexican, then hisface relaxed suddenly. "Now that's an idea, too, " he said. "Only Ishould think it might be just as well to leave them in possession untilwe find the professor. Someone has to stay there and we need all themen we have to hunt for the old man. "

"I think you're right, Mr. Wicks, " agreed Bet. 

Kit looked her disgust. To herself she was thinking, "I never wouldhave believed that Bet could be such a tenderfoot. To let Kie Wickspull the wool over her eyes like that! She certainly is an easy mark!"

But Bet was not such an easy mark as Kit imagined. She had figured itout that it would take days for the men to dig their way to thetreasure and by that time they could find their old friend and thenform a party to drive the ruffians away from the tunnel. 

An hour later, when they were returning to camp, Kit pointed up overone of the small mountains. "Bet, I'll take a short cut with you. Thetrail over that hill leads into Lost Canyon. Let's go and beat themhome. Who's coming?"

"I am!" exclaimed Bet turning her horse's head toward the up grade. 

"I'll stay with Dad, " called Enid. 

"And so will I!" Shirley held her horse toward the canyon trail. 

"Wise girls!" smiled the Judge. "You know good company when you haveit. "

Kit waved her sombrero as they reached the summit and disappeared overthe ridge. But once on the other side, Kit was not so sure that sheknew the way. "This doesn't look like the trail that leads into LostCanyon, after all, Bet. Do you think we'd better go back?"

"I should say not. I'd love to get lost in the hills with you, Kit. "

"Oh, we're all right, only I'm not sure that we will save any time. They'll probably get home first, if we go this way, " returned Kit. "I'm not lost, I've been here before, but I just got mixed up. LostCanyon is over the next ridge. "

"It's all right with me, let's keep on. "

The girls rode for an hour, and still Kit declared that they had notreached Lost Canyon. 

"Are you afraid, Kit?" asked Bet, as she looked at her friend'sfrowning face. 

"No, of course not, only I'm disgusted that I made such a mistake. Let's climb to the ridge there and look around, then I'll know in aminute where I am. "

The girls urged their horses up the steep trail. Kit was ahead and asshe reached the summit she signalled Bet frantically to stop. Slidingfrom her saddle she ran back. 

"We're coming out right by the tunnel, I see the two ruffians. "

The girls crept along, keeping out of sight of the camp. 

But suddenly Bet grabbed Kit by the arm. The men were descending thetrail to the creek, leaving the tunnel unguarded. 

The girls did not wait to think whether they were wise or not. Theyran forward. Two shotguns lay on the ground. The men had taken offtheir belts. They were in the canyon unarmed. 

Bet choked with delight. "Here's where we get the drop on them, " shelaughed. "I'll be a regular wild westerner. "

"Don't do anything rash, Bet, " advised Kit anxiously as she watched herfriend's flushed face. 

"Trust me!" Bet picked up a weapon and held it awkwardly in her hand. It was the first time she had handled a loaded gun and it gave her athrill. 

"Can you shoot, Bet?" asked Kit. "Do you know enough to pull thetrigger?"

"No, I don't know a thing about it, I'll have to put up a bluff!"

When they heard a step on the trail. Bet aimed her gun. 

"Hands up!" ordered Bet and there was no sign of fear in her voice. 

The ruffians raised their hands high in the air, but the foremost onesmiled. 

Bet's anger rose. "Don't come a step nearer! And don't fool yourself!We know how to shoot--and shoot to kill!"

Kit wanted to laugh, for Bet was repeating word for word what she hadread only a few days before in a western story. 

But Bet's next question was her own. "How much is Kie Wicks paying youfor this job?" she asked. 

One man started to take a step forward, but Bet's gun menaced him. 

"Stand right where you are! Not a step nearer! Answer my question!"

"Five dollars apiece!" growled the second man. "'T ain't enough!"

"Of course it isn't. He short-changed you. The job is worth twice asmuch, " said Bet indignantly. 

The men looked pleased. 

"We got a five spot between us for catching the old man and tying himup. And we are to get five each for this. "

"Your master isn't very generous. Do you often work for Kie Wicks?"asked Bet. 

"No, we never saw him before. We were just passing through thecountry. We went broke and he offered us this job. "

"Where are you going from here?" demanded the girl. 

"El Paso is home, and we want to work our way toward there, " answeredthe man who had done all the talking. 

"Suppose I was to offer you ten apiece, would you get away from hereand not come back? In fact it wouldn't be good for you to come backwhere Kie Wicks could take a shot at you. "

"We'd not stick around, honest we wouldn't. By night we'd be at thenearest railroad station. " Both men made a motion to come toward thegirls but were stopped by Bet's menacing weapon. 

"All right, go to the edge of the cliff there, and stand with yourbacks to us. If you dare to turn around, you'll be dead men. "

The ruffians backed away for a few feet, then turned and walked to thecliff. 

"Halt!" shouted Bet, and the men stood still. 

"Now Kit, you hold the gun on them and I'll get the money. That's onething Dad has always insisted on that I keep a little money fastened tome, when I'm away from home. " She fumbled in her dress and broughtforth a small roll of bills. 

With Kit protecting her, Bet walked toward the cliff, and when she gotto within ten feet from the men she put the money on the ground, andmade a second trip, hauling their packs to the same spot. 

When her gun was once more levelled at the ruffians, she ordered: "Turnaround!"

The men wasted no time in obeying. They turned. 

"Now walk slowly and get your money and belongings. If you run, youdrop!"

The men grabbed their money and hastened back to their position on thecliff, as if they were anxious to put distance between themselves andthe shotguns. 

"Now go, and go quickly! Kie Wicks is due over this way in half anhour and if he finds you gone and us in charge, he's going to send aposse after you!"

The men hastened down the trail. They saddled and mounted theirhorses, with the shotguns pointed in their direction. 

From the opposite end of the canyon two riders were coming nearer, andthe ruffians galloped their horses to get out of the way. 

Kit and Bet recognized Seedy Saunders and Billy Patten, who had goneout by themselves to search for the professor. 

They answered Kit's hail and raced their horses up the grade. 

By the time they reached the summit, Bet and Kit were almost hystericalfrom laughing. Bet put the gun down gingerly. "I wonder what I wouldhave done, if they had called my bluff!" she exclaimed. 

"Oh, boys, if you could only have heard her, " shrieked Kit, at lastgetting her breath. "You'd have thought she had just stepped out of awestern two-gun story, the way she threatened those men, it's a wonderthey didn't see through her. And she hardly knows how to hold the gun. It was a scream!"

"I don't believe I'd enjoy that sort of thing for regular work, "laughed Bet. "I guess I don't like to give orders that much. "

But the two ruffians, hastening toward the railroad station thirtymiles away, never dreamed that the girl who menaced them so daringly, had never pulled a trigger. 

"We're lucky to be out of it, " they agreed. "Girls have a way ofalways making trouble and getting their own way!"

CHAPTER XVII

_INDIAN TRADING_

Much to the disgust of Tommy Sharpe, Kie Wicks was a guest at theJudge's table that day. Kie was beaming with self-satisfaction. Hefelt that he had put over a good deal and could afford to be genial. 

Kie's plan was to let the ruffians hold the claim until he could makearrangements to put men to work and dig out the treasure in the tunnel. Kie did not doubt for a moment that the treasure was there. Andtonight he intended to investigate and see how much needed to be done. If he could handle it alone, so much the better. 

Kit and Bet arrived when the meal was half finished and pretended to behurt at the teasing that they encountered. They decided to wait untilthe family was alone before saying anything about the capture of thetunnel. Kie might get ugly and actually harm the old man. 

"Saw your playmate, Young Mary, coming up the canyon today, " said Kie, glad of some new excitement for the girls, to take their minds off theprofessor for a while. 

"Oh, is Mary home?" cried Kit happily. "I do want to see her!"

"Yes, Young Mary is here with a dozen other Indians of all sizes andshapes, " grinned Kie. "They sure are a funny looking crowd. "

Kit herself might have made the same remark, but coming from Kie, sheresented it. 

"Where are they?" exclaimed Bet. "I'll pay them a visit. Do you thinkthey will make some baskets for me?"

"You can never tell a thing about them. If they need money, they will, but like as not they'll refuse. This is their vacation, they come upevery year to pick mesquite beans and piņon nuts, " Kit informed them. 

"Let's go down right after lunch and see them, " proposed the girls, butKit hesitated. 

"We might frighten them away if we are too anxious, " she said. "Indians are very shy. "

"I'll say they are, " smiled Tommy. "And about as friendly as a blockof ice. "

"Why Tommy Sharpe, how can you say such a thing? There's Old Mary andIndian Joe, they are the most friendly people in the world. Thereisn't anything they wouldn't do for Mum and Dad and me. And they thinkyou're a great man!" Kit defended them. 

"Old Mary and Joe are altogether different. Indian Joe is just like awhite man!" answered Tommy. 

"And good as gold!" emphasized Kit. 

"The only good Indian is a dead Indian, " Kie Wicks exclaimeddramatically. 

Kit flared up, but Bet soothed her. 

"Remember we are already even with Kie Wicks, " she whispered. 

Kit nodded her head. "Just the same I don't like to hear Indianstalked about like that. It always makes me angry. "

After lunch, much to the joy of Kie Wicks, the girls decided to walkdown into the canyon and see the Indians. 

Kit ran home first, for she was sure that she would find Young Marythere, and she wanted to see the girl alone. With the other girls shemight be shy. 

So it was Bet who called the Judge aside, to a safe distance, from KieWicks' eager ears, and told him of the capture of the tunnel. 

"And those fellows said that Kie put them up to it and that it is Kiewho took the old man. He's safe, they said, but I'm not so sure aboutthat. "

"I wouldn't worry about him. Kie Wicks has no reason to harm theprofessor, " declared Judge Breckenridge. "Now I'll tell you what we'dbetter do. You and the girls go along down the trail and visit theIndian camp. That is evidently what Kie wants you to do. I'll sendTommy over to the tunnel with two men to start the excavation work andmaybe by the time we get the professor back, we'll have something toshow him. Who knows, Bet? Sometimes I'm half hopeful, although mycommon sense tells me there isn't anything there. "

"Don't use so much common sense, Judge. It's lots of fun to dream. Iwish Dad were here, he'd love this. He'd have the whole thing workedout, he'd be able to see the Spaniards who buried the treasure and allthe rest of it. Dad's wonderful!"

"He is, Bet. I agree with you, and I wish that he would make us avisit, he half promised, you know. "

"Yes, but in his last letter he said he'd not be able to come, " Betadded with a sigh, for the separation from her father was a trial tothe motherless girl. 

"All right, now you run along and don't say anything to the girls--notyet. Make a lot of fuss about going to see the Indians and pretendyou're crazy about them. "

"I don't have to _pretend_ that, I am crazy to see them. Oh, I do hopethey will like me and want to be friends. "

The Judge laughed at the girl's enthusiasm. 

"They will, Bet, they can't help themselves, if they are human at all. "

Bet turned away without noticing the delicate compliment that the Judgehad paid her. In her heart she was really concerned for fear she mightnot be able to get on friendly terms with the Indians. 

Judge Breckenridge joined Kie Wicks and his party, after givinginstructions to Tommy Sharpe, and he followed Kie on what he knew to bea "wild goose chase. " Kie flattered himself that he was being veryclever in keeping the searchers away from the old man. 

The girls waited impatiently for Kit. "I do wish she would hurry, "fussed Bet. "What's keeping her?"

"Maybe she found Young Mary there, as she hoped, and as it's been sucha long time since they've seen each other, they'll need to do a lot oftalking to make up for lost time. "

But Kit's meeting with her Indian friend was very different from whatthe girls pictured. 

Even Kit was surprised and a little hurt at the lack of interest in herchildhood friend. 

The Indian girl was already dressed in the bright silk gown that Kithad brought her. Kit caught the girl in her arms and squeezed hertight. But Young Mary was as rigid as a post. Not by word or sign didshe betray the fact that she was glad to see Kit. 

But Kit understood. She saw a bright light in Mary's eyes and wassatisfied. 

"Why Mary, you're a beauty in that dress. I want you to come over andmeet my friends. "

Mary shook her head. She was already gliding away toward the canyonwhere the Indians were camped by the stream. They had chosen the samespot that the professor had used for a camping site. 

And when Kit joined the group of Indians by the side of the creek sherealized that Mary was now a grown-up Indian woman. She did not run ordance about any more, but seated herself with the squaws and seemedhappy. 

Mary had returned to her people. There was no doubt about it. Shewould never again be the chum of the white girl. There were times whenKit felt angry; it seemed like a reflection on herself, on her loyalty. 

The girls watched with amusement Young Mary's pride in her new dress. There was a buzz of unintelligible comments from the squaws as theypressed about the girl, fingering the material and patting the silk. 

Kit learned before long why Mary was so preoccupied with herself. Shewas in love. In love with a man of her own race. 

Old Mary shrugged her shoulders and grunted her disapproval. 

But in spite of her shrugs, the older woman was proud. Young Mary wasmaking a good choice. Andreas was a fine young Indian. He had a farmof his own on the San Pablo. They were both young and could work andwould have many children to bless them. 

As Kit had prophesied, the Indian women were not interested in basketweaving. They shook their heads vehemently. Then at Bet's proposalthat they sell her some that were already made, the ones they carriedalong, their heads shook more than ever and their grunts and frownswere decisive. Kit translated it to the girls as a flat refusal. Flatrefusals always spurred Bet on to further efforts. 

"I'll get those baskets yet, " she declared. "I want them. What's moreI've got an idea. "

"Go ahead Bet and dream your little dream. You never dealt with an'injun' before. Now you've met your Waterloo. " Kit laughed. At heartshe was rather pleased to see Bet go up against a losing propositionfor once. 

Bet tossed her head impudently at her friend but made no answer. Thedetermination in her glance proved that she had not given up thestruggle. 

And late in the afternoon when the girls again walked down the canyon, Bet was decked out in such brightly colored beads that she might havebeen mistaken for an Indian girl herself. Strings of red, blue, amber, green and orange encircled her neck. 

"What are you trying to do, Bet?" exclaimed Shirley with a laugh. "Areyou trying to show off in front of the squaws to make them jealous?"

Enid laughingly began to count the strings. 

"Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like this, " Kit interrupted. 

"Oh, keep quiet, all of you! I can wear as many strings of beads as Iwant to. It's the latest style, " she retorted with a grimace. "I havean object in wearing them. "

"It's a bribe to get those baskets!" cried Kit delightedly. "And maybeyou will, at that. Your methods are sound and business-like. Ithought you'd met your match, but now I'm inclined to think they have. "

They were nearing the Indian camp and Bet noticed with pleasure thesurprised glances of the squaws. They did not look at the other girls. Bet was the center of attraction. 

Finally one Indian woman drew near and put out a brown finger to touchthe bright objects. Bet smiled and waited. "You like beads?" sheasked. 

The squaw nodded and was joined by another one. Soon Bet wassurrounded. "You want them?" There were as many grunts of acceptanceas there were women there. 

"You sell me some baskets?" asked Bet. "Then you can have the beads. "

The squaws looked at each other then back at the bright beads. Theysidled away, without a word. 

Bet's heart stood still. She had lost! Kit's eyes were shining withtriumph. 

But only for a moment. The Indian women were busily at work emptyingthe contents of their baskets into blankets. They were evidentlypreparing to give her the best they had. Bet got several smalljar-like baskets besides two large ones that were used to carry thingson their saddles. 

They looked on in surprise when Bet paid them a good price for theirbaskets and passed over the strings of beads as well. 

There was a chorus of grunts and Kit again translated. The squaws werecongratulating themselves on their bargain. They were more thansatisfied. "I've known Indians all my life, " Kit whispered to thegirls, "but I've never before seen them so pleased about anything! Youwin, Bet!"

"I certainly do, Kit Patten. Come on, girls, lend a hand and let's getthese baskets home before they change their minds. "

As they were going up the trail toward the ranch, Young Mary suddenlyappeared from a thicket of Palo Verde. 

"Kit, " she said softly. 

Kit turned as if she had been shot. "Mary, " she answered uneasily. "What's the matter?"

Kit ran to the girl who now hesitated as if she were addressing astranger. Then suddenly, with what appeared to be an effort, shewhispered: "Your old man! He's in the hut over in Rattlesnake Creek, and he's being guarded by some bad Indians from down the valley. Becareful!"

And before Kit could stop her to ask any more questions, the Indiangirl glided away as softly as she had come. 

CHAPTER XVIII

_THE OLD CHIEF'S DAUGHTER WALKS_

"If the professor is really hidden in that hut, perhaps we can get himtonight, " exclaimed Bet Baxter, as she swung up the trail carrying herIndian baskets. 

"I wish we could find him before tomorrow afternoon when the boyscome, " said Enid. "It would be nice to give the boys our fullattention. "

"You'll spoil them if you do, " Shirley responded. 

Bet was quiet the rest of the way home. Thoughts of the professor keptcrowding into her mind, schemes for his release; these things demandedher attention. Kit spoke to her three times without getting an answer, then with a smile turned to her chums. 

"Bet is trying to solve a problem. She is never this way unless she ismaking plans of some sort. "

By the time they reached the ranch house, Bet's eyes were glowing in anabsent-minded way and she passed Ma Patten in the patio withoutspeaking. 

She was so intent on the problem that was bothering her that she stoodstaring at her father a long time before she recognized him, then witha cry she threw herself into his arms. 

"Oh Daddy! I've been so lonesome for you! How did you get here andwhen did you come?"

"Easy, girl, or you'll choke on all those questions, " laughed ColonelBaxter. "I just arrived an hour ago, and I would have let you know ifI'd been sure that I could come. And then at the end, I decided tosurprise you. Are you glad?"

Bet laughed happily, her blue eyes glowing now with a very differentlight. There was snap and joy in them as she held tightly to herfather's hand. 

In her joy at seeing her father she had not paid any attention to whatthe other girls were doing. Now as she heard the sound of happy voicesshe turned and saw the boys, Phil and Bob and Paul. 

"Oh, you boys! Why we didn't expect you until tomorrow afternoon, " shesaid, extending her hand to Phil Gordon. 

"If you don't want to see us tonight, perhaps we could go back and sitin the station at Benito. "

"Don't be silly, Bob Evans. You're just the same as ever. " Betlaughed as she always did at Bob. 

"What did you expect me to do in three weeks time? Get grey headed andgrow a beard?"

Bob had helped Joy to her feet when they heard the girls arriving andhe now stood supporting his sister while he laughed and teased. 

"Isn't it good to see them?" cried Joy. 

"Does that include me, too?" inquired Colonel Baxter. 

"Of course it does! You don't know how often we've talked about youand wished you were here, " answered Enid, before Joy could reply. 

There was a real change in Paul Breckenridge since the girls had seenhim the previous winter. The old brooding, shy look was gone, and nowhe entered into the pleasures around him as the other boys did. Onecould see that he liked to be near Enid, teasing her constantly as ifhe had to make up for those years of separation. 

Judge Breckenridge smiled around at his happy family, well pleased witheverything. 

"The one thing that would make it perfect would be to have the oldprofessor here, " he said. "But we'll find him before long. "

Kit gave a little cry. "How terrible of me to have forgotten to tellyou, Judge! We know where the professor is. "

"Where?" asked the Judge eagerly. 

"Young Mary says that he is in the shack in Rattlesnake Creek. "

"But Kie Wicks took us through that hut this afternoon, " replied theJudge. "He isn't there!"

The girls showed their disappointment. 

"Maybe they just moved the old man out for an hour until you finishedyour search, " said Bet. "I wouldn't put that past Kie Wicks. Nothingis too bad for him to do. "

"We hunted inside and outside of that hut, " insisted the Judge. "If hehad been there, surely there would have been some sign. "

"I have an idea!" cried Bet, jumping to her feet. "I believe he's inthat hut, they put him back after you'd been there. I'm going to findhim tonight. "

"You'll do no such thing, Bet. Chasing around among a lot of bad menis no place for a girl, " began her father, but Bet interrupted:

"Just wait until I have worked out my plan and you'll see I'll be assafe as if I were at home. You can come with me, Dad. Will you helpme, Judge? I'll need several men. "

"Let us in on this, " exclaimed Phil and Bob in the same breath. "We'dlike to have a hand in solving your latest mystery. "

Bet flew to her room and returned in a few minutes in a strangecostume, a long dress of buckskin. Dark braids fell over her shouldersand feathers rose from her hair. She had no resemblance to the boyishgirl they knew. 

The Colonel looked puzzled but Judge Breckenridge caught the idea. "You're a wonder, Bet! And I do believe you are right. You'll be assafe as if you were in your own bed. "

An hour later, the watchers by the hut rubbed their eyes and staredabout them. A wild, weird cry rang through the canyon, and in themoonlight Kie Wicks and his bad men saw, far above them on the cliff, the figure of an Indian girl. 

"She wasn't walking, she was just floating in the air, it seemed, andas she moved, she moaned and shrieked. It was terrible! There was nodoubt about it. It was the ghost, " Kie Wicks told his wife when he wassafely at home. 

"What happened?" Maude urged him to continue the story. 

"You should have seen those Indians go! 'The Old Chief's daughterwalks! It's the ghost girl!' they cried hoarsely. And that's the lastI saw of them. "

"And what did you do?" Maude pressed him further. 

"I--well, I ran, too. I got out of there in record time, let me tellyou. I don't mind shooting it out with a human being, but I don't takeno chances with a ghost. I vamoosed. "

"And the old man?" she inquired. 

"He's there yet. One thing certain, I'll never go into that canyonlate at night again. "

Bet's ruse had worked better than she had hoped. In less than twominutes after she stepped out on the cliff, the place was deserted, thehut left unguarded and Judge Breckenridge and his men rushed in, brokeopen the door and found the old man asleep on a sack of straw. 

The Judge touched him and the professor tried to shake him off. 

"What are you going to do with me now?" he asked peevishly, "I want togo to sleep. Can't you let me be?"

"Ssh! Don't talk! We've come to take you home. This is JudgeBreckenridge. "

The professor recognized his voice and breathed a sigh of relief. Herose unsteadily and did not speak again until they were a long way upthe trail. 

Then he suddenly got weak and felt as if he were going to faint. 

"Don't worry, I get this way sometimes. I have some medicine over atthe tent. "

As it was only a short distance to the claim, the Judge decided to gethim there as quickly as possible. 

The professor was like a child in his eagerness to stay at the camp, and finally toward morning the Judge left him there in charge of theboys and Seedy Saunders. 

And when Kie Wicks, deciding that he would have a look at the tunnelwhich he had left in charge of the two ruffians, climbed the trail tothe summit the next morning about dawn, the first person he saw was theold professor, smoking his pipe and gazing far off over the hills witha smile of happiness on his face. 

Kie wheeled his horse as if he had been shot at and raced madly away. He was muttering excitedly:

"The mountains are bewitched! That ghost has spirited the old man outof the hut and back to the tunnel. "

When his horse finally stopped before the store in Saugus, he wascovered with foam and the man who bestrode him was trembling in everylimb. 

Yet he said nothing to Maude. What was the use? She would only worryand fret, and besides he had always made light of ghosts and said hedidn't believe in them. 

"But seein' is believin', " he said to himself as he dismounted. "I'moutdone by a ghost. "

And Bet, as she put away the Indian costume the next morning, hugged itto her as if it had been responsible for the whole affair. "Whatevermade you think of it, Bet?" asked Enid. 

"Thoughts like that just come to her. It's what you might callinspiration, or intuition, " laughed Shirley. 

"Why give it such a big name, " returned Bet. "I simply had a hunch, and it worked out. "

"Just like that!" exclaimed Joy, as she tried to dance on the lamefoot, snapping her fingers in time to the step. 

"What's the next thing on the program, Bet?" asked Bob Evans. "Haveyou a bulletin board with the adventures scheduled?"

"I wish you'd stop teasing me. It isn't my fault if I'm always gettinginto the middle of a problem. "

"Whose is it, Bet?" laughed her father. 

"Yours, I think, Dad. You brought me up. " She slid an arm around herfather's neck. "And are you very much disappointed in me?"

"Fishing for compliments?" Colonel Baxter pinched her rosy cheek. 

"No, I only want a little appreciation, " she replied. 

At that moment Billy Patten poked his head into the corridor. 

"The old man at the tunnel. He says for the girls to come quick. "

"Something important has happened!" insisted Kit. "Hurry up, let's go!"

Colonel Baxter hurried to his horse and followed after the girls. Hismind was not, for the moment, on possible treasure, he was overwhelmedby the magnitude of the hills, their rugged outlines and the blazingsun that beat down upon them. 

When they reached the summit, the girls spurred their horses across theflat. 

What they saw was an excited little old man, waving his arms anddancing about a huge box. 

As the girls approached, he cried. 

"Come quickly. It's a brass-bound chest. It's the treasure!"

Tommy Sharpe pried the rusty lock, and as the cover was swung back, thegirls gave a gasp of astonishment and dismay. 

The chest was empty!

CHAPTER XIX

_A BRASS BOUND CHEST_

At the sight of the empty chest, Professor Gillette opened his mouth tospeak, but no words came. His face was white and drawn. And the girlswere no less moved than he. All their hopes had been dashed to theground. 

Tears came to Bet's eyes. Angry tears! Why was it that they alwayshad so many disappointments? Why couldn't the treasure have reposed inthat chest ready for them? Why couldn't things have gone smoothly justfor once?

"What a silly thing to do! To bury an empty chest!" Bet said in aprotesting voice. 

"But that's the trouble. Maybe it wasn't always empty. Maybe it wasonce full of gold and jewels, " sighed the professor wearily. He hadplanned on this treasure more than he realized at first. He thought ofAlicia, his patient daughter, whose hope of recovery depended on hissummer's work. 

"Then what happened to it?" demanded Bet. 

"Someone has been ahead of us, that's all. There must have beentreasure in that chest, " repeated the old man. 

"I think you are right, " interrupted Colonel Baxter. "But don't bediscouraged! Unless I'm very badly mistaken, that chest will be wortha small fortune in itself. Look at those brass straps across thecorners. The carving is unusual and beautiful. "

"I don't see anything beautiful about it, at all, " snapped Bet. "If ithad been filled with treasure, then I could admire it. "

Colonel Baxter laughed. But the girls at that moment could see nothingto be happy about. Their faces were serious and troubled. It was notalone for themselves that they had wanted the treasure. They hadplanned on being able to help the professor, to make it possible forAlicia to go to the famous specialist and be cured. 

"Guard the chest well, " continued Colonel Baxter. "It's valuable!"

"But there is no bullion or jewels!" Enid expressed her disappointmentwith a frown. 

"And no doubloons or louis d'or!" said Kit. "And I did want to seeone. "

But Shirley laughed. "Come on, girls, what's the use of fretting overa treasure that didn't exist. Let's be satisfied with the old chestand call it a summer. For the rest of the time we'll complete ourstudy of rope throwing and bronco busting. "

"Yes, we can do that--but where's the romance?" sighed Bet. "Thetreasure had all the romance of the old days in the west. I did wantit to come true. "

"Why, Bet Baxter!" exclaimed Kit Patten. "You say you've had noromance! What do you call it when you stand off a couple of westernbad men, and recapture the tunnel all by yourself?"

"Did you do that, Bet?" asked her father, turning on his daughter witha frown. 

"Please don't think I intended to keep it from you, Dad. I was waitinguntil we went back to Lynnwood, " Bet answered penitently. 

Her father laughed. "Oh, Bet, girl, when will you learn to becautious? And when are you going to grow up and be ladylike?"

"Not yet, Dad. There will be time enough to grow up when I get to bethirty. Until then, I want to be just a girl and have lots of fun andadventure. "

"You seem to be getting your wish, as you always do, " Enid said as shetried to pat Bet's tousled locks into place. 

"I didn't get my wish this time. Far from it. I wished for heaps oftreasure, and I get nothing but a brass-bound chest. "

Tommy Sharpe was gazing at the mud-crusted box with interest andsuddenly burst out; "Say, Judge, if Kie Wicks gets an idea that thechest is worth more than a dollar and a half, he'll try to take it awayfrom the girls. Don't you think we'd better take it back to the ranch?"

"You're right, Tommy. It may not be what we planned for, but just thesame, the professor and the girls put up a fight for it and it belongsto them. "

"And I love it, Dad!" exclaimed Enid, examining the carving on the box. 

"Well, what are we going to do now?" asked the business-like Shirley. "Will we abandon the tunnel and claims and let Kie Wicks have them?"

"No!" cried Bet decidedly. "I won't let him have anything! Not eventhe worthless old tunnel. "

"That's the way I feel about it, " said the professor. "Kie didn'ttreat me fairly and I don't wish him to be near my camp. On the otherhand, we shouldn't be a burden to Judge Breckenridge, who has suppliedmen to guard the tunnel and help do the digging. "

Bob interrupted with a shout. "Let us live here and guard the tunnelpart of the time. What about it, Paul, can you think of any moreinteresting way to spend a vacation? To cook and live out like this?"

"I'm with you, Bob, if Dad says it's O. K. " answered Paul Breckenridge. 

"It's all right if you want to, " agreed the Judge. "You could changeyour camp down to the creek-bed if you wish. "

"I'd rather stay on top of the mountain, " answered Phil. "This justsuits me. "

So it was agreed that the boys would camp with the professor and keepKie Wicks at a safe distance. 

But Kie had had enough. Word leaked out that they had not found anytreasure. Kie did not want the claims. He was not a mining man bytemperament and hated the toil and privation that went into the workingof claims in the hills. 

Day after day now Professor Gillette went in search of the Indianruins, hoping to find something that would give him credit in hiscollege. A few bits of broken pottery, some arrowheads and a foot ofcrumbling wall were not the things that would bring him fame as anexplorer. 

The vacation was almost over. 

Only once did the girls get the old man away from his search. Beforereturning home they wanted to visit the summer range where the largeherd of cattle grazed, that belonged to Judge Breckenridge. It wasfive miles over the Cayuga Range. 

It was Joy's first outing after her accident and she mounted the broadback of Dolly with the same fear that she always felt with a horse. 

"I'll never get used to it, " she sighed, as the other girls leapedgaily into their saddles. 

But Paul Breckenridge was at her side encouraging her. Joy's sweethelplessness appealed to the boy. The other girls often annoyed him bytheir self confidence and efficiency. The gay but child-like Joyamused and pleased him. 

He liked the way Joy looked to him for protection when they rode out onthe broad flat where the cattle were grazing. There were hundreds ofcattle on that range. Joy shivered. There was no pretense in herterror. She did not like cattle. 

"Oh, look at Tommy Sharpe. He'll be killed, " she cried. 

"He's all right, Joy. He understands the game. Just watch and you'llsee what he is going to do, " returned Paul. 

Tommy had spurred his horse forward and was now riding straight towardthe herd. It seemed to the girls that he was right in the midst ofthat stamping, struggling mass. 

The boy was after a certain cow with her calf and as he kept his eye onthe animal he wanted, he untied the rope fastened about the saddlehorn, and held the other end ready to throw when he had a chance. 

The girls watched proudly as the boy rode confidently into the herd, divided it and then singling out the animal he was after, threw theloop. 

No sooner did the loop twirl through the air than the trained cowponybraced itself backward. There was a swirl of dust in the air. Theherd raced madly across the flat to the safety of the canyon beyond andthe girls saw that Tommy had succeeded. A cow was scrambling to herfeet, bellowing with rage. 

Twice the animal was thrown down before she gave up the struggle, andthe reason for that was the appearance of a calf that answered herhoarse call. 

Tommy led the animal toward the trail and the calf followed. Tommy hadwon. 

"Do you like being a cowboy, Tommy?" asked Enid as she spurred herhorse to have a word with the boy. 

"It's the best sport in the world, Enid. I wouldn't ask for nothingbetter. "

Whether it was the long ride over the mountain, or something that theprofessor had eaten; that night he was a sick man. 

"Go for Mrs. Patten, " he gasped. "She knows what to do. "

And the girls, hearing about it from Kit, soon followed her to thecamp. They found the professor tossing uneasily on his cot, holdinghis head to try and stop the pain. Even after Ma Patten's treatment itwas an hour before he quieted down. 

The girls had been wandering about the camp and Bet suddenly exclaimed, "Come on girls, let's be sports and visit the site of our fondesthopes, and of our bitter disappointment. "

"Aw, why rub it in?" said Kit with a shrug, as she followed Bet intothe tunnel. 

"I never even looked to see where that old chest came from, and I wantto see, " Bet let herself down into the hole. "I can't believe thatanyone found the treasure, stole it, then sealed the tunnel up again. That doesn't spell sense, at all. "

"I think those old Spaniards showed very little sense anyway, " remarkedKit. "Why didn't they hide their treasure in some easier place?"

Bet laughed. But at that moment her foot scraped against somethinghard. There was a metallic ring. Stooping she dug away the dirt andcrumbled rock with her hands. 

"Kit!" she gasped. "It's the treasure! Call the professor! Hurry!"Bet's voice rang out. 

There was no need to call the professor. Forgetting his weariness andheadache, he leaped from the cot at Bet's cry, and ran to the tunnel. 

Bet appeared, carrying a small metal box, held tightly in her arms. 

"Call the girls!" she said, and disappeared into the shelter of theprofessor's tent. 

When the box was pried open, the girls had all the thrill they had everplanned. Old coins, nuggets and jewels were scrambled together in thecasket. Enid's fingers closed about a long gold chain, tarnished andstained with the years. 

"That's what I've dreamed about!" she said with a gasp. "Isn't itwonderful!"

A loud "Hullo" came to them from the hill above. Bet shut the box witha snap and placing it on the cot, sat down upon it. 

"Anyone who gets this box, has to take me along!" she said in a tensevoice. "No one shall have it! No one!"

A moment later there was a scramble from the trail and Bob, Phil andPaul rushed into the tent. They started back as they saw thefrightened faces of the girls. 

Then Bet laughed. 

"We thought it was robbers! After the treasure!" she exclaimed, jumping to her feet and displaying the precious box. 

"Three cheers for The Merriweather Girls!" shouted Bob. 

The professor was delighted. He had forgotten his sickness. "It showshow one should keep at a thing long after it seems useless, " he toldthe girls. "Why, I may even find my Indian village, yet. "

"Of course you will. This is just the beginning of our good luck!"cried Bet excitedly. 

"And we'll all help you hunt for your village, " promised Phil Gordon. "That will be the next adventure!"

"What about your claims?" asked Tommy. "Aren't you going to workthem?" He cast a longing look over the flat-topped summit. 

"Dad says we'd be foolish to go on with them!" replied Enid. "If wewere going to be out here to look after the work it would be different. "

"Will you sell them?" Tommy's eager face expressed more than thesimple question. Tommy wanted those claims. 

"You can have them, Tommy!" began Enid. 

Bet burst out with a decided "No!" and the girls looked at theimpulsive, generous girl in surprise. They had never known Bet to actlike this. 

"We'll sell Tommy the claims, " she said in her decided way. "We'llsell Tommy the claims--for that treasure map!"

The boy looked relieved. "It's a bargain!" he laughed. 

"Nothing for nothing!" smiled Joy contemptuously. 

"No such thing!" protested Bet. "That map was worth a lot to us. Ifwe hadn't seen it on Tommy's wall, I'd never have thought of thosecarvings on the rock meaning _anything_. "

"And who knows? Maybe there'll be a big mine on this mountain someday!" Tommy looked around with the pride of possession. "I'm going toget the assessment work done on my claims right away, " he added. 

Kit came close to him. "Look here, Tommy Sharpe. You keep your eyesopen after we go, and if Kie Wicks doesn't do his assessment work, jumphis claims. They belong to us, anyway, and they're included in thesale. "

Bet carried the treasure to the ranch. The others acted as escort forthe safe transfer of the box. 

"All gone crazy!" said Tang to his boys, as the young people rushed inand all began to talk at once to the Judge and Colonel Baxter. 

There was excitement and happiness on the ranch. Everybody had beeninterested in the adventure. But it was only the favored ones who eversaw the treasure. Bet gladly gave it to Judge Breckenridge for safekeeping. 

"Now the tunnel doesn't have to be guarded any more, " exclaimed Bob. And even the professor agreed that it would be better to stay at theranch. Kie Wicks might try to get back at them, if he found out aboutthe treasure. 

So the camp on the summit was broken up. As the professor urged theburro through the canyon, loaded down with his tent and supplies, thecontrary animal made a rush toward the flat where the Indians werecamped, and nothing could turn him from his purpose. 

The professor had a sudden inspiration. He signalled Mapia who wassitting by the stream, smoking his pipe as usual. Unstrapping thetent, the old man presented it to the Indian. And while Mapia's facedid not change expression, somehow the professor knew that he waspleased. 

As he turned to go, the Indian rose and followed. "Wait! I show you!Come!" he said, and mounting his bony horse, he headed it up LostCanyon. It was slow travelling, the burro had to be brought back tothe trail many times with prods from a heavy stick that the Indian hadgiven the old man. 

After a mile they left the creek and followed a smaller stream that hadno visible trail. They clambered over slippery rocks for another mileand still another and then the Indian brought him out to a broad shelfof rock. And there hidden by the hills, was the extensive ruins of theancient town. 

"The village!" said Mapia with a sweep of his hand. 

The professor could only stare. He had no words to express his joy. Wall after wall of adobe ruins had withstood the weather in thissheltered spot. And from these walls he could picture the village asit had once been. 

Mapia interrupted his thoughts. "Be careful! The Old Chief's daughterwalks!"

"Are you afraid of the ghost, Mapia?" the professor asked him, lookingsteadily into his eyes. 

"No, I don't believe! But bad men believe and that is good. "

The professor laughed. Years seemed to have dropped from him. He feltlike a boy. 

Mapia was talking. "The Old Chief, he's buried there--or maybe overthere. Who knows? It is not good to disturb the bones of the dead!"he added in a warning voice. 

CHAPTER XX

"_COMPLIMENTS OF KIE WICKS_"

The last week in the hills was a busy one for The Merriweather Girlsand their friends. 

Professor Gillette worked from early morning until late at night. Thefew excavations he made proved beyond doubt that he had found theancient village that so many men had tried to locate. 

His job was secure. And with his share of the treasure he would beable to realize his hopes in regard to the invalid daughter. There wasno happier man in the world these days than the old professor. 

His time was spent in making a careful map of the village. The ruinswere photographed from every angle by Shirley Williams. Everyone had ahand in helping their old friend in the realization of his undertaking. 

Bet was quiet. Something seemed to be troubling here these days. 

"What is it, Bet?" asked Colonel Baxter one morning after his daughterhad been following him around for an hour, with a question in her eyes. 

"There is just one thing I want to do more than I anything else in allthe world, " she answered. 

"Speak, child!" smiled the Colonel indulgently. "What is it that yourheart desires?" he added playfully. 

"Let me fly back with you to New York! I've never been up in anairplane. "

"I'm sorry, Bet. I can't do it this time. Not yet, " he answered. 

Bet looked disappointed. "Oh it's all right, Dad, I won't whimper. I've had a wonderful time this summer. "

"And what's more, you will have your chance this year. "

"Oh, what do you mean, Dad?"

"Up at Rockhill School, where you are going this winter, they have aclass in aviation for the girls, " said her father. 

"Do you mean it? Is it really true? Will you let me learn to fly?"

"Yes daughter, I want you to. I believe in modern sports for youngpeople. It's a great game and the earlier you get into it, the morechance you have of becoming an expert. "

"Dad, you're wonderful!" exclaimed Bet. 

With this promise Bet was satisfied and not unhappy when her father andthe boys left the next day for Benito, where the airplane was guardedin a barn. 

In fact Bet was too busy during the next few days to be unhappy. Thegirls were sorting over all the collections they had made in the hills. It would have needed a special train if Bet had taken all the thingsshe had brought to the ranch so it was necessary for her to go over thelot and take only the treasures that she could not give up. 

"You'd better get an old trunk that's out in the garage and fill it up. Then we can send it by express, " suggested Judge Breckenridge. 

But Bet objected. "Some of my things are too precious to put in thattrunk, " she said. 

"For instance, what?" asked Kit. 

"My arrowheads and my turquoise specimens. I'll carry them in my smallsuitcase. The ore samples, from those copper claims are heavy. Theycan go in the trunk. And what say we put our hiking and riding shoesin that. "

"Sure, that's an idea! All the heavy things that we don't care for cango into the old trunk. "

Judge Breckenridge took the small casket of treasure in his car. Hestarted out a full hour before the others, as he still felt thenecessity of driving slowly with his invalid wife. The genial littleprofessor entertained her on the way with details of his village. 

Bet sighed as the last good-bye was said and she settled down in thecar. 

"We've had a marvelous time! We never dreamed we'd have such anadventure. "

"Maybe it's just as well we couldn't forsee the struggle with Kie Wicksover that treasure, " Shirley said with a happy smile. "Isn't it goodto win out, no matter what you are doing?"

"Yes, we have the treasure and had the fun of the contest, but what didKie Wicks get out of it?" demanded Bet. 

"Nothing at all!" chirruped Joy. "He's just out of luck. And hedeserves it for kidnapping our professor. "

"Atta boy, Joy! Dad says to be generous to your enemies, but I'mafraid I haven't one little generous thought for Kie Wicks. Isn't itgood that he didn't hear about us finding the treasure? He knows aboutthe chest but not a word about the other. "

But Kie Wicks knew more than the girls realized. He had heard more andseen more than they had any idea of. He suspected that treasure hadbeen found and at that moment he was giving instructions to his hiredmen. 

He had formed a gang of ruffians from the hills and they were collectednow in a ravine through which the automobiles must pass. Without anysuspicion that the treasure was safely stowed away in a car that hadpassed fully half an hour before, the storekeeper huddled his menbehind the rock and waited. 

As the car driven by Matt Larkin came out on the main road, Kie orderedhis men and his voice was hard:

"There's the chest of treasure. Go get it! Don't fail!"

A shot rang out! Matt Larkin tried to put on speed and get away fromthe small car that had suddenly sprung into the road, and having ahigher-powered engine he succeeded for a while. But the pursuingmachine had only two men in it and the five girls and their luggage wasa drag on the big car. 

Joy became hysterical with fright. She crouched low in the car, butBet was excited. Her head bobbed up every minute to see what wastaking place. 

Matt caught her as she peered through the back window and spokeangrily. "Get down there! Are you crazy? You'll be shot if you don'tlook out. "

Bet sighed as she obeyed. "Just my luck! To miss all the fun! Now ifI were a boy. . . . " The sentence was jerked out as Matt Larkin took abump without easing it. 

"Ouch!" screamed Joy. "My head!"

"Keep quiet, Joy Evans! It serves you right for being such acry-baby, " snapped Bet. 

But Shirley comforted her. Joy was trembling as her friend clasped herin her arms. 

"I wish the boys were here, " sobbed Joy. 

"Well, I don't!" said Kit. "They'd think it was their duty to put up afight, and it doesn't pay. "

Another shot!

Another burst of speed that shook the car. 

Then Matt slowed down. There was nothing else to do. The men weregaining and it was foolish to try to out-speed them. 

Matt turned. "Keep perfectly quiet, " said the man. "They won't hurtyou. They're only after the treasure. "

"But that's in the car ahead, " protested Bet. 

"You'd better yell it loud enough for them to hear, " suggested Enidfrom the depths of the tonneau. 

Matt once more warned them to be quiet. "Put up your hands if theytell you to. Don't take any chances. Don't speak unless they ask youa question. I'll do the talking. "

With a gun pointed in their direction, they lost no time in putting uptheir hands. Bet hesitated, her defiant nature rebelled at the idea ofsuch surrender. But a second command from Matt, brought the girl'shands toward her head. 

"The chest! Off with it!" commanded Ramon Salazar to the man by hisside. "And here, Jake, you hold the gun on them!"

"Not that chest, Ramon, " cried Bet. "You can't have that chest!"

"What's to stop us, " sneered the Mexican with an ugly scowl. 

"My ore samples! My birds' nests. They're in that chest. "

"Ha, ha, that's a good joke. Birds' nests!"

"Keep quiet, Bet, not another word!" Matt Larkin spoke with decision. And Bet slumped down in the seat, her arms still extended above herhead. 

Ramon did not wait to untie the rope that held the huge trunk. Heslashed the strings with his knife. Then bringing his gun once moretoward the car, he ordered:

"Now get along out of here as fast as you can. You are covered untilyou are out of sight. " As Matt started his car the Mexican called. "Kie Wicks sends his compliments!"

As the car got under way, Bet suddenly began to scream. It wassomething between a laugh and a cry. The girls looked at her inastonishment. Bet hysterical! They could hardly believe it. 

When a safe distance was reached Bet tried to speak. "That old trunk!They think it's the treasure chest! And they've stolen my riding shoesand my birds nests and some copper ore. Oh, girls, isn't it funny?"And Bet was once more convulsed with laughter. 

"To think of Bet getting hysterical!" exclaimed Enid. 

"I wasn't hysterical. I just had to laugh, and I thought they'd catchon so I screamed. "

"That explains everything, Bet, " came Joy's voice from the floor of thecar. "I'll remember that excuse myself and use it sometime. "

Bet glared but said nothing. Then she started to laugh once more:

"What wouldn't I give to see Kie Wicks' face when he opens that chest?"

Back in the ravine, the men had carried the trunk to a cave and Kiegrabbed it. 

"Fine!" he said. "Those folks will learn who's boss here. "

"You're clever, Kie. You let those greenies do the hard work while youwatched and then you grab the treasure. I call that smart!"

Kie beamed with satisfaction. 

"Here, lend a hand, Ramon, and help me pry open this chest. I know aman who says he'll give me a fancy price for this treasure. This is mylucky day. "

The cover of the trunk was thrown back and the men stared down into thegreatest array of old clothes and camping equipment they had ever seen. 

"Ain't this wonderful!" said Ramon picking up a huge chunk of copperore. "That's a valuable specimen. It will bring a fancy price. "

Kie Wicks tried to speak, but a choking sound came in his throat. 

The rough men beside him knew that for once they had Kie Wicks at theirmercy. They roared with laughter. 

"Compliments of Kie Wicks!" shouted Ramon. 

Kie made as if to draw his gun, but instead he turned to his horse, mounted it and rode away. 

"They've out-smarted me this time!" he muttered. "But they'd betterwatch out!"

As Kie Wicks spurred his horse along the canyon road, he knew that hisdays at Saugus were over. He had gone too far. The sheriff wouldnever stand for a hold-up. Prison threatened him. What was more hewould be the laughing stock of the whole country. Kie Wicks, the manwho had boasted of his cleverness had been outdone by a bunch of girls. 

"This place ain't healthy for me, no more, " muttered the man. "Me andMaude will get away, to-night. We'll never stop till we get clear outof the state. Then we'll be safe. "

And on Judge Breckenridge's private train that was taking TheMerriweather Girls and their friend toward their home, Bet would burstinto a peal of laughter from time to time. 

"What now, Bet?" asked Enid. 

"Oh, I'm thinking of all the fun we've had--and I'm wondering if KieWicks will keep my birds' nests and start a collection, " she giggled. 

Even the old professor, who had been invited to join the party, had tochuckle at the thought. 

Shirley Williams was gazing from the car window. "Look at that sunset, girls. Did you ever see anything so beautiful?"

"I'd love to paint it, " enthused Bet. 

"Then why don't you?" Shirley reproached her. "You brought your colorbox and some canvases with you to Arizona and you haven't made a singlepicture. I'm ashamed of you!"

"Oh, I'll make up for it this winter at Rockhill School. I'll workhard. See if I don't. "

"No, you won't, Bet Baxter. You get so interested in the sports, themotoring, the flying and all that outdoor science course, that you'llnever take a brush in your hand. And you won't study either!" declaredJoy. 

"I'll have to, " protested Bet. "Dad wouldn't like it if I failed tocome up to the high standard of the school. Dr. Dale's idea is thatmodern sports develop the brain and make us wide awake and keen. "

"Sounds fishy to me, " returned Joy slangily. "I may be wrong but Ihave my doubt that it works. If I had to go up in an airplane I'd beso frightened I couldn't think straight for a year at least. "

Suddenly Joy sprang up, her face white. "Say, Bet, does everyone atRockhill _have_ to fly?"

"Of course not, Joy. There probably won't be more than six in thewhole school who will go in for aviation. "

"Thank goodness! I wish The Merriweather Girls wouldn't go in forflying. "

"Why, Joy Evans, I've already signed up for the aviation course. Iwouldn't miss it for worlds. "

"Personally, I'd be content to stay on the ground, " spoke Shirley. 

No one else spoke. Joy was staring at Kit. 

Then Bet turned to Kit and the western girl replied to her unspokenquestion: Kit's bright eyes and daring smile told that she was game toride anything that could run or fly. "I'm with you, Bet, " she saidheartily. 

"We're all with you, Bet. We'll not be left behind. If you girls aregoing to fly, we will, too, " Enid drew Shirley toward the two girls. 

"I was just thinking, " exclaimed Shirley Williams, "that I can makesome wonderful photographs from the air. "

"Well, since you're all going in for aviation, I suppose that includesme. But I'll not do a thing unless I can wear one of those lovelywhite leather costumes. I'm sure I'd look well in one!" This fromJoy, the butterfly girl. 

"Then The Merriweather Girls stand together!" laughed Enid Breckenridge. 

"Of course, 'One for all and all for one!'" said Bet, with a happysmile on her face. 

"And this year it will be THE MERRIWEATHER GIRLS--AT GOOD OLDROCKHILL. " Kit waved an imaginary hat in the air. "I wonder whatadventures are in store for us there?"

"We've had so many wonderful experiences this summer that it seems asif there couldn't be any more adventures left, " mused Enid. 

But Bet Baxter's face was glowing with the promise of future joys. "Don't worry about that, girls! At Good Old Rockhill, we'll find lotsof fun, new thrills, and something tells me that adventure is waitingfor us there!"

"If we follow close on your heels, Bet, we're sure to find it!" laughedKit. 

"Three cheers for Good Old Rockhill!" Bet shouted as the train carriedthem nearer and nearer to the exciting experiences that were beforethem. 

THE END