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 th
is 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 W
icks 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
The Merriweather Girls in Quest of Treasure Page 19
