_MISSING_
The boys were still asleep the next morning when the professor got up
quietly and went into the canyon for a dip in the creek.
He wandered up the stream a short distance and was surprised to see a
saddle horse standing dejectedly on the trail. The next moment Kie
Wicks had hailed him genially from the cliff above.
"Say pard," he called. "Last night when I was going home over the hill
here, I found what looks like the ruins of an Indian village. Do you
want to take a look at them?"
"How far away is it?" asked the professor. "The boys are camping over
there 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 be
back before they have breakfast ready." Kie descended the steep
mountain and leading his horse, he urged the professor on with a
description of the marvelous ruins that he had discovered. Professor
Gillette was almost wild with excitement. He fairly danced from
boulder to boulder along that rocky trail, and when they reached a
narrow pass between the high canyon walls, Kie stopped his horse for a
moment.
At that same instant two men suddenly sprang into the trail in front of
them, grabbed the unsuspecting professor, bound and gagged him and tied
him to a horse.
Professor Gillette could not imagine why he should be treated like
this. Why should he be robbed? He had nothing. And where was Kie
Wicks? Had the men kidnapped him as well? It took the kindly mind of
the professor a long time to grasp the idea that Kie Wicks might have
something to do with the affair.
The old man did not struggle as he had an impulse to do. He knew it
would be useless. The men were powerful, while he was frail, and
helpless in their hands. It would be much better for him to save his
strength so that his mind could work out a scheme for escape.
He was not the sort of person to waste energy in worry. He believed
that nothing could harm him, and he lay quietly in the uncomfortable
position on the horse, wondering where he was going and how long they
would hold him captive. What would The Merriweather Girls do when they
heard about it? He had to smile at the thought of the adventure they
would make of it. Yet perhaps it was nothing to smile about. He might
never return alive.
The boys did not miss the old man until breakfast was ready. They knew
that it was his custom to start the day with a dip in the stream and so
they went on with their breakfast preparations without giving him a
thought. 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, and
called again many times. But there was no answer.
"Guess you'd better take a walk down there and see what's keeping the
old chap," advised Seedy Saunders. "He never goes far away without his
breakfast."
Tommy returned in a few minutes without seeing anything of the
professor. He said: "I saw tracks going up the creek and there are
fresh hoof prints, but that doesn't tell a thing."
"Oh, he's all right. I won't worry about him," laughed Seedy. "I can
just see his face if he thought we imagined he was lost. He's such an
independent 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 when
the girls arrived at ten, the missing man had not returned. He had not
been to the ranch and the girls had seen nothing of him.
"Something has happened!" exclaimed Bet anxiously. "The professor
isn't the sort of man to wander away like a lost soul. He's too
interested in this treasure to leave it for a minute. Some enemy is at
work."
"Melodrama from the movies," laughed Kit. "Bet is bound she's going to
have some western bad man stuff."
"Don't be silly, Bet," said Enid impatiently. "Our old professor
hasn't got an enemy in the world."
"Hasn't he? How do you know? Just suppose Kie Wicks found out about
the treasure. He'd want to get rid of the professor first thing."
"That's an idea, Bet," replied Enid, suddenly growing excited. "I
never thought of Kie."
"But what good would it do him to get rid of the professor?" asked the
sensible Shirley. "Kie Wicks knows we are all backing the old man, so
what would be the use of making away with him?"
"That's true," agreed Bet with a puzzled frown. "If I thought that Kie
Wicks 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 about
himself from lots of people."
But Kie Wicks' scheme worked out just as he planned. In their anxiety
over the professor's disappearance, the treasure was left unguarded and
when the girls returned to the camp, they were confronted with guns
held in the hands of two burly ruffians, swarthy, heavy giants who
terrified them by their looks.
The four girls wasted no time in that neighborhood. They raced their
horses 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 ruffians
frighten 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 to
go 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 cried
hysterically. "No, I won't run away! I'm going straight back there
and tell them what I think of them."
Shirley laughed quietly. "What's the use, Bet. They probably know
more mean things about themselves than you can tell them. They're like
Kie 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 and
think out a plan."
And it was there that Judge Breckenridge found them, heard their story
and commanded them to return to the ranch house without any delay.
Judge Breckenridge's word was law. Bet turned her horse's head down
the canyon toward the home trail, her eyes flashing dangerously. She
muttered:
"To think of being sent home when the excitement gets good! Oh, I wish
I were a boy!"
"Well, since we have to go, let's hurry and have the fun of telling it
all to Joy."
But Joy and Mrs. Breckenridge were a disappointment. They did not
thrill 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. I
don't believe that even the Judge would be willing to deprive us of
that joy." Bet's voice was pleading.
"All right, dear, I'll take back the order and will leave it entirely
to 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 want
to 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 had
even threatened to try horseback riding. But the Judge had put her
off. 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. "I
know I would."
"That's probably what those bandits wanted. To scare us so we wouldn't
go 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 the
professor had been found. He had disappeared.
Before lunch was over Kie Wicks appeared at the ranch house. "I just
heard of the old man being lost, so Maude wanted me to come right over
and join the search party. I think a lot of the professor and want to
do my bit."
Bet looked at the man in astonishment.
"I would never have believed it," she whispered to Kit. "It just shows
how we misjudge a person. I thought he would be the last man in the
world to appeal to for help, and here he comes of his own free will and
offers 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 at
heart," exclaimed Bet.
But Kit was skeptical. "I wish I could believe it. I feel as if I
were playing with a rattlesnake. He's treacherous! I think we'd
better watch our step."
"Of course, I know that Kie Wicks is unscrupulous in the matter of
jumping claims, but you see he has a human side after all. He seems
quite cut up about the professor being lost," Bet interrupted.
"And did you notice how indignant he was over the ruffians at the
claim? I believe he'll help us to get rid of them," said Enid
confidently.
"But those men didn't do a thing worse than Kie Wicks! Not half as
bad, for they were open and above board. They pointed guns on us and
Kie sneaked up after dark and stole our papers. No, girls, his change
of 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, they
accepted 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 scoundrel
and looks it. Maybe he knows something about your old man," suggested
Kie.
"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 changed
his mind.
"Why, it's all right, I think. I don't see that there will be any
danger 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 Tommy
went under Kie Wicks' leadership. Tommy was very contemptuous at the
idea of help from Kie, but he followed without any remarks, deciding
that the man needed watching. And that job would be his!
Instead of being offended at the arrival of a searching party, Ramon
Salazar seemed to welcome them and even his wife acted as if she had
been expecting a visit.
"Take a look around, folks," said Kie Wicks as he himself opened a door
and looked into a bed room, littered with mattresses and soiled
blankets.
"He ain't here," said Kie. "I didn't more than half think he was. But
you never can be sure unless you take a look."
Bet caught a quick glance of understanding between the two men, but in
the next second decided that it was a glance of approval.
"They're up to some mischief," whispered Kit in Shirley's ear. "I
don't trust that Kie Wicks and he is altogether too sugary today to
suit me. But don't say a word to Bet. She will flare up and then we
won'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 sense
alert to the slightest movement of the men. He had noted the quick
look between Kie and the Mexican and felt sure that it was a danger
signal. It conveyed a message. Not for a second did the boy doubt
that 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 watch
them. Sometime he would catch them off their guard.
Ramon joined this group of searchers and made some suggestions as to
possible 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 a
cliff." It was Ramon who spoke.
Kie Wicks looked startled. He had not told Ramon that the men at the
claim were being paid by him. He frowned toward the Mexican, then his
face relaxed suddenly. "Now that's an idea, too," he said. "Only I
should think it might be just as well to leave them in possession until
we find the professor. Someone has to stay there and we need all the
men 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 would
have believed that Bet could be such a tenderfoot. To let Kie Wicks
pull 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 it
out that it would take days for the men to dig their way to the
treasure and by that time they could find their old friend and then
form a party to drive the ruffians away from the tunnel.
An hour later, when they were returning to camp, Kit pointed up over
one of the small mountains. "Bet, I'll take a short cut with you. The
trail over that hill leads into Lost Canyon. Let's go and beat them
home. 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 have
it."
Kit waved her sombrero as they reached the summit and disappeared over
the ridge. But once on the other side, Kit was not so sure that she
knew the way. "This doesn't look like the trail that leads into Lost
Canyon, 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. Lost
Canyon 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 not
reached Lost Canyon.
"Are you afraid, Kit?" asked Bet, as she looked at her friend's
frowning 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 a
minute where I am."
The girls urged their horses up the steep trail. Kit was ahead and as
she reached the summit she signalled Bet frantically to stop. Sliding
from 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 the
trail to the creek, leaving the tunnel unguarded.
The girls did not wait to think whether they were wise or not. They
ran forward. Two shotguns lay on the ground. The men had taken off
their belts. They were in the canyon unarmed.
Bet choked with delight. "Here's where we get the drop on them," she
laughed. "I'll be a regular wild westerner."
"Don't do anything rash, Bet," advised Kit anxiously as she watched her
friend'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 a
thrill.
"Can you shoot, Bet?" asked Kit. "Do you know enough to pull the
trigger?"
"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 one
smiled.
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 had
read only a few days before in a western story.
But Bet's next question was her own. "How much is Kie Wicks paying you
for 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 as
much," said Bet indignantly.
The men looked pleased.
"We got a five spot between us for catching the old man and tying him
up. 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 the
country. 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," answered
the man who had done all the talking.
"Suppose I was to offer you ten apiece, would you get away from here
and not come back? In fact it wouldn't be good for you to come back
where Kie Wicks could take a shot at you."
"We'd not stick around, honest we wouldn't. By night we'd be at the
nearest railroad station." Both men made a motion to come toward the
girls but were stopped by Bet's menacing weapon.
"All right, go to the edge of the cliff there, and stand with your
backs 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 the
cliff.
"Halt!" shouted Bet, and the men stood still.
"Now Kit, you hold the gun on them and I'll get the money. That's one
thing Dad has always insisted on that I keep a little money fastened to
me, when I'm away from home." She fumbled in her dress and brought
forth a small roll of bills.
With Kit protecting her, Bet walked toward the cliff, and when she got
to within ten feet from the men she put the money on the ground, and
made a second trip, hauling their packs to the same spot.
When her gun was once more levelled at the ruffians, she ordered: "Turn
around!"
The men wasted no time in obeying. They turned.
"Now walk slowly and get your money and belongings. If you run, you
drop!"
The men grabbed their money and hastened back to their position on the
cliff, as if they were anxious to put distance between themselves and
the shotguns.
"Now go, and go quickly! Kie Wicks is due over this way in half an
hour and if he finds you gone and us in charge, he's going to send a
posse after you!"
The men hastened down the trail. They saddled and mounted their
horses, with the shotguns pointed in their direction.
From the opposite end of the canyon two riders were coming nearer, and
the ruffians galloped their horses to get out of the way.
Kit and Bet recognized Seedy Saunders and Billy Patten, who had gone
out 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 hysterical
from laughing. Bet put the gun down gingerly. "I wonder what I would
have done, if they had called my bluff!" she exclaimed.
"Oh, boys, if you could only have heard her," shrieked Kit, at last
getting her breath. "You'd have thought she had just stepped out of a
western two-gun story, the way she threatened those men, it's a wonder
they 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 thirty
miles 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 of
always making trouble and getting their own way!"