_A BRASS BOUND CHEST_
At the sight of the empty chest, Professor Gillette opened his mouth to
speak, but no words came. His face was white and drawn. And the girls
were no less moved than he. All their hopes had been dashed to the
ground.
Tears came to Bet's eyes. Angry tears! Why was it that they always
had so many disappointments? Why couldn't the treasure have reposed in
that chest ready for them? Why couldn't things have gone smoothly just
for once?
"What a silly thing to do! To bury an empty chest!" Bet said in a
protesting voice.
"But that's the trouble. Maybe it wasn't always empty. Maybe it was
once full of gold and jewels," sighed the professor wearily. He had
planned on this treasure more than he realized at first. He thought of
Alicia, his patient daughter, whose hope of recovery depended on his
summer's work.
"Then what happened to it?" demanded Bet.
"Someone has been ahead of us, that's all. There must have been
treasure in that chest," repeated the old man.
"I think you are right," interrupted Colonel Baxter. "But don't be
discouraged! Unless I'm very badly mistaken, that chest will be worth
a small fortune in itself. Look at those brass straps across the
corners. The carving is unusual and beautiful."
"I don't see anything beautiful about it, at all," snapped Bet. "If it
had been filled with treasure, then I could admire it."
Colonel Baxter laughed. But the girls at that moment could see nothing
to be happy about. Their faces were serious and troubled. It was not
alone for themselves that they had wanted the treasure. They had
planned on being able to help the professor, to make it possible for
Alicia 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 disappointment
with a frown.
"And no doubloons or louis d'or!" said Kit. "And I did want to see
one."
But Shirley laughed. "Come on, girls, what's the use of fretting over
a treasure that didn't exist. Let's be satisfied with the old chest
and call it a summer. For the rest of the time we'll complete our
study of rope throwing and bronco busting."
"Yes, we can do that--but where's the romance?" sighed Bet. "The
treasure had all the romance of the old days in the west. I did want
it to come true."
"Why, Bet Baxter!" exclaimed Kit Patten. "You say you've had no
romance! What do you call it when you stand off a couple of western
bad men, and recapture the tunnel all by yourself?"
"Did you do that, Bet?" asked her father, turning on his daughter with
a frown.
"Please don't think I intended to keep it from you, Dad. I was waiting
until we went back to Lynnwood," Bet answered penitently.
Her father laughed. "Oh, Bet, girl, when will you learn to be
cautious? 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 be
thirty. Until then, I want to be just a girl and have lots of fun and
adventure."
"You seem to be getting your wish, as you always do," Enid said as she
tried to pat Bet's tousled locks into place.
"I didn't get my wish this time. Far from it. I wished for heaps of
treasure, and I get nothing but a brass-bound chest."
Tommy Sharpe was gazing at the mud-crusted box with interest and
suddenly burst out; "Say, Judge, if Kie Wicks gets an idea that the
chest is worth more than a dollar and a half, he'll try to take it away
from 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 the
same, the professor and the girls put up a fight for it and it belongs
to 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 even
the worthless old tunnel."
"That's the way I feel about it," said the professor. "Kie didn't
treat me fairly and I don't wish him to be near my camp. On the other
hand, we shouldn't be a burden to Judge Breckenridge, who has supplied
men to guard the tunnel and help do the digging."
Bob interrupted with a shout. "Let us live here and guard the tunnel
part of the time. What about it, Paul, can you think of any more
interesting 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 change
your camp down to the creek-bed if you wish."
"I'd rather stay on top of the mountain," answered Phil. "This just
suits me."
So it was agreed that the boys would camp with the professor and keep
Kie Wicks at a safe distance.
But Kie had had enough. Word leaked out that they had not found any
treasure. Kie did not want the claims. He was not a mining man by
temperament and hated the toil and privation that went into the working
of claims in the hills.
Day after day now Professor Gillette went in search of the Indian
ruins, hoping to find something that would give him credit in his
college. A few bits of broken pottery, some arrowheads and a foot of
crumbling wall were not the things that would bring him fame as an
explorer.
The vacation was almost over.
Only once did the girls get the old man away from his search. Before
returning home they wanted to visit the summer range where the large
herd of cattle grazed, that belonged to Judge Breckenridge. It was
five miles over the Cayuga Range.
It was Joy's first outing after her accident and she mounted the broad
back 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 leaped
gaily into their saddles.
But Paul Breckenridge was at her side encouraging her. Joy's sweet
helplessness appealed to the boy. The other girls often annoyed him by
their self confidence and efficiency. The gay but child-like Joy
amused and pleased him.
He liked the way Joy looked to him for protection when they rode out on
the broad flat where the cattle were grazing. There were hundreds of
cattle on that range. Joy shivered. There was no pretense in her
terror. 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'll
see what he is going to do," returned Paul.
Tommy had spurred his horse forward and was now riding straight toward
the herd. It seemed to the girls that he was right in the midst of
that stamping, struggling mass.
The boy was after a certain cow with her calf and as he kept his eye on
the animal he wanted, he untied the rope fastened about the saddle
horn, 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 the
loop.
No sooner did the loop twirl through the air than the trained cowpony
braced itself backward. There was a swirl of dust in the air. The
herd raced madly across the flat to the safety of the canyon beyond and
the girls saw that Tommy had succeeded. A cow was scrambling to her
feet, bellowing with rage.
Twice the animal was thrown down before she gave up the struggle, and
the reason for that was the appearance of a calf that answered her
hoarse call.
Tommy led the animal toward the trail and the calf followed. Tommy had
won.
"Do you like being a cowboy, Tommy?" asked Enid as she spurred her
horse to have a word with the boy.
"It's the best sport in the world, Enid. I wouldn't ask for nothing
better."
Whether it was the long ride over the mountain, or something that the
professor 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 the
camp. They found the professor tossing uneasily on his cot, holding
his head to try and stop the pain. Even after Ma Patten's treatment it
was 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 fondest
hopes, and of our bitter disappointment."
"Aw, why rub it in?" said Kit with a shrug, as she followed Bet into
the tunnel.
"I never even looked to see where that old chest came from, and I want
to see," Bet let herself down into the hole. "I can't believe that
anyone 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," remarked
Kit. "Why didn't they hide their treasure in some easier place?"
Bet laughed. But at that moment her foot scraped against something
hard. There was a metallic ring. Stooping she dug away the dirt and
crumbled 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 and
headache, 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 the
professor's tent.
When the box was pried open, the girls had all the thrill they had ever
planned. Old coins, nuggets and jewels were scrambled together in the
casket. Enid's fingers closed about a long gold chain, tarnished and
stained with the years.
"That's what I've dreamed about!" she said with a gasp. "Isn't it
wonderful!"
A loud "Hullo" came to them from the hill above. Bet shut the box with
a 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 tense
voice. "No one shall have it! No one!"
A moment later there was a scramble from the trail and Bob, Phil and
Paul rushed into the tent. They started back as they saw the
frightened 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 shows
how one should keep at a thing long after it seems useless," he told
the 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 work
them?" He cast a longing look over the flat-topped summit.
"Dad says we'd be foolish to go on with them!" replied Enid. "If we
were 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 the
simple question. Tommy wanted those claims.
"You can have them, Tommy!" began Enid.
Bet burst out with a decided "No!" and the girls looked at the
impulsive, generous girl in surprise. They had never known Bet to act
like this.
"We'll sell Tommy the claims," she said in her decided way. "We'll
sell 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. If
we hadn't seen it on Tommy's wall, I'd never have thought of those
carvings on the rock meaning _anything_."
"And who knows? Maybe there'll be a big mine on this mountain some
day!" Tommy looked around with the pride of possession. "I'm going to
get the assessment work done on my claims right away," he added.
Kit came close to him. "Look here, Tommy Sharpe. You keep your eyes
open after we go, and if Kie Wicks doesn't do his assessment work, jump
his claims. They belong to us, anyway, and they're included in the
sale."
Bet carried the treasure to the ranch. The others acted as escort for
the safe transfer of the box.
"All gone crazy!" said Tang to his boys, as the young people rushed in
and all began to talk at once to the Judge and Colonel Baxter.
There was excitement and happiness on the ranch. Everybody had been
interested in the adventure. But it was only the favored ones who ever
saw the treasure. Bet gladly gave it to Judge Breckenridge for safe
keeping.
"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 the
ranch. Kie Wicks might try to get back at them, if he found out about
the treasure.
So the camp on the summit was broken up. As the professor urged the
burro through the canyon, loaded down with his tent and supplies, the
contrary animal made a rush toward the flat where the Indians were
camped, and nothing could turn him from his purpose.
The professor had a sudden inspiration. He signalled Mapia who was
sitting by the stream, smoking his pipe as usual. Unstrapping the
tent, the old man presented it to the Indian. And while Mapia's face
did not change expression, somehow the professor knew that he was
pleased.
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 Lost
Canyon. It was slow travelling, the burro had to be brought back to
the trail many times with prods from a heavy stick that the Indian had
given the old man.
After a mile they left the creek and followed a smaller stream that had
no visible trail. They clambered over slippery rocks for another mile
and still another and then the Indian brought him out to a broad shelf
of rock. And there hidden by the hills, was the extensive ruins of the
ancient 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 this
sheltered spot. And from these walls he could picture the village as
it had once been.
Mapia interrupted his thoughts. "Be careful! The Old Chief's daughter
walks!"
"Are you afraid of the ghost, Mapia?" the professor asked him, looking
steadily 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 felt
like a boy.
Mapia was talking. "The Old Chief, he's buried there--or maybe over
there. Who knows? It is not good to disturb the bones of the dead!"
he added in a warning voice.