The Merriweather Girls in Quest of Treasure

ardly awake that first morning, when

ted pony, that pawed the ground

a ride before breakfast, and here you are missing the best p

tedly, "is that Powder? Do

w he acts with me, you can take a chance. He's trying to show me how much he l

ir breakfast, hardly knowing what they were eating, so exc

ed Joy as she joined Kit in the courtyar

. We always give Dolly to people who can't

nto the saddle. Dolly was decidedly safe. On the l

Joy's horse lumber up a heavy grade. "I think it's a shame,

d Kit. "Joy is such a heavy-weight that Dolly just has

waited until Joy came abreast on a level stretch.

this only lasted for a moment. Dolly's speed was soo

But she has a lot of sense and knows who is on her back," laughed Kit, offering Joy h

very old. She's

She isn't lazy, she wa

e

of hurting her. I think you people are terribly hard-hearted and cruel." And as if Dolly understood just what was being

I tell her, at

t now and say 'thank you'," and

ather down on the side of the horse. Dolly sprang into action, galloped for a few minutes, then settled down to a jog trot. But

earted girl!" Bet shou

ar to hit that

nose at Bet and mo

tte to-day, if you let Dolly set the pace. I wish I had given you Oso. That's a me

ride a burro. Will you

o

when I see the picture of one." Bet had a sudden inspiration. "Let's hav

Powder," spoke Kit contemptuously. "Why should anyone want to r

l into a canyon, which brought th

anyon!" Kit cal

r names?" asked Bet. "Why did

felt sorry for it. I truly thought it was lost and in my childish min

e echo of their voices came back t

hing Sombrero Butte, a high and inaccessible peak shaped like a huge cowboy hat, that rose above a

ground again!" Joy excl

or horseback ri

of sports. What do you like to do more tha

you. I go along, not because I like it, but I like the company. Now

d Joy. "She's a butterfly. As for me, I can't imagine why Fate played me such a mean trick as to send me

e in Tommy's voice. "People expect so much more of boys and are never sat

med Shirley. "I guess we gir

in disgust. "I want to have to fight my way, I want to do worth-whil

that, Bet Baxter?" asked Joy seriously.

a big thing to do. It would be hard work and when I accomp

simply foolhardy!" Joy could never understand such a

find a new continent or a river or something. I'd like to go

hat. Diamonds are worth while. If you were a

s fall hard for a handful of fluff like you,"

our good sense," Joy sm

sh you were

were frequent with Bet, a sudden flash of fire and then calm. The

rom the ground, exclaiming: "Look here, girls, while y

t grasping Tommy's clo

uously. "Not much of a discovery in th

e!" Bet examined the little sharpened p

have this one,

real treasure I must find one myself," answ

ut Shirley was the only successful one and even her fin

have all summer to find arrowheads, i

I'd like to give you some. But now we'd better be going.

ing and rearing that made Joy scream for she was certain that Kit would be dashed against the rocks. At Joy's s

now it!" sobbed Joy. "Oh, I hate horses

t of the animal." Bet was fascinated by the skill with which Kit handled her horse, and she urged her pony forw

ly! Kit's a trained cowgirl.

t that covered the miles rapidly. There was no more stopping to pan

repared to take the trail to the ranch house, a

s Kie

s morning?" he asked, for all the world as if he owned the

Tommy Sharpe. "I'm to show them all the inte

girls could see that he re

e invited cordially, yet as the girls turned their horses' heads up grade, Bet turned suddenl

uld be sure to get nervous and Kit might get into an argument with Kie or Maude and Enid Breckenridge would certai

was actively unfriendly, they thought him a brusque, ignorant d

believing the worst of people, and when The Merriweather Girls showed an interest in Lost Canyon, old Indian relics, and even the pl

e buried in the canyon, and all of his spare time was used up in a search that had continued for ten years. Twice he had formed a comp

time drifting around the canyons and hoping that he wou

ter them until they disappeared over the summit, the

cross me. I can only stand

nted his horse and rode dow

friends. He frowned at the tunnel dug into the bank, then his frown became a scowl and a ferocious one, for a

he had met at Judge Breckenridge's ranch the previous day. Kie laughed to himself. Here was one man he n

the professor. "That's a mining claim belonging to me. It has promise of we

ruthfully. "I've come out her

e turned to the old man. "You are in the wrong district," he asserted. "Who ever told you there were Indian relics in this section? Why, we don

e come a long way to unearth an old

ong tree, mister! There a

sighed. "Judge Breckenridge certainly told me that he had made some very important discoverie

d her cheerful chatter could not

t to her mother, after the professor had left the table

saw him slap his knee veheme

o mislead me! I know his type now. He

from the canyon. Kie shook his head decidedly. "There, I put a spik

n trail, he mused. "There's treasure th