The Merriweather Girls in Quest of Treasure Part 38

Then we can send it by express," suggested Judge Breckenridge.

But Bet objected. "Some of my things are too precious to put in that trunk," she said.

"For instance, what?" asked Kit.

"My arrowheads and my turquoise specimens. I'll carry them in my small suitcase. The ore samples, from those copper claims are heavy. They can go in the trunk. And what say we put our hiking and riding shoes in that."

"Sure, that's an idea! All the heavy things that we don't care for can go into the old trunk."

Judge Breckenridge took the small casket of treasure in his car. He started out a full hour before the others, as he still felt the necessity of driving slowly with his invalid wife. The genial little professor entertained her on the way with details of his village.

Bet sighed as the last good-bye was said and she settled down in the car.

"We've had a marvelous time! We never dreamed we'd have such an adventure."

"Maybe it's just as well we couldn't forsee the struggle with Kie Wicks over that treasure," Shirley said with a happy smile. "Isn't it good to win out, no matter what you are doing?"

"Yes, we have the treasure and had the fun of the contest, but what did Kie Wicks get out of it?" demanded Bet.

"Nothing at all!" chirruped Joy. "He's just out of luck. And he deserves it for kidnapping our professor."

"Atta boy, Joy! Dad says to be generous to your enemies, but I'm afraid I haven't one little generous thought for Kie Wicks. Isn't it good that he didn't hear about us finding the treasure? He knows about the chest but not a word about the other."

But Kie Wicks knew more than the girls realized. He had heard more and seen more than they had any idea of. He suspected that treasure had been found and at that moment he was giving instructions to his hired men.

He had formed a gang of ruffians from the hills and they were collected now in a ravine through which the automobiles must pa.s.s. Without any suspicion that the treasure was safely stowed away in a car that had pa.s.sed fully half an hour before, the storekeeper huddled his men behind the rock and waited.

As the car driven by Matt Larkin came out on the main road, Kie ordered his 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 from the small car that had suddenly sprung into the road, and having a higher-powered engine he succeeded for a while. But the pursuing machine had only two men in it and the five girls and their luggage was a drag on the big car.

Joy became hysterical with fright. She crouched low in the car, but Bet was excited. Her head bobbed up every minute to see what was taking place.

Matt caught her as she peered through the back window and spoke angrily. "Get down there! Are you crazy? You'll be shot if you don't look out."

Bet sighed as she obeyed. "Just my luck! To miss all the fun! Now if I were a boy...." The sentence was jerked out as Matt Larkin took a b.u.mp without easing it.

"Ouch!" screamed Joy. "My head!"

"Keep quiet, Joy Evans! It serves you right for being such a cry-baby," snapped Bet.

But Shirley comforted her. Joy was trembling as her friend clasped her in 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 a fight, 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 were gaining and it was foolish to try to out-speed them.

Matt turned. "Keep perfectly quiet," said the man. "They won't hurt you. 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 Enid from the depths of the tonneau.

Matt once more warned them to be quiet. "Put up your hands if they tell you to. Don't take any chances. Don't speak unless they ask you a question. I'll do the talking."

With a gun pointed in their direction, they lost no time in putting up their hands. Bet hesitated, her defiant nature rebelled at the idea of such surrender. But a second command from Matt, brought the girl's hands toward her head.

"The chest! Off with it!" commanded Ramon Salazar to the man by his side. "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 her head.

Ramon did not wait to untie the rope that held the huge trunk. He slashed the strings with his knife. Then bringing his gun once more toward the car, he ordered:

"Now get along out of here as fast as you can. You are covered until you 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 was something between a laugh and a cry. The girls looked at her in astonishment. 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 shoes and 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 catch on so I screamed."

"That explains everything, Bet," came Joy's voice from the floor of the car. "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?"