Back in the ravine, the men had carried the trunk to a cave and Kie grabbed 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 you watched 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 a man who says he'll give me a fancy price for this treasure. This is my lucky day."
The cover of the trunk was thrown back and the men stared down into the greatest array of old clothes and camping equipment they had ever seen.
"Ain't this wonderful!" said Ramon picking up a huge chunk of copper ore. "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 Wicks at their mercy. 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 better watch out!"
As Kie Wicks spurred his horse along the canyon road, he knew that his days at Saugus were over. He had gone too far. The sheriff would never stand for a hold-up. Prison threatened him. What was more he would be the laughing stock of the whole country. Kie Wicks, the man who 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 and Maude will get away, to-night. We'll never stop till we get clear out of the state. Then we'll be safe."
And on Judge Breckenridge's private train that was taking The Merriweather Girls and their friend toward their home, Bet would burst into 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 Kie Wicks will keep my birds' nests and start a collection," she giggled.
Even the old professor, who had been invited to join the party, had to chuckle 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 color box and some canvases with you to Arizona and you haven't made a single picture. I'm ashamed of you!"
"Oh, I'll make up for it this winter at Rockhill School. I'll work hard. See if I don't."
"No, you won't, Bet Baxter. You get so interested in the sports, the motoring, the flying and all that outdoor science course, that you'll never take a brush in your hand. And you won't study either!" declared Joy.
"I'll have to," protested Bet. "Dad wouldn't like it if I failed to come up to the high standard of the school. Dr. Dale's idea is that modern sports develop the brain and make us wide awake and keen."
"Sounds fishy to me," returned Joy slangily. "I may be wrong but I have my doubt that it works. If I had to go up in an airplane I'd be so frightened I couldn't think straight for a year at least."
Suddenly Joy sprang up, her face white. "Say, Bet, does everyone at Rockhill _have_ to fly?"
"Of course not, Joy. There probably won't be more than six in the whole school who will go in for aviation."
"Thank goodness! I wish The Merriweather Girls wouldn't go in for flying."
"Why, Joy Evans, I've already signed up for the aviation course. I wouldn'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 unspoken question: Kit's bright eyes and daring smile told that she was game to ride anything that could run or fly. "I'm with you, Bet," she said heartily.
"We're all with you, Bet. We'll not be left behind. If you girls are going to fly, we will, too," Enid drew Shirley toward the two girls.
"I was just thinking," exclaimed Shirley Williams, "that I can make some wonderful photographs from the air."
"Well, since you're all going in for aviation, I suppose that includes me. But I'll not do a thing unless I can wear one of those lovely white leather costumes. I'm sure I'd look well in one!" This from Joy, 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 happy smile on her face.
"And this year it will be THE MERRIWEATHER GIRLS--AT GOOD OLD ROCKHILL." Kit waved an imaginary hat in the air. "I wonder what adventures are in store for us there?"
"We've had so many wonderful experiences this summer that it seems as if 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 lots of fun, new thrills, and something tells me that adventure is waiting for us there!"
"If we follow close on your heels, Bet, we're sure to find it!" laughed Kit.
"Three cheers for Good Old Rockhill!" Bet shouted as the train carried them nearer and nearer to the exciting experiences that were before them.
THE END