n
to have a smoke with him, then offered him cookies and other
delicacies, and while he accepted without a sign of appreciation, the
ice was broken and when the professor began to ask questions the old
Indian answered as well as he could, and Young Wolf supplied the
missing words that his grandfather had forgotten.

"Yes, once a very long time ago there were many Indians here, a city!"
droned the old fellow and the professor edged closer to hear him,
fascinated by the wrinkled face.

"My father--my grandfather, yes, he know. Up yonder somewhere a large
village, where the Indians make baskets and rugs and silver and
pottery, long ago. There were good times then. Indians plenty rich.
No white men. My grandfather tell me heaps."

"Where was the village?" asked Professor Gillette.

"No find any more,--gone!" The Indian shook his head and with a wave
of his hand indicated every hill surrounding the canyon.

"I think he knows," the professor confided to the girls that afternoon
when he went up to see Dad Patten. "But it's probably a secret."

"No, it's on account of the curse," said Kit.

"But what has the curse to do with it?" the professor asked.

"Plenty. The daughter of the old chief still walks at times, and she
cursed that village, and the Indians try to forget that there ever was
such a place. None of them will go near it."

"What does the ghost look like, Kit?" asked Bet.

"She always wears a costume of deerskin and feathers. And at night she
just appears out of nothing in Lost Canyon. One minute she isn't there
and the next she is. And when she appears she is supposed to curse
those who see her. They run for their lives."

"Is that true?" Joy's voice was trembling. "If it is, I won't ever go
into this canyon again."

"Don't worry, Joy. If you are good you'll never see the ghost. Only
those who are planning to do wrong see her."

The girls laughed at the timid Joy. "Don't worry, dear," Bet patted
her hand lovingly. "I'll take care of you."

"Some say," went on Kit, "that the ruin of the village must be left
untouched, and that any one disturbing it will see the ghost."

"And that's why Old Mapia won't talk," said the professor. "He's
afraid of the curse. It would hasten matters very much if I could get
some reliable information as to the location of the village."

"And are you really going to hunt for the village after that?" Bet's
eyes were glowing.

"Yes, I'm not afraid of t