After lunch, much to the joy of Kie Wicks, the girls decided to walk
down into the canyon and see the Indians.

Kit ran home first, for she was sure that she would find Young Mary
there, and she wanted to see the girl alone. With the other girls she
might be shy.

So it was Bet who called the Judge aside, to a safe distance, from Kie
Wicks' eager ears, and told him of the capture of the tunnel.

"And those fellows said that Kie put them up to it and that it is Kie
who took the old man. He's safe, they said, but I'm not so sure about
that."

"I wouldn't worry about him. Kie Wicks has no reason to harm the
professor," declared Judge Breckenridge. "Now I'll tell you what we'd
better do. You and the girls go along down the trail and visit the
Indian camp. That is evidently what Kie wants you to do. I'll send
Tommy over to the tunnel with two men to start the excavation work and
maybe by the time we get the professor back, we'll have something to
show him. Who knows, Bet? Sometimes I'm half hopeful, although my
common sense tells me there isn't anything there."

"Don't use so much common sense, Judge. It's lots of fun to dream. I
wish Dad were here, he'd love this. He'd have the whole thing worked
out, he'd be able to see the Spaniards who buried the treasure and all
the rest of it. Dad's wonderful!"

"He is, Bet. I agree with you, and I wish that he would make us a
visit, he half promised, you know."

"Yes, but in his last letter he said he'd not be able to come," Bet
added with a sigh, for the separation from her father was a trial to
the motherless girl.

"All right, now you run along and don't say anything to the girls--not
yet. Make a lot of fuss about going to see the Indians and pretend
you're crazy about them."

"I don't have to _pretend_ that, I am crazy to see them. Oh, I do hope
they will like me and want to be friends."

The Judge laughed at the girl's enthusiasm.

"They will, Bet, they can't help themselves, if they are human at all."

Bet turned away without noticing the delicate compliment that the Judge
had paid her. In her heart she was really concerned for fear she might
not be able to get on friendly terms with the Indians.

Judge Breckenridge joined Kie Wicks and his party, after giving
instructions to Tommy Sharpe, and he followed Kie on what he knew to be
a "wild goose chase." Kie flattered himself that he was being very
clever in keeping the searchers away from the old