Polly and Eleanor

nch-house, the evening of the day they rode to Oak Creek to file the claim on the gold mine. Sary,

But Polly Brewster and her friend Eleanor Maynard were almost talked out by the time they finished the last bit of Sary's delicious dessert; and Barbara Maynard tried her best to hide a yawn behind her hand, while Ann

and said: "I wish we could see John'

d be something queer to laugh at when John read it. Bu

talking about it is entertained by all

having your claim jumped over night. If we sent a wire to John telling him plainly that you girls discovered a vein of gold o

out at once, so as to stake new claims as near to Montresor's Mine as possible; perha

gambler and bunco man in Wyoming and Colorado will be seen camping on Top Notch Trail, each tr

our spell of worry is over with. Won't you tel

r's family might have in this rediscovery. That is why Ah insisted upon Simms being one of our party, to-morrow; and the sheriff with his stalwart

likely to be a fight, and shooting?" c

let those claim-jumpers camp on our grounds first, and we-all

han a movie-picture play in the filming!" excl

-play that we see in the wild-west films,"

arbara, with an eager expression as if to say

we are going to have, to-morrow, for anythi

eacher's vehement tones, and then tu

ell Rattle-Snake Mike he must act as guide and cook for us while we ar

. Jeb can ride on whiles we-all branch off at Bear Forks for

fully. "I'd rather see Jeb start from here about four o'clock,

good reason for th

so as to act as guide to strangers who will be glad to pay him a

tter get to bed if he has to be up before four," exclaimed Mr. Brewst

ut of the way before the horses are brought to the door," suggested Mrs

ight o'clock," c

sleep. After such exciting days as we have been thro

d mines, and John, and the Latimer boys, and Ken Evans comi

nger we met at Oak Creek?

pleasant but forlorn," sai

ans, you know, Bob," exp

that Barbara meant to be condemnatory in her manner; but Polly, i

ad him come home with us," added

you will need a complete training in social behavior ag

light-hearted girl. Mrs. Brewster then started the usual

ome acquainted with our western friends, in the first book of this

ilroad station for about a thousand inhabitants, where all shopping had to be done. The town was much like other rough, half-civilized western settlements, consisting of a post office, a bank, the sheriff's office, and several saloons. A general store was maintained in connection with the post office, and here one must buy anything needed for house or farm. The Brewst

where Anne Stewart had taught two years previous to this summer. Polly had never be

rl and her older sister Barbara boarded with Mrs. Stewart. The Maynard girls were from Chicago, but

r a promising young engineer from New York; and Pete Maynard who was a brother to Eleanor and Barbara. It was through this means that the Maynards heard of the Stewarts' home in Denver, and anxiously begged

, so the doctor again ordered her to spend a summer in the mountains of Colorado. In distraction, Mr. Maynard begged Anne Stewart to

y had never had city-made clothing, nor had she the slightest idea of city-ways, until the Maynard girls' advent to Pebbly Pit. But she had had years of thrilling experiences to her credit-experiences with wild-life of all kinds, of mountain-climbing, of adventures of other sorts, to say not

had met the young stranger, Kenneth Evans, who sought Carew's Surveying Camp, which was known to be located near Yellow Jacket P

that they slept little that night, but tossed and talked most of the time. However, when the call sounded for the

o'clock! You don't suppose we have to get up at th

who is not ready to start when the man brings the h

, as there was only a wooden partition between the t

go again for anything. But I should die of ennui if I had to b

entertaining Barbara, for whom she felt suc

y feels as glad to know that you're going

ess!" now urged Anne, as she finished he

he sturdy horses from the barn. He had given careful attention to the trappings and shoes

f food and outfits were waiting. The moment Jeb was hailed,

Noddy going this

p?" retorted Jeb, who was the "general-man" on the ranch. Having been with the Brewsters since he was a

nd start off. He'll never reach Mike's cabin if you keep on arguing abo

at impatiently on his horse, waiting to guide the party of women, when all but

ed at the beauty of the stones as they reflected the myriad colors of a rainbow. Then on down through the Dev

start up Grizzly Slide, this mornin'," sa

fool go by!"

er said, because he smoked himself brown. He always rode his famous Indian pony and carried an evil-looking gun, besides the revolvers in hi

Creek, but he considered himself an equal of educated people like the Brewsters. Hence his willingness to

meet Simms and his party," advised Mr. Brewster, w

the mountain, that cuts off half the distan

like Top Notch,"

we hit it, Mike?"

n Trail," explained the red-man

here we are to meet Simms and t

m Pine Tree. But him

thers reach it, as we must stake out additional claims adjoining the mine, in order to protect the rights of the girls. Of course, we must have Mike show us his secret trail, and

ctly safe. It is the Trail that will be hazardous to a lone rider, when once the outlaws hear of this strike. But

r Mike who led up a hitherto unknown trail to Grizzly Slide. It was so over-grown that no

ontresor discovered the day he approached his gold mine from t

sor was quite sane, because he insisted that he rode up a strange trail that was over-grow

od old scout,"

liked him so much!" sighed Polly, and tears fi

, too. Solly dem

he trail was so steep and rough that it took each rider all his attention to keep in the saddle. However, th

en to ride up over Top Notch Trail; and this pleased Mr. Brewster tremendously. He had jus

id from his horse. He sprawled out on the ground and placed his ear close to the earth

as the blazed tree. There he placed his ear to the ground again, and listened for a longer time than at fi

scouting instinct Mike possessed, and now they were going to have it demonstrated to

e aleddy-two te

they do it?" cried Sam Brewster, aghast at the idea that per

t we found gold up there. Maybe they are after

mplacently, for

se three are miners,

the miners at Oak Creek wore such spiked heels, the ranchers and other citizens being sat

you said there were three!"

pointed out three different

ck an' go lame. Tw

lame-and maybe he isn't

. Then he showed his admiring audience how a slight rip in a flour-sack allowed

r: "Dem go slow-lame hoss no

catch up with them!" e

ce. Then the girls heard a faint clip-clop of hoo

t an' talkee," suggested Mike, settling h

llow us and find out where our claim is

olly and Anne take Jeb for an escort and ride on at once. Let the horses have their head and get to the cave as so

ifle but Anne hasn't any weapon at all. As for Jeb-he's great on the farm, but for this work, huh! Then there are those three miners who are up ah

wait wid two ten'erfut, an' Mike go wid leedle leddie

and the others, and then come af

anger at the cave. I didn't come to the

and wait for mother and the sheriff's men. Anne and I will go w

, Polly, as Anne has. Why must I rem

ms. I may need Anne to help me load but you can't even do that. So it will be far better for us

cave, and all this worry about figh

you-all to us. Once we are safe on that ledge with a pile of dry wood

teal a march on you. But be sure to send Mike back for us, the moment Ann

nne rode after him. Soon they disappeared around the bend wher