together, the Little Lost horses grouped nearer the
creek.

"I love that little horse of yours--why, he's gone lame again!"
exclaimed Honey. "Isn't that a shame! You oughtn't to run him if it does
that to him."

"He likes it," said Bud carelessly as he remounted. "And so do I, when I
can clean up the way I did today. I'm over three hundred dollars richer
right now than I was this morning."

"And next Sunday, maybe you'll be broke," Honey added significantly.
"You never know how you are coming out. I think Jeff let you win to-day
on purpose, so you'd bet it all again and lose. He's like that. He don't
care how much he loses one day, because he gets it back some other time.
I don't like it. Some of the boys never do get ahead, and you'll be in
the same fix if you don't look out."

"You didn't bring me along to lecture me, I know," said Bud with a
good-natured smile. "What about the Sinks? Is it a dangerous place
as--Mrs. Morris says?"

"Oh, Marian? She never does want me to come. She thinks I ought to stay
in the house always, the way she does. The Sinks is--is--queer. There
are caves, and then again deep holes straight down, and tracks of
wildcats and lions. And in some places you can hear gurgles and rumbles.
I love to be there just at sundown, because the shadows are spooky and
it makes you feel--oh, you know--kind of creepy up your back. You don't
know what might happen. I--do you believe in ghosts and haunted places,
Bud?"

"I'd need a lot of scaring before I did. Are the Sinks haunted?"

"No-o--but there are funny noises and people have got lost there. Anyway
they never showed up afterwards. The Indians claim it's haunted." She
smiled that baring smile of hers. "Do you want to turn around and go
back?"

"Sure. After we've had our ride, and seen the sights." And he added with
some satisfaction, "The moon 's full to-night, and no clouds."

"And I brought sandwiches," Honey threw in as especial blessing. "Uncle
Dave will be mad, I expect. But I've never seen the Sinks at night, with
moonlight."

She was quiet while the horses waded Sunk Creek and picked their way
carefully over a particularly rocky stretch beyond. "But what I'd rather
do," she said, speaking from her thoughts which had evidently carried
forward in the silence, "is explore Catrock Canyon."

"Well, why not, if we have time?" Bud rode up alongside her. "Is it
far?"

Honey looked at him searchingly. "You must be stranger to these parts,"
s