he curse. I'll find that village. Alicia is
expecting me to. I must make good."

"That's the way to talk, Professor Gillette! And remember this, The
Merriweather Girls will help you in any way we can. We're not afraid
of any curse. We're with you, every one of us."

Joy started to speak. She turned pale then suddenly gave up. "All
right. If Bet leads, I follow!"

But there was no wild enthusiasm in her promise.

CHAPTER XI

_STAKING A CLAIM_

But it was rarely ever that the professor wanted company in his search.
Bet was inclined to feel offended, for she had hoped that he would
accept her offer of help and consider The Merriweather Girls as
partners.

"All right, Kit, let's do something by ourselves. What's the use of
just looking at the glorious scenery? If an old man like Professor
Gillette can go out and hunt for a lost village, we should be able to
find some copper claims or other interesting things. Let's do it."

The girls were in the saddle while Bet discussed the possibility of
discovering something. It was really adventure that Bet was seeking.

The horses stepped gingerly over the slippery rocks of the creek bed as
the girls chatted and laughed on their way to Table Mountain, a great
flat-topped summit in the high hills.

Joy Evans suddenly laughed outright. "Bet Baxter, it would take you to
think of a thing like this. What under the sun will we do with a
copper mine if we do locate one? I'm very sure I have no use for one."

"Don't be a spoil-sport, Joy! Think of the romance and the fun. Why,
we'll be mine owners!"

"What I want to know is, who will do the actual work?" It was Shirley
Williams, the practical girl of affairs who put the question.

"We'll hire the work done, of course. It would be foolish for us to
waste our valuable time digging holes in the ground," returned Bet.

"Certainly," giggled Kit. "We'll do the brain work and let the
_greasers_ do the digging."

"Please don't call the Mexicans that horrid word again. It doesn't
sound nice. I think the Mexican boys have such wonderful dreamy eyes."

"We've heard that before. Go on, Joy, rave some more!" Bet treated
Joy's outbursts of enthusiasm over boys with contempt. "I'm going to
do something useful in life."

"Like finding copper mines! Hm! What use are they?" snapped Joy.
"I'd rather think about boys any time."

"Of course you would! Go on and dream then!" Bet was angry. She and
Joy wer