nes were not made by Indians," remarked the Judge
thoughtfully. "There's a Spanish word there."

But when the professor came a few minutes later, he was all at sea as
to the meaning of the tracings on the rock.

"It is very much like the sort of thing people used to draw when they
buried treasure. You've seen the map in Tommy Sharpe's room but that
doesn't say that if we located the proper spot that there would be any
treasure left. Other people can read signs the same as we can, and
many people have been over this ground since that sign was carved,"
Judge Breckenridge explained to the girls.

"Why be so sensible, Judge?" laughed Bet wistfully. "Why not let us
think that there is a treasure hidden in the ground somewhere? I'm
thrilled all to pieces just thinking about it."

"And that's right, too, Bet. Don't let an old fellow like me spoil
your dreams by my common sense." The Judge acted as if he wanted to
believe it himself and only needed a little urging.

"And there is just as much chance that no one has passed over this rock
since the early days and that we may find a fortune hidden." The
professor smiled around at the group with a happy, child-like stare as
if he were one of the characters of a fairy story.

"Now that's the way to talk, Professor Gillette. You never can be sure
unless you look around." Bet nodded at him approvingly.

The Judge suddenly looked at his watch. "I move we get home to dinner.
Tang will be waiting and he hates that."

Bet very carefully spread some tiny twigs and sand over the rock so
that no one else would see the markings on the stone.

"Come along up with us to dinner, Professor," suggested the Judge
cordially. "We'll have a meeting tonight and talk things over and see
what is best to do. I have a feeling that the shrubs and rocks have
ears around these claims of Ramon's."

"That's what I say. Otherwise how did Ramon and Kie Wicks find out
about the claims in the first place?" asked Bet.

"There's no mystery in that, Bet. Kie saw us coming here and followed.
He spied on us, saw us building the monuments and then came and jumped
the claims," explained Kit.

"All but one!" cried Bet as she clapped her hands. "And on that one
little neglected claim, we find the tracings that will perhaps lead us
to the buried treasure. That's luck!"

"Oh Bet, wake up, you're dreaming!" laughed Shirley, the quiet,
sensible girl. Never in the world would Shirley have dreamed