lves useful, but Matt
paid no attention to their offers of help. He even scowled at
Professor Gillette, and went on without answering him. Matt's face was
red with the effort under the burning sun that scorched the flesh with
its blistering rays. It seemed impossible that life could exist in
that burned-out sandy waste.

Bet Baxter had not spoken. She was tremendously interested in the
things she saw around her. Suddenly she gave an exclamation of
surprise as her foot touched what appeared at first to be a
light-colored stone, and saw it move.

"What under the sun is this?" she cried as she stooped over the now
motionless little creature.

"Oh, that's a horn toad, it won't bother you," laughed Kit. "You'll
see plenty of them around."

"Isn't it pretty!" Bet picked up the little creature between her thumb
and forefinger gingerly. "Just look at its funny little tail! I never
knew a toad had a tail."

"And look at the thorns all over its body. Isn't it funny?" Enid
poked her finger at the toad, prodding it in the sides.

The toad was motionless now as if dead, only an occasional blinking of
the eyes showed that it had life.

"If it isn't poisonous, I'd like to take it along for a pet." Bet
turned toward the car.

"Oh, leave it where it is, Bet. Maybe it wouldn't want to be parted
from its family," said Shirley in her quiet way.

Kit burst into a peal of laughter. "That's what I call considerate.
Its mother mightn't like to have it go out for a ride in an auto with
strange people."

Bet paid no attention to Kit's nonsense. She was fascinated by this
strange creature, covered with horn-like spines.

But at that moment Matt's voice rang out: "Let's go! And here's hoping
we'll have no more tire trouble before we reach the ranch."

Bet turned to put down the horn toad, then exclaimed excitedly: "Look,
Kit, what kind of a bird is that?"

"That's just a road runner. You'll see plenty of them before the
summer is over."

"What a funny name for a bird!" answered Bet.

"You can call it a Chapparal Cock, if that suits your fancy," laughed
Matt Larkin.

"I'll do it!" Bet said with a toss of her head. "That name sounds very
stylish. And it suits it much better. Look at its lovely blue crest,
and its bronze-green body!" The girls gave a little gasp as the large
bird, evidently startled by the engine, went off on a run that looked
ridiculous in a bird. Aided by its large wings, it made rapid pr