t unbroken on either side, but a sufficient
space had been scooped out to admit the passage of a human being
should such desire a hiding place.

"Oh! isn't that dreadful? Who could have done it, and why?" cried the
captain, in distress; and her companion could only think of Aunt
Sally's declaration, made to him at breakfast, that Sobrante was
"bewitched."

CHAPTER XVIII.

WHAT THE SABBATH BROUGHT

"Now I know how it was that Antonio disappeared that time when Aunt
Sally and Ephraim heard him outside the pantry window!" cried Jessica,
exultingly; and seeing the gentleman's puzzled expression, told of the
scene within the cold closet and of the mocking answer "Forty-niner"
had received, when he said he was determined to find out Antonio's
retreat. Then she bade her friend stoop again and see for himself how
easy it was for one at the rear of the house, where the pantry was, to
slip into this cactus tunnel and be utterly hidden from anybody who
would search from that side.

They saw, also, that the broken branches had been thrown under the
open foundation of the kitchen, leaving no sign of the ruin that had
been done.

"A clever scamp, indeed! And any other sort of plant would have
withered at the top and led to discovery. But not this; for the
verdure has evidently long been gone from this part of the hedge,"
observed Ninian.

"Oh, yes! This end has been dead for a great while, yet my mother
would not have it removed. It would have lasted maybe forever in just
that way; and Antonio knew how we prized it. Oh, dear! I do believe he
is as wicked as the 'boys' say, though I hate to think that of
anybody." "Surely, you have had proof enough of his evil doings, even
without these later fantastic developments. You must never trust that
man, little girl, should he again try to make you."

"I think he won't bother me. Why should he?" asked she, in some
surprise, for her friend's tone had been most impressive. "Why should
you imagine that?"

"I don't know myself, exactly why. It just 'happened' into my head. By
the way, captain, did you send me all of the specimen of copper that
you had?"

"Oh, no, indeed! My mother thought best not. We sent you only a little
bit, cut from the larger one Pedro dug. Let's go into the office and
I'll open the safe and show you the rest. Do you know anything about
such mines and stuff?"

"I do know something about ores and minerals, my dear, for before I
was a newspaper man I