Part 4 (2/2)

But the women were shy. Most of them disappeared into the huts as they saw the girls approaching. Only the children remained and stopped in their play to stare at the newcomers.

”Aren't they pretty when they're little! Look at those dreamy black eyes!” whispered Enid to Bet, who was trying to coax one small girl to come and get a piece of candy.

Suddenly there was a scream and from the house at the end of the street a small boy dashed out of the door, his clothes a ma.s.s of flame.

”It's Pedro Alvarez!” cried a Mexican woman nearby. But she made no attempt to do anything. And the other women were screaming but seemed helpless to rescue the child.

Bet did not wait to ask for a quilt or rug, there was no time for that.

She quickly slipped out of her dress, and catching the little fellow wrapped him tight in the gown, smothering out the flames.

One look at the burns and she cried, ”Oh the poor boy! Get the doctor quickly, Kit.”

While Bet held the child, Enid tore the half burned clothes from his body.

”Bring oil!” Bet shouted, but the women seemed dazed and did not understand. Bet looked about her desperately. ”Run to the hotel, Enid, and get oil, lots of it. Will that doctor never come!”

Kit at that moment came running back with the word that the doctor was away and would not be back until noon.

The child's mother stood helplessly by, wringing her hands in despair.

She watched as Enid returned and poured the oil upon the burns.

”I wonder what they would have done if we had not been here,” whispered s.h.i.+rley as the screams quieted down in the settlement. ”They don't act as if they knew anything about such things.”

Bet held the little fellow in her arms until his cries ceased, then getting clean sheets and pillows from the hotel they fixed up a bed for him.

Later on, when the doctor arrived and examined the boy, he declared he could not have given any better treatment than the girls had done.

”I'm so glad we were right here on the spot,” said Bet. ”We were trying to get acquainted with the children when it happened.”

After the accident, it was an easy matter. The children followed them about the settlement and the women offered them all that their small stores contained. They insisted that the girls must eat tamales, enchilades, tortillas and all the other Mexican dishes that they cooked, with corn meal and peppers.

And when the train left late that night, the whole settlement turned out to bid them good-bye.

”What a miserable time we would have had,” exclaimed Joy as she waved her hand back toward the station, ”if it hadn't been for those Mexicans.”

Much to the disgust of Sam, a package had been sent aboard by the grateful mother of Pedro Alvarez. It contained more of the Mexican cooking that the girls had praised.

But only Joy really cared for it. ”Of course it burns, but can't you get that wonderful flavor?” she exclaimed as s.h.i.+rley and Bet turned up their noses at the food.

”You like anything that can be eaten!” said Bet with a laugh.

s.h.i.+rley had brought away many picturesque bits of western life from the little settlement. ”If they just come out as lovely as they were in the finder, I'll have some beauties to send back to Colonel Baxter.”

The girls were too excited to drop to sleep quickly that night. Early the next day they would reach Benito.

”Dad says that Tommy Sharpe will be there to meet us,” said Enid. ”I wonder if he has grown?” Enid had found this boy on Campers' Trail.

He was half starved and ill. And when her parents had found her, Enid insisted that the child who had helped her, should be looked after.

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