Part 34 (1/2)
In her joy at seeing her father she had not paid any attention to what the other girls were doing. Now as she heard the sound of happy voices she turned and saw the boys, Phil and Bob and Paul.
”Oh, you boys! Why we didn't expect you until tomorrow afternoon,” she said, extending her hand to Phil Gordon.
”If you don't want to see us tonight, perhaps we could go back and sit in the station at Benito.”
”Don't be silly, Bob Evans. You're just the same as ever.” Bet laughed as she always did at Bob.
”What did you expect me to do in three weeks time? Get grey headed and grow a beard?”
Bob had helped Joy to her feet when they heard the girls arriving and he now stood supporting his sister while he laughed and teased.
”Isn't it good to see them?” cried Joy.
”Does that include me, too?” inquired Colonel Baxter.
”Of course it does! You don't know how often we've talked about you and wished you were here,” answered Enid, before Joy could reply.
There was a real change in Paul Breckenridge since the girls had seen him the previous winter. The old brooding, shy look was gone, and now he entered into the pleasures around him as the other boys did. One could see that he liked to be near Enid, teasing her constantly as if he had to make up for those years of separation.
Judge Breckenridge smiled around at his happy family, well pleased with everything.
”The one thing that would make it perfect would be to have the old professor here,” he said. ”But we'll find him before long.”
Kit gave a little cry. ”How terrible of me to have forgotten to tell you, Judge! We know where the professor is.”
”Where?” asked the Judge eagerly.
”Young Mary says that he is in the shack in Rattlesnake Creek.”
”But Kie Wicks took us through that hut this afternoon,” replied the Judge. ”He isn't there!”
The girls showed their disappointment.
”Maybe they just moved the old man out for an hour until you finished your search,” said Bet. ”I wouldn't put that past Kie Wicks. Nothing is too bad for him to do.”
”We hunted inside and outside of that hut,” insisted the Judge. ”If he had been there, surely there would have been some sign.”
”I have an idea!” cried Bet, jumping to her feet. ”I believe he's in that hut, they put him back after you'd been there. I'm going to find him tonight.”
”You'll do no such thing, Bet. Chasing around among a lot of bad men is no place for a girl,” began her father, but Bet interrupted:
”Just wait until I have worked out my plan and you'll see I'll be as safe as if I were at home. You can come with me, Dad. Will you help me, Judge? I'll need several men.”
”Let us in on this,” exclaimed Phil and Bob in the same breath. ”We'd like to have a hand in solving your latest mystery.”
Bet flew to her room and returned in a few minutes in a strange costume, a long dress of buckskin. Dark braids fell over her shoulders and feathers rose from her hair. She had no resemblance to the boyish girl they knew.
The Colonel looked puzzled but Judge Breckenridge caught the idea.
”You're a wonder, Bet! And I do believe you are right. You'll be as safe as if you were in your own bed.”