CHAPTER XXXI A WONDERFUL SECRET TOLD
The boys took turns carrying the heavy box back to the cars and the girlswalked three abreast, laughing joyfully in their efforts to keep eachother from stumbling in the sand. They whispered together just beforethey passed through the rock gate and when the boys turned toward them,after having stored the box safely under the seat of the Deputy Sheriff'scar, Mary made a bow and said, "We've forgotten what verse it is, butwe'll sing for you anyway." Then merrily Dora and Etta joined her:
"Three girl sleuths you now behold Who have helped you find the gems and gold. Come, come, coma, Coma, coma, kee. To Phantom Town For a cup of tea."
"Which means," Mary interpreted, "that it's noon by the sun and I'm surewe're all hungry. I told Carmelita to make an extra large tamale pie."Then, before anyone could reply, Mary added mischievously: "Dick, I'mgoing to ride in the rumble with you."
Harry chivalrously bowed to the girl nearest him, saying, "May I have thepleasure?" It was Etta and she flashed him a bright smile of acceptance.
"Poor Jerry!" Dora condoned as she took the seat beside the cowboy. "Someimp has got into Mary." But the glance that he gave her was far morepleased than disturbed.
Carmelita welcomed them at the kitchen door with a beaming smile thatrevealed her gleaming white teeth. Jerry introduced the air scout whosurprised the girls by replying in perfect Spanish.
"I'm green with envy!" Dora told him. "I'm going to study Spanish nextfall if it's taught at our Sunnybank Seminary."
"So you two are going back East to school this fall," Harry said as theyseated themselves around the kitchen table, cheerful with its red clothand steaming tamale pie.
"Yes," Mary nodded brightly. "Dad is well enough to go with me, Mrs.Farley says. Jerry has one more year over at the State University andDick is going back East to study medicine. Oh, I forgot to say that Mrs.Farley is going to stay with us and help me take care of Dad. We threeare going to rent a little house near Dora's home."
The conversation changed to the box. "I'm eager to know what is in it,"Mary said.
"I wanted Little Bodil to be the one to open it," Jerry explained.
"How shall we get it to her?" Etta asked.
"I have a suggestion," Harry said. "It will end the suspense sooner thanany other way."
"What? Do tell us!" came in eager chorus.
"Guess," Harry turned to Mary.
"_You_ will take the box in your Seagull."
"Right you are," Harry told her. Then to Jerry, "If Etta would like tofly over with me, I'd be glad to have company."
"Oh, I'd love to fly," Etta said, "but I ought not to be the one; surelyyou, Mary, or Dora--"
"We can all go up later," said Jerry.
As they were about to start, Jerry drew Harry aside and said: "Youunderstand we want Etta to believe the plan comes from Sister Theresa."
Harry nodded. When he was in the car, Jerry called: "When you come back,you can land in the barnyard at _Bar N_. We'll all be there."
"Oh, what _fun_ that will be!" Mary flashed a bright smile at Jerry; thentaking Dora by the hand, she skipped indoors.
When they rejoined Jerry and Dick, after telling Mrs. Farley where theywere going, the cowboy assisted the fair shining-eyed girl up on thefront seat and sat beside her.
There was wistfulness in Jerry's tones when he spoke. "I reckon you'remighty pleased that your dad's well enough to go back East."
Mary's eyes were glad bits of June blue skies. "Pleased isn't a joyfulenough word."
When they came to the long road that crossed over the desert for manymiles without a curve, she whispered, "Jerry, let's fly across."
The cowboy shook his head. "I reckon you've forgotten what happened oncebefore--"
"No, I haven't." Then suddenly changing the subject, she asked, "How longbefore the Seagull will get to _Bar N_, do you suppose?"
"I reckon soon after we do," Jerry said. Dick scanned the sky. Far awaythere was a speck growing larger. Lower and lower the circling Seagulldropped, then landed gracefully and easily. Before the others could reachthem, Harry had helped Etta out of the pit. A small boy clambered outwithout help.
"All is well!" Dora said to Dick. "Sister Theresa has given little Jackto Etta."
"Oh, it was simply too wonderful for words," Etta told the girls. "Wewent so high that the mountain ranges looked like, well, a row of tents,maybe." Then, as Jackie nestled close to her, she told what had happened."There was real gold money in that box and Government bonds and beautifulblue gems. Harry took it all to the bank that looks after the convent'sfinances, and, oh, I guess you're wondering why little Jack is here.Sister Theresa asked me if I'd be willing to let him live with us."
"I'm ever so glad for the little fellow," Mary hurried to say. "And now,"she added, whirling to look from one to another, "if no one is too tired,I want to ride up to Jerry's own ranch. I want to look at the view fromthere before I go."
Dora and Dick exchanged puzzled glances. They were sure that Mary'sflushed excitement had something to do with her plan, but _what_? Harrywas enthusiastic as they rode in the shade of the trees. "_What_ a placefor a summer home," he exclaimed, "so cool and restful."
Mary and Jerry were some distance ahead. They reached the far-flung ledgewhere the cowboy had said he someday planned to build a house. Ridingclose to him, the fair girl asked, "Big Brother, _when_ are you going tobuild a house here?"
"Never," the cowboy said, "unless someday _you'll_ be willing to make areal home of it."
Mary put a frail hand on the brown one that held the reins. "Please startthe house," she said in a low happy voice. "I'll be ready as soon as Igraduate next June."
Transcriber's Notes
--Preserved the copyright notice from the printed edition, although this book is in the public domain in the country of publication.
--Silently corrected a few typos (but left nonstandard spelling and dialect as is).
--Rearranged front matter to a more-logical streaming order and added a Table of Contents.
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