CHAPTER VIII AT THE MINE 

When they neared the foot of the lofty mountains and the end of the automobile road, Jo Ann parked the car in front of a small thatched adobe house. "This is the jumping-off place," she smiled. "Here's where we leave Jitters and get our horses."

Miss Prudence eyed the house curiously. "This must be where Ed told me we were to change into our riding clothes. He said for us to be ready by the time he and the boys got here. I don't fancy going into a strange house in a strange----" She stopped abruptly as a fat, smiling-faced Mexican woman appeared at the open door and began beaming her welcome and punctuating her Spanish with gestures for them to come inside.

Summoning her limited Spanish, Jo Ann replied with a "Gracias," then turned and translated the woman's welcoming words to Miss Prudence.

After a moment's hesitation Miss Prudence followed the girls into the house. Her keen eyes quickly took in the room, which had a neat, well-kept appearance in spite of its dirt floor and primitive furniture.

The woman disappeared into the other room, evidently the kitchen, as they could hear her rattling dishes and beating vigorously with some utensil.

"I hope she's making us some chocolaté," Jo Ann whispered to Peggy as they slipped into their khaki riding trousers.

"I hope so too. I'm hungry as a bear. Mountain air always gives me a ravenous appetite."

"Here, too. I could wrap myself around a substantial meal right now, and it'll probably be two hours yet till we reach the mine--and supper."As Jo Ann's thoughts turned on the distance to the mine, she wondered how she would be able to get back to the city and find the mystery man. Now that she had seen the car of those suspected smugglers in the village so close by, she felt it was more imperative than ever for her to tell the mystery man about them and their whereabouts. "I've simply got to get in touch with him some way," she told herself.

So intent was she upon these thoughts that she did not heed Peggy's nudging her till she squealed out, "Can't you put on your boots, Peg, without poking me in the side?"

"Oh, I most humbly beg your pardon," Peggy replied, her twinkling eyes showing that her apology was anything but abject.

Catching her gesture, a nod of the 

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