As they approached the mine opening, Jo Ann proudly pointed out the
electric tram-cars which were used to carry the ore down the steep
incline, instead of the burros, as formerly. "The biggest improvement of
all, though, is the way they get the ore out of the mine. Mr. Eldridge
has promised to take us down there some time soon."

After leaving the mine they rode a short distance on up the beautiful
winding mountain trail, then reluctantly turned at Miss Prudence's
suggestion and started homeward. Before leaving the trail, however, they
persuaded her to wait while they dismounted and dug up some cactus and
resurrection plants.

"This cactus'll look lovely in that big jar with the cactus design on
it," Peggy explained to Miss Prudence. "And you'll love to watch these
resurrection plants. You can keep them out of water for months, till
they're dried, dead-looking balls, then put them into water, and they'll
unfold and become green and beautiful again."

Once again, when they were crossing the crystal clear stream that ran
near the house, they begged Miss Prudence to halt. "Wait for us while we
dig up some of these exquisite wild maidenhair ferns," Jo Ann urged, an
appeal that the other two promptly echoed.

"All right," Miss Prudence agreed, halting under the shade of a rocky
cliff over which trickled a tiny silver ribbon of water into a fern-edged
pool.

Peggy began pulling up some of the ferns close by, but Jo Ann remarked,
"I can't bear to spoil the beauty of this pool by taking any more of
these ferns. Let's go up the stream a little farther, Florence."

Jo Ann and Florence walked on along the stream in silent admiration and
soon disappeared around a great moss-covered boulder.Suddenly Florence caught sight of a short chunky figure of a man just ahead. She gasped aloud. Simultaneously Jo Ann's lower jaw dropped, and her eyes opened wide. The next instant the man clambered up the side of the cliff and disappeared. 

"One of the smugglers!" whispered Jo Ann, finally recovering her speech. "He was spying on us." 

"The one that grabbed the 

 Prev. P 49/101 next