In the midst of all this merriment and hilarity, Clovita came to the doorway of the cave, wearing a wide grin. She did not seem at all disturbed at the turn affairs had taken. When the boys saw her they started back.
“The old woman we saw at the cabin! How did she get here? Why, we left her on the trail hours ago. She even talked to us! How—”
“She my sister—we twins,” Clovita declared, grinning wider than ever. “You meet her, yes? She not so nice, maybe?”
“I’ll tell a maverick she wasn’t!” Roy exclaimed. “But never mind that now. You girls—you’re all right? They gave you plenty to eat and drink?”
“We’re fine,” Ethel laughed happily. “But won’t it feel great to be home again! The first thing I’m going to do is—”
She was interrupted by a yell, coming from the place they had captured the guards. Roy reached for his gun. Then he let out a roar of laughter as Nick called out:
“Hey, Roy, these two geezers won all my money playin’ seven-up! Come down here quick, or they’ll have my shirt! An’ bring a new pack of cards! These are marked, or I’m a ring-tailed dodo-bird!”
CHAPTER XXV
The Morning Joy
“What a night that was!”