“Well, you see,” continued Jack, her cheeks now glowing with suppressed agitation, “Steppy insists dad had a buried treasure. It’s too long and too foolish to go into, but I must explain that’s why she comes down here and insists I go off with her, every now and again when she unearths what she thinks is a clue. Isn’t that really childish?”
“But she may have an intelligent reason for her belief,” said Gloria, always eager to assist the suspected.
“That’s it. Even our lawyer, (he’s a fine young fellow, a friend of Miss Alton’s,) even he has been deceived. She is so convincing. But now I guess we have dug the last hole. Our mountain place is as dug up as a ground mole farm. That was what played me out. We had to go by the mountain trail, and so of course, we rode.”
“I see,” said Gloria, recalling Trixy’s story of having come upon the little rough rider troupe.
“Yes, I was determined to get back here today. It’s a secret, Glo, but I do want to come out at least pretty good in the English contest. That’s one branch I’m not stupid in and I have the darlingest lady aunty in Manchester, N.H. I want to show her that Broncho Billy, Jacky Corday has one civilized streak in her variegated make-up.”
“Oh, I’m interested in the contest too,” said Gloria, impulsively. “You see, I’ve got a dad. He’s a darling man and quite a scientist, although he is in business. He often has articles on nature studies published in the magazines. And I’m just crazy to show him what I can do. He’s in the Philippines now, that’s why I’m here.”
“Oh, to have a dad! Mine was—a wonderful man.” Gray eyes blinked and the soft voice fell to a cadence.
“Well, at any rate,” chirped Gloria, endeavoring to bring the tempo up to normal, “I’ll race you in the essay, Jack. How much have you finished?”
Followed a brief discussion of the contest, which was being conducted by the Forestry Association for pupils of private schools.
“It will close, you know, in two days more,” said Jack warningly. “Do you suppose these old ladies around here will let me work tomorrow?”