“He was doing picket duty,” replied Cleo. “It was too funny to see him snoop after Leonore’s heels. And she was almost sweet to us. I fancy she thought we might take her part with Shag.”
“Girls, when you have finished your chow we will take up the trail again,” suggested Miss Mackin. “There are some ores and metallic veins in rocks about here, I believe, and we may make some interesting discoveries.”
“Look out for the dynamite sign,” warned Corene. “I wonder who ever planted those signs about?”
“Where are they?” asked Miss Mackin.
“Over by the Big Nose Rock,” replied Louise. “We saw them the other day when we were riding.”
“And we thought the boys might have a bandits’ cove under the hills,” added Cleo. “Let’s go over that way and explore.”
Eagerly this suggestion was followed—so eagerly Corene and Miss Mackin had difficulty in obliging the girls to get rid of every trace of the picnic, thus conforming to a Scout regulation. But when the paper bags had all been burned up in a carefully arranged little fire, after which every ember and spark were extinguished, then they took up the trail for Big Nose Rock.
They had some difficulty in cutting through from one hill to the next, as very heavy underbrush, especially the iron fibered mountain laurel, hid the rocks and betrayed the hikers’ footing; but after a number of minor mishaps all disposed of by the process of exclamation, the Bobbies finally emerged in the little patch of soft green at the foot of the big gray rock.
“I found the first one!” called out Helen. “Here’s a dynamite sign!”
“Don’t touch it!” cautioned Miss Mackin. “There is a powder mill not far from here and there may be magazines about.”