"These lines were not made by Indians," remarked the Judge thoughtfully. "There's a Spanish word there."
But when the professor came a few minutes later, he was all at sea as to the meaning of the tracings on the rock.
"It is very much like the sort of thing people used to draw when they buried treasure. You've seen the map in Tommy Sharpe's room but that doesn't say that if we located the proper spot that there would be any treasure left. Other people can read signs the same as we can, and many people have been over this ground since that sign was carved," Judge Breckenridge explained to the girls.
"Why be so sensible, Judge?" laughed Bet wistfully. "Why not let us think that there is a treasure hidden in the ground somewhere? I'm thrilled all to pieces just thinking about it."
"And that's right, too, Bet. Don't let an old fellow like me spoil your dreams by my common sense." The Judge acted as if he wanted to believe it himself and only needed a little urging.
"And there is just as much chance that no one has passed over this rock since the early days and that we may find a fortune hidden." The professor smiled around at the group with a happy, child-like stare as if he were one of the characters of a fairy story.
"Now that's the way to talk, Professor Gillette. You never can be sure unless you look around." Bet nodded at him approvingly.
The Judge suddenly looked at his watch. "I move we get home to dinner.
Tang will be waiting and he hates that."
Bet very carefully spread some tiny twigs and sand over the rock so that no one else would see the markings on the stone.
"Come along up with us to dinner, Professor," suggested the Judge cordially. "We'll have a meeting tonight and talk things over and see what is best to do. I have a feeling that the shrubs and rocks have ears around these claims of Ramon's."