“What, another baby?” Miss Simms innocently inquired.
Judy shrugged her shoulders.
“Why of all things!” Miss Clark eagerly turned to Fran. “Climax is only fifteen miles from here. Any chance of our passing it? It’s the biggest molybdenum mine in the world.”
“No, I’m afraid not. What kind of a mine was that you mentioned?” Fran asked, stumped for once.
“You mean molybdenum? It’s a metal used in steel. You see, being a chemistry teacher, I happen to know about it.”
If there was anything left of the glamour of the old silver-mining days, the Little Percenters got no glimpse of it. On they traveled over the winding road, seven thousand feet high, the ravines dotted with mines worked today for uranium and other strategic metals.
Barely leaving the towering peaks behind them, they drove into the shining city of Denver, as impressive in its setting of modern skyscrapers as Leadville was mean and dingy.
“We’ll soon be getting to the airport, Judy—”
“Yes, Fran.”
“I just wanted to tell you that Karl promised to write to me. Could you—that is when you have time—would you—”