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Noddy and Choko now reached the trail leading up the pine-tipped crest of the mountain back of Pebbly Pit, and were soon climbing through a veritable wilderness of sage-brush and aspens. "My, what a place to live in!" said Eleanor, surprised. "It's not far, now," returned Polly. Shortly after this, Polly turned Noddy from the old trail and plunged into a thicket of aspens. "Good gracious!
But he shook and seemed completely broken up with fear and the shock of the fall. "Dear little Choko!" purred Polly, jumping from Noddy's back and softly patting the burro's woolly face. The burro affectionately nosed Polly, who gazed quickly at what she thought to be a pit back of the little beast. She gasped in wonderment and went to the dark hole.
Thus taking one assured step after another, she finally reached the beginning of the ledge where Choko had landed. Upon the mountain-side where the frozen girls and beasts trembled, the wind howled and the blizzard swept along between the trunk of trees, but on the ledge Polly found comparative shelter and only now and then a blast of the gale.
The girls laughed appreciatively, for they understood just how those who remained at home would feel at such news! So Polly sat upon her father's knee and told him the story of the mine, from the time Choko fell over the cliff until they left the panther at the foot of the tree. "And here's the plan and claim, and there's the gold!"
Then Jeb said he reckoned the girls could start for a real outing. Immediately, they planned where to go and what to see. Polly outlined a trip that might take a whole day, so they would have to take food and kit for cooking purposes. Each girl would ride her favorite horse or burro and the extra burro, Choko, could carry the outfit.
After they had gone, Polly and Eleanor wandered around at a loss for something to do. Being Sunday, their sports were limited to a quiet time. So they decided to visit the corrals and see Noddy and Choko, as the burros had been neglected by their riders during the past few days of the excitement over gold. They were passing the wagon-house, when Polly caught hold of Eleanor's arm for silence.
Did I go daffy when that blizzard carried Choko over the ledge and what did I do up on Grizzly when the snow and ice covered the trail? Did I lose my nerve?" At that moment Mr. Simms called out to Mike: "'Most done cookin', Mike? Ah want you-all to go with me to ketch a grizzly afore it is too dark to see him. Ah promised mah wife she should have a bear-skin rug this trip." Mike looked at Mrs.
Sam Brewster laughed at their wild imaginings and said: "Ah shouldn't wonder but what you-all will find a second 'Aladdin's Lamp' hiding place. Just think of the fun to be had by rubbing the Lamp and wishing for things!" Then Jeb brought the mounts from the barn and Sary helped him strap the panniers and kit to Choko.
With a tremendous spurt of strength the little burro pulled herself free from the tangle, dragging Choko along, too. The other horses soon calmed down again and followed in the wake.
"You've thought of one!" declared Eleanor. "Yes, just the thing! Won't 'Choko's Find' suit it?" "Great! And it was little Choko that found it, too. If he hadn't fallen over the cliff we never would have discovered the cave and the rest of it." "We'll call it that 'Choko's Find! Say, everybody!
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