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Whether the men at the ranch believed in Kie's innocence or not, they accepted his offer of help and let him organize the searchers. "Let's go over and see what Ramon Salazar is up to. He's a scoundrel and looks it. Maybe he knows something about your old man," suggested Kie. "Can't we go, too?" begged the girls.
"Those same claims were recorded not more than an hour ago. Man by the name of Ramon Salazar. What are you trying to do, jump his claims?" "Why, we wouldn't do such a thing," exclaimed Bet indignantly. "Was Ramon here in person?" asked Kit. "No, he sent the papers in by a neighbor," returned the young man. "A fellow by the name of Kie Wicks." "Kie Wicks!" That explained everything.
He believes in the myth about the treasure and he makes it hard for anyone who comes in. One old prospector had to leave because Kie had it in for him. He just couldn't stay." "What did Kie Wicks do?" asked the old man. "Well, for one thing he would sell the prospector meat and at night steal it all back.
Then she started to laugh once more: "What wouldn't I give to see Kie Wicks' face when he opens that chest?" Back in the ravine, the men had carried the trunk to a cave and Kie grabbed it. "Fine!" he said. "Those folks will learn who's boss here." "You're clever, Kie. You let those greenies do the hard work while you watched and then you grab the treasure. I call that smart!"
"That's strange!" The professor exclaimed, "That man, Kie Wicks, claims that there never were Indians in these hills. None to speak of, he said. Told me I was barking up the wrong tree. Oh yes, he was quite certain I was going to fail. But I mustn't fail! I can't fail!" "Of course you won't fail! And you needn't believe a word that Kie Wicks says. He doesn't want people to come into this canyon.
"Don't be silly, Bet," said Enid impatiently. "Our old professor hasn't got an enemy in the world." "Hasn't he? How do you know? Just suppose Kie Wicks found out about the treasure. He'd want to get rid of the professor first thing." "That's an idea, Bet," replied Enid, suddenly growing excited. "I never thought of Kie."
But the two ruffians, hastening toward the railroad station thirty miles away, never dreamed that the girl who menaced them so daringly, had never pulled a trigger. "We're lucky to be out of it," they agreed. "Girls have a way of always making trouble and getting their own way!" Much to the disgust of Tommy Sharpe, Kie Wicks was a guest at the Judge's table that day.
Tommy was very contemptuous at the idea of help from Kie, but he followed without any remarks, deciding that the man needed watching. And that job would be his! Instead of being offended at the arrival of a searching party, Ramon Salazar seemed to welcome them and even his wife acted as if she had been expecting a visit.
I wished for heaps of treasure, and I get nothing but a brass-bound chest." Tommy Sharpe was gazing at the mud-crusted box with interest and suddenly burst out; "Say, Judge, if Kie Wicks gets an idea that the chest is worth more than a dollar and a half, he'll try to take it away from the girls. Don't you think we'd better take it back to the ranch?" "You're right, Tommy.
"Come on, Bet, be good!" "But are we going to let those fellows get our treasure?" Bet cried hysterically. "No, I won't run away! I'm going straight back there and tell them what I think of them." Shirley laughed quietly. "What's the use, Bet. They probably know more mean things about themselves than you can tell them. They're like Kie Wicks." But Bet was stubborn. She hated to give up.
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