"Smugglers! You actually saw

ced. "We think they were smugglers, but o

d about when you came back to the car out there i

ound. Wait till we get to the hotel; then we

e nodde

without seeing the mystery man, Jo

nd come to her side. "Girls," she began as soon as they walked over, "I think we'd better leave now and go on back to the hotel.

art," the girls exchanged swift glances but succe

, "This music is so lov

your room at the hotel-it's so c

s well as to hear the music

opportunities to pr

t so far away but what we can come back

otel, the girls following, but not without several backwar

's tale about the smugglers. Jo Ann, too, would not have been so willing to go if it had not been that the

ence's roommate, went on with Jo Ann and Peggy to their room,

beginning to end. I knew something exciting had happened to you back there in the desert, and I don't kn

ckly recounted the details about the hidden car,

ealed, and they'd have discovered me. One thing I don't understand, though, is what makes you so certain they were smugglers. The fact that

skets would be! It would look as if the men were regular merchant

y no

. It's dope or gold-or both-they're probably smuggling. The chances are the packages t

ings the coast guard said we

earnestly. "I could tell him the exact spot where we'd seen that hidden car, and

reak up. I wish, Jo, you could see that mystery man and tell him all this, but in this

soon as I can and look for him. I believe this main plaza is a good place

ody naturally gravitates toward the P

for getting back to the city and for finding the mystery man. She had to leave early tomorrow with the others, as all arrangemen

g, as the nearer they approached the high mountain range bey

nza by oxcart or horses," said Peggy. "That's the way Mr. Eldridge said they had to do last

e back the quick reply. "

approve

se than in this car." Miss Prudence added whimsicall

all. She could ride horseback and condescended now and the

he faces of all five began to glow with anticipation. Florence could hardly wait to see

ouses of the village Florence began exulting, "I'll so

u up," put in Peggy. "

r to see you, and then you can come over

ing the summer together a

hatically that Peggy's

e store, then leaped out and into the arms of a tall, distinguished,

small black-eyed Mexican boy r

He sprang out of the car, ran over and greeted his uncle hastily, then flew ov

manded of Jo Ann after they had all e

the nurse who took care of Carlitos so many ye

Prudence said slowly. "After all, all the peoples of

epito do," put in Mr. Eldridge, secretly amused at his sister's inward str

curiously after looking about on all sides. "Or

about twelve miles," Mr. Eldridge answered. "I've had the road

"Not that we don't like to ride horseback," added Jo

ther drove off down the highway which led to the

e and into the road which led to the mine. She had only two other pa

d under a mesquite tree just off the road. She stared at it incredulously, then cried out a sharp, "Oh, there's that same

from the back seat. "What are

ed with excitement

ve on slowly. "I-I-really-I don't-

er, Peggy asked curiously, "What on earth ma

d, "Because it was the car Florence and I saw h

you absol

cense number, and the radiator was