"I should say not. I'd love to get lost in the hills with you, Kit."

"Oh, we're all right, only I'm not sure that we will save any time.

They'll probably get home first, if we go this way," returned Kit.

"I'm not lost, I've been here before, but I just got mixed up. Lost Canyon is over the next ridge."

"It's all right with me, let's keep on."

The girls rode for an hour, and still Kit declared that they had not reached Lost Canyon.

"Are you afraid, Kit?" asked Bet, as she looked at her friend's frowning face.

"No, of course not, only I'm disgusted that I made such a mistake.

Let's climb to the ridge there and look around, then I'll know in a minute where I am."

The girls urged their horses up the steep trail. Kit was ahead and as she reached the summit she signalled Bet frantically to stop. Sliding from her saddle she ran back.

"We're coming out right by the tunnel, I see the two ruffians."

The girls crept along, keeping out of sight of the camp.

But suddenly Bet grabbed Kit by the arm. The men were descending the trail to the creek, leaving the tunnel unguarded.

The girls did not wait to think whether they were wise or not. They ran forward. Two shotguns lay on the ground. The men had taken off their belts. They were in the canyon unarmed.

Bet choked with delight. "Here's where we get the drop on them," she laughed. "I'll be a regular wild westerner."

"Don't do anything rash, Bet," advised Kit anxiously as she watched her friend's flushed face.

"Trust me!" Bet picked up a weapon and held it awkwardly in her hand.

It was the first time she had handled a loaded gun and it gave her a thrill.

"Can you shoot, Bet?" asked Kit. "Do you know enough to pull the trigger?"

"No, I don't know a thing about it, I'll have to put up a bluff!"

When they heard a step on the trail. Bet aimed her gun.

"Hands up!" ordered Bet and there was no sign of fear in her voice.

The ruffians raised their hands high in the air, but the foremost one smiled.

Bet's anger rose. "Don't come a step nearer! And don't fool yourself!

We know how to shoot--and shoot to kill!"

Kit wanted to laugh, for Bet was repeating word for word what she had read only a few days before in a western story.

But Bet's next question was her own. "How much is Kie Wicks paying you for this job?" she asked.

One man started to take a step forward, but Bet's gun menaced him.

"Stand right where you are! Not a step nearer! Answer my question!"

"Five dollars apiece!" growled the second man. "'T ain't enough!"

"Of course it isn't. He short-changed you. The job is worth twice as much," said Bet indignantly.

The men looked pleased.

"We got a five spot between us for catching the old man and tying him up. And we are to get five each for this."

"Your master isn't very generous. Do you often work for Kie Wicks?"

asked Bet.

"No, we never saw him before. We were just pa.s.sing through the country. We went broke and he offered us this job."

"Where are you going from here?" demanded the girl.

"El Paso is home, and we want to work our way toward there," answered the man who had done all the talking.

"Suppose I was to offer you ten apiece, would you get away from here and not come back? In fact it wouldn't be good for you to come back where Kie Wicks could take a shot at you."

"We'd not stick around, honest we wouldn't. By night we'd be at the nearest railroad station." Both men made a motion to come toward the girls but were stopped by Bet's menacing weapon.

"All right, go to the edge of the cliff there, and stand with your backs to us. If you dare to turn around, you'll be dead men."

The ruffians backed away for a few feet, then turned and walked to the cliff.

"Halt!" shouted Bet, and the men stood still.

"Now Kit, you hold the gun on them and I'll get the money. That's one thing Dad has always insisted on that I keep a little money fastened to me, when I'm away from home." She fumbled in her dress and brought forth a small roll of bills.

With Kit protecting her, Bet walked toward the cliff, and when she got to within ten feet from the men she put the money on the ground, and made a second trip, hauling their packs to the same spot.

When her gun was once more levelled at the ruffians, she ordered: "Turn around!"

The men wasted no time in obeying. They turned.

"Now walk slowly and get your money and belongings. If you run, you drop!"

The men grabbed their money and hastened back to their position on the cliff, as if they were anxious to put distance between themselves and the shotguns.

"Now go, and go quickly! Kie Wicks is due over this way in half an hour and if he finds you gone and us in charge, he's going to send a posse after you!"

The men hastened down the trail. They saddled and mounted their horses, with the shotguns pointed in their direction.

From the opposite end of the canyon two riders were coming nearer, and the ruffians galloped their horses to get out of the way.

Kit and Bet recognized Seedy Saunders and Billy Patten, who had gone out by themselves to search for the professor.