flashlight.
“It looks like water down there all right,” he said.
For several minutes there was no report, and the two holding the rope began to wonder if everything was all right.
Finally Burt called down, “You okay?”
There was a muffled answer of “Yes, I’m okay. This is some hole.”
Less than a minute later, there was a tug on the rope, and slowly Dave and George pulled Ned to the surface. He was a sight, and the others began to laugh. Ned was covered from head to foot with mud.
He ignored the laughter and said, “He who laughs last laughs best. This time I have the last laugh. Look here!”
Ned held up a gold nugget.
Now everyone became excited. Ned said he was sure that he had reached the underground river. “Digging along its banks may reveal an ancient Indian village—the Forgotten City.”
Nancy’s eyes were shining with excitement as she added, “And eventually the golden sheets!”
Wanna was happy too. But she was less demonstrative.
“We mustn’t allow ourselves to be disappointed if we’re wrong,” she said, “even though I want to believe this fairy tale as much as you do.”
Nancy advised that the group keep the whole matter a secret. “I’m afraid if the story leaks out, we’ll be overrun with gold seekers!”
The others agreed.
Bess giggled. “Cross my heart!”
At this point the group became aware of a motor. They were surprised and looked up. Coming down the slope was a beach buggy.
“That must be Archie,” said Ned. “He brought one of those along. Well, I’d better get down to that water hole and clean up a bit so he won’t ask too many questions.”
Ned scooted off, and a few minutes later Archie arrived. He stopped a short distance beyond the hole and jumped out.
“Well, I must congratulate you all,” he said pompously. “This looks like a lot of work. How did you get so much done in a short time?”
George spoke up. “Oh, haven’t you heard about the wizards of Emerson and River Heights?”
“Now what kind of an answer is that?” Archie demanded. “I’m part of this expedition. I have a right to know what’s going on. Did you find anything?”
Bess dimpled and squinted her eyes at him. In a childish voice she asked, “Would little Archie like a baby doll to play with?”
The young man was furious. “I don’t deserve such sarcasm,” he said pettishly. “By the way, where’s Ned?”
Burt answered. “Oh, he has gone to the Roman baths.”
This remark was too much for Archie. “I’m leaving,” he said.
In his anger he put his beach buggy into reverse gear and shot backward. The car backed into the hole!
CHAPTER XVI
A Skeleton Dance
FORTUNATELY the beach buggy was too wide to fall into the hole. The rear end had gone down but it hit the wall beyond, and the vehicle now hung over the rim.
After Archie’s first look of fright and surprise, he shouted, “Get me out of here!”
“With pleasure,” said George, walking up and offering him her hand.
He ignored it and got out of the vehicle himself, then surveyed the buggy bitterly.
Finally he said in a more conciliatory voice, “Come on, fellows. Give me a hand. See if we can push this thing over the edge.”
Nancy suggested that they tie several ropes to the front bumper. “Some of us can pull, the others push.”
“Okay,” Archie agreed, then stood still, doing nothing.
The others tied the ropes, then Burt suggested that Archie go to the rear and push as hard as he could with him.
“Wanna and the girls can pull the buggy from the front.”
This strategy worked, and in a few minutes the beach buggy was safe again.
Archie climbed in and started the motor. “It works!” he said. “Thanks a lot, kids. See you at camp.”
The others were glad he was leaving but to be sure he would not be alone should his vehicle get stuck, Burt offered to go back with him.
Ned returned from his clean-up job. Since it was time to go back for the noonday lunch and siesta period, the
“It looks like water down there all right,” he said.
For several minutes there was no report, and the two holding the rope began to wonder if everything was all right.
Finally Burt called down, “You okay?”
There was a muffled answer of “Yes, I’m okay. This is some hole.”
Less than a minute later, there was a tug on the rope, and slowly Dave and George pulled Ned to the surface. He was a sight, and the others began to laugh. Ned was covered from head to foot with mud.
He ignored the laughter and said, “He who laughs last laughs best. This time I have the last laugh. Look here!”
Ned held up a gold nugget.
Now everyone became excited. Ned said he was sure that he had reached the underground river. “Digging along its banks may reveal an ancient Indian village—the Forgotten City.”
Nancy’s eyes were shining with excitement as she added, “And eventually the golden sheets!”
Wanna was happy too. But she was less demonstrative.
“We mustn’t allow ourselves to be disappointed if we’re wrong,” she said, “even though I want to believe this fairy tale as much as you do.”
Nancy advised that the group keep the whole matter a secret. “I’m afraid if the story leaks out, we’ll be overrun with gold seekers!”
The others agreed.
Bess giggled. “Cross my heart!”
At this point the group became aware of a motor. They were surprised and looked up. Coming down the slope was a beach buggy.
“That must be Archie,” said Ned. “He brought one of those along. Well, I’d better get down to that water hole and clean up a bit so he won’t ask too many questions.”
Ned scooted off, and a few minutes later Archie arrived. He stopped a short distance beyond the hole and jumped out.
“Well, I must congratulate you all,” he said pompously. “This looks like a lot of work. How did you get so much done in a short time?”
George spoke up. “Oh, haven’t you heard about the wizards of Emerson and River Heights?”
“Now what kind of an answer is that?” Archie demanded. “I’m part of this expedition. I have a right to know what’s going on. Did you find anything?”
Bess dimpled and squinted her eyes at him. In a childish voice she asked, “Would little Archie like a baby doll to play with?”
The young man was furious. “I don’t deserve such sarcasm,” he said pettishly. “By the way, where’s Ned?”
Burt answered. “Oh, he has gone to the Roman baths.”
This remark was too much for Archie. “I’m leaving,” he said.
In his anger he put his beach buggy into reverse gear and shot backward. The car backed into the hole!
CHAPTER XVI
A Skeleton Dance
FORTUNATELY the beach buggy was too wide to fall into the hole. The rear end had gone down but it hit the wall beyond, and the vehicle now hung over the rim.
After Archie’s first look of fright and surprise, he shouted, “Get me out of here!”
“With pleasure,” said George, walking up and offering him her hand.
He ignored it and got out of the vehicle himself, then surveyed the buggy bitterly.
Finally he said in a more conciliatory voice, “Come on, fellows. Give me a hand. See if we can push this thing over the edge.”
Nancy suggested that they tie several ropes to the front bumper. “Some of us can pull, the others push.”
“Okay,” Archie agreed, then stood still, doing nothing.
The others tied the ropes, then Burt suggested that Archie go to the rear and push as hard as he could with him.
“Wanna and the girls can pull the buggy from the front.”
This strategy worked, and in a few minutes the beach buggy was safe again.
Archie climbed in and started the motor. “It works!” he said. “Thanks a lot, kids. See you at camp.”
The others were glad he was leaving but to be sure he would not be alone should his vehicle get stuck, Burt offered to go back with him.
Ned returned from his clean-up job. Since it was time to go back for the noonday lunch and siesta period, the
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