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Page 59
"I do not like the idea at all," objected Grace somewhat severely.
"It is not our property and we have no right to---"
"Everything on the desert is any man's property," corrected the
guide. "Further, it is our duty to open the box. We do not know
but it may contain the last request of some unfortunate desert
traveler, and if that is so it may lay in our power to do him a
great service. Of course, if you say we must not open it, we will
respect your wishes in the matter."
"You may do as you wish," answered Grace.
The guide produced his heavy clasp-knife, provided with a can-
opening attachment, and pried the cover loose.
"Do you wish to open it, Brown Eyes?" asked Hippy, holding the box
up to Grace.
She shook her head.
"Then here goes for better or for worse," announced Lieutenant
Wingate, throwing open the cover and revealing the contents of the
box to the eager gaze of the Overlanders.
CHAPTER XVII
ANOTHER MYSTERY TO SOLVE
"Fiddlesticks! Nothing but paper," wailed Emma Dean, peering into
the mystery box.
"No. There is something more." Hippy lifted out the paper, a
folded paper, and placed it on the ground. "Here is a gold watch
and a handful of gold. Let's see how much there is." He counted
out a hundred dollars, which, with some silver and a plain gold
ring, and the paper first removed, made up the contents of the
box.
"Not much of a find, is it?" smiled Anne.
"No. It's a shame, too, after our expectations had been worked up
to concert pitch," declared Nora. "Hippy Wingate, this is your
doings."
"Blame the fellow who put the things in the box. I only took them
out," grumbled Hippy. "Guess that's about all, Hi," he added,
looking up sheepishly at the guide.
"You haven't looked at the paper," reminded Elfreda.
"It's only a piece of wrapping paper," returned Hippy. "What do I
want to look at that for?"
Grace Harlowe stooped over, picked up the paper and felt it
gingerly.
"There IS something here!" she exclaimed. "The wrapping paper
evidently has been folded over as a protection to what is inside."
Grace thereupon opened the wrapper, revealing a tightly folded
package of heavier paper. The rubber band that held the inner
package together fell apart as she placed a finger on it to remove
it.
The eyes of the party were instantly centered on Grace Harlowe,
who carefully unfolded the paper and held it down so that the
light from the campfire might shine on it.
"It is a map," she said. "It is a map, drawn with pen and ink.
This looks promising," she added, spreading the map out on the
ground. "What a queer thing to bury, and who did it? Surely not
the man who lies there under the cross."
"I should not take that for granted," observed Hi Lang quietly.
"Please let me see it," requested Miss Briggs.
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