(California 
 
MARY IN CALIFORNIA 
 
THE MACMILLAN COMPANY 
 
 NEW YORK BOSTON CHICAGO DALLAS 
 ATLANTA SAN FRANCISCO 
 
 MACMILLAN & CO., LIMITED 
 
 LONDON BOMBAY CALCUTTA 
 MELBOURNE 
 
 THE MACMILLAN CO. OP CANADA, LTO. 
 
 TORONTO 
 
(From painting by Mead Schaeffer) 
 MARY AND TRIX IN MUIR WOODS 
 
MARY IN CALIFORNIA 
 
 BY 
 
 CONSTANCE JOHNSON 
 
 AUTHOR OF "MARY IN NEW MEXICO," ETC. 
 
 gotfc 
 THE MACMILLAN COMPANY 
 
 1922 
 
 All rights reserved 
 
PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 
 
 0631 6 M 
 
 COPYRIGHT, 1922, 
 BY THE MACMILLAN COMPANY. 
 
 Set up and electrotyped. Published September, 1922. 
 
 Press of 
 
 J. J. Little & Ives Company 
 New York, U. S. A. 
 
rccrcn: Library 
 7571 
 
 To 
 MARY ABIGAIL, 
 
 THE MAINSTAY OF THE FAMILY, 
 WHOSE FRIENDLY CRITICISM, AND 
 NUMEROUS ACTIVITIES HAVE BEEN 
 THE INSPIRATION OF THIS BOOK 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
 To try to tell all the wonderful things of Cali 
 fornia in one small book is impossible. There is 
 only space for a hop, skip, and jump sort of visit. 
 The author hopes that she will make other young 
 people wish to follow Mary to the Golden State and 
 learn for themselves its many attractions, even if 
 they cannot have quite all the adventures that came 
 to this American family Robinson. But the welcome 
 of the Californians will be there in good measure. 
 
 The author wishes to thank all the good friends 
 who helped to make this book possible, and espe 
 cially those at Mills College. 
 
 Thanks are also due to the Pasadena Star News 
 for permission to use a photograph, and to the Na 
 tional Geographical Society for several pictures. 
 
 Credit is due to the following books and their 
 publishers : 
 
 "The House of the Dawn," by M. E. Ryan, 
 published by McClurg & Co. 
 
 "The Flute of the Gods," by M. E. Ryan, 
 published by Fred. Stokes & Co. 
 
 "First Through the Grand Canon," by Major 
 John W. Powell, published by Macmillan Co. 
 
 "The Indian Book," by Natalie Curtis, published 
 by Harper & Bros. 
 
 vii 
 
viii Introduction 
 
 Special permission was obtained from Miss 
 Marian Davis, of Mills College, for the use of her 
 play, "The Matilija Poppy," which was presented 
 at Mills College, and is protected by copyright. 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 CHAPTER PAGE 
 
 I. A Holdup We Meet El Lobo Again . I 
 
 II. First Sight of the Grand Canon A New 
 
 Indian Friend . . . .12 
 
 III. On Donkey Back to the Bottom of the 
 
 Canon . . . . .29 
 
 IV. A Forest Fire near Los Angeles . . 49 
 V. Los Angeles . . . .65 
 
 VI. Smugglers in the Channel Islands . . 75 
 
 VII. Over the Trail of the Padres to Mills 
 
 College . . . . .94 
 
 VIII. The Ring Causes Excitement We Visit 
 
 San Francisco . . . .no 
 
 IX. The Greek Theater at Berkeley . . 127 
 
 X. The Pacific Fleet Visits San Francisco . 138 
 
 XI. The Pageant . . . .150 
 
 XII. Tamalpais and Muir Woods Trix Gets 
 
 Lost ..... 158 
 
 XIII. We Meet El Lobo and Have an Adventure 
 
 at Bolinas .... 171 
 
 XIV. The Road from Bolinas and an Invitation 
 
 to a Baseball Game . . .183 
 
 XV. From the Sequoias to the "Resolute" . 197 
 
 XVI. Navy versus Army The Last of the Ring 210 
 
 XVII. Movies and an Aeroplane in Los Angeles . 225 
 
 XVIII. A Farewell Gift from China . . 236 
 
ILLUSTRATIONS 
 
 Mary and Trix in Muir Woods .... Frontispiece 
 
 FACING PAGE 
 
 The mules' heads were turned toward the chasm . . 32 
 
 The pageant at Mills College 33 
 
 The girls use it for swimming and picnics and fetes . 106 
 
 Great cliffs and the long sandy beach below . . . 107 
 
 San Francisco's Golden Gate 144 
 
 Winter sports in the Yosemite 105 
 
 Great barges of symbolic figures 236 
 
 This simply can't be the first of January .... 237 
 
MARY IN CALIFORNIA 
 
 CHAPTER I 
 
 A HOLDUP WE MEET EL LOBO AGAIN 
 
 TTT'E were awakened by being thrown violently 
 from one side of the berth to the other, and 
 by the sound of the grinding of the brakes against 
 the wheels and the abrupt stopping of the train. In 
 an instant the night's quiet was broken by eager and 
 alarmed questions from the rest of the suddenly 
 aroused sleepers as to what had happened. Bells 
 were rung for the porter from many quarters. But 
 before he had time to appear, the Doctor peered 
 between the curtains, flash light in hand, and asked 
 if Trix and I were all right. 
 
 Trix, our seven-year-old, who slept with me, had 
 only half awakened, as she was thrown against me 
 rather than the side of the car. I saw that the 
 Doctor had drawn on his trousers and coat. 
 
 "I think something must have happened," 'he 
 said. "If you are not hurt I will go forward. Dave 
 and Mary are putting on some clothes, and it would 
 be well for you to do so too." 
 
 The bells were still ringing in the car, and we 
 could see in the dim light disheveled heads and half 
 
2 Mary in California 
 
 clad legs and arms protruding from berths as the 
 male passengers prepared to investigate. At that 
 moment the porter came along. He was greeted 
 with questions : 
 
 "What has happened?" 
 
 "Has there been an accident?" 
 
 "Now don't you folks be skeert. Just stay in the 
 car along with me," was the reply. Which would 
 have been reassuring if the man's voice had not 
 been shaking with fear and his eyes fairly popping 
 out of his head. 
 
 "No, I ain't seen the conductor, but I know it's 
 all right." 
 
 "No, I cyan't go out to see. It's mah duty to stick 
 to mah car. What would dey say to me if I left mah 
 car in the middle of the night, boss?" 
 
 There was considerable grumbling, but many of 
 the passengers quieted down, though still talking 
 together in low tones. Two or three imperfectly 
 dressed men issued from behind the curtained berths 
 and stood rather foolishly in the aisle. The porter 
 started to go to the back of the car. At that 
 moment three distinct shots were heard coming from 
 somewhere toward the front of the train. Instantly 
 an uproar broke out in the car, and amid the 
 confusion the porter permanently disappeared. 
 
 At the same moment Mary and Dave, the rest 
 of our family, appeared, dressed and full of 
 excitement. 
 
 "Mother, what has happened; where is Dad; 
 where are we?" 
 
 Where were we indeed? The only thing I knew 
 
A Holdup We Meet El Lobo Again 3 
 
 for certain was that we were on the train running 
 west from Santa Fe, and that our husband and 
 father, who was expected to lecture at Mills College 
 in a week, had left us in the night, clad in shoes and 
 trousers superimposed on pajamas, heading toward 
 some unknown adventure in the dark. We were a 
 peaceful New England doctor's family. I felt as 
 confused as a Fifth Reader would feel if Nick 
 Carter, detective, suddenly appeared between its 
 covers. 
 
 ''Where's Dad?" repeated fourteen-year-old 
 Mary, the oldest of the children, her gray eyes 
 black with excitement and her bobbed hair flying in 
 all directions. "Has he gone forward?" 
 
 "I'm going too," added Dave. He looked quite 
 fierce in the dim light, his red unbrushed hair 
 standing straight up on his head, without a necktie, 
 his collar unbuttoned, and his shirt tails stuffed 
 unceremoniously into his trousers. 
 
 Trix was wide awake by this time. She was too 
 excited to dress, and climbed about the berth in her 
 short white nightie and bare feet. 
 
 Two more shots were heard. 
 
 "Mother, we must go and see," cried Mary. 
 
 "Indeed you must not," I answered. "It might be 
 a holdup. The trains are sometimes cut in two, 
 and my end of it might be left here while your part 
 went on." 
 
 I slid down on to the floor, sufficiently dressed as 
 I thought, to be greeted with laughter by the two 
 children. 
 
 "Now, Mother, you can't be a rock of Gibraltar 
 
4 Mary in California 
 
 with your hair hanging down your back and the 
 canons between your skirt and waist only half hidden 
 by your coat. I may go say yes of course I can," 
 and Mary started down the aisle. 
 
 I grasped Dave by the arm. "Your father would 
 be very angry if you went, Dave," I said. 
 
 "But, Mother, he told us always to stick to 
 gether," objected Dave. "Let me run after her. 
 We won't go far, I promise you. Please, Mother" 
 and without waiting for an answer he broke from 
 my loosening grasp and rushed after Mary. Sev 
 eral men had gone to the front of the car, and I felt 
 sure they would prevent the children from leaving 
 it. I turned my attention to dressing Trix, who since 
 the departure of Mary and Dave had decided that 
 she wanted to have her clothes on. 
 
 All sorts of vague rumors began to float about. 
 We heard that the train had gone off the track, that 
 the express car had been entered by bandits, that 
 we would all be robbed, perhaps murdered. Trix 
 was enjoying it all thoroughly. 
 
 "Look at that lady, Mother," she giggled. "See, 
 that one she's holding her hair in her hands she 
 hasn't any on her head. And oh, Mother, what fat 
 looking legs that one has." 
 
 I tried my best to subdue her interest in a stout 
 gentleman with a hat on and little else. He was 
 holding a set of false teeth in his hand. A young 
 woman with gaily painted cheeks kept poking her 
 head from between the curtains of her berth and 
 calling for the porter, while a gentle elderly lady 
 repeated over and over again, "Henry cannot stand 
 
A Holdup We Meet El Lobo Again 5 
 
 excitement unless he has his coffee. Can't I get 
 some coffee somewhere?" 
 
 We were about to quiet down again when a shot 
 rang out close by and a bullet whizzed through my 
 window, breaking the glass. Instantly shrieks were 
 heard on all sides. Trix and I were fortunately jn 
 the corridor of the car, and so were not hurt. But 
 I confess to feeling strange and not a little anxious. 
 Then came the sound of loud voices and a man in 
 uniform, the Pullman conductor, entered the car 
 followed by a little troop of passengers. 
 
 "Don't be alarmed, ladies," he said. "There has 
 been a slight accident the engine ran off the track 
 and a gang of robbers tried to hold up the train, but 
 we got one of them and the rest are gone. So you 
 can all turn in again." 
 
 "Is any one hurt?" asked a woman's voice. 
 
 "Yes, the bandit we captured. No one else, I as 
 sure you. He is being attended to by a doctor. Is 
 every one all right here?" 
 
 "Our berth is full of broken glass," I said. "A 
 bullet went through the window." 
 
 The conductor was all interest in a moment. "You 
 are sure that you are not hurt," he wanted to know. 
 "Nothing broken except the window nothing in 
 jured?" 
 
 I assured him that all was well. 
 
 "The porter must make your berth up again. 
 Where is the porter, anyway?" 
 
 "He's probably in the linen closet praying for 
 Lady Luck to help him," suggested Dave, who had 
 joined us with Mary. 
 
6 Mary in California 
 
 The conductor, who had evidently read the stories 
 of Lady Luck and the Mascot Goat, laughed heart 
 ily, and then pressed the bell button several times. 
 Presently the porter appeared. He was looking a 
 little untidy and soiled, but assured the conductor 
 that he had stuck by his car. 
 
 "I wouldn't leave mah car and mah passengers, 
 boss," he repeated. 
 
 The conductor told him to make up the berth 
 again and be quick about it. 
 
 "Be sure and let me know if anything was in 
 jured," was his parting word to me. 
 
 Every one had retired by this time behind the cur 
 tains, though there was a good deal of more or less 
 quiet talking going on. I sent Mary and Dave, pro 
 testing, back to their berths. The porter kept up a 
 steady stream of words: 
 
 "I told you all I wouldn't leave mah car. I always 
 stick by mah passengers." 
 
 Trix and I were just settling down to rest when 
 the Doctor appeared. Of course I wanted to know 
 all the details at once. We left the indignant Trix 
 in her berth and went out on to the platform. The 
 door of the vestibule was open, and we could look 
 out on a clear, cold, starry night amid a scene of 
 rocky desolation. Great crags seemed to surround 
 us on all sides, wonderful and wild the mountains 
 of our well loved New Mexico. 
 
 "It really has been an exciting night," said the 
 Doctor. "The bandits had tampered with the rails, 
 and if we had not been going slow around the curve 
 we might all have gone to glory. As it was the 
 
A Holdup We Meet El Lobo Again 7 
 
 engine bumped along on the ties and stayed right 
 side up, until brought to a stop. The clerk and mes 
 senger on the express car opened the door to see 
 what was going on, and were confronted by two six- 
 shooters. But the messenger is a husky fellow, over 
 six feet and strong as an ox. He took a chance and 
 jumped right on top of the men with the guns. 
 There was some excitement for a few minutes, but 
 of course the pistol shots brought the train crew 
 running. Two of the bandits escaped, but the fellow 
 the messenger had landed on never budged. He was 
 squeezed nearly flat and had a bullet in his arm be 
 side from his friend's revolver. And now comes the 
 best part of the whole story who do you think the 
 bandit was? Just our old friend El Lobo, from 
 New Mexico." 
 
 "It isn't possible!" 
 
 "Not possible, but it is, just the same. And what 
 do you think he had strung on a chain about his neck? 
 Nothing less than Mary's lost Indian ring." 
 
 "Now come," I said, "you are telling me the plot 
 of a movie." 
 
 "I am not, it is the sure-enough truth. And you 
 ought to have seen the ugly look he gave me when I 
 claimed the ring." 
 
 "Have you got it?" 
 
 "No, they would not let me have it till I could 
 prove my claim. We'll let Mary tell them in the 
 morning." 
 
 The train must have remained stationary for a 
 long time long enough for a wrecking crew and a 
 new engine to arrive and start us going again. But 
 
8 Mary in California 
 
 we were all peacefully sleeping by that time. When 
 the car finally awoke the next morning we were two 
 hours late, and traveling along the high plateaus of 
 Arizona. Distant mountains rimmed the horizon 
 and great white clouds rose like snow peaks in the 
 clear blue sky. 
 
 Trix and I were later than the others. For some 
 time before I fully awoke I could hear as in a dream 
 a steady stream of words, which gradually formed 
 itself into a narrative in Mary's voice. 
 
 "It was when we were in New Mexico, last sum 
 mer. We were digging in an Indian mound and I 
 found an Indian ring with queer figures on it sort 
 of Chinese, you know. The Indians didn't want me 
 to have it. They stole it twice, I think, and stole 
 me, too. Finally we sent it home by registered mail, 
 but we never heard of it again. We found the box 
 that we had sent it in, though, broken open in a cave 
 where some loot from a train robbery had been 
 taken. And it was the same man who held up the 
 train last night ! El Lobo, they called him in Santa 
 Fe. He must have taken my ring from the mail in 
 the other train and have kept it all this time. Dad 
 says he was wearing it around his neck last night, the 
 ring my ring, strung on a long silk cord. Isn't it 
 wonderful to think I'll get it back? The Indians 
 have all sorts of legends connected with it. And a 
 man who knows all about such things says it has 
 Chinese characters on it. It is supposed to be un 
 lucky to wear it for a white person, you know." 
 
 I stuck my head out from between the curtains and 
 saw that Mary was sitting with a gentleman and lady 
 
A Holdup We Meet El Lobo Again 9 
 
 in one of the double seats which had been put in 
 daytime form by the porter. It was after nine 
 o'clock. 
 
 "Well, Mother, are you awake at last?" called 
 Mary, and ran over to kiss me good morning. 
 "Father and Dave and I had breakfast a long time 
 ago. And, oh, Mother, did Dad tell you about find 
 ing my ring again, and El Lobo?" 
 
 Then whispering in my ear, she went on : "I have 
 been talking to the nicest people ! They live in Los 
 Angeles, and hope we'll come to visit them. They 
 haven't any children, but love them. He was in 
 France in the war doing Y. M. C. A. work. He's 
 just coming home from Germany, and she went over 
 to meet him. Their name is Norton." 
 
 "Wait till I am dressed to introduce me," I broke 
 in laughingly. Trix was clamoring for help behind 
 me, and insisted on my buttoning her up at once. 
 
 "You had better hurry or there won't be any 
 breakfast, Mother," Mary said as she went back to 
 her friends. 
 
 Fortunately we found plenty of food in the dining 
 car, also David and the Doctor, who were still eating 
 griddle cakes and discussing the adventure of the 
 night before. El Lobo, the captured train robber, 
 had been quite badly hurt, and the Doctor had been 
 called upon earlier in the morning to attend him. 
 
 "There is no doubt but that it is our old friend 
 of Santa Fe. He was part Chinese, you remember, 
 which added to his Mexican-Indian ancestry gives 
 him a very oriental look. There is equally no doubt 
 that he had around his neck a peculiar Chinese cord 
 
io Mary in California 
 
 which carried Mary's Indian ring. I think we can 
 get it back. But seriously, my dear, I wonder if it 
 would not be better to leave it with El Lobo. It 
 sounds absurd and like a dime novel, I know. But 
 we had trouble enough with the thing in New Mexico 
 last summer. Perhaps El Lobo has as much right 
 to it as we have." 
 
 "Why, Dad," exclaimed Dave, "Mary found it 
 in the Indian mound. Of course it's hers ! And you 
 wouldn't let an old train robber get it away from us. 
 You ought to be ashamed of being such a scare-cat." 
 
 "Mary will want it back," observed Trixy, from 
 the bottom of a bowl of cereal. 
 
 Trix was right. There was no doubt that Mary 
 wanted it back. So the Doctor put in a claim de 
 scribing the ring, and how it had been lost from the 
 registered mail six months ago, in New Mexico. 
 Mary went with her father to identify the ring, and 
 returned feeling a little uncomfortable. 
 
 "Mother, I can't imagine why I thought him hand 
 some, when we saw him in Santa Fe. He is dreadful 
 looking. They took the ring off him, but if he hadn't 
 been so badly hurt I don't believe they could have. 
 He didn't want to give it up a bit, you could see 
 that." 
 
 "I think we had better let him have it," I ob 
 served, looking at my fourteen-year-old daughter 
 with a feeling of discomfort and almost of fore 
 boding. The ring had cost her enough danger before. 
 Why should she be mixed up in some old oriental 
 superstition? 
 
 But the matter was taken out of our hands, in a 
 
A Holdup We Meet El Lobo Again n 
 
 way. For while we were flying over the plains and 
 approaching Williams, the bandit suffered a severe 
 hemorrhage and was removed from the train. 
 So the ring was given us by the conductor, together 
 with the cord of red and black silk which had held it. 
 We were late in arriving in the little town of 
 Williams, and the train for the Grand Canon, 
 whither we were bound, was made up and ready to 
 go. Mr. and Mrs. Norton, to whom Mary had 
 introduced us, were also planning to leave the 
 through train and go to the canon. We hurried off 
 with our bags, leaving our trunks to go on without 
 us. We had only time to snatch some sandwiches 
 and fruit and get on the branch train, when we were 
 off, full of anticipation and excitement 
 
CHAPTER II 
 
 FIRST SIGHT OF THE GRAND CANON A NEW INDIAN 
 FRIEND 
 
 TJ7E sat on the steps of the back platform of the 
 rear car and got our first glimpse of the real 
 cattle country. The great rolling plain stretched 
 away for miles, dotted here and there with thickets, 
 and with low mountains in the distance. 
 
 Here we saw the first prairie dogs of the trip. 
 They ran in and out of the brush or sat on their 
 sandy mound houses, with forepaws folded over 
 their fat stomachs. Herds of red cattle, with pleas 
 ant white faces, grazed about and watched the train 
 with quiet curiosity as we passed. 
 
 Once when the train stopped, Dave called our at 
 tention to a heap of skeletons and bones near the 
 track. 
 
 "What are they, Daddy? 1 ' he asked. 
 
 "I am afraid it is all that is left of a bunch of 
 cattle that probably died of starvation and cold last 
 
 winter." 
 
 "But, Daddy, how terrible. Couldn't anything be 
 done for them?" 
 
 "I think so, and Uncle Sam thinks so," was the 
 answer. "On the government ranges there are shel 
 ters and the herds are fed and watched during the 
 
 12 
 
First Sight of the Grand Canon 13 
 
 winter storms. But a great many ranch owners do 
 not seem to care, or fail to realize how much the 
 poor creatures must suffer before they are finally re 
 duced to the heap of bones you see here. These 
 men claim that it would cost too much to care for 
 the stock. They prefer to lose a number each year. 
 But even if it were not so cruel, it would be poor 
 policy. For the poor survivors are in bad shape to 
 send to market and the cows are often too weak to 
 have healthy calves, so that the herds do not in 
 crease normally." 
 
 "I can't bear to think of the poor things wander 
 ing around in the snow," said Mary. "Do you re 
 member that dreadful picture of the sheep all 
 huddled together, lost in a blizzard? I always have 
 hated to look at it. I suppose cattle would be just 
 the same. Can't the ranchers be forced to do some 
 thing?" 
 
 "I think conditions are improving. Humane so 
 cieties have taken up the cause, and the government 
 ranges are an object lesson. Of course some cattle 
 will stray away and be lost. That cannot be helped. 
 It must have been the same in their wild state before 
 men assumed responsibility for their care. The ship 
 ping of cattle, too, is being looked after more than 
 ever before. In old days the cattle cars that took 
 the creatures east to be slaughtered were so crowded 
 that many of the animals were trampled and died on 
 the way. They were often left for days without 
 food or water. But now laws have been passed for 
 the protection of animals. Of course thoughtless 
 and inhuman shippers break the law. If they are 
 
14 Mary in California 
 
 caught they can be punished, but it takes constant 
 watching." 
 
 "Sometimes I feel like never eating any meat 
 again," said Mary slowly. 
 
 "I think we all do when we stop to think," I 
 remarked. 
 
 "Would you like to be a Buddhist, Mary?" asked 
 her father. "They believe that they must not take 
 the life of any living thing." 
 
 "Not even flies and mosquitoes and ants and 
 spiders?" Dave demanded. 
 
 "No orthodox Buddhist will kill anything," re 
 plied the Doctor. 
 
 "Not even if they bit him?" said Trix. 
 
 "My physiology book says insects are more dan 
 gerous and kill more people than battles," remarked 
 Dave. 
 
 "I wouldn't like to be a Buddhist to that extent, 
 Dad," laughed Mary. 
 
 "Let's go in," suggested the Doctor. "It's a 
 case of ashes to ashes, dust to dust; If the smoke 
 doesn't get me, the cinders must." 
 
 "I feel as black as the ace of spades," I responded. 
 
 We went into the car and found Mr. and Mrs. 
 Norton. They, like ourselves, were to visit the 
 Grand Canon for the first time. 
 
 "I understand that there is nothing like it any 
 where else in the world," said Mr. Norton. "Most 
 mountains you look up to, but here you look down 
 on the tops of them. You plan to go down into the 
 canon, do you not?" 
 
 "Surely," we replied in chorus. 
 
First Sight of the Grand Canon 15 
 
 "Did you bring any riding togs?" asked Mrs. 
 Norton. "I understand no one is allowed to go 
 down into the canon in skirts. The mules have a 
 special dislike for skirts ever since a very fat woman 
 rode down in them. Her donkey, looking around in 
 quiringly on feeling the heavy weight, mistook her 
 billowy skirt for something strange and dangerous. 
 He shied, with terrible consequences." 
 
 "What happened?" demanded Dave breathlessly. 
 
 "Well, I don't know that anything happened, but 
 the story is that the lady went over the bank. A 
 strong wind happened to be blowing and it filled her 
 skirt like a balloon. So when the scared mule 
 reached the end of the trail at breakneck speed, he 
 found the lady sitting at the bottom, breathless and 
 red in the face, but quite unhurt by her marvelous 
 descent. The mule seemed to think that dangerous 
 medicine, as our Indian friends would say, was some 
 how mixed up in that skirt and lady. He turned 
 about and went back over the trail alone. Since then, 
 the rule is, no skirts in the canon." 
 
 "But what happened to the fat lady?" asked Trix, 
 wide-eyed with amazement, "and is it true?" 
 
 "Well, I haven't heard that she is to be seen at 
 the bottom, nor does her ghost haunt the river, so I 
 suppose she must somehow have gotten back to the 
 top. But I never heard that part of the story." 
 
 "What is the fashion in clothes?" asked the Doc 
 tor, laughing. 
 
 "I have heard that it is blue denim divided skirts 
 and farmers' hats, becoming to the young and slim," 
 answered Mr. Norton. 
 
1 6 Mary in California 
 
 There were some audible sighs from those of us 
 who were not slim. 
 
 "I wish I had brought my riding trousers," said 
 Mary sadly. "I hate the thought of denim things." 
 
 Not long after this the train rolled into the canon 
 station. We drove up a short, steep slope in a big 
 bus to the attractive low wooden hotel. 
 
 "Oh, Mother," said Trix, "there's a house like 
 the pueblo at Taos; look quick." 
 
 "Why quick?" asked Dave. "It won't run 
 away." 
 
 I looked in the direction toward which Trix 
 pointed. Sure enough, an Indian house, of the 
 pueblo type, stood within sight of the hotel. It was 
 built of stone, and had several stories. 
 
 "I want to go there," said Trix. 
 
 "Later, mafiana," said the Doctor. 
 
 We wandered through the big hotel living rooms, 
 built attractively of dark wood. While the Doctor 
 was negotiating for accommodations we went into 
 a side parlor, where Mary discovered some paintings, 
 of great cliffs and vast abysses, of strange colors and 
 forms, a mixture of Egyptian temple and rocky 
 mountains. 
 
 "Mother, they are wonderful, but what are they, 
 and could anything be like that? Could there be 
 mountains with all those colors?" 
 
 "It doesn't seem possible, but we'll wait and see," 
 I answered. 
 
 Presently the Doctor hailed us. "Let's have our 
 first view of the canon now," he called. "Then 
 we'll have a quick wash and a quick supper and go 
 
First Sight of the Grand Canon 17 
 
 to Sentinel Place for the sunset. I am told it is well 
 worth doing." 
 
 "I want to see the Indian house," remarked Trix. 
 
 "You shall see it afterward," said her father. 
 
 It was only a short walk from the hotel and tour 
 ists, and commonplace things. Then we stood look 
 ing breathlessly over the stone parapet into the 
 great canon. 
 
 "There is nothing else like it on earth" the 
 words seemed to ring in my head. 
 
 "I am not sure whether it's heaven or the other 
 place," I heard the Doctor say, half under his breath. 
 
 "Mother, it is like the pictures in the hotel," ex 
 claimed Mary. "Those great things down there are 
 like Egyptian figures and pyramids it is partly the 
 colors. I never saw anything like it." 
 
 "No, I don't suppose any of us have," I answered. 
 
 "How far across is it? What made it?" asked 
 Dave. 
 
 "The Colorado River is responsible, under God," 
 replied the Doctor gravely. 
 
 "Mother, I'm scared," whispered Trix, and hid 
 her head against me. "Can't I go to the Indian 
 house?" she asked in a very small voice. 
 
 "I'll go with her," said Dave. 
 
 "I'm almost afraid to trust you two alone here," I 
 said. "It's absurd, I know, but Trix is so small and 
 the canon so huge." 
 
 "My, ain't nature grand," observed Dave. 
 
 "Oh, run along and keep away from the edge," 
 said the Doctor. "I'll come for you shortly. We 
 ought to get back to supper." 
 
1 8 Mary in California 
 
 I watched them run off together and then turned 
 back to the canon lying below us, so immovable, 
 brilliant. 
 
 "How deep is it, Daddy ?" asked Mary. 
 
 "Seven miles by trail and eight miles across. We 
 don't see the river at the bottom from here, they 
 tell me. Just look across at the flat plain on the 
 other side. Think of the feelings the first Indian 
 must have had who galloped across the plain and 
 came suddenly to the edge." 
 
 "I bet he prayed to the Great Spirit ! I hope it 
 wasn't at night," responded Mary cheerfully. 
 
 "Well, I suppose we'd better go back to the 
 hotel," said the Doctor. "We can go by way of the 
 Hopi Indian house and pick up the children. I de 
 clare," he added, "I don't see Trix riding down the 
 trail to-morrow. What shall we do with her?" 
 
 We went into the Indian house, which was much 
 more beautiful inside than the pueblo in New 
 Mexico had been. Skins hung on the walls, and 
 finely woven rugs and pottery were placed about to 
 be looked at and, if possible, sold. Trix and Dave 
 were talking with a fine-looking Indian in native 
 costume. 
 
 Trix ran to us immediately. "Come and talk to 
 him. He's awfully nice," she whispered quite 
 audibly. 
 
 "Does he talk English?" we asked. 
 
 "Yes, indeed. Do come, Mother. He has a boy 
 just my age. Can I go and see him? He wants me 
 to." 
 
 We joined Dave and his new friend. 
 
First Sight of the Grand Canon 19 
 
 "I hope the children have not bothered you," I 
 began. 
 
 "No, indeed," was the quiet answer. "They are 
 good children. The little girl is coming to see my 
 boy, if you will allow it." 
 
 "Are you a Carlisle graduate?" asked the Doctor.. 
 
 "No, but I am a college graduate. A real Indian, 
 too," he added in response to a disappointed grunt 
 from Dave. 
 
 "Would you like to know my Indian name?" 
 
 "Please tell us," cried Trix. 
 
 "It is Oh-we-tahuh they call me that because I 
 have made little paintings. It means picture writing. 
 Before I went to college they called me Mo-wa-the, 
 which means flash of light, because I was a quick 
 
 runner." 
 
 "It is a pretty name Mo-wa-the. We'll have to 
 call Dave that," I said. 
 
 "Now, Mother," said Dave. While the Indian 
 asked : 
 
 "Is he a good runner?" 
 
 "Aw, nothing much," answered Dave quickly. 
 
 "How do you happen to be here in Indian dress?" 
 asked Mary. 
 
 "I came back to live with my people; and be 
 cause I could not live away from the canon. But I 
 do not always wear the dress. My boy wears an 
 Indian suit made by Montgomery Sears," he added, 
 looking at me with twinkling eyes. 
 
 "What a pity," I murmured. 
 
 "Are you going down into the canon to-morrow?" 
 asked our new friend. 
 
2O Mary in California 
 
 "Sure," was Dave's quick reply. 
 
 "I am not sure about the little one," observed 
 the Doctor. 
 
 "She can stay with my wife and boy, if you will 
 allow it," said the Indian. "We live not far from 
 here in a log cabin. Wouldn't you like to?" he 
 added, turning to Trix. "They will tell you stories 
 of the Hopis. And my boy, Tom, will make you a 
 bow and arrows." 
 
 "Mother, Dad, may I?" begged Trix. 
 
 "Don't you want to ride down into the canon?" 
 I asked. 
 
 "I'd rather play with the boy. Has he been down 
 in the canon?" 
 
 "Yes," answered the Indian. "But he is a boy, 
 and has always lived here. It is a hard trip for a 
 little white girl." 
 
 "Suppose we think it over," suggested the Doctor. 
 "We ought to go and eat supper now. It is very kind 
 of you to offer. I will come in this evening, if I may, 
 and discuss it. Will you be here?" 
 
 "Yes, I tell the people who come to see the dance 
 about some of the customs of our people. I will be 
 here." 
 
 We thanked him, and went over to the hotel. 
 
 Dinner in the big dining room was very welcome, 
 as every one was hungry. Trixy could not read most 
 of the menu, but finally found ice cream and was 
 sure she wanted that for supper. 
 
 "Can't I have just that?" she pleaded. "I want 
 to go back to the Indian house." 
 
 "It's almost bedtime now, Trix," said her father. 
 
First Sight of the Grand Canon 21 
 
 "You will have so many things to see to-morrow that 
 you will have to turn in early. Come, eat your toast 
 and milk, like a good girl, and then you can have 
 the ice cream." 
 
 We met Mr. and Mrs. Norton in the living room 
 after supper. 
 
 "Can't Trix stay with me till her bedtime?" she 
 asked. "I am not going out again to-night. Chil 
 dren Trix's age do not as a rule care for scenery." 
 
 "Let me stay too, Mother," said Dave. "I'll 
 look after Trix, and take her up to bed at the right 
 time, too." 
 
 "Well, all right, you can stay. Mrs. Norton, you 
 certainly are more than kind. I am afraid you don't 
 know how much you have undertaken. Will you re 
 mind them at half past seven, and Trix, will you go 
 up with Dave just as soon as Mrs. Norton tells 
 you?" 
 
 "I want to go to the Indian house and see the 
 boy," responded Trix. 
 
 "Be a good girl to-night and you can go to-morrow 
 to see the Indians." 
 
 "Of course she'll be good with me, won't you, 
 Trixy?" asked Dave. 
 
 "She'll be good after you're gone," suggested Mrs. 
 Norton. 
 
 So Mary, the Doctor, and I hastened away. 
 
 The sun was very near the horizon as we went 
 along the road, past the cottages at the head of 
 the trail that we were to take the next day, and 
 entered the grove of high trees that cover Sentinel 
 Point. 
 
22 Mary in California 
 
 "It's a race with the sun, Mother," laughed Mary, 
 and she ran ahead at a dogtrot. 
 
 It was all so silent and mysterious as the shadows 
 of the evening gathered. We reached the great 
 stone monument, just as the sun disappeared. 
 
 "I feel as though I were a princess in a fairy tale, 
 and that something terrible would happen if I didn't 
 get here on time," puffed Mary. "Maybe I'll turn 
 into a swan or something. But, Mother, just look 
 down." 
 
 From the stone base of the monument we could 
 look into what seemed a bottomless chasm, full of 
 purple and blue shadows, with here and there a glint 
 of bright red or yellow as the last rays of the sun 
 fell on some rocky pinnacle. 
 
 "Domes, minarets, and towers it is an Indian 
 city or an Egyptian temple, made for some of the 
 gods of the heathen," said the Doctor. 
 
 We sat for a while at the edge of the canon. As 
 the shadows deepened it seemed almost as if we 
 would be drawn down into the dark mystery below. 
 The pine trees at our feet stuck out over endless 
 depths. The soft colors of the rocks turned into 
 dark reds and blues and purples in the gathering 
 gloom. 
 
 "It can never be more wonderful than it is now. 
 I am almost regretting going down to-morrow. It 
 seems as though it would give us too much famili 
 arity with this great marvel," I said. 
 
 "I hadn't any idea that it would be like this," 
 said Mary. "I can't quite believe it." 
 
 It was almost dark before we rose and left the 
 
First Sight of the Grand Canon 23 
 
 monument which would have seemed massive any 
 where, and even here was impressive in its simplicity. 
 
 u Father, who was Major Powell, that the monu 
 ment is to?" asked Mary, as we started back. 
 
 "He was the first white man and probably the first 
 man of any color to explore the Colorado River 
 through the canons. I saw his journal somewhere 
 in the hotel. I think it would be a mighty good 
 thing to look at before we leave here. The Indians 
 warned him that it was an impossible trip, that the 
 river ran underground in some places and that all 
 sorts of waterfalls and rapids would block their way. 
 It is a thrilling story. They certainly found plenty 
 of adventures." 
 
 "Can we go to the Hopi house and see the dance ?" 
 asked Mary, as we approached the hotel. 
 
 "You go ahead and we'll follow. I think we 
 ought to stop and see how Dave and Trix have 
 fared," I answered. 
 
 So Mary hurried on and we sought the hotel and 
 our rooms. Much to our surprise, these proved to 
 be empty. Not a trace could be found of either of 
 the children, the beds had not been touched, and the 
 floor was not covered with the usual odds and ends 
 of Trix's garments ; a sure sign that these must still 
 be on her small person somewhere else. 
 
 "Where can they be? Surely nothing can have 
 happened to them," I said. 
 
 "I fancy we shall find them at the Hopi house," 
 said the Doctor. "If you remember, that was the 
 last thing Trix was saying as we left. She wanted to 
 go to the Indians." 
 
24 Mary in California 
 
 "We would better go right over and see," I re 
 plied. And over we went as fast as we could. 
 
 There was quite a crowd of people in the two big 
 rooms, and in the center were three Indians, doing 
 a corn-husking dance, while our friend of the fore 
 noon sang the corn song. We saw Mary at once, 
 but it was only after a careful search that we dis 
 covered Trix and Dave, with a small Indian boy, 
 concealed behind a little crowd of onlookers. 
 
 The Doctor routed them out. u Dave, what do 
 you mean?" he asked. "Didn't you know you were 
 to get Trix to bed? How came you here?" 
 
 "I couldn't do anything with her," answered 
 Dave. "She ran away and I thought you would 
 rather have me come with her. I knew she ought not 
 to come." 
 
 "Both of you go right back to bed," said the Doc 
 tor sternly. 
 
 "But, Dad, it isn't my bedtime " 
 
 "Can't we see the end of the dance?" added Trix. 
 
 "No. You must both go home. I see you are 
 neither of you to be trusted." 
 
 "I will go home with them," I remarked. 
 
 "We had better interview our Indian friend. Trix 
 must not go down into the canon. She is not old 
 enough. I am not sure that Dave is." 
 
 "We'll see how he behaves from now till to 
 morrow," added the Doctor. 
 
 So I convoyed my two erring young ones to the 
 hotel and this time saw them safely tucked in. Dave 
 seemed a little subdued at the possibility of losing 
 the ride on the morrow. But Trix could not remain 
 
First Sight of the Grand Canon 25 
 
 depressed for long. She began by giving a lively 
 imitation of the Indian dance, singing a weird tune 
 of her own which closely resembled the corn-grinding 
 song as far as I could tell. This she did in the 
 costume which is common to all primitive people, 
 before they have learned from somewhere that one 
 must wear clothes in public. 
 
 I could not keep from laughing, and Trix shrieked 
 with delight and started to run into the hall. But 
 I quickly put a stop to this, and presently I left her 
 still chanting strange words in the darkness from the 
 safety of her bed. 
 
 Mary and the Doctor came back in great excite 
 ment from the Hopi house. 
 
 "It wasn't so much the dance, but our Indian, he 
 was simply great, Mother. He was dressed in the 
 most beautiful blankets. And after the song, he 
 told us about his people. He was wonderful. And 
 he is going to take Trix to-morrow and he has a 
 darling little boy." 
 
 "Could you tell your mother what he said?" asked 
 her father. 
 
 "Oh, I don't know not as he told it. He has 
 such a beautiful voice. He told us how for days 
 before a wedding the bride has to grind corn on a 
 stone. She sits behind a blanket and sings the grind 
 ing song and makes prayers. And then when the 
 wedding day comes, they don't have a priest or any 
 thing, but the bride and groom sit quietly among 
 their relations. And then he puts a cloak over her 
 shoulders and serves her out of a dish, and they both 
 eat out of the same dish and drink out of the same 
 
26 Mary in California 
 
 cup. It means that they will always share things 
 and that he will care for her. The man has to work, 
 too, before the wedding. He has to work in her 
 father's fields or in some way prove his friendship 
 and love. 
 
 u He told us about the old sign of his people which 
 was like a cross and meant the Father Sun and 
 Mother Moon and the Morning Star. Morning 
 Star is the son of Mother Moon. He is in the sky 
 when she goes away, and he calls Father Sun to come 
 and smile on the Earth for people. It sounds almost 
 like Christians, doesn't it, Mother? He told us 
 another legend. 
 
 " The thing I tell is the true thing!' he said. 
 
 " 'It was time for a god to walk on the earth, and 
 one was born of the pinon tree and a virgin who 
 rested under the shadow of its arms. The girl was 
 very poor, and her people were very poor; when the 
 pinon nut fell in her bosom, and the winds told her 
 a son was sent to her to rest beneath her heart, she 
 was very sad, for there was no food. 
 
 " 'But wonderful things happened. The spirits 
 of the mountain brought to her home new and 
 strange food, and seeds to plant for harvest: new 
 seeds of the melon, and big seed of the corn : before 
 that time the seeds of the corn were little seeds. 
 When the child was born, strange things happened, 
 and the eagles flew high above till the sky was alive 
 with wings. The boy was very poor, and so much 
 a boy of dreams that he was the one to be laughed 
 at for the visions. But great wise thoughts grew 
 out of his mountain dreams, and he was so great a 
 wizard that the old men chose him for Po-Ahtun-ho, 
 which means Ruler of Things from the Beginning. 
 And the dreamer who had been born of the maid 
 
First Sight of the Grand Canon 27 
 
 and the pinon tree was the Ruler. He governed 
 even the boiling water from the heart of the hills, 
 and taught the people that the sickness was washed 
 away by it. His wisdom was beyond.earth wisdom, 
 and his visions were true. The land of that people 
 became a great land, and they had many blue stones 
 and shells. It then was that they became proud. 
 One day the god came as a stranger to their village 
 a poor stranger, and they were not kind to him ! The 
 proud hearts had grown to be hard hearts, and 
 only fine strangers would they talk with. He went 
 away from that people then. He said hard words 
 to them and went away. He went to the South to 
 live in a great home in the sea. When he comes 
 back they do not know, but some day he comes 
 back, or some night ! He said he would come back 
 to the land when the stars mark the time when they 
 repent, and one night in seven the fire is lit on the 
 hills by the villages, that the earth-born god, Po-se- 
 yemo, may see it if he should come, and may see that 
 his people are faithful and are waiting for him to 
 come. 
 
 " 'Because of the day when the god came, and 
 they turned him away for that his robe was poor, 
 and his feet were bare; because of that day, no 
 poor person is turned hungry from the door of that 
 people. And the old men say this is because the god 
 may come any day from the South, and may come 
 again as a poor man.' " 
 
 "It seems as though somehow those Indians must 
 have heard about Christ, doesn't it? Perhaps some 
 missionaries we don't know about told them." 
 
 "I don't think so, Mary," answered the Doctor. 
 "But most religions have things in common. And 
 the early fathers of the Christian Church borrowed 
 a lot of things from other beliefs." 
 
28 Mary in California 
 
 "Somehow I don't like that. It makes it seem 
 less true " 
 
 "What less true ? You mean Christianity? Why, 
 Mary, don't you see, it makes it all the truer. If 
 God has sent the same message to all people, why, 
 we surely must believe." 
 
 "That Indian must be pretty fine. I wish I could 
 have heard him. But I like to hear it from you, too, 
 Mary," I said. "You think he will be perfectly 
 trustworthy, and that Trix will be all right ? What 
 did he say about that?" 
 
 "He said his little boy would come for Trix about 
 seven-thirty we make an early start. He will have 
 her here by the ( time we get back. He promises to 
 take good care of her and give her a little walk down 
 the trail. They tell me at the hotel that he is a 
 remarkably fine man and absolutely to be trusted. 
 Also the cow puncher who is to escort us to-morrow 
 does not encourage the going down of youngsters. 
 So I guess this is the only solution." 
 
 "Where did you say that Powell book is?" asked 
 Mary. 
 
 "It's too late to-night," said her father. "Go to 
 bed now and we'll take Major Powell down to the 
 bottom of the canon and read him while we are 
 resting. Good night, everybody." 
 
 "Oh, Mother, must I ? I am not a bit sleepy or 
 tired." 
 
 "Good night, everybody," was the only answer. 
 
CHAPTER III 
 
 ON DONKEY BACK TO THE BOTTOM OF THE CANON 
 
 , Mother, Mother, I never did see anything 
 so funny. Oh, I am so glad I can wear my gym 
 bloomers. You must look at yourself. Where's 
 Dad and Dave?" Thus Mary exclaimed on seeing 
 me dressed in the safe and comfortable clothes which 
 the hotel provided for the canon trip. If only they 
 could have been becoming, too! But a large blue 
 denim divided skirt and a big straw hat were not 
 the things I would have chosen to wear. I envied 
 Mary her trim brown bloomers and Dave and his 
 father their trousers and gaiters. 
 
 "Laugh all you like," I remarked. "It is better 
 to make people laugh than cry. Come on we might 
 as well get started." 
 
 "Mother's in a hurry to show off her beautiful 
 riding clothes," laughed Mary. 
 
 "Mother's all right," said Dave stoutly. "She's 
 just as pretty as she can be." 
 
 So with this to comfort me we went out. I was 
 glad to find two other ladies dressed as I was. Mrs. 
 Norton, however, had come fully prepared, and 
 wore a riding suit of corduroy. 
 
 We all went over to the paddock, where were 
 assembled the most wicked looking lot of mules 
 that I have ever seen together. 
 
 A cow puncher, dressed as a cow puncher should, 
 
 29 
 
30 Mary in California 
 
 with woolly chaps, brown shirt, red kerchief, and a 
 Stetson hat, awaited us. He looked us over, asked 
 us whether we were accustomed to riding, and then 
 selected our mounts. There was one large, dark 
 brown creature with one ear up and one down, whose 
 eye had a particularly bad expression. I watched 
 the cow puncher lead him toward me and wished 
 that I was not so heavy and could have had a small, 
 gentle-looking bay mule. But it was not to be. The 
 Doctor and our guide came to my assistance, and 
 before I knew it, I was hoisted up into the saddle 
 of the largest animal. I felt as though I were on 
 top of an elephant. 
 
 Then we started. First came the cow puncher, 
 then Mary, then Mrs. Norton, then I, and the 
 others trailed behind. Mr. Norton and Dave 
 brought up the rear. The mules were inclined to be 
 a little frisky at the start, and playfully kicked their 
 back legs and bit each other. But the guide, Frank 
 lin, assured us that they would behave on the trail. 
 I hoped he was right. 
 
 As we rode slowly toward the cabins at the head 
 of the trail, two small children jumped out of the 
 bushes with a war whoop, which sent our mules into 
 hysterics. It was Trix and her young Indian friend. 
 
 "Oh, Mother, can't I come too ? I'd love to ride 
 on one of those donkeys. Are they donkeys, 
 Mother, or mules ? Can't I come?" 
 
 "Don't speak to Mother. She can't talk and ride 
 too," called out Mary. 
 
 "Good-by, Trix, be ready to take care of us when 
 we come back," said the Doctor. 
 
On Donkey Back to the Bottom of the Canon 31 
 
 The children waved good-by, and then I forgot 
 them and everything as we turned into the trail. 
 
 "Do you remember going down into the Rio 
 Grande Canon?" asked Mary. 
 
 "I wish I were there now," I murmured. 
 
 "Well, I wouldn't do this again for a million 
 dollars," said Mrs. Norton. "And they say it's 
 much worse farther down." 
 
 We seemed to be slowly descending the side of a 
 house on a path just wide enough for one mule at a 
 time and with no parapet, not even a stone, on the 
 side toward the abyss one false step ! 
 
 "Don't be skeered," observed Franklin. "Those 
 mules don't wanter commit suicide. They'll stay 
 on the path. Just leave 'em alone. Don't try to 
 guide 'em. They know how to go better'n you do. 
 They've been down oftener." 
 
 "Thank Heaven I am not a mule," observed some 
 one. 
 
 "Why, Mother, you're not scared, are you?" 
 asked Mary. 
 
 "Scared? I never was so scared in my life. All I 
 can do is to shut my eyes and hold on to the pommel 
 of my saddle." 
 
 "Same here," said Mrs. Norton cheerfully. 
 
 Down, down went the mules, and down went we. 
 After a while I trusted myself to look around. Far 
 below us wound the trail like a thread. We could 
 not see the river yet. All around us were the wild 
 cliffs and mesa-shaped mountains of the canon with 
 their gay colors. There were few trees, and only 
 patches of shrubbery. 
 
32 Mary in California 
 
 We saw some wild burros, or donkeys, climbing 
 up some of the steepest looking precipices. They 
 watched us curiously and then scampered off. Their 
 color was so much like the gray of the cliffs that it 
 was hard to see them. 
 
 Presently Franklin called a halt. The mules' 
 heads were turned toward the chasm and they stood 
 across the trail. The Doctor walked forward, hav 
 ing persuaded Mr. Norton to guard his mule, and 
 joined us. 
 
 "How do you like it?" he asked. "Getting on all 
 right?" 
 
 "Mother's 'frightened out of her wicks,' as Trix 
 used to say," observed Mary. "I think it's great. 
 I say Whoa, where do you think you are going?" 
 she added, as her mule, tempted by a bit of shrub 
 bery that hung over the edge, started after it. 
 
 "Aw, he's all right," said the cow puncher. "He 
 don't want to tumble and kill himself. He just 
 wants a leaf or two for his breakfast. Hi, get back, 
 you sinner," he addressed the mule. "Hi, Jack you 
 fiend, get back where you belong. Pull him back," 
 this to Mary. 
 
 "Pull him back! He's got a mouth like iron. I 
 can't budge him. Oh, let him eat." 
 
 Presently Franklin kicked his mule and started 
 down the trail again. 
 
 "I don't know why I stay on this beast and don't 
 roll off. I feel myself swaying from side to side," 
 observed Mrs. Norton. 
 
 "My mule is wider than the span of a bridge. 
 
THE MULES HEADS WERE TURNED TOWARD THE CHASM 
 (Photo from Kolb Brothers) 
 
See p. 154 
 
 THE PAGEANT AT MILLS COLLEGE 
 
On Donkey Back to the Bottom of the Canon 33 
 
 My legs seem to stick out straight in the air," I 
 replied. 
 
 "Well, we can live till we reach the first level rest 
 ing space, anyway," said Mrs. Norton. u We can 
 stay there if we want to." 
 
 u Do you want to?" asked Mary. 
 
 "I wouldn't think of it," was the chorus. 
 "Imagine going halfway down and then stopping." 
 
 Presently we came to a grassy level place, with 
 some ruined shacks on it. Here every one dis 
 mounted, some gracefully and some with consider 
 able help from Franklin. Those who were accus 
 tomed to riding walked about, but Mrs. Norton and 
 I stretched out on the ground. 
 
 "Will you ever be able to get up again?" mur 
 mured Mrs. Norton. 
 
 "I would prefer a feather bed," I replied. 
 
 Presently the party started again. And now the 
 canon grew wilder and more wonderful. Looking 
 upward, the great cliffs towered above us, immeas 
 urably high, while the depths below seemed just as 
 overpowering. 
 
 "I simply won't ride down that next bend," said 
 Mrs. Norton firmly. "It's impossibly steep and 
 there's no safe side. The trail is like a bridge." 
 
 "Oh, Mother," called Mary, "Mr. Franklin says 
 this is the Devil's Corkscrew, and we've all got to 
 get off." 
 
 "You see, I was right," observed Mrs. Norton. 
 "It couldn't be done." 
 
 "Mr. Franklin says to hang on to your mules. If 
 
34 Mary in California 
 
 you let go they are likely to go home alone,' 1 said 
 Mary. 
 
 "Bad 'cess to them, I wish they would," mur 
 mured Mrs. Norton. 
 
 "But you wouldn't want to walk up all the way, 
 would you?" asked Mary. "I asked Mr. Franklin 
 about the fat woman in skirts who blew down, Mrs. 
 Norton. He said he never heard of her. But he 
 said there was a man who tried to make his mule 
 take a short cut. It was like a tug of war 'cause the 
 mule wouldn't budge. Finally the bridle broke 
 and the man tumbled down the cliff and broke his 
 arm. Mr. Franklin says the mules have lots of 
 
 sense." 
 
 We passed a stream near the bottom, and then the 
 trail broke through a barrier of rocks and there was 
 the Colorado River, brown and turbulent, and flow 
 ing with a mighty current between sandy shores and 
 high crags. 
 
 "And to think that is what made it all," said Mr. 
 Norton, who had joined us. 
 
 "A thousand years here are truly but as yesterday. 
 A river is a wonderful thing, Mary. No nation, 
 however great, could have made this canon, and yet 
 that muddy stream did it all." 
 
 "Could one swim across?" asked Mary. "It's not 
 very wide " 
 
 "Do you remember trying to swim in the Rio 
 Grande?" remarked the Doctor. 
 
 "Well, I guess I do. We just hung on to the 
 rocks for dear life." 
 
 "This has a much stronger current. Come, let's 
 
On Donkey Back to the Bottom of the Canon 35 
 
 sit down and while we eat our lunch, let me read you 
 a bit from Major Powell's adventures." 
 
 "Can't we explore a little first?" asked Dave. 
 
 "No, we'll read and rest and eat and then ex 
 plore," was the answer as his father took a small 
 volume from his pocket. 
 
 "Major Powell," he began, "started with nine 
 men and four boats and went a thousand miles 
 through the canons. Here are some of the dangers 
 he encountered as he tells them in his own journal. 
 
 " 'On this beach we camp for the night. We find 
 a few sticks, which have lodged in the rocks. It is 
 raining hard, and we have no shelter, but kindle a 
 fire and have our supper. We sit on the rocks all 
 night, wrapped in our ponchos, getting what sleep 
 we can. 
 
 " 'August 15. This morning we find we can let 
 down for three or four hundred yards, and it is 
 managed in this way: We pass along the wall, by 
 climbing from projecting point to point, sometimes 
 near the water's edge, at other places fifty or sixty 
 feet above, and hold the boat with a line, while two 
 men remain aboard, and prevent her from being 
 dashed against the rocks, and keep the line from 
 getting caught on the wall. In two hours we have 
 brought them all down, as far as it is possible, in this 
 way. A few yards below, the river strikes with 
 great violence against a projecting rock, and our 
 boats are pulled up in a little bay above. We must 
 now manage to pull out of this, and clear the point 
 below. The little boat is held by the bow obliquely 
 up the stream. We jump in, and pull out only a few 
 strokes, and sweep clear of the dangerous rock. The 
 other boats follow in the same manner, and the 
 rapid is passed. 
 
36 Mary in California 
 
 4 'It is not easy to describe the labor of such navi 
 gation. We must prevent the waves from dashing 
 the boats against the cliffs. Sometimes, where the 
 river is swift, we must put a bight of rope about a 
 rock, to prevent her being snatched from us by a 
 wave ; but where the plunge is too great, or the chute 
 too swift, we must let her leap, and catch her below, 
 or the undertow will drag her under the falling 
 water, and she sinks. Where we wish to run her out 
 a little way from shore, through a channel between 
 rocks, we first throw in little sticks of driftwood, 
 and watch their course, to see where we must steer, 
 so that she will pass the channel in safety. And so 
 we hold, and let go, and pull, and lift, and ward, 
 among rocks, around rocks, and over rocks. 
 
 " 'And now we go on through this solemn, mys 
 terious way. The river is very deep, the canon very 
 narrow, and still obstructed, so that there is no 
 steady flow of the stream; but the waters wheel, and 
 roll, and boil, and we are scarcely able to determine 
 where we can go. Now, the boat is carried to the 
 right, perhaps close to the wall; again, she is shot 
 into the stream, and perhaps is dragged over to the 
 other side, where, caught in a whirlpool, she spins 
 about. We can neither land nor run as we please. 
 The boats are entirely unmanageable; no order in 
 their running can be preserved; now one, now an 
 other, is ahead, each crew laboring for its own pres 
 ervation. In such a place we come to another rapid. 
 Two of the boats run it perforce. One succeeds in 
 landing, but there is no foothold by which to make 
 a portage, and she is pushed out again into the 
 stream. The next minute a great reflex wave fills 
 the open compartment; she is water-logged, and 
 drifts unmanageable. Breaker after breaker rolls 
 over her, and one capsizes her. The men are 
 thrown out; but they cling to the boat, and she 
 
On Donkey Back to the Bottom of the Canon 37 
 
 drifts down some distance, alongside of us, and we 
 are able to catch her. She is soon bailed out, and the 
 men are aboard once more ; but the oars are lost, so 
 a pair from the Emma Dean is spared. Then for 
 two miles we find smooth water. 
 
 " 'Clouds are playing in the canon to-day. Some 
 times they roll down in great masses, filling the 
 gorge with gloom; sometimes they hang above, from 
 wall to wall, and cover the canon with a roof of im 
 pending storm; and we can peer long distances up 
 and down this canon corridor, with its cloud-roof 
 overhead, its walls of black granite, and its river 
 bright with the sheen of broken waters. Then, a 
 gust of wind sweeps down a side gulch, and, making 
 a rift in the clouds, reveals the blue heavens, and 
 a stream of sunlight pours in. Then, the clouds 
 drift away into the distance and hang around crags, 
 and peaks, and pinnacles, and towers, and walls, and 
 cover them with a mantle that lifts from time to time 
 and sets them all in sharp relief. Then, baby clouds 
 creep out of side canons, glide around points, and 
 creep back again, into more distant gorges. Then, 
 clouds, set in strata, across the canon, with inter 
 vening vista views, to cliffs and rocks beyond. The 
 clouds are children of the heavens, and when they 
 play among the rocks, they lift them to the region 
 above. 
 
 " 'It rains ! Rapidly little rills are formed above, 
 and these soon grow into brooks, and the brooks 
 grow into creeks, and tumble over the walls in in 
 numerable cascades, adding their wild music to the 
 roar of the river. When the rain ceases, the rills, 
 brooks, and creeks run dry. The waters that fall, 
 during a rain, on these steep rocks, are gathered at 
 once into the river; they could scarcely be poured in 
 more suddenly, if some vast spout ran from the 
 clouds to the stream itself. When a storm bursts 
 
3 8 Mary in California 
 
 over the canon, a side gulch is dangerous, for a 
 sudden flood may come, and the inpouring waters 
 will raise the river, so as to hide the rocks before 
 your eyes. 
 
 " 'Early in the afternoon, we discover a stream 
 entering from the north, a clear, beautiful creek, 
 coming down through a gorgeous red canon. We 
 land, and camp on a sand beach, above its mouth, 
 under a great, overspreading tree, with willow- 
 shaped leaves/ 
 
 "That gives you a pretty good idea of some of 
 the things Powell had to contend with. He finally 
 lost a boat and three of his party deserted. But he 
 was not one to turn back." 
 
 4 Why did he do it, Dad ?" asked Dave. "I mean, 
 what was the good of it?" 
 
 "Well, if it were not for men like Powell, how 
 do you suppose geographies could be made, and 
 natural histories written and botanies composed? 
 That is the practical use of it. But can't you imagine 
 how a man feels who has gone to places that no eye 
 but his has seen and no other foot has trod ? Do you 
 know Kipling's poem, 'The Explorer' ? 
 
 ' 'Till a voice, as bad as Conscience, rang interminable changes 
 On one everlasting Whisper day and night repeated so: 
 "Something hidden. Go and find it. Go and look behind the 
 
 Ranges 
 Something lost behind the Ranges. Lost and waiting for you. 
 
 Go!'" 
 
 "You know you loved to ride off alone in New 
 Mexico last summer, Dave. You were always want 
 ing to explore." 
 
 "Oh, Dad, it must have been glorious to do what 
 Powell did," said Mary. 
 
On Donkey Back to the Bottom of the Canon 39 
 
 "Did he find any bones and things?" asked Dave. 
 
 "He found pueblo ruins and pottery. He tells 
 about it in a short and amusing chapter." 
 
 We had finished our lunch by this time, and were 
 glad to listen to a little more of Powell's romance. 
 
 * 'Late in the afternoon I return, and go up a 
 little gulch, just above this creek, about two hun 
 dred yards from camp, and discover the ruins of 
 two or three old houses, which were originally of 
 stone, laid in mortar. Only the foundations are left, 
 but irregular blocks, of which the houses were con 
 structed, lie scattered about. In one room I find an 
 old mealing stone, deeply worn, as if it had been 
 much used. A great deal of pottery is strewn 
 around, and old trails, which in some places are 
 deeply worn into the rocks, are seen. 
 
 " 'It is ever a source of wonder to us why these 
 ancient people sought such inaccessible places for 
 their homes. They were, doubtless, an agricultural 
 race, but there are no lands here, of any consider 
 able extent, that they could have cultivated. To the 
 west of Oraiby, one of the towns in the "Province 
 of Tusayan," in Northern Arizona, the inhabitants 
 have actually built little terraces along the face of 
 the cliff, where a spring gushes out, and thus made 
 their sites for gardens. It is possible that the an 
 cient inhabitants of this place made their agricultural 
 lands in the same way. But why should they seek 
 such spots ? Surely the country was not so crowded 
 with population as to demand the utilization of so 
 barren a region. The only solution of the problem 
 suggested is this : We know that, for a cen 
 tury or two after the settlement of Mexico, 
 many expeditions were sent into the country 
 now comprised in Arizona and New Mexico, for 
 the purpose of bringing the town-building people 
 
40 Mary in California 
 
 under the dominion of the Spanish government. 
 Many of their villages were destroyed, and the 
 inhabitants fled to regions at that time unknown; 
 and there are traditions, among the people who 
 inhabit the pueblos that still remain, that the 
 canons were these unknown lands. Maybe these 
 buildings were erected at that time; sure it is that 
 they have a much more modern appearance than the 
 ruins scattered over Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Ari 
 zona, and New Mexico. Those old Spanish con 
 querors had a monstrous greed for gold, and a won 
 derful lust for saving souls. Treasures they must 
 have; if not on earth, why, then, in heaven; and 
 when they failed to find heathen temples, bedecked 
 with silver, they propitiated Heaven by seizing the 
 heathen themselves. There is yet extant a copy of 
 a record, made by a heathen artist, to express his 
 conception of the demands of the conquerors. In 
 one part of the picture we have a lake, and near by 
 stands a priest pouring water on the head of a na 
 tive. On the other side, a poor Indian has a cord 
 about his throat. Lines run from these two groups 
 to a central figure, a man with beard, and full Span 
 ish panoply. The interpretation of the picture writ 
 ing is this: "Be baptized, as this saved heathen; 
 or be hanged, as that damned heathen." Doubtless, 
 some of these people preferred a third alternative, 
 and, rather than be baptized or hanged, they chose 
 to be imprisoned within these canon walls.' ' 
 
 "Those poor Indians," remarked Mary. "Do 
 you remember that story, 'The House of the Dawn/ 
 we read last winter, and how the Spaniards forced 
 the Indians to work in the mines and beat them and 
 made them slaves?" 
 
 "That was a bully story," said Dave. 
 
 "It wasn't only the Spaniards that treated the 
 
On Donkey Back to the Bottom of the Canon 41 
 
 Indians badly. Only they had a gentler, finer type 
 of people to deal with, and that made their cruelty 
 more inexcusable. If it had been the Apaches now 
 but it is hard to forgive them their treatment of 
 the Hopis and the Pueblos. Well, I suppose we 
 must be going up soon. Certainly from here we 
 would never believe in the wonderful sights above 
 us. This looks very much like our old friend the 
 Rio Grande, only on a bigger scale." 
 
 Mary and Dave jumped up and ran to the river. 
 The current was of great swiftness and the water a 
 dirty gray-brown color. There was a sandy beach 
 where we had been sitting, but great rocks stood up 
 here and there, and farther downstream the cliffs 
 came down to the water's edge. It was a wild spot. 
 Mary threw a stick into the water and watched it 
 rapidly disappear. 
 
 u My, I'd hate to be caught in that," said Dave, 
 tossing a stone in. "I bet it is swifter than the Rio 
 Grande. I don't see how that Powell bunch ever got 
 down. But I would like to try it in a small aero 
 plane. I bet it could be done." 
 
 Franklin now approached and wanted to know if 
 we were rested and ready for the up trip. "It's 
 about time we started," he remarked. 
 
 u Do you come from these parts?" asked the 
 Doctor. 
 
 "No, I came from Wyoming. I haven't been here 
 more'n a couple of years. But my wife, she likes it 
 here. It was kinder lonesome out on the cattle lands, 
 she thought. We see more folks here. It pays well, 
 too, I ain't kicking. It's a matter of riding up and 
 
42 Mary in California 
 
 down instead of on the level, that's all. And I 
 kinder like these old mules. They have more sense 
 than a horse." 
 
 "But you can't well make friends of them as you 
 can with a horse, can you?" asked Mary. "I know 
 I never could love this old fiend as I did my horse in 
 New Mexico, Jim Snort." 
 
 Franklin indulged in a hearty guffaw. "Make 
 friends with a mule? Well, land sakes, no. But 
 when you're choosing your friends you don't just 
 aim to find something with sense, do you? The 
 mule, he always looks out for number one, that's 
 where the sense comes in. But a horse, he's folks. 
 You can love a horse. I had a broncho back in 
 Wyoming. He was a beaut and no mistake. He 
 saved my life for me in a blizzard once. We were 
 out on the plains trying to round up some lost cat 
 tle and the storm caught us. I lost my way, hadn't 
 any idea where we were. I just let Pinto have his 
 way and walked beside him. When I got tired he'd 
 wait for me, and once when I rolled over and wanted 
 to sleep, he pushed me and nuzzled me and half 
 pulled me up. He knew I mustn't stay there, for 
 it meant freezing to death. And he finally got me 
 back to the ranch." 
 
 "Oh, how could you leave him in Wyoming?" 
 said Mary. 
 
 "He was shot by a fool who thought he was hunt 
 ing big game. Get ap, Tom, we'll never get to the 
 top," and Franklin kicked his mule lustily in the 
 ribs. 
 
 I don't know which was worse, going up or com- 
 
On Donkey Back to the Bottom of the Canon 43 
 
 ing down. I never dared look back, but at least we 
 knew that every step was bringing us nearer the end 
 and the mules were tired and less inclined to be 
 playful. 
 
 "I am sure Trix never could have done it," I said. 
 
 "Don't you believe it, Mother. She would have 
 tried to gallop," Mary answered. 
 
 "You're right, my dear," observed Mrs. Norton. 
 "Trix is capable of anything. Heigh-ho, I am glad 
 I've done it, but I wouldn't go again for a million." 
 
 "I wonder what she has been doing all day," re 
 marked Mary. "That little Indian boy looked aw-* 
 fully jolly." 
 
 "I wish I'd stayed up," said Dave. 
 
 "Now, Dave, you don't. It was wonderful, and 
 aren't the mules fun?" 
 
 "I'd rather go down on an aeroplane. Say, 
 wouldn't that be great?" 
 
 "I suppose you'd run it," suggested Mary. 
 
 "I bet I could learn how if some one taught me. 
 Anyhow, just think of swooping down." 
 
 "I am afraid you wouldn't swoop down more 
 than once, Dave, my boy," interrupted Mrs. Nor 
 ton. "It would be a pretty daring aviator who 
 would try to land down there." 
 
 We stopped before the last steep ascent to rest the 
 mules. Dave slipped off his and sat down on the 
 ground. 
 
 "I am thinking that you like the seat of an aero 
 plane better than the saddle of a mule, is that so?" 
 called Mrs. Norton. 
 
 "Here, boy, hold on to that bridle," called Frank- 
 
44 Mary in California 
 
 lin. But alas, his call came too late. Dave's small 
 gray animal departed rapidly up the trail. 
 
 u He doesn't seem to need resting!" observed 
 Dave in disgust. 
 
 At that moment we heard a yell and a whoop from 
 above. 
 
 "Trix," suggested Mr. Norton. 
 
 When we turned the next curve in the trail, there 
 were Trix and her small Indian friend calmly sitting 
 on the runaway mule, who was eating his afternoon 
 tea from the side of the trail. 
 
 "Hi, that's my donkey," called Dave. 
 
 Instantly, amid squeals of delight, the two young 
 sters dug their heels into the sides of their steed, 
 who started upward. Dave rushed in pursuit and 
 tried to catch the tail of the mule. 
 
 "For the love of Pete keep away from his back 
 legs," yelled Franklin, and we all joined in the 
 chorus, "Keep away from his back legs." 
 
 Dave jumped back just in time to avoid the heels 
 that struck out. Then the mule, with his double 
 burden, proceeded, the rest followed, and Dave 
 slowly walked behind. He was muttering some 
 thing about an aeroplane being much better. 
 
 There had been a photograph taken of our de 
 scent. A man had climbed up an unbelievable preci 
 pice and had snapped the party. We found the pic 
 tures waiting for us at the top. 
 
 "Mother, now you see how you look," said Mary. 
 
 "Don't you worry your mother now, Mary," said 
 Mrs. Norton. "She's a good sport. You didn't 
 look so beautiful yourself for all you had bloomers 
 

 
 On Donkey Back to the Bottom of the Canon 45 
 
 and a middy blouse. These young folks always think 
 they look fine. Your mother looks as though she 
 wasn't as used to mules as to some other method 
 of locomotion aeroplanes maybe. Trix, what have 
 you been doing all day?" she ended, as we joined 
 the runaway and his two riders. 
 
 "We had a wonderful time and oh, Mother! 
 Can't we ride back by the cabin and leave Tom? 
 Please, please do." 
 
 "Is it far out of the way?" I asked. "I would 
 like to thank your friends, but I am tired." 
 
 "No, it's hardly any farther." 
 
 So the Doctor, Mary, and I rode with Trix to a 
 little house of logs that made us think of our dearly 
 loved cabin in New Mexico. We heard a low sing 
 ing as we approached. 
 
 "Puva, puva, puva," some one seemed to be 
 saying. 
 
 In front of the cabin sat a beautiful Indian girl, 
 dressed in very simple American clothes, apparently 
 lulling to sleep a small baby lying in her lap. 
 
 "That's his mother and the baby," said Trix. 
 
 The woman arose as we came up, and greeted us. 
 
 "Thank you so much for taking care of our little 
 girl," said the Doctor. "You have been most kind." 
 
 "It was only a pleasure," was the answer. "She 
 and Tom have had much fun together. Tuvevol, do 
 not forget your bow and arrows," she added to Trix. 
 
 "Is that your Indian name, Trix?" I asked. 
 "What does it mean?" 
 
 "Butterfly girl," answered Trix. "Where is the 
 bow?" 
 
46 Mary In California 
 
 "That is a pretty name, Tuvevol. We'll have to 
 use it ourselves, when Trix is very good. What was 
 the song you were singing when we came up?" 
 
 "That is a lullaby. Would you like to hear it? 
 Your little girl thought it was very nice and funny." 
 
 "Oh, please sing it for us," cried Mary. 
 
 "I will say first what it means. Puva is sleep 
 
 " 'Sleep, sleep, sleep, 
 In the trail the beetles 
 On each other's backs are sleeping, 
 So on mine, my baby, thou ' 
 
 "In Hopi land the beetles carry each other on 
 their backs, and we say they are blind and sleeping. 
 So the Hopi mothers carry their babies on the back 
 and sing them to sleep. 
 
 " 'Puva, puva, puva, 
 Hohoyawu, 
 Shulepo, pave-e 
 Na ikwiokiango, 
 Puva, puva, puva.'" 
 
 "Won't you sing it again?" asked the Doctor. 
 "It is fascinating." 
 
 She sang it once more and then her husband came 
 up. 
 
 Again we thanked them both for their kindness. 
 
 "Do you leave to-night?" asked the Indian. 
 
 "Alas, yes. I wish we could stay longer and drive 
 out to the painted desert. I have always wished to 
 see it." 
 
 "Why do they call it that?" asked Trix. 
 
 "Because of the beautiful colors, Tuvevol," an 
 swered the Indian. "In the morning it is like the 
 
On Donkey Back to the Bottom of the Canon 47 
 
 dew when the sun shines through it, and in the 
 evening it is like the rainbow. We are sorry that 
 you are going so soon. There is much that I would 
 like to teach this little one. Also there are many 
 things concerning my people that I would like to 
 talk over with you." 
 
 "I certainly wish we could. But our reservations 
 have been made long in advance and we are due in 
 California very shortly. Thank you again." 
 
 "Then good-by, Tuvevol," he said, turning to 
 Trix. "Come again to see us." 
 
 Trix threw her arms around him and gave him a 
 good hug. Then she proceeded to embrace his wife, 
 but when she turned to find her boy playmate^ he 
 had disappeared. 
 
 "Tom is afraid to be thought like a woman who 
 kisses," said the Indian, smiling. "I will tell him 
 that you said good-by." 
 
 Then Trix picked up her bow and arrows and 
 showed us a lovely piece of pottery that had been 
 given her, and we departed regretfully. 
 
 "They are fine people," said the Doctor. "I 
 heard at the hotel that they are both college gradu 
 ates, and are doing a lot of good among their 
 people." 
 
 "I just love them," said Trix. "We had such 
 fun and they had such funny things to eat. I learned 
 how to shoot, but I couldn't shoot as far as Tom." 
 
 "I am sorry it is all over, but I am glad to get off 
 this beast," I said as we dismounted in front of the 
 hotel. "Now for a few minutes' rest and then we're 
 on our way again." 
 
 
48 Mary in California 
 
 "Mother, I wish I'd shown that Indian my ring," 
 said Mary. 
 
 "Your father forbade your showing it to any 
 one," I replied. 
 
 "But he is so friendly. And he went to college " 
 
 "So was Mateo friendly, the Indian boy in New 
 Mexico to whom you showed the ring. And see 
 what happened. You were captured by Indians and 
 lots of trouble came to lots of people." 
 
 "I would like to know more about it, and why 
 Lobo wore it around his neck on that curious red and 
 black cord. I wonder if El Lobo really died?" 
 
 "Of course he did. They wouldn't have given us 
 the ring if he hadn't." 
 
 "Well, he wasn't dead when they took him off the 
 train," remarked Dave. "I bet we haven't seen the 
 last of him." 
 
CHAPTER IV 
 
 A FOREST FIRE NEAR LOS ANGELES 
 
 WE are really on the last lap of our journey 
 west," announced the Doctor, as the train 
 left Williams. 
 
 "When will we be in Los Angeles, Daddy ?" asked 
 Mary. 
 
 u To-morrow, soon after lunch, if the fates are 
 good," answered Mrs. Norton. "Then hurrah for 
 home! And we'll give you a really good California 
 dinner. You will certainly eat with us and go to,a 
 show, won't you?" 
 
 "Well, I don't know about the show part, but we 
 would love to eat with you." 
 
 At that moment Mr. Norton approached waving 
 a newspaper. 
 
 "My dear, there may not be any Los Angeles by 
 the time we get there," he called. "There are big 
 forest fires in the San Gabriel Canon and also north 
 at Tejunga Canon and beyond near San Fernando." 
 
 "Fred, what do you mean?" asked his wife. 
 "You must be fooling. Los Angeles could not be in 
 danger." 
 
 "No, not really. But the fires in the mountains 
 are very bad the worst in years. I am worried 
 about Jack's ranch in the Little Tejunga." 
 
 49 
 
50 Mary in California 
 
 "Who's Jack?" asked Dave. "Oh, Dad, do get 
 us a paper." 
 
 "Jack is Mr. Norton's nephew," answered Mrs. 
 Norton. "But, Fred, that's terrible. How about 
 the watershed at Arroyo Seco, and the pleasure 
 parks?" 
 
 "The fire marshal thinks they are safe. But peo 
 ple are fleeing to Aruza from the San Gabriel 
 Canon." 
 
 "How soon can we see it? Can we see it from 
 the train?" demanded Dave eagerly. 
 
 "What is it, what is it?" clamored Trix, who had 
 not heard the beginning of the conversation. "Will 
 it stop the train? Will it eat us up?" 
 
 "It's a big fire in the woods," answered Dave. "A 
 great big fire." 
 
 "Where? I want to see it," cried Trix. 
 
 "You won't see it till to-morrow, probably," an 
 swered her father. 
 
 "The paper says the wind is blowing from the 
 northeast, so you may not see it till nearly noon to 
 morrow," added Mr. Norton. "But the air is full 
 of fine ashes in Pasadena, and even as far as Santa 
 Barbara." 
 
 "You won't get a very fine view of Los Angeles, 
 I'm thinking," said Mrs. Norton. "I am so sorry. 
 For the mountains around the city are beautiful." 
 
 "Oh, but think of seeing a real forest fire !" Mary 
 put in. 
 
 "I doubt if you see anything but a thick cloud of 
 smoke," said Mr. Norton. 
 
 "Bless the kids," added Mrs. Norton. "I be- 
 
A Forest Fire Near Los Angeles 51 
 
 lieve they are thinking of something between a vol 
 cano and a bonfire. Unless you are actually on the 
 firing line, you'd have to be up in an aeroplane to 
 see any flames. " 
 
 "Oh, Dad, can't we go up in an aeroplane?" asked 
 Dave eagerly. 
 
 "Mother, could we?" Mary echoed. 
 
 "If that isn't the modern child! Do you want an 
 orchestra seat provided, and do you think you are 
 going to a movie?" said Mrs. Norton. 
 
 "Well, I wish it was to-morrow," observed Dave. 
 "I bet we'll see more than you think." 
 
 The day seemed a long one. Mrs. Norton and 
 Trixy were the most peaceful in appearance, for 
 Mrs. Norton was finishing a pink knitted baby 
 blanket "For Jack's youngest," she said and Trix 
 was absorbed in a fortune-telling box. She busily 
 rolled the little shot to and fro in the box, and when 
 one would come to rest in a hole called out to one 
 of the older members of the party to tell her what 
 it meant. For to Trixy reading was slow and pain 
 ful. She could spell out "Not I, said the dog. 
 Not I, said the cat. I will, said the little red hen." 
 But telling her own fortune was too difficult. 
 
 "Trixy, I don't believe you know what it all 
 means," said Mary. "I won't read it for you any 
 more. You can't care about it." 
 
 "But I do. Mrs. Norton, you do it," demanded 
 Trix. "What does this hole mean? It's number 
 
 six." 
 
 "A fortune awaits you if you are diligent," read 
 Mrs. Norton. 
 
52 Mary in California 
 
 "Yummy Yum," exclaimed Trix joyfully. 
 
 Mrs. Norton looked at her gravely. "I don't 
 think you ought to be so happy," she said finally. 
 "That's very bad." 
 
 "Oh, dear, what does it mean?" asked Trix. 
 
 "I think you are too young to know. Try another, 
 Trix," was the answer. The next hole, number five, 
 told her to beware of a dark man. 
 
 "What does 'beware' mean?" Trix said. 
 
 "Get out of the way, be careful not to go near, 
 something or some one that will hurt you." 
 
 "Does that mean Mr. Norton? He's dark, isn't 
 he?" 
 
 "Not dark enough. I think it means an Indian, 
 or maybe the colored porter," answered Mrs. 
 Norton. 
 
 "I am not afraid of him," exclaimed Trix. "Why, 
 he gave me some chewing gum before lunch, but 
 don't tell Mother," she added in a whisper. 
 
 The next morning, from Barstow on, where the 
 railroad turned toward Los Angeles, Mary, Dave, 
 and Trix fairly glued their faces to the window in 
 the hope of seeing something of the burning forests. 
 Dave declared he could smell smoke as he passed 
 from car to car, after breakfast. 
 
 "Maybe you can, but the wind is strong," said 
 Mr. Norton. "They say the trains down from Santa 
 Barbara are full of fine ashes, in spite of the fact 
 that all the windows are closed." 
 
 "That's the way we're going up, isn't it, Dad?" 
 asked Dave. "We'll surely smell it then. And 
 maybe see it too." 
 
A Forest Fire Near Los Angeles 53 
 
 Later in the morning Mrs. Norton informed us 
 that the mountains which we ought to be seeing were 
 shrouded in the hazy smoke clouds which we could 
 see to the southwest. 
 
 "Where's the smoke, where?" demanded Trix. 
 "I don't see any flames or any red." 
 
 "We are not near enough," the Doctor told 
 her. 
 
 But even when we approached Pasadena and Los 
 Angeles we could see only a smoky haze. At least 
 we had the satisfaction of smelling the fire. The 
 air was laden with it, and with the fine resultant 
 ashes. 
 
 "Oh, you will not be able to see any of our beau 
 tiful mountains," mourned Mrs. Norton. "We are 
 so proud of them. And now you can see literally 
 nothing." 
 
 The Nortons were met at the station by a tall, 
 fair-haired young woman who proved to be a niece, 
 "Jack's wife." And before we parted, we to go to 
 our hotel, and they to their home, we heard that 
 "Jack" had gone up to the canon to help save his 
 home. His wife had brought their two little chil 
 dren back to Los Angeles. 
 
 "Be sure you dine with us to-night, and don't for 
 get the address," said Mr. Norton as we shook 
 hands. 
 
 "And if you hire that aeroplane take me too, 
 Dave," added Mrs. Norton. 
 
 "I don't like Mrs. Norton, she's too fresh," 
 growled Dave as we drove off in a taxi. "And say, 
 Dad, we just must see something of that fire." 
 
 
54 Mary in California 
 
 "I think a forest fire as big as that is a good thing 
 to keep away from/' some one replied. 
 
 It was very hot in the city. The clerk told us that 
 the thermometer had risen twenty degrees owing to 
 the fire. 
 
 We had hardly gotten settled in our rooms and 
 were planning how we would spend the afternoon, 
 when the Doctor was called on the 'phone. Pres 
 ently he poked his head out of the booth and called 
 to me. 
 
 "It's Mr. Norton," he said in a low voice when 
 I joined him. "He says he thinks Dave's right, and 
 that we ought not to miss the sight that we could 
 get near enough and still be out of danger. He 
 wants to know if three of us will come up in 
 his car. He himself will drive. What do you 
 say?" 
 
 What could I say? "Which three?" 
 
 "Gracious, we're not going to the Altar of Sacri 
 fice. I should say you, Dave, and Mary." 
 
 "Isn't it crazy?" I asked. 
 
 "No, of course not. Mr. Norton would not pro 
 pose it." 
 
 "All right, say yes. We can discuss who'll go 
 later." 
 
 "A woman might be in the way, and the Doctor 
 might be especially valuable," I thought as I joined 
 the children. 
 
 "Mary, run upstairs quick and put on your 
 bloomers. Mr. Norton is going to take you and 
 Dave and Daddy out to see the fire." 
 
 There was no need for a second bidding. 
 
A Forest Fire Near Los Angeles 55 
 
 "Why can't I go? I want to go, Mother/' was 
 Trix's cry. 
 
 "You and I are going to stay behind," I answered. 
 "Maybe we can go to see Mrs. Norton." 
 
 The Doctor joined us. "Well, what's decided?" 
 
 "You and Dave and Mary are to go." 
 
 "Nonsense, I want you to go." 
 
 "Now, don't be foolish, my dear," I answered. 
 "It's a chance of a lifetime for the children. And 
 if anything happened you would be more useful than 
 I. So it's all decided. But do put on something old 
 your Grand Canon clothes. Mary has gone up to 
 change." 
 
 Almost before we were ready, Mr. Norton ap 
 peared. 
 
 "Who's going?" he asked. 
 
 "The Doctor, Mary, and Dave," I answered. 
 
 "I guessed it. Mrs. Norton said to tell you and 
 Trix to come over and stay with her. She has some 
 thing planned for you." 
 
 I said we accepted with pleasure. 
 
 The next minute Mary and Dave had given me 
 frantic hugs and the Doctor had kissed me good-by. 
 
 "Don't be worried," was Mr. Norton's parting 
 remark, "I'm a very safe driver and I won't run 
 any risks." 
 
 Presently Trix and I issued forth, and after a 
 short walk found Mrs. Norton, her niece, Mrs. 
 Jack, a lively little girl of five, and a baby who "looks 
 like my big doll you wouldn't let me bring," as Trix 
 said. 
 
 Mrs. Jack and Trix were both in a state of half 
 
56 Mary in California 
 
 rebellion at not being allowed to join the party who 
 were going up the canon. Mrs. Norton and I ap 
 peared outwardly calm, though I know that we both 
 were sorry to be left behind. 
 
 Trix and small Antoinette played together in the 
 garden, while Mrs. Norton and her niece invited 
 me to wander about the streets to see the sights. 
 
 "It's a shame you can't see the mountains," ob 
 served Mrs. Jack. "We have such lovely ranges. 
 But that's just where the fires are. Our canon, the 
 Little Tejunga, seems to be in a good deal of danger. 
 Of course I can't help being worried to have my 
 husband up there without me. But he said he would 
 feel freer to work if I were here with the young 
 
 sters." 
 
 "Children do seem to be dreadfully in the way 
 sometimes," remarked Mrs. Norton. "I know you 
 two mothers are wishing yours were somewhere in 
 the heavenly regions." 
 
 "Well, not quite so far as that," I laughed. 
 
 "You bad, bad mothers. Here am I with the one 
 member of my family gone to the fire, and I am not 
 complaining, while you are grumbling and yet have 
 your babes here to comfort you." 
 
 "Well, why didn't you go?" asked Mrs. Jack, a 
 little crossly. 
 
 "Because, my love, having gone through one for 
 est fire I can get along quite well without another. 
 They really are quite terrifying." 
 
 "When did you go through one, Auntie?" asked 
 her niece. 
 
 "I was on the last train that got through in a big 
 
A Forest Fire Near Los Angeles 57 
 
 fire in Canada once. It nearly burned the roof over 
 our heads, and we could hardly move for the poor 
 wood creatures that were trying to escape along the 
 track. It was like being in a stove, and you know 
 my warm Irish heart doesn't need any extra heat. 
 I always preferred Daniel's lion den to the fiery fur 
 nace of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. And 
 the roar of it ! It was frightful. Then I can't bear 
 to see the wonderful trees go. They seem to totter 
 and fall like soldiers in a battle." 
 
 "I wonder how this one started. Some one was 
 careless, I suppose." 
 
 "People are so wicked in their carelessness," burst 
 out Mrs. Jack. "Think of the glory of our forests, 
 not to mention the pleasant homes and the possible 
 injury to people caused by this fire. And some 
 fool was probably out camping and thought he'd 
 put his fire out. Or maybe he didn't even do that 
 much. It's sickening." 
 
 We wandered through the streets of that city 
 of pleasant and hospitable homes. But the hot, 
 smoky haze from the fire seemed to be heavy on 
 us all. 
 
 "It must be terrible up in the mountains," shud 
 dered Mrs. Norton. "Let us go home and find the 
 children." 
 
 "When do you expect our tourists back again?" 
 I asked. 
 
 "Well," replied Mrs. Norton, "if the Doctor is 
 the man I take him for, and something like my 
 husband, they'll come back when the gasoline gives 
 out or their stomachs cry cupboard too loudly. They 
 
58 Mary in California 
 
 won't go where it's too dangerous ; that is, where the 
 boys are fighting with the shovel, and maybe the fact 
 that Mary and Dave are along will make them cau 
 tious, too. But they will go where there is some 
 thing doing or I am much mistaken. I hope they 
 will pick up Jack and bring him home." 
 
 We found Trix and Antoinette making mud pies, 
 with the usual result of dirty clothes. But such won 
 derful chocolate-colored cakes as they had made! 
 It made us hungry to look at them. 
 
 "Let's have some tea," said Mrs. Jack. "I think 
 we may be having a late dinner." 
 
 "My dear, we won't wait for the auto party," 
 answered Mrs. Norton. "But I have no objection 
 
 to tea now." 
 
 "How far is it up to the canon?" I asked. 
 
 "Well, I should say about twenty-five miles. But 
 distances really mean very little to me when I'm in 
 an auto. It may be farther. I fancy they'll 'step on 
 the gas,' as the boys say. It's a pity that Dave 
 didn't get his aeroplane," replied Mrs. Norton. 
 
 About half past seven in the evening I decided 
 that Trix and I had better go back to our hotel. 
 Mrs. Norton urged us to stay all night, but I felt 
 that there would be a houseful should Mr. Jack 
 return. Antoinette had already gone upstairs with 
 her mother. 
 
 "When shall you begin to worry?" I asked Mrs. 
 Norton, as we said good-by. 
 
 "I don't intend to worry. I have a stirring novel, 
 and if I can keep Mrs. Jack from worrying all will 
 go well. It isn't as though this fire were an unex- 
 
A Forest Fire Near Los Angeles 59 
 
 pected danger that would leap up at them. They 
 can't miss it, and they don't have to stay with it z 
 as the real fire fighters do." 
 
 It was nearly midnight when the 'phone in my 
 room rang. My windows were on the north side, 
 and I could see the dull red in the sky, toward the 
 mountains. I was glad to hear the 'phone, and more 
 than glad when the Doctor's voice came from the 
 other end. 
 
 "We're here, and safe, and we'll be right home. 
 I certainly feel like a wretch to have kept you worry 
 ing all this time. Forgive us. We'll be right back 
 as soon as we can get a taxi." 
 
 "Where's the auto?" I asked. 
 
 "In ashes on the mountain, I guess." 
 
 And I had to wait twenty minutes before the wan 
 derers returned to explain the fate of the car. They 
 were so hungry that they simply had to be fed before 
 answering questions, although Mary could hardly 
 eat in her eagerness to tell me all about it. Dave 
 was half asleep, and rolled into bed after drinking 
 a glass of milk. 
 
 "Well, we certainly saw the fire," laughed Mary. 
 "Mother, it was wonderful and terrible, and I al 
 most wish I hadn't seen it. We brought Mr. Jack 
 back with us. He's so nice, Mother, and such fun. 
 But he ought not to have stayed so long. You see, 
 he couldn't tell from his house how near the fire 
 was coming. But we could. And besides, we were 
 told by one of the rangers. We just had to go after 
 him." 
 
 "But how about the car?" I asked. "And how 
 
60 Mary in California 
 
 did you get home? And Mary, you simply must go 
 to bed. It's after twelve." 
 
 u But I want to tell you. I can't sleep, any 
 way." 
 
 "You've had your fun to-day, Mary," said her 
 father. "Now go to bed, even if you can't 
 sleep." 
 
 "We will all go soon," I added. "But I must 
 hear about the car first." 
 
 "We did not realize," began the Doctor, "just 
 how bad things were; there was such a heavy pall 
 of smoke over everything. It was getting pretty 
 hot, and I felt that we ought not to go on much 
 farther. I was worried a little about the children, 
 and I knew you would be troubled. The road was 
 in perfectly good condition, but of course we couldn't 
 see far ahead. It was evident that the canon was in 
 a bad position, though. Mr. Norton was worried 
 about his nephew. Of course he might have left, 
 but we had not met him. Then we met a car coming 
 down, with a couple of men in it, rangers. They 
 advised us to go back. Mr. Norton asked if there 
 were any men up in the camps or cottages above. 
 The rangers answered that they had seen a couple 
 of men up there, one of them they believed was a 
 Mr. Ferris. That was Norton's nephew. We asked 
 if they were coming down or were staying to try to 
 save things. The rangers didn't know. They told 
 us, however, that two of the bridges were down 
 farther on. We held a council of war. 
 
 "I regretted the presence of Mary and Dave 
 more than I can say. I felt that Mr. Norton wanted 
 
A Forest Fire Near Los Angeles 61 
 
 to push on to find his nephew, but did not think he 
 ought to risk it with the children. There did not 
 seem to be any immediate danger. We were running 
 very slowly. The air was heavy with smoke, and as 
 I said before, we could not see far ahead of us. 
 There was a continuous low roar in our ears, but I 
 could realize that it was not loud enough to mean 
 that the fire was very near. 
 
 "At that moment of indecision, we heard shouts 
 and saw a man running toward us down the road. 
 He seemed pretty much excited. As he came nearer, 
 Mr. Norton called out, 'J a dd' I confess I was 
 relieved. Now we need go no farther. Ferris 
 called, 'Where are you going?' as soon as he came 
 near enough to be heard. He was dirty and dishev 
 eled, and looked tuckered out. He told us to get 
 away just as quick as possible. 
 
 "We turned around, but even during the few min 
 utes that it took us to turn things seemed to happen. 
 The roaring suddenly increased, the smoke about 
 half a mile below us seemed suddenly to lift, and a 
 long flame shot across the road. I certainly cursed 
 my foolishness in coming there with the children. 
 Mr. Norton looked pretty white. Jack Ferris ran 
 down the road a little way to see if we could make 
 a run for it. There didn't seem to be much fire fol 
 lowing the first blaze. We saw him beckon to us. 
 There was so much noise we could not hear well. 
 Fortunately for us, it had been a sort of freak fire 
 that had run across the road, a sort of finger from 
 the main fist that was devastating the land about. 
 We could go on. But the finger had written on 
 
62 Mary in California 
 
 our path and the bridge was gone. We tried to get 
 the car around, but could not get it up the far side. 
 So we abandoned it, and climbed up ourselves over 
 the still glowing path of the flames. Fortunately we 
 all had heavy boots on. 
 
 "When we got back on the road again we started 
 down the hill on a dogtrot. We had not gone more 
 than a mile when we heard shouts again, and were 
 overjoyed to meet the two rangers, who had warned 
 us so short a time before. They had seen the fire 
 leap across the road from below, and had come back 
 fearing for our safety. We all piled into their small 
 car. It was getting dusk by that time, owing partly 
 to the heavy smoke. We could also plainly see the 
 flames in the canon above us. 
 
 "The two rangers expressed their opinion of us 
 pretty forcibly, and I guess they were right. I am 
 sure Norton and I felt like a couple of old fools. 
 But I know he was mighty glad to have picked up his 
 nephew. We got away out of the danger zone, and 
 the farther we got the more dangerous it looked. 
 When we'd gone quite a way down, we came to a 
 crossroad, and then the rangers said they would 
 have to leave us. They were going in a different 
 direction. I think they said up to San Fernando or 
 somewhere. 
 
 "There was nothing for it but to pile out and start 
 home on foot. I certainly felt like more kinds of a 
 fool. If only Mary and Dave had stayed at home. 
 The kids were fine. They laughed and sang songs, 
 and Ferris, having swallowed some of his indignant 
 
A Forest Fire Near Los Angeles 63 
 
 astonishment at our being there at all, joined in. So 
 we trudged along, packing our troubles in our old 
 kit bag, or 'Marching as to War/ or 'Taking Our 
 Walking Shoes.' Just as it began to be dark in real 
 earnest, we were picked up by a motor truck that had 
 been taking fire fighters and shovels to some other 
 part of the conflict. 
 
 "The two men in charge certainly were nice to us. 
 They thought we were homeless refugees, and we 
 made Ferris answer all their questions, because he 
 really had cause to be there. He told them and us, 
 too, how he had done everything to save his cottage, 
 but after doing all he could had taken the most valu 
 able possessions and buried them. He could see 
 from the upper story that a streak of fire was gaining 
 some headway below him, so he left in haste. The 
 truck took us to Pasadena, which, by the way, looks 
 like] Herculaneum almost, it is so covered with 
 ashes. In Pasadena we hired a taxi, and came back 
 alive and hungry, as you see, and hoping to be for 
 given. " 
 
 "I must say, I think Mr. Norton ought to be 
 hanged, drawn, and quartered," I said. "The idea 
 of his getting you into such a predicament." 
 
 "I suppose at first he thought there was no danger, 
 and when he found there was, he only thought of his 
 nephew. But I know he feels pretty bad about it. I 
 imagine Mrs. Norton will tell him what she thinks 
 of it." 
 
 "I hope she does. If she doesn't, I will." 
 
 "Is the contrary true?" asked the Doctor. 
 
64 Mary in California 
 
 "Meaning that if she does, I shouldn't? I won't 
 
 promise." 
 
 "But it all ended all right," pleaded the Doctor. 
 "And it was a wonderful experience. Mary and 
 Dave will never forget it. Think how they'll talk 
 about it to the boys and girls at home." 
 
CHAPTER V 
 
 LOS ANGELES 
 
 / X^ HE pall of smoke still hung over the city when 
 * we were awakened late the next morning by 
 the telephone. The Nortons were anxious to know 
 how we were and when we planned to leave, and 
 would we not take a drive with them that morning? 
 
 "I am afraid your wife will think that you have 
 taken enough drives with me. But Mrs. Norton 
 wishes to take the helm this time," said Mr. Nor 
 ton's voice over the 'phone. 
 
 "Well, if she drives maybe you can persuade the 
 Madame to go, but you will have to make your 
 peace with her," replied the Doctor laughingly. 
 
 "What do you say?" he added, turning to me. 
 "Will you take a drive if Mrs. Norton drives?" 
 
 "Really, I don't see the joke," I answered. 
 
 "Oh, Mother, come on, be a sport. Let's have a 
 drive. We are not going to Santa Barbara till after 
 lunch." This from Mary, who had poked her head 
 in at the door at the sound of our voices. 
 
 "All right, providing we go nowhere near the 
 fire," I answered. 
 
 So the plan was made to go, and in about an hour 
 the Nortons arrived in a big touring car. Mr. and 
 Mrs. "Jack" and Mr. and Mrs. Norton were in it, 
 but somehow room was found for our five as well. 
 
 65 
 
66 Mary in California 
 
 Trix and I sat in front with Mrs. Norton, and the 
 rest piled in back. 
 
 Mrs. Norton began at once to condemn the rash 
 ness of the trip of the day before, and presently I 
 found myself more reconciled and more ready to 
 forgive Mr. Norton. t 
 
 Mary and Dave were evidently so full of excite 
 ment and joy at the thought of the danger they had 
 run that I began to feel a little proud. 
 
 "Mother, just think of going into a real forest 
 fire and rescuing somebody," cried Mary. 
 
 "Meaning me?" laughed Mr. Jack. "You 
 know I think you needed rescuing quite as much as I. 
 But if you want some real thrillers, you should have 
 heard some of the yarns I was told down town this 
 morning." 
 
 "Please, please tell us," begged Mary. 
 
 "Well, two men up in the Pocoima Canon worked 
 for two days to save some houses. They started 
 back fires " 
 
 "What are back fires?" asked Mary. 
 
 "I know," broke in Dave. 
 
 "Tell us, then," said his father. 
 
 "Why they dig up the ground and make a trench 
 where nothing could burn." 
 
 "Who is 'they,' and why could nothing burn?" 
 
 "The fire fighters, of course. Nothing could burn 
 because earth won't burn and they leave no grass 
 or bushes or trees in the cleared place. They make 
 it long and in the direct path of the forest fire. Then 
 they start another fire, the back fire, in front of the 
 trench. The flames haven't anything to burn in 
 
Los Angeles 67 
 
 back, so they go forward and meet the real fire. 
 When they meet they go out. The men have to 
 watch the side, though, and be ready with their 
 shovels to whack out any spreading flames. " 
 
 "That's a good description, Dave," said Mr. 
 Jack. "Now, then, as you can imagine, it was 
 quite hard work for these two men to dig and dig 
 steadily for several days. One of the men put a lot 
 of valuable things in his fireplace, and packed them 
 in with fifty bags of cement. The fire was burning 
 just above them, and they could hear the roar of the 
 flames. Suddenly, a great rock was dislodged by the 
 burning of its bed of bushes, and came tumbling 
 down, bringing some hot embers with it. Instantly 
 the woods started burning below the house, and it 
 took several hours of hard work to get it out. 
 
 "In another place fifty fire fighters were almost 
 trapped. They had been working hard with their 
 shovels to keep back the fire in front and at the 
 side, when suddenly one man, stopping to rest, 
 turned around and saw that the fire had crept in be 
 low them and they were entirely surrounded by 
 flames. 
 
 "They worked like mad to keep their island of 
 safety; some of them were scorched by the heat and 
 one fellow had his shoes burned off his feet. The 
 heat was terrible. But somehow they managed to 
 beat back their enemy until the fire died down on one 
 side enough to enable them to escape to a safer 
 place." 
 
 "I don't think I'd like to be a fire warden," said 
 Mary. "We were quite near enough yesterday." 
 
68 Mary in California 
 
 We drove over to Pasadena, "just to show 
 Mother the ashes," as Dave explained. The smoke, 
 too, was heavier here, and a long red tongue of flame 
 could be seen occasionally leaping across some ditch 
 or small canon up in the mountains. 
 
 "We can't see Mt. Lowe," said Mr. Norton. "It 
 is so high that the snow comes early on it and stays 
 till late in the spring. So while the folks here in 
 Pasadena are celebrating their wonderful rose festi 
 val on the first of January, an hour or so away other 
 people are skiing and snowshoeing and coasting." 
 
 "I hate to think of all those beautiful trees up on 
 the hills," said Mrs. Norton. "Let's go back. It 
 is too much like a battlefield full of wounded and 
 dying. We'll take in the Los Angeles mission, and 
 then have an early lunch. The mission is not nearly 
 as beautiful as the one at Santa Barbara which you 
 are soon to see, but it is interesting historically." 
 
 "What's a mission?" asked Trix. 
 
 "Mary, what is a mission?" said the Doctor. 
 
 "Well, I thought a mission was a number of 
 Christian people going to the heathen as mission 
 
 aries." 
 
 "Trix, do you understand?" 
 
 "No, what are heathen?" 
 
 "I think we'll just talk about missions now and 
 forget about the heathen. The missions of Cali 
 fornia were houses like churches, Trix, built some 
 thing like the New Mexican adobe churches. They 
 were built a long time ago by Spanish priests who 
 wanted to teach the Indians how to be Christians 
 and tell them about the Lord Jesus. They gathered 
 

 Los Angeles 69 
 
 all the Indians of the neighborhood together and 
 had schools for the children, and taught the men and 
 women all sorts of useful things. But first of all 
 they taught them to pray. When the mission bells 
 rang every Indian stopped his working and said his 
 prayers." 
 
 "Oh, Daddy, that's like the Angelus picture," 
 cried Mary. "The Angelus called the French peas 
 ants to pray." 
 
 We found the quaint old Los Angeles mission 
 building with its bell towers. 
 
 "It is not as perfect as some of the others, but it 
 is one of the oldest," said Mr. Norton. "Our beau 
 tiful mission buildings were all going to rack and 
 ruin when Helen Hunt Jackson got interested in 
 Indians and historical things generally, and wrote 
 'Ramona.' A number of public-spirited people then 
 formed a club to preserve our old landmarks." 
 
 Presently we returned to the Nortons' house, and 
 while we were waiting for lunch we wandered 
 through the big gardens, with their orange and prune 
 trees. There were still some ripe plum-prunes hang 
 ing from the lower branches, large and luscious. 
 Mary said she liked them much better this way, but 
 Dave and Trix agreed that they preferred them 
 dried, the way they came at home. 
 
 "You can see them being dried all over this part 
 of California and nearly as far as San Francisco," 
 said Mrs. Norton, "if it's drying you want, great 
 fields of them, with their owners praying on every 
 side that the Lord will hold back the rains till the 
 drying is over. 
 
70 Mary in California 
 
 "But come, here is Wu to tell us lunch is ready." 
 
 Sure enough, in the door stood a pleasant-faced, 
 quiet old Chinaman, without his Chinese costume, in 
 spotless white, only wearing the noiseless Chinese 
 slippers. 
 
 Presently, as we sat at lunch, Mary whispered to 
 me, "Mother, he has a cord round his neck just like 
 the one my ring is on." 
 
 "Nonsense, Mary," I answered softly. 
 
 "But it's true," she insisted. "I just caught a 
 glimpse of it. Now look, when he bends over to 
 scrape the crumbs from the table." 
 
 Then I did notice at the back of the man's neck 
 just a glimpse of a narrow cord, black and red, like 
 the one El Lobo had worn. 
 
 "I wish Mr. Norton would ask him what it is. 
 Maybe he knows." 
 
 When the servant went out to get the dessert, 
 Mary whispered to Mr. Norton, u Do you know 
 what the cord is the Chinese man who waits on the 
 table wears around his neck?" 
 
 "What color is it?" said Mr. Norton. 
 
 "Black and red, very curiously woven." 
 
 "I don't know. They have quantities of secret 
 societies. But they really keep them secret. One 
 thing is sure, though. Anything a Chinaman wears 
 means something. How about it, Jack? You know 
 more about such things than I do." 
 
 "Why, I think there is some ancestral, back to 
 China, society, several thousand years old, that has 
 a red and black insignia. I believe they have a queer 
 sort of animal for a mascot or totem symbol. It is 
 
Los Angeles 71 
 
 anti-foreign and anti-Jap. Its chief strength lies in 
 China. Naturally, the men over here don't care so 
 much. They have a legend about a winged animal 
 and a maiden " 
 
 At that moment the silent Wu entered, bringing 
 in a wonderful pastry filled with whipped cream. 
 
 "I hear they have gathered a harvest of rattle 
 snakes up in the mountains," said Mr. Norton, turn 
 ing the conversation. "The oil contained in their 
 bodies is quite valuable. In one place more than a 
 hundred were discovered, their skins uninjured by 
 the fire. Some say the smoke smothered them. 
 Others again say they bite themselves to death to 
 keep from being burned." 
 
 "Huh," said Dave. "I don't believe they bit 
 themselves. How could they? Don't they always 
 strike, after rearing up?" 
 
 "Well, I am not sure that they would, even if they 
 could," remarked Jack Ferris. 
 
 "What do you think, Wu, do the rattlers kill 
 themselves when they are threatened?" 
 
 The servant shook his head. "Snakes very wise," 
 was his only remark. "Rattlesnake he not so wise. 
 He talk too much. Wise fellow strike and kill with 
 out telling." 
 
 With these words Wu disappeared kitchenward. 
 
 "Well," said Mr. Norton, "it looks as though 
 friend Wu heard what we were saying about Chinese 
 secret societies. How did you happen to ask about 
 the cord, Mary?" he added. 
 
 "That's too long a story to tell now," interrupted 
 the Doctor, "especially after Wu's gentle hint." 
 
72 Mary in California 
 
 As we returned to the hotel, "Mary," said her 
 father, "where do you keep the ring?" 
 
 "In a little box in my bag. I sort of hate to wear 
 it after El Lobo I mean the cord and all. He was 
 so dirty." 
 
 "I think I'll take charge of it," said the Doctor. 
 "I can keep the little box in an inside pocket. But 
 I believe I'll send it back East or put it in a bank 
 for safe-keeping in San Francisco." 
 
 "Oh, Dad, put it in the bank. Don't send it by 
 mail again." 
 
 "All right, the bank be it. But for goodness' sake 
 don't ask any more questions about cords and 
 things." 
 
 Early that afternoon we started for Santa Bar 
 bara. The windows and doors of the train were 
 kept shut, but in spite of that, the fine ashes from 
 the forest fire sifted in and the air was hot and thick. 
 
 "I have always wanted to see Santa Barbara," I 
 said. "I think of it as the land of flowers." 
 
 "Well, you may not see as many of them as you 
 hoped for at this time of the year. It is apt to be 
 dry, and the flowers absent. But this has been such 
 an unusual summer with so much rain that we may 
 get some flowers. At least we can see the lovely 
 trees and houses. I have planned to stay at a quaint 
 hotel outside of Santa Barbara right near the beach. 
 You wanted to see Santa Barbara because of the 
 flowers. Well, ever since I was a youngster I've 
 wanted to see the Cave of the Devils, or whatever 
 it is called, out on Santa Cruz Island off the coast 
 here. I've read of it and heard of it and seen pic- 
 
Los Angeles 73 
 
 tures of it and imagined it. And by Jingo, to-mor 
 row I am going to get a launch and go over and see 
 
 it." 
 
 "Won't you take us, Dad?" asked Dave. 
 
 "I won't consider going without you!" laughed 
 the Doctor. "Hurrah for the bounding main to 
 morrow! And then the day after we go on to 
 Frisco." 
 
 We had passed the smoke of the Los Angeles 
 fires by this time, and were passing through rolling 
 country with brown hills, and the high blue moun 
 tains of the Sierras to the far east. To the west lay 
 the great Pacific Ocean, and as we approached Santa 
 Barbara we could catch glimpses of it below us, roll 
 ing in on the sandy beaches, with a white edge of 
 surf. 
 
 We got out at a little station just south of Santa 
 Barbara, and went over to the comfortable and pic 
 turesque hotel, spread out in one-story bungalows. 
 Great palms reared their heads among the high trees, 
 giving the grounds a strange appearance. 
 
 The rooms assigned to us were farthest away 
 from the dining room in the main building. The 
 sound of the surf on the shore could be heard quite 
 plainly, although it was too far to see. Each room 
 had a door that opened on to the grounds. 
 
 "It would be very safe in case of fire," suggested 
 Mary. 
 
 "But how about burglars?" asked Dave. 
 
 "There are none," I answered quickly. 
 
 It had been a hard day, so after we had eaten a 
 delicious supper, Dave and Trix retired. Indeed, 
 
74 Mary in California 
 
 Mary, the Doctor, and I soon followed them. The 
 Doctor and I had the farthest room, then came Dave 
 in a small room, and lastly Mary and Trix. 
 
 "Be sure you lock your door, Mary," were our 
 last good-night words. 
 
 "She has," called Trix from beneath the covers. 
 
 It must have been after midnight when I was 
 awakened by hearing conversation in the children's 
 rooms. The Doctor arose and went in to see what 
 the trouble was. It seemed that Trix had awakened 
 and thought she saw some one moving in the room. 
 She called to know if it was Mary, but Mary had 
 evidently been asleep. The Doctor laughed at her, 
 but Trix stuck to her tale. Her father examined 
 the room and found nothing gone. 
 
 "But why did you not lock your door?" he asked. 
 "We told you to." 
 
 "I did," said Mary. 
 
 "She did," echoed Trix. 
 
 "Well, it's unlocked now. You must be mis 
 taken, and only thought you locked it. At any rate, 
 I have bolted it now and we will leave the doors in 
 between the rooms open. So try to go to sleep." 
 
 I am afraid it was some time before the children 
 followed this good advice. We could hear Trix 
 exclaiming from time to time that she was sure she 
 saw something. But finally every one quieted down. 
 
 "It was strange about that door, though," said 
 the Doctor. 
 

 
 CHAPTER VI 
 
 SMUGGLERS ON THE CHANNEL ISLANDS 
 
 'T^HE next morning Trix was questioned as to the 
 * intruder of the night before. But sleep seemed 
 to have removed all but the vaguest recollections. 
 She was sure there had been some one moving in 
 the room, that was all. The Doctor reported it to 
 the hotel clerk after breakfast and then proceeded 
 to find out how we could best hire a launch to go out 
 to the island of Santa Cruz. It was decided to go 
 in to Santa Barbara first, see the mission, and drive 
 about the town and take a boat from there. 
 
 It was a perfect day, with a calm blue sea stretch 
 ing forever toward the west. Santa Barbara ap 
 peared like a foreign town with its bright sunlit 
 streets, its palms and gardens, its charming low-built 
 houses. The mission was just as we had always 
 pictured it. The two towers with their bells, the 
 smooth walls, the gardens and grounds, all seemed 
 to speak of California's early days, the days of the 
 worthy fathers who braved untold dangers to do 
 their duty as they saw it. Only the church was open 
 to the ladies of the party, and we did not see the 
 mysterious '"forbidden gardens." I would have 
 liked to linger and talk to the old Franciscan who 
 piloted us about and showed us relics in the church. 
 But some of the party were impatient, and before I 
 
 75 
 
7 6 Mary in California 
 
 knew it, almost, we were embarked in a little launch 
 and speeding out over the Pacific. 
 
 The town of Santa Barbara smiled out on us from 
 its background of brown hills and wished us a pleas 
 ant journey, I've no doubt. 
 
 "Who was Father Serra?" asked Mary. "That 
 priest in there at the mission spoke of him several 
 
 times." 
 
 "He was one of the pioneer missionaries of the 
 Franciscan order," I answered. "He lived in the 
 early part of the eighteenth century, and gave up a 
 brilliant career in Spain and Mexico to tramp thou 
 sands of miles on foot to preach to the Indians. 
 There is a story that once when water was scarce 
 and every one else was complaining, some one asked 
 the worthy padre if he did not suffer from thirst. 
 He replied that he had found a secret, which was to 
 eat little and talk less, so as not to waste the saliva. 
 
 "He always traveled on foot, as that was the rule 
 of his order. And besides, he could get into more 
 friendly relations with the Indians that way. Of 
 course he could not carry supplies, and had to de 
 pend largely on the generosity of the savages as he 
 called them." 
 
 "It seems queer that the whites and Indians didn't 
 stay good friends," said Mary. "They began right." 
 
 "The trouble came when the whites decided that 
 the earth belonged to them, and that their red 
 brothers had no rights at all except to a place in 
 heaven," replied her father. "Of course there were 
 some cruel savages, our old friends the Apaches and 
 others. But when one thinks of what our race has 
 

 Smugglers on the Channel Islands 77 
 
 done to the Indians the wrongs seem mostly on the 
 other side. And the worst of it is that the cruelty 
 of the whites came from their desire for gold and for 
 wealth. There was absolutely no excuse for it." 
 
 "Daddy, what's that?" interrupted Trix. 
 
 "What's what?" 
 
 "Over there, like a big mountain." 
 
 "That's the nearest of the island group, Ana- 
 capa," said the man who was running the launch, 
 Captain Danforth. "It is really three islands, but 
 from here it looks like one." 
 
 "How much farther is Santa Cruz?" asked the 
 Doctor. 
 
 "Oh, quite a bit from here. Anacapa is about 
 halfway." 
 
 "What are you going to see on the island?" asked 
 Dave. 
 
 "Are we going to have a picnic?" demanded 
 Trix. 
 
 "We are going to have a picnic and we are going 
 into a big, big cave, much bigger than the one in 
 New Mexico. And we are going to see sea lions 
 and hear the strangest, most awful noises you ever 
 heard!" answered her father. 
 
 "What are sea lions?" asked Dave. "Just what 
 do they look like?" 
 
 "I know," said Mary. "I saw some trained ones 
 last year. They played ball with their noses. They 
 are such funny-looking creatures, with black shiny 
 bodies and tails and big mouths and queer flapper 
 arms. And my, they make the biggest noise. And, 
 oh, they spit!" 
 
 

 78 Mary in California 
 
 "You used to give a lively representation of 
 one, didn't you, in your youth?" I said to the 
 Doctor. 
 
 u Now don't recall my early sins!" he replied. 
 
 "Daddy, do it I" begged Mary. 
 
 And "Daddy, do it," clamored Trix and Dave. 
 
 "I am afraid I would upset the boat," answered 
 their father. "You wait till you've seen the real 
 ones. Then maybe I'll do it for you." 
 
 We passed the wild rocky shores of the Anacapa 
 Islands, where the surf broke on the cliffs in white 
 foam even on such a calm day as this. 
 
 "It looks a little like the Maine coast," said the 
 Doctor. 
 
 "I bet it would be fun to climb on," remarked 
 Dave. "Aren't there lots of caves and things?" he 
 asked Captain Danforth. 
 
 "The island we are heading for has the caves," 
 was the reply. 
 
 "They say Drake came here in the old days when 
 he sailed the Spanish Main," added the Doctor. 
 "And pirates and buccaneers used to hide their booty 
 on Santa Cruz." 
 
 "Aren't you thinking of the islands in the West 
 Indies?" I asked. 
 
 "There were pirates and smugglers here too, 
 Ma'am," said our skipper. "And they do say that 
 many a Chinaman has come in, not so long ago, by 
 way of these islands." 
 
 "Oh, Dad, what fun! Why shouldn't he come 
 in?" asked Dave. 
 
 "Under the Chinese Exclusion Act only certain 
 
Smugglers on the Channel Islands 79 
 
 classes of Chinese were allowed to enter. Both 
 Chinese and Japanese laborers have made them 
 selves unpopular here." 
 
 "Why, Daddy?" Mary demanded. 
 
 "Why is it, Captain Danforth? You're a native, 
 tell the children." 
 
 "Me a native? I came from Cape Cod thirty 
 years ago. I'm no native. But they are right about 
 the Japs and the Chinese. They live on rice and 
 work twenty hours a day. And how can a union 
 man and a white man keep up with them? Why 
 can't they stay at home?" 
 
 "You didn't," remarked Dave. 
 
 Captain Danforth from Cape Cod puffed on his 
 pipe for a moment. "But I don't live on rice," he 
 remarked presently. "Nor I don't work twenty 
 hours a day." 
 
 "I bet you don't," laughed Dave. 
 
 "Dave, you are not being polite," I said. 
 
 And, "You're too fresh," said Mary. 
 
 "Don't you worry, the boy made a catch that 
 time, Ma'am," observed our skipper. "But I'll get 
 even with him yet. So look out for squalls, young 
 man," he added, turning to Dave. 
 
 "Do you know anything about Chinese secret so 
 cieties, Captain Danforth?" asked Mary. 
 
 "Me? Why should I know anything about 'em? 
 As long as they wash my shirts for me, I don't care 
 what they belong to. Let them have their unions. 
 No, I don't know anything about them. Except as 
 I was saying before, I've been told some get in by 
 way of these islands that don't belong here." 
 
8o Mary in California 
 
 "I suppose you never brought a boatload over, 
 did you?" asked the Doctor. 
 
 "Me what would I want with a boatload of 
 Chinamen? or whiskey either," he added with a 
 grin. 
 
 "Oh, Mother," whispered Mary, "do you suppose 
 he smuggles in drinks and things?" 
 
 "Mother, I'm thirsty," broke in Trix, who had 
 caught the words but not their meaning. "Where 
 is something to drink?" 
 
 "Oh, Trix, can't you wait till we have lunch on 
 the island?" said Mary. 
 
 The Doctor took out the thermos bottle and pro 
 ceeded to serve out the water. Then came a cry for 
 food. 
 
 "I am hungry, Mother," said Dave. 
 
 "So am I," echoed Trix. 
 
 A box of crackers was opened. "No more now 
 till lunch," was the order. 
 
 "Not even one sandwich?" begged Dave. 
 
 "Not a crumb. Look, Trix, we are approaching 
 our island." 
 
 "That north end where you see that high mountain 
 is Point Diablo," remarked Captain Danforth. 
 "It's under that end that the Painted Cave is located. 
 Shall we go straight there, Sir?" 
 
 "Let's eat lunch first," was the chorus. 
 
 "All right, Skipper," said the Doctor. "Land 
 us in a good place to cook our bacon and we'll take 
 in the cave afterward. Hullo, isn't that a boat out 
 there before us?" 
 
 " 'Pears to be, a fishing launch I reckon. Or maybe 
 
Smugglers on the Channel Islands 81 
 
 after sea lions. They catch them here occasionally 
 for museums." 
 
 A large launch was anchored off the east coast of 
 the island and several small boats seemed to be ply 
 ing between it and the shore. 
 
 "Are they fishermen?" asked Dave. 
 
 u Do you see those big wooden cages floating in 
 the water?" asked Captain Danforth, replying in 
 true Cape Cod fashion with another question. 
 "They keep the sea lions in them until they get 
 enough to bring their catch ashore. I thought they 
 were lion catchers," he added. 
 
 "Maybe we can see them catch one of the sea 
 lions," cried Dave. "How do they do it?" 
 
 "Well, a lot of cow punchers get together and 
 drive the creatures back into some cave where they 
 can't get away. When the sea lion is cornered he 
 will fight, you bet. As soon as they start to attack, 
 they are roped, just like steers, by the lariat throw 
 ers. Then they are dragged out and put in the 
 cages till enough good ones are caught, when all 
 hands are piped aboard and the captured sea lions 
 are taken back to the mainland. It's pretty danger 
 ous work and sometimes the catchers have to beat 
 a quick retreat. Often the sea lions will bite or tear 
 the rope and get away. They're a queer lot. Al 
 ways screeching and fighting among themselves. 
 They sound like crazy creatures." 
 
 Our boat had by this time got within hailing dis 
 tance of the large launch. 
 
 "That skipper there is a friend of mine," observed 
 Danforth. "I thought they were hunting sea lions. 
 
 
82 Mary in California 
 
 He doesn't appear to have caught any yet, though. 
 Yes, there's one in that cage. Look there, boy." 
 And Dave looked, as .did all the rest of us. 
 
 Sure enough, in one of the floating cages was a 
 screaming black thing, shining and slippery, and 
 churning the water with its tail. 
 
 u Poor thing, why don't they let it go?" said Mary, 
 while Trix clung to her father and whispered, "I 
 am scared." 
 
 "Had any luck?" called Danforth to a rough- 
 looking man on the other boat. 
 
 "Just one. We're waiting till later, or maybe 
 early to-morrow morning to get a real catch." 
 
 "Good luck to you," called Danforth. "I am 
 here on a picnic. We go back soon." 
 
 Then we proceeded on our way and anchored in 
 a large cave, part of which was on land and part 
 over the water. Captain Danforth then took us 
 ashore in the rowboat that had trailed astern of us. 
 
 While the bacon was cooking over a fire that the 
 Doctor made, Mary, Dave, and Trix wandered back 
 on a trail that led up from the cave into a canon. 
 They were gone some time, and lunch was ready and 
 I beginning to get troubled before they returned. 
 Finally we heard cries of joyous excitement, and 
 they rushed down into the cave, Dave first, with 
 Mary helping Trix in the rear. 
 
 "Oh, Dad, we found a wonderful cave," cried 
 Mary. "We followed the trail till it started up a 
 very high place and we decided not to take it. So 
 we struck off on a sort of ledge, and by and by we 
 found a split in the rocks. We looked through this 
 
Smugglers on the Channel Islands 83 
 
 and found there was a big cave below us. It was 
 pretty dark, so that we could only faintly see things. 
 But there must have been some water and some land 
 from the sound of it. And, oh, Dad, we do want 
 to explore it from the water side. It looked awfully 
 big and spooky." 
 
 "Maybe it was the Painted Cave," suggested the 
 Doctor. 
 
 "Which direction is that in?" asked Dave. 
 
 "There has never been an opening found to that," 
 
 served Captain Danforth. 
 
 "Let's have our lunch first, anyway," I said. 
 
 "We tied a handkerchief to a rock on'top so we'd 
 know it from the water," said Dave. 
 
 "You'll never see that from the water below," 
 laughed Danforth. "Why, those rocks some of 
 them are fifteen hundred feet from the water." 
 
 When the last crumb was eaten, Mary and Dave 
 wanted to take the rowboat and explore. But the 
 Doctor insisted that the Painted Cave should be 
 seen first. 
 
 "Can we all go in the boat at one time?" he asked 
 the Captain. 
 
 "Sure, the children don't take up much room," 
 was the reply. 
 
 So we rowed north along the coast till we came 
 to a great arched rock, the entrance to the cave. 
 The place was huge, and the walls apparently 
 painted by some giant hand in yellows, reds and 
 browns, and other colors. 
 
 "Mother, who did it?" cried Dave. "Isn't that 
 eautiful?" 
 
84 Mary in California 
 
 "The salt in the water did it," said the Doctor. 
 "I don't know just-why it does it here and nowhere 
 else in these coast caves of Santa Cruz. It cer 
 tainly is wonderful. But I had always heard there 
 were strange noises too." 
 
 "Wait till you get into the back cave," said Cap 
 tain Danforth. "You are sure the kids won't be 
 scared?" he added. 
 
 "What would scare them?" asked the Doctor. 
 
 "Well, the noises and the dark and the sea lions 
 in there. Of course there's nothing that would really 
 hurt them. But it's sort of jumpy." 
 
 "What do you say, Trix, will you be scared?" 
 
 "I want to go," answered Trix emphatically. 
 
 At the back of the cave was a black hole at 
 the edge of the water that seemed to be about the 
 size of the boat we were in. When a large wave 
 rolled into the cave, the hole would be completely 
 hidden. But during the few moments between 
 the bigger waves the Captain pushed our boat 
 quickly through the hole and in a moment we were 
 in absolute darkness except for the spot of light 
 that marked our place of entrance. We were 
 greeted, too, by terrifying moans and shrieks and 
 wails. 
 
 Trix clung to me, and I felt that she should not 
 have come. But in a moment Captain Danforth held 
 aloft a great flaming torch, while the Doctor called 
 "Good morning," in a loud voice, that echoed and 
 reechoed about us. 
 
 "No one knows how deep it is here," remarked 
 Danforth. "It's about one hundred feet high." 
 
Smugglers on the Channel Islands 85 
 
 "What are the noises ?" asked Dave in rather a 
 small voice. 
 
 "It's the water echoing in the caves," replied his 
 father. "There are lots of small caves and entrances 
 that we cannot see, but through which the waves hiss 
 and roar. It certainly is a queer place. Look at 
 those sea lions." 
 
 For our torch had startled some of these great 
 ; beasts, who floundered about in the water and spread 
 i fiery sparkles of phosphorescence as they swam 
 about. 
 
 "Let's go back," said Mary. "It's awfully 
 spooky." 
 
 "What if the waves filled the entrance forever and 
 we couldn't get out?" asked Dave, as a great mass 
 of water covered up the light which marked the 
 place where we had come in. 
 
 "It couldn't, on a calm day like this," said Dan- 
 forth. "But if you are ready to go, this is a good 
 chance." 
 
 "Let's go now," cried Trix. 
 
 So our skipper pushed out after the retreating 
 wave, and we were out in the sunlight and beauty of 
 the outer cave again. 
 
 "I didn't like it in there," said Trix, who looked 
 rather pale. 
 
 "Now can we find our cave?" asked Mary. 
 
 "What do you want to do?" said her father. 
 
 "Why, won't you come with Dave and me till we 
 find the place we saw this morning? We can go 
 in the rowboat while Mother and Trix fix up the 
 lunch things and wait for us. We won't be long." 
 
86 Mary in California 
 
 "All right, but we must hurry. When do we have 
 to start back, Skipper?" 
 
 "We ought to start about three-thirty," was the 
 answer. 
 
 "Well, it's not quite three now, so let's go at 
 
 once." 
 
 Captain Danforth landed with Trix and me, and 
 the three others went off in the boat, much to Trix's 
 disgust, although she seemed to have had enough 
 of caves for the present. 
 
 Danforth seemed to be uneasy, and the later it 
 got the more he fidgeted about and wondered where 
 the others were. 
 
 "Surely nothing can have happened to them," I 
 said. 
 
 "You never can tell," he answered gloomily, and 
 Trix kept saying "I wish they would come," or 
 "Why doesn't Dave come and play with me?" 
 
 It was nearly four when we heard a call and the 
 sound of oars. 
 
 "Here they come," cried Trix. 
 
 Sure enough, the boat appeared at the entrance. 
 
 "Oh, Mother," cried Dave, "we found the cave 
 and we found a wounded man too!" 
 
 "What do you mean?" I asked. 
 
 "He'd fainted and Dad fixed him up. He was in 
 the cave," said Dave. 
 
 "And he had a cord around his neck like mine, 
 red and black," cried Mary. 
 
 "Hush, children, don't talk too much," said the 
 Doctor sharply. 
 
 The next moment he brought the boat ashore. In 
 
Smugglers on the Channel Islands 87 
 
 the bottom lay the motionless form of a man, in a 
 sort of uniform, hatless. The face was white and 
 rather clean cut. 
 
 Danforth examined him with us. Round the neck 
 was a red and black cord. 
 
 "Where is he hurt?" I asked, while Trix said, "Is 
 he killed, Dad?" 
 
 "He seems to have a fractured skull," answered 
 the Doctor, "and to be in rather bad shape. I must 
 get him back as soon as possible to Santa Barbara, 
 so we had best start right off, Skipper." 
 
 "Who do you think it is?" asked Mary. 
 
 "I imagine it's a revenue officer of some sort," 
 said the Doctor, watching Captain Danforth keenly 
 as he spoke. 
 
 The Captain was busy helping, and if he felt any 
 surprise, did not show it. He helped the Doctor get 
 the wounded man aboard the launch, and then came 
 back for us, leaving the Doctor to work over his 
 patient. In a very short time the anchor was up 
 and we had started. The launch belonging to the 
 fishermen was nowhere to be seen. 
 
 "I would like to have asked them about this fel 
 low," observed Danforth. "I think I ought to. 
 They'll be wanting to know all about it at Santa 
 Barbara, I reckon." 
 
 "I think we can make our own report," said the 
 Doctor, rather sharply. 
 
 We sped along, but the Captain seemed uneasy. 
 He poked-around the machinery and finally examined 
 the gasoline tank. 
 
 "I am afraid we had better put back," he said. 
 
88 Mary in California 
 
 "I'm almost out of gasoline. There must be a 
 leak. Those fellows on the other boat will lend me 
 
 some." 
 
 The Doctor stood up. "Listen to me, my man," he 
 said in a cool tone. "You have plenty of gas, and 
 you don't need to go back. In fact, you will get us 
 to Santa Barbara in record time or I'll know the 
 reason why. I can run a boat myself, if necessary, 
 and I have a little argument in my pocket here which 
 I don't want to use except in the last resort." 
 
 The Captain scowled, but made no reply. Again 
 we sped on. 
 
 Suddenly the wounded man lifted up his head, and 
 muttered, "Did you get him? The Chinaman?" 
 Then he half opened his eyes. "Where am I?" he 
 asked. 
 
 "You are in the hands of a doctor, who orders 
 you to keep still," was the answer. 
 
 The eyes closed and the man sank back. 
 
 So we rushed through the blue water, Mary, 
 Dave, Trix, and I in the bow of the boat, and Cap 
 tain Danforth in the stern. The Doctor sat in the 
 center, with one eye on the wounded man and the 
 other on the skipper, while he held under his coat 
 the pistol I remembered now to have urged his buy 
 ing before we left Boston. 
 
 It was a swift trip, but it seemed like hours. Cap 
 tain Danforth apparently had no thought but to bring 
 us safely to shore. The wounded man did not stir. 
 But Trix was full of questions and wanted to know 
 again and again about the finding of the revenue 
 officer. 
 
Smugglers on the Channel Islands 89 
 
 "We had rowed for some little time along the 
 rocky coast, broken up by canons and caves," began 
 her father. "Finally we came to a place that Mary 
 said might be the one they had looked down at. We 
 rowed part way in and then found rocks, as usual. 
 The cave seemed unusually narrow and long, but we 
 could see a shaft of light in the back, possibly the 
 opening found by Dave and Mary. Dave wanted to 
 get out, so he took off his shoes and stockings and 
 crawled along on the rocks till he got to shore. 
 Presently he called out that he had found something, 
 and would I bring a light. I managed to get in 
 nearer and followed him with my flash light. 
 
 "Way back in the cave, which opened out into a 
 large space, was this revenue officer, lying near the 
 blackened sticks of an old camp fire. There were 
 some bottles and things about. I gave the man a 
 rapid examination, found he had no bullet wounds 
 on him, and guessed the thing had been done by a 
 blow from the back, as his head was badly hurt. He 
 was alive though, breathing heavily. Around his 
 neck was the cord, and when I loosened it he 
 breathed more easily. We had a hard time getting 
 him to the boat, but we did, and here we are taking 
 him to Santa Barbara as quickly as possible. 
 
 "Now, Trix, don't ask any more questions." 
 
 "Will you have to stay on and give your testimony 
 to the police?" I asked. 
 
 "I hope that can be done to-night," was the brief 
 reply. "I want to mix in as little as possible." 
 
 "But the men who did this ought to be punished," 
 said Mary indignantly. 
 
90 Mary in California 
 
 "I am sure I hope they will be." 
 
 Our arrival at Santa Barbara created great excite 
 ment. The Doctor bade us take a taxi out to the 
 hotel, where he would join us as soon as possible. 
 
 "I shall take Dave, because he found the man," 
 he added. 
 
 He had paid off Captain Danforth, without a 
 word on either side. As we got into our taxi we saw 
 the skipper put to sea again, with a wave of his hand. 
 
 u He seems to have plenty of gasoline," said 
 Mary, as we drove off. 
 
 It was almost dark by the time we reached the 
 hotel, lying among the tall trees, its friendly lights 
 shining to welcome us. We were all hungry and ate 
 a substantial supper, and then retired to our rooms. 
 Trix was so tired that she went to bed, where she 
 lay contentedly, while Mary read "Raggedy Ann" 
 aloud to her. The day had been an exciting one 
 indeed for such a child. Even I found "Raggedy 
 Ann" soothing and a pleasant change. 
 
 Finally Mary, protesting and indignant, also re 
 tired, after several games of double canfield. At 
 about ten we heard the voices of Dave and the 
 Doctor. We sat down in my room, Mary joining us 
 in her wrapper, to hear the story of the night's 
 adventure. 
 
 "But first of all have you had supper?" Mary 
 asked. 
 
 u Yes, indeed, in one of the swellest hotels in Santa 
 Barbara. Oh, Yum ! They had wonderful things," 
 cried Dave. 
 
 "Now tell us what happened," I said. 
 
Smugglers on the Channel Islands 91 
 
 "Well, a policeman got an ambulance for us. He 
 recognized the man as a revenue officer who had 
 been working along the coast trying to get some 
 bootleggers and smugglers of Chinese. It seems 
 they come in through Mexico, and are brought up 
 by fishing boats to these islands." 
 
 u Oh, Dad, the sea-lion boat!" cried Mary. 
 
 "Exactly so ! And I shrewdly suspect our friend 
 Captain Danforth knows more about it than he was 
 telling. At any rate, we took the man to a hospital, 
 for if I am right, it will be quite a while before the 
 poor fellow tells any story himself, if he ever does. 
 That was a nasty crack on the head. Then we went 
 to the police station, where I told my story, aided 
 by Dave. It was all taken down in good order, in 
 cluding my suggestion that those fellows we had 
 seen that day might need watching. I told them of 
 Captain Danforth's rapid departure also, and they 
 said they had had their eye on him for a long time. 
 
 "Then they put us up at a hotel for supper, and 
 here we are. We can go to-morrow, provided I re 
 turn, if necessary, later. Now, Mary and Dave, go 
 right to bed and lock and bolt your doors lest the 
 Bogyman get you." 
 
 After some little discussion the children retired, 
 but I fear they stayed awake for a while. 
 
 "This is a great life for children to lead," I said. 
 "Can't we ever settle down to a peaceful existence 
 like other people?" 
 
 "I really am getting superstitious," answered the 
 Doctor. "I believe that until we lose Mary's ring, 
 we will live in an atmosphere of adventure. I asked 
 
92 Mary in California 
 
 the police officer about the red and black cord, and 
 he told me a bit more about it. It is the insignia of 
 a secret society, down on foreigners and just now 
 especially anti-Japanese. It is very old, and has its 
 greatest strength in China itself. But naturally 
 some of its spies and scouts have to go about in 
 other countries. They come in via Mexico and, 
 apparently, the Channel Islands. Just now 
 smugglers are bringing in whiskey and spirits from 
 Mexico, so that the two help each other. 
 
 "This revenue officer, Brown, has been on the 
 track of the Chinese business for some time. He 
 had been hanging around the island of Santa Cruz 
 until he came to grief; how, he will have to tell us 
 himself. It is the custom of this Chinese society to 
 decorate its victims with the red and black cord, 
 which is also worn by the members who are chosen 
 to kill certain enemies. 
 
 "I asked the Chief whether he knew of any ring 
 being mixed up in it. He told me that he had heard 
 vague rumors from one of their Chinese revenue offi 
 cers. The totem, or symbol of the society, is a 
 curious winged beast, something like the one, .1 
 imagine, on Mary's ring. The story is that during 
 some foreign invasion of China, the royal princess 
 was borne away from danger by a winged creature, I 
 suppose a sort of dragon, and carried to a high 
 mountain. Whereupon a flood descended and wiped 
 out a lot of the invaders. The land was repeopled 
 by the sons of the dragon and the princess. 
 
 "The head of this secret society therefore wears 
 a ring to symbolize the marriage of the dragon and 
 
Smugglers on the Channel Islands 93 
 
 the princess, and the red and black cord indicates 
 death to foreigners. It seems that long, long ago, 
 when another invasion took place, some of the flee 
 ing Chinese passed over a western sea and brought 
 the ring to a far country, where it disappeared. So 
 another ring was made, and carefully preserved and 
 handed down from leader to leader. But it is death 
 for any but the leader to wear the ring. 
 
 "Now, my dear, my vote is that Mary's ring be 
 consigned to perdition. There may be nothing but 
 nonsense in this long yarn, and we are in modern 
 America and not ancient China. Nevertheless, it 
 should go, I think." 
 
 "Let us put it in the bank in Frisco," I answered. 
 "If there is any truth at all in the story, the ring 
 must be 'immensely old and valuable to antiquarians. 
 But I agree with you that the sooner it is out of our 
 hands, the better. Do you suppose some one really 
 came into the children's room last night?" 
 
 "I don't know, my dear. But I shall leave our 
 connecting doors open and run no chances. I have 
 an idea that Danforth owes me a grudge for this 
 day's work. I will be glad to get away from here in 
 the morning." 
 
CHAPTER VII 
 
 OVER THE TRAIL OF THE PADRES TO MILLS COLLEGE 
 
 TPHAT night the Doctor made several trips from 
 * one sleeping room to another to be sure that 
 all was well. The moon cast soft, mysterious 
 shadows through the windows and the great trees 
 whispered strangely in the breeze outside. The 
 Doctor was gone longer than usual the third time, 
 and when he finally returned said that he thought 
 he had heard a noise at one of the windows. He had 
 waited and watched, but nothing more could be seen 
 or heard. Finally, as the first light of early dawn 
 began to cheer us, we fell into a deep sleep, and 
 would have missed breakfast and train both had not 
 Trix awakened us. 
 
 Dressing and packing were hurriedly attended to, 
 and presently we were saying good-by to Santa 
 Barbara. 
 
 "I wish we could have driven up among those 
 beautiful Santa Inez hills," said the Doctor, as we 
 made ourselves comfortable in the train. "I love the 
 brown slopes with the oaks clinging to them. I al 
 most wish we had taken time to motor up 'the King's 
 Road,' which follows the trails of the padres of old. 
 It winds in and out by the sea, among the hills, and 
 touches the various missions. It would not take 
 
 94 
 
Over the Trail of the Padres to Mills College 95 
 
 long, now in these fast cars, though it took the 
 padres a day's journey from one mission to an 
 other." 
 
 "Well, one cannot do everything. I certainly am 
 not sorry to get away from the neighborhood of 
 Captain Danforth and that spooky hotel." 
 
 "Daddy," asked Mary, "where is Death Valley? 
 Did we pass it on our way here?" 
 
 "No, it was to the north of the Santa Fe route. 
 They tell me it is a horrible, desolate place." 
 
 "Why is it called 'Death Valley' ?" asked Dave. 
 
 "That's a fairly long story," answered his father. 
 "It belongs to the early days of California. Not, of 
 course, to the time of the Spanish missions. But to 
 the days of the pioneers. 
 
 "You have seen the old prairie schooners. Picture 
 to yourselves a party setting out with their ox teams 
 attached to the great unwieldy wagons. Some of 
 the men probably rode, the others walked. The 
 women and children drove in the wagons or walked. 
 
 "The particular pioneers who gave Death Valley 
 its name were themselves nameless. But they 
 started out from some Utah settlement, perhaps 
 from farther east, to go to California, then the true 
 Promised Land. They got into the valley and lost 
 all traces of those who had gone before. Nothing 
 but sand lay before them, and the hazy blue moun 
 tains beyond. It was in August, and even hardened 
 scouts hate to try that valley in summer. 
 
 "They had no extra supply of water, for they did 
 not know how terrible was this particular desert. 
 They tell me that men can only survive in this place 
 
96 Mary in California 
 
 by drinking gallons of water during the heat of the 
 day, when the sand fairly burns like coals under your 
 feet. These poor people traveled over part of the 
 valley, and then perished miserably of thirst. Their 
 bones were found strewed about the wrecks of the 
 wagon*, with the carcasses of their faithful animals 
 beside them. Not one survived, I believe, and who 
 they were no one knows. But Death Valley is the 
 name of that terrible place ever since. " 
 
 "Why did people want so much to go to Cali 
 fornia? I mean, what made them brave all those 
 dangers?" asked Mary. 
 
 "Different reasons. And of course you must re 
 member that they did not always know what lay 
 ahead of them. They came, too, from hard frontier 
 life and were used to dangers and rough work. 
 
 "At first came the homesteaders, the people who 
 were looking for lands to cultivate. They had 
 heard of the beautiful fertile country in the west, 
 where cultivation was easy and things grew almost 
 of themselves. The next people were the gold 
 seekers of '49. You don't need to be told why they 
 came. But I think I have told enough for the 
 present. I want to look out at these brown hills 
 we are climbing and say good-by to this part of the 
 Pacific. We shan't see it again till we go out on the 
 west side of San Francisco, which may be some time 
 ahead." 
 
 But Trix did not feel interested in any more 
 scenery, and she begged for a game. So while the 
 Doctor and I looked out of the window, Dave and 
 Trix were soon quarreling over "Parchisi" and Mary 
 

 Over the Trail of the Padres to Mills College 97 
 
 deeply engrossed in "Ramona," that appealing story 
 of Indian life. 
 
 "I wonder if they ever will catch those fellows 
 who half killed the revenue officer," said the Doctor 
 in a low voice. "Unless they reach Santa Cruz be 
 fore Captain Danforth, I don't believe they will 
 find anything this trip. I am convinced that our 
 Cape Cod skipper knew considerable about what was 
 going on in the islands. I certainly hope I shan't 
 have to go back and testify. It surely will be good 
 to settle down to work at Oakland and not have 
 sightseeing and hairbreadth escapes the order of 
 the day." 
 
 "We may find it a bit hard to keep house in a 
 strange place for such a short time," I sajd. 
 
 "Yes, but we are lucky to have a house at all, 
 they tell me. Fortunately one of the faculty is on a 
 vacation and has consented to our using his place. 
 How will you like Chinese help? For I suppose 
 there will be no other available." 
 
 "Oh, Daddy, will we really have a Chinaman to 
 be our cook?" asked Trix, who always called any 
 household help a "cook." 
 
 "Yes, my dear, and he will probably be like Chan 
 Wang. Do you remember? 
 
 ' 'He stole his mother's pickled mice, 
 And threw the cat in the boiling rice, 
 And when they'd eaten her, said he, 
 "Me wonders where that mew-cat be." ' " 
 
 "Now, Dad, we won't have to eat cats and mice," 
 said Dave. 
 
98 Mary in California 
 
 "Cats and mice, cats and mice," echoed Trix. 
 
 "No," I said firmly. u As long as I am in com 
 mand there will be no mice eaten except by the cat, 
 and no cats eaten at all !" 
 
 All that afternoon we traveled through rolling 
 country, with the quiet brown hills to the west of us 
 and cultivated lands all about us. Fruit trees were 
 everywhere, their branches hanging low with the 
 weight of plums, peaches, or apricots. 
 
 "I wish we were in the grape country," said Dave. 
 "I'd like to go out and sit under a vine and eat and 
 eat and eat." 
 
 Toward evening we reached our destination, and 
 got out at a branch station on the outer edge of Oak 
 land. Here we were met by an automobile and 
 whisked through the streets out into the country, 
 with its brown hills, its dull-colored grass, and its 
 huge blue-green eucalyptus trees. 
 
 The house we were to occupy lay on a little hill 
 back of the college. We found Miss Flaxman, a 
 member of the faculty, waiting to welcome us, the 
 dining-room table set and dinner hot on the stove. 
 
 "Why, it's like coming home !" said Mary. 
 
 "That is just what we wished you to feel," said 
 Miss Flaxman. "Will you be too tired, Doctor, to 
 go to the college to-night? It's only a step. One of 
 us will come up to guide you." 
 
 "Surely; I want to begin right away to learn about 
 my work," was the answer. 
 
 "Then some one will come f or you at about seven. 
 But you are sure you will not need to rest to-night? 
 And perhaps your wife will want some help?" 
 
Over the Trail of the Padres to Mills College 99 
 
 "No, indeed," I answered. "We will not try to 
 unpack, but just go to bed early. To-morrow I shall 
 want to learn a lot of things, about housekeeping and 
 so forth." 
 
 "The President had everything sent in that you 
 would need for breakfast, I think. She keeps house, 
 you see, and has children. Most of the rest of us 
 live in dormitories. Well, I won't keep you now. 
 But we will see lots of each other later, I hope." 
 Then Miss Flaxman took her departure, and we 
 started to explore. 
 
 The house seemed to be a pleasant, comfortable 
 one, with plants in many of the windows. There was 
 a roomy porch from which we could look down over 
 the college grounds and the road winding between its 
 rows of tall eucalyptus trees. Mysterious they were, 
 with their long drooping leaves and their strange 
 musky smell of the East. 
 
 "Oh, Dad, I suppose we'll never see you again 
 now. You'll be working all the time," remarked 
 Mary. 
 
 "I think we will have a few more good times to 
 gether," he laughed. "But I am glad to get back to 
 work. I wonder when my lectures will begin. Col 
 lege commenced yesterday, I believe." 
 
 "Will there be any children for me to play with?" 
 questioned Trix. 
 
 "Where will I go to school?" asked Mary. 
 
 "I shall make many inquiries to-night," was the 
 reply. "But I expect to take Dave down to a fine 
 open-air boarding school the first chance I get, which 
 will probably be next Saturday." 
 
ioo Mary in California 
 
 "Oh, Dad, have I got to go to boarding school?" 
 Dave asked. 
 
 "Yes siree. You don't suppose you are going to 
 hang around here all the time, do you?" 
 
 "I thought I could go to the public school, with 
 Mary." 
 
 "I think boarding school is best," his father 
 answered. 
 
 At seven the bell rang. Mary ran to answer it, 
 with Trix and Dave following closely, and we heard 
 cries of joy and enthusiasm as the newcomer was 
 greeted. 
 
 "Oh, Mother, it's Winifred Ransome," called 
 Mary. 
 
 We were all genuinely glad to meet again the tall, 
 dark-haired young girl of twenty-three who entered 
 with Dave and Trix each clinging to an arm. We 
 had known her well in a summer camping-out in 
 New Mexico, but had been more familiar with her 
 in riding clothes. Indeed, I hardly recognized her 
 now in her crisp blue dimity dress. 
 
 "I had forgotten you were here," said the Doc 
 tor. "It certainly is fine to see you. How are they 
 all at home?" 
 
 "I am a senior this year," replied the girl. "The 
 family are well, and sent their love. It is so nice to 
 see you all again." 
 
 "Did you come up to be my escort?" asked the 
 Doctor. 
 
 "I did indeed. It will seem like old picnics in 
 New Mexico to be acting as guide. I am going to 
 all your lectures, too, Doctor." 
 
Over the Trail of the Padres to Mills College 101 
 
 "That is an awful thought. Then maybe you can 
 tell me when I am to begin." 
 
 "To-morrow, fourth hour. I have been spread 
 ing your fame." 
 
 "Let us start down now. I am anxious to meet 
 the President, and see where I am to work. Good- 
 by, everybody, I'll be back before you miss me." 
 So the Doctor departed with Winifred. 
 
 We all worked together over the dishes, which, 
 as Mary remarked, had been economically used as 
 far as numbers were concerned. Camping out cer 
 tainly teaches how few dishes are really necessary. 
 One by one we went to bed, some protesting and 
 some eager to get there. 
 
 When the Doctor came in about ten o'clock he 
 was full of enthusiasm for the campus. He de 
 scribed the wonderful old "live oaks" and the pic 
 turesque eucalyptus trees, and the gardens. 
 
 "You will all love it," he said. "And the Presi 
 dent is so delightful and cordial. I know you will 
 enjoy the life here so much you will want to stay 
 after our time is up." 
 
 "I don't know about that," I replied sleepily. 
 "But I know my time is up for being awake." 
 
 So presently all were at rest in the house except 
 the cereal, which continued cooking in the fireless 
 cooker. 
 
 "It seems so strange to wake up in somebody else's 
 bed, in somebody else's kouse, and cook at somebody 
 else's stove," remarked Mary at breakfast. "I think 
 it's going to be lots of fun, though. When do I 
 start school?" 
 
IO2 Mary in California 
 
 "The schools have begun already/' answered her 
 father. "But I have arranged for you to start to 
 morrow with the daughter of one of the faculty. 
 The high school in Oakland is very fine, I am 
 told. But you will have to be up betimes to get 
 there." 
 
 "Now if we only had an aeroplane, " observed 
 Dave. "What fun it would be just to scoot to 
 school. You know they have gliders now. Wouldn't 
 it be great fun to get one? Boys can use them." 
 
 "Yes, and tumble out of them, too!" exclaimed 
 Mary. "They are quite dangerous, aren't they, 
 Daddy?" 
 
 "If I were like the old Quaker I would respond, 
 'Friend, first thee telleth a lie and then thee asketh 
 a question.' I don't believe there have been so many 
 accidents with gliders. They use them a great deal 
 in Germany," answered her father. "Who wants 
 to go down with me and see the campus? I have 
 my first lecture at about eleven. But before that 
 I would be glad to personally conduct people. 
 This afternoon we are to meet some of the 
 faculty." 
 
 "All of us, me too ?" cried Trix. 
 
 "I think there are some children for you and 
 Dave. Mary is to be introduced to the high-school 
 girl whose name I cannot remember. Your mother 
 and I are to meet some of the faculty. You don't 
 need to worry about clothes, even if our trunks don't 
 come this morning," he added. "Every one will be 
 in working togs." 
 
 "If we are all to go down this afternoon perhaps 
 
Over the Trail of the Padres to Mills College 103 
 
 we had best stay at home this morning and settle. 
 I suppose you haven't heard of any domestics, have 
 you?" I asked. 
 
 "I made some inquiries. It rests between an aged 
 white female who is something of a character, the 
 mother of one of the gardeners, or a Chinaman. I 
 must say I think the latter would be more fun. He 
 would go home nights, of course." 
 
 "I'd like to see just how much of a character the 
 lady is," was my reply. 
 
 After the breakfast dishes were washed Trix 
 and Dave departed with their father, while Mary 
 and I investigated the house and its possibilities. 
 Before we were through making the beds, the trunks 
 arrived, which delighted us both. 
 
 "Oh, I'll be so glad to get some fresh things to 
 put on," was Mary's exclamation. "I am so sick of 
 traveling things." 
 
 We were in the midst of unpacking when Mary 
 said, "Mother, what will we have for lunch? We've 
 gotten so used to going to the dining car that we've 
 forgotten about planning for meals, I guess." 
 
 At that moment the telephone rang and Mary 
 ran to answer it. Somehow this made us feel very 
 much at home, to have a telephone of our own. It 
 was the Doctor speaking. He suggested that we had 
 better lunch at the college and then talk over sup 
 plies and how to get them. 
 
 "Chapel service is at twelve, just before lunch. 
 Why don't you come down to that? Dave and Trix 
 will show you the way to the hall where it is held. 
 I will join you there and we can all go to lunch 
 
IO4 Mary in California 
 
 together. The President will be glad if we sit at 
 her table." 
 
 This sounded pleasant, and so it was agreed. At 
 about half past eleven Trix and Dave appeared, very 
 dirty as to clothes and faces and hands. 
 
 "It's lucky the trunks came," observed Mary. 
 
 In a wonderfully short time, however, we were 
 all clean and properly clad. 
 
 "We must hurry, Mother," said Dave. "It's a 
 long way." 
 
 So we hurried down the hill and through the 
 back entrance to the college grounds where the car 
 penter shops were and the cows and chickens. There 
 were flowers everywhere, in spite of the lateness of 
 the season, and beautifully kept grass plots, a re 
 freshing sight to us who were used to the green 
 summers of the East. We passed many buildings 
 which Trix tried to name for us, but Dave insisted 
 that we hurry, hurry. There were pine trees, and 
 tall eucalyptus trees, their trunks strangely colored 
 in pinks and yellows and blues. And in front of 
 Lisser Hall, with its white columns, were great 
 palms. But most of all I loved the live oaks, with 
 their delicate foliage and great gnarled and twisted 
 stems. 
 
 The Doctor met us at the door of the hall and 
 took us up to the gallery. It was a pretty sight to 
 see all the young girls in their bright summer dresses. 
 
 "It looks like a stained glass window," said Mary. 
 
 The services were conducted by the President, 
 and so short that even Trix was quiet and attentive. 
 Then we walked back through the long, straight 
 
Over the Trail of the Padres to Mills College 105 
 
 eucalyptus path that led to the dormitory where we 
 were to have our dinner. In the heat of the day the 
 smell of the trees suggested all sorts of strange 
 oriental perfumes. 
 
 "The eucalyptus tree did not always grow in Cali 
 fornia," the President told us. "The seeds were 
 brought here from Australia by William Taylor for 
 his wife in 1863. But they certainly take kindly to 
 this soil. And we Californians love them." 
 
 "I don't wonder," said Mary. "The colors are 
 so pretty and queer." 
 
 The private dining room where we ate at the 
 President's table was back from the main room, but 
 was not so far removed that we could not hear the 
 chatter of the girls and their singing. Fur it was the 
 custom to sing many songs while eating, or as Dave 
 said, "between eating." Two Chinamen waited on 
 the table. 
 
 Trix had been placed next to the President's two 
 small boys, one of them her age, the other older. A 
 sudden feeling of shyness had come over her, and 
 she hardly spoke. At first she would hardly eat 
 either. 
 
 Presently Dave said in a loud whisper, "Trix 
 thinks it's cats and mice, so she won't eat anything." 
 At which there was a general laugh. 
 
 The President assured her that it was chicken and 
 rice, and at last she began to eat. 
 
 After lunch Dave and the three younger children 
 disappeared. Mary was to stay with us until the 
 end of high school brought home her schoolmate 
 to be. 
 
io6 Mary in California 
 
 "Isn't the parlor beautiful?" Mary whispered to 
 me as we stood and chatted for a few minutes. "I 
 love the red wood of the walls and that great black 
 vase with the chrysanthemums in it. And just look 
 at the pieces of Chinese embroidery. It is like a 
 place in a story book. But, Mother, don't have a 
 Chinaman for a cook. I'd rather have a woman. 
 They sort of scare me." 
 
 "I think a woman would be better, too," I 
 answered. 
 
 Miss Flaxman, who lived in that dormitory, 
 offered to take us up to the lake, so we wandered 
 out into the bright sunshine. The lake was a 
 little distance away and surrounded by eucalyptus 
 trees. 
 
 "What makes it such a curious color?" asked 
 Mary. "It's a sort of robin's-egg blue." 
 
 "I believe some copper runs into it and colors the 
 water," answered Miss Flaxman. The girls use it 
 for swimming and picnics and fetes. They have 
 their commencement pageants here. 
 
 "Usually the lake is not full enough in the fall to 
 make it really effective as a stage setting. But we 
 have had so many early rains that they are going to 
 repeat a pageant in November that was given in the 
 spring. It is so full of the spirit of California that 
 the girls begged to be allowed to give it for the 
 benefit of some Oxford visitors who are to be with us 
 then. It will take the place of our usual autumn 
 Shakespeare play which is produced in the Open 
 Air Theater. Your friend Winifred Ransome is to 
 be one of the chief characters." 
 

 Over the Trail of the Padres to Mills College 107 
 
 "Oh, I am so glad," said Mary. "What fun it 
 will be to see her act." 
 
 "She is quite talented," answered Miss Flaxman. 
 
 We went back through that part of the garden 
 which was set aside for the use of the girls. 
 
 "They like to have flowers in their rooms, and 
 can get them in this place," explained Miss Flaxman. 
 "If they picked them all over it would soon spoil the 
 looks of the grounds. But here they can cut them to 
 their hearts' content, and have to bear the responsi 
 bility themselves if any plants are broken or 
 crushed." 
 
 Later that afternoon we met many of the faculty 
 and Mary was introduced to Cynthia Farrell, the 
 daughter of the professor of mathematics. The 
 two went off together to make better acquaint 
 ance in the gymnasium, while I discussed housekeep 
 ing with Mrs. Farrell. 
 
 As a result of this talk, the "Character" came to 
 see us next morning. She was an old German 
 woman, very friendly, quite deaf and a little un 
 certain of her English. But she was spotlessly clean 
 and agreed to do all our work. 
 
 "Of course I vill not can make the beds if I do the 
 vashing. And you vill set the table, yes? The little 
 vun, she vill help old Maria, hein? Und old Maria 
 vill gif her little cakes and grapes und sweeties." 
 
 So old Maria was engaged, articles were signed, 
 as the Doctor put it, and we on our parts agreed to 
 take our midday meals at the college or elsewhere, 
 so that old Maria could go about her slow but 
 thorough business. 
 
io8 Mary in California 
 
 "Mother, that's the tenth time she has dusted 
 that chair, and I haven't had my cereal yet," Dave 
 complained. 
 
 "My dear, Maria has oiled that floor till my 
 shoes won't stay where I put them when I take them 
 off. They go sliding about of themselves," said the 
 Doctor. 
 
 "Mother, won't you tell Maria not to take all my 
 books and papers off the desk and put them into my 
 top bureau drawer?" Mary cried disgustedly. 
 
 But the clothes that Maria washed were always 
 spotless, and the dishes were never broken and the 
 pots and pans shone and the glasses sparkled. So I 
 bade all have patience. 
 
 "Trix has never been so clean in her life," re 
 marked Mary. 
 
 "I hate Maria," said Trix. "She is always wash 
 ing me." 
 
 "Yes, but she gives you all the fruit in the house 
 and buys you candy, too," exclaimed Mary. "You 
 ought to love her." 
 
 "You get a few goodies yourself, Mary," ob 
 served the Doctor. "And now I feel as though we 
 were settled. But I will miss Dave when we take 
 him to school to-morrow." 
 
 The conversation just recorded took place three 
 days after our arrival. 
 
 "What time do we start?" 
 
 "Early, muy pronto, as our Mexican friends 
 would say. I hope Maria will make us a good lunch 
 to take." 
 
 "Humpf ! Maria ! Mother and I will make the 
 
Over the Trail of the Padres to Mills College 109 
 
 lunch. Maria would have to stop and wash the 
 knife between each sandwich, " remarked Mary. 
 
 So the next morning we started bright and early, 
 leaving Trix behind with Tom and Jack, her new 
 friends. Mr. and Mrs. Farrell took us all in their 
 big car. 
 
 It was a long, beautiful drive through the hills and 
 valleys. We stopped from time to time at wayside 
 stands where tempting apricots and peaches were 
 for sale. We saw the prunes lying out in the fields 
 to dry, just as Mrs. Norton had described them. 
 
 The school lay high in the hills, and Dave was 
 greatly excited to find that the boys themselves had 
 put up some of the buildings. There was a deep pool 
 out-of-doors for swimming, and in another place a 
 pond among the trees made a delightful natural 
 theater. So we left Dave, happy but a little lone 
 some, and returned by another road, along the coast, 
 part of the way, where the great green waves came 
 tumbling over the sand or broke against the rocks, 
 and so back over part of the Lincoln Highway, 
 whose other end begins in the south in far-away 
 Washington* 
 
CHAPTER VIII 
 
 THE RING CAUSES EXCITEMENT WE VISIT SAN 
 FRANCISCO 
 
 MOTHER, can't I be in the pageant? Winifred 
 wants me to, and Miss Flaxman says I can, 
 and Cynthia is going to be." Thus Mary pleaded 
 with her parent. 
 
 "What will it mean as far as rehearsals are con 
 cerned, and when will the performance be?" 
 
 "The rehearsals are at different times, but we 
 won't have to go to them all. You see, we are just 
 chorus. It's an historical pageant, and the per 
 formance will be on a Saturday afternoon." 
 
 "I don't see any good reason, then, for your not 
 being in it," I answered. 
 
 "Hurrah! May I 'phone Cynthia right away? 
 Or better still, can't I go down to her house?" 
 
 "I think it's pretty late," I answered, "and I don't 
 want you wandering about after dark." 
 
 "It won't be dark for an hour yet. Please let me. 
 I'll hurry home." 
 
 The Doctor was out, and I yielded. The Far- 
 rells' house was not very far away. 
 
 Trix and I went out to pick some flowers in our 
 garden, and fed the rabbits that we had inherited 
 from our landlord. Finally Trix went to bed, and 
 it began to grow dark in earnest. I wondered where 
 
 no 
 
The Ring Causes Excitement in 
 
 Mary was. I happened to go to my bureau drawer 
 and found in it, tucked away at the back, the little 
 box containing the Indian ring with the red and 
 black cord. The ring was of silver except for a 
 quaint jade animal, which might have represented a 
 dragon with some stretch of the imagination. On 
 the back was the familiar swastika, or good-luck 
 sign. There was a large mirror over the bureau, 
 and as I raised my head I saw the reflection of some 
 thing moving. I turned instantly. There was a 
 window opposite and through that window some one 
 had been looking. I was sure of it. 
 
 My heart seemed to stand still for a minute. 
 Then I ran to the open window and looked down. It 
 was almost dark outside, and there were plenty of 
 trees and shrubs below, so that a man might easily 
 be hidden. There was no ladder, but a copper 
 leader running from the roof to the ground was 
 close enough so that an active man might have clung 
 to it and looked in. Of course it might have been 
 Mary at some prank. 
 
 I called her name loudly two or three times, and 
 presently heard a far-off response. I confess that 
 I hated to go downstairs, where only one small light 
 had been left burning. Maria had long ago retired, 
 for she believed in the good old saying, u Early to 
 bed and early to rise." 
 
 Two or three minutes afterward Mary rushed up 
 to the door. Her face was quite white, and she was 
 evidently excited. 
 
 "Mother," she said, "I saw El Lobo down in the 
 eucalyptus grove. I know I did." 
 
112 Mary in California 
 
 "But he died," I objected. 
 
 "Dave always said he didn't, Mother. Anyway, 
 I saw him ! He was not far from our house. My, I 
 was glad that Mr. Farrell came part way home with 
 me. I just ran as fast as I could when I saw him. 
 Don't you suppose he's after the ring? Where is it, 
 anyway?" 
 
 "It's up in the bureau drawer," I answered, lower 
 ing my voice. "But to-morrow it goes to San Fran 
 cisco, and I'll take it myself." 
 
 The Doctor was inclined to laugh at our fears 
 and at the possibility of El Lobo's reappearance. 
 
 "But I saw him, I know I did," repeated Mary. 
 
 I did not mention my own adventure until after she 
 had gone to bed. 
 
 "Whatever may or may not be the truth about 
 El Lobo, that ring goes to Frisco to-morrow," I 
 said positively. 
 
 "I am inclined to throw it out of the window," the 
 Doctor said. "Let El Lobo have it, if he wants it 
 so much." 
 
 "We will take it to the bank to-morrow and 
 then decide. I hate the idea of giving it up," I 
 answered. 
 
 "Well, to-morrow be it then. We haven't been to 
 San Francisco yet, except when we drove home from 
 Dave's school. I have nothing particular to do after 
 my lecture is over. Let's go across the bay and do 
 some sightseeing. We will have to start in time to 
 get to a bank. I suppose we might have it in an 
 Oakland bank, but I rather like the idea of having it 
 at a distance." 
 
The Ring Causes Excitement 113 
 
 We did not go on the next day, however, for 
 Mary begged us to wait until Saturday so that she 
 might accompany us. But we all went down 
 solemnly and deposited the ring in the college safe, 
 so that at least it would be out of the house. 
 
 Mary went to her first rehearsal that day, and 
 came back full of enthusiasm. 
 
 "Mother, the girls are all so nice. Winifred 
 introduced me to a lot of them, and they were just as 
 jolly as can be. They want me to take dinner at the 
 college to-morrow, and may I ? Cynthia and I had 
 such a good time." 
 
 "Tell us a little about the pageant," said her 
 father. 
 
 "It's about the Matilija Poppy, Daddy. It's a 
 sort of symbolic play. It has to do with the beauties 
 of the Indian legends and civilization and then the 
 coming of the Spanish fathers. There are lots of 
 dances, flower dances, and it ends in the Dance of 
 Death. It is sort of sad at the end. The Matilija 
 Poppy means the Indians, and that is the last dance 
 of all. The Mother of the Moon comes in, and her 
 mists of the Dawn. It is so pretty, Mother. I am 
 just crazy about it." 
 
 "What parts do you and Cynthia take in it?" I 
 asked. 
 
 "We're yellow poppies. Winifred is the Indian 
 hero. She is so handsome I Our dresses are lovely 
 yellow things. If only the warm soft weather holds 
 good and the lake doesn't dry up. Wouldn't that be 
 too cruel if it did and we had to do it in the Open 
 Air Theater?" 
 
H4 Mary in California 
 
 "It's pretty over there, too," said her father. 
 "But I suppose this was written for Lake Aliso." 
 
 "Yes, they gave it at commencement. One of the 
 seniors wrote it. I just love it. And you ought to 
 see the girls dance! They are so graceful and so 
 beautifully trained." 
 
 "Which is the Matilija Poppy?" 
 
 "The lovely white one that grows all over the 
 hills. It is very delicate and graceful." 
 
 "Yes, I've seen them. They certainly are charm 
 ing," I said. "We shall look forward to seeing the 
 play. Anything given at Lake Aliso would be good 
 to see. The eucalyptus trees overhanging it are so 
 wonderful and the live-oak grove like nothing else 
 that I know." 
 
 The next day was Friday and Mary took her eve 
 ning meal at Winifred Ransome's table. 
 
 "I will walk home with her," the young senior 
 had assured us, "but may she stay for a little while 
 after dinner? We girls are going to have a fudge 
 party. The moonlight is so bright, we shall enjoy 
 the walk back in the evening." 
 
 It sounded delightful and Mary did not need to 
 add any special pleading to gain consent. 
 
 "Be good and don't eat too much fudge, and be 
 home by nine-thirty," was our last admonition as 
 the two went off together. 
 
 "Don't they look pretty ?" the Doctor said. "Isn't 
 that a specially becoming dress of Mary's? I like 
 her bright green sash on that white dress. And how 
 jolly Winifred looks in that pale pink with the Indian 
 necklace." 
 
The Ring Causes Excitement 115 
 
 "I wish I didn't have red hair, so I could wear 
 pink," said Trix. "I like pink." 
 
 "Bless the child, she's growing up," observed her 
 father. "Never mind about clothes. Let's go out 
 and feed the rabbits with their pink eyes." 
 
 We found Maria out in the garden, gathering 
 lettuce. 
 
 "I haf just fed the bonies," she called. "One of 
 them is sick, I think. His hair is coming off on his 
 back. Ven you go to San Francisco to-morrow, you 
 buy me a box of Kootikoora. That is goot for the 
 hair. Boney needs it." 
 
 "What does she mean?" whispered the Doctor, 
 who was not quite as familiar as I with Maria's mind 
 and speech. 
 
 "I expect she means Cuticura. I never heard of 
 putting it on a rabbit, but I don't know why not." 
 
 "All right, we'll get you some to-morrow," said 
 the Doctor. 
 
 We lingered about the rabbit cage watching the 
 furry little creatures energetically eating their eve 
 ning meal or chasing each other about. The biggest 
 one did seem to have lost some of his smooth coat. 
 
 "Trix ought to go to bed," I said lazily. But no 
 one made any move in the direction of the house. 
 
 Finally Maria departed, and we could hear her 
 low-pitched voice singing, "Pack oop der troobles in 
 der old kit pag und Schmile, Schmile, Schmile." 
 
 Far off the bell in the clock tower on the campus 
 tolled forth the hour of eight. 
 
 "Trix, come to bed this minute," I said, and I 
 turned and firmly walked toward the house. 
 
n6 Mary in California 
 
 "Daddy, can't I stay a little longer? I don't 
 want to go to bed." 
 
 "You heard what your mother said," answered 
 her father. "I would like you to go right away." 
 
 So Trix and I went into the dark, silent house and 
 up the dark, silent stairs. 
 
 "You start getting undressed and I'll come right 
 in, Trix," I said. "I have to get a handkerchief 
 from my bureau." 
 
 I had a curious feeling when I lit the lamp in my 
 room that I should find that something had hap 
 pened there. So for a minute I looked stupidly at 
 my bureau without feeling surprised when I saw that 
 the drawers had been pulled out and their contents 
 thrown about the floor. 
 
 "Trix, have you been in here?" I called. "Have 
 you been at my bureau?" 
 
 "Why, Mother, you know I haven't," came the 
 answer in Trix's high little voice. "I was out with 
 you and the rabbits." 
 
 Then suddenly I began to be alarmed. Some one 
 from outside had been in my room and I could not 
 but remember what I had seen in the window a few 
 days before. I said nothing more for fear of 
 frightening Trix, but when she was in bed, I ran 
 down to tell the Doctor. 
 
 "Is anything missing?" was his first question. 
 
 "Nothing," I answered. "My purse with ten 
 dollars in it was in the top drawer, and a diamond 
 brooch was sticking in the pincushion." 
 
 "Then they are after the ring. I tell you, we've 
 got to get rid of it. I will be glad to have it as far 
 
The Ring Causes Excitement 117 
 
 as San Francisco. Only I am sorry for the bank that 
 holds it. We had better report this to the superin 
 tendent to-morrow." 
 
 The evening seemed a long one, in spite of books 
 and writing, and when half past nine finally came 
 and brought no Mary, both the Doctor and I be 
 came uneasy and were quite ready to be angry when 
 fifteen minutes later we heard light-hearted laughter 
 and gay talk. Winifred and another student simply 
 poked their heads in at the door to announce their 
 presence, and then departed hastily in order to be 
 in their dormitories before ten o'clock. 
 
 "I hope I am not late, Dad," cried Mary, all 
 aglow with excitement. "We've had such a good 
 time, and we had an adventure, too !" 
 
 "What do you mean?" asked her father. 
 
 "Well, we were in the old building, you know, 
 where the offices are, and we had been having a 
 glorious time, making fudge and the nicest melted 
 cheese thing, and singing and all. I happened to 
 look out of the window we were upstairs and I 
 saw a man trying to climb in on the main floor. It 
 was the window of the office, and the room next the 
 one where the safe is. Well, we had a dish full of 
 boiling water to clean out the fudge kettle, and we 
 emptied it on Mr. Burglar. You ought to have seen 
 him run ! We reported it at once and the men are 
 out hunting for him. But wasn't that exciting?" 
 
 "Yes," said the Doctor dryly. "I am glad to 
 morrow is the day your ring goes to San Francisco. 
 I hope nobody will blame me if I drop it overboard 
 from the ferryboat." 
 
n8 Mary in California 
 
 "Now, Dad, you simply couldn't do that," ex 
 claimed Mary. "I want my children's children to 
 see it and hear all about its adventures." 
 
 "Go to bed now, for we will want to get under 
 way early to-morrow," her father said. 
 
 "Aren't you people coming up?" 
 
 "Yes, we are coming directly, but you go to bed 
 at once." 
 
 So Mary reluctantly departed. 
 
 The next morning at breakfast Trix announced 
 that she had invited Jack and Tom to lunch. 
 
 "But we are all going to San Francisco," I 
 said. 
 
 "Nu, you vould not take the little von," broke in 
 Maria. "She should not go to the big dirty city. 
 She vill stay here mit me und the two leetle boys 
 vill come. Ve vill celebrate old Maria's birthday 
 und haf a party. Dis afternoon ve go take a ride 
 in the boats on the lake in the park. Ve haf it all 
 settled, hein Trixy?" 
 
 "Yes, Mother, Jack and Tom are coming and we 
 are going down to the lake with Maria and her 
 family to ride in the boats. Can't I, Mother? Say 
 yes!" 
 
 "Very well, dear. But stay with Maria. Don't 
 run off alone." 
 
 "Oh, goodie, goodie. May I 'phone to Jack and 
 Tom now?" 
 
 "Perhaps it would be better for me to do it," I 
 answered. 
 
 When we started out at ten o'clock the three 
 children waved a good-by from the piazza roof and 
 
The Ring Causes Excitement 119 
 
 Maria's last words were, ''Please not forget the 
 Kootikoora for boney." 
 
 It was about a mile to the express trolleys that 
 were the quickest way to reach the San Francisco 
 ferry. But the road had many pleasant residences 
 and was shaded by trees most of the way. The 
 Doctor had the precious box in his inside pocket. 
 
 "It's all perfectly absurd," he said. "It's like a 
 movie. Why can't I come out to the coast to lecture 
 on hygiene and be a common tourist with his family? 
 I certainly shall be glad to get rid of this ridiculous 
 ring." 
 
 "By the way, it's Saturday and the banks close 
 at noon," I remarked. 
 
 "So they do ! But I think we can make it. I have 
 forgotten just how long these ferries take." 
 
 It was our first real view of the great harbor, with 
 San Francisco lying across the bay. The early morn 
 ing mists had been blown away and the blue of the 
 sky sparkled in the water. A sea gull came and 
 perched on our masthead. Indeed, there were plenty 
 of these beautiful creatures flying about or fishing on 
 the crest of a wave. One followed us like the far- 
 famed albatross in the "Ancient Mariner." 
 
 "It doesn't look as though that big city had ever 
 been visited by fire and earthquake," remarked the 
 Doctor. 
 
 "Was it, Dad? How long ago?" 
 
 "About as many years ago as you are old." 
 
 "An earthquake must be awful," said Mary. "I 
 remember a picture in my old geography of the 
 earthquake in Lisbon. But Daddy, Cynthia Farrell 
 
I2O Mary in California 
 
 said San Francisco was destroyed by a fire, not an 
 earthquake." 
 
 "Hum, some one else told me that. Well, any 
 way, there certainly was a terrible fire, and the tele 
 phone lines all were broken and the electric lights 
 went out and the water mains burst. The people 
 found themselves without any shelter or water or 
 light. It was certainly frightful. But they were 
 plucky, and started right in rebuilding as soon as the 
 first crisis was over. You can see for yourself that it 
 looks as though there never had been any conflagra 
 tion. One good thing, too, was accomplished. Old 
 Chinatown was destroyed, and the new one will 
 never be as dirty or as dangerous." 
 
 "Or as interesting," I added. "But I fancy the 
 old one was a little too interesting sometimes." 
 
 "The police found it so, with its subterranean 
 passageways and rooms and opium dens." 
 
 "Daddy, what fun. Isn't there anything like that 
 now?" 
 
 "They tell me that the modern Chinese quarter 
 is quite clean and sanitary and aboveboard. It 
 seems to be full of shops. But I suppose there may 
 be concealed places of great interest. I am afraid 
 we won't see them." 
 
 We were about halfway across the bay when the 
 boat came to a sudden stop. Something had gone 
 wrong with the machinery, and we were at a stand 
 still. The Doctor began to be troubled. 
 
 "We haven't any too much time," he said. "If 
 we stay here long, the banks will be closed before 
 we get there. And this abominable box will remain 
 
The Ring Causes Excitement 121 
 
 with us for two more days. I declare, I believe 
 I'll drop it overboard.' 1 He took the box out 
 of his pocket as he spoke and held it toward the 
 rail. 
 
 "Daddy, don't!" cried Mary. "I want my ring. 
 You mustn't throw it in the water." 
 
 At that moment a Chinaman who had been ap 
 parently watching us from some safe place of con 
 cealment darted out and struck the Doctor on the 
 wrist with a stick. Involuntarily he dropped the 
 box, which fell to the deck. Mary and the stranger 
 sprang for it, but the Chinaman got it first and 
 instantly fled toward the interior of the boat. The 
 Doctor and Mary started in pursuit. 
 
 "Stop thief," cried the Doctor. And "Stop him," 
 cried Mary. 
 
 The man got to the back of the boat and jumped 
 overboard. 
 
 "Did he steal something from you?" one of the 
 ship's officers inquired. 
 
 "He took a valuable ring," replied the Doctor. 
 
 "There he is, swimming in the water," cried out 
 a passenger. "Why not launch a boat and pick him 
 up?" 
 
 An officer gave the orders to put out in one of 
 the lifeboats. But before this was accomplished, the 
 swimmer disappeared, and though the crew rowed 
 about for some time, nothing could be seen of him. 
 
 "There is nothing to do now, I fear," the Captain 
 said, "but to report your loss to the police. Would 
 you know the man again?" 
 
 "He was Chinese," I said. 
 
122 Mary in California 
 
 "I didn't get much of a look at him," said the 
 Doctor. 
 
 "He was certainly a Chinaman," Mary repeated. 
 
 u He looked young and slight to me," said one of 
 the passengers. 
 
 "I am afraid you will not see your ring again," 
 remarked another passenger. 
 
 "It is probably at the bottom of the bay with the 
 thief," added another man. 
 
 "I sincerely hope so," the Doctor whispered to 
 me. He thanked the men who had launched the 
 boat, and the captain. By that time the machinery 
 had been set to rights, and we proceeded on our way. 
 Mary was trying hard not to cry. 
 
 "I can't bear to think of its being lost to that 
 horrid El Lobo," she said. 
 
 "Come, we won't talk of it any more," replied 
 her father. "I think we are well rid of it." 
 
 "But you will report it to the police, won't you, 
 Dad?" " 
 
 "Oh, I suppose so. But I think we will not see 
 it again, and I am glad of it." 
 
 "We shall not have to make the bank now, so 
 let us plan what we will do first Where shall we 
 have lunch?" 
 
 "Let's go to a nice tea room or dairy place," I 
 said. 
 
 "Oh, Daddy, I want to go to a really spiffy place. 
 Can't we go to a big hotel or restaurant?" 
 
 "Since you need consolation, suppose you choose, 
 Mary. We will proceed to a large and pleasant 
 place with wonderful food." 
 
The Ring Causes Excitement 123 
 
 "Hurrah, Dad, let's go." 
 
 "It sounds expensive," I murmured. But I was 
 outvoted, and seeing that I could not help it, I found 
 myself rather enjoying the idea. 
 
 So it was decided to go to a fine hotel on one of 
 the main thoroughfares. We were a little early for 
 most diners, and we found few in the elaborate 
 dining room. The head waiter became quite friendly 
 while we were eating, especially when he found we 
 were from the East. 
 
 "It was in this hotel," he told us, "that a large 
 luncheon was given to President Wilson on the last 
 trip before his illness. It was a great occasion." 
 
 "I wish I could have been here then," said the 
 Doctor. "I suppose there was an enthusiastic 
 crowd. Did he seem ill?" 
 
 "I have been told that he never spoke better." 
 
 "It was a tragic journey," said the Doctor. 
 
 "Why, Daddy?" Mary inquired. 
 
 "Because Wilson was a sick man when he started. 
 But he was so anxious to have people believe in the 
 League of Nations that he believed in with all his 
 soul, that he went right on through the West, talking 
 everywhere for it, until he suddenly broke down, a 
 martyr to what he thought a great ideal. He was 
 very brave, and it was a great tragedy. He was like 
 a man wounded desperately who would not leave the 
 battlefield." 
 
 "I see," said Mary. "Did you ever meet him, 
 Daddy?" 
 
 "I am glad to say I did once, before he was 
 President. 
 
124 Mary in California 
 
 "Well, let's be going. If we don't start we won't 
 ever get there." 
 
 "Where?" asked Mary. 
 
 "Chinatown." 
 
 "Oh, Dad, I am crazy to see it. By the way, 
 don't forget the 'Kootikoora' for Maria." 
 
 "That would never do, would it?" 
 
 We bade good-by to the friendly head waiter, and 
 inquired of him the best way to get to the Chinese 
 quarter. It was a short ride in the street car, we 
 found, and then a walk up the steepest hill that we 
 had seen for a long time. 
 
 "San Francisco is like Rome, all built on hills," 
 remarked Mary. "I'd hate to have the cable break 
 some time and the car start going backward." 
 
 "Let us devoutly hope it will not," I remarked. 
 
 We wandered through the principal street of 
 Chinatown, sunny in the early afternoon. We went 
 into great shops, where courteous Chinese trades 
 men allowed us to walk at will, admiring the beauti 
 ful silks or rich garments displayed for sale. There 
 were carvings from the East and spices and sweets, 
 all giving forth mystery and charm. There were 
 wonderful jewels, and priceless china and porcelain. 
 And brooding over all were the strange perfumes 
 of the orient, weaving a spell of romance. 
 
 We met some Chinese and also a few sightseers 
 like ourselves. Mary wanted to buy souvenirs for 
 her friends, and I thought of Christmas not so far 
 away, so we went into a shop where there were small 
 and reasonable articles for sale. Even we could 
 tell the difference between the things made for the 
 
The Ring Causes Excitement 125 
 
 western trade and those which might have adorned 
 the house of a mandarin himself. 
 
 The Doctor took us down a side street to the 
 interesting Telephone Exchange Building, which 
 looked more like a temple than the temple 
 itself. 
 
 "I thought all the houses would be built this way," 
 said Mary. "It must be funny to call numbers in 
 Chinese." 
 
 There were several booths and in one of them a 
 tall man was standing. Suddenly he turned as if to 
 come out. 
 
 The Doctor started. "By Jove, that's El Lobo," 
 he whispered to me. "Let's get out of here. I 
 don't think he saw us." 
 
 So we left the building quickly. 
 
 "Why didn't you want him to see us, Dad?" 
 asked Mary. 
 
 "Because you got his ring, my dear. He doesn't 
 look like a man who would forget." 
 
 "But we haven't got the ring now," objected 
 Mary. 
 
 "True, but the question is, does El Lobo know 
 that? I wish I knew what he was 'phoning about 
 It would tell us a lot, maybe." 
 
 We wandered back into the city. 
 
 "Is it time to go back yet?" I asked. 
 
 "No, I think we might ride out to one of the 
 missions. We could go to the Cliff House and 
 see the sea lions, only I'd like to take Trix there. Or 
 would you rather go out to the old World's Fair 
 grounds?" 
 
126 Mary in California 
 
 "I vote we go to the mission," said Mary. "I 
 sort of like churches." 
 
 So to the mission Dolores we went, with its 
 ancient bell that had rung for the first time in the 
 year 1776, when another bell was ringing in far- 
 off Philadelphia. 
 
 As we crossed the bay again toward evening the 
 sea mists were stealing in over by the Golden Gate, 
 but the city itself stood up proudly against a glory 
 of gold in the sky. 
 
CHAPTER IX 
 
 THE GREEK THEATER AT BERKELEY 
 
 / 1P HE Doctor brought up a number of letters that 
 * evening, one being from Mrs. Norton. In this 
 she described going up the canon to find that the 
 automobile had survived the flames and was ap 
 parently as good as ever. 
 
 "It seemed to bear a charmed life," she wrote; 
 "for the woods had burned all around it. Indeed 
 the flames performed a lot of strange tricks of this 
 sort, burning one barn and leaving a house right next 
 to it. But Trix will enjoy this. We found a nest of 
 squirrels, or a family of them, that had burrowed 
 into one of the big back cushions. They chattered 
 most indignantly when we routed them out. We are 
 planning a trip to the giant sequoia trees later in 
 the fall. Can't some of you come ? We have room 
 for three in the auto. Jack and his wife are well and 
 send love, as do we all." 
 
 There was a letter from Dave also, astonishingly 
 long for him. 
 
 "DEAR MOTHER: 
 
 "The school is fine. I like it. 
 
 "There is a boy here named John Alden, and one 
 named Jack Desmond. All the boys call him Jack 
 Dempsey 'cause he fights a lot. There was a man 
 
 127 
 
128 Mary in California 
 
 here last night who talked about a fellow named 
 Burbank. Have you ever heard of him? He had 
 moving pictures. There was a picture of a big cactus 
 like the ones in New Mexico without the prickers as 
 Trix calls them. There was a picture of a plum 
 without a pit. He told us about how Burbank 
 made twenty thousand prune trees grow in nine 
 months. He did it by sticking the prune slips on 
 almond trees that grow fast. I call that pretty 
 good. He was a great scientist and did a lot for his 
 country. He did it by killing a*lot of trees and 
 plants that weren't any good and keeping the good 
 ones. Pleasejsend me some collars pronto and I've 
 got to have the Story of a Bad Boy right away, too. 
 "This is an awful long letter. 
 
 "Your 'loving DAVE/' 
 
 "Daddy, what does he mean?" gasped Mary, who 
 had been seized by a hearty fit of laughter during 
 the reading of the letter. "How did he make the 
 trees grow by killing a lot?" 
 
 "Don't you know anything about Burbank, Mary 
 He has been working now for fifty years, I suppose, 
 improving nature. That sounds funny, but it 
 true. He has been helping nature, just as I do whei 
 I put fertilizer on my garden. You have heard oi 
 'grafting,' I suppose." 
 
 "I thought graft was something connected witl 
 politics and corruption." 
 
 "Hum, sometimes. To graft means to put 
 cutting or slip from one plant on to another, when 
 it really does not belong. Take the case of Mr. Bur- 
 bank. The prune trees would take a long time t< 
 grow and he wanted them in nine months. So h< 
 
The Greek Theater at Berkeley 129 
 
 planted the quick-growing almond and grafted on 
 his prune shoots. He operates on trees as I do on 
 people. He wants certain things in nature and 
 when he does not find them, he goes ahead and tries 
 by combinations to get them. He destroys the trees 
 and plants that do not come up to his standard or 
 that do not help him in his schemes, and only keeps 
 the perfect ones or those that will be useful to him. 
 So gradually he has evolved the spineless cactus and 
 the pitless plum. It is all very wonderful and 
 seems like magic till you remember that I can take 
 blood from a well person and put it in the veins of 
 some one who is sick and health will come to him. 
 I can take a bone from an animal and graft it on a 
 cripple. It seems like magic, but it is true. It is a 
 miracle of science." 
 
 "I'd like to see Burbank," said Mary. "I'd like 
 to meet a celebrity. Are you one, Dad?" 
 
 The Doctor laughed. "Far from it," he said. 
 
 "But do you know, I think we ought to plan out a 
 little what we are going to do. The weeks are 
 fairly flying and our week-ends will be gone before 
 we know it. We want to see everything, but we 
 can't. I want to go up Tamalpais and see Muir 
 Woods and maybe drive out to Bolinas and 
 have some swims. I want to take Trix to see 
 the sea lions at the Cliff House and the museum 
 there. 
 
 "Then this trip to the sequoias and the Yosemite 
 sounds good. But we can't all do that. It costs 
 too much, and anyway we are not invited." 
 
 "Don't forget Mary's pageant," I said. "And 
 
130 Mary in California 
 
 I am anxious to get a sight of the Greek theater at 
 the University of California." 
 
 "Surely I hear there is to be a play there. Per 
 haps we can get in somehow." 
 
 "And I want to see Leland Stanford," put in 
 Mary. "I think I'd like to go to college there for 
 a year or two. I'd like to get away. And oh, Dad, 
 I heard to-day that there was to be a visit from the 
 fleet. We must see that. We can see it from the 
 Pre Pre what do you call it?" 
 
 "The Presidio that is a big park where the 
 army post is. We must surely go there. Perhaps 
 Dave could come up for that. When is it?" 
 
 "Why, I think a week from Saturday. Yd just 
 love to go aboard one of the boats." 
 
 "Well, we seem to have a long program. We 
 surely must see all we can, but I don't see how we 
 can do everything. Suppose you and Trix go to the 
 sequoias with the Nortons and I take Mary to 
 Tamalpais and Muir Woods." 
 
 "I don't see that that is fair," I answered. "The 
 Yosemite and the big trees are very important for 
 every one to see, especially the children. Why 
 shouldn't Dave and Mary go?" 
 
 "I don't think the. Nortons could be asked to take 
 the children alone. How about you and Trix and 
 Dave going? Mary and I could go up Tamalpais 
 and Muir Woods." 
 
 "Couldn't we all go on the way home?" 
 
 "Not if we motor as we intended to. Yet, maybe 
 we can. We shall have to look up maps and 
 things. Suppose then the four of us plan for Tamal- 
 
The Greek Theater at Berkeley 131 
 
 pais and Muir Woods next Saturday," said the 
 Doctor. 
 
 "I think that is the date for the performance at 
 the Greek theater," I said. 
 
 "And the week after is probably the fleet?" 
 
 "Yes, Dad " 
 
 "Well, then, the week after." 
 
 "That's the pageant here, 'Daddy." 
 
 "Oh, I give it up ! We'll simply go when we can. 
 Let's ask the Nortons to postpone their trip and 
 tell them we all want to go. I declare, there are 
 too many things to see in California !" 
 
 It was a few days after this that Mary asked if 
 she could not spend Friday night with Winifred. 
 There seemed to be no good reason for refusing, so 
 consent was given. 
 
 "Don't forget that we go to the university to see 
 the Greek play Saturday afternoon, so come back 
 early in the morning. We ought to start by eleven. 
 We are to lunch with one of the faculty there." 
 
 "Is Trix going?" 
 
 "No. Trix will stay home as usual. Or rather, 
 the invaluable Maria is to take Trix and Tom and 
 Jack on a picnic. Don't stay awake all night. And 
 by the way, I wish you would ask Winifred if she is 
 any relation to the Miss Ransome who has the ex 
 cellent girls' boarding school?" 
 
 "Are only excellent girls allowed there, Mother? 
 But I did ask her and she said no. It was a different 
 family. Cynthia and I are going to bowl now, if 
 there isn't any one else there. Won't you come too, 
 Mother?" 
 
132 Mary in California 
 
 "I think I will. It's a long time since I have 
 bowled." 
 
 There seemed to be some sort of mystery 
 connected with Friday night. Mary had a man 
 ner of suppressed excitement when she took leave 
 of us. 
 
 "I don't believe she'll sleep a wink all night," said 
 the Doctor. 
 
 "She'll tell us about it some day," I observed, 
 " though maybe not to-morrow." 
 
 Apparently the Doctor was right, for when Mary 
 appeared at nine-thirty Saturday morning she was 
 a weary-looking girl, pale with dark rings under her 
 eyes. 
 
 "But oh, Mother, it was fun. Can't I come here 
 to college, Dad? They are so nice here." 
 
 "What happened?" asked her father. 
 
 "Oh, I can't tell. It's a secret. I promised not 
 to." 
 
 "Cross your heart and strike me dead?" 
 
 "Now, Dad, nothing so foolish!" 
 
 "You are sure of that? Now I am a clairvoyant, 
 a magician. I see hooded figures stealing out at 
 midnight and wandering through the eucalyptus 
 grove to the lake, where strange ceremonies took 
 place. Some freshmen were initiated into the secret 
 society of the Natatores." 
 
 "Now, Dad, that name is too silly." 
 
 "Well, what was the name? I see some mer 
 maids swimming and sporting about in the water." 
 
 "Dad, who told you?" 
 
 "I tell you, I am a magician. Isn't it true? 
 
The Greek Theater at Berkeley 133 
 
 Didn't you all, or portions of you, get into the 
 lake?" ' 
 
 "I promised not to tell." 
 
 "So you did. But I made no promise. Now 
 'fess up, or I'll go and shout the glad tidings." 
 
 "I think Dad's mean, Mother. The girls will 
 think I didn't keep the pledge." 
 
 "My dear, I won't ask any more questions. You 
 must surely keep your word. But I thought secret 
 societies were taboo." 
 
 "We did have such fun!" Mary sighed. 
 
 "You look as if you had," remarked the Doctor. 
 "Also there is a suspicion of dampness about the 
 top of your head. These early dawn baths are 
 wearing." 
 
 Mary put her hand to her hair, and then rushed 
 off upstairs. 
 
 "Don't forget we start on the eleven o'clock car 
 on the upper track. Not the one that goes to 
 Frisco," called her father after her. 
 
 "Those girls must have had a jolly time," he 
 added with a grin. "I wish you could have been 
 present." 
 
 It was quite a walk to the platform where we 
 took the cars into Oakland. But the eucalyptus trees 
 gave us pleasant shade. We passed the President's 
 house, with its lovely gardens and the two feathery 
 pepper trees. 
 
 "It seems so funny to see palms about in front 
 of the houses," said Mary. "I feel as though there 
 was to be a party and they were decorations." 
 
 "I can't quite get used to them either," I said. 
 
134 Mary in California 
 
 "What are we going to see to-day, I mean in 
 the theater, beside the college buildings?" Mary 
 asked. 
 
 "The play is 'Elektra,' I think," said the Doctor. 
 "A gruesome tragedy. But it will be beautifully 
 done, and as it's Greek, we will like it. I must say 
 I like the cheerful ones better." 
 
 We found the university very large. "It's like a 
 whole city," Mary said, "all spread out; and what 
 a wonderful great white tower. Can we go up?" 
 
 "We certainly can. It has a fine view," our host 
 told us. "This place has more students than any 
 other university in the United States, but I am not 
 always sure that that is an advantage. To para 
 phrase an old friend of you New Englanders, 'We 
 don't always crack the nut and bring out the meat.' 
 But there is something inspiring, too, in the size of 
 
 us." 
 
 We were standing on the balcony at the top of 
 the tower and gazing over the wonderful panorama 
 of buildings and brown hills and blue sea. It was 
 beautiful from whichever point we looked. 
 
 "You will find it very hot in the theater," added 
 our host. "But I think I succeeded in getting seats 
 on the shady side. So, who knows, you may need 
 your furs. That is one of the peculiarities of our 
 climate." 
 
 The Greek theater was very large, with its great 
 stage, and its columns between which the actors came 
 and went. And all open to the blue sky and the 
 bright sun overhead. For there was no roof, and 
 very little shade, as we soon found. At the back 
 
The Greek Theater at Berkeley 135 
 
 there rose trees, but these did not cast any shadow 
 upon the majority of the audience. It was a beauti 
 ful spot, and a fitting background for the great 
 Grecian play we were to see. Even the ancient 
 Greeks could not have asked a better. 
 
 "It seems like Greece, doesn't it, Mother? At 
 least I always thought of Greece like this. All 
 brilliant sunlight and white columns." 
 
 "I have pictured it that way, too. Let us pre 
 tend that these pretty, gaily gowned girls are 
 Athenians and the boys in their white flannels really 
 dressed in togas with wreaths about their 'hya- 
 cinthine locks,' as Homer would have put it," said 
 the Doctor. 
 
 The tragedy was presented in a way that left 
 nothing to be desired. Every word could be heard, 
 and the illusion was perfect. Mary and I found 
 ourselves dissolved in tears, sitting in modern 
 California, while university students with only a 
 few professional actors told forth the woes that 
 fate prepared for the ancients in the days when the 
 world was young. 
 
 "It is so beautiful and so terrible, Mother. But 
 I think if it hadn't been done so well, I would have 
 wanted to laugh." So Mary spoke as we started 
 home. "I am awfully glad I saw it. I dicjn't want 
 to come a bit. But the choruses were so lovely. I 
 wish there had been more of them. I wish we could 
 wear those long Greek clothes." 
 
 "Do you think I would look nice in a short toga 
 too?" asked her father. "And how would you play 
 tennis in a long garment?" 
 
136 Mary in California 
 
 "But the Greek girls wore short things when they 
 played ball, Daddy. I've seen pictures of them." 
 
 "That's right. They are pretty to look at any 
 way. But I think in our cold New England winters 
 I prefer trousers." 
 
 It was late when we reached home and we were 
 all tired, especially Mary. Even Trix, after a day 
 of joyous excitement with Maria, seemed ready for 
 bed. 
 
 "There isn't anything on for to-morrow, is there?" 
 asked the Doctor, yawning, about nine o'clock. And 
 I assured him that there was not. 
 
 "Nothing but church. I think I'd like to go to 
 church," I observed. "I feel as though we had 
 gotten very far from New England." 
 
 "I would like a peaceful Massachusetts Sabbath 
 myself," replied the Doctor with another yawn. 
 
 But the morning brought its own excitement. The 
 front page of the newspapers which Maria brought 
 us on her return from early service bore the 
 enormous headlines, "Bank in San Francisco robbed. 
 Safe broken open in the early evening by daring 
 bandits. It is not certain how many were involved. 
 Nothing missing from the safe." 
 
 "Wasn't that the bank my ring was to go to?" 
 asked Mary. 
 
 "Yes, indeed. It looks as though El Lobo had 
 been at work. He probably was hugely disap 
 pointed. He does not seem to know everything. I 
 wonder who has the ring anyway?" said the Doctor. 
 
 "But El Lobo had no right to wear it, if what that 
 man in Santa Barbara told you was true," said 
 
The Greek Theater at Berkeley 137 
 
 Mary. "Only the head of the society. I don't 
 believe El Lobo is that." 
 
 "Neither do I," answered her father. "I am glad 
 they are fighting it out between them and we are no 
 longer involved." 
 
 "I am afraid I'll never see my ring again," Mary 
 said disconsolately. 
 
CHAPTER X 
 
 THE PACIFIC FLEET VISITS SAN FRANCISCO 
 
 ' I A HE day the great fleet was to arrive dawned 
 at last with promise of fair weather, although 
 mists still hung over the Golden Gate when we made 
 our early start for San Francisco. 
 
 The ships were due at noon, but from daybreak 
 the ferries and trolleys and trains were crowded with 
 sightseers, anxious to get positions of advantage. 
 
 "You'd think there was only one grand stand in 
 stead of a great park to watch from," I said. 
 
 "Just wait," observed the Doctor. "You will find 
 the shores crowded so that back of the fifteenth line 
 no one will catch a glimpse of the water even, let 
 alone the fleet." 
 
 The trolleys were filled to overflowing, so we 
 finally took a taxi out to the Presidio, where we 
 could find our way on foot. We had provided our 
 selves with field glasses and food and two folding 
 camp stools, and were prepared to spend the day. 
 
 "I wish Dave were here," said Trix. "He'd 
 love to see the boats. Can we go on them, Daddy?" 
 
 "Not to-day, but I hope we can on some other 
 day. I have a fancy that I know the surgeon on 
 one of them. Perhaps we could get aboard some day 
 when the public are not admitted." 
 
 138 
 
The Pacific Fleet Visits San Francisco 139 
 
 The park, with its trees and well-kept roads, was 
 a pleasant place in which to be. Presently we found 
 ourselves with a small group on a little hill, not at 
 the water's edge, but commanding a fine view of 
 the bay, where the last streaks of fog still lingered. 
 
 We sat down, and Trix declared she was hungry. 
 "Can't I have a sandwich?" she begged. "Just one, 
 with peanut butter in it." 
 
 The thought of a sandwich was pleasant to all, 
 although it was only half past nine. 
 
 "But we did start so early, Mother;" so Mary 
 explained the hunger of all of us. 
 
 The sandwiches were passed. Then in a few 
 minutes, Trix, more outspoken than the rest, in 
 sisted that she was still hungry. So the sandwiches 
 were passed again, and no one refused. Then, "I 
 am so thirsty, Mother," pleaded Trix. 
 
 So some fruit was distributed and we sat in perfect 
 contentment amid oranges and plums. 
 
 All the time the sky was getting bluer, and the 
 sea, stirred by a fresh wind, was a mass of sparkling 
 blue and white. On shore an incredible number of 
 people were gathered, moving slowly in one direc 
 tion. Whole families, with babes-in-arms, were 
 wedged between automobiles. It was like a colony 
 of ants, watching from where we sat. 
 
 "It is strange to think what a different place this 
 is from the Spanish presidio where the prison stood. 
 How astonished the old hidalgos would have been," 
 said the Doctor. 
 
 "Even the early pioneers might express some 
 surprise!" I said. "Your famous great-aunt who 
 
140 Mary in California 
 
 lived here in the days of the Vigilance Committee, 
 what do you suppose she would say to these 
 orderly crowds and the extremely efficient police?'* 
 
 "Did your great-aunt live here then, Daddy? 
 Was she a Calif ornian?" 
 
 "By adoption and grace, but not by birth. She 
 was one of the pioneer women. Your grandmother, 
 Mary, came out here in the early fifties to visit. 
 She went by way of Panama and rode across on a 
 donkey." 
 
 u Oh, Daddy, what fun. It must have taken 
 months to do it. I suppose they went by sea after 
 they got through with the donkey. How old was 
 she Grandmother, I mean?" 
 
 "About your age. She came to be with her aunt 
 and uncle. That was in the famous days of the 
 Vigilantes, when it was unsafe to walk out of an 
 evening in the city of San Francisco. The search for 
 gold had brought all the riff-raff from everywhere. 
 Sometimes it was easier to dig the precious metal 
 out of the pockets of an honest citizen than out of 
 the earth. Every corner had its gambling den and 
 its saloon. 
 
 "But when things get too bad, honest men cannot 
 stand it. Finally a few good citizens, among them 
 your great-uncle, formed a committee, the Vigilance 
 Committee. They swore to bring back order to 
 their city, and they did. They policed the streets. 
 They took murderers whom the so-called law would 
 not condemn, and after a fair trial hanged them, 
 when they were proved guilty. As soon as the thugs 
 and desperate characters found that the law of the 
 
The Pacific Fleet Fisits San Francisco 141 
 
 land would be enforced, they calmed down a bit and 
 went out of town for their health. 
 
 "There was a most remarkable minister here then, 
 William Taylor. He was the same man who intro 
 duced eucalyptus trees. During the worst days of 
 '49 and '50 he preached in the streets every Sunday, 
 to enormous crowds. He didn't mince matters 
 either, but spoke his mind out about gambling and 
 drinking and killing. He spoke most informally 
 and used to address the people personally who came 
 to hear him. He was loved especially by the sailors 
 whom he tried to help. But in all the seven years 
 of his street preaching, he never allowed a collection 
 to be taken up for himself." 
 
 "What happened to him, Dad?" asked Mary. 
 "Did they kill him?" 
 
 "No, he went to be a missionary somewhere in 
 Africa or Asia, I think." 
 
 "Why aren't there more really great men now, 
 Daddy? The people I know are all about the same. 
 I don't know any heroes." 
 
 "Why, yes you do. There were plenty of heroes 
 in the great war, and some your own cousins." 
 
 "Oh, in war, of course. But I mean in peace 
 times. They don't brave dangers like the old 
 pioneers." 
 
 "You ought to read the stories of the winners of 
 the Carnegie medals each year. There is certainly 
 plenty of heroism there. Then think of the scientists 
 who brave danger all the time in their research work. 
 Remember Reed, who discovered the yellow-fever 
 germ. Take Madame Curie, who discovered the 
 
142 Mary in California 
 
 uses of radium, knowing all the time what a danger 
 ous tool she was experimenting with." 
 
 "But I don't know Madame Curie or the Carnegie 
 medal people," objected Mary. 
 
 "Maybe I can contrive an introduction some time. 
 I knew a man once who slept in a tent down in a 
 place infested with yellow fever. He did it to prove 
 that unless he were bitten by a particular kind of 
 mosquito, he wouldn't catch the fever. He even 
 slept in the bedding that had been used by a yellow- 
 fever patient." 
 
 "Oh, Daddy, did he catch it?" 
 
 "Certainly not. But that showed to the world 
 that the health of that place depended on the killing 
 of the mosquito, and had nothing to do with climate 
 or night air. That fellow was pretty brave, I 
 think." 
 
 "But, Daddy, he knew he wouldn't catch it, 
 didn't he?" 
 
 "You can't be certain of anything in science until 
 it is proved. But if you won't grant his hero 
 ism, how about the other fellow who deliberately 
 got himself bitten by a poisonous mosquito, to 
 prove that that was the way the fever could be 
 caught?" 
 
 "Yes, he was brave, Daddy. I wouldn't have 
 liked to do that. Still, I think it would be easier 
 than doing what those early settlers did. Think of 
 the lonely plains and the Indians and hunger and 
 thirst and wild animals. How did they ever do it? 
 and they took children, too, didn't they?" 
 
 "I often wonder how the youngsters did survive," 
 
The Pacific Fleet Visits San Francisco 143 
 
 said her father. "Did you ever hear of Virginia 
 Reed?" 
 
 "No. Who was she?" 
 
 "She was one of the children we were speaking of, 
 a twelve-year-old girl. In the midst of the worst 
 part of the journey through the wilderness her father 
 got into trouble with one of the other men. He 
 was declared to be in the wrong, and was sentenced 
 to banishment. He was turned out of camp with 
 his horse, without a gun or food. But that night 
 after dark Virginia and a young man she had per 
 suaded to go with her followed Mr. Reed's horse 
 by the tracks in the sand. They carried his rifle and 
 food and drink. If they were discovered by their 
 own people or were found by Indians, they knew it 
 would mean death. They could hear wolves and 
 wild cats, not to mention coyotes. It was a terrible 
 trip, but they finally found the man, who in despair 
 had given up all hope. You can imagine his joy at 
 seeing his brave little daughter and getting back his 
 trusty gun. Virginia wanted to stay with her father, 
 but he would not allow it. So she and her friend 
 crept back to camp again, undiscovered, and told 
 Mrs. Reed, who was quite heartbroken, the good 
 news of their adventure." 
 
 "Wasn't she wonderful, Dad? I wish I could do 
 things like that." 
 
 "Well, I hope you may never have to do it for 
 me. Perhaps now we have lost the ring, we can 
 look forward to an uneventful life." 
 
 "What is an uneventful life?" asked Trix. 
 
 "What we're doing now," laughed the Doctor, 
 
144 Mary in California 
 
 jumping up. "Let's take a look around. This is 
 almost too uneventful." 
 
 "I want to go too," said Trix. "Where are you 
 going?" 
 
 "Just for a walk. I don't believe we can find a 
 better place to see from than this. But I would like 
 a little excitement." 
 
 "When will the boats come?" asked Trix. 
 
 At that moment we heard a very faint sound 
 like a distant gun. 
 
 "What was that?" asked Mary. 
 
 "I believe they are coming," cried the Doctor. 
 "Where are the field glasses?" 
 
 "Let me look; let me look!" was Trix's cry. 
 
 "Yes, I can see them through the glasses way 
 off there to the left. Just coming in through the 
 Golden Gate. No, Trix, you must wait till your 
 mother has looked." 
 
 "There isn't anything much to see yet, silly," said 
 Mary. "Wait till they come nearer." 
 
 The little black bobbing hulls were not much to 
 see, in truth. But they were coming steadily nearer 
 over the sparkling sea, with the white foam tossing 
 from their bows. We could see the white smoke 
 from their guns and then later could hear the report. 
 The guns at the fort began to answer, and people 
 cheered and waved flags, and handkerchiefs and 
 napkins from their lunch baskets. Some enthusi 
 asts even threw their hats in the air. 
 
 Nearer and nearer came the stern gray ships, 
 their battle turrets dark against the sky. Through 
 the glasses we could see them plainly, even to the 
 
The Pacific Fleet Fisits San Francisco 145 
 
 sailors on the decks and in the rigging. It was 
 a sight to thrill the heart of even the most peaceful 
 minded. Faintly over the water came the strains of 
 "The Star-Spangled Banner," played by the band 
 on one of the ships. Bright against the sky floated 
 the stars and stripes from the stern of each boat. 
 
 "I am glad they are coming back, not going out to 
 war, Mother," whispered Mary. "I can see the men 
 so plainly. I suppose a lot of them may have been 
 in the war, don't you think so ?" 
 
 "I shouldn't wonder. See the submarines there, 
 Mary," said her father. "See, Trix, that is a sub 
 marine, over there. Your eyes are so good, you can 
 see it without the glasses." He lifted the youngster 
 on his shoulders. 
 
 "Is it that funny little one? Oh, Dad, please let 
 me .look through the glasses," begged Trix. 
 
 It took her a few minutes to manage them. But 
 suddenly she exclaimed, "Why, Dad, there is a goat 
 or something on the big boat; and oh, I can see the 
 men! Why it's right up close. How can it get so 
 close? Why, where is it?" she added, as she put 
 the glasses down and the boat receded again into 
 the distance. 
 
 So we stood and watched the great fleet go by, 
 amidst the shouts of the crowds, till it vanished 
 about the point of land and disappeared from sight. 
 
 "Oh, let's go down to the shore and try and catch 
 a last glimpse of them," begged Mary. 
 
 "I'd rather not take Trix down in the crowds. 
 Why don't you and your father go? We will wait 
 here," I suggested. 
 
146 Mary in California 
 
 "Come on, Dad, come quick," and Mary started 
 off toward the shore. 
 
 The people around us followed like sheep, and 
 soon Trix and I were deserted, much to her disgust. 
 
 "I want to see the boats, too, Mother," she 
 said. 
 
 U I don't believe they will see anything more. 
 Come, let's set out the rest of the lunch and get it 
 ready for them when they come back." 
 
 "Are we going to have a fire?" 
 
 "No, I don't believe we'll bother." 
 
 We unpacked the rest of the lunch. There was 
 a wonderful looking pie that Maria had made for 
 us and some stuffed eggs. 
 
 "Do we have to wait for the others?" asked 
 Trix. "Can't we eat ours now?" 
 
 "I think we had better wait. They won't be 
 long." 
 
 But it was hard to restrain Trix as the minutes 
 dragged on and the others did not return. 
 
 "Mother, some ants are eating my sandwich," 
 said Trix finally. "I want to eat it myself." 
 
 So I divided the remaining food into four por 
 tions, and Trix made short work of her share. 
 
 "I shall not even leave one crumb for those horrid 
 ants," she remarked. "And, Mother, you'd better 
 look out for the other things 'cause a whole family 
 of ants are going for them." 
 
 But before the ants had been able to get even a 
 portion of a meal the Doctor's familiar whistle was 
 heard and he and Mary appeared. They were hot 
 and hungry, and had seen no boats. 
 
The Pacific Fleet Visits San Francisco 147 
 
 "Oh, Mother, it was such a crowd," said Mary. 
 "They were so mussy and tired and the place was 
 full of papers and banana peels. But who do you 
 think I saw in the crowd? El Lobo ! I am sure of 
 it. He saw me, too, and tried to follow us. But he 
 couldn't in the jam. Do you suppose he thinks I 
 still have the ring?" 
 
 "It is astonishing how bold he is," observed the 
 Doctor. "He is wanted by the police for that train 
 holdup, and yet here he is, wandering without dis 
 guise through such a crowd as this. I have a great 
 mind to give a tip to the nearest policeman. I hate 
 to think of that fellow at liberty." 
 
 "Let the police look out for him themselves," I 
 said. "Let us not get mixed up in anything more !" 
 
 "But I want to get my ring back," murmured 
 Mary. "My goodness, Mother, what a wonderful 
 pie this is of Maria's. I wish she could come east 
 with us." 
 
 "By the way, how is 'BoneyY hair getting on?" 
 asked the Doctor. "I have been so busy that I 
 forgot to look. Trix, do you know?" 
 
 "He's getting white woolly stuff all over his back," 
 answered Trix. "It's awful funny." 
 
 "I should think it might be." 
 
 "If only Maria wouldn't wash me so much! She 
 washes me in places you never did, Mother." 
 
 "Nonsense, Trix, I washed you all over," I ob 
 jected indignantly. 
 
 "But not every day. And you used to let me wash 
 myself and then I could skip, but Maria washes me 
 herself. She's awful." 
 
148 Mary in California 
 
 "She loves you, Trix, and she's just as good to 
 you as she can be," said Mary. "She takes you all 
 over and gives you things." 
 
 The last traces of the picnic were cleaned up or 
 buried, so we all arose and started back toward the 
 far distant trolley. The roads were comparatively 
 free by this time, but the walk seemed very long 
 and hot. Trix was tired and wished she were home 
 with Maria. But even the longest way must end, 
 and at last the welcome sound of a trolley gong 
 could be heard. 
 
 "Dad, you will take us on board one of the 
 ships, won't you?" begged Mary. 
 
 "If I can, I certainly will." 
 
 "Me, too, Dad?" asked Trix. 
 
 "The whole family," answered her father. "We 
 will all hang together or we will all hang separately." 
 
 "Daddy," whispered Mary as we got on the 
 crowded trolley at the gate of the park, "I saw 
 El Lobo get on this car." 
 
 "It may be just a happen-so," he responded. "But 
 if that man tries to follow us, I'll report him to 
 the police. I won't stand for any nonsense." 
 
 We were a tired party when we arrived at the 
 ferry. This, too, was crowded, but at least there 
 was fresh air on the upper deck, and the possibility 
 of sitting on the edge of a lifeboat or a coil of 
 rope. 
 
 Presently Mary left us to buy some odds and 
 ends, and we stood and admired the gulls with 
 Trix. We could see the fleet anchored to the south 
 
The Pacific Fleet Visits San Francisco 149 
 
 of us. We were almost across the bay before Mary 
 returned, in high excitement. 
 
 "Daddy, I've spoken to El Lobo," she whispered. 
 "He asked me if we had the ring and I told him 
 no. I said the Chinese secret society had it, and 
 that he could not get it. I told him he couldn't 
 wear it, anyway, because he wasn't the chief of the 
 society, and they'd kill him if he wore it. He asked 
 me if I wanted the ring very much, and I said yes. 
 He asked me how much we'd give for it, and I said 
 a lot. He wanted to know if we'd give five hundred 
 dollars. I laughed and said no. He said he'd get 
 it for me for five hundred dollars. Then I came 
 back here. I knew you wouldn't give that much, 
 would you?" 
 
 "I'd sooner give him five hundred lashes!" 
 growled fehe Doctor. "Don't ever talk to that 
 scoundrel again, Mary. If you do, I shall certainly 
 inform the police." 
 
 "What would you pay for the ring, Daddy?" 
 Mary asked. 
 
 "Not a lead nickel," was the answer. "And re 
 member, you are not to talk to that man again, and 
 if he writes, I want to know it." 
 
CHAPTER XI 
 
 THE PAGEANT 
 
 'TpHE evening before the pageant, the Doctor was 
 -* to lecture at Leland Stanford University. It 
 was out of the question for Mary to go, as she had a 
 rehearsal, and I hesitated to leave her and Trix alone 
 with old Maria. But I was finally persuaded. We 
 had heard so much of Stanford that I was anxious 
 to visit there. 
 
 Indeed, we found it different from anything we 
 had seen. The brown Romanesque buildings, the 
 great palms, the fountains, all seemed like the East, 
 and one half expected to meet turbaned figures in 
 stead of very modern boys and girls. There was 
 a great swimming pool out in the open which Mary 
 and Dave would have appreciated. 
 
 We were taken over the beautiful modern library 
 and climbed the tower to look over the rolling hills 
 and acres of fertile fields, flowers and vegetables, 
 fruit trees of all kinds. 
 
 "The college was certainly a princely gift for a 
 woman to give as a memorial/' the Doctor said to 
 me, as we descended the stairs. "They tell me that 
 during the time the money questions were being 
 settled, Mrs. Stanford and the faculty, too, lived 
 on next to nothing. It is an inspiring story in the 
 
 150 
 
The Pageant 151 
 
 history of colleges. I wish Mary could see this 
 
 place." 
 
 "I wish she were here too," I said. "Somehow 
 
 I feel uneasy about their being at home alone." 
 "But think of Maria and the 'bonies.' " 
 "Yes, I think of them, but they don't console 
 
 me." 
 
 It must have been at about that moment, as we 
 heard afterward, that Mary, her rehearsal over, was 
 eating a picnic supper with Winifred and several 
 others of the cast under the eucalyptus trees. 
 It was a beautiful, moonlight night and very 
 tempting. 
 
 "Let's start a secret society," Winifred said. "It 
 shall have ten members." 
 
 All this Mary confided to me several weeks later. 
 The rules included a monthly meeting beside the 
 lake, after dark, and an annual sunrise swim in the 
 lake, to take place on the first night of May. Mary 
 objected that she would not be able to be present, 
 and thereupon she was elected an honorary member, 
 and promised to get a swim somewhere on that day, 
 when possible. The California Poppy was to be 
 their flower. The meetings were to be always at 
 midnight under the eucalyptus trees. They tried 
 to remain out that night until twelve, but gradually 
 yawns took place of conversation, and finally some 
 one moved to adjourn the meeting. 
 
 "I can't keep awake," Winifred herself observed, 
 yawning prodigiously. So slowly they trooped back 
 to their several halls. 
 
 Two of them accompanied Mary home, and found 
 
152 Mary in California 
 
 to their consternation that Maria had locked arid 
 bolted and fairly glued the doors and windows. 
 
 "Well, what are you going to do now?" asked 
 Winifred. 
 
 "Wake up Trix or Maria." 
 
 They rang the doorbell without effect, and then 
 threw stones at the upper window. Finally a head 
 swathed in clothes appeared at the window and 
 Maria, who always spoke German when excited, 
 demanded, "Ver ist da?" 
 
 "I'm sorry to wake you. It's me, Mary." 
 
 The head looked out further and presently dis 
 appeared. In a few minutes, Maria, in a large 
 canton flannel nightgown and carpet slippers, opened 
 the door just enough to allow Mary to slip in. 
 
 "Remember that we must always write to each 
 other on the anniversary of the founding of the 
 society, no matter where we are," whispered Wini 
 fred. 
 
 "We can't all write to each one of us," Mary 
 objected. 
 
 "No, all send word to me, or whoever happens to 
 be grand commander, what you are doing, and I 
 will send the word around. Don't tell any one. 
 Good night." 
 
 Maria gave her charge a good scolding. 
 
 "Vat time of night for a goot girl to be coming 
 home," she said. "I vill tell your Popper und 
 Mamma." 
 
 But somehow Mary bribed her not to. 
 
 "I will tell Mother myself, some time," she 
 promised, "if only you won't." 
 
The Pageant 153 
 
 So it was that I heard about the secret society 
 many months later. Will there ever be another 
 meeting, I wonder? 
 
 The day of the pageant was unusually clear and 
 pleasantly warm. At three we all gathered beside 
 the lake, which reflected in its clear blue-green the 
 gay colors and tall shapes of the eucalyptus trees. 
 It was hard to tell where land began and water 
 ended. The visiting dignitaries from England for 
 whom the play was given were seated with the 
 President of the college. The bright colored 
 dres?es of the audience made them seem almost like 
 part of the performance. 
 
 Through the trees came a group of lovely dancers, 
 the mists of the dawn, and following them, Manalar, 
 Sun goddess and mother of the ancients. 
 
 Then the Indians, children of nature, appeared 
 with their tents, and started out to hunt. It seemed 
 hard to believe that we were not looking through 
 magic glasses into the past. While the Indians 
 were hunting, a chorus of wild flowers danced 
 about. Poppies, cornflowers, bluebells, dandelions, 
 in the gayest of bright colors, flitted in, and Trix 
 recognized Mary and Cynthia among the yellow 
 poppies. 
 
 Presently the Indians returned in triumph from 
 their hunting, to Trix's great delight. She preferred 
 them to the flower spirits. 
 
 "Are they real Indians?" she asked. "Did they 
 come from New Mexico?" 
 
 u Of course they aren't," replied young Jack, the 
 nine-year-old son of the President. "Why, there's 
 
154 Mary in California 
 
 Nancy and Eleanor and lots of the girls. They are 
 just pretend Indians. " 
 
 Trix was finally convinced when she recognized 
 her old friend Winifred in the young hero, Cocopah, 
 whose wedding with the beautiful maiden Matilija 
 was celebrated in the true Indian fashion. Presents 
 were exchanged and Cocopah carried his bride to 
 his tepee or tent while the fathers and relatives 
 spread seeds and grain before their path to signify 
 the good wishes of all for fruitfulness and plenty. 
 The strange, primitive Indian dances with which 
 they celebrated the wedding were interrupted by 
 the strains of a Latin hymn, and a weary company 
 of Spanish missionaries appeared. They were made 
 welcome by the hospitable red men, who took a 
 childish interest in the red clothes and strings of 
 beads which the padres brought. Only the old chief 
 and Cocopah and his bride were suspicious and 
 followed afar off. 
 
 "Is it all over?" demanded Trix, when the Indians 
 disappeared behind the hill. 
 
 "No, indeed," answered Jack. "There's going 
 to be a war dance, and lots of exciting things." 
 
 There was an interlude when the beautiful Mana- 
 lar appeared and sorrowfully led away the wild 
 spirits of tree and wood who had dwelt so happily 
 with the Indians, but could not abide the white 
 man and his ways. 
 
 "Aren't the Indians coming back, Mother?" Trix 
 wanted to know. 
 
 "Don't you think this is pretty?" I asked. "Don't 
 
The Pageant 155 
 
 you like to see them dancing among the dark oaks 
 and the great tall eucalyptus trees?" 
 
 "I would like to dance, too," said Trix. "Why 
 couldn't I have been a little Indian?" 
 
 The second part of the pageant showed the 
 baptism of an Indian baby. But the ceremony was 
 rudely interrupted by a whirlwind dance of the 
 ancient spirits, who appeared to lead the Indians 
 back to their old faith. 
 
 u Now comes the war dance," whispered Jack. 
 
 The sound of the war drums and the war chant 
 of the savages could be heard, and presently Trix 
 was delighted and half fearful at the antics of 
 the Indians, who finally rushed off to massacre 
 the padres. But the Indians were repulsed, and 
 fled to the hills. 
 
 Only the lovely bride, Matilija, remains, search 
 ing for her lover, who has not returned with the 
 braves. 
 
 The old order has changed and the white man 
 is the conqueror. Trix hid her head on my shoulder 
 and cried when poor Cocopah staggered in and fell 
 beside Matilija, whose mourning was cut short by 
 a bullet from the Spaniards. 
 
 "It's not real, Trix," whispered her father. 
 "They are just pretending." 
 
 "But I'm so sorry for them," murmured Trix. 
 
 "Look, Trix, what is coming," I said. 
 
 Springing from the ground apparently came two 
 lovely white figures, the Matilija Poppies, who em 
 bodied the spirits of the lovers, united in death. 
 
156 Mary in California 
 
 "I don't care," said Trix. "Why did Winifred 
 have to be dead?" 
 
 Nor was she happy again until the pipe of peace 
 was smoked between the Indians and their con 
 querors and companies of Spanish marched in with 
 supplies and reinforcements for the padres. 
 
 "I confess I sympathize with Trix," said the 
 Doctor, as we arose to go. "It is a sad play, and 
 only too true. With our boasted civilization we 
 have done a lot of harm to the weaker races." 
 
 Mary joined us in her pretty yellow dress. 
 
 "Wasn't it lovely, Mother?" she wanted to know. 
 "I don't think I ever saw anything so beautiful. 
 Wasn't Winifred fine? She looked so like an 
 Indian with her black hair and eyes. I am so 
 sorry it's over. I'll never have such a good time 
 again." 
 
 "There was some one else who looked pretty," 
 observed her father. "Yellow is very becoming to 
 you, Mary." 
 
 "Did you really think I looked well? I am so 
 glad. Won't you come and tell Winifred you liked 
 it, because none of her family are here, and I think 
 she's sort of blue." 
 
 So we hunted up the hero and congratulated her. 
 
 "I wish your father and mother and your Indian 
 friends could have seen you," said the Doctor. 
 "They would have been proud of you." 
 
 "It was a fine pageant, wasn't it? I think every 
 one did wonderfully. They say the English people 
 are delighted. We are going to have a dance and 
 a spread. Mary can come, can't she?" 
 
The Pageant 157 
 
 "Surely," I replied, "if some one will walk home 
 with her. Do you stay in your costumes?" 
 
 "No, but we have our pictures taken right away. 
 We'll see Mary home. And thanks for liking our 
 play." 
 
 "Mary is surely having a good time," observed 
 the Doctor. "I am afraid home doings will seem 
 quite tame when she gets back to New England 
 again." 
 
 "The West has treated us all very well," I re 
 marked. "What fine hospitable people we have met, 
 and how friendly they have been to us." 
 
 "It is the pioneer spirit, I think," the Doctor said. 
 "In the days of the frontier the traveler found a 
 hearty welcome after the dangers and trials he had 
 passed through. I think their descendants are keep 
 ing up the tradition. May it never pass away from 
 the West as it has to some extent from the East." 
 
CHAPTER XII 
 
 TAMALPAIS AND MUIR WOODS TRIX GETS LOST 
 
 afternoon in November the Doctor received 
 a letter from Mr. Norton. It said that they 
 had suddenly decided to go out and visit the big 
 trees in Sequoia Park. They were going over the 
 week-end, and could they take Dave? 
 
 "I say, let him go," said his father. "And what 
 do you think of the idea of our going out to Muir 
 Woods, Tamalpais, and Bolinas over the week-end 
 while Dave is visiting the big trees elsewhere?" 
 
 "How about Mary's school?" I objected. 
 
 "It won't hurt her to take a day's holiday. We 
 can go to Muir Woods Friday, spend two nights 
 there or on Tamalpais, get the stage to Bolinas 
 Saturday morning, and spend 'Sunday afternoon 
 swimming. We can return Monday. It sounds 
 good to me. There is to be some sort of conference 
 here Monday morning, and I have no lecture." 
 
 "Yes, but Mary. She will lose two days of 
 school." 
 
 "It can't be done in less time, so I think she will 
 just have to lose them. She's standing well in her 
 classes and a holiday will do her good." 
 
 So it was decided. The Doctor sent off a letter 
 to Mr. Norton and to Dave's school, and we pre 
 pared our camping things and bathing suits for the 
 
 158 
 
Tamalpais and Muir Woods Trix Gets Lost 159 
 
 four-day trip. Now that the pageant was safely 
 over it seemed wise to do our sightseeing as soon 
 as possible. 
 
 "We may have rain, so go prepared for it. But 
 it won't be any wetter than the rains at home." 
 
 "It was nice to be able to count on the weather 
 in September," I remarked. 
 
 "But, Daddy," said Mary, "Winifred says no 
 one goes in swimming in Bolinas now. It's too 
 cold." 
 
 "If it is too cold, we won't go in," answered 
 her father. "I don't believe it's colder than on 
 the coast of Maine. And at least we can picnic on 
 the sands. I must say I like the uncertainty of not 
 knowing how the weather will work out," he added. 
 "I got tired of nothing but sunshine and dryness. 
 They tell me the beach is beautiful at Bolinas. I 
 hope we have a clear morning for Tamalpais. I 
 would hate to be enveloped in fog and have no 
 
 view." 
 
 "How do we get there?" I asked. "It sounds 
 like a long trip, Tamalpais. It is a fascinating 
 
 name." 
 
 "We go to Frisco and then by boat for about an 
 hour. Then we take a train at a place called 
 Sausolito and change to the mountain railroad after 
 a short run. The Tamalpais road is eight miles 
 in length and is the crookedest one in the world. 
 It really is not a long trip. Mary can attend morn 
 ing session at school and we will pick her up in 
 Oakland." 
 
 As often as we had taken the trip through Oak- 
 
160 Mary in California 
 
 land, I never tired of it. The beautiful school 
 buildings, Lake Merritt lying blue below the brown 
 hills, with the great white hall facing it, the fine 
 municipal tower, all were most attractive to me. 
 
 "How would you like to go up on top of the 
 tower and see the prison?" asked the Doctor, on 
 the Friday morning as we started to get Mary. 
 
 "Where's the prison, Daddy?" asked Trix. 
 
 And, "Have we time?" I questioned. 
 
 "Yes, we have time, and I'm rather curious to 
 see it. It certainly is a healthy location for a lockup, 
 and I should think would be quite difficult to escape 
 from. The only access must be the elevator and 
 perhaps a stairway. Let's go." 
 
 Permission was easily obtained, and soon we were 
 shooting up into the high tower, much to Trix's 
 unease. 
 
 "Why do we go so fast?" she asked. "It makes 
 me feel funny." 
 
 There were certain gates to be passed after we 
 left the elevator. We were not allowed to go to 
 the cells, but we did climb a steep spiral staircase 
 with a uniformed attendant, and finally came out on 
 a little balcony overlooking the town and surround 
 ing country. 
 
 Trix was greatly excited, and wanted to hunt for 
 the lake where Maria had often taken her. Then 
 she found the distant grove that sheltered Mills 
 College, with the brown hills back of it where she 
 had often climbed. 
 
 To the north lay Berkeley, with the University 
 of California. To the east the charming Piedmont 
 
Tarn alp ais and Mulr Woods Trix Gets Lost 161 
 
 hills, while across the bay San Francisco smiled 
 on us from her many hills. Beyond was the Pacific, 
 that we could not see, although the fresh breeze 
 brought with it a smell of the ocean. 
 
 "Do prisoners ever escape from here?" asked the 
 Doctor. 
 
 "I believe one man did once. At least he tried 
 it. But most of them seem quite content to stay 
 put," answered our guide. "Have you time to stop 
 and see the finger-print room?" he added. 
 
 "Oh, Dad, what is it? Can't we stop?" begged 
 Trix. 
 
 "We shall have to hurry, though," answered her 
 father. 
 
 So we descended part of the little staircase and 
 were led into a small room full of large books. 
 
 "Where are the finger prints?" asked Trix. 
 
 The gentleman in charge was amused. He bade 
 Trix put her thumb on a purple-ink pad and then 
 place it firmly on a piece of glass. She was surprised 
 and delighted to see the strange criss-cross of lines 
 that she had made. 
 
 "That is your finger print," he said gravely. 
 "Now if you ever get lost or do something naughty 
 we can find you by the finger print." 
 
 "How could you? You're just fooling," re 
 sponded that young lady. 
 
 "No, I'm not. Do you see all those books? 
 Those contain the finger prints of most of the rogues 
 west of the Rockies. It's a fine collection, and no 
 two of them alike." 
 
 "That always seems so strange," I said. 
 
1 62 Mary in California 
 
 "It is queer," he answered. "No two thumbs in 
 all the world make the same mark. Here's one," 
 he added, opening one of his books. "It was made 
 by a Chinaman we call Wing Wang. Heaven knows 
 what his real name is. He was suspected of several 
 crimes, the ringleader of a secret society that 
 extends across the Pacific. But we couldn't get any 
 thing on him, so we had to let him go. He's quite 
 young, too, and if ever a man had rascal written on 
 his face, that fellow'has." 
 
 We departed after expressing our thanks, and I 
 must say I felt glad when the iron gates shut back 
 of us and we could descend freely in the elevator. 
 
 "Most folks find it easier to get in than to get 
 out," our guide observed in parting. 
 
 It was necessary to hurry now. We found Mary 
 waiting outside the school, and all rushed for the 
 trolley and then for the ferry, where we settled in 
 temporary peace till we reached San Francisco. 
 Then there was another rush to the Sausolito boat, 
 which we reached just in time. 
 
 A strong wind was blowing from the sea, and 
 the bay was full of whitecaps. We sat in the bow 
 of the boat and ate the wonderful lunch that Maria 
 had prepared for us. But we had to hold our hats 
 with one hand while we ate with the other. We 
 passed Mare's Island, with its navy building and a 
 training ship anchored beside it, and then the island 
 with the grim prisons looming stern and white in 
 the sunshine. 
 
 It was a beautiful trip, and we were almost sorry 
 when we reached Sausolito, and changed to the train 
 
Tamalpais and Muir Woods Trix Gets Lost 163 
 
 along with a crowd of people whose varied costumes 
 filled Mary with delight. There were more khaki 
 trousers in evidence than we were used to seeing 
 in New England, and from the back it was hard 
 to tell often whether the wearer was a man or a 
 woman, though often the latter wore on her head 
 a large hat and veil which contrasted strangely with 
 her trousered legs. Walking trips around Tamalpais 
 and Muir Woods were evidently popular among the 
 young folks of the neighboring cities. 
 
 The country was beautiful all along, but especially 
 so when we took the mountain railroad and began 
 the crooked climb to the top. Twisting and turning 
 and looping, it wound its way over precipices and 
 up fearful inclines. It often seemed as though the 
 engine were about to leap into space. But some 
 how it stuck to the track, and finally the woods 
 were passed and the bare summit loomed above 
 us. 
 
 The view began to open up about us, and wonder 
 ful it was. The air was so clear that we were 
 assured by one of the other passengers that we 
 would be able to catch a glimpse of white-capped 
 Shasta, three hundred miles away. So we reached 
 the top, where we found a comfortable hotel 
 perched. 
 
 Here we changed into tramping clothes and 
 started to explore the bare summit. 
 
 Trix was greatly impressed by the full sweep of 
 the ocean to the west of us. She kept saying, 
 "Daddy, is that really all water?" and "How far 
 does it go, Daddy?" She was sure that the great 
 
164 Mary in California 
 
 Sierras to the east were the Rocky Mountains of 
 her beloved New Mexico. 
 
 We looked through the great glasses and saw 
 Mount Shasta as we had been led to hope. 
 
 "Oh, if we could only go there some time and 
 climb !" said Mary. "I do so want to climb a real' 
 mountain." 
 
 "You did last summer in New Mexico," I 
 answered. 
 
 u And got out of breath, too," added her father, 
 his eyes twinkling as he spoke. "One has to train 
 carefully to be a mountain climber. But I am not 
 denying that it would be fun." 
 
 We were all tired, for it had been a long day. 
 So we ate an early supper and retired with the sun, 
 which sank into the Pacific Ocean from a cloudless 
 glory of gold. 
 
 "We shall have a fine morning, I think," said the 
 Doctor as we turned in. 
 
 But when we awoke in the morning a genie seemed 
 to have transported the hotel elsewhere. Gone were 
 ocean and land, and only the tip of Mount Tamalpais 
 could be seen rising above the gray fog of early 
 dawn which had come in from the ocean. But 
 gradually the east colored, and suddenly the clouds 
 were full of color like a great opal, soft pinks and 
 yellows and blues spread below us. Then the sun 
 rose through the fog, and the whole air was filled 
 with light. 
 
 "It is more beautiful than I could possibly imagine 
 it," said Mary. "I am glad we had the fog. It is 
 wonderful." 
 
Tamalpais and Mulr Woods Trix Gets Lost 165 
 
 But before we had to leave the top, the fog had 
 drifted away and the sun shone down on the finest 
 view that one could wish to see. 
 
 "But I am glad that beautiful mist was there at 
 first, Daddy," said Mary. "It was like drawing 
 a curtain, when it went." 
 
 "If Dave were here, I know what he would be 
 wishing for," said the Doctor. 
 
 "I know too an aeroplane," cried Trix. 
 
 "Oh, it would be wonderful to be up in one. But 
 you know, Daddy, I believe it was something like 
 what you see from an aeroplane when we were look 
 ing down on that cloud of fog this morning." 
 
 We left Mount Tamalpais some time after lunch 
 and descended part way, then changed to a branch 
 road and so finally reached Muir Woods late in the 
 afternoon. It was strange and mysterious after 
 the bleak volcano we had left, bright in the full 
 light of the sun. Here the track ran through dim 
 woods and finally ended near a tiny settlement of 
 rustic wooden houses, the Inn and its camps. 
 
 "Mother, it is like a Hans Andersen fairy tale," 
 said Mary. "I am sure we will meet with the seven 
 dwarfs at least." 
 
 The proprietor of the Inn showed us the camp 
 we would occupy and then pointed out to us the 
 trail to the redwood grove. The sunlight flickered 
 through the pines, a quiet, peaceful light. It was 
 hard to believe in the gorgeous colors in which the 
 sun had clothed itself the evening before. 
 
 We descended a steep path and finally found our 
 selves among the gigantic redwood trees. 
 
1 66 Mary in California 
 
 "They are older than the Roman Empire," the 
 Doctor told us. "And these are not the oldest nor 
 biggest. Dave will be seeing the sequoias to-day, 
 some of which are big enough to allow a carriage to 
 pass through an arch cut through the trunk." 
 
 "Look, Mother, what is that beautiful bird 
 there?" asked Mary. "Why, it's some sort of blue 
 jay, I do believe, only bigger and handsomer than 
 the fellows at home. Come, Trix, let's see how 
 near we can get." 
 
 They crept away toward the bright blue creature, 
 perching on a branch of one of the big trees. But 
 he did not wait for them, but flew a little way and 
 then sat and scolded until they got near again, when 
 he repeated the performance. It seemed as if he 
 were playing a game with them. 
 
 There had evidently been a fire in the grove at 
 some time not so long ago, for a few of the trees 
 showed great charred scars where they had been 
 burned. But the ancient giants were too hard and 
 tough to be destroyed, and had survived the fire as 
 they had the storms and the centuries. 
 
 It was so silent. Only the scream of a jay or the 
 song of some distant bird broke the stillness. Sud 
 denly we heard Mary call, "Trix, Trix, where are 
 you? Are you hiding from me? Trix!" 
 
 "I don't like the idea of Trix running off alone 
 in these woods," said the Doctor, and he joined his 
 voice to Mary's. 
 
 There was no answer. 
 
 "Don't you suppose she is hiding and will jump 
 out and scare us?" I said. 
 
Tamalpais and Muir Woods Trix Gets Lost 167 
 
 "I don't know. She must not run away here. It 
 would be so easy to get lost." 
 
 So we all called, but there came no answer. Pres 
 ently Mary joined us. 
 
 "We were following that old jay," she explained, 
 "and I had to stop to fix my shoe laces. I thought 
 Trix was waiting but she must have gone on ahead. 
 We had crossed the stream and were going up the 
 other side." 
 
 "You don't suppose she went up to the house?" 
 I said. 
 
 "Mary, show me where you were and then run 
 up to the Inn and see if she is there. I will go up 
 that other bank and call. Come back at once and 
 report," he added. 
 
 So Mary pointed out the place she thought they 
 had crossed and then ran off up the trail. 
 
 "Tell them to send down some one if she isn't 
 there," called the Doctor. "I am worried," he 
 added. 
 
 We started up the steep wooded slope shouting 
 Trix's name at intervals. 
 
 "I can't understand how she could go so far," 
 observed the Doctor. "It can't have been more 
 than ten minutes before Mary missed her. In this 
 stillness we ought to make ourselves heard at quite 
 a distance." 
 
 Presently we were joined by Mary and two of 
 the employees of the Inn. 
 
 The short November day was drawing to a close, 
 and the shadows lay heavy in the woods. We began 
 to be very much troubled. The idea of poor j 
 
1 68 Mary in California 
 
 little Trix all alone in those dark woods fairly made 
 me sick. Every minute would take her farther 
 away unless by some lucky chance she wandered 
 toward us. The night would be cold, and who 
 knows what wild animals might be lurking in the 
 depth of the forest. 
 
 Suddenly Mary said, "I am sure she couldn't have 
 gotten this far without hearing us. I believe she 
 got into some trouble and doesn't dare answer. 
 Ugh, there must be a skunk around," she added, 
 with a sniff. 
 
 "Maybe Mr. Brown's skunks escaped," said one 
 of the men. "He has a family of them up near the 
 Inn." 
 
 "Don't go over that way," cried Mary, "it's 
 getting stronger and stronger. He must be right 
 there." 
 
 "Keep still for a second," ordered the Doctor. 
 
 We all stood silent. Not a sound could be heard 
 but our own heart beats for two or three minutes. 
 
 "I thought I heard a child crying," said the 
 Doctor. "I am sure I did," and he darted forward. 
 
 "Dad, the skunk must be over there," called Mary 
 in warning. 
 
 But the Doctor was right. Crouching under a 
 tree, sobbing, we found miserable Trixy, frightened 
 and hating herself and the horrid black pussy that 
 had led her astray, covered her with bad smells and 
 then deserted. At her father's orders, Trix re 
 moved her dress and the next moment was gathered 
 into his arms, weeping hysterically. 
 
 Mary sat down on the ground and laughed until 
 
Tamalpais and Muir Woods Trix Gets Lost 169 
 
 the tears rolled down her cheeks, while the two men 
 bade us hasten home ere darkness came. But their 
 voices were husky with merriment. Poor little 
 Trix! Her adventure might have had a serious 
 ending, but as it was, none of the rest of the party 
 could quite get away from the funny side. 
 
 u Why didn't you answer, when we called?" asked 
 her father, who had maintained a sympathetic 
 gravity. 
 
 "Oh, Daddy, I was scared to. I smelled so and 
 it was my clean dress." 
 
 "How did you happen to follow the wood pussy?" 
 
 "I was afraid she was lost," sobbed Trix. "But 
 I wish I hadn't. I thought it was a nice kitty." 
 
 This was too much for me. Perhaps the relief 
 from our late anxiety made me light-headed, but I 
 had hard work to keep from bursting into laughter. 
 Even the Doctor's gravity suffered, and he gave 
 forth a queer snorting sound. 
 
 The way did not seem so far back, and presently 
 we saw the lights at the Inn twinkling like stars 
 through the darkness. There were long strings of 
 them leading from camp to camp. 
 
 "It is a German fairy story, Mother," said Mary. 
 "All those lights are like Christmas candles and we 
 are bringing home the lost princess." 
 
 At this innocent remark from Mary, the Doctor 
 suddenly burst out laughing. "I'd hate to say who 
 the enchanted Prince must be," he managed to say 
 between snickers. "Oh, Trix, Trix, you scared us 
 awfully, but you certainly have given us a funny 
 adventure." 
 
170 Mary in California 
 
 "Daddy, you're horrid," said Mary. "Imagine 
 even a very bad fairy turning a prince into a skunk." 
 
 I washed Trix as best I could, and she ate her 
 supper clothed in a clean nightie and wrapper. She 
 had recovered from her misery and fear, and was 
 hungry and happy. But she gave me an extra hug 
 as I tucked her in that night. "Mother, I'm glad 
 I'm not in the big woods alone," she whispered. 
 
CHAPTER XIII 
 
 WE MEET EL LOBO AND HAVE AN ADVENTURE AT 
 BOLINAS 
 
 WE were awakened early the next morning by 
 a hungry blue jay, who perched on a big tree 
 right beside our cabin and announced himself loudly. 
 Indeed, there were a number of these beautiful crea 
 tures about and they were exceedingly tame, not to 
 say bold. 
 
 "If their voices weren't so awful, Mother," said 
 Mary. "They have such lovely clothes, but when 
 they screech like that, it's horrid." 
 
 "Well," remarked some one, "I remember once 
 seeing a charming girl leaning out of a window. 
 She was as pretty as a picture till she opened her 
 mouth to call to her little sister who was somewhere 
 down the block." 
 
 "Now, Mother, that's mean." 
 
 "I didn't say who it was !" I replied. "But voices 
 are quite as important as clothes. Perhaps Mr. Jay 
 would be too perfect if he could sing beautifully. 
 However, he did us a good turn this morning, for 
 we have to make an early start." 
 
 It had been decided not to take the train, but 
 to walk down through the woods and meet the 
 Bolinas stage at the crossroads over the downs at 
 the foot of the mountain. But before we went, the 
 
 171 
 
172 Mary In California 
 
 Inn keeper led Trix and Mary to see his pet skunks. 
 He had a whole family of them, and took one of the 
 babies up in his hand. 
 
 "They are only unpleasant when they are 
 frightened," he told them. "The little ones, they 
 are like kittens, they will play and run after things." 
 
 Trix, after her experience of the day before, was 
 afraid to touch them, but Mary took one of them 
 up and was delighted at its soft fur and pretty 
 ways. 
 
 After breakfast we started down the trail through 
 the woods, feeling like early explorers. It seemed 
 something of an undertaking to reach the cross 
 roads in time for the stage when not one of us had 
 been there before or knew the way. But the Doctor 
 was sure we could do it, and so we started through 
 the mysterious woods. 
 
 "Somewhere about here is a grove where they 
 hold a festival called the 'High Jinks,' " the Doctor 
 told us as we walked along. "It consists of some 
 beautiful pageant or other and is attended by artists 
 and notables generally. I have often wished I could 
 see it. These tall trees certainly make a perfect 
 stage setting." 
 
 It was a rough road we had to travel after we 
 left the pines and came out on more open rolling 
 country. We saw herds of cattle on the near-by 
 hills as we followed a stream down through a 
 gully. 
 
 "I'd hate to meet El Lobo here," said Mary 
 suddenly. "It's awfully lonesome country, isn't 
 it?" 
 
We Meet El Lobo An Adventure at Bolinas 173 
 
 "I'd hate to meet him anywhere," remarked her 
 father, who couldn't bear to hear the bandit men 
 tioned. "But it is a wild place. I think of the 
 Lorna Doone country as being like this, the downs 
 of Dartmoor. Can't you imagine those picturesque 
 ruffians galloping about here, or John Ridd riding 
 off to find Lorna? I am getting to love the brown 
 hills, though I never thought I would. Of course the 
 rains have freshened them up a lot." 
 
 It was a gray day, and as we reached the lower 
 country we found mist enveloping the tops of the 
 hills, making them look higher and more mysterious. 
 
 Much to my astonishment, we finally reached the 
 crossroads, fully half an hour before the stage was 
 due. It was a silent, lonely place, with a few cattle 
 afar off and one solitary farm. We sat down beside 
 the road, for Trixy at least was pretty tired after 
 her cross-country tramp. Presently we heard the 
 sound of a motor cycle, which annoyed the Doctor. 
 
 "Fancy using a noisy thing like that in this ro 
 mantic, uncivilized spot," he grumbled. "I wonder 
 who the wretch can'be?" 
 
 He did not have to wonder long, for the motor 
 cycle came in sight at that moment, going at a 
 fearful rate of speed. Just as it approached some 
 thing apparently went wrong with the front wheel, 
 and in a moment machine and rider lay in the ditch. 
 We all ran at once to help. 
 
 Mary outdistanced us, and called out, "Dad, it's 
 El Lobo ! It can't be possible !" 
 
 "I hope it finished him," murmured her father. 
 
 But when he came to get the fallen cyclist from 
 
174 Mary in California 
 
 the wreck of the machine, El Lobo seemed only 
 stunned and cut about the head. 
 
 "You can't kill that creature," said the Doctor 
 disgustedly. "Now if it had been somebody worth 
 while " 
 
 "I don't care who he is, I'm glad he isn't killed, 
 Dad," Mary remarked. "And I believe you are 
 too." 
 
 Presently the man opened his eyes, and his 
 surprise was laughable. Surely we were the last 
 people he expected to see. Then he smiled unpleas 
 antly. 
 
 "You said I could not get the ring, Senorita," he 
 laughed, looking at Mary. "But I have him here," 
 and he pointed to his breast. 
 
 "Look here, my man," the Doctor said sharply. 
 "Don't say another word to my daughter. If you 
 do, I'll give you up to the police. Remember you 
 are wanted at Santa Fe and other places." 
 
 El Lobo scowled, and I really do not know which 
 made his face more unpleasant, his smile or his 
 frown. 
 
 "You had better leave me alone," he said. "The 
 society to which I belong would take quick revenge 
 if I were given to the police. You know the red 
 and black cord? The red is blood, the blood of our 
 enemies." 
 
 "Don't be a fool," the Doctor replied. "That 
 may be all right down in old Mexico, but in the East 
 where I live they keep men like you shut up where 
 they belong." 
 
 El Lobo muttered, "Try it and see," but as he 
 
We Meet El Lobo An Adventure at Bolinas 175 
 
 attempted to get to his feet, he fell back and turned 
 very white. 
 
 "He's probably hurt more than I thought," said 
 the Doctor. "I wish a car would come along that 
 could take him to some town. I am afraid there 
 may not be room for him in the stage. Perhaps we 
 could get him to that farmhouse. Mary, you run 
 up there and ask for help." 
 
 "I thought you wanted him to be killed," said 
 Mary. 
 
 "Don't be foolish, child. A doctor always wants 
 to help," I said. "Run as fast as you can." 
 
 It seemed a long time before Mary returned with 
 two men and a small auto. In the meanwhile all 
 the Doctor's efforts to revive the bandit were in 
 vain. He went back to the farm with the others, 
 leaving the rest of us to wait for the stage. 
 
 About ten minutes later the great lumbering car 
 came in sight. We could hear it puffing away from 
 a distance, even before we saw it. There was barely 
 room for us all, and Trix had to sit on her father's 
 lap. 
 
 "What did you do with Lobo?" I asked. 
 
 "He is pretty badly hurt internally, I think. The 
 farm people promised to take him into Sausalito this 
 afternoon. He seems to have as many lives as a 
 cat, so he may pull through. I did all I could for 
 him in the short time I had. I feel as though I 
 ought to have stayed by him. But keeping him 
 quiet is about all he needs now till they get him to 
 a hospital. The men at the farm promised to rig 
 up a sort of bed for him in the car and drive care- 
 
176 Mary in California 
 
 fully. They were going to 'phone to a doctor who 
 comes around to see them when they need one. But 
 I feel like a deserter." 
 
 "If you are going to be miserable about it, why 
 don't you go back?" I asked. "We shall probably 
 meet a car going in that direction before long. You 
 could get a lift." 
 
 "But you and the children! I don't know when 
 I could join you. If I went back at all, I'd feel 
 that I had to go on with them this afternoon and 
 get him to the hospital. No, I think I won't go back. 
 If they do what they say and get that other doctor, 
 it will be all right." 
 
 To the relief of all of us, we met a car not much 
 later which our chauffeur informed us held the local 
 medical man. We hailed him and learned that he 
 was coming in response to a call from the farm. 
 The two doctors exchanged all necessary informa 
 tion, and then the stage proceeded on its way, with 
 a rumble and creaking. 
 
 Presently the road came out on the cliffs, and we 
 could see straight down hundreds of feet, it seemed, 
 to the sea rolling below us. 
 
 "I would hate to meet any one on this road," said 
 Mary. "It's always going around corners where you 
 can't see ahead, and it's not very wide anywhere. I 
 wish he wouldn't go so fast." 
 
 It was a wild, beautiful country, and we traveled 
 over places that seemed impossible to eastern eyes. 
 At last the village of Bolinas could be seen across 
 a bay, and the road descended rapidly to sea level. 
 
 "This was certainly worth doing," said the 
 
We Meet El Lobo An Adventure at Bolinas 177 
 
 Doctor. "I would not have missed that drive for a 
 lot. I fancy the old stage drivers and the pony 
 express men went just that way, dashing around 
 corners in a fashion that apppeared reckless, but was 
 really perfectly safe." 
 
 "What was the pony express, Dad?" asked Mary. 
 "I remember seeing a stamp in your old collection 
 marked 'Pony Express.' I always wondered what 
 it was." 
 
 "It was the mail route between Salt Lake City in 
 Utah and Sacramento. When California became a 
 state in 1850, it was about three thousand miles from 
 the central government. Mail came via Panama and 
 took twenty-one days, and came about twice a month. 
 Later there sprang up a stage route going through 
 Los Angeles, New Mexico, and Texas. That took 
 about as long as the steamer route, but came twice 
 a week. Then some brilliant fellow, a man named 
 Russell, I think, got the idea of sending light mail 
 by pony across the Sierras. It took just ten days. 
 Think of it! They traveled at the rate of twenty 
 miles an hour and the men were selected for light 
 weight as well as courage and skill. They had relays 
 of horses at frequent intervals, and changed the 
 men also, but not so often." 
 
 "But it must have been terribly hard. How could 
 horses go that fast?" asked Mary. 
 
 "They couldn't, for long. But I remember the 
 story of one fellow who was known as 'Pony Bob.' 
 There was a war with the Paiuti Indians on just 
 then, and when Bob got to the place where he was 
 to change he had ridden seventy-five miles, by the 
 
178 Mary in California 
 
 way the other man refused to go on for fear of the 
 redskins. So Pony Bob, nothing daunted, started 
 off on a fresh horse and rode one hundred and ten 
 miles farther, only stopping to eat and to change 
 horses. 
 
 "He rested up for nine hours, and then started 
 back. When he got to one of the stations he found, 
 to his horror, that the Indians had been before him, 
 had killed the men and taken off the horses. So he 
 had to go on with the same pony." 
 
 "He was a wonder, Daddy. I don't believe 
 people nowadays could ride like that," said Mary. 
 
 "I'd hate to have to myself," answered her father. 
 
 "It must have cost quite a bit," I remarked. 
 
 "I believe they charged five dollars for every half 
 ounce, which was a good deal of money for those 
 days. But people did not write as many letters then 
 as they do now. 
 
 "Those pony riders had to contend with the snows 
 of the Sierras as well as dangers from Indians. But 
 they seemed to get through every time. One man 
 rode between Santa Fe and a town in Missouri, a 
 distance of eight hundred miles, in five days and 
 thirteen hours." 
 
 "You mean one man rode all that way without 
 any rest, Daddy?" 
 
 "He didn't have time to rest, and he only changed 
 horses in every one hundred miles or so." 
 
 "If that was nowadays the Society for the Preven 
 tion of Cruelty to Animals would get after him," I 
 said. 
 
 "I imagine the horses had to suffer as well as their 
 

 We Meet El Lobo An Adventure at Bolinas 179 
 
 masters. But the riders were usually very fond of 
 their mounts. Only of course the mail had to get 
 through on time. They were a wonderful lot. I 
 suppose the Union Pacific Railroad is safer and 
 faster, but it would have been fun to travel west with 
 the Overland Mail." 
 
 By this time Bolinas was close at hand, a strag 
 gling village broken up into groups of houses, and 
 presently we stopped in front of the post office, 
 where every one got out. The Doctor had made 
 some inquiries of the stage driver, and had found 
 that he knew of two places at least where food and 
 rooms could be had. One was close at hand and 
 desirable on that account. For, "I'm half starved," 
 Mary had been saying, and Trix clamored for her 
 lunch. The other hostelry was on the bluff over 
 looking the water. 
 
 "If they can take us, I vote we go there for the 
 night," said the Doctor. "We want to be near the 
 water and get all the swimming we can. But let 
 us eat at once in the place near by." 
 
 So this was agreed on, and every one felt better 
 after a delicious dinner. We found by 'phoning that 
 the house on the heights could accommodate us. So 
 we hired a man to take us the short distance, bag 
 and baggage, for the Doctor had decided that he 
 was tired of carrying things. The street was a 
 pleasant one, and the climb to the bluffs not difficult. 
 The house commanded a view of the scattered com 
 munity about, and the great cliffs and the long sandy 
 beach below that stretched for miles. 
 
 It was not long before bathing suits were donned 
 
i8o Mary in California 
 
 by Mary and the Doctor, and the four of us were 
 sitting lazily on the beach. The waves rolled in and 
 broke in lines of white surf. Trix and I had become 
 discouraged and had decided not to try the swim 
 ming. 
 
 "I like this," said the Doctor. "It's so peaceful." 
 
 "Aren't you ever going in?" demanded Mary. 
 
 "Oh, presently. But it looks very cold in spite 
 of the sunny afternoon and I want to take my time 
 about it. I hope you all brought down your 
 sweaters." 
 
 "You ought to know, Daddy," remarked Mary, 
 "for your head is resting on a pile of them." 
 
 The lazy blue waves proved even colder than they 
 looked, and neither of the bathers stayed in long. 
 They came out spluttering and shivering. But they 
 said it was worth all the time and trouble to get 
 into the clear water and be tossed about by the 
 whole Pacific Ocean, as the Doctor phrased it. 
 
 "Is it the whole ocean?" Trix asked in wonder. 
 "This that we see? Where does it go to and what 
 is an ocean?" 
 
 "It's a big piece of water like a lake only lots, 
 lots bigger, and it goes way over to China, where 
 all the Chinamen who wait on the table at Mills 
 come from," answered her father. "Let's have a 
 race on the beach to get warm." 
 
 "But I want to know what makes the waves so 
 big when they look so little and soft," Trix con 
 tinued. 
 
 "I am afraid I can't answer that. But we had 
 a pretty nice bath in this big tub, didn't we, Mary?" 
 
We Meet El Lobo An Adventure at Bolinas 181 
 
 "I guess so. But one dip was enough for me! 
 Ugh! Let's go up and dress." 
 
 It was decided to take our supper down to the 
 beach. So we next went shopping and bought sup 
 plies for a picnic at a pleasant little store. 
 
 "Where do you suppose El Lobo was going when 
 we met him traveling so fast?" asked Mary as we 
 wandered toward the shore. 
 
 "I have been wondering that myself," the Doctor 
 answered. "Wherever it was he was in too much 
 of a hurry." 
 
 "Do you suppose we shall ever hear how he gets 
 on?" Mary said. 
 
 "Maybe so. They know my name and address 
 at the farm. I told them to let me know what hap 
 pened, just out of idle curiosity." 
 
 "Did you tell them his name?" 
 
 "Yes, I thought it was about time the authorities 
 knew where he was." 
 
 We had wandered along the shore for some dis 
 tance and finally sat down at a rocky place with the 
 great bluffs above us. Here the Doctor and Trix 
 made a fire, and we cooked bacon and eggs. We 
 ate our modest supper, with the noise of the surf 
 in our ears, just as unconcernedly as if it had been 
 the coast of Maine. It seemed strange to think of 
 seven-year-old Trix on the shores of the Pacific. She 
 had been playing in a little pool of water in the 
 rocks, and presently called out, "Mother, the pool 
 I was playing with has all gone into the ocean. 
 What's the matter with it?" 
 
 At the same moment Mary remarked specula- 
 
1 82 Mary in California 
 
 tively, "You know, that rock I was looking at when 
 we first came has disappeared." 
 
 "That looks as if the tide were coming in. I think 
 we'd better start home," said the Doctor. 
 
 We gathered our things together quickly, but were 
 troubled to see how narrow the beach had become. 
 We were forced right against the bluffs in some 
 places. 
 
 u We have come farther than we thought," I said. 
 "Can we get back?" 
 
 "We may have to go up the cliff," laughed Mary. 
 "Of course we can get back. But it's a pity we 
 haven't Dave's aeroplane." 
 
 Presently we came to a place where the water 
 seemed to have cut in. There appeared to be a 
 path leading to the top of the bluffs, but for a 
 few yards our way over the beach was blocked. 
 
 "I don't like this," said the Doctor. "I wish we 
 had Dave's aeroplane indeed. We shall have to go 
 up that path." 
 
 At that moment we saw descending it a man whose 
 general appearance did not appear reassuring. He 
 was evidently Chinese, though clothed like an 
 American of the poorer class. He was young, and 
 with a most unpleasant face. For some reason I 
 thought of the finger-print man and his description 
 of Wing Wang. However, the newcomer answered 
 the Doctor's questions civilly enough, and informed 
 us that the climb to the top was short but hard, and 
 that we had better not try the beach again. 
 
 He held up his hand as he directed us. On his 
 little finger he wore a silver ring. 
 
CHAPTER XIV 
 
 THE ROAD FROM BOLINAS AND AN INVITATION TO, 
 A BASEBALL GAME 
 
 DID you see the ring on that Chinaman's hand, 
 Daddy?" Mary exclaimed softly to her father.) 
 "I am sure that it is like mine or is mine. And that 
 man, he looks like the Chinaman who stole it from' 
 you on the boat going over to San Francisco.*' 
 
 "That's right, he does. I was wondering where 
 we had seen him before." 
 
 "And I wonder if he isn't the man whose finger 
 prints they had in the Oakland jail," I remarked. 
 "Somehow he suggests the description that was given 
 us there of Wing Wang, or whatever they called 
 him." 
 
 We walked along the path for a short distance 
 discussing the affair. The Doctor was speculating 
 as to what had brought him there and whether the 
 stolen ring would enable the Oakland police to get 
 the man they had long been seeking a pretext to 
 catch. 
 
 "I should not wonder if the same business brought 
 him and El Lobo," he added. "They seem to be 
 a precious pair of rascals." 
 
 At that moment we met two men of rather 
 ordinary appearance, who asked us if we had seen 
 a Chinaman. 
 
 183 
 
184 Mary in California 
 
 "He was dressed like a plain American, but you 
 could tell he was Chinese," the newcomer said. 
 
 "Is anything wrong?" demanded the Doctor. 
 "We saw such a one about ten minutes ago. He was 
 going toward the beach, but what he will do there 
 I can't see unless he is off for a swim." 
 
 "Is the beach covered?" questioned the stranger. 
 
 "Yes, the tide nearly caught us. Who is this 
 fellow anyway, you are hunting? He looks like a 
 tough customer." 
 
 "He is, just that. He's wanted for a number 
 of things. We are plain-clothes men from San 
 Francisco. We're after him to-day for a daring 
 holdup on the Sausalito road. He stopped an auto 
 taking a man to the hospital. The man will probably 
 die as a result. But the two other men with the 
 sick man fought off the bandit and gave us a descrip 
 tion which enabled us to trace him thus far. We 
 must hurry on now." 
 
 "Good luck to you. What did you say his name 
 was?" the Doctor questioned. 
 
 "He's known as Wing Wang. This is the first 
 thing we've ever been able to land on him although 
 he's known to have been mixed up in a lot of other 
 things. 
 
 "It looks as though El Lobo had come to grief 
 again," I observed, as the men hurried away. 
 
 "He'd better not have stolen the ring," said 
 Mary. "I told him he had no right to it and that 
 the other fellows would kill him if they knew he 
 had it." 
 
 The day was fast growing to a close and the 
 
The Road from Bolinas 185 
 
 light so dim by this time that we had hard work 
 to keep on the path which wound along toward the 
 village. 
 
 Suddenly we heard a whirring noise which grew 
 louder, and presently an aeroplane came into sight 
 flying fairly low, so that it just missed the tops of 
 the trees. 
 
 "It is going to land somewhere near," Mary 
 cried. "I bet you it's after that Chinaman." 
 
 "I wonder," said her father, almost equally ex 
 cited. "I'd like to see. They can't land on the 
 beach, but I suppose he may know of a way to get 
 up again, farther along. There are plenty of places 
 on the bluffs." 
 
 The aeroplane flew a little farther, and then we 
 could hear the changed sound of the engine as the 
 machine came to earth. It was so dark now that 
 we could see nothing. Then we heard the firing 
 of shots. 
 
 "Oh, Dad, we must wait and see what happens. 
 Can't we go back?" begged Mary. 
 
 "I should think not," I replied. But I could see 
 that the Doctor was as eager as Mary. 
 
 "They may need help," he said. "I wonder if I 
 ought to go back." 
 
 "Of course you ought," Mary cried. 
 
 "It seems to me that we need you at this moment 
 more than those detectives," observed some one. 
 
 But while we stood in hesitation, waiting, there 
 came a second volley of shots and then the whirring 
 of the aeroplane could be plainly heard, as the 
 machine rose from the ground. 
 
1 86 Mary in California 
 
 "Whatever has happened is all over," said the 
 Doctor regretfully. 
 
 "Somebody may be hurt. You ought to go and 
 see," Mary suggested. 
 
 "There is some truth in that. But it's so dark 
 now I don't believe I could find my path. However, 
 I'll go a little way and call out." 
 
 "I think Trix should get back to our boarding 
 place," I said firmly. "I shall start on with her 
 and Mary. It will be hard enough to get there as 
 it is in the dark and not knowing just how to go." 
 
 "You are perfectly right. Just wait a minute and 
 then we'll all go on together," the Doctor replied, 
 much to Mary's disgust. 
 
 It was not long before we heard voices and the 
 two plain-clothes men reappeared, carrying with 
 them a limp form. 
 
 "Did you get him?" queried the Doctor. 
 
 "We did, by all that's lucky," answered one. 
 "We had quite a fight for it and he almost made his 
 get-away. But there was only one man in the ma 
 chine and he had to look after his engine, so we 
 caught our fellow. He's pretty well smashed. He 
 tried to get into the aeroplane just as it was starting, 
 but a shot took him in the arm and he tumbled off. 
 We ought to get him to a doctor." 
 
 "Dad's a doctor," cried Trix, her eyes big with 
 excitement. 
 
 "That's lucky. Will you come along with us? I 
 suppose you can't tell anything here, it's so dark," 
 the detective said. 
 
 "You might as well get him to a house," answered 
 
The Road from Bolinas 187 
 
 the Doctor. "And I want to take my family to the 
 place where we are staying." 
 
 We lost our way several times, but presently 
 reached the Inn. The good lady who kept it was 
 more than astonished at the procession that entered, 
 and was not over pleased to have a wounded prisoner 
 deposited with her while the Doctor examined his 
 hurts and one of the detectives went for an auto to 
 take him away. 
 
 I hurried Trix and Mary upstairs, to their great 
 disappointment. But it was fully eight o'clock and 
 high time for Trix to be in bed. 
 
 Presently Mary, who had been leaning over the 
 banisters to get any information possible, joined me 
 with the news that they were taking the Chinaman 
 away. 
 
 "I think he is badly hurt," she added. "Oh, 
 Mother, what will they do about my ring, do you 
 suppose?" 
 
 "I don't know," I answered. "But I hope they'll 
 bury it somewhere." 
 
 Pretty soon the Doctor reappeared. 
 
 "They are taking him to the hospital," he said. 
 "But I doubt if it does much good. He is in a serious 
 condition. It is curious to think of El Lobo and him 
 in the same ward, maybe, with the two rings in their 
 possession. No good luck came to either of them 
 from wearing them." 
 
 "Daddy, it was my ring he was wearing, wasn't 
 it? And where do you suppose El Lobo got the 
 other one?" 
 
 "I am sure I don't know. But from what I can 
 
1 88 Mary in California 
 
 gather from that detective, this Chinaman was head 
 of some secret society. I imagine El Lobo aspired 
 also and thought the ring would help his claim. 
 Wing Wang didn't care for the idea of a rival, and 
 having had his ring stolen in some way by El Lobo, 
 he promptly stole yours. I think it had better stay 
 with him and be buried, if necessary." 
 
 "Now, Daddy, that's just what Mother said. But 
 I want my ring again." 
 
 "There looks to be small chance of your get 
 ting it, so you might as well give it up. And 
 now to bed. We have had a long and exciting 
 day. Let us hope that we may now settle down in 
 peace." 
 
 Mary joined Trix, protesting that she was not at 
 all tired, and the Doctor and I sat for a while in our 
 room, in the darkness, looking out toward the ocean 
 and the starlit sky and hearing the long slow sound 
 of the waves breaking on the sand. 
 
 The next morning we found ourselves bright and 
 early at the post office, where we mounted the stage. 
 We had more room to spread ourselves out on the 
 return trip, and to enjoy the wonderful country. 
 There might be dozens of smugglers' caves along 
 that sandy shore below us, with the great cliffs rising 
 sheer above. And the rolling brown hills might 
 shelter any number of bandits. 
 
 "It is no wonder that one meets with adventure 
 in this wild, romantic country," said the Doctor. 
 "But what a shame that they use motor cycles and 
 aeroplanes instead of horses. I would like to gallop 
 over these downs on John Ridd's great horse." 
 
The Road from Bolinas 189 
 
 Mary asked the chauffeur whether there were any 
 smugglers along the coast. 
 
 "There are more below on the Channel Islands," 
 he answer. "Sometimes we get them here a Jap or 
 two may come in, or a gallon of whiskey. ,But they 
 are not so plentiful. The revenue officers keep a 
 pretty good lookout and the summer folks live on 
 the beaches. Did you go around any here?" 
 
 "No, we just stayed on the beach," answered 
 Mary. 
 
 "You should have had a drive. There are some 
 wonderful trees and wooded hills back a bit. Not 
 to mention the split in the ground made by the big 
 earthquake." 
 
 "Did you feel it much here?" I questioned. 
 
 "Yes, indeed. As I just told you, it made a great 
 cleft in the earth, a regular canon. They are bad 
 things, those earthquakes." 
 
 "Daddy, what are earthquakes? Do they eat 
 you up?" asked Trix anxiously. "And will there 
 be another one here?" 
 
 "I hope not, for some time to come," answered 
 the chauffeur. "One was enough for me. But they 
 aren't animals, kid, just big shakes of the ground, 
 that make the houses tumble down." 
 
 "What makes the ground shake? How can it?" 
 
 "Well, I've had it explained to me, but I guess 
 your Pa could tell you more about it." 
 
 "Tell me, Daddy," Trix repeated. 
 
 "Mary, could you explain to us?" asked her 
 father. 
 
 "I don't know. I'll try. I remember reading a 
 
190 Mary in California 
 
 lot about it in the 'Book of Knowledge.' Suppose, 
 Trixy, that the earth was like an apple. If the inside 
 of the apple changed or shrank or got smaller or 
 anything, the outside skin would change. Maybe 
 it would get wrinkles on it, like mountains, or 
 hollows. So the inside of the earth changes and 
 the surface or skin that we see changes with it. 
 Sometimes it changes very slowly, and it takes hun 
 dreds of hundreds of years. But sometimes the 
 outside changes quickly, all of a sudden, and the 
 earth splits or sinks or is thrown up into a moun 
 tain. Then it's an earthquake. Parts of the crust 
 are thinner than other parts, so that one is more 
 likely to have earthquakes. They begin under the 
 sea sometimes, too, don't they, Daddy?" 
 
 "Yes, and that causes what is called a tidal wave, 
 when the sea rolls in on the land in a great wall of 
 water. It does not occur very often where people 
 can see it. Earthquakes are more usual in places 
 where a strange thing known as a fault occurs. 
 That's a queer name to give to ground. But do 
 you remember the different layers of rock in the 
 Grand Canon, Mary, some of them red, some blue, 
 some gray? Sometimes a layer, or stratum, will be 
 found sloping or turned up on its side instead of 
 lying flat. This happened long ago in an early part 
 of the earth's history. It is called a 'fault,' and 
 seems to be particularly good ground for earth 
 quakes. There is a 'fault' somewhere in these parts 
 which accounts for the shakings that have occurred. 
 Earthquakes also like the neighborhood of vol 
 canoes. Do you know what a volcano is, Mary?" 
 
The Road from Bolinas 191 
 
 "Sure, Daddy." 
 
 "Well, what is it?" 
 
 "I know, but it's hard to explain. It's a hollow 
 mountain with a hole in the top through which come 
 explosions. I suppose the heat and the gases from 
 the middle of the earth come out through them and 
 bring fire and brimstone with them. And lava ! 
 Just what is lava?" 
 
 "Nothing but melted rock which flows out from 
 the top or the fissures or cracks of the volcano. It 
 flows down like a thick burning mass and finally cools 
 off and gets solid again. Very unpleasant stuff when 
 hot, I believe. Perhaps you may remember reading 
 about the lava in Herculaneum and Pompeii, which 
 were cities in Italy and destroyed a long time ago. 
 Did you ever read 'The Last Days of Pompeii' ?" 
 
 "Yes, I loved it. But it must have been awful to 
 be there. I guess I'd rather read about volcanoes 
 than live near one. At least unless it was one that 
 didn't work any more!" 
 
 "I think I agree with you. Yet there are plenty 
 of people who do live near them. I suppose they 
 hope that the volcanoes have stopped going off. 
 Italy has several. Tamalpais was one once. These 
 towns around the bay here make me think of Italy 
 and the Mediterranean. 
 
 "Here we are at Sausalito. I wonder how long 
 we shall have to wait for the boat?" 
 
 "Not long, I reckon," the chauffeur said. "Just 
 set on the dock for a while. I think I see her coming 
 in. She's about off Alcatraz now." 
 
 We paid our driver and regretfully parted from 
 
192 Mary in California 
 
 the stage; for we had enjoyed our trip from start 
 to finish. 
 
 It was pleasant to watch the tame white gulls on 
 the high posts of the dock or fishing in the blue 
 water. Mary and Trix bought some ice-cream 
 cones and sandwiches which we ate while awaiting 
 the ferry. 
 
 "Mary will get back to school just in time for 
 afternoon session," I said. 
 
 "Oh, dear ! I wish I didn't have to ! Can't we 
 stay and go on board one of the warships? You 
 promised we could, Daddy." 
 
 "I think we must put that off until some Saturday. 
 I ought to get back myself to-day." 
 
 "But, Daddy, you said you would write to a 
 surgeon you knew who could take us over one of 
 the ships when it wasn't a holiday." 
 
 "I did write, but I haven't ha,d any answer, which 
 makes me think he isn't with the fleet." 
 
 "But, Daddy, there may be a letter waiting for 
 you now at Mills. Won't you 'phone when we get 
 back to San Francisco? I am sure Miss Vincent 
 would look and see if there was any letter for you 
 from Frisco." 
 
 "Suppose there were? I ought to get back, and 
 so ought you." 
 
 "But just try." 
 
 "I can see no harm in that. I will 'phone Miss 
 Vincent when we get over to San Francisco. But 
 I won't make any further promises." 
 
 The trip across the bay was perfect. Never had 
 the white building of the prison island looked so 
 
The Road from Bolinas '193 
 
 dramatic against the blue of sea and sky. Never had 
 the Golden Gate stood out so clearly, without trace 
 of mist or cloud. 
 
 As we approached San Francisco and caught sight 
 of the masts of the battleships and cruisers against 
 the sky, Mary and Trix again begged to be allowed 
 to visit them. But nothing further could be gained 
 from the Doctor. 
 
 u Wait till we 'phone," was all the reply he would 
 make. 
 
 It seemed a long time while the ferryboat was 
 docking, and the 'phone booth sought and connec 
 tions with Mills College established. Mary and Trix 
 hung to the door handle and made their faces look 
 as appealing as possible while the Doctor 'phoned. 
 Finally he emerged. 
 
 "Nothing to-day," he said with a melancholy ex 
 pression. "School for Mary, home for Mother and 
 Trix, desk for me." 
 
 "Wasn't there any letter?" asked Mary. 
 
 "Well," answered her father as we walked briskly 
 toward the Oakland ferry with its big yellow boats, 
 "I didn't say that. In fact, I believe there is a 
 letter." 
 
 "Oh, Daddy, you must tell us. What did it 
 say?" 
 
 "I can't tell all that it said, but I believe it con 
 tains an invitation to lunch and to see a baseball 
 game between the Navy and soldiers from the 
 Presidio." 
 
 "Oh, Daddy, that's too wonderful ! Is it for all 
 of us?" 
 
194 Mary in California 
 
 "Can I go? Can Dave go?" demanded Trix, 
 dancing about excitedly. 
 
 "I wish we could get Dave. He has just been 
 away for a week-end, though. But we'll do our 
 best. Do you really think you would like to go, 
 Trixy?" 
 
 Trixy waved her arms about wildly and beat with 
 her little fists on her father's arms. 
 
 "Does that mean yes, or no?" he asked. "It 
 might mean anything." 
 
 "Now, Daddy, of course she wants to go. Don't 
 be horrid," said Mary. "Who is it who is asking 
 us? Tell us all about him. Isn't it fine of him?" 
 
 "He was a surgeon on the transport that took me 
 across during the war. And when I came back he 
 happened to be on the same boat. Also I saw him 
 over in France." 
 
 "Then you haven't known him long?" Mary 
 asked. 
 
 "Men got to know each other quickly in those 
 days. I know him well enough to admire him 
 greatly. His name is Brewster, and he hails from 
 New England, I believe." 
 
 "What does he look like?" 
 
 "Gracious, I don't know. Brown hair, two gray 
 eyes, one nose, one mouth " 
 
 "Now, Daddy! Is he tall or fat or handsome?" 
 
 "I rather think he's not very tall, shorter than 
 I. Yes, I know he was shorter than I, because I 
 tried to wear his coat one night. And his head is 
 smaller than mine, because I couldn't get his cap on. 
 
 "He's a good sport all right. Our transport was 
 
The Road from Bolinas 195 
 
 chased by a U-boat for over an hour one morning, 
 and while most of us sat on deck trying to think of 
 last words to say, Brewster took a bath. He said 
 that if the boat went down he might as well go to 
 heaven clean. If we escaped he needed a tub to 
 begin the day right. So he got his tub, and an 
 English stewardess served tea. They were wonder 
 ful, those two. I'll never forget that trim English 
 woman with a life belt on, handing round the tray. 
 I'd like to see her again. But Brewster's a good 
 fellow. I'll be glad to see him. I'll be glad to see 
 his letter." 
 
 Trix seized her father's hands and began to sing 
 in a sort of chant, "I'll be glad, I'll be glad, I'll be 
 glad, I'll be glad" much to the amusement of the 
 rest of the passengers. 
 
 We left Mary in front of the high school for her 
 afternoon session. 
 
 "She seems rather pleased at going back to 
 school," observed the Doctor. "I wonder how many 
 times she will mention the trip to the ships and 
 luncheon on board a real cruiser with real officers 
 and a ball game afterward." 
 
 "It doesn't do any harm. Of course she'll enjoy 
 telling it," I said. 
 
 "Surely. And when she comes home to-night, it 
 will be the letter she will want first of all." 
 
 So it proved. Mary's first question was for the 
 letter, and had we read and might she read it? She 
 tried to snatch it from her father's hand, when he 
 came home a little later, and became wildly indignant 
 when he threatened to change his clothes for supper 
 
196 Mary in California 
 
 before reading it aloud. But finally he capitulated, 
 and sat down on the porch and took out his letter 
 from Dr. Brewster from the envelope with great 
 deliberation. 
 
 U DEAR Doc: 
 
 "Your letter was the best news I've had for a 
 year of Sundays. I surely will be glad to see you 
 and the Missus and the kids. Did you bring along 
 the cat and the dog? I am not sure how many you 
 said were in your party. 
 
 "There's going to be a ball game on Saturday 
 next, sort of Thanksgiving celebration or other. 
 Can't you all lunch with me here en the boat and 
 then go over and cheer for the Navy? Of course 
 if you insist on sitting with your old buddies on the 
 khaki side, you're welcome. But I insist that the 
 girls at least sit with me. Have you any boys 
 along? 
 
 "Come early, as we shall have early mess that 
 day, and the youngsters ought to see this old ship 
 that has three U-boats to her credit. I'll expect five 
 at least. I really mean it. I'll surely be awfully 
 disappointed if you don't show up. Come to Dock 
 No. oo at 1 1 130 sharp, and one of our boys will be 
 looking for you. Watch for the name Resolute. 
 "Yours disrespectfully, 
 
 "ToM BREWSTER.'' 
 
 "That certainly sounds as if he wanted us ! 
 Daddy, you'll cheer for the Navy, won't you ? Oh, 
 I just love blue jackets," said Mary enthusiastically. 
 
 "I guess we'll all cheer for the Navy," laughed 
 the Doctor. "Brewster certainly is a brick." 
 
CHAPTER XV 
 
 FROM THE SEQUOIAS TO THE "RESOLUTE" 
 
 DEAR Mother, and Daddy, and Mary and Trix," 
 wrote Dave. "I am sending this to all of you. 
 Because I haven't time to write to each one. We 
 
 fot back awfully late to school, not till Tuesday. So 
 can't come next Saturday to see the boats. Can't 
 you go some other time? I do want to go on board 
 one of them. 
 
 "I had a bully time with the Nortons. Only Mrs* 
 Norton kept asking me if I wanted to go up in an 
 aeroplane. It was so pretty in the park. The trees 
 were so big! Some of them are over 250 feet tall 
 and some of them are over 3000 years old. They 
 were living before the flood I guess. One of them 
 tumbled over a few years ago and we drove on it in 
 our auto. Some people built a camp on it last sum 
 mer. I felt as if I was in a big church in the grove. 
 There were lots of birds and we saw some elk and 
 other deer. We saw some bear tracks. It was 
 awfully cold and there was hardly any one there. 
 We spent one night camping and one of the rangers 
 came and sat by our camp fire and told us lots of 
 stories. There were some forest fires last summer 
 and the campers helped put it out. He was awfully 
 nice. 
 
 "I want to go camping there in summer and climb 
 up Moro again. That's a big rocky mountain with 
 a stairway 360 feet long going up it. It was awfully 
 cold and slippery and icy, but such fun going up. 
 
 197 
 
198 Mary in California 
 
 Mrs. Norton asked me if I didn't wish I had an 
 aeroplane. Of course I did. I tell you we were tired 
 when we got down. But you ought to have seen 
 the view. Snow covered mountains all over. The 
 Sierras they call them. Mount Whitney is the high 
 est mountain in the United States except Alaska. 
 It doesn't stand all alone like Blanca did in Colorado. 
 There are lots of mountains and Whitney is the 
 highest peak. I wanted to go to the top, but it was 
 too late in the season. 
 
 "You all must go there sometime. Mother would 
 just have fits. But those trees ! Just think of driv 
 ing a big auto along one just like a road. You ought 
 to have seen it. Please send me a dollar. There's 
 a boy here who has an old pistol he wants to sell 
 for a dollar and I want it. Please send it quick. 
 
 "Your loving DAVE. 
 
 "P.S. The Nortons send love. They want you 
 to come down to the flower festival in the Christmas 
 holidays. They say it's too cold to go to that other 
 park unless you want to go for the winter sports." 
 
 We read this letter aloud on the Friday night be 
 fore our visit to the fleet. 
 
 "Poor Dave,- 1 said Trix, "I wish he could go with 
 us to-morrow." 
 
 "But what a great trip he must have had," said 
 the Doctor. "Think of getting all those pages of 
 writing out of Dave. I don't believe he ever wrote 
 so much in his life. Here's another P.S. 'I am 
 using most of this for English theme.' ' 
 
 "I thought there was some reason for the length 
 of it," I remarked. "How do you like the Nortons' 
 suggestions of the Rose Festival in Pasadena for 
 our last adventure here before going north?" 
 
From the Sequoias to the "Resolute" 199 
 
 For we were to leave Mills after the first semester 
 and were to motor up to Washington. 
 
 "Oh, Daddy, Winifred wants us to join a winter 
 party to the Yosemite," said Mary. "There's going 
 to be skiing and all sorts of fun. That would be lots 
 nicer. It would be wonderful. " 
 
 "Well, we won't decide it now. Perhaps we can 
 split the party. I am sorry Dave cannot go with us 
 to the ships. Perhaps he may have another chance 
 to see them later. We can't have everything in this 
 world," and with this bit of philosophy the Doctor 
 got up and led the way to supper. 
 
 That evening the 'phone rang and Mary answered 
 it, saying as she went, "I bet the ball game is put 
 off and Dr. Brewster will tell us to come some other 
 time." 
 
 The next moment she called, "Daddy, Daddy, 
 some one wants to speak to you at a hospital. I 
 can't make out just where." 
 
 The Doctor went to the 'phone and we could hear 
 his side of the conversation. 
 
 "Hello," 
 
 "Yes," 
 
 "Yes," 
 
 "You mean on the 'phone? " 
 
 "Do you mean that they want me to go over and 
 see them to-night? " 
 
 "Do you know what they want? " 
 
 "About a ring? I've heard enough of rings! " 
 
 "Dying rascals! " 
 
 "Well, I'll try to stop in late to-morrow after 
 noon or Sunday. How do I get to your place? " 
 
2OO Mary in California 
 
 "Were they moved there? I was afraid I would 
 have to go to Sausalito. Then I think I can make 
 it late to-morrow. " 
 
 "It may be interesting, but I hope they have no 
 knives concealed about their persons. One of them 
 at least is right handy with a knife. " 
 
 "Good-by. " 
 
 "Oh, Daddy, what is it all about?" asked Mary. 
 "It sounded very exciting." 
 
 "Our friends El Lobo and Wing Wang want to 
 see me. Sort of dying confession or other. I don't 
 want to go, but I don't like to refuse to go and see a 
 dying patient, even if he is a rascal." 
 
 "You said something about my ring.'* 
 
 "I didn't. The other fellows did. If I ever get 
 hold of it again, I shall drop it in San Francisco 
 Bay. I'll stop off to-morrow on the way back from 
 the ball game." 
 
 "Oh, Mother, isn't it wonderful to think that 
 the game is to-morrow? And the stars are all out. 
 I just looked a minute ago. It will be nice weather. 
 And, oh, Mother, may I wear my white sailor 
 dress?" 
 
 "That would seem to be suitable," I replied 
 gravely. 
 
 "Do you want me to wear a sailor suit too?" 
 asked her father. 
 
 "Wouldn't Dad look funny in a sailor suit!" 
 laughed Trix, in great amusement. 
 
 "Don't you think it would be becoming, Trix?" 
 
 "Oh, Daddy, you're such a funny man." 
 
 "If I'm a funny man, you had better look out. 
 
From the Sequoias to the "Resolute" 201 
 
 For funny men always carry little girls upstairs and 
 throw them out of the window." 
 
 At this Trix gave a shriek of gleeful terror, and 
 rushed out of the room, pursued by her father. 
 
 "That's a good way to get her upstairs to bed," 
 observed Mary. "When do we start to-morrow?" 
 
 "We are to be at the dock at eleven-thirty, so I 
 think we ought to leave the college here by ten 
 o'clock. It's quite a bit of a walk to the fast trolley." 
 
 "It is going to be such fun. I expect the girls are 
 all sick of the thought of it, I have talked so much 
 about it the past week. I do wish Dave were com 
 ing. He'd love it." 
 
 The great Saturday dawned at last, "brite and 
 fair," as a Real Boy was wont to say in his Real 
 Diary. 
 
 While I was doing the week-end ordering, I could 
 hear the wails and stamping of feet and protests 
 that always accompany any special toilet efforts be 
 tween Maria and Trix. 
 
 "Now, Trixy, vill you keep still? Maria vill not 
 hurt you. Maria must get the dirt from behint 
 your ears, my darling. Your hair vill not look 
 pretty if Maria does not get out the snarls, my 
 dearest." 
 
 Presently Mary appeared in her white sailor dress 
 and soon after Trix came softly down the stairs, 
 with a certain shyness that meant cleanliness ac 
 complished and sorrows over. 
 
 "Where's Daddy? Isn't he here yet?" asked 
 Mary. 
 
 "No, we are to pick him up at the college. Bless 
 
2O2 Mary in California 
 
 your heart, it's only half past nine. We don't start 
 till ten." 
 
 "But, Mother, you aren't going to wear that house 
 dress?" 
 
 "I had not planned to," I replied. "Don't worry, 
 I'll be ready." 
 
 "Don't you take any lunch mit you?" asked Maria, 
 poking her head in at the door. 
 
 "Now, Maria, why should we when we are going 
 to dine with real officers on a real boat!" answered 
 Mary indignantly. 
 
 "Is dat so?" was Maria's response. 
 
 At last we were ready and off, and even the Doc 
 tor had been coaxed from his desk and we walked 
 through the beautiful pines and eucalyptus trees of 
 the college grounds. Here and there were great 
 palms, or an old gnarled live oak, with its branches 
 spreading about quaintly. 
 
 "It seems so strange to see all the palms growing. 
 It is almost like the tropics," I said. 
 
 We were passing a beautiful formal garden with 
 fine trees and plants. 
 
 "Can't we get some ice cream?" begged Trix as 
 we approached the little store on a corner near the 
 trolley crossing where Mills' students love to come 
 for off-campus sweets. 
 
 "Indeed not," I replied. "It is too early in the 
 morning." 
 
 "Beside we may be late," said Mary. 
 
 "Maria would have let me," remarked Trix sadly. 
 
 Finally we reached the trolley and then the ferry, 
 which seemed to Mary and Trix to take an endless 
 
From the Sequoias to the "Resolute" 203 
 
 time crossing the bay. But there was some comfort 
 in gazing at the distant fleet which we were about to 
 visit, and being sure that it was still there, in the blue 
 water, to be visited. 
 
 On Dock OO we found a spruce young naval offi 
 cer who saluted and made friends at once. 
 
 "My name is Raymond, sir. Dr. Brewster sent 
 me for your party, sir." 
 
 Alongside the dock was a ship's boat with four 
 sailors, their oars standing straight up in the air in 
 honor of our appearance. Swiftly we were trans 
 ported to the destroyer Resolute, where willing 
 hands assisted us to the deck. 
 
 There Dr. Brewster, a fine-looking, dark-haired 
 man of about forty, bade us welcome, and shook 
 hands with each in turn. 
 
 "Where's the boy, where's Dave?" he asked. 
 
 "Dave couldn't come," answered the Doctor. 
 "He had a long week-end holiday last week, and this 
 Saturday had to stay at the school." 
 
 "That's too bad. Now, who wants to go down, 
 way down, below in the ship and who wants to wan 
 der over the decks ? It will probably be pretty oily 
 and messy down where the engines are." 
 
 "I want to go down," said Trix promptly. 
 
 "May we, Mother?" asked Mary. 
 
 "Of course you may," Dr. Brewster replied. 
 "But suppose we old folks stay on deck. Mr. Ray 
 mond will take you down and answer) all your 
 questions. He knows a lot more about that part 
 than I do." 
 
 So aft** we had gone over the deck and had 
 
2O4 Mary in California 
 
 climbed the conning tower and had the great guns 
 revolved about for our benefit, the ensign took 
 Mary and Trix below while Dr. Brewster showed 
 us his own pleasant cabin. 
 
 "It's great to see you again, Doc," he said, as we 
 sat at peace, while the men smoked. "What brings 
 you here to the coast? I didn't know anything would 
 tempt you from New England. Thought I remem 
 bered your saying something like that the last time 
 I saw you." 
 
 The Doctor laughed. "Why, we came here for 
 business, sightseeing, and peace, and we've run into 
 a regular moving picture series of adventures." 
 
 "Gracious, what's happened?" 
 
 The Doctor proceeded to tell about Mary's find 
 ing the ring in New Mexico and losing it; how she 
 recovered it from the apparently dying half-breed; 
 how it was stolen by the Chinese, Wing Wang; our 
 adventures with the smugglers on the Channel 
 Islands; and finally of our trip to Bolinas and the 
 telephone message of the night before. 
 
 "No wonder the movie people all come to Cali 
 fornia," so ended the Doctor, "it seems to be in the 
 
 air." 
 
 "Maybe you brought it with you, Doc," said 
 Brewster. "I remember you were always running 
 into things abroad. Did you ever tell your wife how 
 we went out in the lorry and suddenly found our 
 selves on a road marked Strassburg and heading 
 straight for it? But really, now, you spin a good 
 yarn. I am glad for your sakes those two fellows 
 are about to leave California for good. Those 
 
From the Sequoias to the "Resolute" 205 
 
 Chinese secret societies are nasty things to run up 
 against. I wonder what they want of you. Be sure 
 you keep at a distance, for they are handy with a 
 knife at all times. IVe seen quite a lot of those 
 fellows here and in China. The high caste are won 
 derful. They can put it all over a European for 
 manners and persistence. I've sworn a dozen times 
 I wouldn't give some old Chinaman what he wanted, 
 no matter how polite he was, and suddenly I'd find 
 I'd done it and was thanking him for the chance ! 
 
 u They usually have a suave mandarin in the con 
 sular offices to do Chinese work for us. If the Con 
 sul isn't a strong character the Chinaman will own 
 the place before a month is out. It seems as though 
 they hypnotized us. And persistent! I've known 
 a fellow who didn't look as if he had strength enough 
 to smoke his opium pipe come in day after day to 
 ask a favor that had been refused each time. And 
 by Jove ! in the end he always wins out." 
 
 "Do you know anything about the secret society 
 we have apparently run into?" I asked. 
 
 "I've heard of it, I think. But Captain Donald 
 knows more about it. He's quite an authority on 
 Chinese intrigues. We'll ask him at mess. But do 
 you know, I've a great admiration for these orien 
 tals. I know I'll never understand 'em, but the low 
 castes make wonderful servants and the high castes 
 make wonderful acquaintances. 
 
 "Look here, Doc, do you remember that colored 
 M. P. trying to run traffic regulations in a French 
 town? I don't know what made me think of him 
 just then. He was as big as the giant in Barnum's 
 
206 Mary in California 
 
 circus and he was having a lovely time trying to 
 make the French peasant obey the traffic rules. It 
 was a great sight." 
 
 "Yes, and do you remember the colored sergeant 
 who said, 'I ain't goin' back ovah no ocean, boss, 
 I'se goin' home by New Orleans !' ' 
 
 So the two men talked over their experiences of 
 the great war, and I listened with a thankful heart 
 to think that it was over. 
 
 We were interrupted by Trix's shrill little voice 
 calling, "Mother, Daddy," and Ensign Raymond 
 appeared with Mary and Trix. 
 
 "It was great, Daddy, you ought to have come," 
 said Mary. "We went way down the funniest little 
 ladder and we heard all about everything. Mr. Ray 
 mond told us how they sunk the three U-boats." 
 
 "And we saw the sailors' hammocks and a goat," 
 chimed in Trix. "It's their maxgoat." 
 
 "What?" demanded Dr. Brewster. 
 
 Trix immediately became shy and hid behind me. 
 
 "It was a maxgoat," she murmured. 
 
 "I think she means mascot," I interpreted. 
 
 "Yes, that's what I mean. Anyway, he was a nice 
 goat. And there's rabbits, too, and a cat." 
 
 "They've been all over with us," said Dr. Brew 
 ster. "The cat came from England and the goat 
 and the rabbits from France. Well, let's go down 
 to mess, for I hear eight bells and we want to be 
 prompt." 
 
 It was pleasant sitting at the captain's table, al 
 though the dining cabin was very small compared to 
 the saloon of a great ocean liner. 
 
From the Sequoias to the "Resolute" 207 
 
 Dr. Brewster immediately made the Doctor tell 
 his story over again. When he came to the part 
 about the smugglers in the Channel Islands, Captain 
 Donald, a red-haired Scotchman, interrupted. 
 
 "I heard about those fellows. They were caught, 
 too, and that New England captain got off because 
 nothing could actually be proved against him. The 
 revenue men had an exciting chase before they caught 
 the big boat. They found some of the injured man's 
 property on board. But that would not have been 
 enough evidence, had not the revenue officer recov 
 ered, thanks to you, Doctor, doubtless, and given his 
 testimony with great enthusiasm. There was a lot 
 of liquor on board, too, and there was a fine bit of a 
 scrap before the capture was made. Those smug 
 glers are tough customers." 
 
 "But look here, Captain," said Dr. Brewster, "we 
 want you to tell us about the secret ring and the 
 
 secret societies." 
 
 "And I want the Doctor to finish his story. My 
 interruption was only in the way of a parenthesis," 
 answered Captain Donald. 
 
 When the Doctor had told of all our adventures, 
 he asked the captain if he knew anything more about 
 the secret society and the ring. 
 
 "It is a very interesting society," said the captain. 
 "It was started many centuries ago to preserve the 
 liberties of China both against foreign enemies and 
 tyrants at home. It took in peasant and mandarin. 
 There were always to be two leaders, one low caste 
 and the other high. They each wore a ring to signify 
 their leadership. They look to a republic or a com- 
 
208 Mary in California 
 
 plete democracy, where all shall be equal. They 
 symbolized their purpose in rather a beautiful old 
 story. It was told to me in Pekin once, just after 
 the Boxer rebellion, by a fine old mandarin clad in 
 the most beautiful silk coat I have ever seen. 
 
 "The legend runs that a peasant boy, who was 
 tender hearted for the weak ones of the earth, once 
 rescued a bluebird. The bird in gratitude brought 
 him a strange ring with a jade dragon on it. The 
 boy did not know what the meaning of it was, but 
 kept it carefully. When he was grown he heard one 
 day that the beautiful daughter of the Emperor 
 could not move her hands, but always kept them 
 clasped together, thus signifying, the mandarin told 
 me, how the rich and powerful keep their wealth for 
 themselves. The Emperor announced that he would 
 give half his kingdom and the hand of the Princess 
 beside to any one who could cure the Princess. The 
 peasant had seen her afar off one day, and had 
 thought her so bonnie that he wished he could help 
 her. 
 
 u So he went to the palace, taking with him the ring 
 that the bird had long ago given him, hoping it 
 might be of use. Sure enough, when he slipped his 
 ring on her finger, she opened her hands with a glad 
 laugh, and there was another ring, just like the one 
 the bird had brought. 
 
 "Thus peasant and princess were united and the 
 two rings typified the union. But long ago one 
 ring disappeared; legends have it that it was carried 
 to a far country. When the two rings shall come 
 together, then a new free day will dawn for China. 
 
From the Sequoias to the "Resolute" 209 
 
 Such was the story told me in far more beautiful 
 words than I can give it with my broad Scotch 
 tongue." 
 
 "Is it possible," asked Dr. Brewster, "that Mary 
 here may have found the other ring? I can hardly 
 believe it." 
 
 "Evidently the Chinese believe it! I think you 
 have seen the last of your ring, my dear," he added, 
 turning to Mary. "But I will certainly be glad to 
 hear what your two men have to say to you to-night. 
 Will you let me know?" 
 
 "I will indeed. That is a most interesting yarn. 
 I certainly hope that poor old China may be indeed 
 entering on a time of happiness," said the Doctor. 
 
 "And now we ought to be off, if we want to see 
 the ball game," said Dr. Brewster. "You young 
 folks ought to have something to represent the Navy. 
 I'll get Raymond to bring you some hatbands with 
 Resolute on them, and maybe a button or two. For 
 we're all loyal tars to-day!" 
 
CHAPTER XVI 
 
 NAVY VERSUS ARMY THE LAST OF THE RING 
 
 A LL San Francisco and also the suburban towns 
 seemed to be on the way to the baseball field. 
 Dr. Brewster had an automobile waiting so that it 
 was not necessary to get into a crowded trolley car. 
 
 "It seems funny to be going to a baseball game in 
 November," said Mary. "They would be playing 
 football at home." 
 
 "It is warm enough here for baseball, 1 ' answered 
 Dr. Brewster, "and the Navy boys prefer the na 
 tional game. They are pretty good at it, too." 
 
 "I am glad it isn't football," I observed. "I feel 
 as though I knew at least the A, B, C's of baseball, 
 but football is quite beyond me." 
 
 "The Navy has a good team, I think, but the 
 Army boys are always stiff opponents. They had 
 lots of practice throwing in the World War, eh, 
 Doc?" 
 
 "They did indeed. We used to learn that the 
 battle of Waterloo was won on the cricket fields of 
 Eton ! I am sure that bat, ball, and diamond gave 
 us our victories in Flanders and Lorraine." 
 
 "I can throw a ball," said Trixie. 
 
 "Of course you can," was Dr. Brewster's reply. 
 "I'd be ashamed of any American boy or girl who 
 couldn't." 
 
 2IO 
 

 Navy Versus Army The Last of the Ring 211 
 
 Presently our automobile fell into a great pro 
 cession of vehicles, and we slowly proceeded to the 
 ball field. 
 
 A part of the grand stand was reserved for the 
 Navy sympathizers, and here we found our seats 
 directly behind the wire screen with home plate right 
 in front of us. The grand stand was full of officers 
 in uniform, with their friends and relatives, the blues 
 on the left, the khaki on the right, while in the 
 bleachers were crowded all sorts of baseball fans 
 'bluejackets, doughboys, and citizens of California. 
 
 It was a perfect day, the kind known as Indian 
 summer in New England. Dr. Brewster pointed out 
 to us various celebrities, the commander of the 
 Presidio fort, the visiting generals. He seemed to 
 know them all by name and reputation. 
 
 "That young fellow over there was on a mine 
 sweeper, Mary. That's a mighty dangerous occu 
 pation. Twice his boat was the only survivor of a 
 little fleet. The rest were blown to kingdom come 
 without warning. 
 
 "That youngster over there was one of the fellows 
 who went into Zeebrugge with an English boat 
 when they sunk one of their own ships in the mouth 
 of the harbor and bottled up the German Fleet." 
 
 "They look so young," I said. "I have often 
 heard it called a young man's war." 
 
 "Humph, Foch wasn't so young, or Hindenburg 
 or Pershing. But look, here comes the team. There 
 goes the Admiral to throw the first ball. Here's 
 your score card, Mary, with the names of the players 
 written in. Ensign Raymond did that for you." 
 
212 Mary in California 
 
 A great shout greeted the teams as they ran out 
 and took their places on the field. A few balls were 
 thrown about for practice, and then came the cry of 
 the umpire, u Play ball," and the game began in 
 earnest, with the Army at bat. 
 
 "That fellow throws a pretty ball," remarked the 
 Doctor as two khaki boys struck out. 
 
 The third man made a two-base hit, but was left 
 there when the fourth doughboy hit an easy one right 
 into the hands of the first baseman. In the second 
 half of the inning the Navy catcher made a three- 
 base hit and then came home when his successor sent 
 a swift grounder between first and second base. 
 Then came three or four dull innings, a pitcher's 
 game, the Doctor called it. No runs were made 
 on either side, and at the end of the seventh in 
 ning the score stood one to nothing in favor of the 
 Navy. 
 
 "This is pretty stupid," remarked Dr. Brewster. 
 "Let's have some ginger ale and ice-cream cones. 
 Maybe that will change the current." 
 
 "It seems to me that you must have spent all your 
 money already on peanuts, Brewster," said the Doc 
 tor severely. 
 
 Ensign Raymond joined us at this time, declaring 
 that every one was asleep on the bleachers. 
 
 "Can't we wake 'em up some here, Sir?" he 
 wanted to know. 
 
 The first Army man to come to bat in the eighth 
 inning hit a remarkably swift ball right toward the 
 pitcher, who tried to catch it. He did stop it, but 
 dropped it immediately and sat down on the ground. 
 
Navy Versus Army The Last of the Ring 213 
 
 He was up in a moment and tried to throw the ball 
 to second, but it went wild. The shortstop got 
 it, however, and the runner remained on first. Then 
 time was called. The pitcher had hurt his hand. A 
 man with a black bag rushed out, made a brief exam 
 ination, and then ordered the player off the field, as 
 he had a sprained wrist. 
 
 "That's pretty bad for us, Sir," Raymond said. 
 u We have no other pitcher. They will have to put 
 in Atkins, and he's not good at all." 
 
 The ensign's prophecy proved true. Atkins al 
 lowed three runs to fall to the Army before the end 
 of the inning. 
 
 The Navy crowd then woke up and began a won 
 derful series of calls and shrieks and whistles, sup 
 posed to strike terror into their opponents and to 
 hearten their own side. 
 
 The net result was one run. At the beginning 
 of the ninth inning the score was three to two in 
 favor of the Army. 
 
 "Oh, this is awful," said Raymond. "With At 
 kins pitching they'll run up a tremendous score. 
 They may make it a hundred." 
 
 "Not quite as many as that," laughed Dr. Brew- 
 ster. "But it surely looks bad." 
 
 The gloomy fears of Ensign Raymond seemed 
 about to be fulfilled. The first batter got to third 
 on a long swift one which was luckily stopped by 
 the right fielder in time to prevent a home run. The 
 second man bunted an easy one that took him to first, 
 but quick work by the catcher prevented the dough 
 boy on third from getting home. The third man 
 
214 Mary in California 
 
 took his base on balls, and number two moved on 
 to second. 
 
 "Jumping Jehosophat! All the bases full and 
 that fool in the pitcher's box," ejaculated Dr. Brew- 
 ster. "Nothing but a miracle can save us." 
 
 A great, tall negro came to the bat, with a grin on 
 his face that seemed to breathe out self-confidence. 
 He evidently scorned the pitcher utterly. 
 
 "One strike," called the umpire. 
 
 People sat up. 
 
 "One ball." 
 
 The Navy groaned. 
 
 "Two balls." 
 
 The Navy shrieked. 
 
 "Three balls." 
 
 "Nothing can save us now," said Raymond. 
 
 The colored soldier waved his bat derisively, and 
 held it back over his shoulder. The men on bases 
 took long leads and prepared to move on as the 
 ball left the pitcher's nervous hands. It came wildly 
 careering through the air. 
 
 "It will be four balls and take your base and 
 another run," groaned Ensign Raymond. 
 
 Evidently the runners thought so, too, and the 
 batter also. He started to toss his bat preparatory 
 to leaving for first and lo ! the miracle that Dr. Brew- 
 ster had wished for happened. Somehow the ball 
 and bat collided in mid-air and the ball rolled back 
 into the diamond. Before the astonished colored 
 soldier could recover from his surprise, the catcher 
 darted forward and touched him. 
 
 Every one in the crowded grand stand and bleach- 
 
Navy Versus Army The Last of the Ring 215 
 
 ers rose to their feet. Words of advice were 
 shrieked on all sides : 
 
 "Throw it to third." 
 
 "Put him out." 
 
 "Out on second." 
 
 "Hold it." 
 
 "Hold it." 
 
 "Don't run." 
 
 The catcher was a quick-witted fellow. In an 
 instant he had thrown to second base, to which the 
 runner tried in vain to return. 
 
 "Double play" howled the Navy. 
 
 Meanwhile the man who had left third came on 
 toward home. 
 
 "Beat it, beat it!" yelled the Army. 
 
 "Home, home!" cried everybody. 
 
 Without an instant's hesitation the second base 
 man threw home, a straight swift ball, and just as 
 the runner slid in, the catcher touched him with the 
 ball while his outstretched fingers were three inches 
 from the plate. 
 
 "By Jove, a triple play and side out," exclaimed 
 the Doctor. "I never saw a prettier bit of base 
 ball." 
 
 The hats of the Navy rose in the air and the air 
 was rent with cheers. 
 
 "What's the matter with the catcher? He's all 
 right." 
 
 "What's the matter with the Navy? It's all 
 right." 
 
 "What's the matter with the Army?" 
 
 "B-o-o-o-o." 
 
216 Mary in California 
 
 "Cricky, they're still a run ahead!" exclaimed 
 Mary. 
 
 "Oh, but we'll beat 'em now," said Dr. Brewster. 
 "Here, Raymond, go down and tell the boys they 
 have got to win." 
 
 The catcher, Sanford, was the first to bat. He 
 was thrilled with his own great play of the previ 
 ous half inning and the cheering of the crowd. His 
 bat met the ball with a sharp crack and he ended on 
 third base. 
 
 The Navy band struck up a rollicking tune. 
 
 "They've bunched the good batters," remarked 
 Dr. Brewster. "That fellow at the bat is good for 
 a two-bagger usually." 
 
 Again the bat went crack! against the ball, and 
 it traveled, a swift grounder, straight out into 
 the field, bringing Sanford home and putting the bat 
 ter at second. 
 
 "No outs, one run, and a man on second. There's 
 a great chance," the Doctor said. "But look here, 
 Brewster, how about that triple play? Was that a 
 fair ball?" 
 
 "Sure. They'll quarrel over it a bit, but I heard 
 another umpire make a similar decision once before. 
 If the bat hits the ball into the diamond, it's good. 
 There's no getting around that." 
 
 Dead silence now reigned over the field. The 
 score was a tie. Could the Navy make another 
 run? 
 
 "Here comes that awful pitcher," said Mary. 
 "He's so clumsy he'll never do anything." 
 
 But apparently clumsiness has its uses, for the bat- 
 
Navy Versus Army The Last of the Ring 217 
 
 ter got hit by a pitched ball and went to first, while 
 the man on second stole to third. 
 
 The next batter was struck out; so was the next. 
 
 The audience leaned forward in their seats and 
 men leaned over each other's shoulders in breathless 
 excitement. 
 
 "One strike," called the umpire. 
 
 No one stirred. 
 
 "One ball." 
 
 The Navy let out a deep breath. 
 
 The man on first stole to second, but no one paid 
 much attention to him. 
 
 "He can run, though, even if he can't pitch," I 
 thought to myself. 
 
 Crack! the bat swung and hit the swift-coming 
 ball straight and true. It sped through the pitcher 
 and the place where the second baseman ought to 
 have been and hit the ground just before it reached 
 center field. It bounded up over the outstretched 
 hand of that worthy and rolled on, pursued by both 
 the left and right fielders. 
 
 Amid wild cheers from the Navy, .the man on 
 third came in and the man on second came in and 
 then nobody cared what happened, while the crowd 
 rushed into the field and seized the last batter and 
 bore him in triumph on their shoulders. 
 
 "Aren't they going to finish?" Mary asked. 
 
 "No, when the batters are ahead they never fin 
 ish the last half of the ninth," Dr. Brewster an 
 swered. "It isn't etiquette. 'Jove, Doc, that was 
 some game. I'm glad we came, after all. Just see 
 how fast the crowd melts away." 
 
218 Mary in California 
 
 "And to think that the stupid pitcher actually 
 made one of the winning runs," said Mary. "I'm 
 sort of glad he did. He might have felt too 
 bad." 
 
 We went back to the ferry landing with Dr. 
 Brewster in a taxi. 
 
 "By the way, will you drop me at that hospital on 
 the way?" said the Doctor. "I promised to stop and 
 see those two fellows, you know." 
 
 "That's right. 'The game made me forget it." 
 
 So we dropped the Doctor and proceeded on our 
 way. The taxi landed us at the ferry before the 
 crowd, and Dr. Brewster saw us aboard. 
 
 "You are surely all right?" he asked. "Got 
 enough money to get home and all that?" 
 
 We laughed and thanked him. 
 
 "I forgot to say good-by to Mr. Raymond," said 
 Mary. "Will you do it for me, Dr. Brewster?" 
 
 "I surely will, Mary. You must all come to see 
 us again, and bring the boy next time !" 
 
 So we all shook hands and we got on the ferry. 
 
 "To think that we were really on that grim-look 
 ing, gray destroyer," I said as we got our last look 
 at the Resolute. "Trix, did you have a good time, 
 and what did you like best?" 
 
 Trix, dirty and tired, and eating an ice-cream cone 
 which Dr. Brewster had given her on parting, re 
 plied: "I liked 'the rabbits and the goat and Mr. 
 Raymond." 
 
 "Oh, but it was wonderful, Mother," Mary said, 
 as she leaned over the rail of the boat and looked 
 across the water at the city, so enchanting in the 
 
Navy Fersus Army The Last of the Ring 219 
 
 dusk of a late November afternoon. "The boat and 
 the sailors and the game. Mr. Raymond certainly 
 was nice. I'm going to keep the score card he made 
 for me. I love the hatband, too, and don't you 
 think I could have the button made into a hatpin? 
 He said they were going to sail pretty soon for the 
 winter maneuvers. But maybe they'll come to the 
 East some time. He's promised to send me some 
 picture postal cards. Do you mind, Mother?" 
 
 "Mercy, no." 
 
 "How old do you think he is, Mother?" 
 
 "How old does he think you are?" I answered. 
 
 Mary laughed. "He said seventeen, but he may 
 have been joking. There was a Jackie playing on 
 an accordion in the stern and we had a dance. He's 
 twenty." 
 
 "That isn't so very old," I answered; and pres 
 ently we reached the other side. 
 
 "I wonder how your father is getting along," I 
 said as we sat in the trolley, homeward bound. 
 
 "That's right, I forgot about Daddy. I wonder 
 if he will get my ring back," Mary said. 
 
 It was a couple of hours later, when Trix was in 
 bed and Mary was coaxing to be allowed to stay up, 
 that the Doctor arrived. He was hungry and tired, 
 but as he sat by the dining table, waited on by 
 Maria and myself, while Mary hovered about, he 
 drew from his pocket a fine silk scarf. Wrapped in 
 it were two rings almost exactly alike, silver, with 
 the jade dragon and the sign of good luck on the 
 back. 
 
 "Daddy, how did you get them?" Mary cried. 
 
22O Mary in California 
 
 "It's quite a story," answered her father. "Let 
 me eat first and then I will tell you." 
 
 "Dot iss right. Let him eat first," observed 
 Maria. "The poor man is tired und hongry," and 
 she brought him a plate heaped as for a grenadier. 
 
 "Maria, you ought to have married," said the 
 Doctor. "You know how to take care of a man." 
 
 "Ach, Doctor, maybe I vill yet," answered Maria. 
 "I am not so olt. But I think I'll yust take care of 
 the bonies. They cannot talk so much back to me 
 and he might not like me to sink. My bonies they 
 like to hear me sink." 
 
 Supper being eaten, the Doctor got into a com 
 fortable chair, lit his pipe, and began his story. 
 
 "That Wing Wang is surely a remarkable man. 
 I think he must have hypnotized me as Dr. Brewster 
 said they all did. From the minute I went into his 
 tiny room and looked into his pinched yellow face, I 
 felt somehow as though I were helpless, in the clutch 
 of a stronger will than mine. He spoke excellent 
 English, but very slowly, as though carefully choos 
 ing his words. He told me something of the story 
 that Captain Donald did, how the two rings sig 
 nified the meeting of high and low in China, and free 
 dom for the people. 
 
 " 'I cannot live,' he said. 'You who are a physi 
 cian must know this. And if I should live, your laws 
 would condemn me to death or imprisonment. They 
 will not let me see my friends. But I ask you as the 
 last request of a man who is about to die, as you 
 call it, to take a small parcel for me and put it into 
 the hands of a Chinaman named Wu Fang who 
 
Navy Versus Army The Last of the Ring 221 
 
 works in Los Angeles, for your friends Mr. and 
 Mrs. Norton.' 
 
 "I asked what the package contained. He replied 
 that I knew already. But he drew from some place 
 of concealment a ball of silk thread. This he bade 
 me unwind. In the center were the two rings. I 
 was startled to see them both. 
 
 " 'How did you get the second one from El 
 Lobo?' I asked. 
 
 "He grinned. 'He whom you call El Lobo is 
 dead. The ring was mine; now it is again in the 
 hands of its owner/ 
 
 "That was all he would tell me on that subject. 
 He continued, however, to speak of El Lobo. 'He 
 was of the lowest caste, a half-breed. He wished to 
 be a leader. But I, I come of a great family. I 
 would have been the head of all and with these two 
 rings might have brought prosperity to my country. 
 But others will do it. Only the rings must not fall 
 into the hands of those who would betray their coun 
 try. Promise me that you will take the rings to 
 Wu Fang.' 
 
 " 'Look here/ I said, 'I don't want to have any 
 thing to do with the rings or your society. I'll get a 
 knife in my back for my pains. And one of those 
 rings was found by my daughter. It is an Indian 
 ring.' 
 
 "Then he told me how long ago a prince had 
 wandered away with his followers, fleeing from in 
 vading foreigners, and had carried the ring across 
 the waters to a new country. 'The Indians, as you 
 call them, were once like my people,' he added. 
 
222 Mary in California 
 
 'Your daughter cannot keep the ring, it would bring 
 her to great danger. But I will send word with the 
 rings to Wu Fang to give your little daughter a costly 
 gift, far more beautiful than the ring.' 
 
 "Well, the long and short of it was that he finally 
 persuaded me against my better judgment to under 
 take the charge. Only I stipulated that I should 
 give them to some trusty messenger in Oakland, and 
 not have to keep them about my person till some 
 chance came to go to Los Angeles. So we com 
 promised on old Chang here, the head chef at the 
 college. Of course I swore secrecy, and indeed it 
 wasn't necessary. No word of this must get around. 
 I suppose I may have been followed back home by 
 any number of spies. I have sent for Chang. 
 Heaven help him when he gets these precious 
 rings!" 
 
 "Oh, Daddy, I hate to give up my ring! But I 
 wonder what they will give me, in return. It's aw 
 fully exciting." 
 
 At that moment the door of the room, which was 
 also the door of the house, opened noiselessly, and 
 the face of a Chinaman looked in. We all jumped 
 as if we had seen a ghost. But it was only Chang, 
 the old head cook, who had been summoned and 
 doubtless knew why. He did not seem any too anx 
 ious to undertake the charge. 
 
 He laid the scarf on the table and remarked 
 "Burn him." Then he drew out of his pocket some 
 ripe figs. He cut a segment out of two of them, 
 pressed a ring into the soft pulp, and then somehow 
 replaced part of the segments so that the figs looked 
 
Navy Versus Army The Last of the Ring 223 
 
 natural, though a little soiled. He replaced them 
 in his pocket. 
 
 "Wing Wang him dead. Good-by. "Talk no 
 good." 
 
 With this parting word, he went out, as noise 
 lessly as he had come. 
 
 "That's what you might call sudden," I said. 
 
 "I'll never see my ring again. May I keep the 
 scarf, Daddy?" asked Mary. 
 
 "Chang said 'burn him/ and burn it I will," re 
 plied the Doctor. 
 
 So we wrapped the beautiful silken thing in a 
 newspaper and burned it in the fireplace. 
 
 "I hope the prosaic modern newspaper will de 
 stroy the ancient magic of the scarf," said the Doctor 
 as the whole vanished in flames up the chimney. 
 
 "May we never hear anything more of ring or 
 society." 
 
 "How did El Lobo die, Daddy?" Mary asked. 
 
 "They told me at the hospital that he was poi 
 soned they could not imagine how. And how that 
 fellow Wing Wang, with his smashed body, man 
 aged it I can't tell you myself. Any more than I can 
 tell you why I promised to do his will. I believe he 
 must have been a remarkable man. They will prob 
 ably find him dead of the same poison some fine 
 morning. 
 
 "Now good night all. It's late, and we have had 
 a long day. Mary is yawning her head off." 
 
 "I am not sleepy a bit," said Mary indignantly; 
 but a long yawn interrupted her denial. 
 
 "It has been a great day. But I wish Dave could 
 
224 Mary in California 
 
 have seen that game. I don't think I will ever for- 
 get it." 
 
 "I am sorry to have to say good-by to my ring,'* 
 was Mary's remark as she went upstairs. "But, 
 Mother, do you think I'll ever hear from Ensign 
 Raymond?" 
 
CHAPTER XVII 
 
 MOVIES AND AN AEROPLANE IN LOS ANGELES 
 
 /CHRISTMAS in California! It seemed so 
 ^-^ strange to hear the bells ringing from the old 
 mission churches and receive a large bouquet of 
 roses instead of holly wreaths. We expected to stay 
 quietly at Mills College during the first part of the 
 holidays at any rate. But the Nortons persuaded 
 us to come and have our Christmas in Los Angeles. 
 
 Mary and her father were to leave next day for 
 winter sports in the Yosemite Park. They were to 
 meet Winifred Ransome and a dozen girls at a cer 
 tain little branch station of the railroad, and then 
 go on together, while Dave, Trix, and I stayed for 
 the week with the Nortons, to be present on New 
 Year's Day at the famous Carnival of Roses at 
 Pasadena. 
 
 Dave was greatly disappointed that he, too, could 
 not join the Yosemite party. But as the others were 
 all much older, it seemed best for him to remain 
 with me. 
 
 On Christmas Eve we drove about the city to see 
 the gardens, which were full of wonderful flowers, 
 and then we visited the orange groves. It did not 
 seem at all like the twenty-fourth of December. I 
 think -we missed the snow of a New England 
 Christmas. 
 
 225 
 
226 Mary In California 
 
 Dave remarked, "This seems like the description 
 of heaven in the Bible, but, Mother, I'd sort of get 
 tired of it forever. Won't there be some snow in 
 heaven, don't you think?" 
 
 That evening there was to be a revival of a Span 
 ish miracle play in the old Pueblo church, the 
 church of "Nuestra Senora, Renia de los Angeles." 
 
 "They used to do this every Christmas in some 
 church or mission," Mr. Norton told us, "in the days 
 when the padres were supreme." 
 
 It was lovely in the church, where there can still 
 be seen the crude frescoes done by the Indians. Be 
 fore the quaint altar sat a saintly looking young 
 virgin with a real little baby in her arms. The organ 
 played soft music which must have soothed the 
 infant, for he behaved beautifully. The church lights 
 were dimmed except those nearest the group, which 
 threw a sort of halo on the mother and child. Then 
 some nice shaggy old shepherds came to chant their 
 praises. These were followed by a hermit and a 
 soldier, who sat and played at dice instead of wor 
 shiping, while a very devilish fiend waited to seize 
 their souls. 
 
 Fortunately a handsome St. Michael in full armor 
 interfered at the right moment. He drove away the 
 fiend and led the two sinners to the Holy Child, 
 where all knelt in prayer and penitence, and a 
 choir of angels sang the Gloria with most heavenly 
 voices. 
 
 Even Trix was full of enthusiasm. She wished 
 they would sing again. She wanted them to do it 
 all again. She wished she could stroke the babe. 
 
Movies and an Aeroplane in Los Angeles 227 
 
 She had been particularly pleased when the fiend 
 made faces at her. 
 
 "I don't believe he did it at her," said Mary scep 
 tically. 
 
 "But he did, Mother, didn't he?" Trix assured us. 
 
 We drove home through the starlit night, the air 
 soft as summer and full of the fragrance of blossoms. 
 
 The day after Christmas Mary and her father 
 left us early for their trip to the snow. They wore 
 their riding things and had borrowed everything 
 warm that could be had. They carried skiis and 
 snowshoes and were assured that sleds and tobog 
 gans could be hired at the park itself. 
 
 Dave had been very good about staying at home, 
 but when the time actually came he was silent and 
 noticeably depressed. 
 
 "Dave," remarked Mrs. Norton as we drove back 
 from the station, "Mr. Norton and I didn't give you 
 any real Christmas present. We had a notion that 
 maybe you'd like something a little different. A 
 friend of ours is going to take a little flight down 
 south to-day, and we persuaded him to take a pas 
 senger. How would you like that for a Christmas 
 surprise?" 
 
 There was an instantaneous change from the list 
 less boy of a moment before. 
 
 "Oh, Mrs. Norton! Mother, may I?" 
 
 "Of course you may," Mrs. Norton said. "Your 
 mother would never have the heart to refuse. And 
 I got your father's consent before he left." 
 
 "Then there is nothing left for me to say," I re 
 marked. 
 
228 Mary in California 
 
 "Let us proceed at once to the field of honor," 
 said Mr. Norton. 
 
 We drove out through the city to the aero field, 
 where we saw a number of planes out practicing and 
 heard the buzzing of the great machines. Dave's 
 face was red with excitement, and he could hardly 
 keep in the auto. 
 
 "Can't I go, too?" begged Trix. "I know you 
 won't let me." 
 
 "You are quite right," I replied. "Dave is much 
 older than you. You will have to wait for a few 
 years." 
 
 Finally we arrived at the hangar of Mr. Nor 
 ton's friend, and found the man in question stand 
 ing beside his machine. Mrs. Norton introduced 
 us. 
 
 "Jackson is a good, safe driver," I was assured. 
 
 Indeed Mr. Jackson looked it. He was a man 
 under thirty, with a lean strong face, and steady gray 
 eyes. 
 
 "This is my one son, Mr. Jackson," was my only 
 remark. 
 
 "And she prefers him as he is, without any blem 
 ishes," added Mrs. Norton. "Dave has been pes 
 tering the life out of us about aeroplanes. Give him 
 a dose, but don't do any stunts." 
 
 "I never do, with passengers," was the reply. 
 
 Then Dave was swathed in sweaters and rugs. 
 
 "Good-by, Mother," he called, after he had given 
 me a good hug. Then he got into the machine, and 
 Mr. Jackson followed. 
 
 The machinist shoved the great aeroplane, and 
 
Movies and an Aeroplane in Los Angeles 229 
 
 presently with whirring propeller, the creature 
 started, faster and faster, until it rose in the air. 
 
 Dave was a dot in the distance. 
 
 "Well, we might as well take a drive, for Jackson 
 will be gone for a couple of hours," said Mrs. Nor 
 ton. "He has to run down, or fly down, to Palm 
 Springs." 
 
 "But that is miles away, isn't it? It sounds as if 
 it were." 
 
 "It's only about one hundred and twenty miles. 
 That's nothing in a plane," Mr. Norton answered. 
 
 "It seems quite far to a staid old New Englander," 
 I said. 
 
 "How would you like to run over to Hollywood, 
 where they take a lot of the movies?" Mrs. Norton 
 suggested. 
 
 Trix exclaimed with pleasure, so we started off, 
 while I hastened to explain that Trix had only wit 
 nessed half a dozen movie shows in her life. 
 
 "Of course she's much too young," I added. 
 "Even the special children's performances don't 
 really amuse her as much as she thinks they will. I 
 wish they had more films with just fairy stories or 
 nature pictures, the way they do in Germany, I am 
 told." 
 
 "We may come to it some day," said Mrs. Norton. 
 
 We found the big studios and scenes most inter 
 esting, and had our pictures taken on the spot that 
 was usually occupied by Tom Mix and his circus 
 parties. 
 
 "Mary ought to be here," said Mrs. Norton. 
 "I'll wager she loves the movies." 
 
230 Mary in California 
 
 "I can't deny it," was my answer. 
 
 They happened to be staging a comedy with the 
 usual exciting scenes, people falling out of windows 
 and landing in pools of water, china flung about reck 
 lessly, and finally a real pig was introduced, which 
 pleased Trix greatly. 
 
 They took six reels of two small children in the 
 process of dressing. The youngsters were about two 
 years old, and were extremely funny as they played 
 and put on their clothes alternately. Occasionally 
 one of them would lose his balance over a button 
 and tumble down. This worried Trix, and suddenly, 
 before I could stop her, she ran onto the stage and 
 tried to help the little boy to button his shoe. 
 
 I was filled with consternation, and called to Trix 
 to come back instantly, which she did. We apolo 
 gized to the manager, a big, genial Irishman. 
 
 "It was a bit unexpected loik," was his comment. 
 "But she's got a real Irish head of hair on her, and 
 she will just add a touch to the picture." 
 
 "Do you mean I'm in the picture?" gasped Trix. 
 
 "Bedad, yes," was the answer. "And a foin ac 
 tress you'll be. You'll be sure to see the film when it 
 comes on the stage, young lady." 
 
 Then he gravely shook hands with Trix, leaving 
 us rather breathless. 
 
 "You certainly are up to everything, Trix," said 
 Mrs. Norton. "I should think your mother's eyes 
 would be worn out looking after you and her slipper 
 in frazzles from spanking you!" 
 
 "I didn't mean to do anything naughty, Mother," 
 pleaded Trix. "I just wanted to help the little boy." 
 
Movies and an Aeroplane in Los Angeles 231 
 
 "And quite right, too," said Mrs. Norton. "He 
 looked like a stupid child, who couldn't dress himself 
 properly without tumbling all over himself." 
 
 "May I go and see it, Mother?" asked Trix. 
 "Will I really be in the picture?" 
 
 "You will indeed. Let us not tell your father, 
 and take him to see it some time. Wouldn't it be a 
 lark? But I don't believe that either of us could 
 keep the secret from him as long as that." 
 
 Up in the hills was an open air theater where many 
 performances are given each year of the Pilgrimage 
 Play, scenes from the Life of Christ. 
 
 "Thousands come to see it," Mr. Norton told us. 
 "I wish you had been able to go when you were here 
 in September. It really is most impressive and 
 beautiful." 
 
 After a while we drove leisurely back to get Dave. 
 But we had to wait for some time before he returned, 
 and meanwhile Trix and Mr. Norton went into sev 
 eral hangars and she climbed into a stationary aero 
 plane, saying that it was almost as much as Dave had 
 done. 
 
 At last came the whirring sound overhead, and 
 presently the huge birdlike creature slowly descended 
 and brought back to earth a much excited boy. He 
 found it a little hard to get his balance on the solid 
 earth, but his tongue seemed to have been wound 
 up by the rapid motion. 
 
 "Mother, it was wonderful. I wasn't scared, was 
 I, Mr. Jackson? Only just at first. I felt sort of 
 seasick, like going upside down in a hammock. But 
 I loved it. I'm going to have one some day. Mr. 
 
232 Mary in California 
 
 Jackson told me how to work 'em. Mother, it was 
 great at Palm Springs. They were making some 
 pictures of desert scenes, you know, for the movies. 
 They had a charge of Arabs on camels that was 
 great. Only they went sort of slow. I guess they'll 
 run it through quicker. There were lots of cactuses 
 there. And we saw orange groves, millions of them, 
 and walnut trees on the way. And we saw the snow 
 peaks and the ocean on the other side." Dave 
 paused for breath. 
 
 "I was taken in a movie picture," said Trix calmly. 
 
 "Aw, now, Mother, that isn't true," commented 
 Dave. 
 
 "Yes, it is true. But Trix, I thought we were 
 going to keep it a secret. How did the earth look, 
 Dave, from an aeroplane? How did you feel?" 
 
 "It looked like it does from the top of a big high 
 mountain, only it wobbled. It seemed to sort of 
 move up and down, as it does when you're seasick. 
 It was cold, too, and the sun was bright enough to 
 hurt your eyes. We went so fast, Mother. It was 
 bully. Trains and autos will seem awful slow." 
 
 "Did he behave all right, Jackson?" asked Mr. 
 Norton. 
 
 "Did he want to run it for you?" demanded Mrs. 
 Norton. 
 
 The aviator laughed. "Dave's all right," he re 
 plied. "He's going again with me some time. He'll 
 make an airman if he works hard enough. He 
 seems to have a natural taste for machinery and 
 going fast." 
 
 "It certainly was good of you to take him. I can't 
 
Movies and an Aeroplane in Los Angeles 233 
 
 thank you enough for giving him so much pleasure," 
 I said. "Have you thanked Mr. Jackson, Dave?" 
 
 "He surely did. It was just a pleasure anyway, 
 and no trouble, as I was out on business." 
 
 We shook hands, and then Dave got into the auto, 
 with evident reluctance. He hated to leave the aero 
 plane. 
 
 "Hurry up, Dave, you can't take it with you," 
 laughed Mrs. Norton. "Bless the boy, he's in 
 satiable." 
 
 We received several postals from Mary and her 
 father. They were having a perfect time, they 
 wrote. 
 
 "Yesterday several feet of snow fell," the Doc 
 tor's card said. "It's funny not to measure by inches. 
 Dave would be satisfied." 
 
 "I am," observed Dave, who was curled up in a 
 chair on the porch reading "The Aero Service in the 
 Great War." 
 
 "You ought to see the snow men we built," came 
 on a postal from Mary. "We sat them on sleds and 
 pulled them around. There are some real artists 
 at it here. My, it's cold, though." 
 
 Dave sipped luxuriously at a long glass of grape 
 juice and smiled in a superior fashion. 
 
 "We climbed into a crevasse," wrote the Doctor 
 on their next to last day. "It was very narrow and 
 slippery, and we could hardly get through. It was 
 pretty exciting because a fall would be fatal. The 
 blue-green ice cave, like water solidified, is marvel 
 ous. Tell Trix we had a great snowball fight yes 
 terday. Ten against ten and no quarter given. 
 
234 Mary in California 
 
 Several got their faces well rubbed into the soft 
 
 snow." 
 
 "It doesn't seem possible that they are only eight 
 or ten hours away," I said. "With these lovely 
 flowers here." 
 
 "We get snow and ice sports much nearer than 
 that," answered Mrs. Norton. "Just a two hours' 
 ride up into the mountains close beside us ! A party 
 went up yesterday for a night's sport. But of course 
 you don't have the wonderful scenery here. I don't 
 think there is anything to compare with the Yosem- 
 ite in winter, or summer either for that matter. You 
 have the Grand Canon and Niagara Falls and Swit 
 zerland all combined, and the great trees thrown in 
 for good luck. At one big camp, they always light a 
 bonfire and drop it from the immense height of 
 Glacier Point just before retiring, which means 
 'lights out.' I wonder if your people will see bears. 
 They used to be quite tame." 
 
 Her question was answered by Mary's last letter. 
 
 "I haven't time to write, but I must tell Trix 
 about the bears. We were hanging around the 
 kitchen early in the morning, having had a sunrise 
 party up the valley. There was a smell of bacon 
 cooking and it certainly smelled good! All of a 
 sudden I looked around, thinking I heard footsteps, 
 and there was a great huge bear. I yelled and rushed 
 toward the house. A man poked his head out of 
 the door and called to me, 'Don't scare that bear, 
 little girl. He comes for his breakfast every morn 
 ing afore you're up!" 
 
 "The bear went right past Dad and began rooting 
 
Movies and an Aeroplane in Los Angeles 235 
 
 around and knocking over garbage pails. I watched 
 him from the window. I guess he wanted bacon as 
 much as we did. 
 
 "They told us afterward that when there's been 
 a heavy snowfall, all the animals come around when 
 they smell food, and that the bears are most indiffer 
 ent to people. Sometimes they take food out of the 
 camps. They seem to me pretty big for pets." 
 
CHAPTER XVIII 
 
 A FAREWELL GIFT FROM CHINA 
 
 CO while Mary and her father were skiing or slid- 
 ^ ing under the shadows of El Capitan, the mighty 
 guardian of the gates to the Yosemite paradise, Mr. 
 and Mrs. Norton, Dave, Trix, and I started for 
 the Tournament of Roses in Pasadena. Beautiful 
 Pasadena! It might be called spotless town. 
 Bushes were pruned, lawns were cut, and the palms in 
 the street gave the city an appearance as of a huge 
 formal garden, made by some Aladdin overnight. 
 There were flowers everywhere roses, of course. 
 Pink and white and crimson and yellow, they seemed 
 to be growing on the streets, in the windows, in the 
 gardens, over the house, a veritable fairyland. 
 
 There were other flowers, too, the deep purple 
 of the violets blending with the softer colors. The 
 air was full of the softest fragrance as if one stood 
 under a lilac bush in full bloom. There was a great 
 procession of carriages and autos and floats, all 
 decorated with garlands of flowers, as in the East we 
 would decorate with bunting and flags. 
 
 We sat in the Nortons' auto and watched the 
 floats passing, great barges of symbolic figures, or 
 full of charming fairylike creatures, embedded in 
 flowers. 
 
 "This simply can't be the first of January," I 
 236 
 
A Farewell Gift from China 237 
 
 said. "I won't believe that flowers can grow like 
 this, even in California." 
 
 "But, Mother, I saw fields and fields of them from 
 the aeroplane, just like colored squares in a checker 
 board," Dave answered. 
 
 "Oh, yes, I have seen them, too, from the auto, 
 but I can't believe it all the same." 
 
 "Just as I can't believe that I really went up in 
 the machine," murmured Dave. 
 
 The different schools and city organizations repre 
 sented, hotels and newspapers all vied with each 
 other in friendly competition to see who could pro 
 duce the most beautiful effect. There was a Dutch 
 windmill of flowers, drawn by three perfect horses; 
 there was an Indian scene; there was a flower- 
 formed Viking ship with a jolly crew of schoolgirls; 
 and a gaily decorated auto belonging to one of the 
 colleges carried a huge football of flowers. Horses, 
 too, were not lacking, and Dave called my attention 
 to then- long flowing tails. 
 
 "It is so much prettier," he said, "than the horrid 
 short tails we'd be likely to see in an eastern parade, 
 unless they were cavalry horses." 
 
 The animals also were garlanded with flowers, 
 and Trix was delighted with a fine fat pony which 
 looked like an animated flower garden. 
 
 One float representing East and West, and con 
 taining a delightfully flowery snow man with a pipe 
 in his mouth, caused Trixy to cry out "That's just 
 like the man we made last winter," much to the pleas 
 ure of the other bystanders. 
 
 After the procession there were games; a chariot 
 
238 Mary in California 
 
 race and a football game. Enormous crowds 
 watched them, gathered from every quarter of the 
 world, I think. I know there were Chinese and 
 Italians and Spanish and Mexicans, and I heard an 
 unmistakable voice from Maine observe, "Godfrey 
 scissors, them hosses certainly can run." It was a 
 joyous America that we were watching at play. It 
 seemed like a foreign land more than our own be 
 loved country. 
 
 Dave and his father and Mrs. Norton stayed to 
 see the "East and West" football game which has 
 grown to be one of the features of the Festival of 
 Roses. Meanwhile, Mr. Norton took Trix and me 
 for a little run in the car, out to the wonderful dam 
 at the Devil's Gate, that great and beautiful feat of 
 engineering which stores up the water for the city. 
 Surely since the days of the Roman aqueducts 
 nothing has been more graceful and impressive than 
 this dam and the winding Colorado street bridge 
 over the Arroyo Seco. 
 
 Mr. Norton's nephew and his wife came in for 
 supper that night, and we told them of our many 
 adventures and how we had finally given up the 
 ring. 
 
 u By the way," I said, "isn't your cook here? He 
 was the one who was to get the rings. I wonder if 
 he ever did receive them." 
 
 "I imagine so," answered Mr. Norton. "He 
 seems perfectly normal, so they have not hurt him 
 any as yet." 
 
 "You'd better look out for squalls," Dave re 
 marked. "I hope they are not in the house." 
 
A Farewell Gift from China 239 
 
 u Wu Fang always goes home to sleep. He prob 
 ably keeps them there, " replied Mr. Norton. "It is 
 too bad that Mary had to lose her treasure." 
 
 "Wing Wang promised to give her something else 
 in return," Dave observed. "I guess she'll get some 
 thing." 
 
 "In the meantime I am very glad to have seen the 
 last of the ring," I said. "And Wing Wang and 
 El Lobo, I trust they will rest in peace and not come 
 and haunt us. For we obeyed orders." 
 
 We sat through the evening planning for future 
 meetings in the East. We were to leave Mills so 
 soon that it seemed unlikely that we would meet 
 again in the West. It was hard to think of leaving 
 so many good friends. 
 
 We had to be up early in the morning to get our 
 train for San Francisco. But early as we were, we 
 found Wu Fang waiting for us. He had been a 
 silent, efficient worker, so that I was surprised when 
 he addressed me. 
 
 "Lil gal not come back here?" 
 
 "No, Wu Fang, she and the Doctor will join us 
 in San Francisco." 
 
 "Lil box for her," he observed, and took from 
 the inside of his waiter's white coat a tiny Chinese 
 box of exquisite workmanship. 
 
 "Carry him safe?" he asked, evidently mistrust 
 ing my powers. 
 
 "I think I can, if nobody tries to rob me." 
 
 "Make HI gal safe everywhere," he said, and 
 promptly went about his business of serving break 
 fast. 
 
240 Mary in California 
 
 The box was not locked in any way, but I wrapped 
 it carefully in paper and put it in my handbag with 
 my purse. 
 
 "I am sure to watch both now," I thought. 
 
 I did not tell Dave and Trix, for I knew they 
 would give me no rest until I had opened the box and 
 discovered its contents. My own curiosity was hard 
 enough to restrain. I could not have stood theirs. 
 
 We bade friendly farewell to our good friends at 
 the station. We certainly were sorry to part from 
 them. 
 
 "Maybe you will come back in an aeroplane, 
 Dave," Mrs. Norton said at the last, and then 
 we got into the train that was to carry us back to 
 Oakland. 
 
 It was a long day, and the little box fairly burned 
 in my bag, as the saying is. I think I must have 
 looked at it a hundred times to be sure that it was 
 safe-, and I was certainly glad when the train came 
 to a final stop and the Doctor's tall figure was visible 
 on the platform, with Mary beside him. It was dark 
 and I was glad of the taxi that whirled us away to 
 Mills and the pleasant house that seemed so much like 
 home. 
 
 Mary was full of her adventures in the Yosemite 
 the glorious frozen waterfalls, the great drifts and 
 caves of snow, the glaciers, the ice caves and El 
 Capitan, rising sheer out of the valley. They had 
 climbed and skiied and tobogganed and snowshoed, 
 and they were tired and sunburned from exposure 
 to the burning sun and the icy winds. Trix and Dave 
 were sunburned from quite a different reason, and 
 
A Farewell Gift from China 241 
 
 told of the events in which they had taken part, the 
 Rose festival, the aeroplane trip to the desert, the 
 moving pictures. Between them there was not a 
 chance for the Doctor and me to get in a word. 
 
 Finally, after supper, which was a wonderful feast 
 that Maria had prepared, I declared, "If you chil 
 dren will keep still for one minute, I have something 
 for Mary which may interest her." 
 
 Instantly there was a hush. Then I drew from 
 my bag the little carved sandalwood box and handed 
 it to Mary. 
 
 u Wu Fang sent it to the 'lil gal,' " I said. "It 
 will always make her safe." 
 
 Mary opened it with fingers that fairly trembled 
 with eagerness. Inside was something wrapped in 
 the finest of rice papers. The strange perfume of 
 the East seemed to come from it and breathed ro 
 mance and danger. 
 
 Mary opened the paper and, "Oh, Mother! 
 Oh, Daddy!" she cried. 
 
 Inside was a single jewel, an opal, which appeared 
 to throw out fire from its quaint silver setting. 
 
 "What is it! what is it?" exclaimed Trix. 
 
 "Isn't it pretty!" said Dave. "But I'd rather 
 have the ring." 
 
 "That's one of the most beautiful stones I have 
 ever seen," said the Doctor. "It isn't very large, 
 but a perfect fire opal. It must be worth a lot of 
 money. I wonder what royal treasury or temple 
 loot it came from." 
 
 "Ought Mary to keep it?" was my question. 
 
 "I don't know to whom she could return it. But 
 
242 Mary in California 
 
 I think it is too valuable for her to wear all the time. 
 It must be put away for safe-keeping and made into 
 a pendant or a ring when she is older." 
 
 "It would be terrible to lose it," said Mary. "I 
 never saw anything so beautiful. May I show it to 
 Winifred?" ' 
 
 "To-morrow, but not to-night. Well, Wing Wang 
 kept his word. He had that in his favor. Some 
 how, I have a sort of uncanny feeling that his will 
 still exists and that he will watch over the stone." 
 
 "Don't be so spooky, Dad," answered Mary. "I 
 surely am glad we came to California. This opal 
 is worth all the rings in creation. Now I am ready 
 to start for home." 
 
 "But it is hard to say good-by to all our good 
 friends," I said. 
 
 "We can only hope to lure them to the East some 
 time." 
 
 "Can't we take Maria and the bonies?" asked 
 Trix. 
 
 "I am sure I wish we could," I answered. "But 
 I'm afraid she would be hard to move, and the 
 'bonies' belong to the house." 
 
 "We have had a great time," said the Doctor. 
 "I wonder if the opal will lead us a dance like the 
 ring? I don't believe it. I think hereafter we can 
 enjoy a peaceful existence." 
 
 "That would be so stupid," answered Mary.