CHAPTER VI
THE WRECK OF MR. A. BUBBLE
"BURIED treasures are such ravishing mysteries," observed Mollie, whileOlive was mentally arranging her facts. "I never thought I shouldactually be face to face with one."
"I am sure it must be a grand old place," volunteered Barbara.
"In reality, it is very big and bare," smiled Olive. "But I love everyfoot of the old place where I have lived all my life except when I havebeen away to school and where my ancestors have lived for oh, ever somany years."
Olive's eyes filled with tears. Barbara stole a groping hand under therobe and clasped one of Olive's. The latter pulled herself sharplytogether. She gave Bab a grateful look. The sympathy in that gentle handclasp had meant more than words to her. Perhaps in that one brief momentthe two girls came to understand each other better than in all the daysthat had passed since their first meeting at the opera.
"You know we fully expect to be obliged to give up the place at an earlyday. Father's business affairs have been going from bad to worse, untilnow there seems to be no hope of our keeping Treasureholme."
"Perhaps it may not be so bad as you imagine," suggested Bab softly."'Never give up until you have to.' That is my motto."
"You wouldn't be the Barbara I have heard so much about if it weren't.But to come to the story. Treasureholme has been in our family, as Ihave already said, for many generations. My ancestor who founded the oldplace was one of the pioneers here. He was rich when he came here, buthe foresaw a great future for what is now Chicago, so he brought hisfamily and all his worldly goods here. He said confidently that a greatcity was certain to spring up here some day. You see how true was hisprophecy. It was almost uncanny as I look at it now."
The girls nodded, but said nothing.
"Gracious! Did you see that?" called Ruth, with a trace of excitement inher tone.
"No, no. What is it?" cried the girls.
"Oh, nothing, only I ran down a cow," answered the fair driver, tryingto speak carelessly.
"Ran down a cow!" exclaimed Bab, peering through the curtain windows.
"You needn't look for her. She is a mile or more back now. I didn't runover her. She appeared so suddenly out of the snow cloud that I didn'tsee her until the car was almost on top of her. I must have hit her onlya glancing blow, for I barely felt the jar. I hope I didn't hurt thepoor thing."
"So long as we keep on four wheels, please don't interrupt us," beggedMiss Presby severely, whereat there was a series of giggles from thegirls. "Where was I, girls?"
"Still at Chicago," replied Mollie. "You were speaking of yourancestor's prophecy."
"Oh, yes. At the time they were living in the garrison, at the firstfort ever built on the Chicago River. You know the Indians were prettythick hereabouts at that period."
"Indians!" murmured Grace apprehensively.
"Yes. After a time our ancestors built Treasureholme. That is why it isso old-fashioned now, though many changes necessarily have been made inthe house since then, but the main part is practically as it was builtby my pioneer ancestor. The boards that were used were laboriously sawedout and the timbers hewn by hand. It must have taken years to build theplace. Outwardly it now has a more modern appearance, each succeedingancestor adding and improving. But for a long time after it was builtthere were Indians and bad men hereabouts. This perhaps accounts forthe secret passages and numerous hiding places in the old house."
"Glorious," said Mollie, her eyes dancing.
"One day a message came that the Indians were no longer friendly. Myancestor was warned to hide his valuables and hasten to the fort withhis family for the safety afforded there. It is believed that thetreasure was buried at that time."
"Money?" asked Barbara.
"Gold and plate and jewels that had been brought from the old countrywhen the family first came to the new world from England. But, alas, thegarrison was wiped out by the Indians, leaving not a living person whoknew the location of the treasure. Later on other members of the familycame here from the east and took possession. The Presbys have beenliving on the estate ever since."
"Has no attempt been made to find the treasure?" questioned Barbara.
"So many attempts that I couldn't count them. Someone always is nosingabout the place for clues. Father has spent a great deal of money inlooking for it himself, but I think he has about given up hope of everfinding it. It is my idea that some of the other early members of thefamily found the hidden treasure, but said nothing about it."
Silence reigned in the automobile for some moments.
"Do you know," said Barbara, breaking the silence, "I think this is anexcellent opportunity for the 'Automobile Girls' to distinguishthemselves further?"
Olive shook her head smilingly.
"It would be effort wasted. Besides, we shall manage to keep your timeso fully occupied that you will have no opportunity to search for buriedtreasure."
"What about those secret passages that you spoke of?" asked Grace.
"You shall see them and explore them to your hearts' content. Tom willshow them to you. What Tom doesn't know about the old place, no one elsedoes. And he knows a lot more about it than any of the rest of thefamily. I suspect that he has been making investigations on his ownhook. He, like the boy he is, still has hopes of discovering the buriedtreasure."
"Is the gate open?" called Ruth over her shoulder.
"Yes. It hasn't been closed this fall."
"Then I'll drive in in style and make one of my flying stops," answeredRuth. "We'll make them think a train has left the C., B. & Q. track andis going to smash the house down. I think they will be surprised. I'llopen up the exhaust just as we get to the house, make a flying stop andthe noise will wake up Olive's scalped ancestors."
"Be careful that you don't hit the house in reality," laughed Olive."Remember it is old. It might tumble down. I don't care so much aboutthe house, but I shouldn't like to see it tumble down on father andmother."
"Oh, it will not be quite as bad as that. We shall simply be making abig noise."
"I was only joking," replied Olive. "You don't think I thought for aminute you would run into the house, do you?"
"That is exactly what I am going to do."
"Ruth Stuart!" exclaimed Bab sternly.
"After I have stopped the car," finished Ruth, with a merry laugh. "Butlook here, young ladies, if you keep on talking to me and making melaugh, I am likely to pile you all in the ditch right here."
"Can you see the road?"
"Yes. Between snow flurries. I can't miss the road. The turn into thegrounds is enclosed in stone fences, isn't it?"
"Yes."
"I'll pick it up all right. You girls look out when I give the word. Iam going to make the turn wide and at full speed. Hold fast!" she cried,giving the steering wheel a sharp turn. For one giddy moment Mr. A.Bubble appeared to be uncertain whether to turn turtle or go on the wayhe was headed. He decided upon the latter course, and settling down onall four wheels shot straight ahead. The light was uncertain, but Ruth'seyes were on the road, all her attention centred on her work. Suddenlyshe uttered a sharp little cry. The emergency brake went on with ashock. Then came a mighty crash. To the girls in the car in their briefinstant of consciousness, it seemed as if the universe were going topieces.