Free The Secret of the Forgotten City by Carolyn G. Keene

Fleetfoot at the Mouse’s Tank and among the rocks in the Valley of Fire.
    “We reported the incident to the Nevada Police, and they are hunting for Fleetfoot and the tablets he has.”
    “That’s good,” Mrs. Wabash said. “When do you leave for your trip to the desert?”
    When she heard that it was early the following morning, Mrs. Wabash said, “Then I won’t see you for some time. I’ll be eager to know whether you find anything of interest.”
    Nancy told her about meeting Wanna Antler, and said the young Indian woman would go on the desert dig with her group.
    “I’m glad,” Mrs. Wabash said, then added, “Good night, Nancy. Have a restful sleep and a wonderfully successful dig.”
    After hanging up, Nancy had a hunch. Could Fleetfoot have hidden the tablets somewhere in the Valley of Fire?
    “Or was he just about to secrete them at the Mouse’s Tank when Bess screamed?” the young detective asked herself.
    She determined that at the first opportunity she and her friends would go to investigate the place. Nancy thought about it long after getting into bed, but finally dropped off to sleep. In the morning she was awakened by George.
    “Get up, sleepyhead,” her friend said. “You’d better hurry, or the caravan will leave without you!”
    The girls were downstairs in a little while. Mrs. Anderson had breakfast ready for the group, then they went outside to assemble. It had been decided that Nancy would keep the rented car, since she wanted to make some side trips in connection with her sleuthing.
    By eight o’clock, the caravan was ready to leave. Despite all that the girls had heard, they were still amazed at the size of the vehicles assembled, and the equipment in them. One truck carried tents for the whole group. Another was literally a kitchen on wheels, with a smiling chef in charge. There was a large refrigerated car with so much food in it that Bess’s eyes bulged.
    George teased her. “Watch that waistline, cousin. But then, if you work hard enough, maybe you won’t put on any more pounds.”
    Bess made a face but said nothing. She had a continuous battle with the problem of gaining weight. Furthermore, there was no advice that helped, and each time she began a diet, her friends teased her.
    One truck carried all sorts of digging tools, shovels, and spades. On a rig in one vehicle was a drill with electric motors to run it.
    Wanna had joined the group and now said to Nancy, “I don’t think they’ll be using that drill much. Archaeological and geological digging is mostly a matter of hand labor. I’ve brought some special sieves for our group. Also some drawing pads, pencils, and crayons. Everything has to be very precise and accurately reported.”
    Nancy took Wanna around to introduce her to Professor Donald Maguire, who was in charge of the dig, and to the students from Emerson College and the University of Nevada. Some of the latter knew her through her geological papers and lectures.
    “Glad to have you aboard,” said Archie. “I have a theory I want to discuss with you.”
    Ned winked at Nancy. If this should happen, Wanna had his sympathy!
    The professor and the students, together with Wanna and the three girls from River Heights, climbed into various private cars and trucks. The journey into the desert had begun. Wanna was now seated in the car with the professor, leading the way to the spot where she thought they should make camp and work.
    The trucks rattled along the road, then turned off and clattered over the parched sands far from the roadway. Nancy’s group was intrigued by the beautiful, stately yucca plants with their clusters of white flowers.
    “They’re as tall as I am!” Bess said as their car passed a group of three plants in full bloom.
    In a little while they came to a small rock formation from which cacti were growing. On one of them was a huge, beautiful pink flower.
    “Oh I must get a picture of that,” said Dave. “Ned, please stop a