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

moment.”
    Dave jumped from the car and took two shots of the plants with his special camera. A few seconds after getting back into the car, the pictures had been developed and he showed them to the others.
    “They’re gorgeous,” Nancy said. “You’ll send these to your uncle? I’d say his camera is perfection, day or night.”
    During the brief stop, a couple of other cars got ahead of Ned. As a result, they were almost the last to arrive at the site where apparently Wanna had suggested they camp. They could hear loud talking and angry shouts at the head of the line.
    “I wonder what’s the matter?” Nancy said. “Let’s go find out!”
    Bess was still being careful of her ankle and said she would not join the others. The rest hurried forward.
    “What’s up?” Ned asked one of the other Emerson boys.
    His classmate pointed ahead to a group of angry, gesticulating men. “They can’t speak English, but they’re saying that we can’t camp here!”

CHAPTER XII
    A Deadly Necklace
    IT was evident from the strangers’ language that they were speaking Spanish, but it was so garbled that it was hard to understand.
    Nancy and Ned walked closer to listen. The group of swarthy men were waving their arms wildly, indicating that the newcomers were to leave at once.
    When no compromise seemed to be near, Nancy walked up to Professor Maguire. “I’ve traveled in Mexico a good bit,” she said, “and picked up some of the dialects. Perhaps I can translate what these men are saying.”
    “Thank you,” he said. “I’ll be glad of any help. This is a bad situation.”
    Nancy spoke to the men in the vernacular of the Spanish-speaking province from which she thought they had come. At once they quieted down and listened.

    “Perhaps I can translate what these men are saying,” Nancy said.
    The young detective asked them several questions, then turned to the professor. “They have heard about the gold rush and their directions led them here.”
    “Oh, is that it?” he said. “Well, tell them that it’s many miles from here, probably a hundred in that direction.” He pointed.
    Nancy told the Mexican group that it was unfortunate they had come so far out of their way. She pointed in the direction they should take. “I hope you can get rides part of the way,” she said.
    The leader of the group had a long black mustache twisted at the ends. He wore a sombrero. The man looked at Nancy, puzzled. She knew what was going through his mind. How could a young girl living in the United States speak his language and also know where the gold rush was, since it was so far away?
    She gave him a big smile. “I am so sorry you made this journey for nothing, and I wish you lots of luck in your search for gold.”
    “We will go,” he said finally.
    There were murmurs from his companions, but they obeyed their leader. The men picked up all their belongings and started the long trek across the desert.
    Now work on setting up camp for the diggers, who hoped to locate the Forgotten City, began. A job had been assigned to each of them, and they worked with precision. Two hours later the place was ready for occupancy. Professor Maguire consulted his chart and called out the names of tent mates. There would be six in each shelter. Wanna was assigned to the tent where Nancy, Bess, and George would be, along with two lovely girls who were studying at the University of Nevada.
    The tent in which Ned, Burt, and Dave were to sleep was not far away. The boys were with three other Emerson students.
    By the time camp was set up, it was very warm outside and the group was glad to take shelter under the tents. When Nancy and George arrived at theirs, they waited for Bess, but she did not come. The Nevada girls were concerned.
    “One can get a sunstroke out in this desert,” said Betty Carr.
    “I’ll bet I can tell you where she is,” George said.
    “Where?”
    “In the kitchen. It’s already past mealtime and if there’s one thing