Lost Treasure on the Circle Star Ranch

Lost Treasure on the Circle Star Ranch continues the story started in Adventures on the Circle Star Ranch which saw Ben and Sarah solving the mystery of cattle rustling in their area.

In the new story, the siblings, Ben, nine, and Sarah, eleven, are out riding their horses when they see a fire coming from the irrigation ditch. Bert, their neighbour, had been trying to clear grass and brush from the ditch when the fire got away. The children quickly ride back home to alert the family. Mom took the water truck while Dad, Ben and Sarah took sacks from the barn. They were beating out the flames with wet sacks when others showed up to help. Al, the hired hand, came with a front end loader to scrape away the grass and brush to stop the fire by removing its fuel source. Four men from the neighbouring Hutterite Colony came, as well as a man in a blue truck. When the fire was out, Dad invited everyone back to the house for lemonade and cookies. Everyone accepted, except for the man in the blue truck who had disappeared.
Back at the house, Ben overheard Mr. Hofer talk about a fire that took place near the old cabin area many years ago. A shed and a small corral were burned down, and the old cabin was damaged, too. Around the same time, there were a number of jewelry thefts in the area. There was also a rumor that the thief was using the old cabin as a hideout.

On the weekend, the family took their fifth wheel camper to a shady spot near a creek on their ranch. The children had invited their friends, Emily and Oliver, to come with them. The children got to sleep in a big tent of their own while the parents had the camper. The family was enjoying campfires, playing cards, and riding their horses. On one of the children’s rides, they see smoke coming from the old cabin on the property. Because the children’s parents had been teasing them about the cabin’s being haunted, they believe that the smoke confirms its being haunted. It turns out that the cabin’s occupant is Peter, the mysterious man from the blue truck is there. Evidently, Peter owns the property and Ben’s parents rent this part of the ranch from him. Peter is an artist, who owns an art gallery, and he has come out to the cabin to enjoy the peace and quiet and to paint.

The family shares the story about the old fire and theft with Peter. He knew about the fire, but not about the theft. He invites Ben, Sarah, Emily, and Oliver to come and paint with him. The girls are eager to paint, but Ben is interested in looking over the old cabin to find clues about the where the thief might have hidden the stolen jewelry. Ben wonders if Peter is really there to find the stolen loot, but Peter has been cleaning and fixing up the old cabin and, in doing so, has found an old map hidden in a wall. He shows the boys the map and they are excited to follow it. The map takes them to a spot and the boys start to dig while Peter watches. They hit an old tin box, and, when they open it, they discover jewelry which they later return to its rightful owner.

Lost Treasure on the Circle Star Ranch paints a picture of how families live on the Canadian prairies. There are one or two full page, black and white sketches in each chapter that support the text. The use of dialogue throughout helps to make the story more interesting. Even though Lost Treasure on the Circle Star Ranch continues a story started in an earlier, it can be read as a stand alone title.