into our camp?" wondered Elfreda Briggs, folding

we find Hippy. I am going out right after breakfast and make an effort to pick up the trail. Surely the outlaws, or whatever they are, will not be wai

owledge that a helping hand has been held out

start the fire. It has been a trying night a

she learned what had taken place.

?" frowne

l night long-con-centrating on

ried Nora, throwing

ggested Anne. "If you were to stop now you might break

hether or not he comes back,

rt was filled with a new hope-the hope that Hipp

to guard the camp and, incidentally, to keep Washington busy and out of mischief. He was, too, fo

ur, Grace stepped out boldly. For six hours the Overland girl employed all her knowledge of the open in an effort to pick up the trail of the mountaineers, but the

mountaineers had learned from generations of feuds and att

he trail over which Hippy Wingate had bee

appeared at the edge of the cle

I am a miserable fail

ing about over the landscape, you would be more successful," dec

unsuccessful than I have bee

to find Hippy, they believed that they were doing the wise thing in following the advice of their

ere was little conversation, each one appearing to be listening, Emma, with a faraway

e side of the camp and Miss Briggs the other. Both hid in deep shadows, each with a rifle at her side and a revolver in its holster.

n the nerves of the two girls leaped to attention as, out of the bushes on Miss Briggs' side of th

demanded Elf

a

fired a shot from her revolver into the trees in that direction, but

hot brought in

the gun!" howl

ace, springing to her fee

their companions, awakened by the shot, were not. Nora, Anne and

Hippy walked in

il of food! I'm st

Emma standing a little aloof from them with a superior smile on her face, Anne, urging the wide-eyed Washingto

ess-his hat was out in the bushes where Grace, after finding it, had secreted it-his cl

to the moment of his reaching the Overland camp. Hippy said he intended, if possible, to creep in quietly without awakening any one and g

rd to wait," answ

Hippy. "The fellow who was with me ducked, and I he

ou might not have been here, Lieuten

w's tha

n you and brought you bac

mured Hippy sadly.

" questioned Grace, after the lau

him before. He is a slick a

t it was not our Mys

ere right smart, for there is go

eady have had our share o

ntaineers are after us-after me especially,

my darlin'?" cried Nora. "W

Perhaps the little mix-ups we had with those

ng bounced one and driven the other one away," offered Grace.

son's farm as quickly as possible and stay there until the storm blows over," insisted Lieutena

interjec

r the safety of you girls and my powerful

," piped

s regarding Hippy narrowly, not yet sure that he

ws. It feels like snow to me. He did not say what kind of storm, bu

n the farm you speak of, than we shall be by following the trail to Hall's Co

I," agre

informant doesn't seem to think those ruffians will bother us. Whereas, if we remain out and contin

ingate. "Hippy, my da

ice on my head up here!

rate price. Good-night! I am going back to bed." Emma De