the only one who knows
their new hiding place, she must lead us to them."

"That puts me wise, all right," declared Lil Artha. "But get good old
George here as soon as you can, Elmer. I'm just crazy to see if he knows
how to tell the old woman all this."

"That's all, boys; I'll be going now."

But although Elmer said this he continued to stand there immovable.
Neither of his comrades thought it strange, for they, too, had caught
the same sound that had reached his ears.

It was evidently a pretty good imitation of the howl of a wolf.

Now, as this was the signal call of Elmer's own patrol they knew
immediately that some scout belonging to that section of the Hickory
Ridge troop must be approaching, and took this customary method of
announcing his coming.

All eyes were accordingly turned toward that quarter from whence the
note of the wolf had seemed to come.

This was a little up the side of the mountain. Elmer, thinking to give
the other his location, sent out an answering signal.

"You're scaring the old woman again with your howls," remarked Lil
Artha, pointing to the shack, at the small window of which they could
see the face of the prisoner, filled with wonder and awe.

Perhaps the Italian woman was beginning to suspect she had fallen into
the hands of a pack of crazy people.

"There he comes!" suddenly announced Mark, pointing as he spoke.

"Looks like Dr. Ted," remarked Lil Artha.

"Just who it is," said Elmer. "I wish it had been George Robbins, now,
because that would have saved time. No such luck, it seems, so we'll
just have to make the best of it."

"But what d'ye suppose Ted's coming back after?" pursued the tall scout.

"Help," declared Mark, decisively. "You heard what Elmer said when he
turned the troop over to Matty? If they found themselves up a stump they
were to let Elmer know, just so he could swing in somehow, and pull them
out of the hole."

"They're up against it, good and hard, bet you a cooky on it," declared
Lil Artha, as the other scout drew near.

CHAPTER XIV.

THE NEED OF A PATHFINDER.

As Dr. Ted approached he made the scout salute in due regulation style.

"You're wanted above, thir," he said to the acting scout master.

"By that I suppose you mean they've struck a snag?" questioned Elmer.

"The rockth bothered Matty. Tho long ath they left a trail in the earth
he could follow it all right. But when it kept on athending it got
tougher and tougher. Then