ossessed, it must surely
prove an easy task to follow those plain tracks. Landy knew nothing at
all concerning the art of hiding a trail, and which the bearer of the
wampum belt and his companion had tried their best to put into practice
with the idea of deceiving the pathfinder who came behind.

When Landy put his foot down it was with considerable emphasis.
Consequently, any one of the more experienced scouts would have been
equal to the task of following that trail backward.

As Elmer moved away he made a swift, beckoning movement with his arm.
This the boys interpreted as a command or invitation to "get a move on,"
as Lil Artha put it, and follow after their leader.

So the troop moved onward, and more than one fellow's teeth came
together with a click as he grasped his cudgel tighter in his hand, and
resolved to give a good account of himself should it become necessary to
do something violent.

True, the rules counseled peaceful victories; but there may be times
when it becomes absolutely necessary for Boy Scouts to show that they
have good red blood in their veins.

And most of those present were of the opinion that the present occasion
promised to be just such a crisis that called for strenuous treatment.

Their companion, Nat Scott, had mysteriously disappeared, and they had
good reason to believe that he had fallen into the hands of these
unknown men who made the vicinity of Munsey's mill their secret
headquarters.

Why they should seize upon Nat, and what object they could have in
holding him a prisoner, were questions no one could answer, as yet. But
they meant to know, and that before long.

Now and then some fellow would step aside without a word, and possess
himself of some attractive club that had caught his eye while passing.

Evidently none of them had forgotten the injunction of their leader to
arm themselves. And really it was strange how much comfort even a stout
walking stick could give a fellow on an occasion of this sort, when
unseen and unknown perils hovered about them.

Meanwhile Elmer stuck to his task. Indeed, it was an easy one for so
experienced a tracker and pathfinder, and he did not hurry along faster
simply because he wanted a little time to collect his own thoughts, and
decide what ought to be done.

When Landy so obediently gave up his investigation, and sought to rejoin
the balance of the troop when the bugle sounded, he managed to make what
proved to be a "bee line" thr