d, was merely a collection of
miserable huts. Some were better than others, and it was to these that
the rescuers turned their attention, for in them were the "bosses" of
the camp.

Mr. Hammond and his men made a rush for these, and, surrounding them,
called on those within to surrender. At first there was sleepy-eyed
surprise as the rough men ran out. Some showed a disposition to fight,
but Mr. Hammond coolly said:

"It's of no use, men. We've got you just where we want you, and we're
enough in numbers to take you all prisoners. We only want a couple of
young fellows you have here."

"We've a right to all the help we have!" growled the leader of the
campers: "We've got the papers to show it, too!"

"I don't doubt but what you've got papers--forged ones, though," replied
Mr. Hammond sternly. "We won't dispute that. But you haven't any papers
for my man, Tom Osborne."

"Tom Osborne--your man--was he the one that----"

The leader began thus, but he did not finish. He saw the damaging
admission he was about to make.

"Yes, Tom Osborne!" exclaimed Mr. Hammond. "I say Tom, where are you?"
he called, loudly.

"Here, Mr. Hammond!" was a shout from a distant shack. "Are the young
ladies all right?"

"Yes, they're here to help rescue you. Tumble over there, some of you,"
directed Mr. Hammond to his men, "and let Tom out. Break in the door!"

"I say now!" began the leader of the campers, "that won't do----"

"That's enough from you," warned Mr. Hammond sternly. "Smash in that
door, men!"

A little later Tom Osborne, rather forlorn and miserable from his
night's imprisonment in a tumble-down shack, walked out, his bonds
having been cut.

"Now for your friend, Harry," said Mr. Hammond to The Loon. "We must get
him out next."

"There's some young fellow in the shack next to where I was," said Tom
Osborne. "I heard him talking to himself early in the evening, but not
since daylight. I guess he's the one you mean."

A rush was made for the wretched place, and the door was burst in, but
the hut was empty.

"He's gone!" cried The Loon. "They've taken him to some other place. Oh,
I'll never be able to keep my word to him!"

"We'll find him," declared Mr. Hammond. "I don't know who he was, but
we'll get him. Look in every shack, men!"

In turn every cabin was inspected. Many wretched young men, and some old
ones, too, were routed out, but the proprietors of the camp seemed to
have a right to their services, either