m that--especially after they have been so good as
to come for us," advised Ruth.

"Silly! Of course I won't!"

"Well, you two seem to have the oddest faculty for getting into
trouble!" cried Russ as he and Paul reached the girls. "The whole Lodge
is worried to death about you, and we're all out searching for you."

"Oh, it's too bad we gave so much trouble," responded Ruth, contritely.
"But we couldn't help it. We were lost in the storm."

"We thought that likely," Paul said. "Your father is quite worried."

"Is he out searching, too?" Alice asked.

"No, his throat troubles him," the young actor replied. "But every other
man at the Lodge is. Mr. Macksey told us to come this way, and if we
didn't locate you we were to meet him at some place where there are two
cabins."

"We just came from there," Ruth said, "and we had the oddest adventure.
I'll tell you about it when we get back. We tried to get a guide to show
us the path, but as it happened we didn't need one. Oh, I believe it's
snowing again!"

Some white flakes were sifting down.

"It's only a little flurry," decided Paul. "And it won't matter, for the
path back is very plain now. But what happened?"

The girls told him, and when he heard that Merley was in the
neighborhood, and apparently uninjured, Russ said:

"I always thought that fellow was a faker. I'd like to know what his
game was."

"Do you think it is a game?" asked Alice.

"Yes, and I think it's more of a game than the game they are after up
here. I think they're hatching some plot."

They arrived at Elk Lodge a little later, and leaving the girls with
their father, Russ and Paul went after the other searchers, to tell
them that the lost ones were found.

"You must not go away alone again," cautioned Mr. DeVere to his
daughters, when all the searchers had returned, and there was a joyful
reunion in the big living room.

"We won't!" promised Alice. "I was really a bit frightened this time."

"A _bit_ frightened!" cried Ruth. "I was awfully scared! I could see us
both frozen stiff under the snow, and the dogs nosing us out as they do
travelers in the Alps."

"I'm glad that didn't happen," laughed Russ. "For I suppose if it had
Mr. Pertell would have insisted on having a moving picture of it, and I
would have been too prostrated with grief to be able to work the
camera."

"Well, we're all right now," declared Alice. "And such an appetite as I
have!"

"Did you tell your father abou