CHAPTER XX

HIPPY AS A ROUGHRIDER

Reaching her camp, Grace quickly acquainted the girls with conditions at
the Thompson cabin. She then turned to Hippy and told him that he must
ride to Holcomb Court House and fetch a doctor.

"All right. I'll get an early start in the morning and--"

"No! To-night! Now, Hippy. To-morrow may be too late," urged Grace.

"Of course, if it is so bad as that. Why don't you have Emma Dean
'con-centrate'?"

"This is not a matter to make light of, Hippy Wingate," rebuked Nora.
"Of course you will go."

"Laundry, get my pony, and be lively about it," ordered Lieutenant
Wingate.

While this was being done, and Hippy was looking to his rifle and
revolver, Grace was explaining to him how to reach Holcomb over the
broad wagon trail that they had followed during the last day of their
journey. Nora, in the meantime, was packing her husband's kit with
sufficient food, that had been picked up from the scattered remnants, to
see him through the trip. Twenty minutes later they had started Hippy on
his way.

"If I don't come back, remember that I had a price on my head," he
called back to his companions.

"Pack up!" directed Grace. "We must move up near the Thompson cabin. It
won't do for you girls to remain here alone."

"Where shall we camp?" asked Anne, a worried look on her face. "We have
no tents fit for use."

"I don't know just yet, but they have a barn. Perhaps you might sleep
there. I must stay with Elfreda, at least until the doctor comes."

All the girls began to prepare for moving, and finally their possessions
were strapped in packs, some of which they placed on the backs of
ponies, for they were one mule short, and moved up to Thompson's.

Bidding her companions wait outside, Grace went in and consulted with
the mountaineer's wife.

"Yes, you folks will have to sleep in the barn," Grace informed them.

"I never thought I should have to sleep with the pigs and the cows,"
declared Nora. "Bad luck to the man that spoiled our fun."

There was an old haymow overhead in the barn, and there the girls
decided to make their bed for the night.

"If there are mice up here I shall die of fright, I know," groaned Emma.

"'Con-centrate' on the mice," advised Anne teasingly. "Once they bump
against that 'imponderable quantity,' the mice will trouble you no
more."

"Why can't we go into the cabin and lie down on the floor? It can't be
worse than the barn," urged Nora.

Grace