miley and Young Bill were standing open-mouthed
before the scouts' fire with the sleeping Raven at their feet. Smiley
was a little twisted old fellow, but Young Bill was a gigantic navvy,
powerful as a five-year-old bull. Their faces, too, were blacked in
readiness for the night's work. Three minutes after Dick had crept
away, they had slipped along the brook under the wood, turned a sharp
corner, and come full upon the camp just as a bright light sprang up
from the new sticks with which Dick had fed the fire.

'Wot's this?' growled Young Bill; 'a fire, an' somebody on the watch.'

Chippy had been sleeping uneasily for some time, for Dick's movements
had disturbed, though not awakened, him. At the sound of the
new-comer's voice he awoke, flung off his blanket, and leapt to his
feet. But Young Bill was upon him at once, and pinned him with a grip
of iron.

It was a terrifying experience for the Raven--to awake from sleep to
find his companion gone and himself in the hands of two fellows whose
blackened faces had a horrifying look in the dancing firelight.

'Wotcher doin' here?' demanded Young Bill, giving his captive a shake
which rattled together the teeth in Chippy's head.

'Sleepin',' replied the Raven calmly.

'Who set ye here?'

'Nobody: set myself.'

Chippy's eyes shot swift glances on every side. Where was Dick? What
had become of his friend? Was he free or a captive? If free, he must
be warned, and Chippy acted at once. He let out a wild wolf-howl,
which was promptly checked by Smiley. The latter gripped Chippy by the
throat with both hands, shutting off the call, and half strangling the
caller.

'See, he's givin' a signal,' cried Smiley. 'They're out for us, Bill.
They've put this kid on the watch!'

The young giant was furious. He shook the Raven savagely, and struck
him a cruel blow on the side of the head. While Chippy was still
reeling and dizzy from this assault, he felt a handkerchief passed over
his mouth, and it was quickly tied behind his head: Smiley had gagged
him.

'Bring him along,' said Smiley. 'We're close to the place where
t'others are. Let's see if they know aught.'

Dick had been immensely startled to hear his patrol call ring out from
the direction of the camp, and then hear it suddenly checked. He
turned and raced back, but silently and warily, and soon saw the two
men advancing with Chippy, gagged and helpless, dragged along between
them.

Dick dodged behi