So I should judge from what has just happened," answered Ned somewhat
ironically.

"Come, are you going to get started tonight?" demanded Tad with a laugh.

"I'm off this very minute."

Ned hurried away laughing. He bore evidences of his recent encounter
with the mountaineer, but all this was forgotten now that the man had
been taken and was safely tied up back there in the canyon with the
ever vigilant Tad Butler on guard over him.

A short time after that Ned was riding his pony over the plain toward
the camp at a fast gallop. He shouted as he neared the camp, where
no fire had been lighted, uttering a subdued whoop as he rode in.
Chunky and the professor met him a few rods from the camp.

"I---I got shot again!" cried Chunky.

"Where is Tad?" called the professor.

"Over on the fork waiting for us. You are to pack up and return with
me at once."

"But---but, the danger," protested Professor Zepplin.

"The danger is past. I don't believe you will have to worry."

"Explain what you mean!"

"I'll leave that for Tad to do after we get over there. Are you
all ready?"

"Is Tad all right?" demanded Perkins.

"Fit as a fiddle. You can't put Tad out of business for any length
of time. You are to fetch everything. We are going into camp where
we originally planned to spend the night," advised Rector.

The professor, very much relieved to learn that the boys had met with
no harm, but still somewhat nervous from the hours of fretting he had
passed when the lads failed to return, now hastened to get ready to
accompany Ned. On the way he explained bow Stacy Brown had been
fanned by another bullet when the fat boy indiscreetly showed himself
on the rise of ground between the camping place and the foothills of
the mountains.

"Maybe you'll learn something one of these days," scoffed Ned.

"I---I've learned something to-day."

"Have you?"

"I have."

"Well, what have you learned?"

"That these fellows down here can shoot to beat the band."

"I have observed something of the same sort myself," muttered Ned, with
the memory of the mountaineer's bombardment of Tad Butler.

The party had set out at a slow trot with Ned leading the way. Ned's
confidence assured them that all was as it should be, but the young
man turned a deaf ear to all their questions, replying only now and
then with the remark that Tad would tell them all that was to be told
when they got to the camping place.

In the meantime T