than
twelve years old. Jim was astonished, and readily perceived why one
so young should be racked with terror at being alone on the
mountainside in the dead of night.

"There, there," he said; "don't cry. It's all right. You're with
friends." He turned to Gerald: "It's nothing but a boy. Scared most
to death, I suppose."

"What, a boy, and alone on the mountain at this hour?"

"Strange, but true."

"I don't understand it."

"Neither do I. I suppose he's lost, or has run away from home. In
either case, the best we can do is to get to camp with him as quickly
as possible."

Jim tried to draw the lad out--to get him to tell something of
himself, but his only answer was more sobs, as the lad still quivered
from fright.

"Well, are you alone?" Jim asked.

There was a hastily murmured:

"Yes."

"Do you want to go with us?"

"Oh, yes, yes--don't l-l-leave m-m-me alone again!"

"We'll not leave you alone. We have a camp near here and you're more
than welcome."

Gerald led the way back up the mountainside, Jim, his arm supporting
the little fellow at his side, following as rapidly as the rough
going would permit.

It was no easy matter, getting back to camp, as they quickly
discovered. As a matter of caution, of course, those at the camp
would not allow any lights, so the boys were forced to pick their way
through the woods with only the stars and a partly-obscured moon to
guide them.

The descent had been comparatively easy, but this was almost more
than human endurance could stand. Several times great rocks impeded
their progress and they were forced to go around them. They paused
frequently to rest on account of the young boy, who seemed all but
exhausted. The frightened lad continued his sobbing at intervals, his
body shaking like one with the ague. He refused to talk, however,
save to respond to an occasional question in a monosyllable.

"Is that the camp, do you suppose?" Gerald inquired, suddenly, after
they had climbed what seemed an interminable distance.

Jim, following the motion of his arm, saw a bright patch of light;
but as he looked this resolved itself into sky. Concealing their
disappointment, they continued the ascent.

At times they were almost tempted to cry out, but thoughts of the
boy, and the fear that he had not been alone on the mountain, caused
them to refrain.

Finally, they reached the road by which that morning they had come
upon the mountain. Now, at least, they were ab