ur camp to mean that we were
taken unawares. We'll have things fixed so the boot will be on the other
foot, if they try to surprise us."

When they looked again, the figure had vanished from that point high up
among the rocks. Evidently Ted, having seen all he wished, had gone to
tell his cronies the story.

"Where d'ye think they've located; because never a tent did they bring
along?" Jack was asking as they returned to camp.

"Oh! up here that wouldn't matter much. Looks like there might be
hundreds of caves of all sizes among these piled-up rocks. And a cave is
a pretty good hide-out sometimes. I've spent lots of nights in one."

The afternoon sun had vanished behind another elevation that lay to the
west; but night was slow in coming, since these were some of the longest
days of the year.

Paul could not help noticing that Joe Clausin seemed worried once more.
He kept by himself a good bit of the time, and his brow was clouded.
Then again, he had taken to looking suspiciously about, here and there,
up the steep mountainside, and even along the dimly-defined road that
skirted the lake.

It was no mystery to Paul, so far as understanding what Joe might be
worrying about went.

"That man with the rig who passed our noon camp on the road--Joe knows
he's up here somewhere, and perhaps he wants to meet up with him--I
wonder why?" was the way the young scoutmaster ran the thing over in his
active mind.

In one way it did not concern him, because Joe had not asked for his
assistance; but then again it certainly interested Paul. He believed
that there was some odd connection between the loss of those papers
contained in the tin box, and the presence of that stranger in the
region of Rattlesnake Mountain.

Again, as before, the pressure of many other things caused him to push
all concern about the mysterious stranger from his thoughts.

When supper had been cooked and the scouts sat around enjoying its
delights, the shadows of coming night told that another period of sentry
duty was at hand.

"No Mr. Gordon to-night, I reckon," ventured Jud Elderkin, as he sat
with his tin plate upon his knees, and scooped up the luscious Boston
baked beans with his fork; while a steaming tin cup of mild coffee stood
beside him.

Most of the boys were not used to this appetizing drink for supper; and
a few of them did not take it, being satisfied with cold water; but Paul
had considered the matter, and was of the opinion that