."

"H'm! That sounds as if they might want to meet the thief. Then they
can't be very dear friends of his, Paul!" exclaimed Jack.

"My idea is that they want to find the man who made those footprints.
Just as soon as they discovered his tracks they started following him.
And that was so close to our camp they must have smelled the bacon
frying, and the coffee."

Paul had evidently been thinking seriously over the matter, and had
arrived at some conclusion.

"I guess they didn't want to see us very bad. Look here, Paul, do you
think the man who drove along in that rig is one of these two men?"
demanded Jack, suddenly.

"Now you're getting close to what I mapped out myself," smiled Paul.

"Perhaps Ted and his crowd had an ugly experience with those men?"
suggested Jack, following up his train of thought.

"I can't imagine what else could have given them such a scare," returned
the patrol leader. "When they came in sight they looked rattled for
keeps. I noticed too, that Ted seemed to hold his left arm half dangling
at his side, as if it had been hurt."

"Well, anyhow, if they've scared the Slavin crowd out of this region
we'll have to take off our lids to the unknown gentlemen," laughed his
chum.

The balance of that day passed off pleasantly. Many things occupied the
attention of the campers; and all the while they were learning more
about the secrets which a bountiful Nature hides in her solitudes away
from the haunts of men.

"Thank goodness," declared Nuthin, as he rubbed his side with
considerable feeling, "no more of that guard duty up on the side of the
mountain after this. Since Ted and his bad lot have skipped out, there's
no need of expecting a shower of rocks at any time during the night.
I'll sleep like a brick to-night, boys, you bet!"

"But all the same we'll keep guard, and don't you forget it, Nuthin,"
declared William, who chanced to overhear the remark; "because you see,
the same thief who grabbed our fine ham might take a notion to get his
fingers on more grub, and first thing you know we'd have to cut and run
for town just like those fellows on wheels did, starved out."

"Yes," interposed Bobolink, as he joined the group, and lowered his
voice mysteriously; "I just heard Paul and Mr. Gordon talking about two
more men that seem to be wandering at large up here. That makes three,
you see, and none of 'em care to step into our dandy camp in the
daytime. Boys, don't you see what an ugly loo