out of the way with amazing agility.

"I'll larn ye, ye beasts!" she shrieked, running for her club.

June felt the sting of it, and July grunted as the club descended on the
fleshy part of her hip, at the same instant shooting both hind feet into
the air; but this time Joe was out of reach.

"Here, here!" cried Hippy, springing forward to interfere. "We don't
permit any one to beat animals in this menagerie," he chided, grabbing
the woman's club.

"Leggo!" shrieked Joe, wrenching the club from his hands. "No man ain't
goin' to tell Joe Shafto what she kin do. Git out of here!" she raged,
advancing threateningly on Hippy. "I'll paste them mules when I want to,
and--"

"That's all right, old dear," soothed Hippy, backing up laughingly, but
Joe followed him, shaking the club before his face.

"Don't ye 'old dear' me. Mules is swine, and no better'n some men, and I
give ye notice no man ain't goin' to come 'tween me and my mules. I'll
paste 'em when I like, and I'll paste 'em like they did me, the
varmints, and I won't have no animile that walks like a man interferin'
'tween me and the mules and tellin' me what ter do. Git out of here
afore I give ye a wallop on the jaw, fer I'm goin' ter finish what I
begun on June, and her name'll be December when I git through, and don't
ye fergit it." Joe grabbed the mule by an ear, gave the animal a prod
with her club, then slapped June's face.

"Consarn ye, ye pore insect that's tryin to look like a hoss, but that
ain't even got the skin of one, I reckon ye'll be good arter this," she
finished, and threw a pack over the back of the now thoroughly subdued
pack-mule. "Git started, ye folks, and don't say nothin' to me, for I'm
li'ble to git mad arter the stirrin' up them mules give me."

"_Alors!_ Let's go," suggested Elfreda after the laughter of the
Overlanders had subsided.

They were on their way a short time later, laughing as they headed for
the section on which they hoped eventually to meet Tom, and make
permanent camp. The forest woman had never been in that part of the
woods, but, knowing the general direction, thought she could hold to it
and come out somewhere near the spot they desired to reach.

That night they lay down to sleep in the open, wrapped in their
blankets. For the week following the Overland Riders camped out in the
same way, and nothing occurred to mar the life of freedom and happiness
that they were leading.

The river had been left to the right