s breakfast," answered the forest woman.

"And the bull pup is asleep. He keeps bankers' hours instead of
attending to his business," complained Emma.

After breakfast Tom told them of his work in the forest, adding that he
had observed evidences of the recent presence of timber-pirates.

"That is, I have found their blazes, secret cuttings on trees in remote
sections. This discovery I have marked on the map, and will inform the
authorities after I have finished 'cruising' the Pineries. This
afternoon I shall work north to look over some virgin forest ground
near here. Come along with me, won't you, Hippy?"

"Sure thing. We'll take Hindenburg for protection," agreed Hippy.

"Why not take the rest of the party?" suggested Grace.

"This is a business trip," replied Tom. "Of course you can go if you
wish, but it were better not, for we shall have to rough it in the real
sense of the word. Willy wants to go out with me, and may join us up
river sometime to-day."

"Where is the measly redskin, Cap'n?" demanded Joe.

"He has gone downstream. Willy has a camp a short distance below here.
That Indian is a real man."

"We have found him so," agreed Elfreda.

Joe Shafto grunted disdainfully.

Tom remained at the camp until after dinner, replenished his supplies,
including a stuffed duck which the forest woman prepared for him; then
he and Hippy set out on their ponies for up-river points.

"What is in the wind, Tom?" questioned Lieutenant Wingate after they got
under way. "I know you had some good reason other than merely desiring
my company, or you would not have asked me to go with you."

Tom laughed heartily.

"A little of both, Lieutenant. I hear that timber-pirates have been
making some cuttings above here, and I wish you to go along as a witness
to what I may find. That's all."

"No scraps in sight, eh?"

"Oh, no."

Hippy sighed.

"Tell me about it."

"Timber thieves seek the remote places and look for suitable plots that
can be cut off and floated downstream to the mills. There the logs are
thrown in with other logs, and branded on one end to correspond with
such logs as have been procured in a legitimate way. Should the pirates
be discovered, they frequently buy the plot, if they represent a big
concern, and nothing more is done so far as the authorities are
concerned."

"You don't mean to say that reputable lumber companies go in for
anything of that sort, do you?" wondered Hippy.

"I did not