well. The
dancing is rough enough as it is without our being spun to dizziness,"
she added in a lower tone.

"What do you want, Hippy Wingate?" demanded Anne. "This surely is rough
enough work, isn't it? The fellows are doing the best they can, but they
are not used to dancing with women. It is a great party, just the same."

"Can't be beat," agreed Hippy.

"I think Willy is trying to attract your attention," interrupted Miss
Briggs, as she swept past Hippy in the dance.

Glancing towards the door, Lieutenant Wingate saw the Indian framed in
the open doorway. Willy Horse made no sign, but his intent gaze was full
of meaning. Hippy strolled leisurely to the door.

"Evening, Willy. Come in and have a dance or something to eat," greeted
Hippy cordially. In a lower tone he asked, "Anything wrong?"

"Mebby! You come. No speak here."

The Indian turned away, and Hippy followed him casually until well out
of sight of the dancers.

"Now what is wrong?" demanded the Overland Rider in a brisk tone.

"You hear big noise?"

Hippy shook his head.

"Can't hear anything above the smashing of the lumberjacks' boots."

"Me hear. Big noise up river--boom--boom--boom! Listen! What you hear?"

"It sounds like wind in the tops of the trees," answered Hippy after a
moment of listening.

"No wind. Willy know."

"What is it, then?"

"Water! Dam up-river go out. Water come down! Mebby logs come down,
too!"

"What! The dam built by the timber-thieves? It isn't possible. There is
not enough water in the dam to cause the roar I hear."

"Plenty water. You fix gates so dam fill up. You know."

"That's so." Hippy ran down to the river to listen, still doubting
Willy's assertion that the timber-thieves' dam had burst out.

The Indian had followed and stood silently beside his listening
companion, his own ears listening to the distant murmur. Willy, however,
did not need to listen. He knew!

"I don't believe it is water that we hear," muttered Lieutenant Wingate.

"Him water," muttered the Indian. "Moon come up. Good!"

The moon at full, after being hidden from view for nearly a week, rose
above the tops of the trees, thinning the darkness that lay heavy on the
river, the full light not yet having reached the Little Big Branch at
that point. Hippy shaded his straining eyes and gazed upstream. All
seemed peaceful in that direction, but he suddenly realized that the
sound he had heard was increasing in volume. He could now he