en he reached
the ground, by giving him a few light taps with her ever-ready club.

Henry slunk away and sat down by himself to brood over his troubles,
Hindenburg from a safe distance eyeing the bear, a dark ruff showing
along his pugnacious little back.

Mrs. Shafto began the preparation of breakfast immediately after
recovering her bear. While she was doing this, the light now being
strong enough to permit, Tom climbed the bank to examine the skidway
from which the logs had swept down over their camp. Tom remained up
there until the loud halloos of his companions informed him that
breakfast was ready. The forester returned to his camp slowly and
thoughtfully.

"Find anything up there?" questioned Hippy, giving him a quick glance of
inquiry.

Tom nodded.

"The tents?" asked Elfreda.

"Naturally not up there," he replied, sitting down on a blanket and
taking the plate of bacon that Elfreda handed to him.

"Out with it," laughed Grace. "It always is reflected in your face when
there is anything weighty on your mind."

"Having something on one's mind is more than all of us can boast,"
chortled Hippy. "I might mention names were it not that I am too polite
to do so," he added, grinning at Emma, who flushed.

"At least I did not get my ears boxed," she retorted. "Mrs. Shafto
served you just right, though I think we all regret that, while about
it, she did not make a finished job of it."

"That subject is closed," reminded Miss Briggs.

"Hippy, don't you say another word," warned Nora Wingate, and, after the
laugh had subsided, they looked at Tom.

"I went up to examine the skidway," he said. "What I found there fully
confirmed the vague suspicions that were already in my mind."

"Eh?" interrupted Hippy, leaning forward expectantly.

Elfreda nodded, as if Tom had confirmed her own conclusions.

"It was not wholly the rain that dislodged the supports of the logs,
folks," resumed Tom.

"No--ot rain?" exclaimed Hippy, blinking at his companion.

"Not rain," repeated Tom. "Human hands loosened the supports that sent
the great pile of logs down on the camp of the Overlanders," he declared
impressively.

CHAPTER IX

LUMBER-JACKS SEEK REVENGE

"Same old game," grumbled Hippy.

"What makes you think that the skidway was tampered with?" questioned
Anne, after the exclamations following Tom's startling assertion had
subsided.

"Because the evidence is there. Even a novice could read the signs lef