“That something saved you from being smashed flatter than a pancake,” Janet said wisely.
“But who would push the rock?” Madge asked wonderingly. “Those men didn’t actually want to--murder you, did they?”
Gale laughed nervously. “Let’s hope they didn’t; they might try again.”
“Hereafter none of you go wandering away by yourselves from camp,” Jim said sternly. “To-morrow Tom and I will go see those fellows, since they didn’t come to see us,” he added grimly.
“But you----” Virginia was beginning when her voice died away into silence.
The thunder of hoofs echoed down into the valley to them. All eyes turned up to where the rim of the mountain was silhouetted against the moonlit sky. Three black mounted figures were picking their way slowly across the trail. In a moment they were swallowed up in the blackness of a forest as they made their way down to the valley some distance from the Adventure Girls’ camp.
“Three of them,” Tom murmured. “Evidently you didn’t kill that fellow after all, Gale.”
“And I’m afraid we won’t be able to get a look at them tomorrow,” Jim added. “We’ll follow their trail of course to see in what direction they are heading. I think, Virginia, you had better lead the girls back to the K Bar O. There is too much danger in these hills.”
“Nothing doing,” Janet interrupted, flatly. “We like danger and we don’t want to go home. If you follow the bandits, so do we!”
“I’m afraid we’re all agreed on that,” Gale nodded.