"Then you must try to do your share. I am not saying that you have not; you have done the best you knew how."
"Yes, I got myself arrested," nodded the fat boy. "What do you want me to do?"
"I want you, if you will take this matter seriously, to stay here in camp and look after it."
"Take it seriously? Pshaw! You think I think this is a kind of picnic. I guess not. It hasn't been like any other picnic I ever attended. All right; I'll stay here. But why are you making up your mind to go up to the top of that mountain now?"
"I'll tell you. We have been away from our party for some time. They will begin to get worried about our long absence about this time. That means that Mr. Vaughn will get busy. Understand?"
Stacy nodded thoughtfully.
"That is why."
"Go ahead. I will defend this camp with my very life. I'll shoot on sight the first time I see anything moving."
"I guess I had better take you along," observed Tad dryly.
Butler had reasoned out the situation rightly. There was a great disturbance in the main camp of the Pony Rider Boys. This was due to the hasty return of Charlie John who had been sent back to Matungamook as fast as a horse could carry him to learn what had become of the boys. He brought back the word that they had left about a week before that.