"I—-I got shot again!" cried Chunky.
"Where is Tad?" called the professor.
"Over on the fork waiting for us. You are to pack up and return with me at once."
"But—-but, the danger," protested Professor Zepplin.
"The danger is past. I don't believe you will have to worry."
"Explain what you mean!"
"I'll leave that for Tad to do after we get over there. Are you all ready?"
"Is Tad all right?" demanded Perkins.
"Fit as a fiddle. You can't put Tad out of business for any length of time. You are to fetch everything. We are going into camp where we originally planned to spend the night," advised Rector.
The professor, very much relieved to learn that the boys had met with no harm, but still somewhat nervous from the hours of fretting he had passed when the lads failed to return, now hastened to get ready to accompany Ned. On the way he explained bow Stacy Brown had been fanned by another bullet when the fat boy indiscreetly showed himself on the rise of ground between the camping place and the foothills of the mountains.