“Now,” Ned said after a pause, “if we follow this little valley straight to the south, we’ll come out somewhere near our camp.”
“Yes,” Jimmie answered, “I have a pious notion that our brownstone front is carved into the face of a continuation of that ridge on the other side of the little valley.”
“Perhaps we’ll find the Boy Scout messenger at the camp,” Ned suggested.
“If we do,” Jimmie declared, “I’ll change his face for him!”
“I can’t understand the fellow,” Ned admitted.
“Gee!” cried Jimmie, “He came out into the woods and told Frank and I to beat it, then went up into the camp and led you into the clutches of these outlaws. If I had his head in chancery right now, I’d ‘beat it’, all right! He ought to get a thousand years!”
“I hope the boys are all safe,” said Ned.
Jimmie told his chum of the arrival of Gilroy, and then the two boys hastened toward the camp.
“The outlaws were discussing the advisability of taking all the boys into their care,” Ned said, as they hustled along, “so I’m afraid they’ve been there and taken the lads by surprise.”