“We will go down. It really is not prudent to remain here,” replied Tom.
“Yes. Chunky has accumulated so much electricity that we Overlanders are in danger of being struck by lightning most any time now,” averred Emma.
“Pack up and get going,” urged Lieutenant Wingate.
A few moments later the party was picking its way down the mountain-side. The nerves of each member of the Overland outfit were on edge, and Stacy Brown was nursing the many bruises that he had sustained in his tumble. Going down, while not such hard work, was attended with much more difficulty than had been the ascent. Now and then someone would lose his foothold and have a tumble. Fortunately, nothing worse than a few bruises and black and blue spots resulted from these tumbles. The Overlanders laughed at their mishaps, especially at the fat boy’s, for Stacy got more falls than any of the others and his clothes suffered proportionately.
Darkness overtook the Overland party ere they could locate their camp where Badger was awaiting them, so they decided to make camp where they were. A small cooking fire was built and dinner cooked; then, being thoroughly worn out from their trying experiences, they rolled up in their blankets on the ground and went to sleep, not to awaken until the sun blazed down into their faces next morning. An early start for camp was made, but as they progressed and failed to discover it, they began to wonder that they saw no smoke signals from Jim Badger. About mid-afternoon, however, a thin spiral of white smoke was discovered some distance to the right of them.
“There’s the place,” announced Tom.
Hippy was of the opinion that it was not their camp.
“Of course it is,” answered Grace. “We are a long way out of our course, and we don’t know the trail at all, so watch your step, folks.”
Thus warned, the Overland Riders exercised more care. Fortunately, none got bad falls, but the going was difficult, and they were frequently obliged to rest. It was a weary and much mussed-up party that dragged itself into camp, shouting halloos to warn the guide of their approach.
“I’m starved! Got anything loose about this camp?” cried Chunky, as the weary girls threw themselves down uttering sighs of relief.