“Why?” demanded Miss Briggs.
“If anybody did we’ll hear from it.”
“They had better not bother me,” scoffed Stacy. “I know my business, and if they say anything to me I’ll tell them a thing or two.”
At Grace’s suggestion the party returned to their beds. Badger said the bears had had too big a scare to permit them to come back that night, so the Overlanders turned in to finish their night’s rest.
“If you folks was over to the Mammoth Springs Hotel now, you’d find the bears at the dump there finishin’ their meal,” said the guide as they bade him good-night.
“I hope to goodness that the beasts stay there,” muttered Emma, who was still considerably frightened.
The party had little more than composed themselves between their blankets than the hoof beats of rapidly moving horses were heard, and once more the Overland Riders sat up in their beds listening.
“Hulloa the camp!” shouted a voice as two horses halted close by.
“What do you want?” demanded Stacy, peering from his tent; the others of the party who had heard the hail and the fat boy’s answer decided to lie still and await developments.
“Hear anybody shooting ’round here?” asked one of the horsemen.