“There! On the other side of the rock. He was spying on us, and I think Miss Briggs hit him with a piece of rock,” exclaimed Grace.
“Lieutenant!” called Hamilton White, and sprinted around the base of the big rock. Hippy Wingate was not far behind him, though Hippy did not know what had occurred, nor did he wait for an explanation. He knew that there was trouble, and that was sufficient for him.
The two men reached their objective at about the same time. White was peering at the rocks and bushes at the base of the big rock.
“Miss Briggs did hit him. See the blood there, and the bushes crushed where he fell. She must have given him a good wallop,” he chuckled.
White began to run the trail, a trail that was plain and easily followed. Hippy was right behind him, using his eyes to good advantage.
“Lieutenant, I think you had best go back and watch the camp. This may be a trick to coax us men away. Keep a sharp lookout. Have Brown stand guard with you. There is little need to worry, for we can see and hear. Skip!” urged the guide.
Hippy lost no time in getting back to camp, and when he reached there he found Grace and Elfreda laughing, and explaining to their companions what had happened.
They repeated the story to him.
“Oh, well, let them fuss. They can’t do anything to us,” averred Lieutenant Wingate after he had heard all of the story. “I’ll sit on top of the rock and watch over you children.”
“That’s what I say,” agreed Stacy. “We men can beat them at their own game, and have a lap or so to spare. Ham will chase them so far away that they never will find their way back. If he doesn’t I will.”