“Don’t be too positive,” admonished Grace. “I think it wise for us to be on the alert. For some reason those ruffians are determined to be rid of us, at least.”
“Oh, I hope Hamilton will take care of himself,” murmured Emma, whereat her companions laughed heartily.
None of the girls left the immediate camp all that morning; they even sent Stacy to the spring for water, much to that young man’s disgust, for Stacy had planned on having a fine day’s sleep in his tent.
Noon came, and the guide had not returned, so Grace decided that they would have something to eat. The girls got the meal.
After they sat down to eat, the girls tried to be merry, but they admitted that they missed Hamilton White, though none felt alarm at his absence. The meal finished, dishes were washed and put away, and packs laid out for a quick move, in the event of that becoming necessary, for by this time the Overland Riders had learned to be ready at a moment’s notice.
Hippy from his point of vantage kept guard over the camp and its vicinity, now and then studying the view spread out before him. The air was fragrant with the odor of the forest, and Hippy grew sleepy. To keep awake he decided to get down and walk. This he did, reaching the ground on the side of the rock farthest from the camp.
The Overlander, with only a revolver, strolled through the forest making a circle around the camp, and studying the trees for blazes and the ground for indications of recent visitors. Now and then he would sit down, back against a tree, and gaze up into the blue sky and the waving tops of the big pines.
The afternoon wore away and Hippy was still trail-hunting. It was near supper time when Nora called him. There was no answer, so she climbed the rock, expecting to find her husband sleeping, for Hippy loved sleep fully as much as Stacy Brown did.
Lieutenant Wingate was not on the rock, but Nora found his rifle laying there. She ran back to her companions in alarm.
“Hippy isn’t there!” she cried. “Oh, girls, can anything have happened to him?” Nora was on the verge of tears.