“Why go home?” wondered Miss Briggs. “I thought we had just started on our adventures.”
“Don’t oppose,” whispered Grace.
“So that’s the game, is it?” chuckled Hippy, who had been regarding Tom narrowly, and saw by the expression of Captain Gray’s face that he had a definite motive in making the announcement that they were about to head towards home.
“All right, Grace. He did not say that we are going home,” answered Miss Briggs in reply to Grace. “I might have known. To leave here now, with Stacy missing, and our affairs in the air, as it were, would be unthinkable. I am afraid my brain is becoming addled.”
“You should demonstrate,” reminded Emma, and Elfreda nodded her approval of the sentiment.
Preparations for the departure had already been begun by Captain Gray, and now Hippy turned in to assist him. Tom soon left to get his horse, which had been tethered not far from camp. He had refused to answer questions as to how he found the camp, nor did Grace ask, but the others did.
When all was in readiness for leaving, packs lashed, horses saddled, Tom, taking the diary and the gold, went to the rock and hid the stuff as the message from Stacy had directed them to do.
“Mount!” ordered Tom upon his return from planting the book and the gold, and he doused the fire, making certain that every last spark was extinguished. He then swung into his saddle and led the way, heading south, followed silently by the others of the party. They wondered how, in the darkness, he could find his way, but Tom was taking the stars as his guides. He was too experienced a forester not to be able to go in any direction in a forest, day or night, and go almost unerringly.
The Overlanders were sleepy and not any too happy. They were worrying about Stacy, too. There was little conversation because it was necessary to give all attention to their riding. Riding in a forest at night is a trying experience, and sometimes a painful one when one considers the bumps, the collisions of legs against trees, and the slaps in the face from low-hanging bushes. All this the Overland party experienced, so their progress was slow.
They had proceeded about an hour when a distant rifle report was heard. It seemed to come from the rear. Tom called a halt to listen. A rattling fire sprang up, and continued for several minutes; then died out after a few further scattering shots.