The pressure of the shadow’s hand under the pillow disturbed Elfreda Briggs, and her eyes slowly opened, but she did not move, believing that the hand belonged to her companion. A sidelong glance, however, told her that Grace’s back was towards her, therefore the hand could not belong to her. Elfreda’s next thought was that Stacy Brown was trying to play pranks on her.
In the meantime the hand crept slowly about under the pillow. It was time to act, and Miss Briggs, half raising herself on one elbow, made a grab for it. She grasped a bare muscular arm.
“Overland!” cried the girl, and the familiar thrilling call of distress awakened every person in the camp with the exception of Stacy Brown. Then darkness overwhelmed Elfreda and she knew no more.
Grace, awakened by the cry, threw her arms about the neck of her companion.
“Elfreda! Elfreda! What is it?”
There was no reply.
“Overland! Quick! Something has happened to Elfreda!” she cried, springing from her blanket, as the quick, sharp report of a revolver smote the ears of the campers.
CHAPTER XI
BELIEVERS IN SAFETY FIRST
Bang! Bang! Bang! The air seemed filled with explosions of rifles and revolvers, and the Overland camp was in an uproar in a moment, even Stacy Brown rousing himself sufficiently to sit up and take quick notice. The instant the shooting began Stacy, concluding that his services were not needed, lay down with his blanket drawn up over his head.
“Safety first,” muttered the boy as a bullet tore a hole through his little dog tent. “Wow! I wonder what all the excitement is about?”