ust escaped getting killed."

"But who would want to kill me?" demanded Stubbs, plainly very nervous.

"It might have been one of your conspirators," said Hal. He displayed the
weapon from which a bullet had sped toward his own head.

"Hey!" shouted Stubbs. "Put that gun down! Don't shoot!"

The little man was so visibly frightened that Hal looked at him in
surprise.

"Surely you didn't think I was going to shoot you, Mr. Stubbs?" he asked
in some surprise.

"I don't know," returned Stubbs, wiping a moist brow with his
handkerchief. "I don't understand you fellows at all. First you said you
wanted to kill me five minutes ago and there you stand with a gun in your
hand. What am I to think?"

"Stubbs, you're crazy," said Hal, calmly. "I didn't say I wanted to kill
you. When I came into the tent just now there was a man took a shot at
me. I don't know whether he wanted to kill me, or whether he wanted to
kill you. He may even have been trying to kill Chester. He didn't take
time to investigate. He fired at the first figure to enter the tent. I
don't know who he was. Have you any enemies?"

"I--I--Why I don't know," said Stubbs.

"How about the conspirators. Do any of them know you?"

"What conspirators?" demanded Stubbs, and added, "I wish you would quit
harping on that subject. It's all right to have a little fun with me once
in a while. I don't mind it; but enough is enough."

Chester was about to make an angry retort, but Hal stayed him with a
word.

"All right, Stubbs," he said. "If you don't know anything about a
conspiracy you don't and that's all there is about that. But if you do, I
should advise you to be careful. I believe that shot was meant for you."

"I am afraid that this tent is going to be dangerous for me," said
Stubbs, slowly. "I shall remain here no longer."

"What! Not going to leave us, Stubbs?" exclaimed Chester.

"Yes," returned the little man quietly. "If I remain here I'm liable to
wake up dead some morning, and I wouldn't like that. There's an
expression in New York that hits me just right. 'Safety first!' I'm going
to get out of this tent, and I'm going to get out right now, while I'm
all together."

He hurried to the far side of the tent and got his belongings together.
Then he moved toward the door. There he paused a moment, as if undecided,
then walked up to Hal and extended a hand.

"Good-bye, Hal," he said quietly. "I may not see you for some time and
then again it may b