out the only thing open to us," Elmer replied. "Through the
woman perhaps we can get in touch with the three men who are holding Nat
Scott a prisoner, and bring about his release."

"I don't see how," grumbled Lil Artha. "If you had all that trouble
getting her to understand you only meant to cut the old vine, and not
her foot off, how in the dickens d'ye expect to get her to know we don't
mean to do her bunch any harm?"

"Oh, there may be ways," smiled Elmer.

"But you don't speak Italiano, Elmer; that's dead sure, else you'd have
used it right now to tell her you only wanted to cut the vine," Lil
Artha went on.

"How about George?" remarked Elmer.

"What! George Robbins?" asked the tall scout.

"Why, yes, you remember he told us his father employs a large number of
these foreigners, and unless I'm mistaken I think I remember hearing
George say he'd been picking up quite a lot of Italian words."

"That sounds all to the good then," declared Lil Artha, with enthusiasm.
"Bully for George! His knowledge may be the key that's going to unlock
this old padlock for us."

"Then let's get back to the shack. Fall in around the woman. That ought
to tell her what we want her to do."

Elmer, as he spoke, took up his position alongside the prisoner, while
Mark and the long-legged scout clapped their sticks to their right
shoulders as though parading arms.

Then Elmer pointed backward in the direction they had just come from.

"Go!" he said, impressively.

Whether the prisoner understood the word, or judged from their actions
what was required, Elmer could not say. All he cared for was the fact
that when he started off she accompanied him, limping a little as though
she might have twisted her ankle somewhat in the violence of her
struggles, looking sullen rather than fearful now, and apparently
resigned to her fate, whatever that might prove to be.

There was no difficulty about reaching the abandoned shack again. All
Elmer had to do was to follow the broad trail they had made when chasing
after the fleeing woman.

They found no change when they presently drew up at the hidden retreat.
Nor was there any sign of the other scouts, though once Elmer thought he
did hear loud and excited voices up on the side of the mountain, as
though Matty and his detachment might have found it necessary to leave
the lowlands, and were having troubles of their own.

"Well," remarked Lil Artha, as they arrived in front of the shack, "he