d
them. On looking up they could see several heads topping the sparse
vegetation that undoubtedly grew along a ledge.

"Now, tell her to talk, George!" said Elmer.

There was hardly any need, for the woman had broken loose on her own
account. And such chattering as followed--Lil Artha afterward declared
it reminded him of a monkey cage when one of the inmates had taken more
than his share of the dinner provided.

But the woman did most of the talking. She also scolded, stamped her
foot, and even shook her fist up at those above.

Evidently her arguments must have had a convincing ring about them, for
suddenly she turned to George and smiled amiably as she said something,
and made a suggestive movement of both shoulders.

"It's all right, Elmer," declared George.

"Are they going to do what we want?" asked the scout master, greatly
pleased.

"Sure. And I reckon there he comes now. One of the men seems to be
helping Nat down the path that runs along the face of the rock. Bully!
We win out!"

A loud cheer from the scouts told how they were enjoying the situation.

Nat Scott waved his hand to them in greeting, for, having lost his hat
at the shack, he was bareheaded.

The Italian was still a little suspicious, for he would come only two
thirds of the way down. But Nat easily made the balance, and was soon
shaking hands with everyone of his mates, just as though he had been
separated from them for a week.

Leaving the woman to rejoin her people the scouts made their way down
the side of the mountain until they reached the mill pond.

Nat's story was brief, and just about what Elmer had guessed. In
prowling around he had unexpectedly come upon the three men.

They had seized upon him and threatened him with their knives if he so
much as gave a yell. He had been kept for a short time in the shack.
Then Landy's prowling around seemed to fill the Italians with a new
alarm, and the three men, together with the woman, had hastily fled.

On the way up the mountain the woman had discovered the loss of
something, and gone back.

Then the men forced him to hurry along, and finally landed him on that
secret ledge where he believed there was some sort of cave.

That was all Nat knew, and the whole thing smacked strongly of mystery
until he heard what Elmer's theory was.

"Anyhow," Nat said, with considerable satisfaction in his voice and
manner, "they didn't scare me one little bit. And besides, Elmer, in
lots of p