something wherever they are."

Will now handed the field glass to George and he, in turn, made a short
study of the figure passing back and forth between the two fires, piling
wood now on one and now on another.

"It's dollars to doughnuts," Will observed, "that the boy by the fires
came in with the one who lies in the cabin with a busted head."

"I've been considering that proposition," George said.

"Then, perhaps, we may be able to solve a portion of the mystery as soon
as we get into conversation with the lad," Will continued.

"I wonder why he didn't come to the cabin during the night?" asked
George. "He surely must have seen the lights shining from the windows."

Will turned and looked back over the route they had followed.

"We can't see the cabin from here," he said.

"That's a fact," George agreed, "and if the smoke hadn't been going up
good and plenty we would never have seen that!"

The next moment the lad at the fires saw Will and George approaching and
ran forward to meet them, uttering as he ran the sharp, quick bark of
the fox. The boys responded with the challenge of the Beaver Patrol.

The lad met the two with anything but a serious or anxious expression on
his face. He grasped them heartily by the hand and pointed toward the
columns of smoke, still rising into the sky.

"No matter where you start a signal fire," he said with a smile, "you're
sure to find some Boy Scout who will understand and answer."

"Even in Alaska!" George grinned. "A thousand miles from nowhere you can
dig up a nest of Boy Scouts by sending up an Indian sign for help."

"Are you Will Smith?" the boy asked after a few more words of greeting
had been exchanged. "If you are, I've come along way to find you!"

"Yes, I am Will Smith," the boy answered.

"How'd you guess it?" asked George. "Why didn't you ask me if I was the
boss of the bunch? Don't I look dignified enough?"

"I have a description of Will Smith lying nicely tucked in at the back
of my brain!" replied the boy. "Mr. Horton told me where I'd be apt to
find him. It seems that I've found him all right, but in doing so, I've
lost my chum! Haven't seen anything of a stray Boy Scout, have you?"

Will did not reply to the question immediately, yet he did not care to
convey to the boy the news of what had occurred until after a clear
understanding of the situation had been reached.

"What's your name?" asked George.

"Frank Disbrow, Fox Patrol, Chicago," was t