ruth about those
queer happenings the farmers keep telling of whenever the old quarry
is mentioned in their presence."

"We'll not bother our minds about fairy stories," Hugh assured him.
"What we're meaning to do is to look for a practical explanation of
K. K.'s holding out. And, mark my words, the chances are ten to one
we'll find the poor chap groaning alongside that road somewhere. But
let's get busy now, Horatio!"

CHAPTER XIII

TO THE RESCUE OF K. K.

Hugh would really have been better satisfied if he could have hurried
away without seeing K. K.'s mother. He feared that she might delay
progress more or less, and at such a time every minute counted.

But at the same time he realized that the poor lady was in a dreadful
state of mind. It was necessary then that he try and soothe her
anxiety, for, as Horatio knew very well, Hugh Morgan had a way of
making other people feel the utmost confidence in him.

"Well, let's see K. K.'s mother, Horatio; but we mustn't waste much
time. We'll have to get her permission to run the car. I only hope
there's a decent supply of gas aboard, or in the garage."

Accordingly, Horatio led him into another room, where they found Mrs.
Kinkaid in a dreadfully nervous condition. She jumped to her feet on
discovering that Horatio had another boy with him, and then upon
seeing that it was not the one her heart was yearning after she
uttered a pitiful wail, and fell back into her chair again.

Hugh wasted no time, but commenced telling her something of what he
had heard from Horatio, connected with K. K.'s foolish determination
to take in the entire course as though in the race.

"Of a certainty he's fallen and sprained an ankle somewhere along
that cross-country road, Mrs. Kinkaid," he ended with. "We mean to
gather a few of the fellows, and if you'll give us permission to use
your big car we intend to run up there and look that road over from
end to end. There is no doubt but what we'll find K. K. and fetch
him back with us. So please try and feel that things will turn out
all right. Make up your mind we won't come back without him, that's
all there is to it."

Somehow the very confidence shown in Hugh's words seemed to pass
along to the almost distracted lady. Her eyes lighted up with
renewed courage, and she even smiled, though wanly, it must be
confessed. But then Hugh was pretty much of a magician in regard to
arousing a feeling of hope in the most depresse