ast changing his
position or showing excitement.

"You would not know if I told you. Listen to me. When those two fellows
sit down to supper, the light of the fire will be in their eyes, and,
unless they get up and stare, they will not be able to see you in this
shadow. If everything is safe I will cut you loose. Are your feet
bound?"

"Yes. Who are you?"

"You wouldn't know if I told you, I said. Keep quiet and speak only in
answer to my questions."

"All right. Got anything loose about your person--I mean food,
man-sized food, not canary-bird rations such as those bandits have been
doling out to me?"

"You can't have anything now. After we have gotten away from here I will
try to dig up a snack for you. Silence!"

For the next several minutes neither the prisoner nor his mysterious
friend uttered a word. Supper was ready for the mountaineers, but,
before sitting down to it, one of them walked over to the prisoner and
stood peering down at him. Hippy's heart almost stopped beating, so
intent was he on listening for the breathing of the man behind him and
from his fear that his mysterious friend might be discovered.

No such emergency arose, nor did he hear the breathing he was listening
for.

After satisfying himself that the captive was safe, the mountaineer
returned to the fire and sat down to his supper.

Hippy felt a slight tug on the rope that bound him, then its pressure
about his waist was released.

"Steady, now," warned that even voice behind him. "Crawl on all fours."

The rescuer placed a hand on Hippy's shoulder and guided him slowly,
cautiously, every movement forward threatening to draw a groan from the
released captive.

"Now get up! Give me your hand," whispered, the stranger. "Don't speak."

For some little time they crept on in silence, the stranger twisting and
turning, finally taking to the middle of a mountain stream and following
it up for some distance when he halted.

"Tell me what the situation is back there. What did they propose to do
to you?" demanded the man.

"I expect the gang is on its way there now to shoot me up, provided I do
not give them the information they seek," answered Hippy.

"What information?"

Lieutenant Wingate repeated the conversation of the previous night,
leaving out no details, however trivial they might seem to him.

"I thought so. Come up here and sit down. I shall have to leave you,
perhaps for an hour or more. When I return I will give one