with it."

"It must be something more serious than revenge for your having bounced
one and driven the other one away," offered Grace. "Will you please tell
me why we should move in such a hurry?"

"Because the fellow who got me out of my scrape said we must. He says we
have got to make Thompson's farm as quickly as possible and stay there
until the storm blows over," insisted Lieutenant Wingate. "Of course, I
don't give a rap for myself, but I have a great moral responsibility."

"A what?" interjected Emma.

"Moral responsibility. I am responsible for the safety of you girls and
my powerful body shall stand between you and all harm."

"Ahem--m--m," piped Emma Dean.

"To what storm did he refer?" asked Grace. She was regarding Hippy
narrowly, not yet sure that he was not joking, though she did not
believe he was.

"I don't know, Brown Eyes. That depends upon which way the wind blows.
It feels like snow to me. He did not say what kind of storm, but he
strongly advised what I have told you," answered the lieutenant.

"It doesn't sound reasonable to me. I do not see how we should be any
safer on the farm you speak of, than we shall be by following the trail
to Hall's Corners, all the time attending strictly to our own business,"
observed Elfreda.

"Nor do I," agreed Grace.

"I will tell you why, Elfreda," answered Hippy. "We shall be safer
there, where, for some reason, my informant doesn't seem to think those
ruffians will bother us. Whereas, if we remain out and continue on our
way to our destination, I shall probably be shot. Those mountaineers are
bound to get me."

"What?" gasped Nora Wingate. "Hippy, my darlin', do you mean it?"

"Yes I do. There is a price on my head up here! That's the whole story."

"A price! Huh! If there is, I'll wager that it is a cut-rate price.
Good-night! I am going back to bed." Emma Dean turned her back on them
and flounced off to her tent.

CHAPTER X

"THEY'VE GOT THE BOY"

"I don't believe it. Your rescuer was drawing the long bow," spoke up
Anne Nesbit.

"Yes, I can't imagine Hippy with a price on his head," nodded Miss
Briggs.

"When I'm dead you folks will be sorry that you didn't take me
seriously," rebuked Lieutenant Wingate. "Do we do as my friend
suggested, and hike for the Thompson farm, or must I be sacrificed on
the altar of unbelief?"

"Grace must answer that question. She is our captain," answered Elfreda.

Grace Harlowe regarded Hippy with