they reached the camp.

CHAPTER XIX

A CALL FOR HELP

"Hippy, did you know that I saved your life to-night?" asked Emma Dean
as the party neared their camp.

"You--you saved my life?" questioned Lieutenant Wingate in amazement.

"Uh-huh."

Hippy laughed uproariously.

"You poor child, you got us all in Dutch, that's what you really did."

"With your assistance, Hippy," interjected Anne. "How did you save his
life, please, Emma?"

"I con-centrated. When Lum pointed the revolver at Hippy, I put my mind
on making him miss his aim. He did, didn't he?"

"Yes," agreed the girls, Hippy saying nothing at all.

"Then, I con-centrated on him that he might not shoot again. He didn't,
did he?"

"Of course, you are right in what you say," agreed Nora. "He did miss
and he did not shoot again, but I think you are drawing the long bow,
darlin', in taking all the credit to yourself. What do you say, Hippy?"
she asked solemnly.

"Nothing! Nothing at all. After I have had an opportunity to consult a
dictionary perhaps I may make a few appropriate remarks."

The party, with the exception of Emma, after a hearty laugh, fell to
discussing the incidents of the evening, particularly the mysterious
shot that, perhaps, had saved Lieutenant Wingate's life. They were still
discussing that mysterious occurrence when they rode up to their camp.

Washington Washington, who had been silent all the way home, perhaps
thinking over the narrow escape that he had had from rough handling,
suddenly set up a wail and began to chatter so fast that they were
unable to make a single thing of what he was saying.

"Stop that!" commanded Hippy. "Have you gone crazy?"

"Something is wrong here, darlin'. Don't scold the boy," begged Nora
Wingate.

"The tents are down. Washington, build a fire. Be quick about it,"
directed Grace, leaping from her pony.

Anne, who had reached what had been her own tent, uttered an exclamation
of dismay.

"Girls, this tent has been slit into ribbons!" she cried.

"So has mine," cried Elfreda. "What has happened here?"

"That is what I am wondering," replied Grace. "Washington, please hurry
with that fire."

Hippy ran over and assisted the colored boy, who was fumbling about and
not accomplishing anything. In a few moments Hippy had a fire snapping.
By its light they looked about in amazement. The camp was a wreck. Every
tent in their outfit had been slit to pieces, tent poles had been broken
up, an