rt."

"Yes? What is it?" urged Grace.

"You-all got t' turn aroun' an' go back, 'cause Bat Spurgeon an' his
gang is waitin' fer you-uns on the White River Ridge," announced Julie
unemotionally.

Hippy uttered a partly suppressed whistle.

"That is where they are going to collect the price on your head,"
suggested Emma Dean.

"Sh--h--h!" rebuked Anne. "This is news to me. Who is Bat Spurgeon? Is
there something you have kept back from us, Grace?"

"I don't know much about him except what Hippy told me after his capture
by the mountaineers. I don't wish to speak of it here," with a
significant glance at Julie. "How do you know this, Julie?" she asked,
turning to the mountain girl.

"Paw! Don't know how Paw knowed 'bout it. Paw knows nigh everything
'bout what's doin' up here. Reckon you-all'll have er right smart time
gittin' to the loot'nant's property ever, 'cause that's where Bat an'
his bunch make their hangout."

"Do they live there?" asked Hippy.

"Reckon they do now an' ag'in."

"They carry on their business there? Is that what you mean, Julie?"
questioned Elfreda.

"Don't know nothin' 'bout that."

The girls exchanged significant glances. True to her type, Julie would
not even expose an enemy. The Spurgeons and the Thompsons were feudists,
and had time and again made war on each other for several generations,
and it was their policy not to talk, but to let their rifles talk for
them.

"What you-all goin' t' do?"

"We are going on, of course," announced Lieutenant Wingate.

"You-all shore'll git lammed if ye do," warned Julie.

"No we won't, 'cause I'll con-centrate. I think I will begin this very
night, and by the time we reach that Ridge place all will be sweet
peace," bubbled Emma.

Hippy Wingate shook his head and sighed.

"We must go as far as Hall's Corners, Julie. You know I have to meet my
husband there. We shall, from then on, have one more man in the party
and ought to be able to protect ourselves from those Spurgeon people,"
said Grace. "However, we will take up the question with Mr. Gray upon
arrival at the Corners and decide upon what is best to be done."

"It is very fine of you, Julie," complimented Miss Briggs, laying a
friendly hand on Julie's shoulder. "It really is wonderful that you
should do all this for us."

"It has helped us a lot, Julie," added Anne. "You see we now know what
to look out for. Otherwise we probably should have innocently walked
right into trouble.