or the Ridge and more trouble. Good! Let's
go!"

CHAPTER XXIII

THE GATHERING OF THE CLANS

"How long has Tom's letter been here?" asked Anne, after Grace had
explained their situation to her companions.

"Ten days. Every one seems to be issuing warnings, and Tom is no
exception. Listen to this, will you? 'Be vigilant! The white moonlight
reigns supreme up here.'"

"What does he mean by that? Is Tom growing sentimental?" questioned
Emma.

"He means there are moonshiners on this ridge of Lieutenant Wingate's,"
answered Miss Briggs.

"Huh! Brown Eyes, don't you worry about Tom. Any fellow who is slick
enough to say a thing without saying it, is slick enough to outwit the
whole breed of feudists and others up here."

Grace said she was not worrying, but that they must start as soon as
they could replenish their stores. This they set about doing at once.
New canvas with which to patch up their tents, cartridges for rifle and
revolver, and provisions were purchased and lashed to the back of the
remaining pack mule, or carried by the Overlanders in small packs on
their ponies. As soon as possible, after studying the marked map that
Tom Gray had left them to show the party where to look for his camp,
they set out at a jog-trot, with which Washington and his mule had
difficulty in keeping up.

That night they camped near the wagon trail, and at daylight resumed
their journey. Late in the afternoon they halted for rest and to study
their map and the contour of the mountains at that point.

"It should be somewhere hereabouts," declared Miss Briggs. "The
landmarks appear to agree with Tom's markings on the map. It is my
judgment that the wise thing to do would be to make camp near here."

After consultation it was decided to do this.

The part of the mountains where they were about to camp was the wildest
and most rugged of any that they had seen since reaching Kentucky.
Everywhere one saw caves, large and small, and unless one were vigilant
he was quite likely to fall into one, for many were mere holes straight
down through the rocks, and vine-covered at the top. The rocks
themselves were misshapen, and in some instances hideous when the light
of the day faded.

"Hippy, is this your property?" questioned Emma as they sat down to
their supper.

"Yes. Why?"

"You ought to come and spend the rest of your days here. What a lovely
spot over on that knoll for a bungalow. I think--"

A distant rifle shot i