nterrupted what Emma was about to say. It was
followed by several others in quick succession, but, while apparently
not very far away, no bullets were heard, so the Overland Riders felt
that they were not the object of the shooting.

"Beginning already," muttered Elfreda.

Grace said nothing. She was listening and wondering if Tom were out
there, and if so, if he were in trouble. However, there was nothing to
be done except to wait until morning before pushing their search for him
further. The camp was well guarded that night, but nothing occurred to
disturb them.

Shortly after daylight a systematic search was begun for Tom Gray's
camp, the Overlanders separating and going out for individual search,
keeping the landmarks near their own camp well in mind.

It was Elfreda Briggs who made the discovery. She called to Grace, who
was near by, to come to her. Grace uttered an exclamation as she ran up
to Miss Briggs, who stood pointing to a little tent nestling at the
base of a rocky peak.

"Is that Tom's tent?" asked Elfreda.

"No, but we will have a look at it."

The two girls ran eagerly to the little tent, proceeding more cautiously
as they came up to it. The blankets, they found, were rolled neatly, and
a pair of boots stood in one corner, while some clothing hung from hooks
on a tent-pole.

"This _is_ Tom's tent. Oh, I am so glad," cried Grace.

"Yes. But where is Tom?"

"It is all right. He may be away from here for days, sleeping in the
open, living as only a woodsman knows how to live. You know he is making
a survey of this tract, and, I presume, doesn't find it convenient to
take his equipment with him. Now I am content to settle down and wait
for him. In the meantime we can do some exploring on our own account. I
wonder who Tom has with him?"

"What do you mean?"

"Tracks of two different persons right there," answered Grace, pointing
to the ground. "Where are your eyes, J. Elfreda?"

"Let's go back," suggested Miss Briggs, sighing deeply. "We must let the
girls know at once."

All the Overlanders, except Nora Wingate, were quickly rounded up and
told the good news. Nora was nowhere in sight, but Hippy said she was
picking mountain berries about a quarter of a mile to the south of the
camp, and that she had probably forgotten what she had been sent out
for. He said, however, that he would go out and look for her.

In the meantime, Nora had been sitting eating the hatful of berries that
she had