e's Washington?" asked Miss Briggs.

"I heard him yell," answered Hippy. "Hope the kid hasn't gotten into
trouble. I'll go look for him."

"Yes," spoke up Grace. "I stepped on his neck and he uttered a frightful
howl and ran away."

"The question now appears to be, 'Who killed Cock Robin?'" observed Emma
Dean. "We know who stepped on Laundry's neck, but we do not know who
fired the fatal shot."

"Mystery, mystery, mystery!" complained Miss Briggs. "This is only our
first day out and we have involved ourselves in a maze of it, with an
excellent foundation laid for future trouble."

"All because that husband of mine ran that deputy sheriff out of our
camp," wailed Nora. "Hippy will be the death of all of us yet."

"Hippy did exactly right," approved Tom Gray. "What I am thinking about
now is why the mountaineer came here to order us out. I have my
suspicions, and I don't like the outlook at all."

"Don't worry, Tom dear," soothed Grace.

"Yes, the worst is yet to come," called Hippy Wingate, at this juncture
appearing leading Washington Washington by the ear. "I found Laundry
hiding in the bushes. Sit down there and behave yourself, Little
Snowdrop, and let that harmonica alone for the rest of the night. Will
some one tell me what became of Jeremiah Long?"

"The Mystery Man is here," announced a voice, and the spectacle man
walked up rubbing his hands and smiling in great good humor. "What's the
excitement?"

"Where did you go so suddenly?" demanded Hippy frowningly.

"I went out to stake down my horse and get my store--my grip. Did I not
hear shooting?"

"Yes. We had a visitor and--" Emma bubbled over with words as she
described what had occurred after Long's departure, to all of which he
listened attentively. "Somebody, we don't know who, shot him in the
shoulder. Who do you think could have done that, Mr. Long?"

"Very mysterious, very mysterious," answered the Mystery Man.

Grace and Elfreda were regarding him keenly.

"Think I'll pitch my camp by your fire to-night, if you haven't any
objection," announced the visitor.

"You are quite welcome," offered Tom. "If you wish to, you can bunk in
with the lieutenant and myself. There is room for three in our tent. We
could not think of letting you sleep outside in this chill air."

"Outside for me," answered Mr. Long. "Must have air and plenty of it.
You see I heat it up inside of me and use it later to sell my goods. A
promoter, you know, must depend u