ing of the scene.

"Hippy, my darlin', where are you?" she cried excitedly.

"Steady now," cautioned Grace. "It will profit us not at all to lose our
heads. Spread out and search the clearing. First, tie your ponies so
they don't disappear and leave us in the lurch."

The girls quickly slipped from their saddles and began searching, Grace
first having examined the saddle of Hippy's pony. She found his rifle in
the saddle-boot and his revolver in the holster suspended from the
pommel. This discovery indicated to her that Lieutenant Wingate had not
had time to take either weapon with him when he dismounted.

"It is my opinion that Hippy fell asleep and fell off," declared Emma,
after they had completed their search of the clearing.

"Oh, what shall we do?" wailed Nora, wringing her hands. "Grace darlin',
help me think. I can't think straight. Somebody suggest something."

"When did you first discover that his pony was lagging?" questioned
Grace, turning to Miss Briggs.

"I should say that it was twenty or thirty minutes ago."

"Say half a mile back. It is possible that Hippy was unseated by coming
in contact with an overhanging limb, though I do not recall having seen
any low enough to bump one's head."

"We must go back and try to find him," said Miss Briggs.

"Yes," agreed Grace, her brow puckering in thought. "Anne, I think you
had better remain here in charge of the camp. Get your rifles out and be
on the alert. This affair looks suspicious to me. Shoot a signal if you
need us in a hurry. Elfreda, will you go with me?"

Miss Briggs nodded.

"Bring your revolver. Rifles will be in the way," advised Grace. "You
girls stay right here. Do not attempt to leave this spot. Nora, keep
your head level. Let's go!"

The two girls started back over the trail on foot, walking briskly. A
short distance back from the clearing they met Washington, whom Grace
directed to go on and wait for them in the clearing. She did not think
it worth while to ask the boy if he had seen Lieutenant Wingate.

"I have a recollection of seeing the bushes trampled down on the left
side of the trail as we came along," said Grace, after they had left
Washington. "It is possible that there is where Hippy was unhorsed."

"Grace, you suspect something, don't you?"

"I don't know whether I do or not. I will tell you after we have found
the place where he left the trail. Does not Hippy's disappearance strike
you as being a strange one, Elfred