between the two girls and the laurel
shrubs.

"Wha--at is it?" whispered Grace.

"A stick of wood," replied Elfreda. "It looks like a section of a tree
limb. Something white is wrapped about it. Oughtn't we to see what it
is?"

"No!" answered Grace with emphasis. "Sit tight. It may be a trick."

With rifles held at ready, ears alert, Elfreda Briggs and Grace Harlowe
sat almost motionless until the skies began to assume a leaden gray that
foretold the coming of another day.

A few moments later Elfreda crept over and returned with the stick that
she had observed to fall. An old newspaper sheet was wrapped about it.
This Miss Briggs undid cautiously, Grace's eyes keenly observing the
operation.

"Look! There is writing on the lower margin of the sheet," she said.

Miss Briggs turned the page around and eagerly read the words that were
penciled there.

"'Stay where you are. Friends are working in your
behalf. In the meantime guard yourselves
vigilantly.

'A FRIEND.'"

The message that Elfreda had read out loud to her companion served to
deepen the mysteries that surrounded them, yet, as they pondered and
discussed it, the message seemed to convey to them the hope that at
least one of the mysteries might soon be solved.

CHAPTER VIII

A FRIEND IN NEED

"Hey! What hit me?" demanded Hippy Wingate, opening his eyes.

"Keep shet!" commanded a surly voice near at hand.

Hippy tried to raise his arms, but could not. They were roped to his
sides, as he discovered now that he was regaining full consciousness. A
dim light filtering through an opening that he could not see, for it was
behind him, showed Lieutenant Wingate that he was lying in one of the
shallow caves that may be found almost anywhere in the Kentucky
mountains.

"How did I--I get here?" he ventured to ask.

The other occupant of the cave stepped up and gave the captive a vicious
prod with his boot.

"Ouch! Say, you! Don't be so infernally rough about it. Kicking is a
dangerous habit to get into. One of these days you will forget yourself
and kick a Kentucky mule. Then _good night_!"

"Didn't Ah tell ye-all to keep still? Want another clip ovah the haid?"

"Thank you, no," replied Hippy. "If you don't mind, before I relapse
into gloomy silence, you might tell me what the big idea is. Who or what
hit me, and why am I here hog-tied like a captured hoss thief