expectations were
to be more than realized.

CHAPTER XXII

A ROUT AND A CAPTURE

The intruder had halted. Harriet knew that from his position he could
see the camp. From her position it was not visible. She saw the man
halt, peer, then suddenly straighten up and glance about him
apprehensively. Being now between her and the light shed by the
campfire, the girl was able to observe his movements quite clearly.

"He suspects something," quivered Harriet. But being at a loss as to
what to do next the girl dropped swiftly to the ground, rising almost
the next second. She was leaning well forward, peering at the figure
with all the concentration she could bring to bear. The intruder had
by this time again directed his attention to the camp. There was now
in the man's hands something that he seemed to be leveling over the
tops of the bushes amid which he was standing.

Harriet Burrell drew her right hand cautiously above her shoulder.
That hand held a stone. Suddenly the stone cut through the bushes
about a foot to the right of the intruder's shoulder. He jumped, but
before he could decide upon what his next move should be a second and
larger stone smote him between the shoulders. Then followed a perfect
rain of stones. Some hit him, others did not.

There was but one way by which the man could get away without turning
back and facing this unseen peril. That way was almost straight toward
the camp. He hesitated. A large stone grazed his cheek. The fellow
leaped through the bushes. Something was swept from his hands by the
bushes and fell to the rocks with a clatter. The girls in camp heard
the sound.

"Harriet, what are you doing?" called Jane.

"Look out!" shouted Harriet. She started in pursuit of the fleeing
man, sending a shower of missiles after him. Some of the stones
dropped to the rocks back of the camp, rolling into the camp itself.

Then, to the amazement of the Meadow-Brook party, a man darted across a
corner of the lighted space, which he cleared in half a dozen leaps and
bounds, Harriet still hurling stones after him and shouting her
warnings to her companions.

The girls fled from the campfire, crying out in alarm. Janus, for the
instant, was overcome with surprise, but he pulled himself together
sharply, running to his pack and snatching up his revolver.

"It's our man!" cried Harriet. "I made him run."

"Thave me!" wailed Tommy, throwing herself flat on her face behin