tly. Then he and Gerald went
forward to meet them.

One of the riders, a rather pompous-looking individual, with a long,
drooping mustache, dismounted and threw the reins over his horse's
head.

"I'm Sheriff Dundon of this county, boys," he said. "The gentleman
with me is Mr. Haley. We're searching for a boy named Len Haley--Mr.
Haley's nephew, in fact. He left his home down in the valley some
time in the night. We thought perhaps you'd seen him."

Jim and Gerald exchanged feigned glances of surprise, which was part
of the plan they had mapped out to save Len.

"It must have been him we heard cry out in the night," said Jim.

"Yes," Gerald responded. "Too bad we didn't know it was only a boy."

"You heard someone cry out in the night, then?" the sheriff asked,
while the man on the horse eyed them keenly, and flashed curious
glances about the camp.

"Why, yes," Jim returned; "Old Ephraim, our darkey, woke us up in the
night to hear some mournful noises which he said came from somewhere
down the mountainside. We listened and heard someone crying out at
intervals for help. But having no fire-arms, and not knowing whether
it was a drunken man or a lunatic, we were afraid to venture very far
away from camp."

"What time was this?"

"Must have been in the neighborhood of two o'clock."

The sheriff shot a questioning glance at Mr. Haley.

"It was Len; no doubt about it," said that worthy, nodding. "He's
only a kid and I s'pose he got scared when he found himself alone in
the dark."

"You don't know which way he was going at that time?" asked the
sheriff, turning again to the boys.

"It would be hard to say. At one time the cries seemed to be nearer,
then got farther, and finally ceased altogether. We all heard them,
including the ladies, and none of us went back to bed until
everything was quiet."

"Let's see," said the sheriff; "I didn't quite catch your names."

"Mine's Jim Barlow. This is Gerald Blank. We're members of a camping
party from Baltimore. We arrived in the mountains yesterday morning
for a two weeks' stay."

"Blank?" repeated the sheriff. "Blank? Any relation to Blank, the
broker?"

"He's my father," said Gerald.

"That so? Then I'm right glad to meet you." The sheriff extended a
horny hand, which Gerald shook. "I knew him years ago. Didn't realize
he had a boy as old as you. Well, we must be getting on. Sorry you
can't give us a clue to the boy's whereabouts."

[Illustration: "I AM S