er in a convincing tone.

Stacy Brown poked his head through the tent opening.

"What we need in this camp is a watch dog," he shouted.

Ned Rector shied a tin can at him, whereat the fat boy ducked in out of
sight.

CHAPTER IX

A MYSTERY UNSOLVED

"But surely whoever was here must have left some trace," protested
Professor Zepplin.

"Perhaps you may be able to find it. I can't," answered Tad.

"We'll all look," cried Ned.

Tad nodded, and while they were scanning the ground he walked about the
outskirts of the camp with his glances on the ground. There was not a
footprint, not a thing to indicate that any person outside of themselves
had been near the camp. Tad was looking in particular for the strings
with which the stuff had been tied to the rope. Not finding these he was
certain that some human being had been in the camp.

"We shall have to make the best of it and let it go at that," he said,
returning to his companions. "Shall we go to sleep again?"

"Sleep!" shouted Ned.

Stacy popped his head out to see what the shout was about. He ducked
back again upon encountering Rector's angry gaze.

"If it isn't Stacy Brown raising a row it's Tad Butler, and if it isn't
Tad it's a midnight robber."

"Or else Ned Rector himself," added the Professor. "If you young
gentlemen will excuse me I think I shall put on some clothes. We might
as well have our breakfast and get an early start, since we are all
awake."

"I was going to suggest that," replied Tad. "I'll go rub down the ponies
while the rest of you get the breakfast."

"Shall we dress before or after?" questioned Walter.

"Before, of course," returned the Professor.

Breakfast was not a very merry meal that morning. Tad was chagrined to
think a person could get into their camp and steal a ham without his
having heard the intruder. Either he had slept more soundly than usual,
or else their late visitor had been unusually stealthy.

"I'll tell you what I think," spoke up Rector after a period of silence.

"Out with it," answered the Professor.

"I'll wager that some of these prospectors have ducked in here and taken
our stuff. There must be plenty of them in the mountains hereabouts."

Tad shook his head.

"I don't think so. I have an idea."

"What is your idea?" questioned Professor Zepplin.

"Are there Indians up here?" questioned Tad.

"Many of them."

"It was an Indian who did this job. No white man could get away with it
so