ly to his comrades. "And it's Henry
talking." He was silent a while, listening to Henry's message. Then he
said, "Henry wants to know when Lew is coming home. Vacation is about
ended."

"Tell him that I think I'll go back with the ranger to-morrow. I've stayed
as long as I possibly can."

Again there was a pause. "Henry wants to know what we are doing and
whether or not we've had any adventures. I wish I could tell him the real
situation. But that would never do."

Charley turned to his key and began to tick off a message: "Everything as
quiet as--" He stopped abruptly. A cry that fairly made him shiver sounded
in the forest. He turned to the ranger. "What in the world was that?"

"A wildcat," replied the ranger. "He smells the meat you hung up. You'll
just have to be a bit watchful. He may hang around here for days, and
sometimes those fellows get nasty."

Another piercing cry startled the night. Again Charley shivered. Lew got
up and by putting more wood on the fire lighted up the interior of the
thicket brightly.

Charley turned to his wireless key and sent a call signal flashing.

"What's the matter?" came back Henry's reply. "Why did you cut off?"

"Wildcat," flashed back Charley. "Just outside our camp. Smells our meat.
Scares a fellow half to death when he cries out. Ranger says it may hang
around for days. Wish you would send us some traps."

"You'll bring them out on your next visit, won't you?" said Charley,
turning to Mr. Morton.

"Bring what out?" demanded the perplexed ranger.

"Why, traps. I forgot that you couldn't read the message I was sending.
I'm asking Henry for traps."

"Tell him to send them along. Trapping will be better than shooting under
the circumstances, but don't hesitate to use your gun if you need to."

Charley turned back to his instrument and asked Henry to rush the traps.
He inquired about his fellows of the Wireless Patrol. Henry had nothing
out of the ordinary to report. Then Charley asked Henry to get the
forester at Oakdale on the telephone.

After a long wait, Charley's receiver began to buzz. "Henry has the
forester on the telephone," Charley explained to the ranger. "What shall I
tell him?"

"Nothing. I'll tell him about Bill Collins myself. Just say that
everything is all right and ask him to get Katharine on the telephone."

Again there was a pause. "He's got her," said Charley.

"Please tell Katharine," said the ranger, "that it was necessary to stay
in ca