Don't worry, Hippy. We will take care of ourselves," said Grace calmly.
"Trust us to defend ourselves."

"With what?" questioned Elfreda.

"There are plenty of good stout sticks on the ground. If you see that
these jacks mean to attack us, each of you grab a club and let them have
it on their heads. See! Joe is holding her club behind her."

The forest woman was waiting grimly for an opportunity to crack a
lumberjack's head. That opportunity came sooner than she expected. Two
jacks, having crept around behind the lean-tos, suddenly lifted the rear
supports and turned the structures over into the fire.

"Beat it, ye varmint!" screamed the woman, making a rush for the men.
One of them struck her, but fortunately for Joe it was a glancing blow,
and merely turned her around facing away from them. Joe kept on turning
until she was again facing the jeering lumbermen.

"Take that, ye varmint!" The forest woman's club descended on a
lumberjack's head. "And ye, too!" she shrieked, hitting the other man
across the bridge of his nose.

"Come on! Come on, and I'll wallop the whole pack of ye!"

"Steady, Joe," warned Grace Harlowe. "Don't lose your head."

Tom and Peg were still at it, the foreman growing more and more
ferocious as the moments passed and knowing that he had the Overlander
at a disadvantage, for Tom was fighting with his fists only, while Peg
was using his stick and his wooden leg, and it were difficult for any
person, no matter how skillful a boxer he might be, to get under those
two dangerous guards. Once Tom succeeded in doing so. His blow knocked
the foreman down, but Peg rolled away and was on his feet again with
remarkable quickness, and went at his adversary determined to brain him.

"Ready, girls!" called Hippy.

"They are going to rush us," warned Grace. "When I say 'Clubs!' you
girls grab sticks, keep together, and stand your ground. Don't run at
them."

Each Overland girl carried an automatic revolver, and there were rifles
within easy reach, but it was not their intention to use either, unless
the necessity to do so became imperative. The rifles had been brought on
this journey largely because the party hoped to do some hunting in the
North Woods. The revolvers were, as on previous journeys into the wilder
sections of their native country, a part of their regular equipment and
for use in great emergencies only.

The lumberjacks with one accord rushed at the Overland Riders, uttering
yells an