ore protection from the wind and rain than
the trees would."

Shortly thereafter Tom and Hippy joined their shivering companions, and
the party, with blankets stretched over their heads, huddled miserably
as they sat on the wet ground under the blanket roof, Hindenburg on
Hippy's lap, and Henry outside in the rain licking the water from his
dripping coat of fur.

"How are you, J. Elfreda?" teased Grace.

"Saturated and satiated," answered Miss Briggs briefly.

"I wonder what the voices of nature are saying at the present moment?"
mused Hippy. "If they feel anything like I do, their remarks are more
forceful than elegant."

"Even if you were to hear them you would be mo wiser," observed Emma.
"Only persons with unusual minds can read the messages that nature
conveys."

Someone under the blanket roof giggled, and Hippy articulated "Ahem!"

"As I was about to say--What's that?" he exclaimed sharply.

A boom, that reminded all who heard it of the explosion of a
high-powered shell at a distance, smote the ears of the Overland Riders.
Then a succession of resounding reports and terrific crashings shook the
earth.

"Stay where you are!" shouted Tom Gray as, with single accord, the girls
sprang to their feet and started to run. They halted at sound of Tom's
voice.

Something from the air struck the ground with a thud, and Hippy Wingate
toppled over against Elfreda Briggs and sank down, uttering a faint
moan.

"Hippy's hurt! Something hit him. Quick, Tom! Show a light!" cried Miss
Briggs.

Tom Gray flashed a ribbon of light from his pocket lamp and sprang to
his companion.

"Hippy! Hippy!" he begged.

Nora uttered an anguished wail, and in an instant her arms were about
Lieutenant Wingate's neck.

"Let go and give him air," commanded Tom.

Hippy lay as he had fallen, half on his side, one arm doubled under his
head. A red welt across his forehead showed where the blow that felled
him had fallen.

The reverberating crashes that had shaken the earth were dying out and
now seemed much further away than at first.

CHAPTER VIII

THEIR FIRST DISASTER

"Oh, what has happened?" begged Anne tremblingly.

"The logs went out," answered Tom briefly.

"Di--did a log hit Hippy?" questioned Emma.

"I don't know what hit him. Fetch water," directed Tom, who was fanning
the unconscious Hippy with his hat.

Joe Shafto had run down to the stream and, at this juncture, came up to
them with a hatful of wate