his unpleasant
predicament; and while about it all of them crossed to the other side of
the creek, where they were speedily joined by the balance of the patrol;
though every boy took advantage of the fence rails that lay scattered
through the shallow water, in order to prevent any possibility of a
repetition of the disaster that had overtaken their comrade.

A halt was called, to enable Giraffe to wipe some of the mud from the
lower portions of his uniform. And of course all sorts of talk passed
back and forth, as might be expected among a parcel of lively boys out
for a good time. Even the one so lately in dire danger had apparently
gotten well over his nervous shock, for he laughed with the rest at the
ludicrous nature of the event.

"Say, what kind of natives do you have down here, Bob White?" asked
Bumpus.

"The same kind, I reckon, suh, that they raise in all mountain regions,"
came the ready reply of the sensitive Southern boy. "Some are pretty
tough; but then again, I give you my word, suh, that there are others
you can't beat for being the clear quill. But may I ask why you put that
question to me, Bumpus?"

"Sure. There was a feller perched up on that rock stickin' out above
us," declared the fat boy, pointing his finger upward along the rugged
and rocky face of the mountain side; "I called to him to come and help
get poor old Giraffe out; but he never made a move; just sat there, and
grinned. He had a gun along with him, and I s'pose he was a specimen of
the Blue Ridge mountaineer. Gee! you ought to a seen the long white
beard the old feller sported!"

"Oh!" exclaimed Bob White, looking excited, a fact that aroused the keen
interest of all his comrades at once.

"Do you know who he was?" demanded the indignant Bumpus.

"I'm sorry to say, suh, that I think I do," replied the Southern boy,
slowly. "If your description is correct, and believe me, I have no
reason to doubt it, that man you saw must have been no other than Phin
Dady!"

"Phew! ain't that the moonshiner we heard so much about over in
Asheville?" asked Step Hen.

"The same man," answered Bob White, glancing a little nervously up
toward the rock indicated by his comrade, and which, jutting out from
the steep face of the mountain; offered a splendid outlook for any one
who wished to see who might be coming along the winding road.

"Well, I don't like his ways, that's all," muttered Giraffe, who was
still trying to make his uniform look hal