, moreover, that it was there
that the men who had watched the camp on the night of the fire had
hidden themselves. But this time they found no one there.

Supper was a merry meal. The race of the afternoon was, of course, the
principal topic of conversation, and in addition there were adventures
to be told by those who had missed it and gone into Bay City to shop.

But Bessie, watching Zara, noticed toward the end of the meal that her
strange little friend, who happened to be sitting near the entrance of
the tent in which they ate, was nervous and kept looking behind her out
into the darkness as if she saw something. And so, with a whispered
explanation to Dolly, she rose and crept very silently toward the door.
As she passed Zara, she let her hand fall reassuringly on her shoulder,
and then, gathering herself, sprang out into the night.

And, so completely surprised by her sudden appearance that he could not
get out of the way, there was Jake Hoover! Jake Hoover, who was supposed
to be in the city, telling his story to Charlie Jamieson! Jake Hoover,
who, after having done all sorts of dirty work for Holmes and his
fellow-conspirators, had told Bessie that he was sorry and was going to
change sides!

"Jake!" said Bessie, sternly. "You miserable sneak! What are you doing
here!"

No wonder poor Zara had had that feeling of being watched. Jake's work
for Holmes right along had been mostly that of the spy, and here he was
once more engaged in it. Bessie was furious at her discovery. Big and
strong as Jake was, he was whimpering now, and Bessie seized him and
shook him by the shoulders.

"Tell me what you're doing here right away!" commanded Bessie. Gone were
the days when she had feared him--the well-remembered days of her
bondage on the Hoover farm, when his word had always been enough to
secure her punishment at the hands of his mother, who had never been
able to see the evil nature of her boy.

"I ain't doin' no harm--honest I ain't, Bessie," he whined. "I--jest
wanted--I jest wanted to see you and Miss Mercer--honest, that's why I'm
here!"

"That's a likely story, isn't it?" said Bessie, scornfully. "If that was
so, why did you come sneaking around like this? Why didn't you come
right out and ask for us? You didn't think we were going to eat you, did
you?"

"I--I didn't want them to know I was doin' it, Bess," he said. "I'm
scared, Bessie--I'm afraid of what they'd do to me, if they found out I
was takin' y