Sally,
who had been taken from us by the two recruits when they had stolen
Apache also--and by the way that the figures were lying, under a
lean-to, they might be the renegade recruits themselves. It was a
hostile camp!

"What is it?" whispered Red Fox Scout Ward, his eyes sparkling. "Enemy?"

"I think so," murmured Major Henry.

"We can pass."

"Sure. But if that's our burro we ought to take her." And the major
explained.

The Red Foxes nodded.

"But if she isn't, then we don't want her. One of us ought to
reconnoiter." And the major hesitated. "Fitz, you go," he said. And this
rather surprised me, because naturally the major ought to have gone
himself, he being the leader. "I've got a side-ache, somehow," he added,
apologizing. "It isn't much--but it might interfere with my crawling."

Fitz was only too ready to do the stalking. He left his pack, and with a
detour began sneaking upon the lean-to. We watched, breathless. But the
figures never stirred. Fitz came out, opposite, and from bush to bush
and tree to tree he crept nearer and nearer, with little darts from
cover to cover; and at last very cautiously, on his hands and knees; and
finally wriggling on his belly like a snake.

'Twas fine stalking, and we were glad that the Red Fox Scouts were here
to see. But it seemed to us that Fitz was getting too near. However, the
figures did not move, and did not know--and now Fitz was almost upon
them. From behind a tree only a yard away from them he stretched his
neck and peered, for half a minute. Then he crawled backward, and
disappeared. Presently he was with us again.

"It's they, sir," he reported. "Bat and Walt. They're asleep. And that
is Sally, I'm certain. I know her by the white spot on her back."

"We must have her," said the major. "She's ours. We'll get her and pack
her, so we can travel better."

"Can we catch her, all right?" queried Red Fox Scout Van Sant. "We're
liable to wake those two fellows up, aren't we?"

"What if we do?" put in his partner, Scout Ward. "Three of us can guard
them, and the other two can chase the burro."

"No," said Major Henry. "I think we can rope her and be off before those
renegades know anything about it. Can you, Fitz?"

Fitz nodded, eager.

"Then take the rope, and go after her."

Fitz did. He was a boss roper, too. You wouldn't believe it, of a
one-armed boy, but it was so. All we Elk Scouts could throw a rope some.
A rope comes in pretty handy, at times.