Part 15 (1/2)

”Perhaps you may be able to find it I can't,” answered Tad

”We'll all look,” cried Ned

Tad nodded, and while they were scanning the ground he walked about the outskirts of the caround There was not a footprint, not a thing to indicate that any person outside of the in particular for the strings hich the stuff had been tied to the rope Not finding these he was certain that so had been in the cao at that,” he said, returning to his coain?”

”Sleep!” shouted Ned

Stacy popped his head out to see what the shout was about He ducked back again upon encountering Rector's angry gaze

”If it isn't Stacy Brown raising a row it's Tad Butler, and if it isn't Tad it's a ht robber”

”Or else Ned Rector hientleht as well have our breakfast and get an early start, since we are all awake”

”I was going to suggest that,” replied Tad ”I'll go rub down the ponies while the rest of you get the breakfast”

”Shall we dress before or after?” questioned Walter

”Before, of course,” returned the Professor

Breakfast was not a very rined to think a person could get into their ca heard the intruder Either he had slept more soundly than usual, or else their late visitor had been unusually stealthy

”I'll tell you what I think,” spoke up Rector after a period of silence

”Out with it,” answered the Professor

”I'll wager that some of these prospectors have ducked in here and taken our stuff There must be plenty of them in the mountains hereabouts”

Tad shook his head

”I don't think so I have an idea”

”What is your idea?” questioned Professor Zepplin

”Are there Indians up here?” questioned Tad

”Many of them”

”It was an Indian who did this job No white et aith it so skilfully If it was, as I suspect, we ive it up,”

concluded Butler

”Oh, I kissed that hao,” piped Stacy soleree with any of you,” said Ned ”I think the has and fleay Either that or it was afraid he would kiss it again He said he had kissed it good-by”