The Adventure Girls at K Bar O

id again with a puzzled frown. "I purposely pull

other way out tha

hall never know who the

fleeting glance that o

Carol's declaration. "Imagine, throwing rocks at the

ow it was done for my own s

mselves down on the rope ladder. They had not explored the tunnel to its full length so they were not sure, but they surmised that there must be another exit some place along the passage and it was this that the mysterious stranger h

e, git along, git alon

darkly, "for my ears," she added at Janet's curious

a good voice when you he

moved her pony so that Gale was between

son?" Madge demanded as Tom bl

Virginia laughed, "it is time we c

inutes," J

on the ground, his hat over his face to shut out the sun. Jim led the horses to a

ten minutes for Jim was not in sight. The horses were standing rea

and poked her broth

atter?" he as

med him, "and if we don't get started, we

y. "Well, stay here

ted their horses and t

oing to wear me out," Janet declared with a grimace as she l

m or Jim came into sight. The horses had caught the im

ed us for sure!" Virginia

a gleam in their eyes that had not been there before. The minute they ca

want you to lead the girls to Bear R

you going?" Vir

to follow it," Tom explained. "But we'll catch up to you

derstand. What is so strange about this

all of you along," Tom declared. "I

ere we could never find each o

," Jim put in. "Yore Dad would want us to follow this trai

to," Virginia said. "I think you should let

ad, tightening h

See you at Bear Rock," he added as he and Jim swun

an abrupt angle from the road taken by Jim and Tom. Gale undertook to bring up the rear with the pack horses. As the girls

was left by the bank bandits?" Valerie

for. I believe that is why Jim has a definite camping place in mind for each day and doesn't l

e bandit might have been the man

t have been, but I can't be sure because I didn't get a close enoug

care us away," added Vale

hattering about?" J

or supper," Valerie retorted. "I've

cold luncheon, but insisted on at least having hot coffee to drink. The horses were tethered and the girls gathered about the fire. Seated on stones, for the ground was still damp from the heavy

and I want to do a little more sleuthing so we might as well

t any rate," Carol declared. "I'm rathe

oof marks," Tom

s. Unexperienced in trail reading they didn't realize what a wide, easy-to-read trail had been left. If they had, they might have been sus

as this that the Adventure Girls and their friends followed, winding in and out through forests thick with pine trees and cottonwoods, jack

per was started, the girls took time out to admire the scenery of their surroundings. They were camped on the base of a rugged plateau broken in two by a na

t needs to block up that

rrow when we are going through th

other side of the mountain

up from her knees where she had been pu

nly, remembering that Val couldn't keep

d for that short walk," Val

us a halloo," directed Ga

ol declared mischievously, "we mig

not!" Gale war

rgling of the little stream by which they walked was the only sound other than that of their footsteps that they heard. Yet Gale had the uncanny feeling that eyes were watch

over them. They took a few steps forward when something made Gale look up again. Certain

t the same time grasping her fr

world----"

t's falling!

e two of them flung themselves forward while certain destruction hurtled down almost on them. The boulder crashed into

d Val when the girls, at a safe dista

rously. "With that landslide, can you tell me how

t a trail that led to the basin here, a valley on all sides of which rose steep hills. Their o

for supper," Gale said, att

said a suave voic

d were grasped

a rumbling voice laughed. "Maybe we couldn

subdued, not too gently, and led away, their hands tied behind their