When more than half a mile had been passed over, and they were jogging down a declivity at a lively pace, Colson stopped so suddenly that Merriwell fairly tumbled over him. “What is it?” Frank questioned. “Look there! There’s Nell Thornton waving to us.” “She wants to speak to us,” said Rattleton, looking in the direction indicated by Colson’s pointing finger. Bruce straightened up and forgot to grumble, when he saw the slim form of the girl descending the rocks. She was letting herself down a precipitous bluff, clinging to the vines and bushes. “She can get over places I shouldn’t care to try,” declared Bruce, with an admiration that was akin to enthusiasm. “I wonder what she wants?” “We shall find out very soon now,” said Merriwell. “It won’t take her long to reach us.” Dropping to the level ground, Nell came shyly toward the party, with evident embarrassment. “Do you uns want ter beat them thar other fellows bad?” she asked. “The worst kind,” declared Rattleton. “Thar’s a way it kin be done,” she said, with kindling glance, “ef so be ez you uns air good climbers. Thar’s a path which the mounting men foller when they air in a hurry, sech o’ them ez knows ’bout it. I kin show it ter ye, though ef dad knowed I done it he’d jes’ nacherly kill me!” “You may show it to us with perfect safety,” promised Merriwell. She gave a quick glance toward Browning, as if for confirmation of the promise. Browning flushed. “As Mr. Merriwell says, the secret will be perfectly safe with us, Miss Thornton,” touching his cap. “You may rely on it!” “I kinder sorter wanted you uns ter beat ’em,” she confessed, “an’ it’ll pleasure me ter help you ter do it. You uns’ll hev ter shin up that thar bluff somehow er ’nuther ter git a start.” She pointed to the precipice down which she had swung, and Browning gave an inward groan. “Heavens!” he inaudibly grumbled. “She must want to see me killed. Those vines will come down like cotton strings when I put my weight on them.” Merriwell nodded, and the girl led the way to the bluff. “Take holt o’ that thar saplin’ an’ that’ll holp you ter reach the cedar. Then grab them vines an’ git along ez best ye kin. Them vines’ll bear a good heft, an’ ye needn’t be skeered uv ’em.” Having said this, with pointing finger, she stepped aside. Frank Merriwell grasped the slim hickory and drew himself up to the scrubby cedar that here thrust its roots into a crack in the ledge. He was followed by Colson and Rattleton. Then came Bart Hodge and Jack Diamond. The climb was not so difficult as it looked. Some of the smaller vines broke under the weight of Browning, and of Ephraim Gallup, but in a comparatively short time all were at the top of the bluff. The girl swung herself up after them, and pointed to a dim path leading through a thicket of laurel straight toward the frowning cap of the mountain.