"Hulloa yourself!" bellowed Hippy Wingate. "Come in. The door's wide open." An instant later a man stepped into the camp, a rifle slung under one arm, a revolver hanging from his belt in its holster. He was tall, gaunt and raw-boned, a typical Kentucky mountaineer, and, as he stood there surveying the Overland Riders from beneath his broad-brimmed hat, not a word was spoken on either side. The mountaineer was studying the members of the Overland party, and the Overland Riders were regarding him inquiringly. "Why, where is--" began Emma Dean, but a gesture from Grace checked her. Not so with Washington Washington, however. "Whar dat man?" he cried, referring to their first visitor. A quick glance about the camp revealed to the amazed Overlanders that Jeremiah Long, the Mystery Man, had suddenly and mysteriously disappeared. No one had seen or heard him go. He had simply melted away. CHAPTER III HIPPY BOUNCES THE "SHEREEF" Still the newcomer stood peering into the faces of the Overlanders. Hippy began talking to the man with his fingers in the deaf and dumb system. The stranger regarded him frowningly, then shifted his rifle into his right hand. "Who be yuh?" demanded the man. "Oh! I thought you were a dummy," apologized Hippy. "A thousand pardons, old man." "May I ask who _you_ are and what you wish?" questioned Grace pleasantly, as she stepped forward. "Ah asked yuh first. Who be yuh?" "We are a party from the north, riding through the Kentucky Mountains partly for pleasure, partly for business reasons." "Whut business?" "That is a personal question, is it not?" smiled Grace. "Won't you sit down and rest before you go on? We shall be glad to have you do so." "Be yuh goin' to answer mah question?" "I think not, sir." "Ah'll tell yuh who Ah be, then, an' mebby yuh'll answer. Ah'm the dep'y Shereef of this 'ere deestric'. Ah kin land yuh all in the calaboose if Ah wants to." "Deputy Sheriff! Mercy to goodness!" murmured Emma. "Next thing we know, the Lord High Executioner will be calling on us looking for victims to decapitate." "Yes?" questioned Grace. "Let me speak with the man," urged Tom Gray, whereupon Grace waved her hand behind her to warn Tom to keep quiet. "Who be yuh?" "Presumably the man means to ask 'Who are you?' but unfortunately he doesn't speak English," said Emma in a voice loud enough for the mountaineer to hear. He glared at her and Emma glared back. "I think, sir," replied Grace Harlowe, "that this has gone far enough. We have no information to give. I am sorry, sir. Our purpose in visiting these mountains is a proper one. We are violating no law, have committed no crime, and therefore can have no interest for a deputy sheriff. Besides, I do not believe you are a deputy sheriff!" The stranger shifted uneasily. Hippy had risen and was stretching himself and yawning. "All Ah've got to say is, yuh-all git out o' these mountings right smart or Ah'll take yuh-all in. T'morrow mornin' yuh git!"