"Never mind the trimmings. Give me food," he begged. Then between mouthfuls he told the story of his capture so far as he knew it, told it to the moment of his reaching the Overland camp. Hippy said he intended, if possible, to creep in quietly without awakening any one and give the girls a big surprise in the morning, when Elfreda threw a wrench into the machinery, "and tried to wing me," he added amid laughter. "I could not afford to wait," answered Miss Briggs. "You sure are some quick on the trigger," declared Hippy. "The fellow who was with me ducked, and I heard him chuckling and laughing as he sneaked away." "Yes, but, had it not been for me, you might not have been here, Lieutenant Wingate," interjected Emma Dean. "Eh? How's that, Emma?" "Why, I--I con-centrated on you and brought you back," answered Emma solemnly. "What a pity," murmured Hippy sadly. "And she so young." "Who was the man who rescued you?" questioned Grace, after the laugh at Emma's expense had subsided. "I don't know. I never saw him before. He is a slick article, whoever he may be." "Are you certain that it was not our Mystery Man?" asked Anne. "I am. Say! We must get out of here right smart, for there is going to be trouble," urged Hippy. "I should say that we already have had our share of it," complained Elfreda. "Yes, but this is different, child. The mountaineers are after us--after me especially," he added, throwing out his chest a little. "After you--after you, Hippy, my darlin'?" cried Nora. "Why should they be after you?" "I don't know any more about it than you do. Perhaps the little mix-ups we had with those two fellows may have something to do with it." "It must be something more serious than revenge for your having bounced one and driven the other one away," offered Grace. "Will you please tell me why we should move in such a hurry?" "Because the fellow who got me out of my scrape said we must. He says we have got to make Thompson's farm as quickly as possible and stay there until the storm blows over," insisted Lieutenant Wingate. "Of course, I don't give a rap for myself, but I have a great moral responsibility." "A what?" interjected Emma. "Moral responsibility. I am responsible for the safety of you girls and my powerful body shall stand between you and all harm." "Ahem--m--m," piped Emma Dean. "To what storm did he refer?" asked Grace. She was regarding Hippy narrowly, not yet sure that he was not joking, though she did not believe he was. "I don't know, Brown Eyes. That depends upon which way the wind blows. It feels like snow to me. He did not say what kind of storm, but he strongly advised what I have told you," answered the lieutenant. "It doesn't sound reasonable to me. I do not see how we should be any safer on the farm you speak of, than we shall be by following the trail to Hall's Corners, all the time attending strictly to our own business," observed Elfreda. "Nor do I," agreed Grace.