"I reckon that will be about all. You see, Emma, this was not a case of mind over matter, but of a heavy boot against Washington Washington's anatomy," chuckled Hippy. The Overland Riders laughed louder than their situation warranted, and Emma Dean, very red in the face, flounced off to her tent without another word. "I think that was real mean of you, Hippy," chided Grace, laughing in spite of her effort to be stern. Soon after that the camp settled down to quietness, with Hippy Wingate and Elfreda Briggs on guard, Grace having consented to lie down and sleep for the rest of the night--provided. They were undisturbed, except when, shortly before daylight, something again aroused the ponies, but the disturbance quickly subsided, and the watchers believed that some animal had startled them. At daylight the camp was astir--that is, with the exception of Hippy Wingate who insisted on a brief beauty nap after his two-hour vigil. He came out just as Washington, after building the cook-fire, was starting out to water the horses. "Good morning, Lieutenant," greeted Emma Dean sweetly. "What's the quotation this morning?" "On what?" demanded Hippy, halting and eyeing her suspiciously. "On heads, of course." "Is there any reason why, because I'm a marked man--because there is a price on my head, you should make fun of me? Having a price on one's head is not a joking matter. My mind is carrying a heavy weight, Emma Dean," rebuked Hippy impressively. "Nonsense! I know better. If it was carrying a heavy burden your mind long ago would have caved in," retorted Emma. Hippy Wingate threw up his hands in token of surrender, and breaking off a twig of laurel he gravely placed it in Emma's hair so that it drooped over her forehead. "I bestow upon thee a crown of laurel," announced Hippy solemnly amid shouts of laughter. "Come, children. Breakfast is ready," called Grace Harlowe. "Washington!" "Ah'm comin'," answered the colored boy from the bush. "Ah found dis on de saddle," he announced, holding out an envelope to Grace. She took it wonderingly. "What's this? The rural free delivery man here so early in the morning!" questioned Emma. "This is addressed to you, Lieutenant," said Grace, handing the envelope to Lieutenant Wingate. Hippy read it and a frown grew on his face, deepening as he read it a second time. "More mystery?" questioned Anne Nesbit. "Yes. Listen to this, will you?" Hippy read out loud the following words, almost illegible on the much smeared paper: "'Yuh-all will git out o' these mountings right smart. We-all knows who yuh be. We-all knows why yuh be here. Turn aroun' an' git out or it'll be th' wus fer yuh-all.'" "They propose to drive us out, do they?" murmured Grace. "I looked for something of the sort," nodded Elfreda. "Is the letter signed?"