A yell from Chet Ainsworth when he felt the hot breath of the beast on his neck, as Henry sniffed at it, brought every one, including Chet, to their feet. Tobe Skinner whipped out his revolver and would have fired at the animal had not Tom Gray gripped his wrist. "He's tame. Don't be frightened," soothed Hippy. "All the animals in our menagerie are halter-broken and milk-fed. Sit down. Go away, Henry! The gentleman's nerves are a little upset after his sprint with Willy Horse." Mr. Ainsworth sat down, but the guide did not do so until Mrs. Shafto had called off her animal and made him lie down. "That was the voice of nature whispering to you, Mr. Ainsworth," suggested Emma demurely. "Henry had a message for you. You should have listened. Did you ever have the birds of the air, or the beasts or the trees, tell you their secrets, sir?" Emma's face wore a serious expression. Chet and Tobe gazed at her with sagging jaws, then glanced at Hippy. Hippy Wingate tapped his own head with a finger and sighed. "They do get that way sometimes. We have others in our outfit who are similarly affected," he said sadly. "So I have discovered," articulated Ainsworth. "I reckon we'll be going." "Certainly not," interjected Grace. "Don't mind Mr. Wingate. He too is somewhat queer at times. You will stay here to-night, both of you. We could not be so inhospitable as to permit you to start out at this hour of the night. In the morning you will have breakfast and, if you wish, an early start." "Sure," agreed Tom. "We have a lean-to that is not occupied. You can bunk in there." "Thanks, but chain up that bear or I won't be responsible for what happens. Think over my offer to-night," he urged, turning to Hippy. "After you have slept over it you will see that it is to your best interests to accept." "Thanks," answered Hippy. "Good-night." After the visitors and the Overland girls had turned in, and the campfire was fixed for the night, Tom and Hippy had a confidential talk, their visitor and his proposals being the subject of the discussion; then they too sought their browse-beds. Yells and a shot, punctuated by screeches from Joe Shafto, awakened all hands in the gray of the early morning. "Is it peace, or is it war again?" mumbled Anne, sitting up and rubbing her eyes sleepily. "It certainly does sound like war, but I think it is only the beginning of it," answered Grace, hurriedly throwing on her clothes and running out to see what the uproar was about. What she saw caused Grace and her companions, who had followed her out, to utter gasps of amazement. CHAPTER XXI A WISE OLD OWL "What's the trouble, Tom? Oh, stop them!" cried Grace. "Let her finish it," answered Tom briefly. "Sick 'em, Henry!" shouted Hippy Wingate, who saw the black bear humping himself across the camp, not yet having discovered what the uproar was about. "What's this? What's this?" he cried, suddenly comprehending.