The mountaineer glanced at the group about the fire, but shook his head. "No, I thank ye. I jest came down to ask if a big brown mare I found whinnyin' around my corral is the one Mr. Packard loaned ye? I would have asked Meg hed she been to home, but she went, sudden-like, to Scarsburg, along of some school-work, and she'll put up at the inn there for several days." Dan thanked the mountaineer for the trouble he had taken, adding, "There really is no place here to keep the horse. I suppose that is why it wandered up to you. As soon as Jean Sawyer comes again, I will send it back." The mountaineer assured the boy: "No need to do that, Danny, if you'd like to keep it. I'll jest let it into my corral along of Bag-o'-Bones. They seem to be actin' friendly enough." The man was about to leave, when Dan said, "Mr. Heger, we boys have been over to Crazy Creek Camp today and we are rather puzzled about something." He then told what they had seen, ending with, "We're afraid that old Ute came to life, and that he will continue to blackmail Meg." The mountaineer shook his head, saying: "No, Danny, Slinkin' Coyote'll never more be seen in these parts, lest be it's his ghost. Arter Meg tol' me what had happened, I went down to put the sheriff wise. He reckoned 'twouldn't do, no-how, to leave the body unburied, and that the county'd have to tend to it." The girls uttered sighs of relief. Jane rose, when the mountaineer had departed, saying, "Well, now, I guess we can all sleep without fear of a visit from Slinking Coyote." CHAPTER XXXIII. JANE'S BIRTHDAY For the next two days the boys searched high and low, far and near, without finding the box. On the morning of the third, which was Saturday, Jane announced at breakfast that, as it was her birthday, she wished to go down to the inn and get the mail. The stage would not come up that way until the following Monday. Instantly there was an uproar. Julie, whose foot was nearly well again, hopped around the table and threw her arms about her big sister's neck without fear of being rebuked because the fresh muslin collar might be crushed. The older girl slipped an arm lovingly about the child, who stood with her cheek pressed against the soft dark hair. Dan reached a hand across the table. "Jane, so it is! This is the wonderful day on which you are eighteen. I congratulate you!"