"Can we get up to where you are?" Now the fiery finger in the darkness began to write an answer; every letter was plainly carried out, so that not in a signal instance did Thad "trip up" as he read it aloud. "Yes, but come quick--bring rope--might fall any minute!" "I bet you he's hanging on to a little narrow shelf of rock!" declared Bumpus. "But if he is, how in the dickens could he get the fire to signal with; that's what bothers me?" muttered Giraffe. "Where are you?" signaled the scoutmaster, promptly, thinking to get all the information possible while the chance remained. "On a ledge part way down the cliff," answered the one who had said his was Aleck Rawson. "How did you get there?" went on Thad. "Lowered here, and left to die like a dog," came the stunning answer. "Did you ever hear the equal of that?" cried out Bumpus. "Now what sort of people could ever be guilty of such a horrible thing as that, I'd like to know?" "Oh!" remarked the guide, "they's a heap of bad men around these parts, I tell ye; but I got a notion I kin see through a board that's got a knot-hole in it. Ask him who put him there, Mr. Scout Master, please?" Thad would have done this, even though Toby had not spoken; indeed, he was even then about to start putting the question. "Who put you there?" "Colonel Knocker did--will you come and get me?" "The old villain!" gasped Bumpus. "He ought to be tarred and feathered for such a wicked piece of work. What d'ye suppose he did it for? I wonder now, if this same Aleck Rawson could know anything about the secret of that hidden mine; and Cracker-jack John just wants to torture him till he tells?" "That sounds like it, Bumpus; you're good at guessing things, after all," remarked Step Hen. "Keep still, back there; Thad's sending another message!" warned Giraffe. And in his steady way, the scoutmaster went on to flash back the reassuring words: "Yes, we will come to you. Hold on! It may take us some time. Start right away!" "Thank you!" came from above, and then the light that had moved backward and forward, up and down, and around in eccentric circles, vanished, as though with that last word the torch, if that was what it was, had been exhausted. But at least it had served long enough to bear a startling message to the boys of the Silver Fox Patrol, camping there in the valley of the great Rockies. "Now what?" exclaimed the impatient Giraffe. Somehow, not one of them gave the waiting supper a single thought just then; for this new and exciting diversion had made them utterly forget such a thing as being hungry. "I want several of you to go along with me," said Thad; "Toby for one, because of his strong arms, in case we have to do any lifting; also Giraffe; and Allan, perhap you'd like to be in the party also?" "I certainly would," declared the Maine boy instantly; "if you think I can be spared from the camp."