The subject was discussed at greater length, and the plans made. The Melville boys agreed to conduct the girls across to a little town where they could hire a Ford to take them back to the ranch. “I suppose you can go without a chaperone,” said Mrs. Hilton, “because you will surely reach the ranch by afternoon. So I had better stay here.” “May Daisy and I ride a little piece with them?” asked Marjorie, who was not in the least tired or stiff. Somehow she dreaded a whole morning of inactivity; for the party had promised to wait there until after lunch for the boys to return. They started early, the girls in high good spirits at the prospect of reaching the ranch without encountering the dangers of the steep descent of the trail they had just climbed. They all talked and laughed so much that Marjorie and Daisy wished they might accompany them to the place where they were to get the automobile; but Tom persuaded them that this would be foolish, that they would tire themselves so that they would not be fit for the afternoon’s ride. “You better turn back now,” he said, consulting his watch; “but do be careful not to get lost.” “Oh, I’m sure we know the way,” replied Marjorie. “We’ll see you later.” Reluctantly, they said goodbye to the other girls, and turned their horses in the direction from which they had come. But they were quiet now, missing the gay chatter of their companions, and thinking how hard it would be to be separated from them during the next three days. “Well, I’m glad we’ll be back with the rest of the girls for lunch,” said Marjorie. Little did she think, as she said this, that they had taken the wrong trail, and if they continued in the direction for which they were headed, they stood not a chance in the world of reaching their camp by noon. But they rode on, blissfully ignorant of their plight. CHAPTER XIV. THE SEARCH. The morning passed uneventfully for those at camp. With seven of the party gone, the place seemed almost deserted. Alice and Ethel insisted upon working off their energy by taking a walk; but the rest were content to remain inactive, except for the slight assistance they rendered to the men in taking down their own tents. “We ought to be able to start by one o’clock,” remarked Mr. Hilton, consulting his watch. “At least, if we get lunch over at twelve, and Tom and Mike are back again.” Mrs. Hilton, too, looked at her watch, and a worried look came into her face as she did so. “Do you realize that it’s a quarter of twelve now, and Marjorie and Daisy aren’t back yet?” she asked. Her husband dispelled her fears with a reassuring suggestion. “They’ve probably decided to go all the way, and share the boys’ meal. There would be enough. We had better go right on with our own lunch.” “Yes, for we want to get started early,” said Bob. “It’s going to rain before night, I think, and it would be nice if we could reach the top of the mountain and get our tents up before it starts in.”