But Alf evidently preferred to stick to them. He ran along at
the heels of the last rapidly striding man. Joe Timmins was the
only one absent, he having remained at the camp site to keep a
watchful eye over the automobile.

Jim Ferrers was in the lead, his trained eyes searching the ground
for the trail of the tents.

Within five minutes the party came upon the tents and the food
supplies, all of which had been dumped into a thicket in confused
piles.

"We'll sort this out and get it back to camp," Tom proposed.
"Alf, little hero, redeem yourself by buckling down to a good
load. Come here; let me load you down."

Alf meekly submitted, cherishing a half hope that he would not
be discharged from his new position after all.

At the end of an hour the stuff had all been taken back and the
camp looked a good deal as it had looked that morning.

"Now, Alf," directed Tom in a milder, kinder tone, "you hustle
over and break your back helping Mr. Ferrers to get supper ready.
We're a famished lot. Understand?"

Alf was only too glad to be able to understand that his part in
the dismantling of the camp had been overlooked. While Tom and
Harry led their guests into one of the tents, young Drew hastened