"Don't pitch the tent yet. We must be in marching order," directed
Butler, after leaping into his saddle. "And don't worry about us, for
we'll be all right."

Nodding to Ned Tad started off at a fast gallop. But despite Tad's
cheerfulness he realized that he had taken upon himself a serious
piece of work, one that might be the death of both. Still, he was
nothing daunted. He was determined to go to the bottom of the mystery,
whatever the cost might be to himself.

Tad knew also that he could depend upon Ned Rector, for Ned was brave
and resourceful, a boy who would keep his head in an emergency.

They made the trip to the mountains without incident. There Tad pulled
up for a conference.

"Now tell me what your plan is?" said Ned.

"First we will ride on a little further along the base here. I see a
place where I think we can hide our ponies. I don't want to go back
to the point where we first started to make camp. That is the place
where our enemy will be looking for us first. But when he gets there
we'll be somewhere in the vicinity."

Ned wheeled his pony without further comment and followed Tad at a slow
trot along the base of the foothills. The boys were engaged on a more
desperate mission than they knew.