tell him?"

"Nothing. I'll tell him about Bill Collins myself. Just say that
everything is all right and ask him to get Katharine on the telephone."

Again there was a pause. "He's got her," said Charley.

"Please tell Katharine," said the ranger, "that it was necessary to stay
in camp with you to-night. Ask how she and the little girl are."

While his friends sat in silence before the crackling fire, Charley took
the message. "Katharine says that everything is all right and they are
well. She thanks the fire patrols for taking care of her husband."

Charley said good-night and laid down his receivers. "Your wife is a
pippin," he said with a smile as he turned toward the ranger. "I don't
wonder you like her. Think of her thanking us for taking care of you. Why,
we'd be scared to death if we were here alone, with that confounded hyena
howling out there in the bushes. She must be a brave little woman. She
didn't seem a bit worried because you hadn't come home."

"I guess she had an idea I wouldn't get back to-night," said the ranger.
"You know it's a pretty good hike for one day."

Charley knew well enough that Mr. Morton was trying to mislead him. He saw
at once that the kind-hearted ranger had intended to spend the night in
camp. But not knowing what to say, he turned in silence to the pup, which
evidently smelled the wildcat, and tried to quiet him.

"You can be glad that you've got that dog," said the ranger. "I don't