"Thot bates th" band!"
Barney Mulloy could not express the astonishment he felt.
"What can that mean?"
Professor Scotch rose from the hammock, asking the question in a bewildered manner.
"I can tell you what it means," said Frank, also rising to his feet. "It seems to me there is but one explanation. Fay told me her father was not with her mother, that she had not seen him for a long time, and that her mamma cried when he went away. I believe there was some kind of trouble between the child"s parents, and that the one who is known as the hermit, who calls himself "the man without a name or a home," is the father of that child."
"Wa-al," drawled Old Rocks, "you may be a tenderfoot an" a kid, but yer has a little hawse sense. Ef you ain"t right, I"ll chaw my boots fer terbacker!"
"It certainly seems that you are right, Frank," nodded the little professor. "The man was drawn into the camp by your songs, he was fascinated when he saw the sleeping child, and he fled, with a cry of pain, when she murmured "papa." Yes, it seems quite certain that the hermit is the child"s father."
"Ef thet is right, things is comin" round sing"ler," said the guide. "Ef you kids hedn"t seen ther Injuns crawlin" up on ther bufferler you wouldn"t got inter ther sc.r.a.pe ye did; ef ye hedn"t got inter thet sc.r.a.pe ye wouldn"t found ther babby; if yer hedn"t found ther babby it"s likely she might hev starved ur bin eaten by wild critters; ef Frank hedn"t sung them songs ther hermit w"u"dn"t come inter camp; ef he hedn"t come inter camp he w"u"dn"t seen ther leetle gal; an" ef he hedn"t seen ther leetle gal we"d never suspected he wuz her father."
This was an unusually long speech for Old Rocks, who was given to short, crusty sentences.
"Do you know where this man lives?" asked Scotch.
"Wa-al, I dunno prezactly, but I reckon I kin find him ag"in."
"That is important; he must be found. The mother of this child must be taken to him. In that way a reunion may be brought about. Probably the unfortunate woman is quite distracted to-night. In the morning we will lose no time in finding her and restoring the child to her arms."
For some time they sat about the fire, discussing the strange events of the day. Finally, all became sleepy, and it was decided that they had better "turn in."
As Old Rocks seemed to sleep "with one eye open," they had not found it necessary to have any one stand guard since he had been with them. No wild animal could come prowling about the camp without arousing the old fellow in a moment.
The fire was replenished, the flap of the tent left open, so the warmth might enter, as the nights were rather cool, and the party retired.
In a short time all were sleeping soundly.
Frank"s slumber was dreamless, but he was finally aroused by being shaken fiercely.
"Git up hyar!" commanded a snarling voice.
In the twinkling of an eye he was wide awake and sitting up.
"What is the matter?" was the question that came from his lips, as, by the dim light that came from the dying fire, he recognized Old Rocks bending over him.
"Ther d.i.c.kens is ter pay!" grated the guide. "She"s gone!"
"She? Who?"
"Ther leetle gal."
"Fay?"
"Yep."
"Gone?"
Frank was dazed. He looked around and saw Barney and the professor sitting up near at hand, but, sure enough, he could see nothing of the child.
"Yep," nodded Old Rocks. "She ain"t in this yar tent."
"But--but how----"
"Dunno how she done it "thout wakin" me, but she"s gone."
"It must be that the Hermit crept in here and kidnaped her."
"Begorro!" cried Barney; "Oi belave thot is roight!"
"It seems reasonable," said the professor.
"Whut d"yer think!" snarled Old Rocks; "fancy I"d snooze right along an"
let anything like thet happen? Wa-al, I guess not! Dog my cats ef I know how it kem about, but there gal jest vanished."
"She appeared like a fairy, and like a fairy she has disappeared," said Frank. "But she may be near the camp. We must lose no time in making a search for her."
"Right ye are!" cried Old Rocks, as he led the way from the tent.
Hastening outside, they called to the child, but received no answer.
"Wait a little," advised the guide, as he replenished the fire. "Don"t go ter trompin" round yar too much. I wants ter look fer sign."
In this emergency they knew it was best to rely on his judgment, and so they remained quiet, watching his movements.
Having started up the fire, the guide began looking for "sign." His eyes were keen, and it did not take him long to find what he sought.
"Hyar"s whar she left ther tent," he declared.
The others looked, but the ground told them nothing.
"That"s foolishness," said Professor Scotch, sharply. "You don"t mean to say you can see anything here?"
"Wa-al, thet"s whut I mean. You"re a tenderfut, an" so yer can"t see anything. She wuzn"t carried off."
"It is not likely she went away alone."
"Likely or not, thet"s whut she done."
Bending low, Old Rocks followed the trail as far as the light of the fire reached.
"I reckon I kin torch her," he muttered.
"What do you mean by torching her?" asked Scotch.