"Read it," replied Nestor.
"Head to the south! shouted Shaw. "Who put that here?"Nestor looked keenly into the astonished face before him.
"No tricks, now," he said. "Which of you boys placed this stone signal?"No one made answer, and Frank bent down to make a closer inspection of the rocky floor of the shelf. Presently he gave a wild whoop and arose to his feet with something in his hand.
"What do you know about this?" he demanded. "What do you know about it, anyway?""Crazy," grunted Jimmie. "What is it?"
"The badge of the Black Bear Patrol," was the amazing reply. "Now, who put it there? Some of the Black Bears said they were coming down here, but how could they get to the top of this range?"It was, indeed, a puzzling find. The stone sign had certainly been placed where it had been found within a few hours, for one side of the large rock was still a trifle damp, having undoubtedly been taken from some shady place.
But how should the Black Bears of New York reach that almost unknown country? That was the question.
"They said they'd sleuth on "Fremont," Frank said, after a pause.
"But they couldn't have followed him here," insisted Fenton. "And, if they had, they would not have been putting up stone signs when we were only a few yards away.""The sign says, 'Keep to the south,' Nestor observed, "and we may find the solution of the mystery there."Anxious for a sight of his old chums of the Black Bear Patrol, and unable to control his feelings, Shaw darted on ahead, passed around a corner of rock, and disappeared from the sight of the other members of the party.
"I hope he won't go an' get lost," Jimmie said, taking a swifter pace.
In a moment, however, it became evident that Shaw was not lost;that, in fact, he was very much found, and with an undiminished lung capacity. Such Black Bear growls and sniffs as came from around the corner of the cliff were never heard before outside of a Wild West show. There seemed to be half a dozen Black Bears growling at, and ready to devour each other.
When Nestor turned the corner of the cliff he saw four boys mixed up in what seemed to be a desperate struggle. It was from this group that the wild growls were coming. Now and then a word of greeting or a joyful laugh came from the storm-center, but the playful struggle went on.
"Holy Smoke!" Frank cried presently, drawing himself away from the bunch.
"What do you think of it? Look who's here! Three Black Bears, Harry Stevens, Glen Howard and Jack Bosworth. How did you get here, boys, and did you bring anything to eat with you?"The three Black Bears were introduced to the other members of the party, then tongues ran swiftly, and they all talked at the same time. Occasionally Nestor stepped to the shelf, just around the angle of the cliff, and looked down on the outlaws, making their way to the plain below. When Harry Stevens asked about Fremont, the boys pointed at the distant party and told the story of his capture.
"We'll have him back before night," Stevens declared. "There are seven of us now, and that's enough to put up a lively fight.""But how did you happen to light on this mountain?" asked Frank, still staring with the wonder of the meeting.
"It was as easy as following a white elephant," laughed Stevens.
