At its conclusion, Grace paid another visit to the scene of Lieutenant Wingate's undoing.
This time, Grace followed the trail left by the two men who had captured him, and then on down the stream until she came in sight of a rocky clearing, where she believed the captors had left the brook and followed out the plan that she had visualized.
Grace dared not press her investigation further, nor even show herself, the Overland girl shrewdly reasoning that the spot would be watched by those responsible for Hippy's disappearance.

She was not desirous of taking unnecessary chances just yet, for, being the captain of her party, she was responsible for their safety.
All during the rest of the day, after her return to camp, one or the other of the girls was posted outside the camp, secreted in the bushes, to prevent a surprise by intruders.

So far as they could discover no one approached the camp.
The camp having been pitched at the extreme end of the open space, the campfire, at Elfreda's suggestion, was built at the opposite end, which, as she pointed out, would leave their tents in a shadow after dark, for there were a few scattering laurel bushes between the tents and the fire, but not so dense that the view was greatly interfered with.
The outside guarding was continued until nearly bedtime, eyes and ears being strained, not only for prowlers, but for the return of Hippy Wingate.
"If we get no word to-morrow, what ?" questioned Anne.
"Grace and myself will take the trail," announced Elfreda.

"If she does not think it wise to go, I can go alone." "We will both go, unless something occurs to make our going inadvisable," answered Grace quietly.

"Elfreda, you and I will sit up together to-night, if you don't mind." After the others had turned in and Washington had piled some hard wood on the fire, so that a bed of coals might remain for some hours after the flames had died out, Grace and Elfreda sat down together in the shadows near the tents and began their long night's vigil.
Their conversation was pitched too low to be heard by one a yard away; in fact it was carried on mostly in whispers.
Elfreda's watch showed that it lacked but a few minutes of one when, as she gazed at the illuminated dial, Grace suddenly gripped her arm.
"I heard something in the bushes," whispered Grace.