ond Blue Mountain, whereon Hammond and his friends had their summer camp, and its dark shadows fell afternoons i

ing up at the half-naked heights that thrust themselves skyward. "It's much prettier at a distance. I haven't any sympathy for these fellows who form

good chill," laughed Sep Colson. "It would be such a

g a little wood. But, seriously, doesn't it seem to you a great waste of energy for a mighty little return

he footstool, Browning. I should think you'd be just dancing with joy this morning to think how you slipped through that scrape down at

nd, of course, I'm going with you, even if I haven't got

ining face, from a dip in the lake. "Indade, we couldn't git on wid

ret. It would be difficult to prove anything against either Sam Turner, Ward Hammond or Bob Thornton, and

attempt having failed he was keeping himself out of sight, and would continue to

untain, and the goal a flat rock beyond the mountain's outthrust s

's party arrived, and two had been sent on some time before to station themselves at the rock, t

," declared Rattleton, stabbing his alpi

ll come all right," Me

swim yit!" observed Toots, a smile of plea

s something to praise them for. It's my opinion, too, that they'll give us a hard c

r Frank Merriwell. He recognized that Craig Carter had made a sad mess of it by striking at Frank

conversation, and was not without a fear that Merriwell

een so complete that he chose to pass the matter by

r looked a

es the rock first is to be counted winner. The object

groaned, as Merriwell grouped his party

ady. "You ought to do it in two hours, or less. I won't atte

right, while Sep Colson, who had been chosen to lead the Lake Lily Club, because of his greater famil

id, "but the traveling is easi

s heels, and others fell in behind him,

grunted Browning, as a bowlder s

uoinin' to roise yer spairts," ad

were jogging down a declivity at a lively pace, Colson s

t?" Frank

re's Nell Thornt

ttleton, looking in the direction i

o grumble, when he saw the slim fo

n a precipitous bluff, clin

y," declared Bruce, with an admiration that was

now," said Merriwell. "It won

Nell came shyly toward the par

eat them thar other fe

ind," declar

imbers. Thar's a path which the mounting men foller when they air in a hurry, sech o' them ez k

s with perfect safety

ward Browning, as if for c

ing f

be perfectly safe with us, Miss Thornton

"an' it'll pleasure me ter help you ter do it. You uns'll hev

down which she had swung, and

to see me killed. Those vines will come down li

and the girl led t

the cedar. Then grab them vines an' git along ez best ye kin. T

Merriwell grasped the slim hickory and drew himself up to the s

and Rattleton. Then came B

vines broke under the weight of Browning, and of Ephraim Gallup,

to a dim path leading through a thicket of laure

es. Two or three uv 'em'll maybe hump ye, but I'm sure you uns, by holpin'

e turned away. "You have place

laurel, for the route was an unknown one to all. He

ck variety leaped up in front o

tleton, with a laugh. "Those are wild hogs, you m

e enough to justify R

't be bad," said Hodge. "One of th

for the stout alpinstocks they had provided as well. The way was rough and steep,

d Browning, mopping his heated face

stah Browning, when you sweat dat way," laug

me!" Bruc

other fellows are ge

I'm depending on the judgment of that girl, and you know that we have the

ong!" chimed in Diamond,

a!" laughe

are you grinning abou

ays to the strong, what a fight a polecat would

clared the boy from Vermont, with a smile. "I tried to poke one out

rilous crevices, which they were forced to leap, dipping into narrow

the top!" cried Rattleton,

looked at

"That starter thought the climb could be made in two

ught a view of the path from that other slope a while

is!" cried Merriwell, coming

ot of a flat rock that r

ow," asserted Diamond. "The path

stepped

d we'd have to help each other. Climb up on my shoulders here, Gallup. You're the

here!" snorted Gal

wait for him. We may lose the race if we do. And it will punish

wning, putting himself in position against the wall of

n gave his hand to Merriwell, and was

man in this game of high and lofty tumbling, I want you fellows

shoulders, and Merriwell ca

p the branches of a tree that hung down at that poi

of the rope. "Put that loop around your waist, Diamond, and I'l

en all were at the top but himself. "You'll lose valuabl

do much, only keep yourself from scratching scales off the rock. There's enough of us up here to lift

d not have been sorry if they had gone on without him.

him to the top, but it was

ight yet," sa

ning up the path, was

"I took a peep through the bushes, and the rock isn't a hundred yards away. I saw t

oked at his

d. Lead on, Rattleton. If you've seen the r

a whoop, closely followed by Merriwell, who

with only the timekeepers the