“But who——­” began Jim.

“I don’t know.  That it was none of our party goes without saying.  Perhaps Mr. Grubb can tell us.  Who do you think it could have been, sir?” she asked, turning to the guide.

“I swum!  I swum!” muttered the guide.

“It isn’t possible!” exploded Jim.

“I reckon Miss—­Miss Burrell is right, Jim,” agreed the guide.  “Either you threw the stuff in, or somebody else did, and we know you didn’t, so what’s the answer?  The young lady has given us the answer, and there you are.”

“I’m sorry,” pondered Miss Elting.  “I was in hopes this journey would be free from unpleasantness, but here we are meeting with difficulties at the very start of it.  Have you any enemies who would wish to do you harm, Mr. Grubb?”

“No, no, no!  Nothing like that, Miss.”

“Do you know a man named Collins?”

“Collins?  Never heard of him.  Who is he?”

“I don’t know.  I will tell you something that you do not know, either.  The night we arrived at Compton a man called on me at the hotel to ask me to discharge you and let him act as our guide instead.  He said he needed the money.  He also said we would be sorry for having taken you as our guide; that we would get into no end of trouble were we to go with you.  He intimated a great deal more than he put into words.  It was plain that he disliked you very much.  He made a distinctly unfavorable impression upon me.  Harriet saw him, too, just as he was taking his leave.”

“Well, I swum!” Janus was tugging nervously at his whiskers.  There were beads of perspiration on his forehead.  His lips moved rapidly, but he uttered no further words for some moments.

“You may go out in the woodth and thay it, if you want to,” suggested Tommy, who had been regarding the guide shrewdly.

Every one laughed.  It was so plain that Janus did want to say things, yet restrained himself because of his position and the party he was conducting.

“Forget it!” he exploded.  “I haven’t any enemies.  Nobody but a crazy man would try to interfere with Janus Grubb.  They know me.  Why, there isn’t a man in the state who wouldn’t swear by me.  If you think I’m not dependable, that——­”

“No, Mr. Grubb,” hastily interposed Miss Elting.  “Please do not misunderstand me.  We are quite satisfied with you, but I hope you will be cautious.  It is plain that you have an enemy, and, what is more, I am positive that I have talked with that man, and that we had better proceed with caution.”

“I’ll take care of the rascal, once I set eyes on him,” growled the guide.  “What-for-looking man was he?”

Miss Elting described her caller, Harriet adding a few words with reference to the peculiar hitch of Collins’s shoulders as he walked.  Janus eyed the guardian with a worried look.  His fingers opened and closed nervously.  He gulped, then turned to her.