“Hello!” called the boy again; “who are you?”

“Hello!” he replied.  “Pepper Blake.  Who are you?”

“Tom Brown,” replied the other, then, with his trumpet, sending out a call that went echoing among the rocks until it brought back an answering call.  “Say, hold on until I get down there,” he said, addressing Pepper, then clambering down until he stood beside the lost boy.  “Do you know we have been hunting all over for you?”

“No,” replied Pepper; “but I am mighty glad to see you just the same.”

“How did you get down here?” went on Tom.

“Tumbled down, mainly,” was the reply.  “I took a drop from the top of the hill yonder.”

By this time several more of the boys, who were members of the Highpoint Patrol, had joined them and began to ply the object of their search with questions.

“Hold on a minute,” said one of them.  “Say, Pepper, ain’t you hungry?”

“Well, I had a bite,” he confessed; “but that was a good while ago, and I want to get on with this message.”

“I guess you have got there,” said the boy, with a laugh.  “I am Jack Dudley, the Leader; you can give it to me.”

“All right,” replied Pepper, with a sigh of relief; “I got it to you, anyhow.”

“You certainly did,” said Jack.  “Lucky we brought along a day’s rations.  We didn’t know how long we might be out.  Now,” as the boys got out their supplies from their knapsacks and spread them out on the rocks, “tell us how you got here.”  Whereupon Pepper related the story of his adventures.

“My goodness!” exclaimed Tom, when the story was finished, “I don’t believe it is safe for you to be out alone.  What do you say, boys, don’t you think we ought to see him safe home?”

“Sure,” agreed the others.

“It’s getting dark now,” continued Tom, “and there is no telling what he will find on the road.”

So, in spite of Pepper’s protests that he was all right and that once put upon the right road he could take care of himself, the boys insisted upon escorting him to the outskirts of Creston, which they reached without further misadventure.

“Do you think you will be safe now?” asked Tom as they were about to leave him.

“Of course I will,” replied Pepper, with a laugh; “why, I am almost home.”

“Well, then, good night,” they called, and with three cheers for Pepper, the messenger of the Uncas, the Highpoint boys turned about and went on their way home.

Tired, but happy that he had succeeded in delivering the message, Pepper hurried on home.  He was almost there when he was accosted by a schoolmate and was told that his brother Jack and others had been seen going into Judge Taylor’s office.  It was but a step farther, so thither he directed his course.

CHAPTER XVIII

IN THE JUDGE’S OFFICE

Colonel Snow and the greatly excited boys accompanied the officer and his charge to the judge’s office.