They were not there; neither were they lying under the four pines on the ridge where they were wont to rest at midday.

He turned with some alarm to the new claim adjoining theirs, but there was no sign of them there either.

A sudden fear that they had, after parting from him, given up the claim in a fit of disgust and depression, and departed, now overcame him.

He clapped his hand on his head and ran in the direction of the cabin.
He had nearly reached it when the rough challenge of "Who's there ?" from the bushes halted him, and Demorest suddenly swung into the trail.
But the singular look of sternness and impatience which he was wearing vanished as he saw Barker, and with a loud shout of "All right, it's only Barker! Hooray!" he ran toward him.

In an instant he was joined by Stacy from the cabin, and the two men, catching hold of their returning partner, waltzed him joyfully and breathlessly into the cabin.