“Make a fire,” said the ranger.  “Collins already knows where our camp is and nobody else will be prowling around here at this hour.”

In a minute the boys had a fire going.  When they had a deep bed of coals, they dropped the ball of clay in it and made more fire on top of the bed.

While they were waiting for the clay to bake, Charley sat down at his wireless key.  As it was still early in the evening he did not feel certain that any of the Camp Brady boys would be listening in.  He called several times with no response, so he threw over his switch and resumed his conversation with his fellows.  When he flashed out his signals a quarter of an hour later, however, he got a prompt reply.

“I’ve got ’em,” said Charley quietly to his comrades.  “And it’s Henry talking.”  He was silent a while, listening to Henry’s message.  Then he said, “Henry wants to know when Lew is coming home.  Vacation is about ended.”

“Tell him that I think I’ll go back with the ranger to-morrow.  I’ve stayed as long as I possibly can.”

Again there was a pause.  “Henry wants to know what we are doing and whether or not we’ve had any adventures.  I wish I could tell him the real situation.  But that would never do.”

Charley turned to his key and began to tick off a message:  “Everything as quiet as—­” He stopped abruptly.  A cry that fairly made him shiver sounded in the forest.  He turned to the ranger.  “What in the world was that?”

“A wildcat,” replied the ranger.  “He smells the meat you hung up.  You’ll just have to be a bit watchful.  He may hang around here for days, and sometimes those fellows get nasty.”

Another piercing cry startled the night.  Again Charley shivered.  Lew got up and by putting more wood on the fire lighted up the interior of the thicket brightly.

Charley turned to his wireless key and sent a call signal flashing.

“What’s the matter?” came back Henry’s reply.  “Why did you cut off?”

“Wildcat,” flashed back Charley.  “Just outside our camp.  Smells our meat.  Scares a fellow half to death when he cries out.  Ranger says it may hang around for days.  Wish you would send us some traps.”

“You’ll bring them out on your next visit, won’t you?” said Charley, turning to Mr. Morton.

“Bring what out?” demanded the perplexed ranger.

“Why, traps.  I forgot that you couldn’t read the message I was sending.  I’m asking Henry for traps.”

“Tell him to send them along.  Trapping will be better than shooting under the circumstances, but don’t hesitate to use your gun if you need to.”

Charley turned back to his instrument and asked Henry to rush the traps.  He inquired about his fellows of the Wireless Patrol.  Henry had nothing out of the ordinary to report.  Then Charley asked Henry to get the forester at Oakdale on the telephone.

After a long wait, Charley’s receiver began to buzz.  “Henry has the forester on the telephone,” Charley explained to the ranger.  “What shall I tell him?”