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"A nugget! A nugget of gold! " cried Dave. — Page 276. 
 
■ 
 
 2>ave porter Series 
 
 DAVE PORTER 
 IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 OR 
 
 THE SEAECH FOR THE LANDSLIDE MINE 
 
 BY 
 
 EDWAED STRATEMEYER 
 
 Author of " Dave Porter at Oak Hall," " The Lakeport Series," 
 " Pan-American Series," " Old Glory Series," etc. 
 
 ILLUSTRATED BY WALTER ROGERS 
 
 '<><■ 
 
 BOSTON 
 LOTHROP, LEE & SHEPARD CO. 
 
Published, August, 1914 
 
 Copyright, 1914, by Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Co. 
 
 All rights reserved 
 
 Dave Porter in the Gold Fields 
 
 "ttotwool> ipress 
 
 Berwick and Smith Co. 
 
 Norwood, Mass. 
 
 U. S. A. 
 
PREFACE 
 
 " Dave Porter in the Gold Fields " is a 
 complete story in itself, but forms the tenth 
 volume in a line issued under the general title of 
 " Dave Porter Series." 
 
 The series was begun some years ago by the 
 publication of " Dave Porter at Oak Hall," in 
 which my young readers were introduced to a 
 typical American lad at a typical American board- 
 ing school. 
 
 There was at that time a cloud over Dave's 
 parentage, and to clear this away he took a long 
 sea voyage, as related in the next volume, entitled 
 " Dave Porter in the South Seas." Then he came 
 back to school, as told of in " Dave Porter's 
 Return to School," in which he gave one of the 
 local bullies a much-needed lesson. 
 
 During a vacation Dave journeyed to Norway, 
 as related in " Dave Porter in the Far North," 
 and then came back to Oak Hall, to win various 
 honors, as recorded in " Dave Porter and His 
 Classmates." Then came an opportunity to visit 
 the West, and how our hero did this is set down 
 in the book called " Dave Porter at Star Ranch." 
 
iv PREFACE 
 
 When he returned to school many strenuous hap- 
 penings awaited him, and what they were will be 
 found in " Dave Porter and His Rivals." 
 
 Dave had lived for years with a rich manufac- 
 turer of jewelry, and when this man was robbed 
 it was our hero who followed the criminals in a 
 long flight, as told in " Dave Porter on Cave 
 Island." Then, with the booty in his possession, 
 the youth returned home, to go back to school, 
 from which he soon after graduated with honors, 
 as shown in the volume preceding this, entitled, 
 " Dave Porter and the Runaways." 
 
 In the present volume are related the particu- 
 lars of another trip West, taken by Dave and his 
 chums to locate a lost gold mine, willed to Roger 
 Morr's mother by her brother. The boys had 
 some strenuous happenings, and some of their old- 
 time enemies did all they could to bring their 
 expedition to grief. But Dave showed his com- 
 mon sense and his courage, and in the end all 
 went well. 
 
 Once again I thank my young readers for the 
 interest they have shown in my books. I trust 
 that the reading of this volume will benefit them 
 all. 
 
 Edward Stratemeyer. 
 
 February i, 19 14. 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 CHAPTEH 
 
 I. The Landslide Mine . 
 
 
 
 II. 
 
 Dave Porter's Past 
 
 
 
 III. 
 
 Caught in a Storm 
 
 
 
 IV. 
 
 A Question of Stocks . 
 
 
 
 V. 
 
 A Trap for Job Haskers 
 
 
 
 VI. 
 
 Another Surprise 
 
 
 . \ . 
 
 VII. 
 
 A Gathering of Oak Hall Boys 
 
 
 
 VIII. 
 
 Fire and Firecrackers . 
 
 
 
 IX. 
 
 What Nat Poole Had to Tell 
 
 
 
 X. 
 
 Dave at Home 
 
 
 
 XL 
 
 Overheard in the Summer-Housi 
 
 i 
 
 
 XII. 
 
 On the Way West 
 
 
 
 XIII. 
 
 Dave Sees Something . 
 
 
 
 XIV. 
 
 In Butte 
 
 
 
 XV. 
 
 At Abe Blower's Home 
 
 
 
 XVI. 
 
 On to Black Cat Camp 
 
 
 
 XVII. 
 
 Along the Mountain Trail 
 
 
 
 XVIII. 
 
 The Stolen Horses 
 
 
 
 XIX. 
 
 The Newspaper Clew . 
 
 
 
 XX. 
 
 The Exposure 
 
 
 
 XXI. 
 
 On the Back Trail 
 
 
 
 XXII. 
 
 Dave and the Mountain Lion 
 
 
 
 XXIII. 
 
 In the Mountain Cave 
 
 
 
 XXIV. 
 
 Searching for the Landslide Mine 
 
 
 XXV. 
 
 Caught in a Storm 
 
 V 
 
 
 
i 
 
 CHAPTER 
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 PAGE 
 
 XXVI. 
 
 Prowlers in Camp .... 
 
 • 251 
 
 XXVII. 
 
 The Two Prisoners .... 
 
 . 26l 
 
 SXVIII. 
 
 The Lost Landslide Mine . 
 
 . 270 
 
 XXIX. 
 
 Another Landslide .... 
 
 • 279 
 
 XXX. 
 
 The New Claim — Conclusion 
 
 . 288 
 
ILLUSTRATIONS 
 
 " A nugget! A nugget of gold ! " cried Dave (Page 276) 
 
 Fr07itispiece 
 
 FACING 
 PAGE 
 
 " Brake up, Roger, there's a tree or a big limb ahead ! " . 32 
 As Dave looked, he saw a corner of a distant fence fly 
 
 apart 76 
 
 They waved their handkerchiefs, and the boys on the 
 
 platform swung their caps 128 
 
 But this time Dave was too quick for him. He pushed 
 
 the man back 148 
 
 " Quick, somebody help me ! Stop that horse from fall- 
 ing over the cliff ! " 170 
 
 As he pulled the trigger of the pistol, the mountain lion 
 
 jumped at him 222 
 
 " If you locate that mine before we do, don't you dare 
 
 to remove any of my uncle's landmarks ! " . . . 252 
 
DAVE PORTER IN THE 
 GOLD FIELDS 
 
 CHAPTER I 
 
 THE LANDSLIDE MINE 
 
 " Roger, that sounds like a fairy tale — a real 
 gold mine belonging to your mother lost through 
 a landslide! " 
 
 " So it does sound like a fairy tale, Dave; but 
 it is absolutely true. The mine was owned by my 
 uncle, Maurice Harrison, of Butte, Montana, and 
 when he died he left it to my mother, who was his 
 sister. On the day he died there was a big land- 
 slide in the mountains, where the mine was 
 located, — and that was the end of the mine, as 
 far as my folks were concerned." 
 
 " You mean you couldn't find the mine after the 
 landslide? " asked Dave Porter, with deep interest. 
 
 " That's it," answered Roger Morr. " The 
 opening to it was completely covered up, and so 
 were the stakes, and several landmarks that 
 showed where the mine was located." 
 
 " But why didn't you tell of this before, 
 
2 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 Roger? " asked a third youth of the group seated 
 on the lawn of Senator Morr's country estate. 
 " Did it just happen?" 
 
 " No, Phil, this happened last fall, about nine 
 months ago. The reason I didn't mention it to 
 you and Dave was because my folks wanted it 
 kept quiet. From what my uncle said in his will, 
 the mine must be very valuable, and my folks 
 didn't want any outsiders to re-discover the mine 
 and set up a claim to it. So they started a search 
 on the quiet — hiring some old miners and pros- 
 pectors they could trust. But the search has been 
 in vain." 
 
 "Couldn't they discover the mine at all?" 
 queried Dave Porter. 
 
 " No, the landslide was too heavy and too far- 
 reaching. The old miners told my father it was 
 the biggest landslide known in Montana. One 
 prospector said he thought the mine must now be 
 a hundred feet or more underground." 
 
 " Had your uncle worked it at all? " questioned 
 Phil Lawrence. 
 
 " Not much, but enough to learn that it was a 
 valuable claim. It was in a district that had been 
 visited by landslides before, and so he called it the 
 Landslide Mine." 
 
 " Well, your uncle could be thankful for one 
 thing — that he wasn't in the mine when that big 
 slide took place. But you said he died anyway." 
 
THE LANDSLIDE MINE 3 
 
 " Yes, of pneumonia, on the very day the slide 
 took place. Wasn't it queer? Dad and mother 
 went out to Butte, to the funeral — Uncle Maurice 
 was an old bachelor — and then they heard his will 
 read and learned about the mine." 
 
 " And they couldn't get any trace at all, 
 Roger? " asked Dave, as he stopped swinging in 
 the hammock he occupied. 
 
 " Nothing worth following up. One of the 
 miners thought he had a landmark located, but, 
 although he spent a good deal of money digging 
 around, nothing came of it. You see that big 
 landslide seemed to change the whole face of 
 the country. It took down dirt and rocks, and 
 trees and bushes, and sent them to new resting 
 places." 
 
 " Perhaps the mine was washed away instead 
 of being covered up," suggested Phil. 
 
 " No, all those who have visited the locality 
 are agreed that the entrance to the claim must 
 have been covered up." 
 
 " Say! I'd like to hunt for that mine! " cried 
 Dave Porter, enthusiastically. 
 
 " So would I," returned Roger Morr, wist- 
 fully. " I know my mother would like to have 
 somebody find it — just to learn if it is really as 
 valuable as Uncle Maurice thought." 
 
 " Well, if you two fellows go West to look for 
 that mine you can count on having me with you," 
 
4 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 put in Phil Lawrence. " We were going to de- 
 cide on what to do for the next two months. If 
 Roger says the word " 
 
 " Oh, I could do that easily enough," said the 
 senator's son. " But Dave wrote that he had 
 something up his sleeve. Maybe his plans won't 
 fit into this." 
 
 11 But they just will fit in ! " cried Dave. " At 
 least, I think they will," he added, more slowly. 
 "You say this mine is located in Montana?" 
 
 " Yes." 
 
 " Well, that isn't very far from Yellowstone 
 Park, is it?" 
 
 " No — in fact a corner of the Park is in Mon- 
 tana." 
 
 " Then, while the others were taking the trip 
 through Yellowstone Park we could go out to 
 that mining district and try to locate this missing 
 mine," went on Dave, with a smile. 
 
 "What are you talking about, Dave?" ques- 
 tioned his two chums, in a breath. 
 
 " I'm talking about a personally-conducted tour 
 of the Park that some folks in and around Crum- 
 ville are getting up. Mr. Basswood, Ben's 
 father, is at the head of it. It's a sort of church 
 affair. They have got my folks interested, and 
 my Uncle Dunston says he will go, and so 
 will Laura, and Mrs. Wadsworth, and Jessie, 
 and half a dozen others you know. They 
 
THE LANDSLIDE MINE 5 
 
 thought maybe we boys would want to go, 
 too." 
 
 "Wow! All to the merry! " cried Phil, and 
 leaping out of the willow chair he occupied, he 
 turned a " cart-wheel " on the lawn. " Say, this 
 fits in better than a set of new teeth, doesn't it? " 
 he went on, enthusiastically. 
 
 " When is this grand tour to come off? " asked 
 Roger. 
 
 " It starts about the middle of July — just two 
 weeks from to-day. The plan is to spend about 
 four weeks in and around the Park, seeing every- 
 thing thoroughly. You know there are some fine, 
 comfortable hotels there, and folks like Mrs. 
 Wadsworth don't like to travel in a hurry." 
 
 " Going through the Park would certainly be a 
 great trip," said Roger. " And especially with 
 the girls." 
 
 " We could travel with them as far as — let me 
 see, what's the name of the place — oh, yes, Liv- 
 ingston. That's where they leave the main line 
 of the railroad to go on the little branch to the 
 Park." 
 
 " Well, if they spent four weeks in the Park 
 that would give us plenty of time to hunt for the 
 mine," said Phil, thoughtfully. " But it would 
 be a big job." 
 
 " And a dangerous one," added Roger. " Re- 
 member, where there have been several landslides 
 
6 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 there may be more. Fact is, when I spoke to my 
 dad about going out there, he shook his head and 
 said I had better keep away — that the search 
 ought to be conducted by experienced men who 
 understood the lay of the land and all that." 
 
 " Oh, we could be careful," returned Dave, 
 impulsively. The idea of going in search of the 
 lost mine appealed to him strongly. 
 
 " Sure, we'd be careful," added Phil. " Aren't 
 we always careful? All aboard for the Landslide 
 Mine, say I ! Come on, if you are going! " And 
 he grinned broadly. 
 
 " Better wait until after lunch," returned the 
 senator's son, dryly. " We might have something 
 you'd like to eat, Phil." 
 
 " All right, just as you say." The other youth 
 dropped back into a wicker chair. " Say, doesn't 
 it just feel good to think that we have graduated 
 from Oak Hall and don't have to go back? " he 
 added, with a sigh of satisfaction. 
 
 " I'm glad I have graduated, but I am not so 
 glad that I am not going back," answered Dave. 
 " We had some good times at the Hall." 
 
 " So we did — dandy times ! " cried Roger. " I 
 tell you, I shall miss Oak Hall a great deal. I 
 shall miss our friends and also our enemies." 
 
 " Speaking of enemies, I wonder what ever be- 
 came of old Job Haskers," said Phil. 
 
 " I don't know and I don't want to know," 
 
THE LANDSLIDE MINE 7 
 
 came from Dave. " I never want to see that 
 good-for-nothing teacher again. I am glad, on 
 account of the fellows left at Oak Hall, that the 
 doctor discharged him." 
 
 " So am I," put in the senator's son. " Just 
 the same, Dave, Haskers will try to get square 
 with us if he ever gets the chance." 
 
 " Oh, I know that. But I don't intend to give 
 him the chance." 
 
 " Speaking of our enemies, I wonder what ever 
 became of Link Merwell," said Phil. " He seems 
 to have dropped out of sight completely." 
 
 " I rather imagine he has left the country," 
 returned Roger. " For if he was around at all, 
 some of the school fellows would be sure to hear 
 of him. Say, he certainly was a bad egg." 
 
 " Yes, but not as bad as Nick Jasniff," said 
 Dave. " I am glad they locked that fellow up. 
 He was an out-and-out criminal." 
 
 " Let us drop those fellows and get back to this 
 lost mine," interrupted Phil. " If we are really 
 going out to Montana we ought to make some 
 sort of preparations for the trip." 
 
 " Oh, we've got two weeks to do that in, Phil," 
 answered Roger. " And please to remember, 
 Fourth of July is coming, and I am expecting 
 several of the other fellows here to help celebrate. 
 We can fix it up about that western trip after the 
 Fourth." 
 
8 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 "Who are coming, Roger, did you hear?" 
 asked Dave. 
 
 " Shadow Hamilton for one, and perhaps Bus- 
 ter Beggs and Luke Watson. I asked some of the 
 other fellows, but they had other engagements. 
 Old John went down to the post-office for letters 
 a while ago. Maybe he'll bring news." 
 
 " Here he comes now," cried Dave, as he saw 
 a colored man-of-all-work coming along the road 
 that ran in front of the Morr estate. " And he's 
 got a bundle of letters." 
 
 All three boys ran across the broad lawn to 
 meet the colored man. 
 
 "Any letters for me, John? " 
 
 " Don't forget me! " 
 
 " Who's the pink envelope for? " 
 
 " Letters fo' all ob yo' young gen'men, I 'spect," 
 returned the man-of-all-work. " Mebbe yo' kin 
 sort 'em out better'n I kin, Massa Roger," he 
 added. " My eyesight ain't no better'n it ought 
 to be." And he handed the bunch of mail over 
 to the senator's son. 
 
 " One for Phil and two for Dave," said Roger, 
 looking the mail over. " And four for myself. 
 Pretty good. Here, John, take the rest into the 
 house." 
 
 Without ceremony the three chums returned to 
 their resting place on the shady lawn and began 
 the perusal of their letters. 
 
THE LANDSLIDE MINE 9 
 
 " Mine is from my father," said Phil. " He 
 is going to take a trip on one of his ships to Nova 
 Scotia and he wants to know if I wish to go 
 along." 
 
 " One of these letters is from Gus Plum," said 
 Dave. " He is going to Europe with his folks. 
 The other letter is from — er — from Crumville." 
 
 " I'll wager it is from Jessie Wadsworth," re- 
 marked Phil, slyly. " Come, Dave, what does 
 the lady fair say? " 
 
 " Sends her best regards to both of you," 
 answered Dave, blushing. " She writes mostly 
 about that proposed trip to Yellowstone Park, 
 and wants to know if you fellows are going along." 
 
 " One of these letters is from Luke Watson and 
 he will be here to-morrow," said Roger. " And 
 another is from Shadow and he is coming, too. 
 And this one — well, I declare ! Just listen to this ! 
 It's from Buster Beggs. And Roger read as 
 follows : 
 
 " I will be along for the Fourth. I've just had 
 a letter from Sid Lambert, that new fellow from 
 Pittsburg. He says he knows Link Merwell and 
 met him about a week ago. He says Merwell is 
 very bitter against you and Porter and Lawrence. 
 Merwell was going West on some business for his 
 father and then he was coming East. I would 
 advise you and your chums to keep your eyes peeled 
 for him. He can't show himself, for fear of ar- 
 
io DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 rest, and that has made him very vindictive. Sid 
 tried to get his address, but Merwell wouldn't 
 give it, and he left Sid very suddenly, thinking 
 maybe that some one would put the police on his 
 track." 
 
CHAPTER II 
 
 DAVE PORTER'S PAST 
 
 " What do you think of that, fellows? " asked 
 Roger, as he concluded the reading of the letter. 
 
 " I am not surprised," answered Dave. " Now 
 that Merwell finds he can't show himself where 
 he is known, he must be very bitter in mind." 
 
 " I thought he might reform, but I guess I was 
 mistaken," said Phil. " Say, we had better do as 
 Buster suggests, — keep our eyes peeled for him." 
 
 " We are not responsible for his position," re- 
 torted Roger. " He got himself into trouble." 
 
 " So he did, Roger. But, just the same, a fel- 
 low like Link Merwell is bound to blame some- 
 body else, — and in this case he blames us. I am 
 afraid he'll make trouble for us — if he gets the 
 chance," concluded Dave, seriously. 
 
 And now, while the three chums are busy read- 
 ing their letters again, let me introduce them 
 more specifically than I have already done. 
 
 Dave Porter was a typical American lad, now 
 well grown, and a graduate of Oak Hall, a high- 
 class preparatory school for boys located in one 
 of our eastern States. 
 
12 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 While a mere child, Dave had been found wan- 
 dering beside the railroad tracks near the little 
 village of Crumville. He could not tell who he 
 was, nor where he had come from, and not being 
 claimed by any one, was taken to the local poor- 
 house. There a broken-down college professor, 
 Caspar Potts, had found him and given him a 
 home. 
 
 In Crumville resided a rich jewelry manu- 
 facturer named Oliver Wadsworth, who had a 
 daughter named Jessie. One day the Wadsworth 
 automobile caught fire and Jessie was in danger 
 of being burned to death, when Dave rushed to 
 the rescue and saved her. For this Mr. Wads- 
 worth was very grateful, and when he learned 
 that Dave lived with Mr. Potts, who had been 
 one of his instructors in college, he made the man 
 and the youth come to live with him. 
 
 " Such a boy deserves to have a good educa- 
 tion and I am going to give it to him," said the 
 rich manufacturer, and so Dave was sent to 
 boarding school, as related in the first volume of 
 this series, entitled " Dave Porter at Oak Hall." 
 There he made a host of friends, including Roger 
 Morr, the son of a United States senator; Phil 
 Lawrence, the son of a rich shipowner; Shadow 
 Hamilton, who loved to tell stories; Buster Beggs, 
 who was fat and jolly; Luke Watson, who was a 
 musician of considerable skill, and many others. 
 
DAVE PORTER'S PAST 13 
 
 The main thing that troubled Dave in those 
 days was the question of his identity, and when 
 one of his school rivals spoke of him as a " poor- 
 house nobody " it disturbed him greatly. Re- 
 ceiving something of a clew, he went on a long 
 voyage, as related in " Dave Porter in the South 
 Seas," and located his uncle, Dunston Porter, and 
 learned for the first time that his father, David 
 Breslow Porter, was also living, and likewise a 
 sister, Laura. 
 
 After his great trip on the ocean, our hero re- 
 turned to Oak Hall, as related in " Dave Porter's 
 Return to School." Then, as he had not yet met 
 his father, he went in search of his parent, the 
 quest, as told of in " Dave Porter in the Far 
 North," taking him to Norway. 
 
 Glad to know that he could not be called a poor- 
 house nobody in the future, Dave went back to 
 Oak Hall once again, as related in " Dave Porter 
 and His Classmates." He now made more 
 friends than ever. But he likewise made some 
 enemies, including Nick Jasniff, a very passionate 
 fellow, who always wanted to fight, and Link 
 Merwell, the son of a rich ranchowner of the 
 West. Jasniff ran away from school, while under 
 a cloud, and Merwell, after making serious 
 trouble for Dave and his chums, was expelled. 
 
 Laura Porter had a very dear friend, Belle 
 Endicott, who lived in the Far West, and through 
 
H DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 this friend, Dave and his chums, and also Laura, 
 and Jessie Wadsworth, received an invitation to 
 spend some time at the Endicott place. What 
 fun and adventures the young folks had I have set 
 down in " Dave Porter at Star Ranch." Not far 
 from Star Ranch was the home of Link Merwell, 
 and this young man, as before, tried to make 
 trouble, but was exposed and humbled. 
 
 The boys liked it very much on the ranch, but 
 all vacations must come to an end, and so the lads 
 went back to school, as recorded in " Dave Porter 
 and His Rivals." That was a lively term at Oak 
 Hall, for some newcomers tried to run athletic 
 and other matters to suit themselves, and in addi- 
 tion Link Merwell and Nick Jasniff became stu- 
 dents at a rival academy only a short distance 
 away. 
 
 The Christmas holidays were now at hand, and 
 Dave went back to Crumville, where he and his 
 folks were living with the Wadsworths in their 
 elegant mansion on the outskirts of the town. At 
 that time Mr. Wadsworth had some valuable 
 jewels at his works to be reset, and directly after 
 Christmas came a thrilling robbery. It was 
 Dave, aided by his chums, who got on the track 
 of the robbers, who were none other than Jasniff 
 and Merwell, and trailed them to the South and 
 then to sea, as told in " Dave Porter on Cave 
 Island." After many startling adventures the 
 
DAVE PORTER'S PAST 15 
 
 jewels were recovered and the thieves were 
 caught. But, at the last minute, Link Merwell 
 managed to escape. 
 
 When Dave Porter returned again to Oak Hall 
 he found himself considered a great hero. But 
 he bore himself modestly, and settled down to 
 hard work, for he wished to graduate with honors. 
 His old enemies were now out of the way and for 
 this he was thankful. 
 
 But trouble for Dave was not yet at an end. 
 One of the teachers at Oak Hall was Job Haskers, 
 a learned man, but one who did not like boys. 
 Why Haskers had ever become an instructor was 
 a mystery. He was harsh, unsympathetic, and 
 dictatorial, and nearly all the students hated nim. 
 He knew the branches he taught, but that was all 
 the good that could be said of him. 
 
 Trouble came almost from the start, that term, 
 and not only Dave, but nearly all of his chums were 
 involved. A wild man — who afterwards proved 
 to be related to Nat Poole, the son of a miserly 
 money-lender of Crumville — tried to blow up a 
 neighboring hotel, and the boys were thought to 
 be guilty. In terror, some of them feared arrest 
 and fled, as related in " Dave Porter and the 
 Runaways." Dave went after the runaways, and 
 after escaping a fearful flood, made them come 
 back to school and face the music. The youth 
 had a clew against Job Haskers, and in the end 
 
16 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 proved that the wild man was guilty and that the 
 instructor knew it. This news came as a thunder- 
 clap to Doctor Clay, the owner of the school, and 
 without ceremony he called Haskers before him 
 and demanded his resignation. At first the dicta- 
 torial teacher would not resign, but when con- 
 fronted by the proofs of his duplicity, he got out 
 in a hurry; and all the other teachers, and the 
 students, were glad of it. 
 
 "And now for a grand wind-up! " Dave had 
 said, and then he and his chums had settled down 
 to work, and later on, graduated from Oak Hall 
 with high honors. At the graduation exercises, 
 Dave was one of the happiest boys in the school. 
 His family and Jessie and several others came 
 to the affair, which was celebrated with numerous 
 bonfires, and music by a band, and refreshments 
 in the gymnasium. 
 
 "And now what are you going to do do?" 
 Laura had asked, of her brother. 
 
 " First of all, he is going to pay me a visit," 
 Roger had said. " I have been to your house half 
 a dozen times and Dave has hardly been to our 
 place at all. He is to come, and so are Phil and 
 some of the others. My mother wants them, and 
 so does my dad." 
 
 " Well, if the others are to be there, I'll have 
 to come, too," Dave had replied; and so it had 
 been settled, and that is how we now find the boys 
 
DAVE PORTER'S PAST 17 
 
 at Senator Morr's fine country mansion, located 
 on the outskirts of the village of Hemson. Dave 
 and Phil had been there for four days, and Roger 
 and his parents had done all in their power to 
 make the visitors feel at home. 
 
 " Here is some more news that I overlooked," 
 said Roger, as he turned over one of his letters. 
 " This is from a chum of mine, Bert Passmore, 
 who is spending his summer at Lake Sargola, 
 about thirty miles from here. He says they are 
 going to have a special concert to-morrow after- 
 noon and evening, given by a well-known military 
 band from Washington. He says we had better 
 come over and take it in." 
 
 " I shouldn't mind taking in a concert like that," 
 replied Phil. " I like good brass-band music bet- 
 ter than anything else." 
 
 " How about you, Dave? " 
 
 " Suits me, if you want to go, Roger." 
 
 " We could go in the car. Maybe ma and 
 dad would go, too." 
 
 Just then the bell rang for lunch, and the 
 visitors hurried off to wash up and comb their 
 hair. Roger went to his parents, who were in the 
 library of the mansion, and spoke about the band 
 concert. 
 
 " I can't go — I've got to meet Senator Barcoe 
 and Governor Fewell in the city," said the sena- 
 tor. " But you might take your mother, Roger, 
 
1 8 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 and maybe some of her friends. The big car will 
 hold seven, you know." 
 
 " Sure, if mom will go," and the youth looked 
 at his mother with a smile. 
 
 " I might go and take Mrs. Gray and Mrs. 
 Morse," said Mrs. Morr. " They both love 
 music, and since the Grays lost their money, Mrs. 
 Gray doesn't get out very much. I'll call them 
 up on the telephone and find out, Roger;" and so 
 it was settled. 
 
 But the other ladies could not go, and in the 
 end Mrs. Morr decided to remain home also. So 
 it was left, the next morning, for the three boys 
 to go alone. 
 
 " I'll take the little four-passenger car," said 
 Roger. " No use in having the big car for only 
 three." 
 
 " Boys, Roger tells me you think of going 
 West," remarked Senator Morr, who stood near. 
 He was a big man, with a round, florid face and 
 a heavy but pleasant voice. " Think of trying to 
 locate that lost mine ! Is there anything you lads 
 wouldn't try to do? " And the big man laughed 
 in his bluff, hearty manner. 
 
 " Well, it won't hurt to try it, Senator," replied 
 Dave. 
 
 " Not if you keep out of trouble. But I don't 
 want you boys to go to that neighborhood and get 
 caught in another landslide — not for all the gold 
 
DAVE PORTER'S PAST 19 
 
 in Montana," and the senator shook his head de- 
 cidedly. 
 
 " Oh, we'll be careful, Dad," burst out Roger. 
 " You know we are always careful." 
 
 " I don't know about that, Roger. Boys are 
 apt to get reckless sometimes — I used to be a bit 
 that way myself. We'll have to talk this over 
 again — before it's settled," and then the senator 
 hurried off to keep his appointment with the 
 other politicians. 
 
 In anticipation of the trip, Roger had had the 
 paid chauffeur of the family go over the four- 
 passenger touring-car with care, to see that every- 
 thing was in shape for the run to Lake Sargola. 
 The lake was a beautiful sheet of water, some 
 eight miles long and half a mile wide, and at the 
 upper end were located several fine hotels and 
 numerous private residences. 
 
 The boys had decided to go to the lake by a 
 roundabout way, covering a distance of about 
 forty miles. They left at a little after ten o'clock, 
 calculating to get to the lake in time for lunch. 
 They would attend the afternoon concert, take 
 Roger's chum out for a short ride around the lake 
 road, and then return to Hemson in time for the 
 evening meal. 
 
 Roger was at the wheel and it was decided that 
 Dave and Phil should ride on 'the back seat, so as 
 to be company for each other. Mrs. Morr came 
 
20 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 out on the veranda of the mansion to wave them 
 a farewell. 
 
 "Keep out of trouble, Roger!" she called. 
 " Remember, there are a good many autos around 
 the lake, and some of the drivers are very fast 
 and very careless." 
 
 " I'll have my eyes open," answered the boy. 
 " Good-by! " And then he started the car, put on 
 more power, and swept from the spacious grounds 
 in grand style. 
 
 " My, but it is going to be a warm day! " re- 
 marked Phil, as they ran into a streak of hot air. 
 
 " I hope it is only warm," replied Dave, as he 
 looked at the sky. 
 
 " Why, what do you mean, Dave? " asked the 
 shipowner's son, quickly. 
 
 " I don't much like the looks of the sky off to 
 the southwest. Looks to me as if a storm was 
 coming up." 
 
 " Oh, don't say that ! " exclaimed Roger. " We 
 don't want any rain." 
 
 " So we don't, Roger. But we'll have to take 
 what comes." 
 
CHAPTER III 
 
 CAUGHT IN A STORM 
 
 "Some class to Roger's driving!" cried Phil, 
 as the little touring-car swept along, in the 
 direction of Lake Sargola. " Roger, if you ever 
 want a recommendation as a chauffeur " 
 
 " We'll give it to him on gilt-edged paper," fin- 
 ished Dave, with a grin. " But, I say, don't make 
 the turns quite so swift," he added, as they swept 
 around a curve at such speed that he was thrown 
 up against Phil. 
 
 " Don't get scared — I know this car as well as 
 Mary knew the tail of her lamb," responded the 
 senator's son, gayly. " Why, we are only making 
 thirty-five miles an hour," he added, half reproach- 
 fully. 
 
 On and on they rolled, up hill and down dale, 
 and through several villages. At one spot they 
 went through a flock of chickens, that scattered in 
 all directions. Not one was touched, but an old 
 farmer shook a hay-rake at the boys. 
 
 " Kill my chickens an' I'll have th' law on ye ! " 
 he yelled. 
 
 ax 
 
22 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 "Never came within a mile of 'em!" cried 
 Roger, gayly, and then the car whirled out of 
 hearing. 
 
 As they passed on, the lads frequently looked 
 at the sky. But the clouds, that had been gath- 
 ering, appeared to drift away to the north- 
 ward. 
 
 " Maybe the storm is going around us," sug- 
 gested Phil. 
 
 " I hope so," answered Dave. " I don't like to 
 travel in an auto in wet weather — too much dan- 
 ger of skidding." 
 
 A little later they came in sight of the lake and 
 the first of the cottages, and then they ran up to 
 one of the big hotels. A young fellow on the 
 veranda waved his hand to them. 
 
 "There is Bert, now!" cried Roger. And 
 then the young fellow, who had been telephoned 
 to early in the morning, ran down the steps to 
 meet Roger and was speedily introduced to the 
 others. 
 
 " It's going to be a dandy concert this after- 
 noon," said Bert Passmore. " The bandmaster 
 is going to play one of his new marches and a 
 medley of patriotic airs, as well as a piece called 
 ' A Hunt in a Storm.' They say it's fine." 
 
 " I hope they don't have to play it in a storm," 
 returned Dave, with another look at the sky. 
 
 " Oh, that storm has gone the other way," 
 
CAUGHT IN A STORM 23 
 
 answered Bert Passmore. " They often do up 
 here." 
 
 " Did you get tickets? " asked Roger. 
 
 " Sure; and I've reserved seats for you at our 
 table, too, for lunch, and for dinner to-night, if 
 you'll stay." 
 
 " I don't know about to-night, Bert. But I'm 
 thankful to you, just the same. After the concert 
 we want to give you a ride around the lake." 
 
 "That will be fine!" 
 
 The car was put under the hotel shed, and 
 the boys went in the hotel to prepare for lunch. 
 Mr. and Mrs. Passmore were present and were 
 introduced, and a little later all sat down to 
 eat. 
 
 There was an amusement park not far from the 
 hotel and the band concert was to be given there, 
 in a large pavilion that was open on the sides. 
 As it was but a short distance away, the boys 
 allowed the car to stay in the shed and walked 
 to the place. A big crowd was collecting, and by 
 the time the concert commenced, the spot was 
 jammed with people. 
 
 " It's a lucky thing your friend got reserved 
 seats for us," observed Dave to Roger. " Just 
 look at the crowds coming in ! " 
 
 Phil had gone off — to get some programs. 
 Now, as he pushed his way to his seat, his face 
 showed unusual excitement. 
 
24 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 " Guess whom I saw ! " he gasped, as he sat 
 down. 
 
 " Who was it? " demanded his chums, quickly. 
 
 " Job Haskers." 
 
 " Never! " cried Roger. 
 
 "What is he doing here? " demanded Dave. 
 
 41 1 saw him for only a moment," explained the 
 shipowner's son. " He was right in the crowd 
 and I couldn't follow him." 
 
 44 Was he alone? " asked Dave, with increasing 
 interest, for he had not forgotten the trials and 
 tribulations this former teacher of Oak Hall had 
 caused him. 
 
 44 1 don't know that, either — there were so many 
 people around him." 
 
 44 Maybe you were mistaken, Phil," said Roger. 
 
 44 Not much ! I'd know Job Haskers out of a 
 million." 
 
 44 1 think we all would," murmured Dave. 
 44 Did he see you?" 
 
 44 1 don't think he did. He was over there — 
 that's all I know about it," and Phil pointed with 
 his hand into a crowd on their left. 
 
 44 We can take a look around for him between 
 the parts and after the concert," said Dave; and 
 then the brass band struck up and the concert 
 began. 
 
 The various musical numbers were well ren- 
 dered, and encores were numerous. The concert 
 
CAUGHT IN A STORM 25 
 
 was divided into two parts, with fifteen minutes 
 intermission, and during that time the boys from 
 Oak Hall and Bert walked around, the former 
 looking for Job Haskers. But if the former 
 teacher of Oak Hall was present the boys failed 
 to locate him. 
 
 During the second part of the concert came the 
 wonderful new march and the fantasy, " A Hunt 
 in a Storm," and both came in for prolonged ap- 
 plause. Then came a medley of national airs, 
 ending with the " Star Spangled Banner," at 
 which the audience arose; and the performance 
 came to an end. 
 
 " Wasn't it fine ! " cried Roger, enthusiastically. 
 
 " Yes, indeed," answered Dave, warmly. " I 
 am glad we came over." 
 
 " Couldn't have been better," was Phil's com- 
 ment. 
 
 " Quarter after four," said Roger, consulting 
 his watch. " Bert, we can take you around the 
 lake with ease before we start for home." 
 
 " Yes, and you can have dinner with us, too, 
 before you go," was the reply. " Now don't say 
 ' No ', for father and mother expect it, and so 
 do I." 
 
 " All right, then, we'll stay," answered Roger, 
 after a look at Dave and Phil. " We can start 
 for home about eight o'clock, or half-past." 
 
 The boys walked back to the hotel shed and got 
 
26 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 out the touring-car. Bert took the vacant seat 
 beside Roger, and away the party bowled over the 
 highway that ran around Lake Sargola. 
 
 " I wish we had a car," said Bert. " But dad 
 won't get one, because, last summer, a friend of 
 his was killed in an automobile accident." 
 
 " Well, that's enough to take the nerve out of 
 any one," was Dave's answer. 
 
 The car rolled on, and Bert asked about the 
 doings of the boys at Oak Hall, and told of life 
 at the technical training school which he attended. 
 They had almost circled the lake when Roger 
 slowed down. 
 
 " What do you say to a trip to the top of Sugar 
 Hill?" he asked. 
 
 " Sugar Hill? " cried Bert. "Can you go up 
 that hill with this car? " 
 
 "Sure!" was Roger's prompt reply. "It's 
 pretty steep, I know, but I'm sure I can make it." 
 
 " It's a fine view from there, Roger. But the 
 hill is pretty steep towards the end." 
 
 " Oh, I'm not afraid of it." The senator's son 
 turned to the others. " What do you say? " 
 
 " I'll go anywhere," declared Phil. 
 
 " Same here," laughed Dave. " But don't be 
 too long about it, Roger." 
 
 "Why?" 
 
 " I think that storm is working its way back 
 again." 
 
CAUGHT IN A STORM 27 
 
 "Oh, nonsense, don't be a croaker, Dave! It 
 won't rain in a year of Mondays!" cried the 
 senator's son, and then he put on speed once more, 
 and headed the touring-car for Sugar Hill. 
 
 The place mentioned was an elevation about a 
 mile back from the lake. It was almost a moun- 
 tain in size, and the road leading to the top was 
 anything but a good one, being filled with ruts 
 and loose stones. But the engine of the car was 
 powerful, and it was not until they were almost to 
 the top of the hill that Roger had to throw the 
 gears into second speed. 
 
 " Some climb and no mistake ! " murmured 
 Dave. "Can you make it, Roger?" 
 
 " Top or bust! " was the laconic answer. 
 
 Scarcely had the senator's son spoken when 
 there came a loud report from the front end of 
 the car. 
 
 "A blowout! " gasped Phil. 
 
 " The front tire on this side has gone to 
 pieces!" announced Bert. "Will you have to 
 stop?" 
 
 " Can't — not here! " announced Roger, grimly. 
 And then he shut his teeth hard and turned on 
 more gasoline. Up and up they bumped, the 
 burst tire cutting deeply into the rough stones. 
 But the power was there, and in less than thirty 
 seconds more the car came to a standstill on the 
 level top of Sugar Hill. 
 
28 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 " Phew; that was a narrow shave! " remarked 
 Bert, as the boys got out of the car. " Roger, 
 what would you have done if you couldn't go 
 ahead? There wasn't room to turn." 
 
 "I knew there wasn't room, Bert; that's the 
 reason I made the car go up," was the reply. " It 
 was a bad hole to get caught in." 
 
 " I guess it cost you the shoe," remarked Dave, 
 as he examined the article. " Pretty well cut up." 
 
 " It was an old one, anyway, Dave. Now we'll 
 have the pleasure of putting on one of those new 
 ones," and he smiled grimly, for he did not like 
 that task any better than does any other autoist. 
 
 11 Oh, we'll all help," cried Phil. " It won't be 
 so bad, if we all take turns at pumping in the air." 
 
 " Wish I had one of those new kind of machine 
 pumps on the car," answered Roger. " But I 
 haven't got it, so it's got to be bone labor, boys." 
 And then the damaged wheel was jacked up and 
 a new shoe with its inner tube was put on and 
 inflated. All told, the job took the boys a full 
 half-hour, for the new shoe was a tight fit and 
 did not want to go over the rim at first. 
 
 " Hello, what do you know about this! " cried 
 Phil, as they were finishing the blowing up of the 
 tube. " It's raining! " 
 
 " Yes, and look how black it is getting over 
 yonder ! " exclaimed Bert. " We are in for a 
 storm now, sure ! " 
 
CAUGHT IN A STORM 29 
 
 " I was almost certain we'd catch it," said 
 Dave. He unscrewed the pump from the wheel. 
 " Roger, we had better get back to that hotel just 
 as fast as we can." 
 
 " My idea, exactly, Dave, for I don't want to 
 be caught on this hilly road in a storm." 
 
 " Better put the top up," advised the ship- 
 owner's son. " It's going to pour in a few 
 minutes." 
 
 " And hadn't we better put on the chains, too, 
 Roger? " questioned Dave. " It may be danger- 
 ous work going down the hill if it rains hard." 
 
 " Yes, we'll put up the top and put on the 
 chains," was the quick reply of the senator's son. 
 " You fellows attend to the top and I'll see to the 
 chains." 
 
 By the time the top had been put up and 
 fastened it was raining steadily. Also, the wind 
 was beginning to blow, showing that the down- 
 pour was liable to become worse. 
 
 " Fasten the side curtains, Phil; I'll help with 
 the chains ! " sang out Dave, and while the ship- 
 owner's son and Bert fastened the curtains, so 
 as to keep out the driving rain, our hero aided 
 Roger. 
 
 "You'll get wet, Dave; better get in the car," 
 panted Roger, who was working as rapidly as cir- 
 cumstances permitted. 
 
 " No wetter than you," answered Dave, and 
 
30 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 then he pulled the second chain in place and 
 fastened it. Both boys got into the touring-car 
 just as a heavy crash of thunder sounded out. 
 
 "Phew! listen to that, and look at the light- 
 ning!" cried Phil. "Say, if you are ready, 
 Roger, we had better get out of here! " 
 
 " If you can only get back to the hotel," mur- 
 mured Bert, anxiously. " If I were you I'd not 
 think of going home until the storm clears away." 
 
 " Back to the hotel will be enough for me," 
 answered Roger. "All ready?" he asked, for 
 he had already cranked up. 
 
 " All ready," answered Dave, who had gotten 
 on the front seat, thus allowing Bert and Phil the 
 better shelter of the tonneau of the car. 
 
 The senator's son started up the automobile and 
 made a circle on the top of the hill. Then, just as 
 there came another flash of lightning and a loud 
 crash of thunder, the boys began the long and 
 perilous journey down the rough road leading 
 from Sugar Hill. 
 
CHAPTER IV 
 
 A QUESTION OF STOCKS 
 
 "Some rain, believe me! " 
 
 It was Dave who uttered the remark, as the 
 touring-car commenced the long and dangerous 
 descent of Sugar Hill. A sheet of water was 
 dashing against the wind-shield, which had been 
 raised as high as possible. 
 
 " I wish it was driving the other way," 
 answered Roger, who was peering forward. " It 
 covers the glass so I can hardly see." 
 
 " Better take it slow," suggested Dave. 
 
 Another flash of lightning lit up the scene, ac- 
 companied by a crack of thunder that made some 
 of the boys crouch down for a second. Then 
 came more wind and more rain. 
 
 " I hope the wind and lightning don't throw a 
 tree down across the roadway," cried Phil, loudly, 
 to make himself heard above the fury of the 
 elements. 
 
 "We've got our eyes open! " answered Dave. 
 " I'll look over the wind-shield," he added, to 
 Roger, and lifted a corner of the front curtain 
 for that purpose. 
 
 31 
 
32 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 " You'll get wet, Dave." 
 
 11 Not a great deal, and I'd rather do that than 
 have an accident," was the reply. 
 
 Roger had thrown the car into low gear, so 
 that the power was really acting as a sort of 
 brake. Slowly they slid along, over the wet 
 stones and dirt. Then came a sharp turn, and 
 the senator's son slowed down still more. The 
 touring-car skidded a distance of several feet, and 
 all held their breath, wondering if they would go 
 down into a small gully, or waterway, that lined 
 the road on one side. But in another moment 
 that danger was past, and all breathed more 
 freely. 
 
 But almost immediately a fresh peril con- 
 fronted them. At another turn Dave sent up a 
 warning cry: 
 
 " Brake up, Roger, there's a tree or a big limb 
 ahead!" 
 
 Through the rain-covered shield the senator's 
 son saw the obstruction. He set both the hand- 
 brake and the foot-brake, and all heard the wheels 
 and the chains scrape over the stones and dirt. 
 But the car could not be stopped, and two seconds 
 later crashed into the tree limb, a branch of which 
 came up, striking the wind-shield and cracking it. 
 
 "Look out for that glass!" yelled Bert, in 
 fresh alarm. " Don't get any in your eyes, 
 Roger!" 
 
Brake up, Roger, there's a tree or a big limb ahead!" 
 Page 32. 
 
A QUESTION OF STOCKS 33 
 
 The youth at the wheel did not reply. Dave, 
 quick to act, seized a lap-robe that was handy and 
 held it up in front of Roger, who did not dare to 
 leave the wheel. Then came a jingle of glass, but 
 the pieces fell at the feet of the boys in the front 
 of the car. The automobile itself slid on another 
 ten feet, dragging the tree limb with it. 
 
 " Say, that was a narrow escape ! " muttered 
 Phil, when the danger seemed over. 
 
 " We'll have to see how much damage has been 
 done," declared Dave. 
 
 He crawled from the car and Roger followed. 
 The other boys were also coming out in the storm, 
 but the senator's son stopped them. 
 
 " No use in all of us getting wet," he said. " I 
 don't think the damage amounts to much. A 
 mud-guard is bent and the hood is scratched and 
 the glass broken, but I guess that is all. But 
 we'll have to get the limb from under the car 
 before we can go ahead again," he added, after an 
 inspection. 
 
 " Can't you leave it as it is and use it as a drag 
 down the hill?" questioned Bert. 
 
 " I wouldn't do that," advised Dave. " It 
 might hurt some of the machinery under the car. 
 I think we can get it out somehow, Roger." 
 
 Both set to work, in the wind and rain. It was 
 far from a pleasant task, and despite the fact that 
 each had donned a dust-coat, both were pretty 
 
34 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 well soaked before the limb was gotten away from 
 the car. Then Roger made another inspection of 
 the automobile. 
 
 " I think it's O. K.," he said. " Anyway, we'll 
 try it." And then they cranked up once more; 
 and the journey was continued. 
 
 It was a slow trip, and at each turn on the hill 
 the senator's son came almost to a stop. He 
 was thinking they might meet a wagon coming the 
 other way, but neither vehicle nor person appeared. 
 Sometimes the visitors at the lake went to Sugar 
 Hill for a picnic, but evidently the concert, and the 
 thoughts of a possible storm, had kept them away 
 this day. 
 
 "Down at last!" cried Roger, presently, and 
 a moment later the touring-car rolled out on the 
 smooth and broad highway that connected with 
 that running around Lake Sargola. 
 
 " And I am mighty glad of it," declared Phil, 
 as he breathed a deep sigh of relief. 
 
 " Now for the hotel, and there I will see if I 
 can't get you fellows some dry clothing," said 
 Bert. " I guess each of you can wear one of my 
 suits. You are both about my size." 
 
 They took the shortest route to the hotel, arriv- 
 ing there fifteen minuts later. Roger ran the auto- 
 mobile to the porch and allowed the others to 
 alight and then took the car to the hotel garage. 
 
 " Well, I am glad to see you boys back! " ex- 
 
A QUESTION OF STOCKS 35 
 
 claimed Mr. Passmore. " How did you come to 
 break the wind-shield? " And then he listened 
 with interest to the story the lads had to tell. 
 
 "Can't they stay here to-night, Dad?" asked 
 Bert, a little later, when Roger came in. " I 
 want to let them have some of my dry clothing, 
 and it is storming almost as hard as ever." 
 
 " Certainly, they can stay, if they will and we 
 can get rooms for them," replied Mr. Passmore. 
 
 The matter was talked over, and Roger called 
 his parents up on the telephone. A big room 
 containing two double-beds chanced to be vacant 
 in the hotel, and the lads took that. Then Dave 
 and Roger donned some clothing that Bert loaned 
 them while their own garments were being dried 
 and pressed. A little later all went into the din- 
 ing-room for dinner. 
 
 " This will knock out the concert for to-night," 
 remarked Bert, during the meal. 
 
 " Yes, and we can be glad we attended this after- 
 noon," answered Dave. 
 
 " They are going to have a dance here this 
 evening," said Mrs. Passmore. 
 
 " Oh, we don't want to go to any dance ! " cried 
 her son. " They are not dressed for it, and 
 besides, I've got it all arranged. We are going 
 to bowl some games — Roger and I against Dave 
 and Phil." 
 
 " Very well, Bert, suit yoursef," answered the 
 
36 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 mother. " But if you wish to dance, perhaps I 
 can introduce your friends to some of the young 
 ladies." 
 
 But the boys preferred to bowl and so went to 
 the basement of the big hotel, where there were 
 some fine alleys. They bowled five games, Dave 
 and Phil taking three and Roger and Bert two. 
 In one game Dave turned a wide " break " into 
 a " spare," and for this the others applauded him 
 not a little. 
 
 The games over, the boys washed and then 
 went upstairs to watch the dancing. Bert and 
 Phil danced a two-step with some young ladies 
 that Bert knew. Just as they started off, Dave 
 caught Roger by the arm. 
 
 " What is it, Dave? " asked the senator's son, 
 quickly. 
 
 " Maybe I'm mistaken, but I just thought I saw 
 Job Haskers ! " 
 
 "Where?" and now Roger was all attention. 
 
 " Going into the reading-room with another 
 man." 
 
 " Humph ! Say, let us find out if he is really 
 here." 
 
 " He isn't staying here, I know that." 
 
 "How do you know?" 
 
 " I asked the clerk." 
 
 While speaking the two youths had walked 
 away from the ballroom of the hotel. Now they 
 
A QUESTION OF STOCKS 37 
 
 found themselves at the entrance to a long, nar- 
 row apartment that was used as a writing and 
 smoking room for men. Half a dozen persons 
 were present, several writing letters and the others 
 talking in low tones and smoking. 
 
 In an alcove two men had just seated them- 
 selves, one an elderly person who seemed some- 
 what feeble, and the other a tall, sharp-faced 
 individual who eyed his companion in a shrewd, 
 speculative manner. 
 
 " That's Job Haskers, sure enough," mur- 
 mured Roger, as Dave pointed to the sharp-faced 
 man. " Wonder what he is doing here? " 
 
 " Well, he has a right to be here, if he wishes," 
 returned Dave. 
 
 The two former students of Oak Hall stood at 
 one side and watched the man who had been their 
 teacher for so long and who had proved himself 
 dishonorable in more ways than one. 
 
 " Unless I am mistaken, he is trying to work 
 some sort of a game on that old gentleman," whis- 
 pered Dave, a few minutes later. " See how 
 earnestly he is talking, and see, he is bringing 
 some papers out of his pocket." 
 
 " Oh, it may be all right, Dave," replied the 
 senator's son. " Not that I would trust Job Has- 
 kers too far," he added, hastily. 
 
 The two lads continued to watch the former 
 teacher of Oak Hall. He was still arguing with 
 
38 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 the old gentleman and acted as if he wanted to 
 get the stranger to sign a paper he held in his 
 hand. He had a fountain pen ready to be used. 
 
 " I'm going a little closer and look into this," 
 said Dave, firmly. " Perhaps it's all right, but 
 that old man may not know Haskers as we do." 
 
 " We can go around to the back door; that is 
 close to the alcove," suggested Roger, who was 
 now as interested as Dave in what was taking 
 place. 
 
 By walking through a narrow hallway the boys 
 reached the door the senator's son had mentioned. 
 This was within a few feet of the alcove, and by 
 standing behind the door Dave and Roger could 
 hear all the former teacher and the elderly gentle- 
 man were saying. 
 
 " It's really the chance of a lifetime," urged Job 
 Haskers, with great earnestness. " I never knew 
 of a better opportunity to make money. The con- 
 solidation of the five mills has placed the entire 
 business in the hands of the Sunset Company. If 
 you sign for that stock you'll be doing the best 
 business stroke you've done in a lifetime, Mr. 
 Fordham." 
 
 " Maybe, maybe," answered the old gentleman, 
 hesitatingly. " Yet I really ought to consult my 
 son before I do it. But he is in Philadelphia. I 
 might write " 
 
 " Then it may be too late," interposed Job 
 
A QUESTION OF STOCKS 39 
 
 Haskers. " As I told you before, this stock is 
 going like wildfire. And at thirty-five it's a bar- 
 gain. I think it .will be up to sixty or seventy 
 inside of a month — or two months at the latest. 
 You'd better sign for the hundred shares right 
 now and make sure of them." And Job Haskers 
 held out one of the papers in his hand and also the 
 fountain pen. 
 
 Roger and Dave looked at each other and prob- 
 ably the same thought flashed through the minds 
 of both. Should they show themselves and let 
 the elderly gentleman know just what sort of a 
 man Job Haskers was? 
 
 " I guess we'd better take a hand " com- 
 menced Dave, when he paused as he saw the old 
 gentleman shake his head. 
 
 " I— I don't think think I'll do it to-night, Mr. 
 Haskers," he said, slowly. " I — I want to sleep 
 on it. Come and see me again in the morning." 
 
 " The stock may go up by morning," interposed 
 the former teacher of Oak Hall. " It went up 
 day before yesterday, two points. Better bind the 
 bargain right now." 
 
 " No, I'll wait until morning." 
 
 "Well, when can I see you, Mr. Fordham?" 
 asked the other, trying to conceal his disappoint- 
 ment. 
 
 " I'll be around about ten o'clock — I don't get 
 up very early." 
 
40 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 " Very well, I'll call at that time then," said Job 
 Haskers. " But you might as well sign for it 
 now," and again he held out the paper and the 
 pen. 
 
 " No, I'll wait until to-morrow morning," an- 
 swered Mr. Fordham, as he arose. " It's time I 
 retired now. I — I'm not as strong as I once was." 
 
 " I am sorry to hear that. Well, I'll be around 
 in the morning, and I am sure you will realize that 
 this is a good thing, after you have thought it 
 over," said Job Haskers, with calm assurance, and 
 then he and the elderly man left the room. Dave 
 and Roger saw them separate in the main hall of 
 the hotel, the old gentleman going up-stairs, and 
 Job Haskers out into the storm. 
 
CHAPTER V 
 
 A TRAP FOR JOB HASKERS 
 
 " What do you think of it, Dave? 
 
 " I think Job Haskers is up to some game, 
 Roger." 
 
 " Selling worthless stocks? " 
 
 " Yes, or else stocks that are next door to worth- 
 less." 
 
 " I wonder who the old gentleman can be? He 
 looks as if he might have money. That diamond 
 ring he wears must be worth several hundred 
 dollars." 
 
 " Supposing we ask Mr. Passmore about him? " 
 suggested Dave. 
 
 " That's the idea." 
 
 The youths found Mr. Passmore in a protected 
 corner of a side porch, smoking. Most of the 
 storm was now over, but it still rained. 
 
 "Tired of bowling, eh?" said Bert's father, 
 who was a wholesale dealer in rugs. 
 
 " Mr. Passmore, we want to ask you some ques- 
 tions," said Roger. " Do you know an elderly 
 gentleman here by the name of Fordham? " 
 
 41 
 
42 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 "Fordham? Yes, I've met him. Nice man, 
 too, but rather feeble." 
 
 " Is he alone here? " asked Dave. 
 
 " Practically. He has a son that comes to see 
 him once in a while. Did you want to see him? " 
 
 " We have seen him, and we were wondering if 
 we hadn't better have a talk with him," explained 
 Dave. 
 
 " We'll tell you how it is," put in Roger, who 
 knew Mr. Passmore well. And then he and Dave 
 related the particulars of what they had seen, and 
 told something of what Job Haskers was. 
 
 "Hum! This might be worth looking into," 
 mused the rug dealer. " Of course, these stocks 
 may be all right. But it looks rather fishy to me. 
 Years ago I bought some stocks like that and they 
 proved to be utterly worthless. It certainly won't 
 do any harm to tell old Mr. Fordham what you 
 know about this man Haskers." 
 
 " I'd hate to get into a row " commenced 
 
 Roger. 
 
 " I wouldn't — not if I was going to save that 
 old gentleman's money for him," interrupted 
 Dave. " Job Haskers sha'n't pull the wool over 
 anybody's eyes if I can prevent it! " 
 
 " Oh, I am with you there, Dave! " cried the 
 senator's son, quickly. " I was thinking that per- 
 haps we would warn this Mr. Fordham without 
 Haskers knowing anything about it." 
 
A TRAP FOR JOB HASKERS 43 
 
 " Better not try to do anything to-night," said 
 Mr. Passmore. " You can see Mr. Fordham in 
 the morning, and I'll be present, if you wish it." 
 
 A little later the two boys found Phil and Bert 
 coming from the dance, and told their old school 
 chum of what they had witnessed. 
 
 " Of course, we ought to expose Haskers! " de- 
 clared the shipowner's son, who was not likely 
 to forget how he had suffered at the hands of the 
 former teacher of Oak Hall. " We'll go to this 
 Mr. Fordham and tell him just what a rascal 
 Haskers is ! " 
 
 The doings of the day had made all the boys 
 tired, and they slept soundly. Dave was the first 
 astir in the morning, but the others, including Bert, 
 soon followed. The storm had passed and the sun 
 was shining brightly. 
 
 " I'd like you fellows to stay here over the 
 Fourth," said Bert, when they went below for 
 breakfast. " Maybe we could have a dandy time." 
 
 " Can't do it," declared Roger. " I am expect- 
 ing company at the house — some more Oak Hall 
 fellows. But you might come there, if you care 
 to, Bert," he added. 
 
 " All right, I'll see about it." 
 
 Dave and the others had already made up their 
 minds what to do about Mr. Fordham. About 
 nine o'clock they sent a message to the elderly 
 gentleman's room, stating they wished to see him 
 
44 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 on a matter of importance to himself, and adding 
 that Mr. Passmore would be with them. 
 
 " He says for you to come right up," said the 
 bell-boy, who had delivered the message. 
 
 " Is he up yet? " questioned Dave. 
 
 "Yes, sir." 
 
 The bell-boy led the way to the room, which was 
 in a wing on the second floor. All the boys but 
 Bert went up, and Mr. Passmore accompanied 
 them. They found Mr. Fordham seated in an 
 easy chair. He looked quite bewildered at the en- 
 trance of so many visitors. 
 
 " Good-morning, Mr. Fordham," said Mr. 
 Passmore. " I suppose you are quite surprised to 
 see me at this time in the morning, and with so 
 many young gentlemen with me," and the rug 
 dealer smiled broadly. 
 
 " A bit surprised, yes," was the somewhat feeble 
 answer. " But I — I suppose it is all right." 
 
 " Let me introduce my young friends," went on 
 Mr. Passmore, and did so. " They have got 
 something they would like to tell you." 
 
 " To tell me? " questioned the aged man, curi- 
 ously. " Sit down, won't you," he added, politely, 
 and motioned to chairs and to a couch. 
 
 " We came to see you about a man who called 
 to see you last night, a Mr. Job Haskers," said 
 Dave, after a pause, during which the visitors 
 seated themselves. " Perhaps it is none of our 
 
A TRAP FOR JOB HASKERS 45 
 
 business, Mr. Fordham, but my chums and I here 
 felt it our duty to tell you about that man." 
 
 " We don't want to do him any harm, if he is 
 trying to earn an honest living," put in Roger, 
 " but we want you to be on your guard in any 
 dealings you may have with him." 
 
 " Why, what do you young men know of Mr. 
 Haskers?" demanded the old gentleman, in in- 
 creasing wonder. 
 
 " We know a great deal about him, and very 
 little to his credit," burst out Phil. " If you have 
 any dealings with him, be careful, or, my word for 
 it, you may get the worst of it ! " 
 
 " Why this is — er — very extraordinary! " mur- 
 mured Mr. Fordham. " I — I don't know what 
 to make of it," and he looked rather helplessly at 
 Mr. Passmore. 
 
 " Porter, you had better tell what you know 
 about Haskers," said Bert's father. " But cut it 
 short, for that man may get here soon." 
 
 In a plain, straightforward manner our hero 
 told of several things that had happened at Oak 
 Hall, which were not at all to Job Haskers' credit. 
 Then he told of the attempt to blow up the hotel, 
 and how the unworthy teacher had tried to throw 
 the blame on the students, and how the truth of 
 the matter had at last come out, and how the dic- 
 tatorial old teacher had been dismissed by Doctor 
 Clay. 
 
46 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 " And do you mean to tell me that this is the 
 man who is trying to sell me this stock in the Sun- 
 set Milling Company? " asked Mr. Fordham, 
 when Dave had finished. 
 
 " This is the same man," answered Roger. 
 
 " Yes, and Dave didn't tell you the half of what 
 can be chalked up against him," added Phil. " I 
 wouldn't trust him with a pint of peanuts." 
 
 " Hum ! Strange, and I thought he came highly 
 recommended! " 
 
 " If he showed you any recommendations I'll 
 wager they were many years old," said Dave. 
 
 " This is really none of my business, Mr. Ford- 
 ham," broke in Mr. Passmore. " But as this man 
 is so well known to these young gentlemen, and he 
 has proved himself to be so unworthy, I would 
 go slow about investing in stocks that he may 
 offer." 
 
 " Yes! yes! Certainly! " cried the elderly gen- 
 tleman. " But — er — why should these young men 
 take such an interest in me, a stranger?" 
 
 " We don't want to see Job Haskers get 
 the best of any one ! " answered Phil, bluntly. 
 " My opinion of it is, that he ought to be in 
 jail." 
 
 " I see, I see 1 Well, if he did what you say he 
 did, I don't blame you." 
 
 u I wouldn't sign for any stock until I had some 
 outside advice about it," cautioned Mr. Passmore. 
 
A TRAP FOR JOB HASKERS 47 
 
 "Why not wait until your son gets back?" he 
 suggested. 
 
 " I'll do it. Mr. Haskers wanted the deal 
 closed at once. But now I won't sign for the stock. 
 I'll wait. My son will be here day after to-mor- 
 row at the latest, and he can look into the matter 
 for me. And I am very much obliged to you all 
 for this warning. I think " 
 
 At that moment came a knock on the door, 
 which had been closed. A bell-boy was there 
 with a card, which he handed to Mr. Ford- 
 ham. 
 
 "Bless me! He is certainly on time!" mur- 
 mured the old gentleman. " It is Mr. Haskers." 
 He looked helplessly at the others. " I — I don't 
 exactly know what to do." 
 
 " We'll get out, if you say so," answered Roger, 
 quickly. 
 
 " Oh, say, can't we stay and face him? " asked 
 Phil, eagerly. " We'll give him the surprise of his 
 life!" 
 
 "Certainly, you can stay!" exclaimed Mr. 
 Fordham, with sudden energy. " I want you to 
 stay. You should not be afraid to say to his 
 face what you have said behind his back." 
 
 Dave looked around the apartment. A bath- 
 room was handy, the door standing ajar. 
 
 " Supposing we step in there for a few min- 
 utes, while you and Mr. Passmore meet Mr. 
 
48 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 Haskers," he cried. " We'll come out when you 
 say so." 
 
 " A clever idea ! " cried the rug dealer. " May- 
 be we'll be able to catch him in a trap! " 
 
 " Mr. Passmore, I'll leave this matter to you," 
 answered the elderly gentleman. " You know 
 those young men better than I do." 
 
 " So I do, and I'll vouch for Roger Morr and 
 his friends," was the answer. " Show the gentle- 
 man up," he added, to the bell-boy. " Don't tell 
 him who is here — we want to surprise him." 
 
 As the bell-boy left, the three chums crowded 
 into the bathroom, leaving the door on a crack. 
 Soon there came another knock, and Job Haskers 
 presented himself, silk hjt and cane in hand. He 
 was well dressed and evidently groomed for the 
 occasion. He had expected to find Mr. Fordham 
 alone, and was somewhat annoyed on beholding a 
 visitor ahead of him. 
 
 " Good-morning, Mr. Haskers," said the el- 
 derly gentleman, politely. " This is my friend, 
 Mr. Passmore." 
 
 " Happy to know you, sir," responded the 
 former teacher, with pretended warmth. " A 
 lovely morning after the storm," he went on, as 
 he drew off the gloves he was wearing. 
 
 " We were just discussing this stock you have 
 been offering to Mr. Fordham," remarked Mr. 
 Passmore, a bit dryly. " The Sunset Company is 
 
A TRAP FOR JOB HASKERS 49 
 
 a new one to me. Did you help to organize 
 it?" 
 
 " Well, I — er — I had a little to do with the or- 
 ganization," stammered the former teacher. 
 
 " You are a regular stock-broker, I presume, 
 Mr. Haskers." 
 
 " Yes, that is my business. But I don't deal in 
 ordinary stocks — I handle only those which are 
 gilt-edged and big money makers," added Job 
 Haskers, with a flourish. 
 
 " Been following the business for some years, I 
 presume." 
 
 " About fifteen, all told. I used to have an 
 office in Wall Street, New York, but I gave that 
 up, as I found the confinement bad for my 
 health." 
 
 " It must be a pretty exacting business," went 
 on Mr. Passmore. 
 
 " It is, sir. When a fellow is in stocks he can't 
 follow much of anything else." 
 
 " I'd hate to follow stocks for fifteen years." 
 
 " Do you mean to say you have been handling 
 stocks for the past fifteen years? " questioned Mr. 
 Fordham, slowly. 
 
 " Exactly, sir — ever since I gave up my position 
 as cashier of a Boston bank," returned Job Has- 
 kers, smoothly. " And now, to get down to busi- 
 ness, as my time is somewhat limited. I suppose 
 you are ready to subscribe for that stock? " And 
 
50 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 the former teacher brought forth a paper and his 
 fountain pen. 
 
 " We'll see," mused Mr. Fordham. " Dealing 
 in stocks for the past fifteen years, eh? How 
 long since you gave up your office in Wall 
 Street? " 
 
 "About — er — two years," stammered Job 
 Haskers. He looked keenly at Mr. Fordham and 
 then at Mr. Passmore. " What — er — why do you 
 ask me that question? " 
 
 " Mr. Fordham probably thought it strange 
 that you could be dealing in stocks and teaching 
 school at the same time," answered Bert's father, 
 dryly. 
 
 At this announcement Job Haskers' jaw 
 dropped. 
 
 " I — I don't understand you," he stammered. 
 
 " Well, you will understand in a minute," re- 
 turned the rug dealer, blandly. He raised his 
 voice. " Boys, I guess you had better come in 
 now! " 
 
CHAPTER VI 
 
 ANOTHER SURPRISE 
 
 The boys had listened to all that was said, and 
 now they lost no time in filing into Mr. Ford- 
 ham's bedroom. 
 
 Job Haskers stared at them in amazement, and 
 his face dropped in consternation. 
 
 "Porter!" he gasped. "And Morr and 
 Lawrence! Wha — what does this — er — mean?" 
 
 " Perhaps you know as well as we do," an- 
 swered Dave, sharply. 
 
 " You have been spying on me! " 
 
 " We are here by permission of Mr. Fordham," 
 returned Roger. 
 
 " How did you know I was to call? " 
 
 " Never mind about that," put in Phil. " We 
 are here, and that is enough." 
 
 " And we know all about what you are trying 
 to do," added Dave. 
 
 " This is a plot — a plot against me — to ruin 
 me! " spluttered the former teacher of Oak Hall. 
 " Oh, you needn't try to disguise it! I know all 
 of you!" 
 
 51 
 
52 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 " We have no plot against you, Mr. Haskers," 
 replied Dave, calmly. " If your business is per- 
 fectly legitimate " 
 
 "Never mind about that!" interposed Job 
 Haskers, hastily. He jammed the paper and his 
 fountain pen in his pocket. " You can't make a 
 fool of me! You have been following me up, and 
 you mean to — to — do what you can to — er — get 
 me into trouble." He backed towards the door- 
 way. 
 
 "What is your hurry, sir?" asked Mr. Pass- 
 more, and he quietly placed himself in front of the 
 door. 
 
 "Let me pass! Let me pass!" shrilled Job 
 Haskers, and now he looked thoroughly scared. 
 
 " Don't you wish to talk this matter over? " 
 questioned Mr. Fordham, wonderingly. 
 
 " No, sir. I am not going to stay here to be 
 made a fool of!" cried the former instructor. 
 " Let me pass, I demand it! " he added, to Bert's 
 father. 
 
 " Oh, all right, if you insist," answered Mr. 
 Passmore, and stepped aside. At once Job 
 Haskers threw the door open and retreated to the 
 hallway. 
 
 " Just wait, you young scamps ! I'll get even 
 with you for this! " he exclaimed, shaking a long 
 finger at Dave, Roger, and Phil. " I'll show you 
 yet! You just wait! " And with that threat he 
 
ANOTHER SURPRISE 53 
 
 literally ran down the hallway and down the stairs 
 and out of the hotel. 
 
 " Say, he's some mad, believe me ! " was 
 Roger's grim comment. 
 
 " I think he is more scared than anything else," 
 returned Dave. " He acted as if he thought we 
 had trapped him in some way." 
 
 " Just how it struck me," put in Phil. " He 
 certainly didn't lose any time in getting away, did 
 he? " and the shipowner's son grinned broadly. 
 
 " He had a guilty conscience," was Mr. Pass- 
 more's comment. " Mr. Fordham, I think you 
 can congratulate yourself that he has left." 
 
 " I think so myself, sir," replied the old gen- 
 tleman. He looked kindly at Dave and his chums. 
 " It looks to me as if you had saved me from 
 being swindled," he continued. " If he had a fair 
 sort of a proposition I think he would have 
 stayed." 
 
 " I think so myself," added Mr. Passmore. 
 " Just the same, supposing I look into this Sunset 
 Company for you? " 
 
 " As you please, Mr. Passmore. But I doubt 
 if I care to invest — after what I have heard and 
 seen of this fellow, Haskers," answered the old 
 gentleman. 
 
 The matter was talked over a little more and 
 then the boys and Bert's father departed, first, 
 however, receiving the warm thanks of Mr. Ford- 
 
54 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 ham for what they had done. In the foyer of the 
 hotel the chums fell in with Bert. 
 
 " Say, I saw that Haskers fellow shoot out of 
 the hotel in a mighty hurry," he said. " You must 
 have made it hot for him." 
 
 " We did," answered Dave. " Where did he 
 go?" 
 
 " Up the lake road, as fast as he could walk." 
 
 " I wonder where he is stopping? " mused Phil. 
 
 "We might take the auto and follow him?" 
 suggested the senator's son. " There is no hurry 
 about our getting home." 
 
 " Let's do it! " cried Dave, for he was as curi- 
 ous as the others concerning the former teacher 
 of Oak Hall. 
 
 " If you don't mind I'll go along," said Bert. 
 
 So it was arranged, and letting Mr. Passmore 
 know of their plans they soon got ready for the 
 trip. 
 
 " Now, don't get into any trouble," warned the 
 rug dealer, as they were about to depart. " That 
 fellow Haskers may be like a rat — very ugly when 
 cornered." 
 
 " We'll keep our eyes open," answered Dave. 
 
 Soon the touring-car was rolling over the lake 
 road, in the direction Job Haskers had taken. The 
 storm had left the road a trifle muddy in spots, but 
 that was all. Overhead the sky was blue and the 
 sun shone brightly. 
 
ANOTHER SURPRISE 55 
 
 Less than a quarter of a mile was covered when 
 those in the touring-car saw a figure ahead they 
 knew to be Job Haskers. He was walking along 
 more slowly now, his head bent down as if in 
 deep thought. 
 
 " I suppose he is trying to figure out what to 
 do next," was Phil's comment. " Wants to locate 
 another sucker — if he can." 
 
 " Such a man ought to be in jail," said Bert. 
 " He may rob some poor fellow and do it in a 
 legal way, too, — so that the man won't be able to 
 get back at him." 
 
 Roger had slowed down, so that the touring-car 
 kept well behind the former teacher. Presently 
 the boys saw Haskers turn up a side road, one 
 that led to a small hotel, standing on a hill over- 
 looking the lake. 
 
 " He's going to the Fenton House," said Bert. 
 " Maybe he is stopping there." 
 
 " Possibly," returned Dave. 
 
 Slowly following the man, they saw Job Haskers 
 enter the hotel and walk in the direction of the 
 reading-room. Roger stopped the car and turned 
 to the others. 
 
 "Well, what's the next move?" he asked. 
 " Want to go in? " 
 
 " What's the use? " asked Phil. " We'd only 
 have a lot of words with him. He's got a right 
 to stay here if he wants to." 
 
56 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 " Let's go in anyway," said Dave. " You must 
 know somebody here," he continued, turning to 
 Bert. 
 
 " Oh, yes, I know several young fellows and 
 girls," answered the lad who was spending the 
 summer at the lake. 
 
 " Then we can pretend to be calling on them," 
 put in Roger. 
 
 Leaving the touring-car standing in the road, 
 the four youths entered the hotel. They glanced 
 into the reading-room, and noted that over a dozen 
 persons were present. Then Dave gave a low cry. 
 
 " Look, boys ! What do you think of that? " 
 
 He pointed to one corner of the reading-room, 
 where two persons sat on a leather couch, one with 
 a newspaper in his hand. 
 
 "Why, it's Link Merwell!" gasped Phil. 
 " Merwell as sure as you're born ! " 
 
 "How did that rascal get here?" murmured 
 Roger. 
 
 "Who is it?" asked Bert, curiously. 
 
 " That fellow who is on the couch with Has- 
 kers," whispered Dave. " He used to go to school 
 with us at Oak Hall, and then he had to leave, and 
 after that he and a fellow named Jasniff robbed 
 Mr. Wadsworth's jewelry works." 
 
 " Oh, yes, Roger told me about that. You fel- 
 lows followed the rascals to Cave Island, didn't 
 you?" 
 
ANOTHER SURPRISE 57 
 
 " Yes, and we caught Jasniff, but Merwell got 
 away." 
 
 " Then why not have him locked up right 
 now? " demanded Bert. 
 
 " It's what we ought to do," declared Phil. 
 
 " Haskers and Merwell must be in with each 
 other," was Dave's comment. " Maybe Merwell 
 is trying to sell some of that Sunset Company 
 stock, too." 
 
 " Wonder if we can't hear what they are say- 
 ing? " said Roger. " It might help us to make out 
 a case against them." 
 
 " We can go around to that side window and 
 listen," suggested Phil, and pointed to the window 
 in question. 
 
 This was quickly agreed upon, and the four boys 
 left the hotel and walked out on a gravel path close 
 to the window. As the day was warm, the window 
 was wide open. 
 
 " No, it was a frost! " they heard Job Haskers 
 say, in harsh tones. 
 
 " He wouldn't buy the stock? " queried Link 
 Merwell. 
 
 " Worse than that, Merwell. I was trapped, 
 and I had all I could do to get away." 
 
 " What do you mean? " 
 
 " Do you know who was there, with that old 
 man, when I went to see him? " 
 
 " I have no idea." 
 
58 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 " Three of the boys you hate — Porter, Morr, 
 and Lawrence." 
 
 Merwell started back in consternation. 
 
 "You don't mean it— you are fooling!" 
 
 " It's the truth. They were there and ready to 
 have me arrested, I suppose. I got out in a hurry." 
 Job Haskers gave a deep sigh and wiped the 
 perspiration from his forehead. 
 
 " Did— did they follow you? " asked Link Mer- 
 well, nervously. 
 
 " I don't think so — I didn't give them time. 
 Oh, this is too bad! I expected to get a lot of 
 money from that old man," and Job Haskers 
 shook his headly, sadly. 
 
 " I told you it wasn't safe to stay around here," 
 was Merwell's comment. " Why not go out West 
 with me? It will be much safer there, I am sure." 
 
 "My funds are low." 
 
 " I'll stake you, as the miners say." 
 
 "How much money have you?" asked Job 
 Haskers, a bit more hopefully. 
 
 " Enough to take us both West. I made dad 
 come down — he sent the money order this morn- 
 ing, and I just got it cashed. I told him if he 
 didn't come down I'd have to give myself up to the 
 police, and that would disgrace the whole family." 
 
 " I see." The former teacher of Oak Hall grit- 
 ted his teeth. " Oh, how I wish I could do some- 
 thing to punish Porter and those others ! " 
 
ANOTHER SURPRISE 59 
 
 " Humph ! you don't wish that any more than 
 I do," replied Link Merwell, scowling. " I'm 
 going to do something some day, mark my 
 words! " he added, vindictively. 
 
 At that moment the agent for a big observation 
 car that ran around the lake approached the boys 
 on the gravel path beneath the window. 
 
 " Wouldn't you young gentlemen like to take 
 a nice ride this afternoon? " he asked, in a busi- 
 ness-like tone. " A fifty-mile ride in our new ob- 
 servation touring-car, visiting all the points of in- 
 terest around the lake, and taking in Creswood, 
 Lighton, and Tomkins' Mill — a two-hours' ride 
 for one dollar." And he held up a handful of 
 tickets. 
 
 " We don't want any ride," answered Dave. 
 
 " We have our own touring-car," added Roger, 
 pointing to the car. 
 
 " Oh, I see, all right," said the man, and passed 
 on, to hunt for customers elsewhere. 
 
 When the man had started to speak his voice 
 had carried into the reading-room, and much sur- 
 prised to think others were so near, both Haskers 
 and Merwell had gotten up from the couch to 
 glance out of the window. 
 
 " Well, I never! " gasped Merwell. 
 
 "They must have followed me after all!" 
 groaned Job Haskers. 
 
 The youth who had been mixed up in the rob- 
 
60 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 bery of the jewelry works grabbed the former 
 teacher by the arm. 
 
 "We can't stay here — at least I can't!" he 
 whispered, hoarsely. " I am going to dust! " And 
 out of the reading-room he glided, and Job Has- 
 kers followed him. 
 
 "Where shall we go?" asked the former 
 teacher, his shaking voice showing how much he 
 was disturbed. 
 
 " I don't know — but I won't stay here," re- 
 turned Merwell. " Have you much baggage? I 
 have only a Gladstone bag." 
 
 " I have a suit-case, that is all." 
 
 " Then let us pack up and get out by the back 
 way. We can pay our bills later. Come on, there 
 is no time to spare 1 " 
 
CHAPTER VII 
 
 A GATHERING OF OAK HALL BOYS 
 
 "Well, they are gone, that's certain! " 
 
 " Yes, and there is no telling where they went 
 to." 
 
 " Must have slipped out by a back way." 
 
 " They sure are a slick pair." 
 
 It was some time later, and Dave and the other 
 boys stood on the broad piazza of the hotel dis- 
 cussing the situation. 
 
 Following the talk with the observation car 
 agent they had looked into the reading-room only 
 to discover that Job Haskers and Link Merwell 
 had vanished. At once they had rushed into the 
 building, looking through the hallways and other 
 rooms that were open to the general public. Not 
 a trace of the two evildoers was to be found any- 
 where. Then they had consulted the clerk at the 
 desk, and through him had learned that only Job 
 Haskers was stopping at the place. 
 
 " But he has a young friend here, a Mr. Smith 
 — Jackson Smith," the clerk had told them. And 
 then he had described the fellow called Jackson 
 Smith, and Dave and his chums had felt assured 
 
 61 
 
62 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 that it was Link Merwell under an assumed name. 
 Finally a visit had been paid to the rooms Haskers 
 and Merwell had occupied, and both had been 
 found vacated, with the keys sticking in the locks. 
 
 " And neither of 'em stopped to pay his bill," 
 the clerk had told them, mournfully. 
 
 " I am not surprised," Dave had answered. 
 " They are a bad pair." 
 
 The clerk had wanted to know the particulars, 
 and the boys had told him as much as they deemed 
 necessary. Then they had come out on the piazza 
 of the hostelry, wondering what they ought to do 
 next. 
 
 " I don't think it is worth while trying to follow 
 them up," said the senator's son. " If you caught 
 Merwell you would have to appear in court 
 against him, and you know what a lot of trouble 
 you had appearing against Jasniff ;" and this state- 
 ment was true. 
 
 u Oh, let them go!" cried Phil. "Say," he 
 added, " did you hear what Link said about 
 bleeding his dad for money? Isn't he the limit! " 
 
 " That proves he isn't working for a living," re- 
 marked Dave. " And to think that he told me he 
 was going to reform! " 
 
 " That sort of a chap doesn't reform," asserted 
 Roger. 
 
 " Oh, I don't know. Gus Plum reformed." 
 
 " Yes, but Plum isn't like Merwell, or Jasniff. 
 
A GATHERING OF OAK HALL BOYS 63 
 
 He was simply overbearing. These other fellows 
 are downright dishonest." 
 
 The four boys walked back to the automobile, 
 and soon they were returning to the hotel at which 
 Bert was staying. By that time it was close to 
 the lunch hour and so the visitors were invited to 
 stay over for something to eat. 
 
 "Didn't catch that man Haskers, eh?" re- 
 marked Mr. Passmore, as he came up, in company 
 with Mr. Fordham. 
 
 " No, he ran away," answered Roger, and then 
 he and the others told of what had occurred. 
 
 " I am very thankful to you for saving me from 
 a bad investment," said Mr. Fordham. " I shall 
 not forget it." And he kept his word, for later 
 on, after he had consulted with his son and found 
 out just how worthless was the stock in the Sunset 
 Milling Company, he sent each of the boys a fine 
 pair of gold cuff-links. 
 
 After lunch the lads remained with Bert for 
 about an hour and then took their departure for 
 Roger's home, where they arrived some time be- 
 fore dark. As they rolled up the driveway a sur- 
 prise awaited them. 
 
 " Look who's here ! " exclaimed Dave. " Hello 
 there, Luke! " 
 
 " Hello yourself," answered Luke Watson, with 
 a broad grin. " I thought you chaps would be 
 along soon." 
 
64 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 " And Shadow! " cried Roger, as another form 
 came into view, from the Morr piazza. " This is 
 a surprise ! I didn't expect to see you quite so 
 soon." 
 
 " Oh, we hadn't anything special to do, so we 
 came ahead," answered Luke. " Hope it won't 
 put you out? " 
 
 " Not at all, glad you are here." There was 
 a general handshaking, for the automobile had 
 now come to a stop and the boys had piled out to 
 greet their former schoolmates. 
 
 " Say, that puts me in mind of a story! " burst 
 out Shadow Hamilton. " A fellow made a date 
 with a girl for six o'clock. Well, at five " 
 
 "Wow!" 
 
 " Shadow is onto the game already! " 
 
 " Say, Shadow, give us a chance to say how-do- 
 you-do first, won't you? " 
 
 " I believe Shadow would try to tell a story if 
 he was going to a funeral." 
 
 "Oh, say!" burst out the former story-teller 
 of Oak Hall. " That puts me in mind of an- 
 other. Two Irishmen went to a funeral and " 
 
 "Shut him off!" 
 
 " Put a popcorn ball in his mouth ! " 
 
 " Make him apologize on the spot! " 
 'At once the four others surrounded the would- 
 be story-teller and pushed him from the gravel 
 path to the green lawn. Then followed some- 
 
A GATHERING OF OAK HALL BOYS 65 
 
 thing of a wrestling match, all the lads taking 
 part. 
 
 " Let up, will you! " panted Shadow, breaking 
 away at last. " I won't tell any stories if you 
 don't want to listen to 'em. But just the same, 
 that story about the Irishmen was a good one. 
 And that about the fellow who went to see the 
 girl at five o'clock is a corker. You see his watch 
 had stopped and he " 
 
 "Jump him!" 
 
 " He can't stop, no matter how hard he tries ! " 
 
 " Let's stand him on his head and make him 
 tell it backwards ! " 
 
 Again there was a rush, but this time poor 
 Shadow took to his heels and rushed up on the 
 piazza, just as the door opened and Mrs. Morr 
 came out to greet the boys. 
 
 " Roger! " exclaimed the lady of the mansion, 
 turning to her son, " what in the world " 
 
 " Only a little horse-play, Mom," replied the 
 son, with a smile. " We are so glad to see the 
 fellows that we have to let off a little steam." 
 
 " It looked like a fight to me." 
 
 " Oh, nothing like that, Mrs. Morr," said Dave, 
 quickly. " Only fun; isn't that so, fellows? " 
 
 " Of course ! " was the quick reply. 
 
 "Have you met Luke and Shadow, Mom?" 
 asked Roger. 
 
 " Yes, about an hour ago. I told them that 
 
66 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 you had telephoned that you were on the way 
 home, so they said they'd remain out here, watch- 
 ing for you. I showed them what room they were 
 to occupy," added the lady of the mansion. 
 
 " Fine! " cried Roger. " I'll put the car away 
 for the present, and then we'll fix up for dinner 
 and listen to those stories Shadow had to tell." 
 
 " Somebody said Buster Beggs was coming," 
 said Luke. 
 
 " Yes, he'll be here the night before the Fourth." 
 Quarter of an hour later found the whole crowd 
 of boys upstairs in the house. In anticipation of 
 the Fourth of July party, as she called it, Mrs. 
 Morr had turned over one wing of the second 
 floor of the big house to the youths. There they 
 could " cut up " to their hearts' content. 
 
 " Say, this is something like old times at Oak 
 Hall ! " cried Phil, as the youths gathered in one 
 of the bedrooms and proceeded to distribute them- 
 selves in various attitudes on the chairs and the 
 bed. " Somehow, I think we are going to miss 
 that school ! " 
 
 " Miss it! Well I guess yes ! " answered Dave. 
 " And that puts me in mind of something. I was 
 
 thinking " 
 
 "Whoop! Is he going to tell stories, too?" 
 " Say, Dave, that act belongs to Shadow." 
 " No, I wasn't going to tell a story," answered 
 Dave. " I've got an idea for a club." 
 
A GATHERING OF OAK HALL BOYS 67 
 
 " A club? What do you mean? " asked Roger. 
 " Do you mean for us to get up a club? " 
 
 " Yes, the Oak Hall Club, to be composed of 
 fellows who attended Oak Hall for a year or 
 more." 
 
 "Great!" 
 
 "Let us do it!" 
 
 " We'll make Dave president," cried Roger. 
 
 " And you treasurer," added Phil. 
 
 " And Shadow chief story-teller," put in Luke, 
 with a grin. 
 
 "Huh! What's the use of being chief story- 
 teller when you won't let me tell a story? " grum- 
 bled Shadow. " But I know what I'll do," he 
 added, with a sudden twinkle in his eye. " If you 
 won't let me talk, I'll write it down. And I'll 
 write a sentence none of you can read and be 
 sure of," he went on. 
 
 "What's that?" asked Phil, curiously. "A 
 sentence none of us can read? Maybe you'll write 
 it in Choctaw, or Chinese." 
 
 " No, I'll write it in plain, every-day United 
 States, and none of you will be sure how to read 
 it." 
 
 "What's the riddle?" demanded Dave, who 
 saw that the story-teller had something up his 
 sleeve. 
 
 " Give me a sheet of paper and a pencil and 
 I'll show you," returned Shadow. 
 
68 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 Paper and pencil were furnished by Roger, and 
 the story-teller quickly wrote down the following : 
 
 " After a row the sailors had a row." 
 
 " Now read it out loud! " cried Shadow, as he 
 passed the paper to the others. All gazed at it 
 for several seconds. 
 
 " I pass," remarked Dave, calmly. 
 
 "Why, that's easy!" cried Phil. "After a 
 
 ro Say, Shadow, what do you mean, did they 
 
 quarrel or row the boat first? " 
 
 " Maybe they rowed the boat twice," suggested 
 Roger, with a grin. 
 
 " Or had two quarrels," suggested Luke. And 
 then a general laugh went up. 
 
 "You've got us this time, Shadow!" cried 
 Dave. " Give him a lemon, somebody, for a 
 prize," and then another laugh went up. 
 
 " That idea of an Oak Hall Club is a good 
 one," said Luke. " But you can't organize it 
 now — the fellows are too scattered." 
 
 " Oh, I was thinking we might do it later on — 
 perhaps this winter," answered Dave. 
 
 The newcomers were much interested in what 
 Dave, Phil, and Roger had to tell about Job Has- 
 kers and Link Merwell, and various were the 
 opinions advanced as to what had become of the 
 pair. 
 
A GATHERING OF OAK HALL BOYS 69 
 
 " They are both mighty sore, because they had 
 to leave Oak Hall in disgrace," said Luke. 
 " Every one of us had better keep his eye peeled, 
 for they'll make trouble if they get half a chance." 
 And then the bell rang for dinner and the boys 
 went downstairs. 
 
 The next day the lads were all busy getting 
 ready for the Fourth of July. It had been ar- 
 ranged that they should have quite a display of 
 fireworks on the lawn of the senator's home, and 
 many folks of that vicinity were invited to attend. 
 
 "Here is Buster Beggs!" cried Roger, that 
 evening, and the youth who was so fat and jolly 
 hove in sight, suit-case in hand. He shook hands 
 all around and was speedily made to feel at home. 
 
 " Glad you are going to have fireworks," he said 
 to Roger. " I don't care much for noise on the 
 Fourth, but I dote on fireworks. Let me set some 
 of 'em off, won't you? " 
 
 " Of course," was Roger's reply. " We boys 
 are going to give the exhibition, while the older 
 folks, and the girls, look on." 
 
 " But we are going to have a little noise — at 
 sunrise," put in Phil. 
 
 " What kind of noise — a cannon? " 
 
 " No, some firecrackers." 
 
 " Oh, that will be all right," answered Buster, 
 thinking the firecrackers were to be of ordinary 
 size. 
 
70 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 So they were — all but one. But that one was 
 a monster — the largest Phil and Roger had been 
 able to buy. They had not told the others about 
 this big fellow, not even Dave, for they wanted 
 the explosion of that to be a surprise. 
 
 " It will sure make them sit up and take notice," 
 said Phil to Roger, as the pair hid the big cannon 
 cracker away in the automobile garage. 
 
 " We'll set it off back of the kitchen," answered 
 Roger. " It won't do any harm there." 
 
 On the night of the third the boys retired some- 
 what early, so as to be up bright and early for 
 the glorious Fourth. 
 
 They had been sleeping less than an hour when 
 a sudden cry awakened them. 
 
 "Fire! Fire! Get up, boys! The garage is 
 on fire, and I am afraid the gasoline tank will blow 
 up!" 
 
CHAPTER VIII 
 
 FIRE AND FIRECRACKERS 
 
 "What's that!" 
 
 " The garage on fire ! " 
 
 " Say, look at the blaze! " 
 
 Such were some of the cries, as the boys tumbled 
 out of bed, one after another. A bright glare of 
 fire was dancing over the walls of the rooms. 
 
 "It's some brushwood behind the garage!" 
 announced Dave, as he poked his head out of a 
 window to look. " It's that big heap the gardener 
 put there yesterday." 
 
 " He shouldn't have placed it so close," said 
 Luke. " Why didn't he rake it to some spot in 
 the open? " 
 
 All of the boys were hurrying into their clothing 
 as fast as possible. The alarm had been given 
 by Senator Morr, and by the chauffeur, who slept 
 in a room of the barn next to the garage. 
 
 " Oh, Roger! " gasped Phil. " That big can- 
 non cracker ! " 
 
 "I was thinking of it, Phil!" returned the 
 senator's son, hurriedly. " We must get it out 
 somehow ! " 
 
 71 
 
72 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 " If it goes off it will wreck the building! " 
 
 " Yes, and the gasoline tank with it! " 
 
 The tank in question was not underground, as 
 would have been safer, but was located in a 
 bricked-up place at one side of the garage. In the 
 storehouse were two barrels of gasoline, and also 
 some lubricating oils. If that storehouse caught, 
 it would certainly make a hot and dangerous 
 blaze. 
 
 Pell-mell down the stairs rushed the youths, one 
 after another. In the meantime Senator Morr 
 was dressing and so were the others of the house- 
 hold. 
 
 11 Be careful, boys ! Don't go too close ! " 
 warned Mrs. Morr. 
 
 " Watch out for an explosion ! " puffed her hus- 
 band. The senator was so stout that dressing in 
 a hurry was no easy matter for him. 
 
 When the boys got out in the garden they found 
 the chauffeur and the gardener at work, trying to 
 pull the burning brushwood away from the garage. 
 The flames were crackling merrily and the sparks 
 were flying in various directions. 
 
 " I'm going in and get that big cannon cracker," 
 said Roger to Phil, in a low voice, so that the 
 others might not hear. 
 
 " I'll go with you, Roger. Be careful, though, 
 the sparks are flying all round that doorway." 
 
 " I've shut everything! " bawled the chauffeur, 
 
FIRE AND FIRECRACKERS 73 
 
 as he saw Roger at the big sliding doors. " Bet- 
 ter not open up, or the fire will get inside." 
 
 " I've got to go in, Jake ! " answered Roger. 
 " I've got to get something out." 
 
 " What? " asked Dave, who was close by. 
 
 " Never mind, Dave. It's something that can't 
 be left in there," and so speaking Roger slid 
 open a door and hurried inside the garage. Phil 
 came directly behind him. 
 
 On the floor, in a corner, was a box with ordi- 
 nary firecrackers in it — about two hundred packs 
 in all. On top of this was a package in paper 
 containing the big cannon cracker. 
 
 "Lookout!" 
 
 "It's on fire!" 
 
 Thus yelled both boys as they saw that the 
 flames from the brushwood had made their way 
 into a corner of the garage, just where the fire- 
 crackers had been placed. For an instant they 
 hesitated, then both leaped forward again and 
 commenced to stamp out the fire. 
 
 It had caught at a corner of the box contain- 
 ing the smaller firecrackers and was also at 
 the paper containing the cannon cracker. This 
 Phil caught up, knocking the fire away with his 
 hand. 
 
 " What are you after, anyway? " The question 
 came from Dave, who had followed his chums into 
 the building. Buster, Shadow, and Luke were 
 
74 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 outside, at the rear, helping to pull the brushwood 
 away and stamp out the flames. 
 
 "Firecrackers — a box full!" cried Roger. 
 "We must get it out! " 
 
 "A giant firecracker!" added Phil. "Big 
 enough to blow down a house ! " And he held up 
 the package and then made a dive for the outer 
 air, for the garage was now full of smoke. 
 
 Dave understood on the instant, and stooped to 
 pick up one end of the burning box. Roger took 
 the other end, and thus they ran from the garage. 
 
 Crack ! crack ! crack ! It was the small fire- 
 crackers in the box that were beginning to go off, 
 the pieces flying through a lower corner of the 
 burning box. 
 
 "Into the back yard with it!" cried Roger. 
 " Keep it away from the buildings! " 
 
 "All right, this way!" answered Dave, and 
 then the pair made for something of an open lot 
 behind the kitchen of the mansion and there threw 
 the box on the ground. Crack ! bang ! crack ! went 
 the firecrackers, going off singly and in bunches, 
 until all were shot off. 
 
 " It's a pity we didn't save 'em," said Roger, 
 mournfully. 
 
 " It's a grand good thing they didn't go off in 
 the garage," returned Dave. 
 
 " Well, I saved the big cannon cracker any- 
 way," said Phil, as he walked up at that moment. 
 
FIRE AND FIRECRACKERS 75 
 
 "Where did you put it?" questioned Roger, 
 quickly. 
 
 " Over there, in a corner of the fence. I didn't 
 want to take any chances, otherwise I might have 
 taken it to the barn." 
 
 " Better leave it outside, where it can't do any 
 damage," said Dave. 
 
 While talking, the three boys had been running 
 back to the garage. There they found their chums 
 and the men at work, including Senator Morr, all 
 hauling the burning brushwood away and pouring 
 water from a small hose on the flames. The most 
 of the fire was out, so they found little to do. 
 Only one corner of the garage had been touched, 
 and for this the senator was thankful. 
 
 " But it was careless of you, James, to put that 
 brushwood there, so close to the building," he 
 said to the garnder, " Don't do it again." 
 
 " If you please, sir, I didn't put the brushwood 
 as close as that," replied the gardener, stoutly. 
 " Somebody else did that." 
 
 " What! " cried the senator, in surprise. 
 
 " I said I didn't put the brushwood so close to 
 the garage, sir," repeated the gardener. " I put 
 it right there," and he pointed to a spot about fif- 
 teen feet from the rear wall of the building. " I 
 was going to burn it up first thing in the morn- 
 ing, — that is if the young gentlemen didn't want 
 the stuff for a bonfire at night." 
 
76 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 " But who did put the brushwood up against 
 the garage? " demanded Senator Morr. 
 
 " I'm sure I don't know," put in the chauffeur. 
 " But what James says, sir, is true — he put the 
 heap out there — I was working around the garage 
 when he did it." 
 
 " Do you mean to insinuate that this fire was 
 set by somebody? " cried the senator, quickly. 
 
 " I don't know about that, sir," answered the 
 chauffeur, while the gardener merely shrugged his 
 shoulders. He was an old man and one who had 
 been trusted by the Morrs for years. 
 
 " If what you say is true, I'll have to look into 
 this matter," remarked Senator Morr. " I don't 
 propose to have my garage burnt down, with two 
 automobiles worth five thousand dollars, — not to 
 say anything about the danger to the rest of the 
 place. If I find " 
 
 Bang! It was an explosion like a cannon and 
 made everybody jump. As Dave looked, he saw 
 a corner of a distant fence fly apart, and bits of 
 fire seemed to fill the midnight air. Then followed 
 utter silence. 
 
 " The cannon cracker! " gasped Phil. 
 
 "What could have made it go off?" asked 
 Roger. 
 
 " Some sparks from this fire — or else it was lit 
 when Phil took it out," answered Dave. 
 
 11 What are you talking about? " asked Senator 
 
As Dave looked, he saw a corner of a distant fence fly 
 APART.— Pagre 76. 
 
FIRE AND FIRECRACKERS 77 
 
 Morr, and when he had been told he shook his 
 head and smiled, grimly. 
 
 " Well, I'm glad it didn't go off in the garage," 
 he said. " But after this you must keep your 
 explosives in a safer place. Jake, James, bring 
 some buckets of water and put out that fire from 
 the explosion. It isn't much, but we want no more 
 sparks flying around here." 
 
 The water was brought, and soon every spark 
 had been extinguished. Then the crowd went 
 back to the garage, to make sure that no more fire 
 lingered in that vicinity. 
 
 " It certainly looks as if somebody had set this 
 fire," mused Senator Morr. " Perhaps a tramp. 
 Have you seen any such fellows around here?" 
 he asked, looking at the others. 
 
 The boys had seen no tramps at all, and James 
 said he had seen none for over a week. 
 
 " I saw one day before yesterday," said the 
 chauffeur, " but I know he left town that night — I 
 saw him board a freight train." 
 
 " Well, it is strange. Keep your eyes open," 
 said Senator Morr, and then he returned to the 
 house, to quiet his wife and retire once more. 
 
 " It's mighty queer about that fire," remarked 
 Luke, when the boys were undressing. " It cer- 
 tainly does look as if it was set." 
 
 " Dave, do you think Merwell and Haskers 
 would do it? " questioned Roger. 
 
78 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 " Yes, if they were in this neighborhood. But 
 have they been here? " 
 
 The boys looked at each other. Nobody had 
 seen Merwell or the former teacher of Oak Hall 
 in that vicinity. 
 
 " Let us make some inquiries down at the rail- 
 road station in the morning," suggested Dave. 
 " If those two stopped off here somebody must 
 have seen them." 
 
 " Phew ! what a noise that cannon cracker did 
 make!" murmured Phil. "If we had set that 
 off in the morning — as we intended — I reckon it 
 would have woke up the neighborhood pretty 
 well." 
 
 " It did wake some folks up," answered Roger, 
 for quite a few boys and men had come up to find 
 out what the flames and noise meant. 
 
 " It was certainly some firecracker," was Luke's 
 comment. 
 
 " Say, speaking of firecrackers puts me in mind 
 of a story! " burst out Shadow. 
 
 "Wow! A story this time of night!" mur- 
 mured Buster. I'm going to bed." 
 
 " This is a short one," pleaded the would-be 
 story-teller. " A man was giving a celebration 
 one Fourth of July to a lot of children. He had 
 ordered a lot of firecrackers, but they didn't come. 
 So he sent a telegram to the wholesale house in the 
 city. ' Send big and little crackers as ordered at 
 
FIRE AND FIRECRACKERS 79 
 
 once.' About an hour afterwards he got a return 
 telegram which said, ' Our grocery department is 
 closed to-day. Your order for crackers will be 
 filled to-morrow.' " 
 
 " Call that a crackerjack joke? " asked Roger, 
 with a grin. 
 
 " Don't crack any more like that, Shadow," 
 added Dave. 
 
 " You might get fired if you do," contributed 
 Phil ; and then a general laugh went up, after which 
 all of the boys again retired. 
 
 In the morning the lads inspected the vicinity 
 of the fire once more, and spent some time in shoot- 
 ing off a pistol and a shotgun which Roger pos- 
 sessed. Then, acting on a suggestion from Dave, 
 they took a walk to the railroad station. 
 
 Here an interesting bit of news awaited them, 
 which was to the effect that, owing to some trouble 
 with a bridge about a mile outside of Hemson, 
 two passenger trains and a freight had been held 
 up at the station for several hours. 
 
 " Most of the passengers remained in the 
 trains," said the station agent. " But some of 'em 
 got restless and they went over to the hotel, and 
 some walked down to where the bridge was being 
 repaired." 
 
 " Did you notice two people in particular? " 
 asked Roger, and described Merwell and Job Has- 
 kers as well as he could. 
 
80 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 " No, I don't remember seeing those fellows," 
 said the agent. 
 
 From the railroad station the boys went to the 
 hotel, and then walked along the country road 
 leading to the Morr place. Presently they met a 
 man driving a milk wagon. 
 
 " Say, you had a fire last night, didn't you? " 
 asked the driver of Roger, as he reined up. 
 
 " Yes, Mr. Piatt," answered the senator's son. 
 " But it didn't amount to anything." 
 
 " How did it catch, do you know? " went on the 
 driver of the milk wagon, curiously. 
 
 " No, we are trying to find out." 
 
 " Maybe it was set. I see two fellers sneakin' 
 around your place last evening," went on Mr. 
 Piatt. 
 
CHAPTER IX 
 
 WHAT NAT POOLE HAD TO TELL 
 
 " You saw two fellows sneaking around our 
 place last evening? " cried Roger, with interest. 
 
 " I certainly did." 
 
 " What did they look like? " asked Dave. 
 
 " I see 'em plainly an' I was wonderin' what 
 they was up to," said the driver of the milk wagon, 
 and then he described the two persons quite 
 minutely. 
 
 " Haskers and Merwell, beyond a doubt! " ex- 
 claimed Phil. " Now what do you know about 
 that!" 
 
 " It certainly is the limit! " murmured Luke. 
 
 " Wonder if they are still around? " came from 
 
 Shadow. " Say, this puts me in mind of a sto 
 
 But never mind, I'll tell it another time," he broke 
 off, hastily, as he saw a look of disgust on the 
 others' faces. 
 
 " I- don't believe they are around," said Dave. 
 " They probably boarded the first train that went 
 over the bridge." 
 
 11 Just what I think," returned the senator's son. 
 
 81 
 
82 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 "Think them fellers set the fire?" asked Mr. 
 Piatt, curiously. 
 
 " We feel certain of it," replied Roger. " They 
 are old school enemies of ours," he added. " It's 
 only one more score we've got to settle with them," 
 he continued, to his chums, and shut his teeth with 
 a snap. 
 
 Nothing further could be learned concerning 
 the mysterious visitors, and finally the boys went 
 back to the Morr mansion, to get ready for the 
 evening celebration. This came off as scheduled 
 and proved a big success. Fully a hundred town 
 folk were present, besides some from the lake and 
 elsewhere. There were rockets and Roman can- 
 dles and wheels galore, as well as several set 
 pieces. Some fire balloons were also liberated. 
 Senator Morr had engaged a local band of eight 
 pieces, and if the music was not of a high order 
 it was certainly patriotic, and that counted for a 
 good deal. 
 
 Of course the other boys had to hear all about 
 the proposed trip West and, incidentally, about the 
 lost Landslide Mine. From his father and 
 mother Roger got some more details concerning 
 the missing property. A map was produced, and 
 also some papers, and the son was advised to hunt 
 up an old miner and prospector named Abe 
 Blower. 
 
 " Abe Blower knew your Uncle Maurice well," 
 
WHAT NAT POOLE HAD TO TELL 83 
 
 said Mrs. Morr, to her son. " They were 
 friends for years. I am sure if you can find Mr. 
 Blower he will do all he can for you, and for me, 
 too. 
 
 " Then I'll do what I can to find him, first of 
 all," answered Roger. 
 
 At last came the time when Dave must leave the 
 Morr home and return to Crumville. He was 
 going alone, but he promised to keep in constant 
 communication with the others. 
 
 " I wish I was going on that western trip," said 
 Shadow, wistfully. " You'll have barrels of fun, 
 and if you do locate that Landslide Mine — well, it 
 will be a big feather in your cap." 
 
 " I'd like to go, too," said Buster. 
 
 " I reckon we'd all like to go," cried the others, 
 in concert. 
 
 " Well, there is just this much about it," re- 
 turned Dave. " Anybody who has the price can 
 go on that personally-conducted tour to Yellow- 
 stone Park, and, so far as I am concerned, you 
 can go from there into the mountains and look 
 for the mine." 
 
 " Why, of course ! " burst out Roger. " If any 
 of you want to go, just say the word." 
 
 This brought on a discussion lasting nearly an 
 hour. In the end several of the lads said they 
 would see what they could do, and would write 
 about it later, or telegraph. 
 
84 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 " Say, but wouldn't it be grand if we could locate 
 that lost mine! " cried Phil, enthusiastically. 
 
 " Well, we'll have a try at it," returned 
 Dave. 
 
 At last came the time for Dave to leave. Some 
 of the others had already gone. Roger drove his 
 chum down to the railroad station in the run- 
 about. The two were alone. Dave noticed that 
 the senator's son seemed unusually thoughtful. 
 
 " What's up, Roger? " he asked, at last. " You 
 don't seem quite like yourself." 
 
 " Oh, I don't know that I ought to say any- 
 thing, Dave," was the hesitating answer. 
 
 " If there is anything I can do " 
 
 " No, it isn't that." Roger gave a deep sigh. 
 "I wish we could locate that mine!" he mur- 
 mured. 
 
 " So you were thinking about that? Well, we 
 may have luck. Let us hope so," and Dave smiled. 
 
 " I might as well tell you how it is," continued 
 Roger, as he drove up to the little railroad sta- 
 tion. He looked around, to make sure that no out- 
 siders were listening. " You know father comes 
 up for re-election this fall." 
 
 " Oh, does his term as senator run out? " 
 
 " Yes. Well, there is a movement on foot to 
 put somebody else in his place. If they do that — 
 well, he'll be out, that's all." 
 
 "What will he do then?" 
 
WHAT NAT POOLE HAD TO TELL 85 
 
 " That's just it. I don't know what he can do. 
 He used to be in an office business, but he gave that 
 up to go into politics. Now, if he gets out, he 
 will have to start all over again." 
 
 " Hasn't he anything at all — I mean any busi- 
 ness? " 
 
 " Not anything regular. He dabbles a little in 
 real estate." 
 
 " Then I hope they don't put him out, Roger." 
 
 " And— er — that isn't all, Dave. I wouldn't 
 tell anybody but you — and maybe Phil. He has 
 spent a lot of money while in politics — it costs a 
 good deal to live in Washington. I heard him 
 tell mother about it. If he goes out, it will go 
 hard with him. Now, if we had that mine, and 
 it was as valuable as they think it is " 
 
 " I see, Roger. We'll have to do our level best 
 to find the mine." 
 
 " If mother had the mine she could let dad use 
 the money in any way he pleased. But if we 
 haven't got the mine to fall back on, and dad gets 
 out of politics — well, it is going to make hard 
 sledding for us." 
 
 " Roger, if it gets too bad, don't you hesitate 
 to come to us!" cried Dave, quickly. "I am 
 sure my father, and my Uncle Dunston, would be 
 only too glad to help you out." 
 
 " Thank you, Dave; but I don't think it will get 
 to be as bad as that," answered the senator's son. 
 
86 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 And then the train came along and Dave had to 
 bid his chum good-by. 
 
 The car was only half filled with people, so 
 Dave had a double seat to himself. He placed 
 his suit-case in the rack overhead and then sank, 
 down by the window, to gaze at the swiftly moving 
 panorama and give himself up to thought. 
 
 "Hello, Dave!" 
 
 The youth looked up, to see, standing beside 
 him, Nat Poole, the son of the money-lender of 
 Crumville — a tall, awkward youth with a face 
 that was inclined to scowl more than to smile. In 
 the past Nat had played Dave many a mean trick, 
 and had usually gotten the worst of it. Nat had 
 been in the class with our hero, but had failed to 
 pass for graduation, much to his chagrin. 
 
 " Hello, Nat! " cried Dave. He put as much 
 warmth as possible in the salutation, for he felt 
 sorry for the boy who had failed. " Bound for 
 home?" 
 
 " Yes." The money-lender's son hesitated for 
 a moment. " Want me to sit with you? " 
 
 " Certainly, if you like," and Dave shoved 
 over to make room. 
 
 " Been visiting an old aunt of mine," explained 
 Nat as he sat down. " Had a slow time of it, 
 too, over the Fourth. Where have you been? " 
 
 Dave told him. " We had a dandy time, too," 
 he added. 
 
WHAT NAT POOLE HAD TO TELL 87 
 
 "It must have been fine." Nat gave a sigh. 
 "I wish I had been — but what's the use? You 
 fellows wouldn't care for me." 
 
 " What were you going to say, Nat? " 
 
 " I might have been there myself, if I hadn't — 
 well, if I hadn't made a big fool of myself!" 
 burst out the money-lender's son. " Yes, that's 
 what I did, made a fool of myself! Uncle Tom 
 told me the plain truth." 
 
 " I thought you said you'd been visiting an 
 aunt." 
 
 " So I have, but she's married again, — married 
 a man named Tom Allen, a merchant. He knows 
 father, and he flocked it into the old man in great 
 shape," and Nat actually chuckled. " Told me 
 just what kind of a man dad was — hard-fisted and 
 miserly — somebody nobody loved or wanted to 
 associate with. And he warned me not to grow 
 up the same way — not to think money was every- 
 thing, and all that. He said a boy ought to be 
 known for his real worth, not his dollars and his 
 clothes." 
 
 " He's right there, Nat." 
 
 " Yes, he opened my eyes. And when he asked 
 me about Oak Hall, and you fellows, and how I 
 had missed passing, he told me the truth about 
 myself. I — well, I resented it at first, but by and 
 by I got to thinking he must be right, and the 
 more I thought of it, the more I made up my 
 
88 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 mind that I had been a big fool. And then I 
 
 made a resolve " Nat stopped and gave a 
 
 gulp. 
 
 "A resolve?" 
 
 " Yes. I resolved that, the first time I met 
 you, Dave, and the others, I was going to eat 
 humble pie and tell you just what I thought of 
 myself." The son of the money-lender was in a 
 perspiration now and mopped his face with his 
 handkerchief. 
 
 Dave hardly knew how to reply. Here was Nat 
 Poole in certainly an entirely new role. 
 
 " I am glad to know you are going to turn over 
 a new leaf," he returned. " I hope you make a 
 success of it." 
 
 " Do you really, Dave? " There was an eager 
 note in Nat's voice. 
 
 " Sure I do, Nat. You'd be all right, if— 
 if " 
 
 " Go ahead, give it to me straight, just as 
 Uncle Tom did." 
 
 " Well, if you wouldn't be quite so conceited 
 and stuck-up, and if you'd buckle down a bit more 
 to studying." 
 
 " That's what I am going to do — buckle down 
 to study next fall. And if I show any conceit in 
 the future, well, I want you and Ben Basswood, 
 and Roger and Phil, and all the others, to knock 
 it right out of me," went on the money-lender's 
 
WHAT NAT POOLE HAD TO TELL 89 
 
 son, earnestly. " My eyes are open and I'm going 
 ahead, and I don't want to slip backwards." 
 
 " I'll help you all I can, Nat," and Dave held 
 out his hand, which the other grasped vigorously. 
 
 " This talk with Uncle Tom woke me up," went 
 on Nat, a moment later. " When I get home, I 
 am going to try to wake dad up, too. It's going 
 to be no easy task, but I'll do it. I know ma will 
 be on my side — she was never after the money like 
 dad was. I am going to prove to him that he 
 has got to do something else besides get money." 
 
 " I wish you luck, Nat," replied Dave. He 
 could not help but smile when he thought of the 
 hard-fisted money-lender, and what he might say 
 when his son went at the task of making him more 
 kind and benevolent. 
 
 " And, by the way, Dave, now I am going to 
 turn over a new leaf, I want to tell you about a 
 letter I received some time ago," went on Nat, 
 after a pause, during which the train stopped at a 
 station to take on some passengers. 
 
 "A letter?" 
 
 " Yes. You'd never guess who it was from." 
 
 "Gus Plum?" 
 
 " No, Link Merwell." 
 
 " Link Merwell ! " exclaimed our hero, in sur- 
 prise. " What did he write to you about, Nat? 
 Not that diamond robbery? " 
 
 " Oh, no, he had precious little to say about 
 
go DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 that, for he must know I knew he and Jasniff were 
 guilty. Ha wrote about you. It was a long let- 
 ter — nearly eight pages — and he spoke about what 
 you had done to get him and me into trouble." 
 
 " I never tried to get you into trouble, Nat." 
 
 " I know it. But I used to think you were try- 
 ing to do it. Well, Link wrote about it, and he 
 wanted to know if I would help him in a scheme 
 to pay you back. He said he had a dandy scheme 
 to pay you off." 
 
 "Oh, he did?" said Dave, with interest. 
 " What was the scheme? " 
 
 11 He didn't say." 
 
 " What did you answer? " 
 
 " I didn't answer the letter. I kept it to think 
 about. Then, yesterday, after my last talk with 
 Uncle Tom, I made up my mind to wash my hands 
 of Link Merwell, and I burned the letter up." 
 
CHAPTER X 
 
 DAVE AT HOME 
 
 " I'm glad you washed your hands of Merwell, 
 Nat," replied Dave, with warmth. " He is not 
 the sort for any respectable fellow to associate 
 with. But about that letter. Have you any idea 
 what he was going to do? " 
 
 " No. All he said was, ' If you will join with 
 me we can pay Dave Porter off good and get him 
 in the biggest kind of a hole.' I guess you had 
 better keep your eyes open, Dave." 
 
 " I am doing that already." 
 
 " I — I made up my mind I'd tell you — when I 
 got to Crumville," faltered the money-lender's 
 son. " I didn't want you to suffer at his hands." 
 
 " I've got my eyes open already," was Dave's 
 reply. " Let me tell you something, Nat." And 
 then he related the particulars of the affair at Lake 
 Sargola, and told about the burning of the garage. 
 
 "And to think Job Haskers is with him!" 
 cried Nat. " Say, they'll make a team, won't 
 they!" 
 
 " Yes, for I'm thinking that Haskers is about 
 as bad as Merwell," answered Dave. 
 
 91 
 
92 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 After that came a pause, neither youth knowing 
 exactly what to say. Then Nat cleared his throat. 
 
 " I — I'd like you to do me a favor," he stam- 
 mered. 
 
 "All right, Nat. What is it?" returned our 
 hero, promptly. 
 
 " If you get the chance will you tell Ben Bass- 
 wood and the other fellows how I'm going to be — 
 er — different after this? And will you tell your 
 sister and Jessie, too? I don't want them to — to 
 — think I'm wanting to do anything more that's 
 mean. I want to be — be, well, friendly — if they'll 
 let me," and Nat's face grew very red as he made 
 the admission. 
 
 " I'll tell them all — the first chance I get," prom- 
 ised Dave. " And I am sure they will be pleased. 
 Why, Nat, I know you can turn over a new leaf, 
 if you want to. Look at Gus Plum, how mean 
 he used to be, and what a bully! And look at 
 him now. He's a first-rate fellow. You can do 
 it if Plum can, can't you? " 
 
 " I'm going to try, anyway." 
 
 " And I'll help you all I can — and there's my 
 hand on it," answered Dave, and then the two lads 
 shook hands. 
 
 A talk lasting all the way to Crumville followed. 
 As they rolled into the station Nat left rather 
 hastily, going to the rear of the car, while Dave 
 went forward. The money-lender's son knew 
 
DAVE AT HOME 93 
 
 Dave expected to meet his sister and friends and 
 he did not, just then, wish to face the party. 
 
 "There's Dave! " cried Jessie Wadsworth, as 
 she caught sight of him through a car window. 
 
 "Hello, everybody!" cried the youth, as he 
 swung himself from the car steps. He gave Jes- 
 sie's hand a tight squeeze and then kissed his sister. 
 " How are you? " 
 
 " Oh, fine ! " came from both girls. 
 
 "Hello, Davy!" cried a merry voice, and 
 Dunston Porter, the lad's uncle, came striding for- 
 ward from an automobile near by. " How did 
 you leave Senator Morr and his family, and are 
 you ready for that trip through Yellowstone 
 Park?" 
 
 " I left the senator and his family well," was 
 the answer. " And I am ready for the trip — that 
 is — part of the trip," Dave added, hastily. 
 
 " Part of the trip ? " cried Jessie. " Why, what 
 do you mean? " 
 
 " I'll tell you later. Oh, I've got lots and lots 
 to tell," went on Dave, with a smile. He caught 
 Laura and Jessie by the arms. " See Nat Poole 
 over yonder? " he whispered. " Well, you want 
 to be nice to Nat after this, for he is going to 
 reform." 
 
 " Reform? " queried his sister. 
 
 " Really? " added Jessie. 
 
 " That's what he told me. We had quite a talk 
 
94 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 on the train. I'll tell you about it later. And 
 I've got a lot more to tell," Dave went on. " All 
 about a lost gold mine that belongs to Mrs. Morr, 
 Roger's mother." 
 
 " A lost gold mine! " exclaimed Dunston Por- 
 ter. "Is this a joke, Dave?" 
 
 " No, sir, it's the truth. The strangest tale 
 you ever heard. When we go out to Yellowstone 
 Park we — that is, us boys — are going to look for 
 the mine." 
 
 "Of all things!" burst out Laura. "Say, 
 Dave, will you ever settle down? Here I thought 
 you were going to take a nice little personally- 
 conducted tour with us, and you talk of going land 
 knows where to look for a lost gold mine! " 
 
 "Is it very far?" asked Jessie, and her face 
 showed some disappointment. 
 
 " Oh, it's not very far from Yellowstone Park," 
 answered the youth. " It's in Montana, and you 
 know a corner of the Park is in that State." 
 
 All had walked toward the automobile, which 
 Mr. Porter had been running. The girls got in 
 the tonneau and Dave climbed into the front seat 
 beside his uncle. Just as they were about to start, 
 Nat Poole walked past, suit-case m hand, and 
 tipped his hat politely. Both girls smiled and 
 bowed and Mr. Porter nodded. Then the touring- 
 car rolled off in the direction of the big Wads- 
 worth mansion, where, as I have before stated, 
 
DAVE AT HOME 95 
 
 the Porters resided with the jeweler's family and 
 old Caspar Potts. 
 
 As they passed through the main street of 
 Crumville — now built up a great deal more than 
 when Dave had first known it — many persons 
 bowed and smiled to all in the car. Everybody 
 knew the Porters and liked them, and the fact that 
 Dave had once been an inmate of the local poor- 
 house was almost forgotten. 
 
 To the youth himself the ride was full of inter- 
 est. As he sat back in the comfortable seat of the 
 automobile he could not help but think of the 
 many changes that had taken place since he had 
 been found wandering along the railroad tracks, 
 alone and hungry. He had found a father, an 
 uncle, and a sister, and he had made many warm 
 friends, including Jessie Wadsworth, to him the 
 dearest girl in all the world. Certainly he had 
 much to be grateful for, — and he was grateful 
 from the bottom of his heart. 
 
 A few minutes of riding, after leaving the cen- 
 ter of the town, brought them within sight of the 
 Wadsworth residence, a fine mansion set back 
 from the roadway, with beautiful trees and shrub- 
 bery surrounding it. Down at the great gateway 
 stood Professor Potts, now white-haired and 
 somewhat bent, but with a kindly smile of wel- 
 come on his face. Dave waved his hat and the 
 old gentleman bowed with old-fashioned courtesy. 
 
96 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 Then the touring-car swept up to the broad front 
 piazza and Mrs. Wadsworth showed herself. 
 
 " Home again, are you, Dave," she said, pleas- 
 antly. " I am glad to see you." And then she 
 allowed him to kiss her. There had been a time 
 when Dave had been somewhat afraid of this 
 stately lady of society, but that time was past now, 
 and Mrs. Wadsworth looked on Dave almost as 
 a son, — indeed, it had been this affection for the 
 youth which had caused the two families to live 
 under the same roof. 
 
 Dave was soon up in his room, putting away 
 his things and getting ready for dinner, which 
 would be served in half an hour. He was almost 
 ready to go below when he saw Caspar Potts pass 
 through the hallway. 
 
 "Well, Professor, how have you been?" he 
 asked, pleasantly. 
 
 " Very well, David, very well," was the some- 
 what slow reply. " It is a very pleasant life here, 
 very pleasant! " And the eyes of the old college 
 professor glistened. 
 
 "Got the library in shape now, I suppose?" 
 went on Dave, for he knew that was the old gen- 
 tleman's hobby. 
 
 " Yes, David, we have every book and pam- 
 phlet catalogued. And I am adding something 
 new," continued the professor. " I am getting the 
 autographs of many of the writers and pasting 
 
DAVE AT HOME 97 
 
 them on the fly-leaves. And where a writer dies 
 and I get a printed obituary notice I paste that in 
 the back of the book. I think it adds something 
 to a volume to know about the writer and to have 
 his or her autograph." 
 
 "Fine, Professor!" cried Dave, and tapped 
 him on the shoulder. " My, but it is nice here! 
 Much better than the old farm, eh, and the poor- 
 house that I came from ! " 
 
 The old gentleman nodded several times, and 
 the tears stood in his eyes. 
 
 "Yes! yes! It is very, very nice. I have 
 found real friends, and I am thankful, very thank- 
 ful ! " And he continued on his way down the 
 hall, wiping his eyes with his handkerchief. 
 
 On the stairs Dave met Jessie. She was in a 
 fresh dress of white, and had a rose in her hair. 
 
 " How pretty you look! " he whispered, as he 
 took her arm. "Just like a — a picture! " And 
 then Jessie blushed and that made her look 
 prettier than ever, if such a thing were pos- 
 sible. 
 
 Dave's father and Mr. Wadsworth had come 
 in, and both were glad to see the boy back. Soon 
 dinner was announced, and all sat down to the 
 long table, Dave between his sister and Jessie. 
 It was old Professor Potts who asked grace; and 
 then some rapid-fire conversation followed, the 
 girls and the others demanding to know all about 
 
98 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 what had happened at Senator Morr's home, and 
 about the lost mine. 
 
 " It certainly sounds like a romance! " declared 
 Dave's father, referring to the lost mine. 
 
 " But I have heard of such things before," 
 answered his brother. " I know of several valu- 
 able mines in South America that were lost 
 through earthquakes. Landslides have not only 
 buried mines, they have buried cities as well." 
 
 " Oh, Dave, supposing you went to look for 
 that mine and there was another landslide!" 
 gasped Jessie, and turned pale. 
 
 " That's a risk we'd have to run," was his 
 answer. " But I'd be very careful as to where 
 I went, Jessie." 
 
 " I don't know about this," put in Mr. David 
 Porter, with a grave shake of his head. " Better 
 take the trip through Yellowstone Park, Dave, 
 and let the Landslide Mine slide," and he smiled, 
 faintly. 
 
 " Oh, I promised Roger that I'd go with him, — 
 and Phil is going, too ! " pleaded Dave. " We'll 
 be very careful." 
 
 " I might go with you myself, only I think I 
 ought to stay with the party to go through the 
 Park," said Dunston Porter. 
 
 " Yes, we want you with us ! " cried Laura. 
 
 " I don't like this at all! " pouted Jessie, and 
 looked somewhat reproachfully at Dave. 
 
DAVE AT HOME 99 
 
 "Oh, you mustn't take it that way!" cried 
 the youth. " Why, we'll be with you on the trip 
 to the Park, and then we'll join you on the tour a 
 little later. You are to stay at least four weeks, 
 remember. Well, if we spent two or even three 
 weeks looking for that mine we'd still have a week 
 in the Park — and one can go through in six days, 
 so the, circular says." 
 
 After that the talk became general, Dave 
 learning more concerning the tour and who from 
 Crumville and vicinity had signed to go, and the 
 others asking for the details concerning the mine, 
 and about the doings of Job Haskers and Link 
 Merwell. 
 
 " You steer clear of that rascally teacher and 
 young Merwell," advised Dave's father. " They 
 are a bad lot." 
 
 " I'll steer clear if I can," answered Dave. 
 " But if I catch them in any wrongdoing and I can 
 manage it, I am going to have both of them 
 arrested." 
 
 " I'd not blame you for that." 
 
 After the meal Dave spent a pleasant evening 
 with Laura and Jessie. The three young folks 
 went out on the porch and there, a little later, Ben 
 Basswood joined them. All talked about the trip 
 to Yellowstone Park, and about the Landslide 
 Mine. 
 
 " I'd like to go after that mine myself," said 
 
ioo DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 Ben. " But I know I can't do it, for I promised 
 mother and my Aunt Kate that I'd stay with them 
 all through the trip." 
 
 " Then you'll have to stay with Laura and Jes- 
 sie, too," returned Dave. " I'll leave them in 
 your care while I am away." 
 
 " Oh, Dave, as if Uncle Dunston wasn't going 
 along! " cried his sister. 
 
 " Well, you can't have too many protectors, in 
 such a wild portion of our country," and Dave 
 laughed, for he knew as well as did all of them 
 that the trip through Yellowstone Park is a per- 
 fectly safe one. 
 
 By and by Ben walked around the garden with 
 Laura, while Dave took Jessie. It was moonlight 
 and perhaps some sentimental things were said. 
 Anyway, when Dave and Jessie came back he held 
 her arm and both looked very contented. Then 
 Ben had to go, and Dave walked down to the 
 gateway with him and spoke about Nat Poole. 
 
 " Well, if he reforms he's a good one," was all 
 Ben said. He and Nat had been on the outs for 
 a long while. 
 
 " He'll do it," answered Dave. " At least, I 
 hope so." 
 
CHAPTER XI 
 
 OVERHEARD IN THE SUMMER-HOUSE 
 
 " Dave, what do you think ! I saw Link Mer- 
 well this morning ! " 
 
 It was Laura who spoke, as she burst into her 
 brother's room, where the youth was looking over 
 the things he expected to take with him on his trip 
 West. 
 
 " You saw Link Merwell ! " cried Dave, drop- 
 ping some collars he held in his hand. " Where ? " 
 
 " Down on Main Street, near the post-office." 
 
 " Did he speak to you? " 
 
 " Oh, no, the minute he noticed that I saw him 
 he hurried out of sight around the corner. I fol- 
 lowed to the corner, but when I got there he had 
 gone. 
 
 " Was Job Haskers with him? " 
 
 " I didn't see him." 
 
 "Humph! This is interesting, to say the 
 least," mused Dave. He thought of what Nat 
 Poole had told him, and of what Merwell and 
 Haskers had attempted at the Morr homestead. 
 " I'll have to look into this," he added, aloud. 
 
 " Oh, Dave, do you think he'll try to do some- 
 
102 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 thing more round here — or at the jewelry 
 works? " 
 
 " I'll warn Mr. Wadsworth, Laura, and he can 
 notify the police. But it's queer Merwell should 
 show himself, knowing there is a warrant out for 
 his arrest. Weren't you mistaken? " 
 
 " I don't think so. Of course he had on a 
 slouch hat, drawn down over his eyes, and an un- 
 usual suit of clothing, but I am pretty certain it 
 was Merwell." 
 
 " Then Haskers must be here, too. They 
 travel together." Dave heaved a sigh. " It's 
 too bad! I wish they were in China, or at the 
 North Pole!" 
 
 It was two days after Dave's arrival at Crum- 
 ville and most of the time had been spent in get- 
 ting ready for the trip to Montana. Roger and 
 Phil were coming to the house that afternoon, and 
 Dave had received a telegram from Shadow Ham- 
 ilton that he would accompany the tourists as far 
 as Yellowstone Park. The other lads were un- 
 able to make the necessary arrangements. 
 
 It was lunch time and Dave lost no time in go- 
 ing to Mr. Wadsworth, who had just come in 
 from his jewelry works. Both of them, accom- 
 panied by Dave's father, went into the library to 
 talk the matter over, so that Jessie and her 
 mother might not be disturbed. 
 
 11 I'll see the police about this," said Mr. Wads- 
 
OVERHEARD IN THE SUMMER-HOUSE 103 
 
 worth, when he had heard about Merwell. " If 
 possible, we must place this young scamp where 
 that fellow Jasniff is, behind the bars." 
 
 " I wish they could arrest Haskers, too," sighed 
 Dave. 
 
 " I don't see how we can — we have no charge 
 against him," answered the manufacturer. 
 
 It was about three o'clock when Roger and Phil 
 came in. As my old readers know, the senator's 
 son and Dave's sister were on unusually good 
 terms with each other, and the greeting between 
 them was very cordial. 
 
 " But I don't like you for one thing, Roger," 
 said Laura, half reproachfully. " I don't like 
 this idea of Dave going off to look for that lost 
 mine." 
 
 " Oh, we won't be away from you long, Laura." 
 
 " And the danger — not only to Dave but to — to 
 you," went on the girl, and gave him a look that 
 meant much. 
 
 " We'll be careful," answered the senator's son. 
 " But I hate awfully to worry you," he added, in 
 a lower tone. 
 
 For Phil, Laura had some good news, which 
 was to the effect that Belle Endicott, the daughter 
 of the owner of Star Ranch, where the young folks 
 had spent such an enjoyable summer, had written 
 that she would join the party at Livingston, for 
 the trip through Yellowstone Park. Phil had 
 
104 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 always admired Belle, she was so dashing and so 
 full of fun, and the news was just to his liking. 
 
 "We'll have the best times ever!" he cried. 
 " That is, after Dave and Roger and Shadow and 
 I get back from locating that lost mine! " 
 
 " You talk as if it was going to be the easiest 
 thing in the world to locate the Landslide Mine ! " 
 laughed Roger. " I think it is going to be hard 
 work — and we may not get a trace of it." 
 
 " Did you bring those papers and that map? " 
 questioned Dave. 
 
 " I did." 
 
 " Let us go over them now," cried Phil. But 
 this was not to be, for there were other things 
 to attend to just then, and the girls demanded a 
 good share of the boys' attention. 
 
 The following morning found the three youths 
 in a summer-house attached to the Wadsworth 
 estate. This was located down near a tiny brook 
 and was overgrown with vines and bushes. It 
 was a cozy retreat, especially on such a hot day in 
 July, and the boys proceeded to make themselves 
 at home by throwing off their coats and caps. 
 
 " Now let us get down to business on this thing," 
 said Dave; whereupon the senator's son brought 
 forth his papers, and the map of the mining dis- 
 trict wherein the Landslide Mine was supposed to 
 be located. 
 
 " That lost mine is supposed to be somewhere 
 
OVERHEARD IN THE SUMMER-HOUSE 105 
 
 along this old trail," said Roger, pointing with 
 his finger. " This trail is known as the Rodman 
 Trail, because a fellow named Billy Rodman dis- 
 covered it. As near as I can make out, the papers 
 say the mine was on this Rodman Trail, half a 
 mile north of Stony Cut and to the west of the 
 Four Rocks." 
 
 " Huh ! That ought to be dead easy to locate," 
 was Phil's comment. " All we have to do is to 
 walk along the trail half a mile beyond Stony Cut 
 and then to the west of the Four Rocks, — and 
 there you are." 
 
 " Exactly, except for two things," replied Roger. 
 " The landslide wiped out Stony Cut and the 
 Four Rocks, too." 
 
 "Oh!" 
 
 " But some one must have some idea where 
 Stony Cut was located," said Dave. 
 
 " My idea is to hunt up that old miner, Abe 
 Blower, and see if he can't locate Stony Cut for 
 us, even approximately, and tell us something 
 about Four Rocks — how it used to look before 
 the great landslide. Then, after we've got that 
 information, we'll start on the hunt." 
 
 " Do you think we'll find Abe Blower in Butte, 
 Montana?" asked Phil. 
 
 " More than likely. He was there some time 
 ago, mother heard. He and Uncle Maurice used 
 to be great chums." 
 
io6 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 "And are you sure the mine is valuable?" 
 queried Phil, after a pause. 
 
 " It must be, otherwise my uncle wouldn't have 
 been so anxious about it." 
 
 Again the boys went over the papers and 
 also the map, talking the proposed trip over 
 from various points of view. They all agreed 
 that locating the lost mine would be no easy 
 task. 
 
 " Supposing somebody else locates it? " said 
 Phil, presently. " Couldn't he lay claim to it? " 
 
 " I don't know about that — I suppose so, since 
 the mine is now completely lost." 
 
 " I hope you can find this Abe Blower and get 
 him to go with us," said Dave. " An old pros- 
 pector like that ought to know that territory well." 
 
 " Blower does know it — so they say." 
 
 " Did you ever meet him? " questioned Phil. 
 
 " No, I never even heard of him until Uncle 
 Maurice died and left his property to mother." 
 
 " Then you don't know what kind of a man 
 he is?" 
 
 " Oh, he must be pretty nice, or my uncle 
 wouldn't have had him for a friend. I've no 
 doubt that he is rough — many of that sort are — 
 but I feel certain " 
 
 Roger stopped short, as a strange crashing in 
 some bushes back of the summer-house reached his 
 ears and the ears of the others. 
 
OVERHEARD IN THE SUMMER-HOUSE 107 
 
 "What's that?" cried Dave. "Some ani- 
 mal?" 
 
 " Hi, what are you doing there? " came, in the 
 voice of the Wadsworth gardener. " Come here, 
 I want to talk to you! " 
 
 "Somebody is in those bushes!" exclaimed 
 Roger, and ran from the summer-house, followed 
 by his chums. 
 
 They were just in time to find Joseph, the new 
 gardener, running after a young fellow who was 
 making his way through an apple orchard on the 
 other side of the brook. Joseph was somewhat 
 stout and not quick of foot, and the young fellow 
 easily outdistanced him, leaped the orchard fence, 
 and hurried down the back road. 
 
 " Who was it, Joseph? " demanded Dave, when 
 the gardener came up, all out of breath. 
 
 " I — don't — know — sir! " gasped the man, puff- 
 ing for breath. " He — was — hiding — in the 
 bushes back of — the — summer-house." 
 
 " Hiding here ! " cried Dave. He looked at 
 his chums. "Can it have been Merwell?" he 
 murmured. 
 
 "Would he dare come here?" asked Phil. 
 
 " He dared to come to Crumville, after he 
 knew there was a warrant out for his arrest." 
 
 "How did that fellow look?" questioned 
 Roger. 
 
 " I didn't see his face, sir," answered the 
 
108 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 gardener, who had now recovered somewhat. 
 " He had on a soft hat and a brown, baggy 
 suit." 
 
 " That's the way Merwell was togged out, so 
 Laura said ! " cried Dave. " Fellows, it must have 
 been Link ! Now what do you know about that ! " 
 
 " Do you think he heard what we said? " asked 
 Roger, much disturbed. 
 
 " He must have, if he was hiding in those 
 bushes," answered Phil. 
 
 " Wonder how long he was there? " 
 
 None of the boys could answer that question, 
 nor could the gardener enlighten them. Joseph 
 had been coming along the side of the orchard 
 when he had espied the fellow and had called to 
 him, thinking it was some boy from Crumville 
 who had sneaked up to steal some of the orchard 
 fruit. He had been surprised when the fellow 
 dashed away so quickly. 
 
 " Maybe he wasn't alone," suggested Roger. 
 " Let us take a look around." 
 
 This was done, but nobody else seemed to be 
 near. Much disturbed, the three lads walked all 
 over the place, and even down the back road in 
 the direction the intruder had fled. 
 
 " If it was Merwell he must have heard all 
 that was said," remarked the senator's son, 
 gravely. 
 
 " If he did, it won't do him any good," 
 
OVERHEARD IN THE SUMMER-HOUSE 109 
 
 answered Phil. " I don't think he'll hunt for that 
 mine." 
 
 " He may follow us and try to make trouble," 
 returned Dave. " He is very bitter — and so is 
 Job Haskers. They'd put themselves out a whole 
 lot to give us a black eye, so to speak." 
 
 " Oh, I know that." 
 
 Much disturbed, the three youths returned to 
 the house, where Roger put his map and papers in 
 a safe place in his trunk — the one he was to take 
 on the trip West. In the meantime Dave tele- 
 phoned to the police, telling them that Merwell 
 had been seen in the vicinity of the Wadsworth 
 mansion. He was glad of the fact that Mrs. 
 Wadsworth and the girls had gone out to do some 
 shopping, for he did not wish to alarm them 
 further. 
 
 In the meantime, down the hot and dusty road 
 in the rear of the orchard ran the young fellow 
 who had leaped the fence. It was indeed Link 
 Merwell, sour-faced, and with that same cunning 
 look as of old in his eyes. 
 
 He kept on for fully a quarter of a mile, then 
 suddenly plunged into a strip of woodland. 
 There, beside a large stream of water, were the 
 ruins of an old stone house. 
 
 Link Merwell stopped running and after a 
 stealthy look around, emitted a clear, short 
 whistle. This he repeated twice. 
 
no DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 From behind the ruins of the stone house a 
 man appeared, with a soft hat drawn well down 
 over his forehead. The man was Job Haskers. 
 
 " Back again, eh? " snapped the former teacher 
 of Oak Hall. " Did you do it? " he questioned, 
 curiously. 
 
 " No, I didn't get the chance," answered Link 
 Merwell. He sank on a log and fanned himself 
 with his hat. 
 
 " Humph ! Better let it go then. If they see 
 you, they'll be after you." 
 
 " They are after me, Haskers." 
 
 "They are! Then let us get out at once!" 
 And the former teacher plainly showed his ner- 
 vousness. 
 
 " I'm willing," returned Link Merwell. " I've 
 changed my mind about doing something here," 
 he went on. " We can do something somewhere 
 else — something that will pay us both big." 
 
 " What do you mean? " 
 
 " We can go after a fortune that is coming to 
 Roger Morr's mother. It's the Landslide Mine, 
 and it's lost. Haskers, if we can locate that mine, 
 our fortunes are made ! Come on, and I'll tell you 
 all about it while we are getting away from this 
 place. We must go West just as fast as we can 
 make it ! " 
 
CHAPTER XII 
 
 ON THE WAY WEST 
 
 "Off at last!" 
 
 "Hurrah for the West!" 
 
 " And the Landslide Mine, Roger, don't forget 
 that!" 
 
 " What a splendid day for beginning the trip ! " 
 
 " Say, we make quite a crowd, don't we? " 
 
 " Wonder if the train will be on time, Dave? " 
 
 " I suppose so. Special excursions are supposed 
 to start on time. Is everybody here, and have 
 we all our baggage? " 
 
 " I've got all of mine," returned Laura. 
 " How about you, Jessie? " 
 
 " I've got my hand-bag. The trunk went with 
 the other trunks." 
 
 " Say, seeing this crowd, puts me in mind of a 
 story," burst out Shadow Hamilton. " Once 
 some tourists " 
 
 " Oh, Shadow ! " came from several in concert. 
 
 " Better keep the story until after we are on 
 the way," cried Dave, gayly. " We'll have plenty 
 of time on the train. It's a four-days' trip to 
 Yellowstone Park, remember." 
 
ii2 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 " Here comes the train! " was the cry. 
 
 The scene was the Crumville station. The little 
 platform was crowded with the folks who were 
 going on the personally-conducted tour to that 
 place of many wonders, Yellowstone Park. Mr. 
 Basswood was on hand, wearing a blue and gold 
 badge, and so was one of the local ministers, and 
 these two had charge of the tour, these and a 
 railroad official who had to look after connec- 
 tions and meals. In the crowd were the boys and 
 girls, and also Mrs. Wadsworth, Mr. Dunston 
 Porter, and about forty others from Crumville 
 and vicinity. The tour was being run at a very 
 reasonable rate, considering the accommodations 
 afforded, and many were taking advantage of this 
 fact to see Yellowstone Park, with its wonderful 
 geysers, its curious boiling " paint pots," and its 
 bears and buffaloes. The minister had once given 
 a lecture on the Park and this had stimulated 
 curiosity to go and see this land of such natural 
 wonders. It is a great national reservation that 
 every American ought to be glad to visit. 
 
 As the train rolled into the station the crowd 
 got aboard and the porters showed the tourists 
 to their seats. All of the " Porter tribe," as Phil 
 dubbed them, were together. Mrs. Wadsworth 
 and another lady had a stateroom, and next to 
 this Laura and Jessie had a section, with Dave 
 and Roger opposite. Then came the other boys, 
 
ON THE WAY WEST 113 
 
 and Mr. and Mrs. Basswood and Dunston Porter. 
 The Crumville contingent filled two cars, and 
 there were three more cars from neighboring 
 towns. To the front were a baggage and a dining- 
 car and to the rear an observation car. 
 
 " All aboard ! " was the cry. 
 
 "Good-by!" 
 
 " Don't forget to write! " 
 
 " Here, Tom, don't forget your valise I " 
 
 11 Be sure to look for Brother Jack in 
 Chicago ! " 
 
 " Be sure to get some good pictures ! " 
 
 " Don't forget some souvenirs ! " 
 
 Then came more cries, and the waving of nu- 
 merous handkerchiefs; and off rolled the excursion 
 train, on its long western trip, Dave waving 
 his cap to his father and Mr. Wadsworth, who 
 had come down to the depot to see the party 
 off. 
 
 It took some little time to settle down on the 
 train. They had left Crumville at half-past ten 
 and almost before the young folks knew it, it was 
 time for lunch. Quite naturally Dave escorted 
 Jessie to the dining-car, while Roger took Laura, 
 and Mr. Dunston Porter looked after Mrs. 
 Wadsworth. 
 
 " I hope the good weather continues," said 
 Jessie, as she sat down with Dave. " It will add 
 so much to the trip." 
 
ii4 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 " Oh, I've ordered nothing but the best of 
 weather," he replied, with a smile. 
 
 " Tell me, Dave," she whispered, " did you 
 hear anything more about that Link Merwell?" 
 
 " Not a word, Jessie." 
 
 " You are sure it was he who was behind the 
 summer-house that day? " 
 
 " Fairly sure. Of course, we might have been 
 mistaken. But we know he was in Crumville — 
 Laura was sure of that — and it would be just like 
 him to sneak up to our place to see what he could 
 do to annoy or injure us." 
 
 " Oh, if only they would leave you alone, 
 Dave! " and the girl sighed deeply. 
 
 " Don't you worry, Jessie; I can take care of 
 myself." 
 
 The lunch was a delightful one, and with so 
 little to do, the young folks took their time over 
 the repast. Then they drifted back to the obser- 
 vation car, and the boys saw to it that the girls and 
 the ladies got good seats, where they might see all 
 that they passed. 
 
 The afternoon found them rolling in the direc- 
 tion of Buffalo, which they were to reach before 
 it was time to retire for the night. Then the 
 train would pass through Cleveland while they 
 slept, on its way to Chicago. 
 
 " I'll be glad to get a look at Chicago," said 
 Ben Basswood, who had not done much traveling. 
 
ON THE WAY WEST 115 
 
 " We are to take a tour in a rubber-neck wagon," 
 he added. 
 
 "A rubber-neck wagon!" cried his mother. 
 " Benjamin, what language! " 
 
 " Well, that is what they usually call the touring 
 automobiles," he answered, with a grin. 
 
 To some of the folks on the trip, going to bed 
 on a train was much of a novelty, and they 
 watched with interest while the porters made up 
 the berths. 
 
 " Do you remember the time we had Billy Dill 
 along, and what he thought of sleeping on a 
 train? " remarked Dave, to Phil and Roger. 
 
 " I sure do," answered the shipowner's son, 
 with a chuckle. " When he saw the seats con- 
 verted into beds he wanted to know if they didn't 
 have a ballroom aboard, or a church, or a farm," 
 and at the recollection of the old tar's questions 
 all in the party had to laugh. 
 
 " Where is this Billy Dill now? " asked Shadow. 
 
 " Safe in an old sailors' home," answered 
 Dave. " He took a trip or two to sea, but 
 he couldn't stand it, so we had him put in the 
 home." 
 
 " You've got him to thank for a good deal, 
 Dave," remarked the senator's son, in low tones. 
 
 "Yes, and I'll never forget Billy Dill," 
 answered our hero, as he remembered how the 
 old tar had helped him to find his Uncle Dunston, 
 
u6 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 as related in detail in " Dave Porter in the South 
 Seas." 
 
 Mr. Dunston Porter had found some congenial 
 spirits in the smoking-compartment of the car and 
 spent a good deal of his time there. He met a 
 man who had done considerable hunting in the 
 West, and the two " swapped yarns," as Mr. 
 Porter said afterwards. 
 
 Only a short stop was made at Buffalo, just 
 long enough to allow the boys and some of the 
 men to stretch their legs on the depot plat- 
 form, and then the excursion train started on 
 its trip along the shore of Lake Erie towards 
 the great Windy City, as Chicago is sometimes 
 called. 
 
 Morning found the party well on the way to 
 Chicago, and that metropolis of the Great Lakes 
 was reached about noon. Lunch had already been 
 served, and at the depot all hands found a string 
 of touring automobiles awaiting them, to take 
 them around to various points of interest, includ- 
 ing the business section, the finer residential dis- 
 trict, and Lincoln Park, with its Zoological 
 Garden. Some of the party went in a different 
 direction, to visit the Stock Yards, that great 
 place where hundreds of cattle are slaughtered 
 daily. 
 
 "By the great tin dipper!" cried Phil, sud- 
 denly, when waiting for the automobile in which 
 
ON THE WAY WEST 117 
 
 he and some others sat to start off. " Look who's 
 here!" 
 
 "Jim Murphy! " cried Dave and Roger, in a 
 breath. 
 
 " So it is ! " came from Shadow. " Hi, Jim ! " 
 he called out. " Don't you know us any more? " 
 
 The young man they addressed, a tall fellow of 
 Irish parentage, who stood on the sidewalk, turned 
 swiftly. Then his face broke into a grin, and he 
 rushed forward. 
 
 " Sure, an' what do you think of this now! " 
 he exclaimed. " Dave Porter, an' Phil Lawrence, 
 an' Roger Morr, and Shadow Hamilton, an', sure 
 enough, Ben Basswood! Say, what is this, a tour 
 o' Oak Hall boys! " and the former monitor of 
 that institution of learning smiled more broadly 
 than ever. 
 
 " We are on an excursion," explained Dave, 
 and gave some details. " What are you doing in 
 Chicago, Jim? " he went on. 
 
 " Sure I got a job here, after I left Oak Hall." 
 
 " What are you doing? " questioned Roger. 
 
 " I'm one of the gatemen in the train shed. But 
 I expect to get a better job than that in a week 
 or two — it's promised to me," added the former 
 monitor. " An', by the way, lots of Oak Hall 
 boys passing through Chicago now," he continued. 
 
 "What do you mean?" asked Phil, quickly. 
 " Whom did you see? " 
 
n8 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 " Saw Teddy Fells about a week ago, and two 
 days ago I saw Link Merwell." 
 
 " Merwell ! " came from several of the youths. 
 
 " Was he alone? " questioned Dave. 
 
 " No, he had Mr. Haskers with him. Haskers 
 lost his job at the Hall, didn't he? " 
 
 " Yes." 
 
 " I thought so, for the minute he and Merwell 
 spotted me they got out of sight in a hurry." 
 
 " Where were they going? " asked Phil. 
 
 " I'm sure I don't know. They got off the 
 Eastern Express, and left the depot in a hurry. 
 They acted as if they didn't want anybody to 
 notice 'em." 
 
 "All ready!" came the cry of the man in 
 charge of the touring automobiles, and then one 
 after another the turnouts rolled away from the 
 depot. 
 
 " Shall we stay here and look into this? " asked 
 Dave, of Roger and Phil. 
 
 "What's the use?" returned the shipowner's 
 son. " It isn't likely they are here now." And 
 then the boys waved a good-by to big Jim 
 Murphy, and the automobile passed out of the 
 former monitor's sight. 
 
 Laura and Jessie had heard what was said and 
 they were as much disturbed as the boys them- 
 selves, if not more so. 
 
 " Oh, Dave, do you think Haskers and Mer- 
 
ON THE WAY WEST 119 
 
 well are following you?" asked his sister, anx- 
 iously. 
 
 " They can't be following us if they are ahead 
 of us," he replied, with a faint smile. 
 
 " Well, you know what I mean." 
 
 " I don't know what to think, Laura. Merwell 
 may be going West to join his folks. They are 
 somewhere out there." 
 
 " But Haskers " 
 
 " He may be sticking to Link because Link has 
 money — he gets it from his parents, who don't 
 want to see him caught and sent to prison, as was 
 the case with Jasniff. I think Job Haskers was 
 always a good sponge when it came to getting 
 something out of other people." 
 
 " Maybe you are right. Oh, I hope we don't 
 meet them on this trip ! " And Laura shuddered; 
 she could not exactly tell why. 
 
 The touring trip took the Crumville folks first 
 to the business section of Chicago, and the man 
 in front, with a megaphone, bawled out the va- 
 rious points of interest. Then the touring-cars, 
 in a sort of procession, moved to a residential 
 section, fronting Lake Michigan, with its palatial 
 homes. 
 
 " Just as fine as Riverside Drive, New York," 
 was Dave's comment. 
 
 " Every large city in the United States has its 
 beautiful section," remarked Dunston Porter. 
 
120 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 They were soon in Lincoln Park, and here a 
 stop was made to look at the animals in the Zoo. 
 The young people had a good deal of fun with 
 the monkeys, and with a couple of bears that stood 
 up to box each other. 
 
 Five o'clock found the party back to the depot, 
 ready to board the train once more. As they 
 stood near the car steps talking, a porter of the 
 car touched Roger on the arm. 
 
 " Excuse me, Mr. Morr," he said, " but did you 
 send a man here for your suit-case? " 
 
 " I certainly did not! " cried the senator's son. 
 
 " You didn't! " gasped the colored porter, and 
 at once showed his excitement. " Well, one came 
 here, with a written order for your suit-case, and 
 I done gave it to him ! " 
 
CHAPTER XIII 
 
 DAVE SEES SOMETHING 
 
 " You gave somebody my suit-case ! " cried the 
 senator's son, while a number of tourists gathered 
 around, to learn what was going on. 
 
 "Yes, sah!" returned the colored porter of 
 the car. Plainly he was much distressed. " He 
 had an order, sah," he added, and fumbled in one 
 pocket after another, at last bringing out a 
 crumbled bit of writing paper. " Here it is, sah ! " 
 
 Roger took the slip and read it, with Dave and 
 Phil looking over his shoulders. The sheet read 
 as follows : 
 
 "Porter, Car Medora: Deliver to bearer my 
 suit-case. Roger A. Morr. " 
 
 " This is a forgery — I never wrote itl " cried 
 the senator's son. " It's some swindler's trick! " 
 
 " I — I didn't know you didn't write it," faltered 
 the porter. " I axed the man where you was and 
 he said you was visitin' his house and wanted to 
 show him something you had in the case." 
 
 " Do you know what I think? " exclaimed 
 
 121 
 
122 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 Dave. " I think this is the work of Link Mer- 
 well ! " 
 
 11 Yes, and Job Haskers," added Phil. " They 
 are working together." 
 
 " But why did they steal my suit-case? " asked 
 
 Roger. " Do you suppose " He stopped 
 
 short, for strangers were about. He was on the 
 point of mentioning the map and instructions he 
 carried for locating the Landslide Mine. Dave 
 and Phil, as well as Ben and Shadow, understood. 
 
 " Did you have anything in the case outside 
 of your clothing? " whispered the shipowner's 
 son. 
 
 " Only a few things of no importance," 
 answered Roger. He tapped his breast pocket. 
 " Those papers are here, and my money is here, 
 too." 
 
 "Good!" murmured Dave. "Then Merwell 
 and Haskers will be sold — outside of getting your 
 clothing." 
 
 The porter was closely questioned, but could 
 give no very good description of the man who had 
 presented the order for the suit-case. 
 
 " I was busy — waitin' on an old lady wot was 
 sick," he explained. " I jess read that order and 
 got the suit-case, and he went off in a hurry. I'm 
 mighty sorry I let him have the bag. But he had 
 the order, all signed," and the porter rolled his 
 eyes mournfully. - 
 
DAVE SEES SOMETHING 123 
 
 " I can't say that I blame you," answered 
 Roger. " But after this " 
 
 " I won't give away nuffin to nobody," cried the 
 porter, quickly. 
 
 The matter was talked over for several minutes, 
 and then it was time for the train to leave Chicago. 
 The paper looked as if it might be in Link Mer- 
 well's handwriting and the boys concluded that 
 he was the guilty party. Probably he had come 
 to the train, knowing our friends were away on 
 the sight-seeing tour, and possibly he had been 
 disguised, maybe with a false mustache, or wig, 
 or both. The porter was almost certain the man 
 had worn a heavy black mustache. 
 
 " Well, all I lost was one suit of clothes, some 
 shirts and collars, a few neckties and some under- 
 clothes, and a comb and brush, and toothbrush," 
 remarked Roger, when the train was once more on 
 its way. " It's a total loss of about sixty dollars." 
 
 " Maybe you can make the railroad pay it," 
 suggested Shadow. 
 
 " Perhaps. But I am thankful that those 
 rascals didn't get what they were after. They 
 must have thought I carried those papers in the 
 suit-case." Such was indeed the truth, and it was 
 Merwell who had forged Roger's signature and 
 gotten the traveling bag. It may be added here 
 that, later on, the railroad company offered to pay 
 for the loss of the suit-case and its contents, doing 
 
124 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 this very promptly when it was learned that the 
 loser was the son of a United States senator. 
 
 On and on rolled the excursion train, and after 
 the excitement attending the loss of the suit-case 
 was over, the boys and girls settled down to enjoy 
 themselves. Dave and the other lads loaned 
 Roger such things as he needed, until he could get 
 at his trunk in the baggage-car. 
 
 The next morning found the train in St. Paul, 
 and there the tourists spent a day, riding around 
 the city and visiting Minneapolis, which is but a 
 short distance away. By nightfall they were on 
 board once more and bound for Livingston, a 
 small place, where a branch-line runs a distance of 
 about fifty miles southward to Gardiner, the 
 northern entrance to Yellowstone Park. At Liv- 
 ingston, Dave and his chums were to separate 
 from the others and keep on westward to Butte, 
 where they hoped to fall in with Abe Blower, the 
 old miner and prospector. 
 
 " Oh, Dave, it won't be long now before we 
 separate!" said Jessie with a sigh. It was the 
 second day of the trip after leaving St. Paul, and 
 the two were by themselves on the observation 
 end of the train. 
 
 11 Well, I don't think it will be for long," he 
 said, as cheerfully as possible. " We'll soon join 
 you in the Park." 
 
 " I — I wouldn't mind it so much if it was not 
 
DAVE SEES SOMETHING 125 
 
 for that Link Merwell — and that old Haskers ! " 
 continued the girl. " Oh, Dave, you must be 
 careful! " and she caught him by the arm. 
 
 " I'm going to keep my eyes open for them," 
 Dave answered, and, as nobody was looking, he 
 caught her hand and gave it a tight squeeze. 
 "Will you miss me, Jessie, while I am gone?" 
 he continued, in a low tone. 
 
 " Terribly! " she whispered. 
 
 " I'll miss you, too. But it sha'n't be for long 
 that I'll be away — I promise you that." 
 
 " Oh, you must find the mine if you can, Dave. 
 I rather think the Morrs are depending on it. 
 Laura said Roger looked very much worried when 
 he got that letter in St. Paul." 
 
 " Yes, matters are not going well with the sen- 
 ator's affairs — I know that, Jessie. If he gets out 
 of politics he'll have to do something else. Find- 
 ing this lost gold mine would be a big lift for the 
 whole family." 
 
 Then Laura came out, in company with Roger, 
 and soon the others followed. It was a perfect 
 day, as clear as could be, and off in the distance 
 could be seen the mountains. 
 
 " Going to shoot any bears out there in the 
 Park?" asked Shadow, of Dunston Porter, with 
 a grin. 
 
 " Hardly, Shadow, since outsiders are not al- 
 lowed to carry firearms," replied Dave's uncle. 
 
126 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 " Only the United States soldiers are armed in 
 the Park." 
 
 " Somebody told me the bears were tame 
 enough to eat out of your hand," said Phil. 
 
 " Maybe they are, but I shouldn't advise any- 
 body to feed them that way," answered Mr. 
 Porter. " A bear isn't naturally a sociable crea- 
 ture." 
 
 It had been decided that Dunston Porter should 
 go into the Park with the ladies and the girls, let- 
 ting the boys shift for themselves in the search 
 for Abe Blower and the lost Landslide Mine. 
 An hour before the time for parting came 
 Dunston Porter called Dave, Roger, and Phil 
 to him, in a car that was practically vacated at 
 the time. 
 
 " Now, I want to caution all of you to be care- 
 ful," said the old hunter and traveler. " This 
 isn't the East, remember. It's the West, and in 
 some places it is as wild and woolly as can be. 
 But I don't think you'll have any trouble if you 
 mind your own business and keep your eyes open. 
 Don't rely too much on strangers, and I think it 
 will be wise for all of you to keep together as 
 much as possible. Don't show any more cash than 
 you have to. And remember, you can always 
 reach us in the Park, by telegraph or long-distance 
 telephone." 
 
 " We'll try to take care of ourselves," said 
 
DAVE SEES SOMETHING 127 
 
 Dave; and then his uncle continued to give the 
 youths advice, on one subject or another, until 
 it was time to get ready to leave the train. 
 
 " Livingston! " was the cry presently, and the 
 excursion train rolled into the long depot. It was 
 to stop there for fifteen minutes and then proceed 
 to Gardiner. 
 
 " There is Belle! " cried Laura. 
 
 " I see her! " put in Phil, and was the first to 
 reach the platform and shake the girl from Star 
 Ranch by the hand. Belle Endicott looked the 
 picture of health, and was glad to greet them all. 
 
 " Sorry we can't visit awhile," said Roger. 
 
 " We'll do that after we come back," added 
 Phil. 
 
 "Well, good-by everybody!" cried Dave, 
 shaking hands with many, an example followed by 
 those who were to go with him. 
 
 " Wish I was going on that hunt for the mine 
 with you," said Ben, who had to remain with his 
 folks. 
 
 " So do I," added Shadow, who was to stay 
 with Ben. 
 
 " Never mind, we'll rely on you to look after 
 the girls," answered Dave. 
 
 " Oh, we can do that," said Ben, with a grin. 
 
 " Say, that puts me in mind of a story," cried 
 Shadow. " No reflection on the girls here," he 
 added, hastily. " Once on a time a young minister 
 
128 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 paid a visit to some relatives in the country. He 
 got a letter stating they'd be glad to have him 
 come and would he attend a picnic in the woods 
 and help to take care of four girls. He wrote 
 back that he would be delighted. When he ar- 
 rived and started for the picnic he found the four 
 girls waiting for him — four old maids from thirty 
 to forty years of age! " And at this joke a smile 
 went around, in which the girls joined. 
 
 Soon the last of the good-bys had been said. 
 The girls were on the observation end of the last 
 car, and as the train rolled onward towards Yel- 
 lowstone Park they waved their handkerchiefs 
 and the boys on the platform swung their caps. 
 Then the train slowly disappeared from view. 
 
 " Well, here we are," said Phil, with something 
 like a sigh. 
 
 " We've got an hour to wait before that train 
 comes along for Butte," said Roger, consulting 
 his watch. 
 
 " How far is Butte? " went on the shipowner's 
 son. 
 
 11 About a hundred miles, as the crow flies," 
 answered Dave. " But I guess it is longer by the 
 railroad, and we'll have some climbing to do — 
 to get into the Rockies." 
 
 " Say, supposing we ask the men around here 
 if they saw anything of Merwell and Haskers? " 
 suggested the senator's son. 
 
They waved their handkerchiefs, and the boys on the 
 
 PLATFORM SWUNG THEIR CAPS. — Page 128. 
 
DAVE SEES SOMETHING 129 
 
 " It won't do any harm," answered Dave. 
 
 Inquiries were made of the baggage-master, a 
 ticket-seller, and half a dozen other men around 
 the depot. But none of them remembered having 
 seen the pair mentioned. 
 
 " They probably kept out of sight," was Dave's 
 comment. " They would be afraid we were on 
 their trail, or that we had telegraphed ahead about 
 them." 
 
 From the station-master they learned that their 
 train was two hours behind time, and would not 
 reach Butte until late that night. This being so, 
 they left their baggage on check at the depot and 
 took a stroll around, looking at the sights. Then 
 they found a small restaurant and got what they 
 called supper, although it was not a very good 
 meal. 
 
 When the train came along it proved to be 
 crowded, for there had been a sale of public and 
 private lands not far away and many of the disap- 
 pointed would-be buyers were on board. 
 
 " We can't take any through passengers," said 
 the conductor, and waved the boys back. 
 
 " We only want to go to Butte," answered 
 Roger. 
 
 " Oh, all right then. Take the forward car, 
 next to the baggage-car. But I don't think you'll 
 find any seats. We are swamped because of the 
 land sale." 
 
130 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 The boys ran forward, after making sure that 
 their baggage was tumbled into a baggage-car. As 
 the conductor had said, the cars were over- 
 crowded, and they had to stand up in the aisle. A 
 number of the men were smoking and they con- 
 tinued to do so, even though it was against the 
 rules. 
 
 " Pretty rough-looking crowd," whispered Phil, 
 after the train had started. 
 
 " Not all bad," was Dave's comment. " But 
 some of them are certainly the limit," and he 
 nodded towards one crowd that were talking 
 loudly and using language that was anything but 
 choice. In this crowd one fellow in particular, a 
 tall, thin, leathery individual, called by the others 
 Sol Blugg, seemed to be a leading spirit. 
 
 About half an hour had passed, and the con- 
 ductor had just gone through collecting tickets, 
 when the man called Blugg pushed up alongside 
 another man who sat on the arm of a rear seat. 
 
 " Say, do you know what Staver jest told me? " 
 he exclaimed. 
 
 "No, what?" demanded the other man. 
 
 " He says as how he is almost sure Abe Blower 
 put this crimp in our land deal," responded the 
 man called Blugg. 
 
 "Abe Blower!" exclaimed the other. "Say, 
 maybe thet's right. Blower ain't got no use fer 
 our crowd. Well, if he did it, he better look out ! " 
 
CHAPTER XIV 
 
 IN BUTTE 
 
 Dave overheard the conversation between the 
 two rough-looking men in the crowded car, and so 
 did Phil and Roger. All glanced at each other 
 suggestively. 
 
 " Do you think they are talking about the Abe 
 Blower we want to find? " asked Roger of Dave, 
 in a whisper. 
 
 " More than likely, Roger," was the answer. 
 " It is not likely that there are two Abe Blowers 
 in this part of the country. It's not a common 
 name, like Smith." 
 
 " Listen," whispered Phil, for the two men 
 had begun to talk again. 
 
 " I lost a lot of money by havin' thet land deal 
 fall through," growled the fellow called Blugg. 
 
 " So did I," responded the man on the arm of 
 the car seat. " We all did." 
 
 " If Abe Blower knows we are on his trail he'll 
 keep out o' sight." 
 
 "Maybe; although Blower wa'n't never the 
 fellow to take backwater," responded the other, 
 doubtfully. 
 
 131 
 
132 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 "We'll git him yet; see if we don't," was the 
 savage response. And then followed some con- 
 versation in such a low tone that the boys could 
 not hear what was said. 
 
 But it was easy to surmise one thing, which was 
 that these men hated Abe Blower most cordially. 
 And because of this, and because they had heard 
 that Blower was a strictly upright, honest man, 
 the chums concluded that these fellows in the car 
 had been trying in some manner to put through 
 some land deal that was not strictly fair, and that 
 Abe Blower had foiled their designs. 
 
 Presently a third man, a fellow named Larry 
 Jaley, joined the others. All were very bitter 
 against Abe Blower, and each vowed that he 
 would " git square " with the old prospector 
 sooner or later. From their talk the boys learned 
 that the men, along with some others of the 
 crowd, were stopping in Butte at the Solid Com- 
 fort House, a place that, so they afterwards 
 learned, bore a very shady reputation. Nothing 
 was said about where Abe Blower was stopping, 
 and the youths did not dare to inquire, for fear of 
 making the men suspicious. 
 
 " They might think we were friends of Blower 
 sent to spy on them," said Phil. " They must know 
 we have heard some of their talk." 
 
 " If Abe Blower is so well known in Butte it 
 ought to be an easy matter to find him," returned 
 
IN BUTTE 133 
 
 Dave. " We can look for him in the directory 
 and the telephone book, and ask for him at the 
 hotels and mining offices." 
 
 " And remember, I have one of his old ad- 
 dresses," said Roger. " Maybe the folks at that 
 place know where he has gone." 
 
 It was dark when they rolled into the railroad 
 station at Butte, a typical western mining city, 
 with a population of about thirty-five thousand 
 souls. 
 
 " No use in trying to do anything to-night," 
 said Roger, who was tired and knew his chums 
 must be the same. " We'll go to some first-class 
 hotel and start on our hunt for Blower in the 
 morning." 
 
 " Yes, I'm dead tired," answered Phil, who 
 had been yawning for the last hour. 
 
 The boys had the address of a good hotel, and 
 were soon on the way to the place. They saw the 
 man called Sol Blugg start off down a side street 
 with his companions. 
 
 " I wish we would run into Link Merwell and 
 Job Haskers," remarked Dave, as they hurried 
 towards the hotel. 
 
 "What good would that do?" demanded the 
 senator's son. 
 
 " Then I'd know they hadn't left Butte to look 
 for that lost mine." 
 
 " Humph ! you don't suppose they are going to 
 
134 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 find it all in a minute, do you, Dave?" asked 
 Phil. 
 
 " No, but an idea just struck me." 
 
 " What? " asked both of the others. 
 
 " Supposing Merwell and Haskers should hunt 
 up Blower and see what he had to say about the 
 lost mine." 
 
 " Phew ! " cried Roger. " Do you think they'd 
 dare?" 
 
 " They might. They have done some pretty 
 bold things lately. Link is real reckless." 
 
 Roger came to a halt on the pavement. 
 
 " Maybe we had better hunt for Abe Blower 
 right away," he declared. 
 
 " Oh, come on, and get to bed," yawned Phil. 
 " Where are you going to look for him this time 
 of night?" 
 
 " I don't know, exactly. But we could make 
 some inquiries." 
 
 " Let us go to the hotel first," said Dave. 
 " Then, after we have secured rooms, we can 
 hunt around, if we want to." 
 
 A little later they found themselves at the hotel, 
 where they secured two rooms with a bath. At 
 the desk they asked the clerk if he knew an old 
 miner and prospector named Abe Blower. 
 
 " Seems to me I've heard the name," replied 
 the clerk. " But I can't just place it. You might 
 ask Tom Dillon, over yonder. He knows all the 
 
IN BUTTE 135 
 
 old-timers in Butte," and the clerk pointed to a 
 man who sat in a corner of the hotel lobby, read- 
 ing a newspaper. 
 
 Tom Dillon, round-faced and white-haired, put 
 down his paper and smiled as the boys came up 
 and addressed him. He was an old-time miner, 
 who had " struck it rich," and who had known 
 how to take care of his wealth. 
 
 "Sure, I know most of the old-timers!" he 
 exclaimed, genially, in reply to Roger's question. 
 " Who are you looking for? " 
 
 " Let me introduce myself first," said Roger. 
 He gave his name and also those of his chums. 
 " I am the nephew of the late Maurice Harrison, 
 of this place." 
 
 "You don't tell me! Maurice's nevvy, eh? 
 Then you must be the son o' Senator Morr, o' the 
 East?" 
 
 " Yes." 
 
 " Glad to know ye ! Put her there, young 
 man! " And Tom Dillon shook hands cordially 
 all around. " Yes, I knowed your uncle well — 
 we did a bit of prospectin' together onct. It 
 broke me all up to hear how he died — so many o' 
 the old-timers droppin' off." 
 
 " It was a great shock to our family," replied 
 Roger. " Perhaps you know what brought me to 
 Butte," he continued, looking at the old miner, 
 questioningly. 
 
136 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 " To settle up the estate, I reckon." 
 
 " In a way, yes. I suppose you have heard 
 about that lost mine? " 
 
 " What, the Landslide? Sure. An' she's gone 
 fer good, lad; don't bank on ever findin' it ag'in, 
 for if you do, well, I think ye'll be disapp'inted." 
 And Tom Dillon shook his head slowly. 
 
 "You really think it can't be found?" asked 
 Dave. 
 
 " I ain't sayin' that. But chances are all ag'in 
 it. Whar that mine was located, the big land- 
 slide changed the hull face o' nature, an' all kinds 
 o' landmarks have been teetotally lost." 
 
 11 Well, I am going to do what I can," put in 
 Roger. " And my two chums are going to help 
 me. But I was going to ask you a question. The 
 clerk suggested that we ask you. Do you know 
 an old miner named Abe Blower? " 
 
 " Sure." 
 
 " Can you tell me where he is now? " 
 
 " He lives with an old lady named Carmody, 
 on the other side o' town. She is some kind o' a 
 relative of his, and came on from the South to 
 keep house fer him. But he ain't home much. 
 He spends most of his time prospectin'. Seems 
 like he can't give it up." 
 
 " I wish you'd give me his address," said the 
 senator's son, and, having received it, put it down 
 in a note-book. 
 
IN BUTTE 137 
 
 As late as it was, it was decided to walk across 
 town to where Abe Blower resided, and the three 
 boys set out without delay. 
 
 " I'd get a cab, if any was around," said Roger, 
 who saw how tired Phil was. 
 
 " Maybe, Phil, you had better go to bed and 
 let Roger and me go to Blower's home," suggested 
 Dave. 
 
 " No, if you go, I'll go too," declared the ship- 
 owner's son, who never cared to be left behind 
 when anything was going on. 
 
 The place where Abe Blower resided was down 
 at the end of a side street, which, at this hour of 
 the night, was dark and deserted. They had some 
 little difficulty in finding the right number. The 
 house stood back from the street, and not a single 
 light shone within it. 
 
 " Everybody gone to bed," announced Dave. 
 " It seems like a shame to wake them up." 
 
 " I'll wait till morning," announced the sen- 
 ator's son. " Now we know just where the place 
 is, we can come here directly after breakfast" 
 And so it was settled. 
 
 At the hotel Phil found himself so tired that 
 he pitched into bed with scant ceremony. After 
 the long trip on the train, Dave felt that he needed 
 a bath and took it, followed by Roger. Then all 
 went sound asleep, not to awaken until daylight. 
 Then Phil took a good " soak," as he called a 
 
138 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 bath, and all dressed for an early breakfast. In 
 the dining-room they met Mr. Dillon. 
 
 " Find Abe last night? " asked the old miner, 
 with a smile. 
 
 " We located the house and are going over 
 there right after we eat," answered the senator's 
 son. " And by the way, Mr. Dillon," he con- 
 tinued. " Do you know any men named Blugg, 
 Jaley, and Staver? " 
 
 " Do I ! " cried Tom Dillon. " Sure I do, an' 
 so do lots of other folks in these diggin's. What 
 do you know about 'em?" 
 
 " We met them on the train." 
 
 " Don't ye have nothin' to do with that crowd, 
 lads. They ain't the sort you want to train with, 
 nohow." 
 
 " We are not going to train with them," said 
 Dave. 
 
 " We thought they were pretty hard custom- 
 ers," added Phil. 
 
 " They mentioned Abe Blower and one of them 
 said he thought Blower had queered some sort 
 of a land deal they were trying to put through," 
 continued Roger. 
 
 " Is that so ! Well, if Abe did that I give him 
 credit for it, I sure do. Those fellers are 
 swindlers, pure an' simple. But they generally 
 work in sech a way that the law can't tech 'em. I 
 ain't got no use for 'em — and I reckon Abe ain't 
 
IN BUTTE 139 
 
 neither," went on the old miner, vigorously. And 
 then he sat down to breakfast with the boys, tell- 
 ing them much about Butte, and the mining coun- 
 try around it, and about what dealings he had 
 had with Roger's uncle. 
 
 " A square man he was," he said. " And a 
 great pity the way he dropped off and had his 
 mine lost by a landslide." 
 
 The meal over, the three boys lost no time 
 in walking over to the other side of the city, 
 where Abe Blower lived. They found the front 
 windows of the house open and an elderly 
 woman was sweeping off the front stoop with a 
 broom. 
 
 " Good-morning," said Roger, politely. " Is 
 this Mrs. Carmody? " 
 
 " Yes, I'm Mrs. Carmody," was the reply, and 
 the old lady looked questioningly into Roger's 
 face. " I don't seem to remember you," she went 
 on. 
 
 " We never met before, Mrs. Carmody," 
 answered Roger, and introduced himself and his 
 chums. " I came to see Mr. Abe Blower." 
 
 The woman looked quite bewildered, so much 
 so that the boys were astonished. She dropped 
 her broom. 
 
 "Did you say you was Roger Morr?" she 
 gasped, looking at the senator's son. 
 
 "Yes." 
 
140 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 " Then what brought you here — lookin' fer 
 Abe?" 
 
 It was now Roger's turn to be surprised. 
 
 " Why do you ask that? " he questioned. " I 
 came because I want to have a talk with him, and 
 maybe get him to help me look for a lost mine." 
 
 " Well, I never ! " gasped Mrs. Carmody, and 
 looked more bewildered than ever. 
 
 "Isn't Mr. Blower here?" asked Dave. A 
 sudden idea had sprung into his mind. 
 
 " Of course he isn't here. I — I — don't under- 
 stand this at all — really, I don't." 
 
 " Don't understand what? " asked Roger. 
 
 " Your bein' here, after the letter Abe sent 
 yesterday afternoon. Didn't you say your name 
 was Roger Morr?" 
 
 " Yes." 
 
 " Then you went off with Abe, didn't you? " 
 
 "Me?" cried Roger. "Why, I have never 
 seen him as yet." 
 
 "Never seen him!" gasped Mrs. Carmody. 
 " Well, I never! Of all the queer things! What 
 can it mean?" And she walked to a chair on 
 the stoop and sank down heavily. 
 
CHAPTER XV 
 
 AT ABE BLOWER S HOME 
 
 The boys saw at once that something was 
 wrong. Mrs. Carmody was completely be- 
 wildered, and being old, had no easy time of it to 
 collect her wits. 
 
 " Do you feel faint? " asked Dave, kindly. 
 " Can I get you a glass of water? " 
 
 " No, I'll be all right in a minute. But this 
 beats all, it sure does ! " replied the old lady. 
 " Abe wrote that he was going off with a Roger 
 Morr to look for a lost mine, and here you are 
 lookin' for Abe. It sure is a puzzle." 
 
 "He wrote that he was going off with me?" 
 ejaculated the senator's son. 
 
 " He said Roger Morr. If that's your 
 handle " 
 
 " It certainly is." 
 
 "This must be Link Merwell's work!" cried 
 Dave. " Perhaps he met Blower " 
 
 " And impersonated Roger," finished Phil. 
 
 " Would he do that? " questioned the senator's 
 son. "Would he dare?" 
 
 141 
 
142 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 " He would, if he thought he could get away 
 with the trick," replied Dave. He turned to 
 Mrs. Carmody. " Would you mind letting us 
 see the letter Mr. Blower sent you?" 
 
 " Sure. I'll get it. I left it on the table," was 
 the answer, and, getting up, the old lady went into 
 the house. " Come in," she invited. In her 
 younger days she had been used to the rough life 
 of a pioneer and she did not stand on ceremony. 
 
 The boys went in, and presently Mrs. Carmody 
 brought forth a letter written in lead pencil on a 
 half-sheet of note paper. It ran as follows: 
 
 " Dear Kate : 
 
 " You remember I tole you about Maurice Har- 
 risons sister, who was married to a seanatour of 
 the government. Well, his son, Rogar Morr has 
 come on to look for that lost mine — wants for me 
 to go on a hunt with him to onse — so as it is good 
 money I am going — start to nite in a hour — you 
 git Nell Davis to stay with you her an Ben I 
 wont be gone morn a weak or to. Abe." 
 
 " That's the letter Abe sent me yesterday," 
 announced Mrs. Carmody. " You see he says 
 Roger Morr, the son of the senator. If that's 
 you, what does it mean?" and she looked at 
 Roger. 
 
 " I'll tell you what it means," answered Dave. 
 " It means that somebody else has pretended he 
 
AT ABE BLOWER'S HOME 143 
 
 is Roger here — an enemy who wants to locate the 
 lost mine first, if he can." 
 
 " O dear! Did you ever hear the like! Who 
 was it, do you suppose? " 
 
 " We've got a pretty good idea," said Roger. 
 " Nobody you know. But tell me, where did this 
 letter come from? " 
 
 " You mean who brought it? " 
 
 " Yes." 
 
 " Billy Lane." 
 
 "Who is he?" 
 
 " Oh, a feller around town, who does all sort 
 o' odd jobs." 
 
 " Then you don't know where Mr. Blower was 
 when he sent it? " 
 
 " No, I don't. But I guess he wasn't very near, 
 otherwise he would have come here hisself, instead 
 o' writin' — for writin' comes hard to Abe — he 
 never had no chanct for much education. And 
 he would want some o' his clothes." 
 
 The boys read the letter a second time. All 
 were convinced that Link Merwell had gotten 
 ahead of them and had perpetrated the fraud by 
 impersonating Roger. 
 
 " It was certainly a bold stroke," was Phil's 
 comment. 
 
 " Yes, and a clever one too, in a way," replied 
 Dave. " From our talk in the summer-house 
 Link must have learned that Blower and the late 
 
144 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 Mr. Harrison were warm friends, and, that being 
 so, Blower would be willing to do almost anything 
 for Mr. Harrison's nephew. And Link rushed 
 Blower away in a hurry, so that we wouldn't get 
 at him." 
 
 "I wonder if Haskers is with him?" mused 
 Roger. 
 
 " I shouldn't wonder. If the mine is found, 
 Link can't claim it, for he would be arrested on 
 sight. But he could let Haskers claim it, and 
 then turn it over to somebody else and thus mix it 
 up, so that you would be out of it," answered 
 Dave. 
 
 " What do you think I had best do next? " 
 asked the senator's son. The unexpected turn of 
 affairs had bewildered him almost as much as it 
 had bewildered Mrs. Carmody. 
 
 " I don't see what you can do, Roger, excepting 
 to start on a hunt for the Landslide Mine without 
 Blower." 
 
 "Yes, let us do that!" cried Phil. " Who 
 knows but that we'll run across Blower and Mer- 
 well? And if we do, we can easily prove that 
 Link is a fraud." 
 
 " Well, we'll have to get some sort of a guide," 
 answered Roger. " It would be utterly useless 
 for us to start out alone in such a country as 
 this." 
 
 " We might ask Mr. Dillon to recommend 
 
AT ABE BLOWER'S HOME 145 
 
 somebody," said Dave. " He appeared to be a 
 reliable man." 
 
 The boys talked to Mrs. Carmody for a few 
 minutes longer. They were on the point of leav- 
 ing the house when there came a loud rap on the 
 front door. 
 
 " Perhaps Blower has come back! " cried Phil. 
 
 " I don't think he'd knock," answered Dave. 
 
 " No, it isn't Abe," said Mrs. Carmody. " I'll 
 go and see who it is." 
 
 She went to the door and opened it, — to find 
 herself confronted by a tall, leathery-looking in- 
 dividual whose breath smelt strongly of liquor. 
 
 " Is Abe Blower home? " demanded the man, 
 in a thick voice. 
 
 " No, he isn't," replied Mrs. Carmody, stiffly. 
 She did not like the appearance of the visitor. 
 
 " When will he be home? " went on the man, 
 and tried to force his way into the house. 
 
 " I don't know. You can't come in here, Sol 
 Blugg! " And Mrs. Carmody tried to shut the 
 door in the man's face. 
 
 " I am a-comin' in," stormed the newcomer. 
 " I'm a-comin' in to wait fer Abe Blower, an' when 
 I meet him — well, we'll have an account to settle," 
 and the man lurched heavily against the door- 
 frame. 
 
 " It's one of the fellows we met on the train! " 
 whispered Phil. " The fellow called Sol Blugg! " 
 
146 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 " Yes, and that other man, Larry Jaley, is wait- 
 ing on the sidewalk for him," announced Dave, 
 after a glance through a window. " And neither 
 of them seem to be very sober." 
 
 " You get right out of here, Sol Blugg! " cried 
 Mrs. Carmody, with sudden energy. " Abe ain't 
 home, an' I won't have you hangin' around. You 
 get right out! " And she caught up her broom, 
 which chanced to be behind the door. 
 
 " Drop the broom, old woman ! " snarled Sol 
 Blugg, and it was plain to see that he was be- 
 fuddled by liquor. " I'm a-comin' in, and you 
 sha'n't stop me! " 
 
 He made a sudden grab and caught Mrs. 
 Carmody by the arm. But as he did this, Dave 
 leaped into the little hallway and shoved him 
 back. 
 
 11 Let go of this lady! " he said, sternly. " Let 
 go, or I'll knock you down! " 
 
 Surprised and bewildered, Sol Blugg dropped 
 his hold on Mrs. Carmody's arm and glared un- 
 certainly at our hero. 
 
 "Who — who are you? " he faltered. 
 
 " Never mind who I am," replied Dave. " You 
 let this lady alone and go about your business." 
 
 " I wanter see Abe Blower." 
 
 " He has gone away." 
 
 " Say, where have I seen you? " demanded the 
 leathery-looking man, suddenly. " Oh, I remem- 
 
AT ABE BLOWER'S HOME 147 
 
 ber now, on the train, comin' from the land sale. 
 Say, was you there? " 
 
 "No." 
 
 " I know better ! I saw you on the train — you 
 an' them other fellers, too ! " And Sol Blugg 
 pointed unsteadily at Phil and Roger. " I know 
 how it is," he went on, ramblingly. " You went 
 there in place o' Abe — queered the hull thing fer 
 us, you did! I know! You're in with Abe, an' 
 Abe's in with you ! Thought you'd do us out o' 
 our little game, eh? Say, Larry! " he called to 
 the man on the sidewalk. " Look at these three 
 fellers — same ones was on the train last night. 
 They are in with Abe — and they queered us— put 
 a crimp in the hull game. Now they say Abe 
 ain't here. Wot are we going to do, tell me that 
 now, what are we goin' to do? " 
 
 11 Them fellers! " exclaimed Larry Jaley, catch- 
 ing sight of the boys. " I remember 'em. Say, 
 maybe they heard us talkin' ! " 
 
 " Sure — they must have," mumbled Sol Blugg. 
 
 " Do you know these men? " asked Mrs. Car- 
 mody. 
 
 " We saw them on the train last night, that 
 is all," answered Roger. " They said some- 
 thing about Mr. Blower queering a land deal for 
 them." 
 
 " Yes, he told me about that, too. They were 
 going to swindle some folks, and Abe heard about 
 
148 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 it and gave the thing away. Abe won't stand for 
 anything that ain't strictly honest." 
 
 " Say, I want you to know " commenced Sol 
 
 Blugg, and tried to catch hold of Mrs. Carmody 
 again. But this time Dave was too quick for him. 
 He pushed the man back, turned him around, and 
 sent him flying down the steps to the street. 
 
 " Now, you go on! " he cried. " If you don't, 
 you'll get into trouble! " 
 
 " That's what! " said Roger. 
 
 " Perhaps you'd like to be arrested," added 
 Phil. 
 
 " Come on ! " said Larry Jaley, in a low voice. 
 " Come on, Sol. I told you it wouldn't do any 
 good to come here." 
 
 " I didn't expect to see them young fellers," 
 growled the leathery-looking man. " But I'm 
 a-goin' to git square with Abe Blower, jest wait 
 an' see," he added, thickly; and then he and his 
 companion started up the street and around the 
 first corner. 
 
 "The beasts!" murmured Mrs. Carmody, as 
 she gazed after them. " I do wish I had used the 
 broom over Sol Blugg's head! Maybe it would 
 have done him good! " 
 
 " You know these men, then? " asked Dave. 
 
 " Oh, yes, and Abe knows 'em, too ! It seems 
 that, years ago, before I came here, Abe used to 
 train with those men, in the mining camps. But 
 
But this time Dave was too quick for him. He pushed the 
 man back. — Page 148 
 
AT ABE BLOWER'S HOME 149 
 
 they were a hard crowd, used to drinkin' and 
 gamblin', and Abe gave 'em up and went with 
 men like Mr. Harrison, and Tom Dillon. That 
 made Sol Blugg and his crowd sore, and they 
 often tried to do Abe harm. Now that Abe 
 queered that land swindle for 'em I suppose they 
 are more sore than ever. But I don't think they 
 would have come here, only they have been 
 drinkin'." 
 
 " You had better keep on the lookout — they 
 may come back," said Dave. 
 
 " I'll keep on guard, don't fear. I've got one 
 of Abe's pistols in the house, and a club, too. And 
 I'll get that neighbor Abe spoke about to stay 
 with me," returned Mrs. Carmody. " But, say," 
 she added, suddenly. " You better keep on guard, 
 too. 'Tain't no nice thing to run up against that 
 bunch, I can tell you that! " 
 
 " Yes, we'll have to be on the watch from the 
 very moment we leave this house," said Roger. 
 
 The boys talked for a few minutes longer with 
 the old lady, getting what information they could, 
 and then hurried back to their hotel. On the way 
 they kept a sharp lookout for the leathery-looking 
 man and his cronies, but they did not show them- 
 selves. 
 
 It was an easy matter for them to find old Mr. 
 Dillon, who was reading a mining journal in the 
 smoking-room. He listened with much interest to 
 
150 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 what they had to tell. As they felt they could 
 trust such a man, they withheld nothing from him. 
 " It certainly is some game — this trying to locate 
 that lost Landslide Mine," said the old miner. 
 " I've been thinkin' it over again since you told 
 me about it, and it interests me mightily. So you 
 want somebody to go with you, and help you find 
 the right trail, and find Abe Blower? Well, if 
 you don't think I'm too old, I'll go myself 1" 
 And he smiled broadly at the boys. 
 
CHAPTER XVI 
 
 ON TO BLACK CAT CAMP 
 
 " You go ! " cried Dave. 
 
 " I thought you had given up prospecting," ex- 
 claimed Roger. 
 
 " Not but that we'd be glad to have you along," 
 put in Phil, hastily. 
 
 " Well, I have given up prospecting," answered 
 Mr. Dillon, with that broad smile still on his face. 
 " But I like to go out once in a while, just for the 
 sake of old times. Besides that, I was interested 
 in the Landslide Mine myself in a way." 
 
 "How so?" asked the senator's son. 
 
 " Well, when Maurice Harrison staked the 
 claim I came along and staked a claim a bit fur- 
 ther up the trail. It wasn't near so good a 
 prospect as was the Landslide, but it was pretty 
 fair, and I was sorry to see that landslide come 
 along an' knock us all out. So, if we find the lost 
 Landslide Mine maybe we'll locate my mine, too." 
 
 " Come by all means, and welcome, Mr. Dil- 
 lon ! " cried Roger. " If you had that mine you 
 speak about you must know as much about that 
 district as Abe Blower — maybe more." 
 
 151 
 
152 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 " I think I know as much, but not any more, 
 lads. Abe is a good prospector, and he knows 
 Montana from end to end, an' Idaho, too, as well 
 as other gold fields. He has made money, too, 
 but he allers spent the cash lookin' fer bigger 
 things, while I salted a good bit o' mine away! " 
 And Tom Dillon chuckled broadly. 
 
 The matter was talked over for the best part 
 of an hour, and it was decided to begin the hunt 
 for the Landslide Mine on the following morning. 
 
 " There ain't no ust bein' in too much o' a 
 hurry," said Mr. Dillon. " That mine ain't 
 goin' to walk away, and Abe Blower an' those 
 with him ain't goin' to find it right plumb to onct, 
 believe me ! I guess the only reason those others 
 hurried so was because they feared you would 
 come along and queer their game with Abe." 
 
 " I think that myself," said Roger. 
 
 " Abe had a prospectin' outfit all ready — he 
 allers has — up to Black Cat Camp. That's the 
 startin'-point for the Rodman trail, on which the 
 Landslide Mine an' my mine was located. Now 
 we haven't any outfit, so we'll have to git one right 
 here in Butte." 
 
 " We'll get whatever you say," answered Roger. 
 " Of course, I don't want to make this too expen- 
 sive," he added, thinking of something his father 
 had told him — that just at present finances in 
 the Morr family were not at their best. 
 
ON TO BLACK CAT CAMP 153 
 
 " We can hire hosses — I know where to git just 
 the right animals," said Tom Dillon. " And we 
 won't pay no fortune for 'em either. And then 
 you'll want some different clothes," and he looked 
 critically at the well-dressed youths. 
 
 " Oh, we know that — we have roughed it be- 
 fore," returned Dave. And he mentioned their 
 trip to Star Ranch, to Cave Island, and to the 
 South Sea Islands, Norway, and other out-of-the- 
 way places. 
 
 " Well, you sure have traveled some ! " ex- 
 claimed Tom Dillon. " You'll do for this trip. 
 I'm glad you know how to rough it. I onct had a 
 bunch of tenderfeet along — young fellers from 
 the East, who had never roughed it before — and, 
 believe me, what those chaps didn't know would 
 fill a boomer's wagon twict over. Why, they 
 couldn't wash less'n they had a basin to do it in 
 an' a towel to dry on, an' it mixed 'em all up to 
 try to sleep on the ground rolled in a blanket. 
 An' when it come to grub, well, they was a-lookin' 
 for napkins an' bread-an'-butter plates, an' finger 
 bowls, an' I don't know what all ! It jest made me 
 plumb tired, it sure did!" And the old miner 
 sighed deeply. 
 
 " We won't give you any trouble that way," 
 said Dave, with a grin. " Regular camp food is 
 good enough for us, and I can sleep almost any- 
 where if I am tired enough." 
 
154 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 " And you can't beat Dave riding," broke in 
 Roger. " When he was at Star Ranch he busted 
 the wildest bronco you ever saw." 
 
 " Is that so ! Well, I don't like no wild 
 broncos. I like a good, steady hoss, one as can 
 climb the mountain trails and is sure-footed on the 
 edge o' a cliff. That's the kind we'll git," con- 
 cluded Tom Dillon. 
 
 The remainder of the day proved a busy one. 
 The boys went out with the old miner to secure 
 the horses and such an outfit as he deemed neces- 
 sary. Then they spent part of the evening in 
 writing letters to the folks in Yellowstone Park 
 and at home. Only one letter came in for them 
 — one from Senator Morr to his son — and this 
 made Roger look \ jry sober. 
 
 " No bad news, I hope," said Dave, kindly. 
 
 " It's about dad's private affairs," was the re- 
 ply. " Things have taken something of a turn for 
 the worse financially." Roger gave a sigh. " Oh, 
 I do hope we can locate that lost mine! " 
 
 " We all hope that! " said Dave. 
 
 "Indeed, we do!" cried Phil. "We've just 
 got to do it," he added, enthusiastically. 
 
 Now that he had made up his mind to under- 
 take the expedition, old Tom Dillon brightened 
 up wonderfully, and to the boys he appeared ten 
 years younger than when they had first met him. 
 He was a fatherly kind of a man, and the more 
 
ON TO BLACK CAT CAMP 155 
 
 they saw of him the better they liked him. He 
 selected the outfit with care, securing five good 
 horses — one for each of them and an extra animal 
 for the camp stuff, and other things they were to 
 take along. 
 
 In a place like Butte, where Tom Dillon was 
 so well known, it soon became noised around that 
 he was going on a prospecting tour. Some asked 
 him where he was going, but he merely replied 
 that he was going along with his young friends 
 to show them the mining districts. 
 
 " It won't do to let 'em know we are going to 
 look for a mine," he explained, in private. " If we 
 did that, we'd have a crowd at our heels in no 
 time." 
 
 The news concerning the expedition reached the 
 ears of Sol Blugg and his cronies, and this, coupled 
 with the sudden departure of Abe Blower, set 
 that crowd to wondering what was up. 
 
 " Maybe it's another gold strike," suggested 
 Larry Jaley. 
 
 " It might be," said the fellow called Staver. 
 
 " If I thought it was a gold strike I'd follow 
 'em," announced Sol Blugg. " Tom Dillon allers 
 was a good one at strikes, an' so was Abe Blower. 
 They know enough to keep away from anything 
 thet looks like a wildcat. I'm a-goin' to look into 
 this," he concluded. And after that the Blugg 
 crowd kept close watch on Dave and his friends. 
 
156 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 The departure was made from Butte about 
 noon of the next day. It was clear and warm, 
 with a gentle breeze blowing from the west. 
 
 " We might have taken a train for the first 
 forty miles," remarked Tom Dillon. " But it 
 wouldn't have helped us a great deal, for we'd 
 have to side-track for ten miles. We'll go the old 
 way — the way we went afore there was any rail- 
 roads." 
 
 " There must be a lot of mines in Montana," 
 remarked Phil, as they rode out of Butte. 
 
 " Somebody told me there had been over fif- 
 teen thousand minin' claims staked and recorded," 
 answered the old miner. " O' course, lots of 'em 
 ain't never been developed. But a good many of 
 'em have." 
 
 11 They must produce a lot of gold," said Dave. 
 
 " Yes, lad, the output runs up into the millions 
 every year. Oh, a good mine is a bonanza ! " 
 added Tom Dillon, emphatically. 
 
 " Then I trust we locate the Landslide Mine, 
 and that it proves a bonanza," returned Roger, 
 eagerly. 
 
 On the way they passed mine after mine, and 
 the boys were much interested in watching the 
 process of getting out ore, and also in the work of 
 the huge quartz-crushers. Whenever they passed 
 a mine there would be sure to be somebody to 
 wave a friendly hand to Tom Dillon. 
 
ON TO BLACK CAT CAMP 157 
 
 " He certainly is well known," whispered 
 Roger to Dave. 
 
 " Yes, and we were mighty lucky to fall in with 
 him — after missing that Abe Blower," was the 
 reply. 
 
 It was not until about five o'clock in the after- 
 noon that they reached a small settlement known 
 as Robby's. Here they rested and had supper. 
 They inquired about Abe Blower and his party, 
 but could find out nothing concerning them. 
 
 " They must have gone around by Tilton," said 
 Tom Dillon. " That's just as good a trail and 
 about as short. We'll hear from them at Black 
 Cat Camp." 
 
 It had been decided to push on to Black Cat 
 Camp after supper, the old miner stating they 
 ought to make the distance in three hours. Soon 
 they were on the way again, just as the sun was 
 sinking behind the great mountains in the west. 
 
 " I hope Abe Blower stopped for the day at 
 Black Cat Camp," said Roger to his chums. 
 " I'd like to meet him and confront Link Mer- 
 well — and Job Haskers, too, if he is with them." 
 
 " So would I," added Dave and Phil, in a 
 breath. 
 
 It was more agreeable riding, now that the heat 
 of the day was over. At noon it had been very 
 hot, but none of the boys had complained, al- 
 though they had perspired freely. 
 
158 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 As it became darker they could see the twink- 
 ling lights of many a mining town and camp shin- 
 ing out in the mountains and the valleys below. 
 
 " It didn't used to be so, when first I came to 
 Montana," remarked Tom Dillon. " In them 
 days you could ride out here all night an' not see 
 a light. But the State has settled putty fast in 
 the last twenty-five years. They are buildin' rail- 
 roads everywhere, an' towns spring up over night, 
 like toadstools." 
 
 " Are there any wild animals out here? " ques- 
 tioned Phil. 
 
 " Heaps of 'em, further away from the cities. 
 Bears, an' mountain lions, an' wildcats, an' 
 wolves. An' then we have plenty o' mule an' 
 other deer, an' elk, as well as Rocky Mountain 
 goats, an' mountain sheep." 
 
 " Perhaps we'll get a chance to do some hunt- 
 ing! " exclaimed Phil. 
 
 " Not much, this time o' year, lad. But you 
 might hunt a bear — if he cornered you ! " And 
 Tom Dillon laughed at his little joke. 
 
 " Did a bear ever corner you? " asked Dave. 
 
 " Onct, just onct, and it was the wust experi- 
 ence I ever had with a wild beast," replied the 
 old miner. " I was out prospectin' when I got on 
 a narrow ledge o' rock. All to onct I discovered 
 a grizzly on the tudder end o' the ledge. We 
 was both sitooated, as the sayin' is, so I couldn't 
 
ON TO BLACK CAT CAMP 159 
 
 pass the bear an' he couldn't pass me. I had fired 
 my gun an' missed him. When I tried to pass by 
 he riz up an' growled an' when he tried to pass 
 me I swung my gun a-tryin' to knock off his head. 
 An' so we had it fer about an hour, nip an' tuck, 
 an' nobuddy doin' nuthin." 
 
 " But you escaped," said Roger. " How did 
 you do it? " 
 
 " I didn't do it — your uncle, Maurice Harrison, 
 done it. It was a favor I owed him that I never 
 got paid back," responded Tom Dillon, feelingly. 
 " The bear got mad and all to onct sprung at me. 
 I swung the gun an' he knocked it outer my hand. 
 Then I heerd a report from another ledge above 
 us, and over rolled Mr. Bear, shot through the 
 heart. An' Maurice Harrison done it." 
 
 "Good for Uncle Maurice! " cried Roger. 
 
 " That shot came just in time," went on the old 
 miner. " If it hadn't — well, I wouldn't be here, 
 lookin' for the Landslide Mine," concluded Tom 
 Dillon. 
 
 " I don't know that I want a bear to corner 
 me," said Phil, with a shiver. 
 
 " No, we'll leave the bears alone, if they'll leave 
 us alone," returned Dave. 
 
 It was a little before nine o'clock when they 
 came in sight of Black Cat Camp, a typical mining 
 community, perched on the side of one of the foot- 
 hills leading to the mountains. There was one 
 
160 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 main street, stretched out for the best part of a 
 quarter of a mile. All the buildings were of wood 
 and none of them over two stories in height. 
 
 "We'll go to Dick Logan's place," said Mr. 
 Dillon. " That is where Abe Blower used to 
 keep his outfit." 
 
 The boys found Logan's place to consist of a 
 general store, with a sort of boarding-house and 
 stables attached. Dick Logan was behind the 
 counter of the store, in his shirtsleeves. He 
 greeted the old miner with a smile, and shook 
 hands cordially. 
 
 "Is Abe Blower around?" demanded Tom 
 Dillon, without preliminaries of any kind. 
 
 " He was around, Tom, yesterday," was Dick 
 Logan's answer. " But he left here about the 
 middle of the afternoon." 
 
CHAPTER XVII 
 
 ALONG THE MOUNTAIN TRAIL 
 
 The boys had expected some such answer as 
 this, so they were not greatly surprised. They 
 were introduced to the storekeeper by Tom Dil- 
 lon, who then asked if Abe Blower had been 
 alone. 
 
 " No, he had two others with him — strangers 
 to me," answered Dick Logan. 
 
 " Was one of the strangers an elderly man and 
 the other a young fellow like ourselves?" asked 
 Roger. 
 
 " Yes, a tall, thin man. The young feller 
 called him Haskers, I think." 
 
 "What name did the young man go by?" 
 asked Dave. 
 
 " Morse, I think — or something like that." 
 
 u Morr?"putinPhil. 
 
 " Yes, I reckon that was it. Then you know 
 'em?" questioned the storekeeper, with interest. 
 
 " Yes, we know them, and we'd like to meet 
 them," answered Roger, dryly. 
 
 " Well, I dunno where they went — Abe didn't 
 
 161 
 
162 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 say an' it wasn't my business to question 'em," 
 returned Dick Logan. " Looked to me like 
 the elderly gent was some kind o' a school 
 sharp." 
 
 " He used to be," answered Dave. " And we 
 all were under him." 
 
 " Oh, I see. Well, I dunno where they went, 
 'ceptin' they struck out along the Billy Rodman 
 trail," said the storekeeper. 
 
 " Abe took his regular outfit, I reckon," re- 
 marked Tom Dillon. 
 
 " Sure — he never goes up in the mountains 
 without it, Tom; you know that." 
 
 "And the three were alone?" 
 
 " I didn't see nobody else." 
 
 " Can you put us up for the night, Dick? " 
 
 " I can if the young fellers will sleep in one 
 room. I got a little room fer you an' a big one 
 I can put three cots in." 
 
 " That will do for us," answered Roger. " We 
 have been out in such places as this before," he 
 added, with a faint smile. 
 
 " We ain't got no bathrooms, nor electric ele- 
 vators," returned Dick Logan, with a chuckle. 
 " But we kin give you clean beds an' blankets, and 
 good grub." 
 
 " You don't have to tell me that, Dick," put in 
 Tom Dillon. He turned to the others. " It's 
 all right, boys; just make yourselves at home. 
 
ALONG THE MOUNTAIN TRAIL 163 
 
 We'll get a good night's rest here, and follow Abe 
 and the others fust thing in the mornin'." 
 
 The room the boys occupied was on the second 
 story, at the corner of the building. Under the 
 side window was a driveway leading back to the 
 stables attached to the establishment. The apart- 
 ment had two cots already in it and a third was 
 speedily forthcoming, being put in place by a 
 negro man-of-all-work. 
 
 " Well, that long ride to-day certainly made 
 me tired," remarked Phil, as he started to un- 
 dress. " I could sleep standing up, as the saying 
 goes." 
 
 " I'm tired myself," answered Roger. 
 
 " Wonder how the folks are making out in the 
 Park," came from Dave. " I hope they have bet- 
 ter accommodations than this," and he glanced 
 around at the bare walls and bare floor. 
 
 " Oh, Yellowstone Park has some fine hotels," 
 declared Roger. " I read all about them in one 
 of the tourists' guides. They have just erected a 
 new one that they say is a dandy." 
 
 " Never mind those hotels now! " cried Dave, 
 as he slipped off one shoe after another. " It's 
 get to bed now and an early start in the morning 
 to see if we can't catch Blower, Haskers, and — 
 Morr ! " and he grinned. 
 
 " The cheek of Link Merwell using my name ! " 
 murmured the senator's son. " I'll — I'll knock 
 
164 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 him down for that, if I get the chance! " And 
 his eyes blazed for the moment. 
 
 Soon the boys were abed and it did not take 
 them long to drop into profound slumber. In 
 the next room was Tom Dillon, also sleeping 
 peacefully. 
 
 Dave was the first to awaken and he slid off of 
 his cot to look out of the window, to see what 
 kind of weather it was. The window had been 
 left wide open, to let in the fresh air, and as our 
 hero stuck out his head and glanced down in the 
 alleyway leading to the stables, he uttered an ex- 
 clamation of surprise. 
 
 "What is it?" questioned Roger, rousing up, 
 followed by Phil. 
 
 " Those men ! " murmured Dave. " Look, fel- 
 lows!" 
 
 The others came to his side and looked out of 
 the window. Just emerging from the alleyway 
 were three men on horseback, all equipped for 
 camping out. The three men were Blugg, Jaley, 
 and Staver. 
 
 "Well, I declare! What are those fellows 
 doing here? " cried the senator's son. 
 
 " Can they be following us? " questioned Phil. 
 
 " I don't know. They came from the stables," 
 answered our hero. " Most likely they had their 
 horses there over night. We can find out when 
 we go down." 
 
ALONG THE MOUNTAIN TRAIL 165 
 
 "Where are they going?" asked the ship- 
 owner's son. 
 
 All watched for a minute or two and saw the 
 Blugg crowd pass down the main street of the 
 camp and around a warehouse corner. Then they 
 were lost to view. 
 
 Tom Dillon had heard the boys rising and was 
 now up himself and getting dressed. He listened 
 with interest to what they had to relate. 
 
 " It's queer that crowd should be here, after 
 what happened in Butte," he said. " I'll ask Dick 
 Logan about 'em, when we go to breakfast." 
 
 When questioned, the proprietor of the place 
 stated that Blugg and the others had come in late, 
 after the Morr party were abed. As the place 
 was full they had accepted a room in the building 
 across the street, but had put up their horses in 
 the Logan stable. They had paid in advance, 
 stating they were going to leave at daybreak. 
 
 " Let us ask the stable man about this," sug- 
 gested Dave, in a whisper, to his chums, and as 
 soon as breakfast was over, they went out and 
 hunted up that individual. 
 
 " Nobody teched your outfit, I dun see to that," 
 said the colored man. " I slept right by your 
 hosses an' things." 
 
 " Did you talk to those men who came in late 
 last night?" asked Dave. 
 
 11 They did most of the talkin', boss. They 
 
166 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 wanted to know all about your party — whar you 
 was a-gwine, an' all that. But I didn't give 'em 
 no satisfaction, I didn't. Boss Dillon tole me las' 
 night to keep my trap-doah closed, an' when Boss 
 Dillon sez a thing I dun know he means it, — so I 
 didn't tell 'em nuffin'." 
 
 " Good for Mr. Dillon ! " cried Roger. " They 
 didn't say what brought them here? " 
 
 " No, sah. When they see I didn't have nuffin' 
 to tell they jest closed up, too," and the negro 
 grinned, broadly. He had been liberally tipped 
 by Tom Dillon and, besides, he considered it an 
 honor to serve such a well-known personage and 
 one who had " made his pile," as it is often ex- 
 pressed in that part of our country. 
 
 The lads and the old miner were soon ready 
 for the trail, and, bidding Dick Logan farewell, 
 they set off through the main street of Black Cat 
 Camp in the direction of the Rodman trail, called 
 by a few old-timers Smoky Hill trail. As they 
 rode along they kept a sharp lookout for Sol 
 Blugg and his cohorts, but that gang did not show 
 itself. 
 
 " But they must be watching us, I am almost 
 certain of that," said Dave. And he was right. 
 They were watching from behind one of the build- 
 ings of Black Cat Camp, and as soon as it seemed 
 safe to do so, Sol Blugg ordered those with him 
 to take up the trail. 
 
ALONG THE MOUNTAIN TRAIL 167 
 
 " Abe Blower came this way, in a hurry, too," 
 said Blugg, to his cronies. " Now Tom Dillon 
 is going the same way, and also in a hurry. That 
 means that something is in the wind. Maybe it's 
 another big discovery of gold, like when they 
 opened up Big Bear Camp, and Hitchley's, an' if 
 it is, we want to be in on the ground floor." 
 
 " Right you air, Sol," said Larry Jaley. " And 
 if we can cut Abe out o' anything, so much the 
 better, fer the trick he played us in that land deal." 
 
 " The two crowds must be in with each other, 
 otherwise wot was them young fellers as is now 
 with Dillon doin' at Abe's house?" 
 
 " We'll find out their game, sooner or later," 
 muttered Sol Blugg. " We'll keep on their trail 
 — but we mustn't let 'em see us, or they'll take to 
 some side-trail and put us in blind." 
 
 It was another clear day, but the breeze from 
 the mountains was fresher, so that riding was not 
 so tiresome as it had been on the first day out. 
 The trail was wide, in fact often used by wagons 
 and carts, so that our friends could ride two 
 abreast. 
 
 " Not much of a farming country around here," 
 remarked Dave, as he looked at the general bar- 
 renness of the aspect. Here and there were 
 clumps of trees and patches of rough grass, and 
 that was all. 
 
 " The farming country is further down, in the 
 
168 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 valleys," answered Tom Dillon. " Some pretty 
 good soil, too. But up this way it's only good 
 for mining. But that's good enough — if you've 
 got a paying mine," and his kindly eyes twinkled. 
 
 "You bet!" replied Dave, slangily. "Oh, I 
 do hope we find this mine," he added, in a lower 
 tone. " The Morr family need it." 
 
 " I thought the senator was putty well fixed." 
 
 " He was, but he isn't now — and there is dan- 
 ger of his losing his office this fall. If he does 
 lose it, and we don't find the mine, I am afraid 
 it is going to go rather hard with the family." 
 
 " I see. Well, we'll do our best — nobuddy can 
 do more." 
 
 " About how much further is that Landslide 
 district from here?" 
 
 " Not over sixty miles as the crows fly. But by 
 the trails it's every bit o' twice that distance. An' 
 some putty stiff travelin', too, in some spots, be- 
 lieve me! "added the old miner. 
 
 " Do you think you can stand it? " 
 
 " Sure I can. And I like it, too, lad. I git 
 tired o' sittin' around the hotel, doin' nuthin' but 
 readin' the papers and trying to be what they call 
 a gent of leisure. I was brought up on hard 
 work, and outdoor life, and I just have to git 
 back to it onct in a while. If you hadn't come 
 along as you did, most likely I would have dug 
 out for the diggin's alone afore long." 
 
ALONG THE MOUNTAIN TRAIL 169 
 
 " It's a grand life to lead — this one in the open 
 air," said Dave, filling his lungs with the ozone 
 from the mountains. 
 
 " Best in the world, lad. It's the only life fer 
 me, too. If I had to sit in an office all day, or 
 around a hotel where I had to wear one of them 
 biled shirts and a coat cut like a tack puller, I'd 
 die, believe me ! I'd rather wear a gray shirt, an' 
 eat off a tin plate, any day! " 
 
 By noon they came to a little mountain stream 
 of the freshest and purest of water and there they 
 went into temporary camp. A tiny blaze was 
 kindled, and they made some coffee, which they 
 drank while eating some sandwiches Dick Logan 
 had put up for them. 
 
 " See that ridge? " asked Tom Dillon, just be- 
 fore they were ready to start again, and he pointed 
 to an elevation to the northwest. And as all 
 three lads said they did, he continued: "Well, 
 just back o' that is the deestrict where that big 
 landslide took place and buried the Landslide 
 Mine out o' sight." 
 
 " Why, that doesn't look to be very far away! " 
 cried Roger. 
 
 " No, it don't look so, lad. But you must re- 
 member that the air up here is very clear an' 
 you can see for a long distance. You'll find it a 
 long, hard ride afore you reach that ridge, let 
 alone the place behind it where the mine was." 
 
170 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 " Are there any settlements on the way? " asked 
 Phil. 
 
 " None that we will visit. Shaleyville is in that 
 direction, and Tim Dixon's over yonder, with Big 
 Tree back o' it. But we will give them all the 
 go-by an' stick to this trail," concluded Tom Dil- 
 lon. 
 
 All through the long afternoon they rode for- 
 ward, up and up, the horses panting for breath as 
 the ascent grew more steep. Many times they 
 had to stop to rest. As they mounted higher, the 
 panorama of hills and mountains grew larger. 
 
 "What a beautiful spot!" cried Dave, when 
 they were resting. " What a grand painting this 
 would make ! " 
 
 " You'll find a painting of it — at the capitol 
 building," replied Tom Dillon. " A celebrated 
 painter painted it and sold it to our State gov- 
 ernment." 
 
 Forward they went again. Phil was now in 
 the rear, looking after the horse that was carrying 
 their camping outfit. Just as those in front had 
 turned a dangerous corner of the rocky trail they 
 heard a sharp cry from the shipowner's son. 
 
 " Help ! Quick, somebody help me ! Stop that 
 horse from falling over the cliff ! " 
 
"Quick, somebody help me! Stop that horse from falling 
 over the cliff! "—Page 170* 
 
CHAPTER XVIII 
 
 THE STOLEN HORSES 
 
 "Oh, look!" 
 
 " That horse is going over the cliff ! " 
 
 " Take care, Phil, or he'll drag you with him ! " 
 
 Such were some of the cries which arose as the 
 others looked back on the rocky trail and saw the 
 situation. 
 
 The horse with the outfit had struck against a 
 projecting rock and been thrown sideways, to 
 where the trail crumbled away in some loose stones 
 close to the edge of the dangerous cliff. The ani- 
 mal and the outfit were in danger of going down 
 to the depths below. Phil, on his own horse, had 
 caught hold of the other horse's halter and was 
 trying to haul him to a safer footing. But the 
 youth and his steed were losing ground instead of 
 gaining it. 
 
 " Let go, or you'll go over! " screamed Roger, 
 in increasing alarm. " Let the outfit go, Phil! " 
 
 The shipowner's son tried to do as bidden. 
 But now a new difficulty presented itself. In his 
 eagerness to hold the halter Phil had twisted it 
 
 171 
 
172 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 about his hand and wrist. Now it was caught in 
 the very flesh and almost pulling one arm from 
 its socket, as he tried to make his own horse hold 
 back. 
 
 Dave turned swiftly and so did the others, and 
 for the moment there was quite a mix-up on the 
 narrow trail, and all were in danger of losing 
 their footing. Then they crowded to Phil's side, 
 and while Dave caught hold of the halter, Tom 
 Dillon and Roger caught the falling horse with 
 the outfit. 
 
 " Turn him around — this way! " yelled the old 
 miner, and, old as he was, he showed a wonderful 
 strength in shoving the falling horse back to a 
 firmer footing. The loose stones went clattering 
 over the cliff in a shower, and more than one horse 
 snorted in fright. 
 
 It was a moment of dire peril and it looked as 
 if somebody, or at least one of the animals, must 
 go over into that yawning chasm below. A stone 
 was flung up by a hoof, hitting Dave in the cheek. 
 But he retained his hold on the halter and pulled 
 for all he was worth. Then came another strug- 
 gle, and at last the horse with the outfit stood on 
 the safe portion of the dangerous trail; and the 
 peril was at an end. 
 
 " Oh ! " gasped Phil, and for the moment that 
 was all he was able to say. 
 
 " Give me that halter," said Tom Dillon. " I'll 
 
THE STOLEN HORSES 173 
 
 lead him while we are on this narrow part of the 
 trail." 
 
 "Are you hurt, Phil?" asked Dave. 
 
 "I — I guess not!" was the panting answer. 
 " But I — I sure did think I was going over there ! " 
 And the shipowner's son shuddered. 
 
 "Your cheek is cut, Dave!" cried Roger. 
 " How did that happen? " 
 
 " Oh, it's only a scratch — made by a flying 
 stone," was the answer. " It doesn't amount to 
 anything." 
 
 " I didn't dream that this trail would be so dan- 
 gerous," went on the senator's son. " If I had 
 known it, I wouldn't have asked you fellows to 
 come along." 
 
 " Oh, it's not so bad," returned Phil, hastily. 
 " That horse was awkward — he's the worst of the 
 bunch." 
 
 " That's right, an' they had no right to hire 
 me such a hoss," put in Tom Dillon. " When 
 we git back I'll give that feller who did it a piece 
 o' my mind. I tole him I wanted critters used to 
 the mountain trails. The hosses we are ridin' are 
 all right, but this one, he's a sure tenderfoot. He 
 ought to be in the city, behind a truck." 
 
 Soon the narrow portion of the rocky trail was 
 left behind and then all of the boys breathed 
 easier. 
 
 " That trail back thar is bad enough," was Tom 
 
174 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 Dillon's comment. " But ye ought to see it in 
 the winter time, with ice an' snow on it! Then 
 it's some travelin', believe me ! " 
 
 "None for mine! " answered Phil. " I want 
 to see the ground when I travel in a spot like 
 that." 
 
 As soon as the trail became better they went 
 forward at the best possible speed, for they 
 wished, if they could, to catch up with Abe Blower 
 and those with him. 
 
 " You don't suppose Blower would turn off of 
 this trail? " questioned Roger, of the old miner, as 
 they rode along. 
 
 " He couldn't turn off until he reached wot we 
 call Talpoll Crossin'," answered Tom Dillon. 
 " And we won't git thar until some time to-mor- 
 row." 
 
 They were climbing up a steady grade and so 
 had to stop again and again to rest the horses. 
 The trail wound in and out among the hills, and 
 before the party was the big mountain. 
 
 " Stop an' I'll show you something! " cried the 
 old miner, presently, and as they halted he pointed 
 toward the mountain with his hand. " See 
 that knob a stickin' out ag'in the sky?" he ques- 
 tioned. 
 
 " The one with the yellowish spot on it? " 
 asked Dave. 
 
 " Yes. Well, that is where the big landslide 
 
THE STOLEN HORSES 175 
 
 took place an' buried the Landslide Mine an' my 
 claim out o' sight." 
 
 All of the boys gazed with interest at the spot 
 which, of course, was many miles away. They 
 saw they would have to work their way over two 
 more hills and through several hollows to get to 
 it. Ahead they could occasionally see the trail, 
 but not a soul was in sight. 
 
 "Look!" exclaimed Dave, as he turned to 
 gaze below them along the trail they had been 
 pursuing. "I can see something moving!" 
 
 " Maybe cattle," suggested Roger, after a long 
 look. 
 
 " No, I think it is a crowd on horseback," 
 answered our hero, after another look. 
 
 Roger had with him a small pair of field-glasses, 
 and he had brought them forth to gaze at the 
 mountain where the Landslide Mine had been lo- 
 cated. Now he turned them on the distant objects 
 Dave had discovered. 
 
 " Horsemen true enough," he said, after a look. 
 " Three of them." 
 
 " Oh, say, do you think they can be Sol Blugg 
 and his two cronies? " burst out Phil. 
 
 " Maybe," answered Roger. " I can't make 
 them out from this distance." 
 
 " Let me take a look," suggested Tom Dillon, 
 and adjusted the glasses to his eyes. " You are 
 right — they are three men on horses. But who 
 
176 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 they are I don't know. Plenty o' miners travel 
 this trail at one time or another." 
 
 They looked at the distant horsemen for sev- 
 eral minutes. Then the field-glasses were put 
 away and they continued their journey. 
 
 Nightfall found them in a district that, to the 
 boys, was desolation itself. Rocks were on every 
 side, with little patches of the coarsest kind of 
 growth, brushwood, stalk-like grass, and cacti. 
 The air was so pure and thin that it fairly made 
 one's nose tingle to breathe it. 
 
 All were tired out — indeed the boys were so stiff 
 from the long ride that they could scarcely climb 
 down from their saddles. But not for the world 
 were they going to let Tom Dillon know this. 
 They had told the old miner that they were used 
 to roughing it and they wanted to " make good " 
 in his eyes. 
 
 Some brushwood was gathered and a fire 
 started, and the horses were tethered near by. 
 The old miner knew where there was a spring of 
 drinkable water — something occasionally hard to 
 find in a district full of all sorts of minerals — and 
 soon they had some boiling for coffee. Then 
 their outfit was unstrapped, and they prepared 
 supper and got ready to turn in for the night. 
 
 " I wonder if we can't see something of the 
 campfire of Abe Blower, if he is ahead," remarked 
 Dave. 
 
THE STOLEN HORSES 177 
 
 " We might have a look for it," answered 
 Roger. 
 
 There was a tall rock just behind their camp, 
 and this the two youths climbed, Phil saying he 
 was too tired to stir. It was harder work than 
 Dave and Roger had anticipated, but, once they 
 had started, they hated to give up. Up and up 
 and still up they went, climbing from one eleva- 
 tion to another by means of the rocks themselves 
 and bits of coarse grass and brushwood. 
 
 " There, I reckon we are high enough now! " 
 cried the senator's son, after nearly half an hour's 
 climbing. " Anyway, I am going to stop ! " And 
 he began to pant for breath. 
 
 The two boys looked around them. The sun 
 had sunk to rest behind the mountain in the west, 
 and the hollows between the hills were deep in 
 the gloom of the oncoming night. Far back on 
 the trail they had come they saw a small fire start 
 up. 
 
 " That must be the campfire of those three 
 horsemen," said Dave. 
 
 " More than likely," responded his chum. 
 " Do you see anything ahead? " 
 
 Both looked, but for a long time could see 
 nothing. Then they caught a faint gleam from 
 a point apparently halfway up the mountain, in 
 the direction where the Landslide Mine was sup- 
 posed to be located. 
 
178 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 "Maybe that's Abe Blower's camp!" cried 
 Dave, who was the first to discover the light. 
 
 " I'd like to know if Link Merwell and Job 
 Haskers are really with him," said Roger. 
 
 " We ought to be able to catch up to them by 
 to-morrow, so Mr. Dillon said." 
 
 " Unless Merwell and Haskers fix it so that 
 they throw us off their trail, Roger. You know 
 Mr. Dillon said they could branch off at Talpoll 
 Crossing. That is where a spur of the railroad 
 cuts in, to reach the mines on the other side of the 
 hills — the railroad I suppose the Landslide Mine 
 would have to use in getting out ore." 
 
 The boys watched the distant light for a while 
 longer, and then descended to the camping spot. 
 The others listened with interest to what they had 
 to report. 
 
 " We'll be after 'em at sun-up," said Tom Dil- 
 lon. " An' now all o' yer had better turn in an' 
 get what rest you can." 
 
 This was sensible advice, and the three youths 
 lost no time in following it. They turned in 
 around the fire, which was kept burning, so as to 
 keep away any possible prowling beasts. Tom 
 Dillon was the last to retire, he looking to it that 
 all of the horses were tethered. 
 
 It was just growing daylight when Dave awoke 
 with a start. Something had aroused him — what 
 he could not tell. He sat bolt upright, and at the 
 
THE STOLEN HORSES 179 
 
 same moment the old miner, who was beside him, 
 did the same. 
 
 " What's up? " asked Tom Dillon, instinctively 
 feeling for the pistol he carried. 
 
 " Our horses ! " cried Dave. " They are run- 
 ning back on the trail! " 
 
 " Somebody is stealin' 'em! " roared Tom Dil- 
 lon, and was on his feet on the instant. 
 
 By this time the noise had awakened Phil and 
 Roger, and all three boys followed the old miner 
 in arising. In the gray light of the morning they 
 could see that their four horses were moving 
 along the back trail on a gallop. A single man 
 seemed to be in charge of them, on a steed of his 
 own. 
 
 " Halt! " yelled Tom Dillon. " Halt, or I'll 
 fire on you! " And he raised his pistol. 
 
 At this sharp command the man with the 
 horses turned slightly to look back. He crouched 
 low, and wore a sombrero pulled down well over 
 his face. On the instant he rode to the front of 
 the galloping steeds, thus getting out of range of 
 the old miner's weapon. 
 
 " Come on, we must get our hosses! " sang out 
 Tom Dillon, and started forward on the run. 
 Then he let out a shrill whistle, one he knew was 
 used for calling the animal he had been riding. 
 
 The effect of the whistle was all that could 
 have been desired. The horse dropped to a walk 
 
180 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 and then turned back. And as Tom Dillon con- 
 tinued to whistle, the intelligent steed came closer 
 and closer, until the old miner was able to grasp 
 it by the halter. 
 
 But all this had taken valuable time, and mean- 
 while the other horses continued to gallop on, led 
 by the man in front, who was now riding like the 
 wind. Who he was they could not make out, but 
 they strongly suspected Sol Blugg or one of his 
 
 cronies. 
 
 a T> 
 
 I'd shoot if them hosses wasn't in the way! " 
 cried Tom Dillon, wrathfully. 
 
 " Can't you go after them? " asked Dave and 
 Roger, in a breath. 
 
 " I can and I will! " answered the old miner. 
 "Stay right here till I get back!" And with 
 those words he saddled his horse with all speed, 
 and in less than a minute later was flying down 
 the back trail after the stolen steeds and the 
 rascal who was making off with them. 
 
CHAPTER XIX 
 
 THE NEWSPAPER CLEW 
 
 11 Do you think he'll catch that fellow? " 
 
 It was Phil who asked the question, as he and 
 Dave and Roger watched the old miner disappear 
 around a bend of the back trail. 
 
 " I don't know about that," returned Dave. 
 " But if he gets the horses back it will be some- 
 thing." 
 
 " I should say yes! " cried the senator's son. 
 " Why, we won't be able to go on unless we get 
 them back! " he added, his face showing his 
 worry. 
 
 "Listen!" exclaimed Roger a minute later. 
 " Somebody is shooting! " 
 
 It was true — a shot had sounded out on the 
 morning air. Soon it was followed by another, 
 at a greater distance — showing that pursued and 
 pursuer were drawing farther from the boys. 
 
 The boys walked slowly back to the campfire 
 and commenced to stir it up, and then they finished 
 their morning toilet. Dave heaved a deep sigh. 
 
 " I must say I don't feel much like eating," he 
 observed. 
 
 181 
 
182 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 " Oh, we might as well fix breakfast," came 
 from Phil. " It will help to pass the time. It 
 won't do any good to just sit around." 
 
 Fortunately their provisions were at hand, so 
 it was an easy matter to prepare the morning 
 meal. Before eating, however, Roger and Dave 
 climbed the tall rock behind the camp and looked 
 for some sign of Tom Dillon and the man he was 
 pursuing. 
 
 " I can't see a thing," announced Roger, after 
 a long look through the field-glasses. " Here, you 
 try," and he handed the glasses to our hero. 
 
 For several minutes Dave surveyed the distant 
 landscape in vain. Then he uttered a cry. 
 
 44 I see them, Roger ! There they go ! " And 
 he pointed excitedly with his finger. 
 
 At a distance they could not calculate they saw 
 Tom Dillon and the rascal he was after, and also 
 the flying horses. They were all bounding along 
 a rocky trail, the would-be horse thief well in ad- 
 vance. Suddenly they saw this individual make a 
 turn and disappear around some rocks. The free 
 horses kept on, with the old miner after them. 
 
 44 That rascal has gotten away!" announced 
 Dave. 44 He has given Mr. Dillon the slip." 
 
 44 Dave, do you think Mr. Dillon will catch our 
 horses? " 
 
 " Yes — sooner or later. They are bound to 
 stop running, to feed or to drink, and then he'll 
 
THE NEWSPAPER CLEW 183 
 
 round them up. I guess all we can do is to go 
 down and wait for him to get back." 
 
 " But those shots! What if he is wounded! " 
 
 " I hope he isn't, Roger." 
 
 They climbed down to the camp and told Phil 
 about what they had witnessed. Then all ate 
 breakfast slowly, meanwhile discussing the adven- 
 ture from all possible standpoints. 
 
 " It was one of the Blugg crowd, I feel certain 
 of that," said Dave. " Perhaps it was Sol Blugg 
 himself." 
 
 Slowly the morning wore away. When the 
 sun came up it was very hot and the youths were 
 glad enough to draw into the shade of the rocks. 
 Just before noon all three climbed the tall rock 
 again, to look not only for Tom Dillon and the 
 horses, but also for Abe Blower and those with 
 him. 
 
 But not a soul was in sight, nor did any horses 
 show themselves. At a distance they made out 
 some mule deer and several goats, but that was 
 all. 
 
 " Do you think we ought to walk along the 
 back trail? " asked Roger, when they were getting 
 lunch. " Mr. Dillon may need our services." 
 
 " I'll go if you want me to, Roger," answered 
 our hero. " But he was a good distance away 
 when we saw him through the glasses." 
 
 " Let us wait awhile — until the awful heat of 
 
1 84 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 the midday sun is over," suggested Phil. " The 
 sunshine just now is enough to give one a sun- 
 stroke." 
 
 It was a little after three o'clock when the three 
 lads prepared to walk along the back trail, on 
 the lookout for the old miner. But just as they 
 started Dave put up his hand. 
 
 "Listen!" 
 
 All did so, and from a distance heard the clatter 
 of horses' hoofs on the rocky trail. Then came a 
 cheery call. 
 
 "It's Mr. Dillon!" cried Roger, and let out 
 a call in return, and the others did likewise. 
 
 Soon the old miner appeard around a bend of 
 the trail. He was seated on his own steed and 
 driving the others in front of him. He looked 
 tired out, and the horses looked the same. 
 
 "Are you all right, Mr. Dillon?" sang out 
 Dave, as he ran forward to stop the nearest horse. 
 
 " All right, boys ! " was the answer. " That is, 
 I will be as soon as I've rested a bit. I've had 
 some ride, believe me! " 
 
 Roger and Phil helped Dave to secure the 
 free horses and tether them, and our hero held 
 the old miner's steed while he fairly tumbled to 
 the ground. The horse was in a heavy lather, and 
 Mr. Dillon was covered with dust. 
 
 " You weren't shot, were you? " questioned the 
 senator's son, anxiously. 
 
THE NEWSPAPER CLEW 185 
 
 " No, although I come putty nigh to it," was 
 the answer, and the old miner pointed to a hole 
 through the brim of the hat he wore. " The 
 skunk fired twict at me! " 
 
 " We heard two shots," said Dave. " We were 
 afraid you might be in trouble. If we had had 
 horses we would have followed you." 
 
 " I did better nor he did," went on the old 
 miner, with a satisfied ring in his voice. " I 
 plugged him in the arm." 
 
 " You did ! " exclaimed Phil. " We heard only 
 two shots! " 
 
 " I fired later on, after he left the trail. He was 
 just gittin' ready to aim his gun ag'in when I 
 caught him. His arm went down like lead, an' 
 the gun dropped to the ground; so I know I 
 winged him. He didn't shoot no more, only got 
 into the timber quick as he could. Then I rounded 
 up the hosses an' started back." 
 
 " Who was it, do you know? " questioned Dave. 
 
 " It was Ham Staver. I suppose Sol Blugg 
 and Larry Jaley sent him ahead to steal the 
 hosses. They thought it would be easy, with us 
 asleep." 
 
 " It came pretty near being so," answered 
 Dave, gravely. 
 
 Tom Dillon was glad enough to rest, and to 
 partake of the hearty meal the boys prepared for 
 him. The horses were cared for, and the boys 
 
186 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 were pleased to learn that they had not suffered 
 through the wild run along the rocky trail. 
 
 " If that Staver shows himself around Butte 
 I'll settle accounts with him," said the old miner, 
 while eating. " But I reckon he'll stay away for 
 a while." 
 
 After an hour's rest the old miner announced 
 that he was ready to go forward once more. The 
 sun was now well in the west, and it was not near 
 so hot as it had been in the middle of the day. 
 
 " I wish we could catch up to the Blower party 
 by to-night," said Roger, earnestly. " Mr. Dil- 
 lon, do you think we can do it? " 
 
 " We can try, lad. But you must remember, 
 we'll have to favor the hosses a leetle. They have 
 had a mighty hard run on't." 
 
 " I know. Well, don't go any further than 
 you deem wise." 
 
 For the distance of half a mile the trail was 
 comparatively good. But then they came to an 
 uneven locality, filled with dangerous holes and 
 pitfalls. 
 
 "Careful here, boys!" cried Tom Dillon. 
 " We don't want none o' the hosses to break a 
 
 leg." 
 
 He was in the lead, and under his guidance they 
 advanced slowly. At the top of a short rise of 
 ground he came to a halt. 
 
 " Here is where part o' that landslide occurred," 
 
THE NEWSPAPER CLEW 187 
 
 he announced, pointing with his hand. " I think, 
 myself it was somethin' of an earthquake, al- 
 though the scientific sharps say not. But if it 
 wasn't an earthquake it was mighty queer that it 
 hit this spot and the other at the same time — 
 both bein' miles apart." 
 
 " Perhaps the shock of the falling rocks at one 
 place shook the other," suggested Dave. 
 
 " Perhaps, lad. It's a mystery — an' I suppose 
 it will remain a mystery. We know some things 
 about Nater, but there's others she keeps putty well 
 hid." 
 
 They went down on the other side of the 
 rise, and then commenced to mount an even larger 
 hill — the last but one, so the old miner told the 
 boys. Far in the distance they could make out 
 the railroad tracks, winding along through the 
 mountains. The sun was setting, and the western 
 sky was aflame with varied colors of most gor- 
 geous hues. 
 
 " What a beautiful sunset! " murmured Dave. 
 
 Soon the gloom of evening commenced to settle 
 about them. All had their eyes ahead, but so 
 far they had seen no trace of the Blower party. 
 
 " Wait a minute! " cried Dave, presently. He 
 had seen something white fluttering among the 
 rocks on the side of the trail. 
 
 " What do you see? " asked Phil. 
 
 " A newspaper." 
 
1 88 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 " Oh, let it go, Dave. We have all the old 
 newspapers we want." 
 
 " I want to see how recent it is," was our hero's 
 reply. 
 
 He got down, walked to where the paper rested 
 in a crevice, and drew it forth. 
 
 " It's a copy of a mining journal," he an- 
 nounced, as he looked the sheet over. " The issue 
 for last week," he added, gazing at the date. 
 " It's full of grease, too, — that's why they threw 
 it away." 
 
 " Do you suppose it belonged to Abe Blower? " 
 questioned Roger, coming up. 
 
 " It did! " cried Dave. He had turned to the 
 front page of the paper. " See, here is Abe 
 Blower's name and address, stamped on for mail- 
 ing purposes. He got it through the mail just 
 before he left and took it along to wrap something 
 in." 
 
 " Then that proves we are on the right trail! " 
 cried Roger, joyfully. " I wonder how long ago 
 it was when he threw the paper away? " 
 
 " I'm not detective enough to tell you that, 
 Roger," answered Dave, with a grin. " But it's 
 something to know we are on the right trail. 
 They might have taken to that cross trail, you 
 know. We'll catch up to them sooner or later." 
 
 Once more our friends went forward, this time 
 along the very edge of the new ridge that had 
 
THE NEWSPAPER CLEW 189 
 
 shown itself after the great landslide. They had 
 to advance with caution, for loose stones were 
 numerous and so were dangerous holes. 
 
 " We can't go much further to-night," an- 
 nounced Tom Dillon, presently. " This trail ain't 
 safe in the dark." 
 
 " All right, Mr. Dillon, we'll stop when you 
 say so," returned Roger, with a bit of a sigh. 
 " How much further to where the Landslide 
 Mine was located? " 
 
 "Not over two miles, as the crows fly, lad; 
 but four to five miles by the trail." 
 
 They went into camp in the very midst of the 
 rocks. Strange as it may seem, there was water 
 there, coming from a tiny spring under a huge 
 boulder. It had a somewhat unpleasant odor, 
 and the horses at first refused it, but the old miner 
 said it was drinkable. 
 
 " Only you don't want to live on it all the year 
 around," he added, with a grin. " A doctor onct 
 tole me if you did that you might turn into 
 stone ! " 
 
 " I know what I am going to do, as soon as it 
 gets dark enough," said Dave to his chums, while 
 they were preparing supper. 
 
 "What?" asked the other boys. 
 
 " I am going to look for the campfire of that 
 crowd ahead." 
 
 " Of course ! " cried Roger. " And, Dave, if 
 
i go DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 it isn't too far off, maybe we can walk to it! " he 
 added, quickly. 
 
 " So I was thinking." 
 
 Eagerly the three boys waited for the darkness 
 of night to fall, in the meanwhile getting supper 
 and tidying up the camp. Then they climbed to 
 the top of the highest rock that was at hand and 
 looked around them. 
 
 " I see a fire ! " cried Dave, and pointed it out. 
 
 " Yes, and it looks to be less than a mile 
 away! " returned Roger. 
 
 " Let's walk to it! " put in Phil. 
 
 And on this plan the three chums quickly 
 agreed. 
 
CHAPTER XX 
 
 THE EXPOSURE 
 
 When Tom Dillon heard about the light that 
 had been seen and the determination to walk to it, 
 he wanted to know how far off it was. 
 
 " If it's that close we had better all go," he 
 announced, after being told. " If it's Abe Blow- 
 er's camp it must be in a good spot, for Abe 
 knows this locality as good as I do and maybe 
 better. A mile isn't so far. We can walk an' 
 lead the hosses, if we have to." 
 
 Less than quarter of an hour later found 
 them on the way. The old miner was in front, 
 with Roger beside him, and Dave and Phil bring- 
 ing up the rear. All were on foot, for they had to 
 pick their way in the darkness, which seemed more 
 intense than it had been on previous nights. 
 
 " The sky is overcast," observed Dave, as they 
 trudged along the uncertain, rocky trail. " Looks 
 to me like rain." 
 
 " We'll catch it sooner or later," announced 
 Tom Dillon. " And maybe we'll have a big blow 
 in the bargain." 
 
 191 
 
192 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 " Then it blows up here? " queried Roger. 
 
 "Does it? I should say yes, lad! I've been 
 in such a wind up here one could hardly keep his 
 feet. And the rain comes so thick an' fast it nigh 
 drowns you! " 
 
 As they advanced, they kept their eyes on the 
 alert for the distant campfire. Twice they found 
 and lost it, but, as they came around another spur 
 of rocks they beheld it quite plainly and saw 
 several figures moving around it. 
 
 "Wait!" called Dave, to the others. "If 
 that is Abe Blower's camp, and Merwell and 
 Haskers are with him, I've got an idea." 
 
 "What is that? " asked Roger. 
 
 " Why not let Mr. Dillon go ahead alone, and 
 find out what Merwell and Haskers have to say? 
 We can sneak up in the darkness and show our- 
 selves later." 
 
 This was considered a good plan, and, after a 
 short discussion, it was adopted. The old miner 
 mounted his horse and rode onward, the three 
 boys coming after him on foot and keeping in the 
 shadow of the rocks to one side of the uneven 
 trail. 
 
 The clatter of the horse's hoofs on the rocks 
 soon attracted the attention of those around the 
 distant campfire. The three persons came for- 
 ward, to see who was coming. 
 
 "Why, if it ain't Tom Dillon, of all men!" 
 
THE EXPOSURE 193 
 
 cried one of the three, and his face, that had 
 shown anxiety, broke into a smile. " How are 
 you, Tom, and what brings you up here? " 
 
 " I came to find you, Abe," was the old miner's 
 reply. " They told me down in Butte you were 
 off to have another search for the lost Landslide 
 Mine." 
 
 " Saw Kate Carmody, I reckon," went on 
 Abe Blower. " Yes, I'm goin' on another hunt 
 fer the mine — account o' these two gents," and 
 Abe Blower pointed to his companions. 
 
 " Who is this man? " asked one of the others, 
 who had come from the campfire. 
 
 " This is Tom Dillon, one o' the best old-time 
 miners and prospectors in Montany," answered 
 Abe Blower, with a broad smile. " He used to 
 know yer uncle well," he added. 
 
 " Is that so? Then — er — perhaps he can help 
 us to locate the lost mine." 
 
 " Mebbe — if he wants to spare the time. Ye 
 see, Tom ain't so poor as I be," explained Abe 
 Blower. " He made his pile an' saved it, he did," 
 he added, admiringly. 
 
 "Who are your companions, Abe?" asked 
 Tom Dillon, rather abruptly. 
 
 " Oh, sure, excuse me fer not introducin' you," 
 cried the other miner. " This here is Mr. 
 Morr, son o' Senator Morr an' nevvy of 
 Maurice Harrison, an' this is his friend, Prefesser 
 
194 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 Haskers, o' the colledge Morr ust to go to. 
 Gents, this is Mr. Thomas Dillon, a miner an' 
 prospector, an' one o' the richest an' best men in 
 Butte." 
 
 "Ah, glad to know you, sir! " exclaimed Job 
 Haskers, and held out his thin hand. But, some- 
 how, Tom Dillon did not seem to see it and he 
 merely bowed. 
 
 " And you are Senator Morr's son, eh? " said 
 the old miner, turning to Link Merwell. 
 
 " I am," was the bold answer, but when the 
 old miner looked him squarely in the eyes, Mer- 
 well had to turn his gaze away. 
 
 " I understood that Maurice Harrison, when 
 he died, willed the Landslide Mine to your 
 family," went on Tom Dillon. 
 
 " He did, and I and my friend are here to look 
 for it," answered Link Merwell. 
 
 "Think you'll find it?" 
 
 " Blower here says he will do what he can to 
 discover it," broke in Job Haskers. " He has a 
 great reputation as a prospector." 
 
 " I will surely do my best for Maurice Har- 
 rison's nevvy," said Abe Blower. " Maurice 
 Harrison was mighty good to me, an' I ain't the 
 one to forgit that." 
 
 "Have you a brother?" asked Tom Dillon, 
 turning again to Merwell. 
 
 "A brother? Why — er — no," answered the 
 
THE EXPOSURE 195 
 
 imposter, and then turned suddenly pale. " Why 
 — er — do you ask that question? " he faltered. 
 
 " I met another young fellow in Butte named 
 Morr." 
 
 " I— I don't know him." 
 
 " He was with two other young fellows named 
 Porter and Lawrence." 
 
 At this unexpected announcement Link Mer- 
 well's face grew paler than ever. Job Haskers, 
 too, showed that he was much disturbed. 
 
 " Did this — this Morr say where he was from, 
 or where he was going? " asked the former 
 teacher of Oak Hall. 
 
 " Oh, the whole crowd was from the East. I 
 reckon they are coming up here," answered Tom 
 Dillon, dryly. " They want to find you, Abe," he 
 added, with a wink at the other miner. 
 
 "Me? Whatfer?" 
 
 " They want you to locate this same Landslide 
 Mine for them." 
 
 "The same mine? Say, Tom, what are you 
 drivin' at? " demanded Abe Blower, in astonish- 
 ment. 
 
 " What I'm drivin' at is just this, Abe," 
 answered Tom Dillon, and his voice grew sud- 
 denly stern. " This ain't Roger Morr at all. 
 The real fellow you ain't met yet. This chap is 
 a fraud!" 
 
 " Say — look here " began Link Merwell. 
 
ig6 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 " Is the — er — the other Morr — er — coming 
 here?" faltered Job Haskers. 
 
 " I am not coming — I am here ! " cried a voice, 
 and Roger stepped from the shadow of a near-by 
 rock. 
 
 The senator's son faced Link Merwell and Job 
 Haskers, and both stared at him as if they were 
 looking at a ghost, and backed away. 
 
 " Roger Morr! " faltered Merwell. 
 
 " Yes, Link. You didn't expect I'd follow you 
 so soon, did you?" cried Roger. "Now, I've 
 got a nice account to settle with you. I want 
 to know what you did with my suit-case, and I 
 want to know what you mean by impersonating 
 me." 
 
 " I — I " began Merwell, and then stopped, 
 
 not knowing how to proceed. 
 
 " This is — er — very unfortunate," murmured 
 Job Haskers. He would have retired had there 
 been any place to retire to, which there was not. 
 
 "Say, are you Roger Morr?" gasped Abe 
 Blower, gazing fixedly at the senator's son. 
 
 " I am. And you are Abe Blower? " 
 
 " I sure am. But see here " 
 
 " We'll explain everything in a few minutes, 
 Mr. Blower. These fellows are swindlers ! They 
 robbed me of my suit-case and then got ahead of 
 me, and that fellow impersonated me," and Roger 
 pointed to Merwell. " We hired Mr. Dillon to 
 
THE EXPOSURE 197 
 
 bring us to you — or at least he offered to come. 
 He knows that I am the real Roger Morr, and 
 Maurice Harrison was my mother's brother." 
 
 "Well, I never! But wot did they think to 
 gain " 
 
 " They wanted to locate the lost mine before 
 I got here, that was their game. What they in- 
 tended to do later I don't know, but probably 
 Job Haskers was going to cook up some deal 
 whereby our family could be kept out of the 
 property. He is a rascal " 
 
 " See here, Morr, I won't — er — have you — 
 
 ahem! — talk about me in this " commenced 
 
 the former teacher. 
 
 " But I will talk about you ! " interrupted 
 Roger. " You are a rascal, almost as bad as 
 Merwell here, and you know it." 
 
 " Yes, and we know it, don't we, Phil? " cried 
 another voice, and Dave and Phil stepped into 
 view. 
 
 " Porter — and Lawrence! " faltered the former 
 teacher of Oak Hall, and he looked almost ready 
 
 to drop. " I — I " He did not know how to 
 
 finish. 
 
 " Say, I want to git the straight o' this! " burst 
 out Abe Blower. 
 
 " This young man is givin' it to you straight, 
 Abe," replied Tom Dillon, pointing to Roger. 
 " And these are his friends — all true blue to the 
 
198 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 core. These other fellers are first-class swindlers. 
 They took you in good an' proper." 
 
 " If they did, they shall suffer fer it! " roared 
 the other miner. " Do you know, I kinder sus- 
 pected somethin' was wrong. They didn't act as 
 open as honest folks should. An' they was in an 
 all-fired hurry to git away from Butte and from 
 Black Cat Camp." 
 
 " Because they knew we were following them," 
 explained Dave. " Link, I guess you had better 
 admit that the game is up," he went on, turning 
 to his former schoolmate. 
 
 " Is it up? " sneered Link Merwell. " Well, I 
 don't know, Dave Porter. We have as much right 
 to hunt for that lost mine as you have." 
 
 " Oh, so that's the game, eh? " burst out Roger. 
 
 " You had no right to impersonate Roger," 
 asserted our hero. " He can have you arrested 
 for that." 
 
 " Huh, that was — er — only done for — er — 
 fun," faltered Link Merwell. " And as for your 
 old suit-case, it's on check at the Glenrose Hotel 
 in Butte, and there's the check for it," and he 
 drew the brass disc from his pocket and passed it 
 over to the senator's son. 
 
 " Why did you take my suit-case? " 
 
 " Oh, for fun." 
 
 " He took it thinking he was going to get your 
 map! " cried Dave. " Link, what makes you act 
 
THE EXPOSURE 199 
 
 as you do?" went on our hero, earnestly. 
 " When I helped you on Cave Island you promised 
 that you were going to reform." 
 
 " What's the use of reforming? " burst out the 
 other. " Everybody in this world is down on 
 me ! I don't dare to show my face wherever I 
 am known ! There is a warrant out for my ar- 
 rest!" And Link Merwell's face showed his 
 bitterness. 
 
 While the boys were talking Abe Blower and 
 Tom Dillon had been conversing together. Job 
 Haskers was left in the cold, and he looked 
 much disturbed. Evidently he was thinking how 
 foolish he had been to come to Montana with 
 Merwell. 
 
 " So this is the trick yer played on me, consarn 
 ye ! " cried Abe Blower, coming from the other 
 miner to Haskers. " I've a good mind to take it 
 out of yer hide! " And he shook his fist in the 
 former teacher's face. 
 
 "Don't you touch me — don't you dare!" 
 howled Job Haskers, in new alarm, and he backed 
 away so hastily that he tripped over some of the 
 camp outfit and went flat on his back. 
 
 The accident was such a comical one that Dave 
 and his chums laughed outright, and Tom Dillon 
 and Abe Blower grinned broadly. Link Merwell 
 reached down and assisted the former teacher to 
 his feet. Job Haskers's face was sourness itself. 
 
aoo DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 " Stop that! Don't you dare to laugh at me! " 
 he roared. " Don't you dare! " 
 
 " We'll laugh as much as we please," answered 
 Dave, boldly. 
 
 " I — I guess we had better get out of here," 
 whispered Link Merwell, nervously. " They — 
 they might take it into their heads to harm us." 
 
 " Do you think so ? " asked Job Haskers. " All 
 right, I — I am ready to go. But how are we to 
 find our way back to the town? " he asked, help- 
 lessly. 
 
 "We'll have to follow the back trail," 
 answered Link Merwell. Being used to ranch 
 life, this being in the open did not daunt him as it 
 did the former teacher. " Come on, let us get our 
 horses and be off ! "the youth added. " It is get- 
 ting too hot for us here I " 
 
CHAPTER XXI 
 
 ON THE BACK TRAIL 
 
 " Just you two wait a minute ! " 
 
 It was Tom Dillon who uttered the words, as 
 he saw Link Merwell and Job Haskers turn to 
 where their horses were tethered. 
 
 " You bet they'll wait! " exploded Abe Blower, 
 wrathfully. He stepped forward and seized Mer- 
 well by the arm. " What do you mean by playing 
 such a trick as this on me? " 
 
 " Le — let go of me! " cried the youth, in fear. 
 " Let go. I — I — didn't I say it was only done in 
 fun?" 
 
 "Fun? You won't think it's fun when I git 
 through with you ! " 
 
 "I — ahem! I think this whole matter can be 
 settled amicably," put in Job Haskers, with an 
 effort. " I am satisfied now that we made a — > 
 er — a mistake. But, as Merwell states, it was all 
 done in a — er — a spirit of fun." 
 
 " And now you want to sneak off — without even 
 paying me for my trouble ! " cried Abe Blower. 
 
 " You said you'd come with me for nothing," 
 
 201 
 
202 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 returned Link Merwell, and his voice had almost 
 a whine in it. 
 
 " So I did, thinkin' you was Maurice Harrison's 
 nevvy. If I had known you was an outsider I 
 wouldn't have come at all. I've got my own 
 affairs to 'tend to. But bein' as I did come, you're 
 goin' to pay me for my time and trouble," went on 
 the miner, sharply. 
 
 "Don't you want 'em arrested, Abe?" put 
 in Tom Dillon. " As I understand it, this 
 here Merwell feller is wanted by the police as 
 it is." 
 
 " Oh, don't arrest me ! Please don't do that 1 " 
 cried Link Merwell. He turned to Dave and his 
 chums. " Let me go, won't you? I — I didn't do 
 anything. I didn't take a thing out of your suit- 
 case," he added, to Roger. 
 
 His manner was so humble and he seemed so 
 full of terror, that the boys could not help feeling 
 sorry for him, even though they realized that he 
 was a criminal and should be in the hands of the 
 law. 
 
 " What do you think we ought to do, Dave? " 
 whispered the senator's son, pulling our hero to 
 one side. 
 
 " That is up to you, Roger." 
 
 " If we make them prisoners what can we do 
 with them? They will only bother us in the 
 search for the lost mine." 
 
ON THE BACK TRAIL 203 
 
 " I think I'd make them pay Abe Blower for 
 his trouble and then let them go." 
 
 " Yes, but they have got to promise not to 
 bother us in the future," put in Phil, who had 
 followed Dave and Roger to a distance. 
 
 " They'll promise that, Phil. But you know 
 what their promises are worth," answered our 
 hero. 
 
 A hot war of words followed, Abe Blower 
 and Tom Dillon telling the two rascals just what 
 they thought of their conduct. Link Merwell was 
 badly scared, and the former teacher of Oak Hall 
 looked very much disturbed. 
 
 11 Well, I'll let you go, if the young gents say 
 so," said Abe Blower, finally. " But you have 
 got to pay me fer my services in bringin' you out 
 here, an' you've got to put up fer them hosses 
 you're to ride, so I'll know they'll git back to town 
 all right." 
 
 " We'll return the horses, never fear," said 
 Link Merwell. 
 
 " Maybe — but I won't take no chances. You 
 put up the price o' them, an' I'll give yer a written 
 order fer your money, to be paid to you by Hank 
 Davis, when he gits the hosses," said Abe Blower. 
 
 More words followed, but the miner was 
 obdurate, and in the end Link Merwell and Job 
 Haskers had to put up nearly all the cash they 
 had with them. Then they were allowed to take 
 
204 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 the two horses they had ridden and a small portion 
 of the camping outfit — just enough to see them 
 safely back to the nearest town. 
 
 " Now remember, Link," said Dave, on part- 
 ing with the youth, " you have promised to leave 
 us alone in the future. See that you keep that 
 promise." 
 
 " If you don't, we'll be down on you like a ton 
 of bricks," added Phil. 
 
 11 1 won't bother you again," said Link Mer- 
 well, with downcast eyes. " I — I guess I was a 
 fool to go into this." 
 
 Job Haskers said little. But when he looked 
 at our friends it was with an expression as if he 
 wanted to eat them up. He was in a great rage, 
 but he did not dare to show it. In utter silence 
 he and Merwell mounted their steeds and rode out 
 of the camp, on the back trail. Not once did they 
 look behind. Soon the gloom of the night swal- 
 lowed them up. 
 
 11 A c good riddance to bad rubbish,' " quoted 
 Phil. " My, what a fool Link is! " 
 
 " And Haskers is just as bad," said Roger. 
 
 " Link has the making of a fine fellow in him," 
 said Dave, with a sigh. " But he evidently pre- 
 fers to be bad rather than good." 
 
 " Thet's the way with some fellers," remarked 
 Abe Blower. " I've seen it in minin' camps many 
 times. A feller would slide in, an' he could make 
 
ON THE BACK TRAIL 205 
 
 money diggin' fer gold. But instead o' doin' 
 it, he would jest fool away his time gamblin' 
 an' drinkin'. It's awful — the way some folks 
 act." 
 
 " They won't have any easy time of it, getting 
 back to Butte," said Dave. " Perhaps they'll 
 meet that Sol Blugg crowd on the way." 
 
 " Oh, don't say that! " cried Roger. "Why, 
 they might side right in with Blugg! " 
 
 " So they might," added Phil. A case of ' birds 
 of a feather,' you know." 
 
 " And so you are the real Roger Morr," said 
 Abe Blower, catching Roger by the shoulder and 
 looking him squarely in the eyes. " Wall, I must 
 say I like yer looks a heap better nor I did the 
 bogus one ! " And he chuckled, broadly. 
 
 " I am glad you do, Mr. Blower. I " 
 
 "Now, stop right thar, lad, stop right thar! 
 Ef you're goin' to be my friend call me plain 
 Blower, or Abe." 
 
 " As you will, Abe. I'm real glad to meet you, 
 and I am sure we are going to get along first- 
 rate together," said Roger, and then the pair 
 shook hands once more. 
 
 " You must tell me all about yourself, and your 
 friends, an' about them two skunks as was wantin' 
 to git in ahead o' you." 
 
 " I'll do that gladly," returned the senator's 
 son. And then all in the camp gathered around 
 
206 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 the fire, to talk the situation over and arrange 
 their plans for the morrow. 
 
 In the meantime Link Merwell and Job Has- 
 kers rode along the rocky trail leading in the 
 direction of Black Cat Camp. As long as they 
 were within hearing of those left behind neither 
 said a word, but once at a distance Job Haskers 
 fairly exploded. 
 
 " Now you see what a plight you have brought 
 us into ! " he snarled. " Here we are miles and 
 miles from anywhere, and with hardly a dollar in 
 our pockets! It's a shame! If I had remained 
 in the East, selling mining stock, or something like 
 that, instead of going on this wild-goose 
 chase " 
 
 " I didn't know they were so close behind us," 
 whined Link Merwell. " I thought we would get 
 off the regular trail before they came to this 
 locality." 
 
 " We were off the trail — it's the campfire told 
 them where," went on the former teacher. " Now, 
 what are we going to do when we get back to 
 town, tell me that?" 
 
 " We'll get our money for the horses first," re- 
 plied Link Merwell. He grated his teeth. " I 
 wish I could get back at them ! " he cried. 
 
 11 So do I, Merwell. But it can't be done — at 
 least, I am not coming back to this forlorn district, 
 once I get to town again. And it looks danger- 
 
ON THE BACK TRAIL 207 
 
 ous to me, with all these loose rocks ready to slide 
 down into the valley," added Job Haskers. 
 
 Full of bitterness, and trying to plan out what 
 to do later on, the pair continued on the back trail, 
 moving slowly and with caution. At last, com- 
 pletely tired out, they reached the spot where 
 Dave and his chums had stopped for supper. The 
 campfire still smoldered among some rocks, for in 
 such a barren district it was not necessary to be 
 careful for fear of a conflagration. 
 
 " We'll rest here," declared Job Haskers, slid- 
 ing from his saddle. He was not used to riding 
 and was so sore and stiff he could hardly move. 
 
 " All right," responded Merwell, and alighted 
 also. They found the spring and drank eagerly 
 of the somewhat bitter water. Then they stirred 
 up the fire and proceeded to make themselves as 
 much at home as possible. 
 
 But human nature can stand only so much, and 
 soon, instead of talking over their affairs, each 
 sought forgetfulness in slumber. Exhausted, they 
 slept soundly until the sun came up. Then, eat- 
 ing a frugal breakfast — for their stores were 
 scanty — they continued on the way in the direction 
 of Black Cat Camp. 
 
 It was less than two hours later, when, coming 
 around a turn in the trail, they came in sight of 
 another camp. They found three men seated in 
 the shadow of some rocks, for the day was becom- 
 
208 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 ing warm, all talking earnestly. One man had 
 his right arm in a sling. 
 
 "I wonder who they are?" remarked Link 
 Merwell, as he and his companion came to a halt. 
 
 " Wait, don't let them see us until you are sure 
 they will be friendly," cautioned Job Haskers. 
 " For all you know they may be some of those 
 dreaded road-agents one reads about in the news- 
 papers. We don't want to be robbed, or have our 
 horses stolen." 
 
 " They certainly look like a hard crowd," whis- 
 pered Merwell. " But I don't think you'll find 
 road-agents here, — not enough folks to rob." 
 
 The men were talking earnestly and had not 
 noticed the approach of the pair. As quietly as 
 possible, Merwell and Haskers drew to one side 
 and dismounted. Then the boy who had spent 
 so much time on his father's ranch, motioned for 
 the former teacher of Oak Hall to follow him. 
 
 " We'll crawl up and listen to a little of their 
 talk," he whispered. " That will soon tell us if 
 we can trust them. If we can't, we'll go around 
 them — although I don't see any other trail among 
 the rocks." 
 
 Job Haskers nodded, and slowly and cautiously 
 the pair crawled over the rocks until they gained 
 a position close to the three men. Then they set- 
 tled back, to listen to whatever might be said. 
 
 Inside of half an hour Link Merwell and Job 
 
ON THE BACK TRAIL 209 
 
 Haskers gained all the information they desired. 
 They learned that the three men were Sol Blugg 
 and his cohorts. The wounded man was Staver, 
 and he had been shot through the hand by Tom 
 Dillon. He was very angry and willing to do 
 almost anything to square accounts. The men 
 were sure that the Dillon party and the Blower 
 party were on the trail of a new find of gold and 
 wanted to get in " on the ground floor," as they 
 expressed it. 
 
 " They can't do nuthin' to me about tryin' to 
 git the hosses," said Staver. " It's only Dillon's 
 word against mine — an' you all know I got shot 
 in the hand by accident," and he winked sug- 
 gestively. 
 
 " Sure, I done that myself," said Blugg, and 
 laughed. " Nobody took their hosses — so far as 
 we know." 
 
 " I guess the new strike o' gold must be near the 
 old Landslide Mine," said Larry Jaley. " May- 
 be it's the old mine itself." 
 
 " We'll soon know, if we watch 'em close 
 enough," returned Sol Blugg. And then they 
 continued to talk, while Staver dressed his 
 wounded hand, which, fortunately for him, was 
 not very badly hurt. 
 
 Link Merwell caught Job Haskers by the arm 
 and pulled him back. 
 
 "I've got an idea!" he whispered, his eyes 
 
210 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 brightening with sudden expectation. " Why can't 
 we join these men and go after the Morr crowd 
 with them? It will give us a chance to get back 
 at those fellows." 
 
 " No, I've had enough of this business," replied 
 the former teacher of Oak Hall. " I am going 
 back to town as fast as I can, and then to the 
 East." 
 
 " Yes, but " began Link, when he stopped 
 
 short. Haskers's foot had shoved a round stone 
 and now this rattled over the rocks, creating con- 
 siderable noise. 
 
 " Who's that! " roared Sol Blugg, and leaped to 
 his feet, drawing his pistol as he did so. " Ho, 
 look there! Hands up, or I'll fire!" he yelled, 
 as he discovered those who had been in hiding. 
 
CHAPTER XXII 
 
 DAVE AND THE MOUNTAIN LION 
 
 " Don't fire, I beg of you ! We — we are 
 friends ! Don't fire ! Please put down that pis- 
 tol, do ! " 
 
 It was Job Haskers who called out in this 
 fashion, as he raised his hands high in the air. 
 He was seized with a chill, and shook from head 
 to foot. 
 
 Link Merwell was also agitated, and for the 
 instant tried to back away. Perhaps, now that 
 Sol Blugg had spoken so harshly, the youth real- 
 ized that he was not such a kind-hearted fellow 
 as Abe Blower had proved to be. 
 
 " Come out here, where we can see you! " cried 
 Blugg. "Larry, got yer pistol?" 
 
 " I sure have," responded Larry Jaley, with a 
 wicked grin. 
 
 " There is no need to do any shooting," said 
 Link Merwell. 
 
 " You were spyin' on us," growled Staver. 
 
 "Who are you? Come here and give an 
 account o' yourselves," ordered Sol Blugg. 
 
 211 
 
212 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 There was no help for it now, and, rather awk- 
 wardly, with their hands still upraised, Job Has- 
 kers and Link Merwell stumbled over the rocks to 
 where the three men had been resting and talking. 
 
 "Humph, a tenderfoot! " muttered the leader 
 of the trio, as he inspected the former teacher of 
 Oak Hall. " I don't reckon he's goin' to do us 
 any harm." He turned to Merwell. " Who are 
 you, sonny? " 
 
 Link told him and also mentioned Haskers's 
 name. " I was just coming forward to introduce 
 myself," he added. 
 
 " How kind," sneered Larry Jaley, with a mock 
 bow. 
 
 " I was. We stepped behind the rocks to find 
 out what sort of men you were. And I guess you 
 are just our kind," added Merwell, with a sickly 
 grin. 
 
 "How so?" demanded Sol Blugg, sharply. 
 " No game, now." 
 
 " I'll give it to you straight," answered Link 
 Merwell. " Can I put down my hands? It's 
 not comfortable to talk with them up in the air." 
 
 " All right, — and fire away," answered the 
 leader of the men. 
 
 " We overheard what you said about the Abe 
 Blower party and the Tom Dillon party," pursued 
 Merwell. " We were with Abe Blower, but the 
 other crowd came up and made it hot for us, and 
 
DAVE AND THE MOUNTAIN LION 213 
 
 we got out. You said something about their be- 
 ing here to locate gold. So they are, and now 
 that we are on the outs with those other people, 
 if you say the word, we'll go in with you. Isn't 
 that right, Haskers?" asked Link, coolly. 
 
 " I — I presume so," answered the former 
 teacher, nervously. He had dropped his hands, 
 but Sol Blugg still had his weapon handy, and the 
 sight of it was far from comforting. 
 
 " Had a row, did ye? " asked Blugg, curiously. 
 
 " Yes. You see, Blower wanted to run things 
 to suit himself and we — er — we didn't see things 
 quite that way. Then Dillon came up with his 
 crowd, and they made matters worse than ever. 
 We had some information that we didn't want the 
 others to have, so we got out," went on Link Mer- 
 well, glibly. He was now recovering from his 
 fright. 
 
 " Got information, have ye? " cried Larry 
 Jaley. " About wot fer instance? " 
 
 " About what those fellows are after," answered 
 Merwell. "Isn't that so?" he asked, of Has- 
 kers. 
 
 " It is," answered the former teacher. 
 
 "Is it another gold strike?" burst out Sol 
 Blugg, eagerly. 
 
 " Not exactly a strike," answered Merwell. 
 " All of us came out to relocate the lost Land- 
 slide Mine." 
 
214 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 " What! That mine! " yelled Staver, and the 
 tone of his voice showed his deep disgust. 
 " Nuthin' to it — nuthin' at all. If you're arfter 
 thet mine ye might as well go right back home. 
 It's buried deep an' fer good." 
 
 " Let us hear what they have to tell," said Sol 
 Blugg. " They may have news worth listenin' to, 
 Ham." 
 
 " I ain't goin' to waste no time lookin' fer thet 
 lost mine," growled the rascal who had been shot. 
 " I'm goin' back to town an' let a doctor look at 
 this hand o' mine." 
 
 " And I will go with you ! " put in Job Has- 
 kers, eagerly. " I have had enough of the moun- 
 tains ! The others can locate that lost mine if 
 they wish." 
 
 " See here, you fellers sit down an' we'll talk 
 this thing over," said Sol Blugg. " If you've got 
 Blower an' Dillon interested in lookin' fer the lost 
 mine there must be somethin' in it wuth knowin'. 
 Might be as you've got a new lead, or somethin'." 
 
 " I'll tell you what I know," answered Link 
 Merwell. 
 
 He and Haskers, after bringing in their horses, 
 sat down, and a talk lasting the best part of an 
 hour followed. The men from Butte asked many 
 questions, and wanted to know about the map and 
 papers Roger was carrying. Blugg and Jaley 
 were evidently much impressed. 
 
DAVE AND THE MOUNTAIN LION 215 
 
 " You are right about one thing, Merwell," he 
 said. " That mine is now teetotally lost — the 
 claim was shifted by the landslide. If we could 
 relocate the mine I think we could make our claim 
 to it good at the land office." 
 
 "Let us try it!" cried Merwell, eagerly. 
 " We have as much chance to do it as the Morr 
 crowd." 
 
 " But he has that map, and the directions." 
 
 " We overheard all their talk, so I know as 
 much as Roger Morr does. As for Blower and 
 Dillon, they don't know this district any better 
 than you men do, do they? " 
 
 " Not much better," answered Larry Jaley. 
 " We've been here a good many years." He 
 turned to Staver. " What do you say, now? " 
 
 " Wall, wot this young feller says puts a dif- 
 ferent look on the situation," replied the man who 
 had been shot. " I'd like to have an interest in 
 thet mine myself — thet or the one Tom Dillon 
 onct said he had near it. An' as Sol says, if we 
 relocated the claim, maybe we could hold it at the 
 land office — anyway, we could claim a fat slice o' 
 the wuth o' it." 
 
 " We'd claim it all ! " cried Merwell. 
 
 " So we would! " came from Sol Blugg. " Say, 
 sonny, you're the right kind, I reckon, an' we'll 
 call ourselves friends," he added, and put out his 
 hand to Link. 
 
216 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 "Then we are — ahem! — not going back to 
 town?" queried Job Haskers, in disappointed 
 tones. 
 
 " No, we'll watch those other fellers an' try to 
 locate the lost mine," answered Sol Blugg; and 
 this was finally agreed to, after a discussion last- 
 ing another half-hour. Job Haskers was plainly 
 disappointed, and his face showed it, and Link 
 Merwell had much difficulty in cheering up the 
 former teacher. 
 
 " We came out to locate that gold mine and 
 we'll do it," said Merwell. " And I want you to 
 be on hand, when the time comes, to attend to the 
 legal end of it, so that we get our share. Of 
 course, as I am wanted by the police, I can't ap- 
 pear, but you can, and you can, secretly, represent 
 me. 
 
 " All provided the lost mine is found," re- 
 sponded Job Haskers. He had plainly lost heart 
 in the undertaking. 
 
 " Oh, we are bound to locate it — sooner or 
 later," said Link Merwell, enthusiastically. 
 
 While this plotting was going on, Roger and 
 those with him were picking their way with care 
 over the loose stones that covered the ridge 
 of rocks where the great landslide had taken 
 place. Here traveling was exceedingly danger- 
 ous and often they had to proceed on foot, 
 for fear of going down into some hollow. 
 
DAVE AND THE MOUNTAIN LION 217 
 
 None of the footing seemed to be safe, and 
 more than once Tom Dillon shook his head 
 doubtfully. ' 
 
 " This land ain't got settled yet," he said to 
 Abe Blower. " I shouldn't be surprised if there 
 was another landslide before long." 
 
 " Mebbe you're right, Tom," was Blower's re- 
 ply. " But if it's to come, I hope it comes arter 
 we're away." 
 
 " I was thinkin' that maybe we had better go 
 over to the second ridge. It might be safer." 
 
 " I was thinkin' that myself." 
 
 " Then we'll git over as soon as we hit a good 
 crossin-over place," replied Tom Dillon. 
 
 As they were now close to the spot where the 
 Landslide Mine was supposed to have been lo- 
 cated, Roger became very eager to do some real 
 searching for the mine. And Dave and Phil were 
 equally anxious to aid their chum. 
 
 Coming to something of a plateau of rocks, the 
 party spread out, searching for certain landmarks 
 which Abe Blower had mentioned. This search 
 was by no means easy, for some of the loose rocks 
 were very large in size — one being as big as a 
 house — and it was difficult to find one's way along 
 among them. 
 
 Dave was riding along slowly, letting his horse 
 find the best footing possible, when he came to a 
 narrow defile. The rocks were on both sides, and 
 
218 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 most of them sticking up from five to ten feet 
 above his head. 
 
 " It wouldn't be any fun if some of those loose 
 rocks came down on a fellow's head, or on his 
 horse," mused our hero, as he moved along. " I 
 wonder where this way leads to? " 
 
 At a distance he could hear the others talking, 
 so he knew they were not far off. They, too, 
 were now among the big rocks, and each hidden 
 from the others. Then the talking gradually 
 ceased, giving way to an occasional call or whistle. 
 
 " Oh, if only I could just stumble into the en- 
 trance to that mine! " thought Dave. " What a 
 fine thing it would be for Roger and his family 1 
 I know they need the money! " 
 
 He kept his eyes on the alert, but none of the 
 signs for which he was searching appeared, nor 
 did anything that looked like a mine entrance 
 show itself. 
 
 It was growing towards sunset when Dave, who 
 had just met Phil and separated from him, came 
 to another rocky defile, this time leading to some- 
 thing of a hollow. Here the air was damp and 
 cool and our hero paused for a moment, for he 
 felt tired and hot after the hard riding of the day. 
 
 " Wonder where we will camp for to-night," he 
 mused, as he gazed around him. " I hope we find 
 some nicer spot than this. This looks so lonely 
 and spookish. Well, I suppose I've got to go on, 
 
DAVE AND THE MOUNTAIN LION 219 
 
 or they'll get ahead of me, and it would be no fun 
 to get lost. A fellow " 
 
 Dave came to a stop in his musings and also 
 drew up his horse. He had taken but a few steps 
 farther, and now saw, to one side of the rocky de- 
 file, a small opening, leading into a sort of hill. 
 
 " Looks as if it might be a kind of cave," he 
 told himself. " I guess I'd better dismount and 
 take a look inside. It might be the entrance to 
 the lost mine ! " 
 
 Suiting the action to the word, Dave leaped 
 from his horse, and letting the steed stand, ap- 
 proached the cave. The entrance was compara- 
 tively small and he had to stoop down to peer 
 inside. 
 
 As he did this there came a sudden ominous 
 growl from the interior of the cave. It was the 
 growl of a wild beast and caused the youth to leap 
 back in alarm. Then a slinking body came into 
 view and a full-sized mountain lion showed him- 
 self! 
 
 Dave ran toward his horse. But as the moun- 
 tain lion gave another growl, the horse snorted 
 and plunged, in sudden fright. Then the steed 
 took to his heels and went clattering along the 
 rocky defile. 
 
 "Stop!" yelled the youth. "Stop!" And 
 then he set up a call for assistance. 
 
 At the sound of his voice, the mountain lion 
 
220 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 paused, just outside the entrance of the cave. 
 Evidently he did not wish to become trapped in 
 such narrow quarters. He eyed Dave with glar- 
 ing eyeballs, and showed his gleaming teeth. His 
 tail began to switch from side to side, and he 
 crouched low, as if contemplating a spring at the 
 boy. 
 
CHAPTER XXIII 
 
 IN THE MOUNTAIN CAVE 
 
 Dave had been in perilous situations before, 
 and had learned the important lesson that if he 
 lost his wits all would be lost. The mountain lion 
 was large and powerful and evidently in full fight- 
 ing humor. 
 
 The youth was armed, carrying a pistol by Tom 
 Dillon's orders. Now, as he backed against the 
 nearest rock, he drew the weapon and pointed it 
 at the beast. 
 
 The mountain lion crouched still lower and the 
 tail of the creature moved from side to side with 
 greater swiftness. Dave felt that in another 
 second or two the beast would make a leap for 
 him. 
 
 In the semi-darkness of the rocky defile he could 
 see the lion but indistinctly. But the two eyes 
 were glaring at him and on one of these he cen- 
 tered his aim as best he could. 
 
 As he pulled the trigger of the pistol the moun- 
 tain lion jumped at him. Crack ! went the weapon, 
 echoing loudly in that confined space. The bullet 
 
 221 
 
222 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 missed the beast's head and buried itself in the 
 shoulder. As Dave fired he leaped to one side. 
 
 It was well that our hero made that move, 
 otherwise the mountain lion must have come down 
 directly on top of him. As it was the beast fell at 
 his side, snarling and snapping fiercely, and turn- 
 ing in an effort to ascertain what that thing was 
 which was burning him in the shoulder. 
 
 Crack! the pistol sounded out again, and this 
 time the mountain lion was hit in the neck. Over 
 and over he rolled, but got quickly to his feet, and, 
 wounded as he was, prepared for another spring 
 at our hero. 
 
 Again Dave fired, but this time his aim was not 
 so true, and the bullet, grazing the lion's tail, 
 struck a rock with a sharp click. Then the savage 
 creature hurled himself straight for Dave's breast. 
 
 Bang! bang! It was the double report from a 
 huge, old-fashioned horse-pistol that Tom Dillon 
 carried. The old miner had come clattering to 
 the spot on horseback and with a single glance had 
 taken in the situation. The leap of the mountain 
 lion was stayed, and with a final snarl the beast 
 rolled over and over, disappearing of a sudden 
 into the opening of the cave Dave had discovered. 
 
 "Are you hurt, lad?" asked the old miner, 
 after he had waited anxiously for several seconds 
 for the mountain lion to reappear. 
 
 " Not in the — the least," was our hero's panting 
 
"' t 
 
 
 AS HE PULLLED THE TRIGGER OF THE PISTOL, THE MOUNTAIN LION 
 
 jumped at him. — Page 221. 
 
IN THE MOUNTAIN CAVE 223 
 
 answer. " But it — it was a close call ! " and he 
 shuddered. " Do you think he's dead? " 
 
 " I shouldn't wonder. You hit him, didn't 
 you?" 
 
 " Yes, twice. But they couldn't have been very 
 good shots, or he wouldn't have come for me 
 again." 
 
 " Mountain lions is mighty tough, lad. I've 
 seen one with six bullets in him still show fight. 
 Load up, as quick as you can. His mate may be 
 around." 
 
 This advice was, however, unnecessary for Dave 
 was already recharging the empty chambers of the 
 pistol. From his Uncle Dunston he had learned 
 years before the advisability of keeping one's 
 weapon ready for use at all times. 
 
 The sound of the shots had called the others of 
 the party to the scene, and numerous were the 
 questions asked. 
 
 " Wow ! a mountain lion ! " cried Phil. " And 
 did you kill him, Dave? " 
 
 " I don't know whether he is dead. Mr. Dil- 
 lon and I both hit him, and he flopped around here 
 until he slid down into that hole yonder." 
 
 " Maybe he isn't dead yet," suggested Roger. 
 
 " Even so, being badly wounded, he'll stick to 
 his shelter," said Abe Blower. " Say," he went 
 on, " thet looks like a putty good sized cave ! " 
 
 " Just what I was thinking," returned Dave. 
 
224 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 " I was going to have a look inside, when that 
 mountain lion growled and sprang out at me." 
 
 " We'll light some torches, and take a look at 
 the place," suggested old Tom Dillon. 
 
 " Oh, supposing it's an entrance to that lost 
 mine! " cried Phil. 
 
 " It would be great! " added the senator's son, 
 enthusiastically. 
 
 " I hardly think it could be thet," put in Abe 
 Blower. " But if the cave is long enough, it might 
 lead to one o' the shafts as was sunk fer the mine; 
 eh, Tom?" 
 
 " That's true," responded the old miner. 
 
 " I've got my electric torch with me," said 
 Roger, bringing that useful article from his pocket. 
 " We can use that in the cave." 
 
 " The light wouldn't be strong enough, an' 
 steady enough," answered Abe Blower. " We'll 
 have to have regular torches, and plenty of 'em, 
 too. Caves like thet are often full o' holes, an' 
 ye might step into one an' fall down to Chiny, or 
 somewhere else," and he smiled, grimly. 
 
 The old miners had picked up some sticks for 
 torches on the way, thinking they might come in 
 useful for firewood if for nothing else, and several 
 of these were now lit and swung into a lively blaze. 
 
 " No use of all of us goin' in there," said Abe 
 Blower. 
 
IN THE MOUNTAIN CAVE 225 
 
 " No, somebody has got to stay here an' watch 
 the hosses," answered Tom Dillon. 
 
 A brief discussion followed, and it was agreed 
 that Abe Blower and Roger and Dave should go 
 down into the opening, leaving Tom Dillon and 
 Phil to guard the animals and the camping outfit. 
 Possibly the shipowner's son was disappointed 
 by this arrangement, but if so he did not show it. 
 
 " It might not take more'n a few minutes to look 
 into the cave," said Abe Blower. " An' then ag'in, 
 it might take some hours. But, no matter how 
 big the hole is, we won't be gone more'n two hours, 
 Tom;" and so it was decided. 
 
 As they entered the cave — for such it really 
 proved to be — they held their torches over their 
 heads and looked anxiously for the mountain lion. 
 
 " I don't see anything of his majesty," said 
 Roger, in almost a whisper, for the strange adven- 
 ture had set his nerves on an edge. 
 
 " Oh, I suppose he had life enough left to crawl 
 quite a distance," answered Dave. 
 
 The cave was irregular in shape, forming some- 
 thing of an underground split in the rocks. The 
 flooring led steadily downward, with here and 
 there an opening of unknown depth. 
 
 " A good place to prospect," said Abe Blower, 
 as he flashed his torch over the rocky walls. 
 
 " Do you imagine there is gold in those rocks? " 
 asked Dave. 
 
226 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 " Might be, lad, an' silver, too. But there 
 might not be enough to make it pay to git it out." 
 
 "I see the mountain lion!" cried Roger, a 
 minute later. " There he is, in yonder corner, in 
 his den. And look, it's his mate! " 
 
 All gazed and not far distant beheld a scene 
 that touched their hearts. On the rocks lay the 
 dead lion and over him stood his mate, licking his 
 face with her rough tongue. 
 
 "Look out! " cried Abe Blower, and drew his 
 horse-pistol — a companion weapon to that carried 
 by Tom Dillon. " She'll come fer us, sure! " 
 
 The old miner was right. Swiftly the lioness 
 turned, and set up a savage roar that echoed and 
 reechoed throughout the cavern. Then, in spite 
 of the torches — for all savage beasts are afraid of 
 fire — she prepared to fight those she felt had slain 
 the one she loved. 
 
 It was Abe Blower who fired first, and scarcely 
 had the sound of the shot died away when Roger 
 and Dave pulled trigger. Over and over whirled 
 the lioness, and then of a sudden struck one of the 
 wide cracks in the flooring of the cave and disap- 
 peared from view. They heard the body strike 
 on some rocks far below; and then all became 
 silent. 
 
 " Oh, wasn't that awful! " gasped Roger, and 
 felt of his forehead, where the cold perspiration 
 had gathered. 
 
IN THE MOUNTAIN CAVE . 227 
 
 " I — I kind of hated to do it," answered Dave. 
 " She was mourning over her mate ! " 
 
 "Shall we send the other body down, too?" 
 went on the senator's son. 
 
 " Might as well," was the quick answer, and 
 soon the other lion was dragged to the opening 
 and dropped down. Abe Blower looked on at the 
 work and smiled grimly. 
 
 " I suppose ye are sorry for thet lioness, but 
 I ain't," he said. " They are wicked critters, 
 I can tell ye, an' they do a whole lot o' dam- 
 age." 
 
 " I suppose they live according to their nature," 
 replied Dave, softly. In his mind's eye he could 
 still see the tawny lioness licking the face of her 
 dead mate. 
 
 On they went again. The cave was narrow here 
 but presently broadened out. The roof was, for 
 the most part, less than ten feet high, so the boys 
 felt just as if they were " walking between big pie 
 crusts," as Roger quaintly expressed it. The cave 
 seemed to be dry, although when they stopped 
 once more to look around, they heard the distant 
 gurgle of a stream of water. 
 
 " Wall, I can't see as it looks anythin' like a 
 mine," announced Abe Blower, presently. " Noth- 
 in' like a shaft around here." 
 
 " I wonder how long the cave is? " came from 
 Dave. " It must end somewhere." 
 
228 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 " Say, wouldn't this make a good place to camp 
 out in? " asked Roger, of the old miner. 
 
 " Not much! " was the quick answer. 
 
 "Why not? It would be cool in the daytime 
 and warm at night, with a little campfire." 
 
 " Maybe, lad. But wot if some o' these rocks 
 should shift? They'd squash ye as flat as a flap- 
 jack!" 
 
 11 1 didn't think of that." 
 
 " I don't believe it is very safe in here," said 
 Dave. " This cave must have been formed by that 
 landslide, and, if so, perhaps the dirt and rocks 
 haven't finished settling yet. I don't want any 
 rocks to come down on my head ! " 
 
 " Nor on any of us ! " added the senator's son. 
 
 " I've got an idee thet we are a-comin' to an- 
 other openin'," remarked Abe Blower, a few 
 minutes later, after they had made a sharp turn 
 to the right. 
 
 "Why so?" asked Roger. 
 
 " I kin feel some fresh air from somewhere." 
 
 " I feel it too," returned Dave. " Doesn't it 
 come from overhead? " 
 
 " Mebbe, lad; although I thought it was 
 ahead." 
 
 " Here is that stream of water! " cried Roger, 
 as they made another turn. " But we can't get at 
 it," he added, somewhat disappointedly. 
 
 "Why?" 
 
IN THE MOUNTAIN CAVE 229 
 
 " It's down below the split in the rocks. 
 Look!" 
 
 He held up his torch so they could look down 
 into something of a sharp-edged basin of rocks. 
 A dozen feet below they could see the water pour- 
 ing from one hole in the rocks and disappearing 
 farther on. 
 
 Nearly an hour had been spent in walking and 
 crawling around the big cave. They had had 
 several narrow escapes from pitfalls and were 
 moving with caution. 
 
 " Maybe we had better go back," suggested 
 Roger. 
 
 " I was thinkin' thet myself," answered Abe 
 Blower. " Nothin' much in here, so far as I kin 
 see. We might come back later an' have another 
 look — if we don't discover thet lost mine else- 
 where," he added. 
 
 " You are sure this is the right district? " asked 
 Dave. 
 
 " Oh, yes, the lost Landslide Mine can't be 
 very far away," was the old miner's reply. 
 
 They turned back, heading, as they thought, for 
 the opening by which they had entered. On and 
 on they walked, occasionally slipping and sliding 
 where the rocks sloped. Then they came to a spot 
 where there was a wide crevice to cross. 
 
 " My gracious, did we jump over that when we 
 came this way? " queried the senator's son, as all 
 
230 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 gazed at the wide opening, which was of unknown 
 depth. 
 
 " We certainly did not ! " declared Abe Blower. 
 
 " Then we have come the wrong way I " put in 
 Dave, quickly. 
 
 " It sure looks like it, lad." 
 
 "If that's the case, we'll have to go back!" 
 came from Roger. He looked around them and 
 his face paled a trifle. " Oh, do you think we are 
 lost?" 
 
 " If we are not, we are next door to it," was 
 Abe Blower's serious answer. 
 
CHAPTER XXIV 
 
 SEARCHING FOR THE LANDSLIDE MINE 
 
 Lost underground ! 
 
 It was a terrible condition of affairs to contem- 
 plate, and for an instant Dave's heart almost 
 stopped beating and something like a chill swept 
 down his backbone. What if they should be un- 
 able to find their way out of the rocky cave? 
 
 " We'll have to go back," said Abe Blower, in 
 a low voice, after a pause, in which the three of 
 the party had gazed around at the walls of the 
 cavern and at each other. " An' we don't want 
 to lose no time nuther," added the old miner. 
 
 " No, for the others will be wondering what 
 has become of us," put in Roger. 
 
 " It ain't thet so much, lad, it's the torches — 
 they won't last forever." 
 
 All gazed at the lights and saw that the old 
 miner was right. The first ones they had lit had 
 burnt out and the remaining lot were more than 
 half consumed. 
 
 Without further words they turned around, in 
 an endeavor to retrace their steps to the point 
 
 231 
 
232 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 where they had made a false turn. Abe Blower 
 led the way and the boys followed, all keeping 
 their eyes wide open, to make certain that nothing 
 of importance might escape them. 
 
 On and on they went, seeing one spot after an- 
 other that looked familiar. They even passed 
 the spot where Dave had thrown away the end 
 of his first torch. The bit of wood was still smok- 
 ing. 
 
 " Here's the split in the cave, I think," said the 
 old miner, at last. 
 
 They had reached a spot where the cavern 
 widened out into a large, circular opening. From 
 this point could be seen several other openings. 
 Evidently they had taken the wrong passage- 
 way. 
 
 "But which is the right one?" questioned 
 Roger. " They all look alike to me." 
 
 " Look putty much alike to me, too," returned 
 Abe Blower. " If only I had thought to put down 
 a few chalk marks ! " he sighed. 
 
 Dave said nothing but went around to the vari- 
 ous openings, examining all with care by the light 
 of his torch. 
 
 " I believe this is the one we came in by," he 
 announced, a few minutes later. 
 
 " What makes you think so? " asked his chum. 
 
 " Do you see that curiously-shaped rock over 
 there? Well, I remember seeing that as we came 
 
SEARCHING FOR THE MINE 233 
 
 along — it reminded me of a giant's face. Now, 
 you can't see that rock that way only from here." 
 
 " Perhaps you are right, Dave. I must confess 
 I am all mixed up," and Roger sighed. 
 
 " We can try it for a little distance," said Abe 
 Blower. " Then, if we won't see anything we 
 remember seein' before, we can come back to this 
 place." 
 
 " But our torches " began the senator's son. 
 
 " We'll use one at a time — that will make 'em 
 last," said Dave. 
 
 This was considered a good suggestion, and all 
 but one of the flaming lights were extinguished. 
 Then they walked down the passageway as quickly 
 as safety permitted. 
 
 " I — I don't see anything that looks like what 
 I saw before," said Roger, after a bit. " The 
 rocks look all alike to me." 
 
 " An' to me," returned the old miner, and there 
 was something of hopelessness in his tones. 
 
 But they kept on. Dave had the torch and was 
 ahead, with the others close at his heels. The 
 single torch gave but an uncertain light and cast 
 grotesque shadows on all sides. 
 
 " Look! " cried our hero, a little later. 
 
 He pointed to a series of small stones resting on 
 the floor of the cavern. They were somewhat in 
 the form of a circle, with a large stone in the 
 center. 
 
234 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 " Oh, I remember those stones! " cried Roger, 
 joyfully. 
 
 " So do I ! " put in Abe Blower. " I reckon 
 as how we are in the right passageway now, 
 lads ! " he continued, in a more hopeful tone. 
 
 "I am sure we are!" came from our hero. 
 " But we have a pretty good distance to go yet." 
 
 " Yes, an' be careful thet ye don't go down 
 in none o' them pesky holes," cautioned the old 
 miner. 
 
 Quarter of an hour later they reached the spot 
 where they had shot the lioness. Looking ahead, 
 they saw a torch waving in the air. 
 
 " Hullo ! hullo ! " came in the voice of Phil. 
 " Where are you? " 
 
 "Here we are!" answered Dave and Roger. 
 
 " You've been a long time in here," went on the 
 shipowner's son. 
 
 " We got lost," announced Roger. 
 
 " And we shot the mate of that mountain lion," 
 added Dave. 
 
 They soon reached Phil, and then the whole 
 party quickly made their way out of the cave. 
 Those who had been left outside listened with in- 
 terest to what Dave and the others had to 
 relate. 
 
 "Well, that sure must be some cave!" ex- 
 claimed Tom Dillon. " An' as Abe says, we must 
 come back and examine it more closely some time. 
 
SEARCHING FOR THE MINE 235 
 
 There may be a lot of gold an' silver in it, an' 
 maybe other metals." 
 
 " Perhaps radium ! " cried Phil. " Say, 
 wouldn't it be great to find a radium mine ! " 
 
 " I don't think ye'll find any o' thet new-fangled 
 stuff here," answered Tom Dillon. " An' any- 
 way, gold an' silver is good enough for me," and 
 he smiled broadly. 
 
 Nightfall found the party still among the loose 
 rocks that overspread the mountainside where the 
 great landslide had taken place. Looking at the 
 forsaken and desolate region, the boys could well 
 understand why the search for the lost mine had 
 been given up. There was nothing to be seen 
 that looked in the least promising. Rocks and 
 dirt rested on all sides, and that was all. 
 
 " We looked over the rocks and the dirt putty 
 well, too," explained Tom Dillon. " But there 
 wasn't nary a sight o' gold; eh, Abe? " 
 
 " Not enough fer to buy a plug o' tobaccer 
 with," answered the other miner. 
 
 As one spot was no better than another appar- 
 ently, they did not spend much time in looking 
 for a place to camp. In one place was a little 
 rough brush and here the horses were tethered. 
 Then a tiny fire was kindled in a hollow of the 
 rocks, and over this they prepared their supper, — 
 a rather slim affair, considering that every one 
 was tremendously hungry. 
 
236 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 " Not a seven-course dinner," said Phil, with a 
 sickly grin. 
 
 " Never mind," returned Dave, cheerfully. 
 " Just wait till after we have found that lost mine 
 and get into Yellowstone Park. I'm sure the 
 hotels there serve the best of meals." 
 
 " O dear ! now I am here, it doesn't look so 
 easy — I mean to locate that mine," sighed Roger. 
 
 " What, you're not going to give up so soon, 
 are you, lad! " cried Tom Dillon. 
 
 " Why, we ain't begun no search yit," added 
 Abe Blower. " Time to git kind o' tired arfter 
 ye have been here a week or two an' nuthin' 
 doin'." 
 
 To this none of the boys replied. But they 
 could not help but think what a dreary time it 
 would be, searching among those rocks and that 
 loose dirt day after day, if the lost mine were not 
 brought to light. 
 
 The day's exertions had tired all hands, and they 
 slept soundly throughout the night, with nothing 
 coming to disturb them. When the boys got up 
 they found Abe Blower already at the campfire, 
 preparing a breakfast of his favorite flapjacks and 
 bacon. He fried his big flapjacks one at a time 
 in a pan, and it was simply wonderful to the boys 
 how he would throw a cake in the air and catch 
 it in the pan bottom side up. 
 
 " It's the knack on't," said Tom Dillon, as he 
 
SEARCHING FOR THE MINE 237 
 
 saw the lads watching the feat performed. " I 
 know some old miners kin keep two pans a-goin' 
 that way, and never miss a cake." 
 
 " I'd like to try it," said Phil. 
 
 " Not now — we ain't got no batter to waste," 
 replied Abe Blower, with a chuckle. 
 
 The morning meal at an end, the hunt for 
 traces of the lost Landslide Mine commenced in 
 earnest. Dave and his chums had come dressed 
 for the work, and the whole party were provided 
 with picks, shovels, crowbars, axes, and a couple 
 of gold-pans. 
 
 The whole of that day was spent on the moun- 
 tainside, the various members of the party separat- 
 ing from time to time and then coming together, 
 to relate their various experiences. The old 
 miners had told the boys how to search and what 
 landmarks to look for, so that they did not seek 
 altogether blindly. 
 
 It was hard, hot work, for the sun poured down 
 all the long day. And added to that, water was 
 scarce, for the nearest spring was well' down the 
 mountainside, and even this had a bitter taste 
 which rendered it far from palatable. 
 
 " Well, nothing doing so far," said Roger, as 
 they came together in the evening. 
 
 " Never mind, we may have better luck to-mor- 
 row," returned Dave, as cheerfully as he could. 
 
 Several days went by, including Sunday, and 
 
238 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 still they found nothing that looked like a trace 
 of the lost Landslide Mine. They had covered 
 a tract of rocks and dirt several hundred feet in 
 width and all of half a mile long. The only spot 
 they had avoided was one where some loose rocks 
 looked to be positively dangerous. 
 
 " We might tackle that, but we'd be taking a 
 big risk," said Dave. 
 
 " Right you are," said Phil. " If those rocks 
 tumbled on us, it would be good-by to this world ! " 
 
 " But the entrance to the lost mine may be 
 under those very rocks ! " sighed Roger. " And 
 if so, just see what we'd miss by not searching 
 there." 
 
 " I've got an idee fer tacklin' thet place," said 
 Abe Blower. " It will be hard work, but putty 
 safe — if we are careful." 
 
 " You mean to get above the rocks and roll 'em 
 down the mountainside, one after another? " 
 questioned Tom Dillon. 
 
 " Exactly, Tom. We could do it with the wust 
 o' the rocks that are loose — an' the rest wouldn't 
 matter so much." 
 
 " But we'd have to take care that we didn't roll 
 the rocks on somebody's head," remarked Dave. 
 
 " To be sure." 
 
 The task of getting at the dangerous rocks was 
 begun the next day. Stone after stone was sent 
 crashing down the mountainside, into a desolate 
 
SEARCHING FOR THE MINE 239 
 
 waste below. It was hard work, and the boys 
 were exhausted by the time night fell around them. 
 They had found a number of openings under the 
 rocks, but none of these had proved to be the en- 
 trance to the lost mine. 
 
 " And yet, somehow, I'm almost certain this is 
 the spot where the mine was located," said Abe 
 Blower, after another look around. " The scenery 
 yonder looks jest like it." 
 
 " So it does," answered Tom Dillon. " I feel 
 that the Landslide Mine was just about here, an' 
 my claim was over there," and he pointed to some 
 rocks in the distance. 
 
 Twice during the time that they were sending 
 the big stones down the mountainside they had 
 caught sight of another party among the rocks, 
 once on horseback and again on foot. But the 
 party had been too far away for any one to be 
 recognized, even with the field-glass. 
 
 " Maybe it's the Sol Blugg crowd," said Dave. 
 
 " Yes, and maybe Merwell and Haskers are 
 with them," added Phil. 
 
 The wind had begun to blow strongly and the 
 sun went down in a heavy mass of angry-looking 
 clouds. 
 
 " Up against a storm, I reckon," said Tom 
 Dillon, after a careful survey of the sky. 
 
 " Yes, an' when she comes like as not she'll be 
 a rip-snorter," returned Abe Blower. 
 
240 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 Supper was hurried, because of the wind and the 
 heavy clouds, and then the whole party withdrew 
 to the shelter of some rocks, taking their horses 
 with them. 
 
 "Do you think it will be very bad?" asked 
 Dave, of old Tom Dillon. 
 
 " Perhaps, lad; some storms up here on the 
 mountain are about as bad as they make 'em," 
 was the grave reply. 
 
CHAPTER XXV 
 
 CAUGHT IN A STORM 
 
 " Say, but this is sure going to be a corker! " 
 
 Dave shouted out the words — to make himself 
 heard above the whistling of the wind as it blew 
 across the little plateau on the mountainside, 
 where the party had gone into camp. 
 
 It was half an hour later, and during that time 
 the oncoming storm had approached steadily. At 
 first the wind had come in fitful gusts, bending the 
 scant brushwood among the rocks first in one 
 direction and then another. This had been fol- 
 lowed by a sudden dash of rain, and for a few 
 minutes they had hoped that the worst of the 
 downpour would pass to the south of them. But 
 then had come a sudden turn, and now the rain 
 was descending on them in torrents, driven in a 
 slanting direction by the wind, which showed no 
 signs of abating. 
 
 "I should say it was a corker!" returned 
 Roger, as he brushed the water from his face and 
 peered beyond the rocks. To get out of that 
 driving downfall was impossible. 
 
 241 
 
242 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 " I wish we were in that cave," cried Phil. 
 " We'd be as dry as a bone in there." 
 
 " Not if the roof leaked," returned the sena- 
 tor's son, grimly. " Besides, somehow I don't 
 think it would be safe." 
 
 "Why not?" 
 
 " The rain might wash down some of the rocks 
 forming the roof." 
 
 " Pooh ! they have stayed up so long, I guess 
 they would stay up a little longer," grumbled 
 Phil. 
 
 " No sech cave for me," broke in Abe Blower. 
 " The rain makes 'em too dangerous. I was in a 
 mine onct when it rained like this, an', fust thing 
 we knew, about a hundred tons o' rocks slid down, 
 almost buryin' us alive ! " 
 
 " We'll stay where we are," said Tom Dillon. 
 " The storm won't last forever." 
 
 As the night came on, and the storm continued, 
 the boys felt anything but comfortable. Building 
 a campfire was out of the question, for the rain 
 made a dense smoke which the wind swirled all 
 around them, setting them to coughing and the 
 horses to snorting. The animals were as much 
 alarmed as their masters. 
 
 " Might as well save your firewood, boys," said 
 Abe Blower. " You'll need it, to dry out by, arfter 
 the rain stops." 
 
 " If it ever does stop," grumbled Phil. Rain 
 
CAUGHT IN A STORM 243 
 
 was Phil's great bugbear when he was on any kind 
 of an outing. 
 
 At midnight the rain was coming down as 
 steadily as ever. But the strong wind had died 
 down somewhat, so by remaining close to some 
 overhanging rocks they were more or less pro- 
 tected from the elements. But they could not lie 
 down, and sleep was out of the question. 
 
 " Dave, do you think Merwell and Haskers 
 went back to Butte? " asked the senator's son, 
 as the three boys sat close together under a big 
 rock. 
 
 " I am sure I don't know, Roger. They'd have 
 to go back unless they fell in with somebody who 
 knew something of this district." 
 
 " What do you think of that other party we 
 saw at a distance? " 
 
 " They might be the Sol Blugg gang, or they 
 might be almost anybody, Roger. Anybody can 
 come here and try to locate a paying claim." 
 
 " Somehow I feel it in my bones that that is the 
 Blugg gang and that Link and old Haskers are 
 with 'em," said Phil. " To my mind, all those 
 fellows are tarred with the same brush, and they 
 would like nothing better than to relocate the lost 
 Landslide Mine first." 
 
 " Perhaps you are right," returned Dave. 
 " Well, I don't see how we are going to stop them 
 
244 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 from going ahead — I mean Blugg and Haskers. 
 Of course we can have Merwell arrested on sight, 
 and Mr. Dillon can have that Staver locked up 
 for trying to steal the horses." 
 
 A rush of wind made further conversation just 
 then impossible. So far there had been little 
 thunder and lightning, but now came a flash and 
 a crack that caused the boys to leap to their feet, 
 while the horses plunged and acted as if they 
 wanted to bolt. 
 
 "Some stroke, eh?" cried Abe Blower, when 
 the alarm was over. " It must have struck near 
 here." 
 
 " It was a little too close for comfort," re- 
 turned Dave, grimly. " I don't think a spot like 
 this is particularly safe in a storm." 
 
 " Oh, ye might git struck down in the valley 
 jest as quick," answered the old miner. 
 
 " The rivers will be pretty high after this 
 flood," said Roger. 
 
 " Might be as how it will start another land- 
 slide, although I hope not," said Tom Dillon, 
 musingly. 
 
 " It wouldn't be so bad if the landslide opened 
 up the lost mine," said Dave. 
 
 " Oh, thet would be all right, lad, — if we 
 wasn't caught in the fallin' rocks." 
 
 Slowly the night wore away, and when daylight 
 came it was still raining. But the wind had gone 
 
CAUGHT IN A STORM 245 
 
 down and the sky looked as if the rainfall might 
 cease at any moment. 
 
 " Wall, we'll try fer breakfast," observed 
 Abe Blower. " Nothin' like a hot cup o' 
 coffee an' some flapjacks to cheer a man 
 up." 
 
 The driest of the wood was selected, and they 
 built a new fire with care, in the shelter of the 
 largest of the overhanging rocks. Soon the ap- 
 petizing odor of freshly made coffee filled the air 
 and all drew close, to have a cup, and to partake 
 of some fried bacon and some of Abe Blower's 
 famous flapjacks. 
 
 " Them flapjacks made Abe a good friend," 
 observed Tom Dillon, while eating. " They was 
 the means o' introducing Maurice Harrison to 
 him. Ain't that so, Abe?" And the old miner 
 grinned broadly. 
 
 " Right you are! " was the ready reply. " We 
 was in the mountains together, and Maurice didn't 
 have nuthin' to eat. I made him some o' my 
 flapjacks an' then we became pardners fer nigh 
 on to a year. Thet was up at tudder end o' the 
 State," explained Abe Blower. 
 
 By the time breakfast was over and the horses 
 had been cared for, the rain had stopped and the 
 sun was breaking through the eastern sky. All in 
 the camp lost no time in changing their wet gar- 
 ments for dry. The soaked clothing was then 
 
246 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 hung up around the fire and on the rocks in the 
 sun. 
 
 , " You want to be careful how you climb around 
 this mornin'," warned Tom Dillon. " Some o' 
 the places is mighty slippery. You don't want 
 to slide over no rocks into a hollow an' git 
 killed!" 
 
 "No, indeed!" replied Roger, earnestly. 
 
 It was not until the middle of the afternoon that 
 they took up the hunt for the lost mine once more. 
 This time the three boys went off together, Abe 
 Blower advising them not to separate while the 
 rocky slopes were so wet. 
 
 " You keep together an' me an' Tom will do the 
 same thing," he said. " Then, if anything hap- 
 pens to anybody, the others can help." 
 
 For over two hours the boys hunted around, 
 making their way along a ledge of rocks below the 
 point where they had hunted before. 
 
 " From the description left by Uncle Maurice, 
 that mine was pretty deep," said Roger. " And if 
 it was, maybe we'll be more apt to find an opening 
 to it from below rather than from above." 
 
 " Well, it won't do any harm to look around 
 here, anyway," returned Dave. 
 
 They had to proceed with great care, for in 
 spots the water was still running over the rocks 
 and the footing was very slippery. They had a 
 rope with them and all took hold of this, Dave 
 
CAUGHT IN A STORM 247 
 
 being in front, Phil coming next, and Roger bring- 
 ing up the rear. 
 
 " It's not such an easy job as I thought it would 
 be," panted Phil, after they had made an unusually 
 difficult turn of the ledge. " It kind of takes the 
 wind out of a fellow ! " 
 
 " Let us rest a bit," suggested Dave. " We 
 can't go much further along the ledge anyway," 
 he added, looking ahead. 
 
 They had reached a point where the outcrop- 
 ping of rocks had split in twain, forming the ledge 
 they were on and another ledge twenty or thirty 
 feet away. Between the two ledges was a hollow 
 with jagged rocks far below. The other ledge 
 wound around another hill, leading to the north- 
 west. 
 
 " This certainly is a wild country," said Roger, 
 as the boys seated themselves on the inner side of 
 the ledge. " Hunting for gold and silver in a 
 place like this is certainly not easy. Think of 
 spending month after month among rocks like 
 these, looking for ' pay dirt ' or ' pay rock,' as they 
 call it!" 
 
 " And yet it just suited your uncle," returned 
 Dave, " and it suits Abe Blower and Mr. Dillon." 
 
 The boys relapsed into silence, glad of the rest. 
 Dave was thinking of his father, and of the folks 
 who had gone into Yellowstone Park, when sud- 
 denly he felt his sleeve pulled by Roger. 
 
248 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 " Look ! " whispered the senator's son. " Don't 
 make any noise, either of you! " 
 
 He had pulled Phil's sleeve also, and now he 
 motioned for his chums to crouch down behind 
 the rocks on which they had been sitting, stones 
 that lay loosely on the ledge, close to the tower- 
 ing cliff. 
 
 As the three lads slipped down behind the loose 
 stones on which they had been resting, all gazed 
 in the direction Roger pointed out. On the other 
 ledge several persons had appeared. 
 
 "Link Merwell!" gasped Phil. "And see, 
 that Sol Blugg is with him! " 
 
 " And here comes Job Haskers and the man 
 called Larry Jaley! " said Dave, in reply. 
 
 " Wonder where that other fellow, Staver, is? " 
 murmured Roger. 
 
 " Maybe he was too badly hurt to come with 
 them and had to go back," returned Dave. 
 
 " Say, I don't see much use of coming along 
 this trail," called out Link Merwell, to those with 
 him. 
 
 " It certainly is beastly walking here," said Job 
 Haskers. " I've nearly sprained my ankle several 
 times." 
 
 " Well, if we want to find that lost mine we got 
 to hunt fer it," growled Sol Blugg. " It ain't 
 comin' to you, you know." 
 
 " I agree thet this trail ain't none too safe," 
 
CAUGHT IN A STORM 249 
 
 came from Larry Jaley. " If a feller slipped off 
 he'd have some fall, so he would!" he added, 
 looking down into the hollow with its jagged 
 rocks. 
 
 Roger nudged Dave in the side. 
 
 " They are after the Landslide Mine, just as I 
 supposed! " he murmured. 
 
 " Well, they seem to be no nearer finding it 
 than we are," was our hero's reply. 
 
 " But they haven't any right to the mine ! " 
 burst out Phil. " It belongs to Roger's mother! " 
 
 " Listen to what they have to say," warned the 
 senator's son. 
 
 The party on the opposite ledge were now so 
 close, and the air was so clear, that all which was 
 said could be heard distinctly. 
 
 " I thought sure we'd be able to locate some 
 landmarks before this," growled Link Mer- 
 well. " Are you sure this is the right district, 
 Blugg?" ^ 
 
 " This is where the Landslide Mine was sup- 
 posed to be located. You had the description of 
 those landmarks, I didn't," added the Westerner. 
 
 Just then Larry Jaley let out a quick cry. 
 
 " Look over yonder! " he called. " Sumbuddy 
 behind the rocks ! " 
 
 He pointed at Dave and the others, and a 
 second later the three youths knew that they had 
 been discovered. 
 
250 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 " Come out o' thet, whoever you are! " cried 
 Sol Blugg. 
 
 " We might as well get up," said Dave, and 
 arose to his feet. His chums did likewise and 
 then those on one ledge of rocks faced those on 
 the other. 
 
CHAPTER XXVI 
 
 PROWLERS IN CAMP 
 
 "Huh! so it's you, is it!" cried Link Mer- 
 well, in surly tones. 
 
 "So you are after my mine!" cried Roger, 
 sharply. " Well, I'll tell you right now, if you 
 locate it, it won't do you any good." 
 
 " Bah ! We know what we are doing," retorted 
 the youth who in the past had caused Dave and 
 his chums so much trouble. " You can't scare 
 us." 
 
 " Link, you ought to be in jail ! " burst out Phil. 
 
 " You'll never put me there," was the quick 
 retort. 
 
 " We have as much right to look for a mine 
 up here as you have," put in Sol Blugg. " If you 
 own a mine, where are your stakes or other land- 
 marks? " 
 
 " You know very well that they were carried 
 away by that landslide," answered the senator's 
 son. 
 
 " We don't know nuthin' of the kind," came 
 from Larry Jaley. " Your uncle claimed to have 
 
 251 
 
252 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 a mine up here, but I never seen no proof of it — 
 nor did anybuddy else see any proof. Any of us 
 kin locate a claim, an' you can't stop us." 
 
 " This is free land, so far as locatin' a claim 
 is concerned," added Sol Blugg. 
 
 " Well, if you locate that mine before we do, 
 don't you dare to remove any of my uncle's land- 
 marks," returned Roger. 
 
 "Ha! wot kind o' talk is thetl" burst out 
 Larry Jaley. 
 
 " Oh, we know you," put in Dave. " We know 
 just what sort of a bunch you are." 
 
 " Porter, do you include me in that remark?" 
 demanded Job Haskers, drawing himself up as 
 had been his fashion when an instructor at Oak 
 Hall. 
 
 " I certainly do," replied Dave. 
 
 " You are impertinent! " 
 
 " It won't do you any good to act in that way, 
 Job Haskers," returned our hero. " We know 
 you for the rascal that you are. You committed a 
 crime at Oak Hall, and you did what you could to 
 swindle Mr. Fordham. It's useless for you to 
 deny it. Now, let me say this : If you and those 
 with you try to do the Morrs out of their property 
 here, we'll do all we can to put you and Link 
 Merwell in prison for your crimes. And more 
 than that, we'll do what we can to have those men 
 arrested, for that land swindle they tried to pull 
 
" If you locate that mine before we do, don't you dare to 
 
 REMOVE ANY OF MY UNCLE'S LANDMARKS." — Page 252. 
 
PROWLERS IN CAMP 253 
 
 off when Abe Blower blocked them, and for steal- 
 ing our horses." 
 
 "You — you " stammered the former 
 
 teacher, and for the moment knew not what to 
 say. 
 
 "Don't you call us hoss-thieves ! " burst out 
 Sol Blugg, savagely. 
 
 " I can and I will," replied Dave, firmly. 
 " Your crowd tried to take our horses, and the 
 fellow called Staver got shot doing it. I guess 
 that is why he isn't with you now." 
 
 "Bah! I won't talk with you," growled Sol 
 Blugg. He knew not what else to say. 
 
 " I — I will — will settle with you for this an- 
 other time," came tartly from Job Haskers. 
 
 " Oh, come on, what's the use of talking to 
 them? " growled Link Merwell. " Some day I'll 
 show them what I can do! " And he moved on 
 along the ledge. 
 
 " Some day I shall square up for this gross in- 
 sult! " stormed Job Haskers, and then he followed 
 Merwell, and Blugg and Jaley came behind them. 
 Soon a turn in the ledge hid them from view of 
 our friends. 
 
 " What nerve ! " burst out Phil. 
 
 " That proves they are after the mine," came 
 from Dave. 
 
 " Yes, and if they locate it they will try to prove 
 that it wasn't my uncle's mine at all! " burst out 
 
254 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 Roger, bitterly. " I suppose they'll destroy all 
 the landmarks — that is, if the landslide left any 
 of them standing — and then what will I be able to 
 do?" 
 
 " I think we had better go back and tell the 
 others of this," said Dave. " After this, it may 
 pay us to keep an eye on that other crowd." 
 
 " That's so," returned the senator's son. 
 
 With care the three chums retraced their steps, 
 and half an hour later found them with Tom Dil- 
 lon and Abe Blower. The two old miners listened 
 with close attention to the tale of their encounter 
 with the other party. 
 
 " You are right; we must watch 'em," said Tom 
 Dillon. " They are a bad lot and will do what 
 they can to make trouble for us, and keep us from 
 locating the lost mine." 
 
 " I wonder where they are camping? " said 
 Phil. 
 
 " It can't be very far from here," replied Dave. 
 " We can look for their campfire to-night, if you 
 wish." 
 
 " If they don't hide it," remarked Abe Blower. 
 " And by that same token, wouldn't it be a good 
 idee to hide our own fire? " he continued, turning 
 to Tom Dillon. 
 
 " Sure! " was the prompt answer. 
 
 That night the three boys climbed several tall 
 rocks in the vicinity of their camp and looked 
 
PROWLERS IN CAMP 255 
 
 around with care. But the only lights that they 
 could make out were miles away, and those Abe 
 Blower stated were on the distant railroad. 
 Nothing like a campfire came to view. 
 
 " They are foxy and have put it in a hollow," 
 said the old miner. " Wall, we've done the same 
 thing," he added, chuckling. 
 
 " Oh, if only we could locate that lost mine and 
 put up our stakes ! " sighed Roger. " But it looks 
 like next to a hopeless task, doesn't it, Dave." 
 
 " Oh, I don't know, Roger," answered our hero, 
 as cheerfully as possible, for he saw that his chum 
 was much downcast. " We haven't covered the 
 whole of the ground yet. I wouldn't give up 
 hope, if I were you." 
 
 " I didn't think it was going to be such a job 
 when we started," went on the senator's son. 
 " My, what rocks we have climbed over! " And 
 he rubbed a shin from which some skin had been 
 scraped that afternoon. 
 
 " I knew it would be a hard hunt," answered 
 our hero. "And why not? If it was an easy 
 matter to locate that lost mine, Abe Blower or 
 some of those old prospectors would have done 
 it long ago. If we do the trick I think it will 
 be a great feather in our cap — in fact, I think it 
 will be more of a lucky accident than anything 
 else." 
 
 " Just my way of looking at it," agreed Phil. 
 
256 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 " It's a regular hide-and-seek game, this locating 
 a mine among these rocks." 
 
 For a long time the three boys sat by them- 
 selves, talking about days at Oak Hall, and about 
 the folks left at home and about those now travel- 
 ing through Yellowstone Park. It seemed a long 
 time since they had received letters. 
 
 " I suppose there are letters at the hotel in 
 Butte," said Dave, with a little sigh. 
 
 " I'd give something to have them here," added 
 Phil. 
 
 " If only I knew how dad was making out," 
 murmured the senator's son. " I suppose he is 
 waiting every day to hear from me ! " 
 
 " I hope the folks in the Park are having a good 
 time," said Dave, after a pause. " I suppose the 
 main body of tourists have started for home by 
 now." 
 
 " Yes, they went yesterday, according to the 
 advertised plan," answered Phil. 
 
 " I've got an idea," said our hero, after another 
 pause. " Do you see that hollow just below here? 
 Well, we haven't looked around that much. Why 
 not try it to-morrow? " 
 
 " Abe Blower and Mr. Dillon both seem to 
 think the opening to the mine was above that, 
 Dave," said Roger. 
 
 " True, but the landslide changed things, re- 
 member. We may now find an opening down 
 
PROWLERS IN CAMP 257 
 
 there, — not the opening your uncle made, but an- 
 other, made by the slide." 
 
 " It won't do any harm to look down there. 
 While we are here I am going to look in every 
 spot I can reach." 
 
 "Sure thing!" cried Phil. "But say, if we 
 are going to climb around these rocks all day to- 
 morrow I am going to bed and get a good night's 
 rest." 
 
 " I guess we all need a rest, so we'll turn in at 
 once," answered Roger. 
 
 Their camp was located between the rocks and 
 not far from the trail by which they had come 
 to the vicinity. The horses were tethered at a 
 point where a patch of coarse undergrowth gave 
 them something to nibble at. The animals 
 were of no use to them, now they were in the 
 district where the lost mine was supposed to be 
 located. 
 
 It was a little after nine o'clock when the boys 
 turned in, and a few minutes later the two old 
 miners followed them. So far they had not 
 deemed it necessary to have a guard, for none of 
 their enemies nor wild beasts had come to annoy 
 them. 
 
 Roger and Phil were soon sound asleep, and it 
 was not long before their snoring told that Abe 
 Blower and Tom Dillon were likewise in the land 
 of dreams. But Dave, for some reason he could 
 
258 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 not explain, was restless, and he turned over sev- 
 eral times, sighing heavily. 
 
 " If I were at home I should say I had eaten 
 too much supper," he told himself. " But here 
 rations are too scarce. I don't know what keeps 
 me awake, unless it is that I'm too tired to go to 
 sleep." 
 
 The campfire had burned so low that the spot 
 was almost in total darkness. There was no 
 moon and only a few stars shone in the sky, 
 which was partly obscured by clouds. A 
 gentle breeze was stirring, but otherwise all was 
 quiet. 
 
 At last Dave thought that if he had a drink he 
 might go to sleep with more ease, and he turned 
 over to sit up and get to his feet. A bucket of 
 water was close at hand, so he would not have to 
 go far for what he wanted. 
 
 Just as Dave sat up he saw something that 
 startled him. A dark figure was moving at a dis- 
 tance from the camp, coming closer slowly. 
 
 At first the youth could not make out if the 
 figure was a man or an animal. He strained his 
 eyes and then made out the form of a person. 
 
 At once our hero thought of Link Merwell and 
 those with him. It must be one of their enemies, 
 and if so, what had brought him to this spot at 
 such an hour of the night? 
 
 " Maybe he is after our horses," reasoned the 
 
PROWLERS IN CAMP 259 
 
 youth, and then he dropped down again and rolled 
 over to where Roger was lying. He shook his 
 chum and at the same time placed a hand over the 
 other's mouth. 
 
 "Roger! Don't make any noise!" he whis- 
 pered. " Somebody is coming here in the dark." 
 
 The senator's son awoke and heard what was 
 said. Then, as Dave took away his hand, he 
 whispered: 
 
 "Where is he? Who is it?" 
 
 " There he is," and Dave pointed with his hand. 
 " I don't know who it is, but I guess it is one of 
 Link's crowd." 
 
 " I'll wake up Phil, and we can watch the ras- 
 cal," said Roger, and this was done, although not 
 without difficulty, for the shipowner's son was in- 
 clined to give a yell when aroused from such a 
 sound slumber. 
 
 "Who — who is it?" he stammered. "Say, 
 maybe we had better get our pistols ready! " And 
 he felt for his weapon. 
 
 " I've got mine all ready," answered Dave. 
 
 " And here is mine," whispered Roger. " If 
 that fellow thinks he is coming here unseen, wont 
 he be surprised! " 
 
 "Hush!" came softly from Dave. "Look 
 behind him! There is a second fellow coming! " 
 
 Our hero was right, a second figure had emerged 
 from the shadow of some rocks. The two per- 
 
260 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 sons were coming along slowly, as if to make 
 certain that they were not being observed. 
 
 " I know that second fellow ! " whispered Dave, 
 a moment later. " See how tall and thin he is. 
 It's old Haskers ! " 
 
 " Yes, and the other fellow is Link Merwell," 
 replied Roger, a second later. 
 
CHAPTER XXVII 
 
 THE TWO PRISONERS 
 
 The three chums were right; the two persons 
 who were approaching the camp on the mountain- 
 side so stealthily were Link Merwell and Job Has- 
 kers. 
 
 They came on step by step, looking ahead and 
 to either side, as if on the alert to flee at the first 
 sign of danger. 
 
 " What do you suppose they are after? " asked 
 Phil, in a low voice. 
 
 " Hush! We'll watch them and see," returned 
 Dave. 
 
 " Let us pretend to be asleep," advised Roger. 
 " But He so you can keep an eye on them." 
 
 The boys had been crouching low, but now all 
 followed the advice of the senator's son and fell 
 back, as if in slumber. Then they rolled over and, 
 with their hands on their weapons, watched the 
 approach of the others. 
 
 At last Merwell and Haskers were within fifty 
 feet of those around the dying campfire. They 
 had been talking in a low voice, but now both 
 
 261 
 
262 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 were silent, as if this had been agreed upon. Mer- 
 well was slightly in advance and he pointed to the 
 outfit of the Morr crowd. This lay between some 
 rocks and covered with a rubber cloth, so that the 
 eatables might not be spoiled by the weather. 
 
 Job Haskers nodded, to show that he under- 
 stood, and both of the intruders tiptoed their way 
 towards the stores. Noiselessly they raised the 
 rubber cover and placed it on the ground. Then 
 both commenced to pack the stores in the cloth. 
 
 It was plainly to be seen now what the rascals 
 meant to do. They were going to make off with 
 our friends' stores, thereby perhaps making it nec- 
 essary for them to give up the hunt for the mine 
 and go back to the nearest place where more stores 
 could be procured. For among those barren rocks 
 but little could be found for the mine-hunters to 
 eat. They might get a shot at some wild beast, 
 but that was all. 
 
 " What shall we do? " whispered Phil, who was 
 growing impatient watching proceedings. 
 
 " When I give the signal, jump up and cover 
 them with your pistols," replied Roger. 
 
 " Oh, I wouldn't shoot them," urged Dave, who 
 dreaded to think of bloodshed under any circum- 
 stances. 
 
 " Well, we'll scare 'em," returned the senator's 
 son. " We'll teach 'em that they can't come near 
 this camp." 
 
THE TWO PRISONERS 263 
 
 He waited until Merwell and Haskers were on 
 the point of lifting the rubber cloth with the stores 
 tied within it. Then he leaped up, and Dave and 
 Phil did the same. 
 
 "Hands up, you rascals!" cried Roger. 
 " Hands up, or we'll fire at you! " 
 
 "Oh!" cried Link Merwell, in consternation, 
 and up went his hands. 
 
 " Don't shoot me ! I beg of you, don't shoot ! " 
 screamed Job Haskers, and he, too, dropped his 
 hold of the bundle and sent his hands in the air. 
 Then, catching sight of the pistols, he dropped on 
 his knees. " Oh, Morr, please don't shoot! 
 Porter, I beg of you, have mercy! And you, 
 Lawrence, please point that weapon away! It — 
 it might go off ! " 
 
 " This is a fine piece of business to be engaged 
 in," said Roger, sternly. " Trying to steal our 
 stores." 
 
 " It— is — was — er — all a mistake," whined the 
 former teacher of Oak Hall. 
 
 " You won't dare to shoot," put in Link Mer- 
 well. " You won't dare ! " He tried to be brave 
 but his voice was shaky. 
 
 " What's the row here? " burst in another voice, 
 and Abe Blower sprang up, followed by Tom 
 Dillon. 
 
 " Hello, them two skunks! " cried Tom Dillon. 
 "What do they want? " 
 
264 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 " They wanted to make off with our stores," 
 answered Dave, and pointed to the goods tied up 
 in the rubber cloth. 
 
 " So that's the trick, eh? " bellowed Abe Blower. 
 
 " First the hosses an' now the stores! " roared 
 Tom Dillon. " Humph! Ye deserve to be shot 
 full o' holes ! " he went on, for he had lived in 
 the times when the stealing of a horse, or of a 
 miner's food, was considered by everybody a capi- 
 tal offense. 
 
 " I — I beg of you, have mercy ! " cried Job Has- 
 kers, as he got unsteadily to his feet. " I — I — 
 this was not my plan at all — Merwell suggested it. 
 We — we were not going to — er — to steal any- 
 thing." 
 
 "No? Then wot was ye goin' ter do?" de- 
 manded Abe Blower, sarcastically. 
 
 " We were — er — only going to hide the stuff," 
 stammered Link Merwell, and he glared at Job 
 Haskers savagely for having tried to place the 
 responsibility of the raid on his shoulders. 
 
 " I don't believe a word of it! " came sternly 
 from Tom Dillon. " You wanted to leave us to 
 starve here, or compel us to go back to town — 
 so you could hunt for that lost mine alone. I see 
 through the trick. We ought to shoot you down 
 like dogs ! " 
 
 " It's jest wot they deserve, consarn 'em," mut- 
 tered Abe Blower. 
 
THE TWO PRISONERS 265 
 
 " We don't want anybody shot! " said Dave, to 
 his chums. He saw that the two old miners were 
 angry enough to do almost anything. 
 
 " Let us — er — go this time and we'll never 
 bother you again," pleaded Job Haskers. He 
 was so scared he could scarcely speak. 
 
 " Step over here, by this rock, and keep your 
 hands up," said Tom Dillon. " We'll talk this 
 over a bit further." 
 
 There was no help for it, for Merwell and Has- 
 kers were now virtually prisoners. They stepped 
 to the position mentioned, with their hands still 
 upraised. 
 
 " Go through 'em, Abe," went on Tom Dillon. 
 " Take their shootin' irons away from 'em." 
 
 " See here " commenced Merwell, when a 
 
 stern look from the old miner stopped him. Has- 
 kers said nothing, for he was still fearful of being 
 shot. 
 
 In a few minutes the two intruders were dis- 
 armed by Abe Blower. While this was being 
 done Roger whispered to Dave. 
 
 " Don't you think we ought to search 'em thor- 
 oughly?" he asked. "They may have some- 
 thing belonging to me — some map of the lost 
 mine, or something like that? I don't exactly re- 
 member what I had in that suit-case Merwell got 
 from the porter on the train." 
 
 " Certainly, we'll have them well searched," 
 
266 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 declared Dave, and spoke to Tom Dillon about it. 
 As a consequence, despite their protests, Abe 
 Blower turned out every pocket of the prisoners. 
 
 " There is one of my letters ! " cried Roger. 
 " It tells about the Landslide Mine. I had for- 
 gotten it," and he put the communication in his 
 pocket. 
 
 But little else of value belonging to Roger was 
 found, and their own things the prisoners were 
 allowed to retain, all but their weapons. Those, 
 even to their pocket-knives, Tom Dillon confis- 
 cated. 
 
 "What are you going to do with us?" asked 
 Link Merwell, surlily, after the search was at an 
 end. 
 
 " We'll tie 'em up for the night," said Tom Dil- 
 lon. " Boys, get a couple of ropes." 
 
 " Tie us up ! " exclaimed Job Haskers, in new 
 alarm. 
 
 " Exactly." 
 
 " And in the — er — morning ? " faltered the 
 
 former teacher of Oak Hall. 
 
 " We'll see what we'll do with you after break- 
 fast," answered the old miner, briefly. 
 
 " Say, wot did ye do with them other fellers? " 
 demanded Abe Blower, while Dave and Phil were 
 getting the ropes. 
 
 " We left them in camp." 
 
 "Is Staver with 'em?" asked Tom Dillon. 
 
THE TWO PRISONERS 267 
 
 " No, his hand hurt him so he went back to 
 town to have a doctor look after it," replied Mer- 
 well. 
 
 " Is he coming back here? " 
 
 " He said he thought not — at least, not for the 
 present." 
 
 " Do you think those others will come here to- 
 night? " asked Dave, as he came with a rope, fol- 
 lowed by Phil with another rope. 
 
 " We'll stand guard, lad, and see," answered 
 Tom Dillon. 
 
 Much against their will, Link Merwell and Job 
 Haskers were bound, hands and feet. Then each 
 was made fast to a rock not far from the camp- 
 fire. 
 
 " We'll take turns at guarding the camp," said 
 Tom Dillon. " Two hours each every night after 
 this; " and so it was arranged. 
 
 Now that he was sure he was not to be shot, 
 Job Haskers was very indignant over being bound. 
 
 " It isn't a bit gentlemanly," he said, to Dave. 
 
 " We won't argue the point," returned our 
 hero, briefly. He was disgusted with both Mer- 
 well and Haskers, and he wished they might both 
 go away and that he would never see them again. 
 
 As he was so restless, Dave said he would be 
 the first one of the party to stand guard, and, ac- 
 cordingly, the others turned in as before, dropping 
 off to sleep one after another. Merwell was 
 
268 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 inclined to talk and argue, but Dave would not 
 listen. 
 
 " I am done with you, Link," he said. " And 
 I am done with Haskers, too. All I want you to 
 do is to leave me alone in the future." 
 
 " You let us go, or it will be the worse for you," 
 growled Link Merwell. 
 
 When his two hours' guard duty came to an end, 
 Dave called Roger, who in turn called Phil. The 
 shipowner's son was still very sleepy, and he 
 yawned deeply as he arose. 
 
 " As soon as two hours are up you call Abe 
 Blower," said Roger. 
 
 " I sure will! " declared Phil. " I'm not half 
 slept out yet ! " 
 
 Roger was tired himself and was soon in the 
 land of dreams. Phil walked around the camp 
 several times, to keep himself awake, and then 
 sat down on a rock to rest. 
 
 Alas ! that rest was an ill-advised one for the 
 son of the rich shipowner. As he sat there, 
 Phil's chin sank lower and lower on his breast and 
 presently his eyes closed and he fell asleep ! And 
 thus over two hours passed. 
 
 "Hello!" 
 
 The cry came from Abe Blower, as he turned 
 and sat up. It was growing light in the east and 
 the old miner thought it was time to get up. 
 
 He directed his cry at Phil, who was huddled 
 
THE TWO PRISONERS 269 
 
 up on the rock. Phil did not budge, and the old 
 miner leaped up and shook him. 
 
 " I say " commenced the youth, and then 
 
 stared around him in astonishment. " Why I — 
 I must have dropped asleep ! " he faltered. 
 
 "You sure did!" cried Abe Blower. He 
 gazed around swiftly. "Was you on guard?" 
 
 " Yes, and the prisoners " 
 
 "Are gone!" 
 
 "Oh!" 
 
 Phil's cry awoke all the others in the camp. 
 One after another looked at the youth and then 
 at the spot where Merwell and Haskers had been 
 tied to the rocks. The ropes lay there, but the 
 two former prisoners had vanished ! 
 
CHAPTER XXVIII 
 
 THE LOST LANDSLIDE MINE 
 
 " They cut the ropes ! See, here is where it 
 was done, on this jagged rock! " 
 
 As Dave spoke he pointed to a sharp edge of 
 stone. Beneath it were bits of rope, showing how 
 the fetters had been sawed in twain. 
 
 " One of 'em must have got loose and then 
 freed the other," remarked Roger. 
 
 "But who was on guard?" demanded Tom 
 Dillon, sharply. He looked at the boys and then 
 at Abe Blower. 
 
 " I was, but I — I guess I fell asleep," faltered 
 Phil, sheepishly, and grew red in the face. 
 
 " Fell asleep ! " cried Abe Blower. " I guess 
 you did ! " And his tone of voice showed his 
 disgust. 
 
 " I — I am awfully sorry," continued the ship- 
 owner's son. " I — I really don't know how it 
 happened. It wasn't the thing to do." 
 
 " Never mind, it's done and that's the end of 
 it," put in Roger, quickly, for he could see how 
 badly his chum felt over the occurrence. " I 
 guess you were pretty tired." 
 
 270 
 
THE LOST LANDSLIDE MINE 271 
 
 " I was, Roger. Just the same, I had no busi- 
 ness to fall asleep. I'm mad enough to kick my- 
 self full of holes," went on Phil, grimly. 
 
 " Let us see if they took anything with 'em," 
 came from Tom Dillon, as he turned to where 
 their things and the animals were, but they had 
 not been disturbed. 
 
 " I guess they were too scared to touch any- 
 thing," declared Dave. " They were glad enough 
 to save themselves. I imagine they ran away as 
 soon as they were free." And in this surmise 
 our hero was correct. Link had been the one to 
 sever his bonds and he had untied Job Haskers, 
 and then both of them had lost not an instant in 
 quitting the locality, being afraid that some of the 
 others might awaken before they could make good 
 their escape. 
 
 " Well, I am just as well satisfied," whispered 
 Roger to Dave and Phil. " I didn't want to hold 
 them, anyway. All I want them to do is to leave 
 us alone." 
 
 " But you don't want them to discover the lost 
 mine, Roger," returned our hero. 
 
 "Oh, certainly not! We'll have to keep on 
 the watch for them as well as look for the mine," 
 answered the senator's son. 
 
 A search was made, and it was soon ascertained 
 that their enemies were nowhere in that vicinity. 
 Then breakfast was had, and a little later the 
 
272 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 search for the lost Landslide Mine was con- 
 tinued. 
 
 As before, the different members of the party 
 separated, and thus the day went by. Several 
 times one or another of the boys or the men 
 thought he had found some landmark, but each 
 time the clew proved a false one. 
 
 " It looks as if we were going to be stumped, — 
 just as those other searching parties were 
 stumped," remarked Roger, dismally. " Maybe 
 the lost mine will remain lost forever ! " and he 
 sighed deeply. 
 
 "Oh, I wouldn't give up yet!" cried Dave, 
 cheerfully. " We have still some more ground 
 to cover." 
 
 " Of course, we have," said Phil. " Oh, we 
 are going to find that mine, no two ways about 
 it!" 
 
 " I hope so," and Roger sighed again. He 
 felt that if the mine was not found, matters would 
 look pretty blue at home for all concerned. 
 
 The following morning dawned bright and 
 clear, with no warning at all of what was in store. 
 An early breakfast was had, and once more all 
 hands separated in the hunt for landmarks which 
 might guide them to the lost mine. 
 
 Dave was working his way along a small ridge 
 of outcropping rocks, when he came to one rock 
 that stood out much higher than the rest. From 
 
THE LOST LANDSLIDE MINE 273 
 
 this point he gazed around, to see if he could 
 locate any of the others of the party. 
 
 As a distance he made out Roger and Phil, 
 who had just come together. Then, turning 
 around, he glanced below him and made out sev- 
 eral other persons on a lower ridge of the moun- 
 tainside. 
 
 " Link Merwell and Job Haskers, and that Sol 
 Blugg is with them," he murmured. " Evidently 
 they are not going to give up the hunt." 
 
 Dave watched the party of three for several 
 minutes and then continued his own hunt. Roger 
 and Phil had now disappeared from view, and 
 Abe Blower and Tom Dillon were far away, — 
 almost to the top of the mountain. 
 
 A quarter of an hour passed and Dave dis- 
 covered something which he considered worth 
 investigating. Just above his head was an open- 
 ing between the rocks, — an irregular slit 
 fifteen or twenty feet high and two to four feet 
 wide. 
 
 He had seen many openings before, but this 
 was peculiar for the reason that one edge of the 
 rocks looked as if it had been drilled and blasted 
 away. More than this, within the split lay the 
 broken-off handle of a shovel. 
 
 " Oh, what if I have found the lost mine ! " he 
 thought. " That shovel-handle proves that some- 
 body has been here, and, yes, that is where some- 
 
274 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 body bored into the rocks and set off a blast! I 
 must investigate this, and if it looks promising 
 I'll call the others. No use in exciting Roger un- 
 less it's worth while." 
 
 Dave climbed up to the split and peered within. 
 All was so dark that he could see but little. Yet 
 he made out what looked to be a fairly level bit of 
 flooring and he swung himself to this, first, how- 
 ever, placing his handkerchief on a rock outside, 
 for it had been agreed that if anybody went into 
 any sort of opening he should leave something 
 behind, so that the others, coming that way, might 
 know where he was. 
 
 Each of the party had provided himself with a 
 dry stick of wood, to use for a torch if one was 
 required, and Dave now lit the stick he carried 
 and swung it into a blaze. With this in hand he 
 commenced an inspection of the opening he had 
 discovered. 
 
 The cave, if such it can be called, proved to be 
 long and narrow, — little more than a split in the 
 rocks. At some points the roofing was out of 
 sight. The flooring, too, was irregular, and our 
 hero had to proceed with care, for pitfalls were 
 numerous and he had no desire to tumble into one 
 of these. 
 
 " This mountainside is a good deal like Cave 
 Island," he muttered, as he advanced. " That 
 was honeycombed with caves and so is this. No 
 
THE LOST LANDSLIDE MINE 275 
 
 wonder they have landslides here. The ground 
 and rocks are bound to settle, with so many open- 
 ings to fill up." 
 
 He had gone forward about a hundred and fifty 
 feet when he found the opening leading upward. 
 Then of a sudden he gave a cry of wonder and 
 delight. 
 
 Just ahead of him were a number of heavy tim- 
 bers, such as are used for shoring in mines. And 
 among the timbers lay a pick and a crowbar and 
 the remains of a smashed lantern. 
 
 At that instant Dave remembered one thing 
 that Roger had told him, which was that Maurice 
 Harrison had always branded all of his tools with 
 his initials. Eagerly, our hero caught up the pick 
 and held the handle in the light of his torch. 
 There, on the broad part of the pick's handle, 
 were the initials: 
 
 M.H. 
 
 "It's the lost mine!" shouted the youth. 
 " The lost mine as sure as fate! Oh, I must get 
 out and tell Roger and the others of this! " 
 
 But then he hesitated. What if this should 
 prove to be only some abandoned " prospect " and 
 not the real mine at all? 
 
 " I'd better look around a little first and make 
 sure," he reasoned. " If I can only find some 
 
276 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 of the gold Mr. Harrison spoke about, I'd be 
 sure." 
 
 He looked at the lantern and the crowbar and 
 saw that both contained the initials found on the 
 pick. He placed the three articles in a heap, and 
 then climbed over the broken timbers to the open- 
 ing beyond. As he did this a current of pure, 
 cold air struck him. 
 
 " There must be other openings to this cave or 
 mine," he reasoned. " Otherwise it wouldn't be 
 so well ventilated. Well, I'm glad to have the 
 fresh air. Where is that gold? If this is really 
 the mine I ought to see some of it in the rocks." 
 
 He walked along, throwing the light of his 
 torch on the rocks as he did so. For several 
 minutes he saw nothing that looked like gold, and 
 his heart sank. But suddenly he gave a low 
 whistle and in his excitement almost dropped his 
 torch. 
 
 For in a crack of the rocks he had come across 
 a small " pocket," as it is termed by miners. In 
 the pocket lay a quantity of sand, and on top of 
 this an irregular object about as large as a small 
 hen's egg. 
 
 " A nugget! A nugget of gold! r ' cried Dave, 
 as he rubbed it off and inspected it by the light of 
 the torch. " A nugget of gold just as sure as 
 sure can be! Oh, this must be the lost mine! " 
 
 In feverish haste he set his torch up in a crack 
 
THE LOST LANDSLIDE MINE 277 
 
 of the rocks and commenced to scoop the sand 
 from the pocket with his hands. Out came an- 
 other nugget and then another, and then half a 
 dozen, all about the size of hickory nuts. Then 
 the pocket grew so deep and narrow he could not 
 reach down into it. He took up the crowbar, and 
 with it ascertained that the opening with the sand 
 and nuggets was of unknown depth. 
 
 " It's the lost Landslide Mine! " said Dave to 
 himself. " The lost mine beyond a doubt, and 
 all this gold belongs to Mrs. Morr! Oh, won't 
 Roger be glad when I tell him the glorious news ! " 
 
 Gathering up the nuggets he had found, Dave 
 placed them in his pocket to show to the others, 
 and then started to leave the place. 
 
 As he did this, he heard a peculiar rumbling 
 sound, coming from a distance. He stopped to 
 listen, and the rumble grew louder and louder. 
 
 "What in the world can that be?" he asked 
 himself. " Sounds like a train of cars rushing 
 through a tunnel. I wonder Oh ! " 
 
 Dave stopped short, and it is no wonder that a 
 sudden chill passed over him. The very rocks on 
 which he was standing had begun to quake. Then 
 from overhead several stones fell, one so close 
 that it brushed his shoulder. 
 
 " It's an earthquake, or another landslide! " he 
 gasped. " I must get out of this, or I'll be buried 
 alive!" 
 
278 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 And then, torch in hand, he started for the 
 opening to the mine. 
 
 He had hardly covered half the distance to the 
 outer air when there came another quaking, and 
 more rocks fell, one hitting him on the arm. The 
 torch was knocked from his hand and he tripped 
 and fell. Then came a crash and a roar, and to 
 Dave it seemed as if the end of the world had 
 come. He was more than half-stunned, and he 
 fell against a wall of rocks, wondering what would 
 happen next. 
 
CHAPTER XXIX 
 
 ANOTHER LANDSLIDE 
 
 It was another landslide, crashing and roaring 
 down the side of the mountain, carrying rocks, 
 dirt, and brushwood before it. The earth roared 
 and shook, and it was said afterwards that the 
 slide could be heard many miles away. 
 
 Down in the mine that he had but just discov- 
 ered, Dave remained crouching against a wall of 
 rock, murmuring a prayer for his safe deliverance 
 from the peril that encompassed him. Every 
 moment he expected would be his last — that those 
 rocky walls would crash in on him and become his 
 tomb. Roar followed roar, as the landslide con- 
 tinued and more rocks fell. Then the air around 
 him seemed to be compressed, until he could 
 scarcely breathe. 
 
 " Oh, if I were only out of this! " he thought, 
 and at that moment he would have gladly given 
 all he was worth to have been in the outer air once 
 more. 
 
 Gradually the roaring and the quaking ceased, 
 and Dave breathed a little more freely. He 
 
 279 
 
280 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 groped around in the darkness and managed to 
 locate the fallen torch, which still glowed faintly. 
 He swung it into a blaze with nervous energy. 
 
 Was the landslide at an end? Fervidly he 
 prayed that it was. Torch in hand, he tried to 
 make his way to the spot where he had entered 
 the mine. 
 
 He soon found this impossible, for the reason 
 that the passageway had shifted, and huge rocks 
 blocked his way. Several times he tried to climb 
 over the rocks, only to fall back helplessly. He 
 cut his hands and broke his finger-nails, but this 
 availed him nothing. 
 
 "But I've got to get out! I've got to! " he 
 told himself, over and over again. " I can't stay 
 here! " And then he tried to climb the rocks in 
 front of him once more. 
 
 It was hard work, especially with the torch in 
 hand. Once Dave tried to carry the torch 
 between his teeth, but it was too short, and his 
 face was scorched, while the smoke almost 
 strangled him. 
 
 Suddenly he slipped on some wet rocks and 
 went down and down, he knew not whither. He 
 was stunned by the fall, and the precious light 
 slid from his grasp and rolled several yards away. 
 
 " Oh! " he murmured, as he gathered his scat- 
 tered senses and arose slowly to his feet. Then 
 he saw that the torch was on the point of going 
 
ANOTHER LANDSLIDE 281 
 
 out and he made a dash for it, and swung it once 
 again into a faint blaze. 
 
 As he stepped around he noticed something else 
 that added to his dismay. In his fall he had 
 twisted his left ankle, which gave a twitch that 
 made him shut his teeth hard, to keep from crying 
 out with pain. 
 
 " Oh, I hope I haven't broken it ! " he muttered. 
 " However am I going to walk on it, even if it is 
 broken? " 
 
 In sheer desperation he commenced to climb up 
 the wet rocks down which he had tumbled. The 
 ankle hurt not a little, yet in his excitement the 
 youth scarcely noticed the pain. His one thought 
 was to get out of the cave before another land- 
 slide or earthquake occurred. 
 
 A few minutes later found Dave on the level 
 from which he had fallen. As he scrambled over 
 the rocks something caught the glare of the torch- 
 light. The youth picked up the object. 
 
 "Another nugget!" he told himself. "The 
 place must be full of them! " 
 
 But what good would these nuggets be to him 
 or his friends if he could not get out of the mine- 
 cave? He was deep underground and this new 
 landslide or earthquake might bury him and the 
 contents of the mine forever ! 
 
 " I've got to get out ! " he repeated over and 
 over again. " I've got to get out somehow! " 
 
282 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 Trying to pierce the gloom ahead, Dave swung 
 his torch behind him. Was he mistaken, or was 
 that a glimmer of daylight in the distance? He 
 stumbled forward, over some loose stones, and 
 presently came to a split in the narrow passage- 
 way. 
 
 From overhead came a faint ray of daylight! 
 He almost felt like giving a shout of joy, so wel- 
 come was the sight. But then his heart sank once 
 more as he realized that the thin shaft of light 
 came from a split in some rocks which were fifty 
 or sixty feet above his head. The walls were so 
 steep and slippery that to scale them was utterly 
 out of the question. 
 
 In front of Dave was now a solid wall of rock, 
 so the youth knew that he could not get out in 
 that direction. With a heavy heart he retraced 
 his steps, trying to locate the opening by which 
 he had entered the cave. But the landslide, or 
 earthquake, had changed the surroundings to such 
 an extent that he hardly knew how to turn to 
 make the next move. 
 
 A youth less stout of heart than Dave might 
 have sat down and given up the case as hopeless. 
 But our hero was not made of such stuff. He 
 moved on slowly, in one direction and then an- 
 other, trying out what looked as if they might be 
 passages to the outer air. 
 
 And then came another distant rumble, show- 
 
ANOTHER LANDSLIDE 283 
 
 ing that the earthquake, or landslide, was not yet 
 at an end. The boy held his breath, wondering if 
 it would come closer and annihilate him. But 
 the rumble remained at a distance, and in less than 
 a minute passed away completely. 
 
 "Thank fortune, that didn't come here ! " he 
 murmured, and passed his hand over his forehead, 
 upon which the thick beads of cold perspiration 
 had gathered. He strained his ears for several 
 seconds longer, but all around him was now as 
 silent as a tomb. 
 
 "Oh, I must get out!" he muttered, despair- 
 ingly. " I must! There must be some kind of 
 an opening somewhere ! " 
 
 Again he stumbled onward, into one pas3age- 
 way after another. Once the place was so nar- 
 row that he became fairly wedged fast and had 
 all he could do to draw back. Then a sudden chill 
 swept through his body, making his teeth chatter. 
 
 Must he give up? Was that cave to become his 
 tomb? 
 
 The thought forced itself upon Dave in spite 
 of his effort to take a more cheerful view of the 
 situation. He was hemmed in — not an avenue of 
 escape seemed open. 
 
 "I won't give up! I won't! I won't!" he 
 muttered, half savagely, and got up from the rock 
 on which he had sunk down to rest. Climbing 
 around in that place where the footing was so 
 
284 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 uncertain had taken both his wind and his 
 strength, and he was panting, and his knees shook 
 beneath him. Only a short time had elapsed 
 since that dreadful first shock had come, yet to 
 the youth it seemed an age. 
 
 He looked at the torch. It had burned well 
 down and would not last much longer. And when 
 it was gone he would be left in total darkness ! 
 
 This was a new cause for fear, and it made 
 Dave move around faster than ever. 
 
 Suddenly he stopped short. A new sound had 
 reached his ears — a strange, weird sound that 
 made his flesh creep and his hair stand on end. 
 
 It was the cry of a wildcat — shrill and uncanny 
 in that pent-up space. Slowly it came nearer, 
 although from what direction our hero could not 
 at first make out. 
 
 He waited behind a spur of rocks and the cry — 
 it was more a whine of fright than anything else — 
 came closer. Then, on a shelf of rocks but a 
 short distance away, Dave caught sight of the 
 beast. 
 
 It was limping along on three feet, dragging a 
 bleeding hind leg and a bleeding tail behind it. 
 Evidently it had been caught between the falling 
 stones as in a trap and had pulled itself loose in a 
 mad effort to save its life. 
 
 For the moment Dave forgot his other perils as 
 he faced the beast. Evidently the wildcat had 
 
ANOTHER LANDSLIDE 285 
 
 scented the youth, for it gave a savage cry as of 
 defiance. Perhaps it thought that Dave was re- 
 sponsible in some way for the pain it was suffering. 
 
 The youth's hand was on the rocks and almost 
 unconsciously it closed on a sharp stone about as 
 big as his fist. Raising the stone, he took quick 
 aim and threw it at the wildcat. 
 
 As my old readers know, Dave was a good 
 baseball player and, at Oak Hall, had often filled 
 the pitcher's box with credit. He threw the stone 
 with accuracy and vigor, and it landed fairly and 
 squarely on the head of the wildcat. 
 
 There was a weird screech, and the beast 
 whirled around and around on the rocks, coming 
 closer and closer to our hero. Once it cluwed 
 savagely at Dave, but he shoved the creature off 
 before any damage was done. Then it fell down 
 in a cleft of some rocks, where it snapped and 
 snarled until Dave sent down a heavy boulder on 
 top of it, thus ending its misery. 
 
 "Phew!" gasped the youth, after the excite- 
 ment was over. " That was almost as bad as 
 when we shot the mountain lioness ! " 
 
 He had dropped the end of his torch, but now 
 picked it up once more and commenced to move 
 around as before. He proceeded blindly, not 
 knowing in what direction to turn to reach the 
 outer air. 
 
 "Where can the others be?" was a question 
 
286 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 he asked himself more than once. Were they, 
 too, caught underground, or had the awful land- 
 slide carried them down into the valley and buried 
 them? 
 
 In the course of his climbings Dave presently 
 came to a new turn, one which had before escaped 
 his attention. This turn led upward and gave him 
 fresh hope. But, just as he fancied that he was 
 getting close to the outer air, he reached a flat 
 wall, and further progress in that direction was 
 out of the question. 
 
 His heart sank like lead in his bosom, and he 
 walked slowly back to the point from which he 
 had started. How to turn next he did not know. 
 
 Half an hour passed, and Dave was almost in 
 despair. His torch had reached its end and was 
 on the point of going out. Then, not knowing 
 what else to do, he set up a cry for help. 
 
 There came no reply, and he cried again. Then 
 he pulled out his pistol and fired a shot. 
 
 The discharge of the weapon echoed and 
 reechoed throughout the cave and brought down 
 several small stones. Then, to Dave's intense 
 surprise and joy, an answering shot came back. 
 
 " Who is it? " he yelled. " I am herel This 
 way ! This way ! " 
 
 " Hello ! " was the long-drawn-out answer, com- 
 ing from some point that appeared to be over his 
 head. " Where — are — you ? " 
 
ANOTHER LANDSLIDE 287 
 
 And then, as Dave's torch gave a final flicker 
 and went out, our hero saw a shaft of light move 
 over the rocks above his head. 
 
 " It's Roger's flashlight! " he told himself, and 
 then he set up another cry. 
 
 The rays of the flashlight became stronger and 
 of a sudden they shot downward, directly in 
 Dave's face. 
 
 "It's Dave!" came in Roger's voice. "Are 
 you all right? " 
 
 " Yes," was the ready reply. " That you, 
 Roger?" 
 
 " Yes. Phil is with me." 
 
 "Were you hurt?" 
 
 " Shaken up a bit, that's all," replied Phil, and 
 now Dave saw his chums standing in an opening 
 that was about eight feet above his head. 
 
 " We had better get out of here," went on 
 Roger, quickly. " Another landslide may bury 
 us alive! " 
 
 " I've found the mine ! " cried Dave. " I've 
 got some nuggets from it — and a pick, a crowbar, 
 and a broken lantern, all with your uncle's initials 
 on them ! " 
 
 " Good for you ! " cried the senator's son. 
 " Phil and I found some evidences of the mine up 
 here — an old coat of my uncle's and some of his 
 stakes. But we had better get out now — we can 
 talk this thing over later." 
 
288 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 " I can't get out down here — the passageway 
 is blocked with rocks." 
 
 "Did you get in from below?" cried Phil. 
 " We got in from up here." 
 
 A few words more passed, and the two boys on 
 the upper ledge of rocks passed down a length of 
 rope they carried, and by that means Dave was 
 soon enabled to climb up and join them. There 
 were no more quakes, so all began to breathe more 
 freely. Yet they felt that it would be advisable 
 to leave the cave-mine without delay. 
 
 " It certainly is the lost Landslide Mine ! " ex- 
 claimed Roger. " Oh, how glad I am that it has 
 been found! And how glad my folks will be to 
 get the welcome news ! " Even the peril of the 
 present situation could not rob him of his joy over 
 the discovery that had been made. 
 
 He and Phil had picked up several small nug- 
 gets, so that all were sure they had really discov- 
 ered the lost mine. 
 
 " But they will have to be careful how they 
 work this mine," said Dave, as he walked along 
 with his chums. " They can't work it from below 
 — it will be too dangerous." 
 
 " Oh, they'll find some way, don't fear," 
 answered Roger. " As long as they know the 
 gold is there, they'll find a way to get it." 
 
 " Where are the others? " went on Dave, as he 
 saw daylight ahead, much to his satisfaction. 
 
ANOTHER LANDSLIDE 289 
 
 11 That we don't know," answered Phil. " But 
 we are hoping they are safe." 
 
 " By the way, did you see Merwell and Has- 
 kers?" cried Dave, suddenly. 
 
 " Why, no — not since they ran away from our 
 camp," returned Roger. 
 
 " I saw them — just before I found this opening. 
 They were below me, the two of them and Sol 
 Blugg." 
 
 " Maybe they got caught," muttered Phil. 
 
 No more was said just then, for the boys had to 
 do some climbing over several big rocks, and 
 needed their breath. Then they made a turn, and 
 a moment later came out into the sunlight. 
 
 " Oh, how good it seems to be out in the air 
 once more! " murmured Dave. 
 
 " Thank heaven, none of us were killed," added 
 Roger. 
 
 " No more underground exploring for me," 
 avowed Phil. " More than once I thought we 
 would be buried alive ! " 
 
 " That is what I was afraid would happen to 
 me," said Dave, seriously. " Yes, we can all 
 thank heaven we are out of it." 
 
 " And now to hunt up Blower and Mr. Dillon," 
 came from the senator's son. 
 
 "If only they are safe!" murmured Dave. 
 For the time being those who had been on the 
 mountainside below them were forgotten. 
 
290 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 It was hard work to make their way from rock 
 to rock. All the trails were gone, and they had 
 to proceed with extreme care, for fear of dis- 
 lodging some rock and rolling down into the valley 
 with it. 
 
 " There they are ! " 
 
 It was Dave who gave utterance to the cry, 
 about half an hour later. He pointed to a distant 
 spur, and there, sure enough, they beheld Abe 
 Blower and Tom Dillon. The old miners had the 
 horses with them. 
 
 "I wonder if they were hurt?" queried Phil. 
 
 " They seem to be all right," returned Roger. 
 " I wish they would look this way." 
 
 " We'll have to signal to them," said Dave. 
 
 "How are you going to do it?" asked the 
 shipowner's son. " You can't call to them at such 
 a distance. They wouldn't hear you." 
 
 " We can give 'em a pistol shot, Phil." 
 
 " Why, to be sure! How foolish I was, not to 
 think of it!" 
 
 " I'll fire a shot," said Roger, and brought out 
 his weapon. 
 
 To the first shot there was no reply, but when 
 a second was discharged both Abe Blower and 
 Tom Dillon were seen to turn around. Then the 
 boys commenced to wave their hands vigorously. 
 
 " They see us ! " exclaimed Dave, half a minute 
 later. They saw the two old miners wave their 
 
ANOTHER LANDSLIDE 291 
 
 hands in return, and Abe Blower discharged his 
 pistol. 
 
 " See, they are doing some kind of signalling! " 
 cried Phil, a little later. 
 
 All watched with interest. They saw that Abe 
 Blower had taken up a long bit of brushwood and 
 was waving it in a circle to the northwest- 
 ward. 
 
 " They want us to come around in that direc- 
 tion ! " said Roger. "Don't you think so, 
 Dave?" 
 
 " That's the way it strikes me," was our hero's 
 reply. " See, what is left of the trail is in that 
 direction. But, my! how the whole face of the 
 mountain is changed ! " 
 
 " Not much trail left! " grumbled Phil. " If 
 we are not careful we'll break our necks reaching 
 them ! " 
 
 " We'll have to take it slowly," answered Dave. 
 
 The three youths set out, and they were glad to 
 see the two miners do the same. The men were 
 on horseback, and the other steeds came behind 
 them. 
 
 As the boys had surmised, progress was diffi- 
 cult, and often they had to halt, not knowing how 
 to proceed. Here and there they could see a 
 small portion of a trail, but for the most part 
 the way was new and exceedingly rough. 
 
 " If they ever do any mining here they'll have 
 
292 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 to spend a lot of time first building a roadway," 
 was Phil's comment. 
 
 " If the mining pays it won't take long to get 
 a roadway — and bridges, too," answered Roger. 
 " Money can do almost anything, you know." 
 
 " Oh, I know that." 
 
 " The main thing will be to guard against the 
 landslides," said Dave, grimly. " But I guess 
 they'll know how to do that, too." 
 
 On went the boys, over the rough rocks and 
 across patches of freshly turned up dirt. All were 
 utterly worn out, yet not one of them complained. 
 
 "There they are!" cried Dave, some time 
 after noon, as they made a turn around some 
 rocks; and in a few minutes the friends were to- 
 gether once more. 
 
 " All safe? " asked Abe Blower, anxiously, and 
 then, when assured that no harm had come to the 
 boys, he added: " Mighty glad to know it! " 
 
 " So am I glad! " put in Tom Dillon, heartily. 
 " It was sure some landslide! Almost as bad as 
 the one that wiped out the mine ! " 
 
 " We've got good news ! " cried Roger. " We 
 have relocated the lost mine! Dave did it! " 
 
 " You and Phil did it, too," said our hero, 
 modestly. 
 
 " Wot ! Have ye located the Landslide 
 Mine?" roared Abe Blower. 
 
ANOTHER LANDSLIDE 293 
 
 " We sure have," returned Phil. " Look 
 here ! " And he brought out some of the nuggets 
 he carried. And then Roger and Dave did the 
 same. 
 
 "This is grand!" exclaimed Tom Dillon. 
 " Nuggets, an' pretty big ones, too. But how do 
 you know it's the mine? " 
 
 " We found some landmarks," answered Roger. 
 " And my uncle's coat and a note-book " 
 
 " And his pick, crowbar, and lantern," added 
 Dave. And then the three boys told their story 
 in detail. 
 
 " It must be the lost mine," said Abe Blower. 
 " An' if it is, I congratulate ye ! " And he shook 
 hands all around. " Tom, they got ahead o' us," 
 he added, with a grin. 
 
 " So they did," was the answer. " Well, I'd 
 rather have it that way than have those other 
 fellers locate the mine. By the way, I wonder 
 how they fared in the landslide? " the old miner 
 continued. 
 
 " Three of them, Merwell, Haskers, and 
 Blugg, were below me," answered Dave. " They 
 were over yonder," and he pointed with his 
 hand. 
 
 "Wot! Down on thet ledge?" cried Abe 
 Blower. 
 
 " Yes." 
 
294 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 " Humph ! Then I reckon it's all up with 'em," 
 went on the old miner. 
 
 " What do you mean? " asked Roger. 
 
 " I mean it's likely they was wiped out," was 
 the reply. u When the fust quake an' slide came 
 I was lookin' down towards thet ledge. I saw 
 some heavy rocks go down, and a big mass o' dirt, 
 too, an' the ledge was buried out o' sight. If 
 they was down thar, it's more'n likely they was 
 buried alive ! " 
 
 " Oh, I'd hate to think that! " cried Dave, with 
 a shudder. 
 
 "Do you think the landslide is at an end?" 
 asked Phil, anxiously. 
 
 " There is no tellin' about that, lad. We'll go 
 up on the mountain, and to the safest place we 
 can find, and then wait," said Tom Dillon. 
 
 This was done, and an hour later, worn out 
 completely, all sat down to rest and to partake of 
 lunch. They could look far along the mountain- 
 side and see just where the avalanche of rocks and 
 dirt had swept downward, a portion halting here 
 and there, and the remainder going clear to the 
 valley far below. 
 
 They had been resting about an hour when they 
 saw a figure approaching on foot. It was a man, 
 hatless, and with half his clothes torn from his 
 back. As he came closer they recognized Larry 
 Jaley. 
 
ANOTHER LANDSLIDE 295 
 
 " Jaley, where are you going? " demanded Tom 
 Dillon. 
 
 At the sound of the miner's voice the man 
 halted and then threw up his hands. Then he 
 staggered forward once more. 
 
 "Save me!" he yelled, wildly. "Save me! 
 Don't shoot me! Save me from the landslide! " 
 And then stumbling, he fell at the feet of Dave and 
 his friends. 
 
 " Are you alone? " asked Abe Blower. 
 
 "Ye — yes! Save me! Oh, save me !" whined 
 Jaley, and he turned a face full of fear on those 
 before him. 
 
 " Where are Merwell and Haskers and 
 Blugg? " asked Dave. 
 
 " All gone — swept away by the landslide ! " was 
 the whining reply. "Oh, it was awful! It 
 smashed them all up — and smashed up the horses, 
 too ! Oh, save me ! Save me ! " And then 
 Larry Jaley gave a gasp and fell in a heap, unable 
 to say another word. 
 
CHAPTER XXX 
 
 THE NEW CLAIM — CONCLUSION 
 
 "Poor fellow, he is scared stiff!" said Dave, 
 as he bent over the shrinking man. 
 
 " I reckon the landslide made him about loony 
 — thet an' seein' them others carried off to death," 
 murmured Abe Blower. 
 
 "I wonder if they really were killed?" said 
 Roger. " If it's true, what an awful death to 
 die ! " 
 
 " Men before now have been killed by land- 
 slides," said Tom Dillon. " And just remember, 
 we ain't out of it ourselves, yet," he added, 
 gravely. 
 
 Larry Jaley was cared for and given something 
 to eat and to drink, and then he told his story. 
 The landslide had come upon his whole crowd 
 without warning and he had escaped by what was 
 little short of a miracle. The sight had so weak- 
 ened and sickened him that he had rushed away, 
 not knowing in what direction, until he had come 
 to our friends' camp. 
 
 " Jest help me to git off o' this mountain an' I 
 296 
 
THE NEW CLAIM— CONCLUSION 297 
 
 won't never follow ye ag'in," he whined, to the 
 miners and the boys. " Jest help me to git away, 
 thet'sall!" 
 
 " You can take your chances with the rest of us, 
 Jaley," answered Tom Dillon, somewhat sternly. 
 " And you mind how you behave yourself, too ! " 
 he added, by way of a warning. 
 
 By the following morning the scare was over, 
 and the boys took Abe Blower and Tom Dillon 
 into the upper entrance to the mine. Just a brief 
 examination was made, but it was sufficient to 
 prove to the old prospectors that the lads had 
 really rediscovered the lost Landslide Mine. 
 Then the old miners put up the proper stakes, as 
 a new claim for Mrs. Morr. 
 
 In the meantime, Larry Jaley had been given 
 some stores and told to go about his business. 
 Abe Blower had directed him to a trail to the 
 southward. This was a long way around, but the 
 trail seemed to be perfectly safe, and Jaley was 
 only too glad to take to it. It was the last the 
 boys saw of the man. 
 
 " And now to get back to town and establish 
 this claim," said Roger, some time later. 
 "Won't my folks be pleased!" And his face 
 showed his satisfaction. 
 
 " And then to get to Yellowstone Park for a 
 good time!" returned Dave. "We'll have to 
 wire the folks that we are coming." 
 
298 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 The journey down the mountainside was by no 
 means easy, and it took the party two days to get 
 to a point where traveling on horseback was safe. 
 When they came down they kept their eyes open 
 for some sign of Merwell, Haskers, and Blugg, 
 but all they found was a portion of the latter's 
 camping outfit and the body of one of their 
 horses. 
 
 " Poor chaps ! They must be buried under 
 tons and tons of earth and rocks!" murmured 
 Dave. 
 
 " It certainly looks like it," answered Phil. 
 
 "What a fearful end!" said Roger, with a 
 shudder. 
 
 The coming of our friends into Black Cat Camp 
 created quite a stir, and many wanted to learn the 
 particulars of the landslide. These were told in 
 detail, but not a word was said about relocating 
 the lost mine. 
 
 " The news will leak out soon enough," said 
 Tom Dillon. " We want the cream of the chanct 
 up there." It may be as well to state that he had 
 located a claim for himself on one side of the 
 Morr claim, and Abe Blower had located a claim 
 on the other side. 
 
 As soon as the boys got back to Butte the claims 
 were properly filed, and the lads lost no time in 
 sending off half a dozen telegrams and letters. 
 Then they took a good wash and changed their 
 
THE NEW CLAIM— CONCLUSION 299 
 
 rough mining clothing for more presentable 
 suits. 
 
 " And now for a first-class, six-course dinner! " 
 cried Phil. " I say, doesn't it feel good to get 
 back to civilization again! " 
 
 " It certainly does," answered Dave. " But 
 I'll feel more at home when we join the folks in 
 the Park." 
 
 "Huh! you're thinking of Jessie!" cried the 
 shipowner's son, slyly, and at this " knock " Dave 
 blushed deeply. 
 
 The boys had hardly eaten their dinner when 
 there came a telegram from Senator Morr. 
 
 " Listen to this, boys! " cried Roger, and read 
 the following: 
 
 " Good news received and we are much de- 
 lighted. You boys are certainly wonders. Will 
 await letter with interest." 
 
 " I wish I could have seen mother's face when 
 dad read my message to her," went on the sena- 
 tor's son, wistfully. Later on he received a letter 
 written by both his parents in which they told of 
 the joy the news had brought. Later still, the 
 newly-located mine was opened, under the direc- 
 tions of Abe Blower and Tom Dillon, and the 
 three claims were thrown into one, a stock-com- 
 pany being formed for that purpose, with Senator 
 Morr as president. Both Dave and Phil were 
 
3oo DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 given stock in the mining company, and it paid 
 very well. 
 
 " Now, if only your father can hold his posi- 
 tion," said Dave, to Roger, one day, " your folks 
 will be well fixed." 
 
 " He is going to try to hold it, in spite of his 
 political enemies," answered Roger. And this 
 Senator Morr eventually did, being elected to an- 
 other term at Washington. 
 
 It was a happy day for the three boys when they 
 bade good-by to Abe Blower and Tom Dillon and 
 left Butte to go to Yellowstone Park. The old 
 miners were sorry to part with the lads. 
 
 " Never mind, we'll be back here some day! " 
 cried Roger. 
 
 "Surest thing you know! " added Dave. 
 
 They had already sent word ahead as to what 
 train they were taking, and when they arrived at 
 Livingston they found Dunston Porter on hand to 
 greet them. Then a quick run was made to 
 Gardiner, and there all took a stage into the Park 
 to the Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel. 
 
 " There they are ! I see them ! " cried Laura. 
 
 M Oh, look how sunburnt they are ! " exclaimed 
 Jessie, and then both girls made a wild dash from 
 the hotel veranda to where the stage was stopping. 
 In the meantime, Dave had jumped from the seat 
 and soon he was shaking hands with Jessie and 
 
THE NEW CLAIM— CONCLUSION 301 
 
 had kissed his sister. Then the others came up, 
 and there was general rejoicing. 
 
 " We have been around the Park once, on a 
 stage," said Laura. 
 
 " But we are going again, on horseback and 
 to camp out! " declared Jessie. 
 
 " Fine! " cried Dave. " Couldn't be better! " 
 
 "And to think you found that mine!" cried 
 Laura, to Roger. " Oh, how glad I was to hear 
 it!" 
 
 " We were all glad ! " put in Mrs. Wadsworth. 
 
 " And you shot a mountain lion! " cried Jessie. 
 "Oh, Dave!" And she fairly beamed on the 
 youth. 
 
 " I suppose you'll be after fresh adventures 
 before long," said Dunston Porter, with a twinkle 
 in his eyes. 
 
 " Maybe," answered Dave. " But I think I'll 
 be content to stay here for a bit and take it easy," 
 and he smiled openly at Jessie, who had to turn 
 away to hide her blushes. 
 
 What next befell our hero will be related in 
 another volume, to be entitled " Dave Porter at 
 Bear Camp; or, The Wild Man of Mirror 
 Lake." In that we shall learn the particulars of 
 a queer mystery and what Dave did towards 
 solving it. 
 
 It was certainly a happy gathering, and the boys 
 were sorry that Ben and Shadow and some of the 
 
302 DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS 
 
 others were not there to enjoy it. But they had 
 departed for the East with the others on the per- 
 sonally-conducted tour. 
 
 " You'll have to tell us the whole story from 
 beginning to end," said Laura to her brother. 
 " Jessie and Belle and I are just dying to hear 
 every word of it." 
 
 " Poor Link Merwell ! " sighed Belle Endicott. 
 " I feel sorry for his folks ! " 
 
 " Yes, what a fearful ending for Merwell and 
 for Haskers, too ! " murmured Laura. 
 
 "And so you will be rich after all, Roger!" 
 cried Laura. 
 
 " Yes, and I am very thankful," returned the 
 senator's son, and then he took a long walk with 
 Laura, while Dave paired off with Jessie, and Phil 
 went with Belle. The young friends had a great 
 deal to tell each other, and nobody thought of dis- 
 turbing them. 
 
 " Well, it certainly was some trip," said Phil, 
 to Dunston Porter, Mrs. Wadsworth, and Belle. 
 " And that landslide ! Excuse me from falling 
 in with one of those again! " And he shook his 
 head gravely. 
 
 " You can be thankful you were not buried 
 alive," said Mrs. Wadsworth. Belle said noth- 
 ing, but she looked at Phil in a manner that 
 warmed his heart. 
 
 That evening all of the party had a grand cele- 
 
THE NEW CLAIM— CONCLUSION 303 
 
 bration at the hotel. Every one was in the best 
 of spirits, and the boys fairly outdid themselves 
 telling jokes and funny stories. 
 
 " I can tell you, it was a trip well worth taking," 
 said Roger, when about to retire. 
 
 " So it was," declared our hero. And here we 
 will leave Dave Porter and say good-by. 
 
 THE END 
 
DAVE PORTER SERIES 
 
 By EDWARD STRATEMEYER 
 12mo Cloth Illustrated $1.25 per volume 
 
 DAVE PORTER 
 
 ON 
 
 "Mr. Stratemeyer has seldom introduced a 
 more popular hero than Dave Porter. He is a 
 typical boy, manly, brave, always ready for a 
 good time if it can be obtained in an honorable 
 way." — Evening Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wis. 
 
 "Edward Stratemeyer's 'Dave Porter' has 
 become exceedingly popular." — Boston Globe. 
 
 "Dave and his friends are nice, manly chaps." 
 — Times-Democrat, New Orleans. 
 
 DAVE PORTER AT OAK HALL 
 
 Or The Schooldays of an American Boy 
 
 DAVE PORTER IN THE SOUTH SEAS 
 
 Or The Strange Cruise of the Stormy Petrel 
 
 DAVE PORTER'S RETURN TO SCHOOL 
 
 Or Winning the Medal of Honor 
 
 DAVE PORTER IN THE FAR NORTH 
 
 Or The Pluck of an American Schoolboy 
 
 DAVE PORTER AND HIS CLASSMATES 
 
 Or For the Honor of Oak Hall 
 
 DAVE PORTER AT STAR RANCH 
 
 Or The Cowboy's Secret 
 
 DAVE PORTER AND HIS RIVALS 
 
 Or The Chums and Foes of Oak Hall 
 
 DAVE PORTER ON CAVE ISLAND 
 
 Or A Schoolboy's Mysterious Mission 
 
 DAVE PORTER AND THE RUNAWAYS 
 
 Or Last Days at Oak Hall 
 
 LOTHROP, LEE & SHEPARD CO., Publishers, Boston 
 
THE LAKEPORT SERIES 
 
 By EDWARD STRATEMEYER 
 12mo Cloth Illustrated $1.25 per volume 
 
 •'The author of the Lakeport Series, Mr. Ed- 
 ward Stratemeyer, is well known for his delightful 
 boys' stories." — Philadelphia Ledger. 
 
 "The Lakeport Series, by Edward Strate- 
 meyer, is the lineal descendant of the bettei 
 class of boys' books of a generation ago." — 
 Christian Advocate, New York. 
 
 ' ' The Lakeport Series will be fully as popular 
 as the author's Dave Porter Series." — San Fran- 
 cisco Call. 
 
 THE GUN CLUB BOYS OF LAKEPORT 
 
 Or The Island Camp 
 
 THE BASEBALL BOYS OF LAKEPORT 
 
 Or The Winning Run 
 
 THE BOAT CLUB BOYS OF LAKEPORT 
 
 Or The Water Champions 
 
 THE FOOTBALL BOYS OF LAKEPORT 
 
 Or More Goals Than One 
 
 THE AUTOMOBILE BOYS OF LAKEPORT 
 
 Or A Run for Fun and Fame 
 
 THE AIRCRAFT BOYS OF LAKEPORT 
 
 Or Rivals of the Clouds 
 
 LOTHROP, LEE & SHEPARD CO., Publishers, Boston 
 
MEXICAN WAR SERIES 
 
 By EDWARD STRATEMEYER 
 
 VOLUME ONE 
 FOR THE LIBERTY OF TEXAS 
 
 12mo Cloth Illustrated Price, $1.25 
 
 MUCH is told here of Sam Houston, Davy 
 Crockett, Colonel Bowie, and other Texan 
 heroes in connection with the entertaining story 
 of the fortunes of two brothers, Dan and Ralph 
 Radbury. The fall of the Alamo is introduced, 
 and other famous incidents. 
 
 VOLUME TWO 
 
 WITH TAYLOR ON THE 
 
 RIO GRANDE 
 
 12mo Cloth Illustrated Price, $1.25 
 
 AS with each of the series, this is a complete story, but continues the 
 adventures of the patriotic young Radbury brothers. They serve 
 under General Taylor at Palo Alto, Monterey, and Buena Vista and share 
 in the glory of "Old Rough and Ready." 
 
 VOLUME THREE 
 UNDER SCOTT IN MEXICO 
 
 12mo Cloth Illustrated Price, $1.25 
 
 IN the concluding volume of this valuable historical series Dan and 
 Ralph come under the command of Gen. Winfield Scott and finally 
 bear their part in the triumphant entry of the proud city of Mexico. 
 
 These books were first issued under a pen name and by another 
 publisher. We have now placed them in the regular list of this unequaled 
 writer for boys, with an entirely new cover design in keeping with the 
 uniformly rich appearance of our Stratemeyer books. 
 
 " There are few live boys in tne country -who have not read the intensely 
 interesting books of Mr. Stratemeyer, and who do not have a warm place in their 
 hearts tor nim. No living American writer of boys' books is so widely read, and 
 none so sure of a cordial welcome for everything that comes from his pen."— 
 Chicago News- 
 
The boys* delight— the " Old Glory Series."— The Christian Advocate, N.T. 
 
 THE OLD GLORY SERIES 
 
 BY EDWARD STRATEMEYER 
 
 FIRST VOLUME 
 
 UNDER DEWEY AT MANILA 
 
 Or The War Fortunes of a Castaway 
 
 Cloth Illustrated by A. B. Shute Price $1.25 
 
 THIS book, published in September, 1898, at once sprang to the front 
 as the greatest success among books for boys since the famous Army 
 and Navy series by " Oliver Optic," and its popularity has steadily in- 
 creased as the succeeding volumes of the series have appeared. 
 
 Edward Stratemeyer weaves the incidents of the naval conflict at Manila Into a 
 narrative of experiences and adventure which is wholesome in spirit and full of 
 excitement, and which the boys will like. — Congregationalist. 
 
 SECOND VOLUME 
 
 A YOUNG VOLUNTEER IN CUBA 
 
 Or Fighting for the Single Star 
 
 Cloth Illustrated by A. B. Shute Price $1.25 
 
 THE career of Larry Russell, as recorded in " Under Dewey at 
 Manila," was the hit of the season among juveniles. The fortunes 
 of Larry are equalled in interest by the adventures of Ben, his older 
 brother, and his friend, Gilbert Pennington, and the many exciting scenes 
 through which they passed during their service in the army. Ben enlisted 
 in a New York volunteer regiment, while Gilbert joined Colonel Roosevelt's 
 famous Rough Riders. Their life in camp, the capture of El Caney, the 
 charge at San Juan hill, are all vividly described. 
 
 Mr. Stratemeyer's boys are clean, manly fellows, and deserve the popularity 
 which doubtless awaits them. — Christian Register. 
 
 THIRD VOLUME 
 
 FIGHTING IN CUBAN WATERS 
 
 Or Under Schley on the "Brooklyn " 
 
 Cloth Illustrated by A. B. Shute Price $1.25 
 
 FT this book Walter Russell, brother to Larry and Ben, the respective 
 heroes of the two preceding volumes of the series, finds his way to 
 Boston, secures employment, enlists in the navy, and is assigned to the 
 " Brooklyn." Then follow intensely interesting chapters, telling of Com- 
 modore Schley, the routine life of the " Jackies," and blockade and dis- ' 
 covery of Cervera's fleet, followed by the memorable conflict of July 3. 
 
 " Fighting in Cuban Waters " is in the same hearty, manly spirit that has made 
 the other volumes of the Old Glory Series so much liked. — Sfountal of Education. 
 
OLD GLORY S 
 
 By EDWARD STRATEMEYER 
 
 FOURTH VOLUME 
 
 UNDER OTIS m THE PHILIPPINES 
 
 Or A Young Officer in the Tropics 
 
 Cloth Illustrated by A. B. Shute Price $1.25 
 
 THE " Young Officer in the Tropics " is none other than our old friend 
 Ben Russell, who upon reenlisting for service in the Philippines is 
 jgiven the same position, that of second lieutenant, to which he had beeD 
 promoted for gallantry while " A Young Volunteer in Cuba." 
 
 Mr. Stratemeyer is in a class by himself when it comes to writing about AtOtA 
 can heroes, their brilliant doings on land and sea, — Times, Boston, 
 
 FIFTH VOLUME 
 
 THE CAMPAIGN OF THE JUNGLE 
 
 Or Under Laivton through Luzon 
 
 Cloth Illustrated by A. B. Shute Price $1.25 
 
 BEN and Larry figure in the " Campaign of the Jungle,' 1 which has a 
 truthful and graphic historical setting in two expeditions of the noble 
 General Lawton, whose portrait adorns the cover, the first being that di- 
 rected against Santa Cruz on the Laguna de Bay, and the second from 
 Manila to San Isidro, through one hundred and fifty miles of jungle. The 
 same sterling qualities that have made these brothers so well liked carry 
 them through perilous scenes with true American fortitude, 
 A good war Story. — San Francisco Bulletin. 
 
 SIXTH VOLUME 
 
 UNDER MACARTHUR IN LUZON 
 
 Or Last Battles in the Philippines 
 
 12mo Cloth llustrated by A. B. Shute Medallion cover 
 320 pages $1.25 
 
 WE have here a thoroughly up-to-date, clean, and entertaining beys' 
 story, complete in itself, but forming the sixth and last volume of 
 the u Old Glory " Series. The boys in all parts of the country have been 
 anxiously waiting to learn the final fortunes of the three Russell brothers, 
 Larry, Walter, and Ben, with scarcely less interest in Gilbert Pennington, 
 hero of "On to Pekin," and not forgetting other old friends on land and 
 sea. All are here, doing their duty in the same straightforward way as 
 ever; and the final battles in the Philippines are followed with that acct> 
 racy of statement which Mr. Stratemeyer always employs, thereby giving 
 general value to his books without in the least impairing the interest of the 
 story. 
 
 Maintains the high standard in attractive carratCoa which was set by the fi»S 
 volume* fi» sSz books maie a complete *id <yaiss&Is osUottiafc, -=■ Jftm 1*** 
 
 World.. 
 
PAN-AMERICAN SERIES 
 
 By EDWARD STRATEMEYER 
 
 VOLUME ONB 
 
 LOST ON THE ORINOCO 
 
 Or American Boys in Venezuela 
 
 12mo Cloth Illustrated Price $1.25 
 
 THIS volume tells of five American youths, who, with their tutor, sail 
 from New York to La Guayra, touching at Curacao on the way. 
 They visit Caracas, go westward to the Gulf of Maracaibo and lake of 
 the same name, and at last find themselves in the region of the mighty 
 Orinoco, and of course they have some exciting experiences, one of which 
 gives name to the book. 
 
 Its pictures of South American life and scenery are novel and instructive.— 
 The Literary World ', Boston. 
 
 The scenes described are of the sort to charm the hearts of adventurous boys.— 
 The Outlook, If. r. 
 
 VOLUME TWO 
 
 THE YOUNG VOLCANO EXPLORERS 
 
 Or American Boys in the West Indies 
 
 !2mo Cloth Illustrated Price $1,25 
 
 THE boys, with their tutor, sail from Venezuela to the West Indies, 
 stopping at Jamaica, Cuba, Hayti, and Porto Rico. They have 
 numerous adventures on the way, and then set out for St. Pierre, Mar- 
 tinique, where they encounter the effects of the eruption of Mt. Pelee, 
 and two of the boys are left on a raft to shift for themselves- Life in the 
 West Indies is well portrayed. 
 
 VOLUME THREE 
 
 YOUNG EXPLORERS OF THE ISTHMUS 
 Or American Boys in Central America 
 
 306 pages Cloth Illustrated by A. B. Shute Price $1.25 
 
 DELATES adventures in a tour covering Nicaragua, Costa Rica, 
 * *■ and the Isthmus of Panama. The party travel the various canal 
 routes, and have a number of highly interesting experiences. The vol- 
 ume contains a vast amount of timely information, and will be read witb 
 interest by young men as well as boys. 
 
SCHOOL OF INFORMATION 
 AND LIBRARY SCIENCE 
 
 THE LIBRARY OF THE 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF 
 
 NORTH CAROLINA 
 
 AT CHAPEL HILL 
 
 ENDOWED BY THE 
 
 DIALECTIC AND PHILANTHROPIC 
 
 SOCIETIES