Part 19 (1/2)
”Maybe he wasn't alone,” suggested Roger. ”Let us take a look around.”
This was done, but n.o.body 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,” 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 telephoned 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.
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 nervousness.
”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!”