Part 23 (1/2)

”Maybe; although Blower wa'n't never the fellow to take backwater,”

responded the other, doubtfully.

”We'll git him yet; see if we don't,” was the savage response. And then followed some conversation 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 b.u.t.te at the Solid Comfort 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 b.u.t.te it ought to be an easy matter to find him,” returned 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 addresses,” said Roger. ”Maybe the folks at that place know where he has gone.”

It was dark when they rolled into the railroad station at b.u.t.te, 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-cla.s.s 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 b.u.t.te to look for that lost mine.”

”Humph! you don't suppose they are going to 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.”