Comrades of the Saddle | Page 5

want you
to forget the things your mother and I have taught you.
"It takes bad men as well as good to make up life, and somehow it
seems as though the bad men had the easiest time of it. You'll find
gamblers and others who live by their wits in Tolopah. They'll try to be
pleasant to you because you are young, and when they learn you are
from the East they will try to get your money away from you.
"You must also be careful to whom you speak on the train. Under no
conditions mention anything about the money you have with you. A lot
of people, when they have any substantial sum, either like to show it In
some way or to talk about it, and then, if they happen to be robbed of it,
they wonder. Remember you can't recognize a thief by his clothes, and
lots of the slickest of them travel about the country."
With this and other advice Mr. Alden counseled his sons, and so
interested did they become in what he told them about the country of
which they were soon to have their first glimpse that they were in
Olmsted almost before they knew it.
Going first to the bank, Mr. Alden drew out the money for his sons,
obtained a letter of credit for himself and then arranged to purchase his
steamship tickets in Pittsburg, whither all four travelers were going
together.
When they reached home Mrs. Alden had finished her packing and all
was practically ready for the start on the morrow.
After supper the farmer and his wife drove to Bramley to say good-by
to their friends, but the two chums decided to stay at home.

Eager to be on their way, it seemed to Larry and Tom that the hours
never passed so slowly. They tried to read, but in place of the print on
the pages pictures of cowboys and bucking bronchos danced before
their eyes, and they soon shut their books.
"Wish we'd gone with father and mother," exclaimed Tom. "It's more
stupid here than saying good-by."
But scarcely were the words out of his mouth when the door opened
and in came an old friend named Silas Haskins, a former gold miner.
"I got to go to Husted to-morrow, so I came over to-night to say 'so
long,'" he said in explanation of his call.
Cordially the boys made him welcome, and the time passed quickly
when they had led Silas round to talking about his adventures in the far
West.
When at last the gold miner rose to go he said:
"I brung some presents for you. They'll be useful in the West."
And from his pockets Silas drew forth two fine big jackknives and two
long pieces of thong.
"They're both the same, so you won't need to quarrel about 'em," he
smiled as he handed their presents to each.
The boys were deeply touched by such evidence of friendship from
their aged friend and were profuse in their thanks when he again put his
hands in his pockets and produced two little bags made of buckskin and
attached to a stout strip of the same strong material.
"I don't know how you're intending to carry your money," he began,
"but----"
"Why in our pockets," interrupted Larry.
"That's just what I supposed," grunted the old gold miner. "Now I want

you to put it in these two bags and hang 'em round your necks. There
can't no one get to 'em without waking you up nor take 'em without
giving you a chance to fight."
Readily the boys promised to wear the money bags, and with a hearty
handshake with each their aged friend went home.
The night passed quickly and the morning was busily spent in getting
the luggage to the station.
As the family waited for the train the dingy little station was alive with
people who had come to wish the Aldens pleasant journeys. And as the
train left the Bramley depot the members of the ball team gave three
rousing cheers for Larry and Tom.
The parting with their parents at Pittsburg was hard for the boys, but
fortunately for them their train left first, and soon they were engrossed
in watching their fellow passengers.
These consisted of a German boy, who seemed about their own age;
two elderly gentlewomen, and two big men, who would have seemed
well dressed had they not worn so much jewelry.
With interest the two chums watched the German youth and several
times when they had turned to look at him they had found him gazing
at them.
It was only the memory of their father's advice to be careful as to whom
they spoke to on the train that prevented them from