Frank Merriwell, Juniors, Golden Trail | Page 5

office.
Bradlaugh was president of the O. A. C., and Western representative of
the syndicate that owned the big mine and stamp mill to the south of
town. It was the mine that had made the straggling settlement of Ophir
a possibility.

"It will be at least two days more before I can hear from dad," Merry
remarked, just as they struck into the main street of the "camp," "and
before we interfere too much with the professor I think we ought to
learn from headquarters just how far we ought to go."
"Oh, bother that!" exclaimed Clancy. "If the old boy's in danger, Chip,
we can't hang back waiting to hear from Bloomfield."
"Sure we can't. We're making a guess, though, when we figure that he
is in any sort of trouble. Just because he can't be located is no sign he's
shooting the trouble chutes."
"Yes, it is!" averred Ballard stoutly. "That dream I--"
"Oh, cut out the dreams and forebodings, Pink," broke in Frank, "We're
dealing with facts now and not with a lot of bunk superstitions."
That dream had become Ballard's hobby, and he was in a fair way of
riding it to death. Although he was easy going, and rather lazy when
circumstances gave him the chance to be, yet he straightened suddenly
at Frank's sharp fling at his delusion, and was on the point of flashing a
keen retort. Before he could speak, however, Frank had turned in at
Bradlaugh's office.
Mr. Bradlaugh sat at his desk, smoking a cigar. He welcomed the lads
cordially and waved them to chair.
"What do you think about Borrodaile, Frank?" he asked, coming right
down to the main subject.
"I think," was the prompt answer, "that he has a head that's stuffed with
knowledge--but it's not the sort of knowledge that will help him hang
on to that bonanza mining claim of his."
"My motion to a t, y, ty. He can go back to Caesar's time and tell you
how the old Romans used to do business, but he's as innocent as a babe
in arms about the way business is done in this day and age of the world.
He needs looking after, or some one will get that claim of his for a

song--and then forget the singing part. Have you any idea why he went
back to Gold Hill after he had just come from there."
"No, sir. That was the night"--and a flicker of a smile crossed Merry's
face--"when I went out to the Bar Z Ranch, and before I had left I didn't
know he had gone."
"Hum!" Mr. Bradlaugh sat back in his chair and peered into the vapor
that floated above his head. "Boys," said he, when he finally lowered
his eyes, "I have a feeling that some one is trying to victimize this
professor of yours; in other words, that evil forces are at work to
swindle him out of his claim, or, perhaps, to get it in some way even
more desperate. I don't want to alarm you unnecessarily, but it's the part
of wisdom to consider this matter in the worst light possible, and then
to go to work alon g that line. If we're mistaken in our conclusions, well
and good. Better that, you know, than to think nothing is wrong, to let
matters drift, and then to find that the professor has been swindled
or"--he hesitated--"or that he has disappeared, never to return."
All three of the boys at that gave a jump of consternation.
"Great Scott!" exclaimed Clancy, "you don't have any idea that the
harmless old fossil has been put out of the way?"
"No," was the reply; "and yet there are people who would put him out
of the way, if, by so doing, they could show up with a quitclaim deed to
that wonderfully rich gold mine. If the professor were gone for good,
you see, no one would appear to question the validity of the legal
document. Such things have been done. I mention it in this case merely
as a possibility. Then, again, we have to consider it as a case of mere
swindling The professor, I think, could easily he victimized. My most
hopeful view is this: that Borradaile has simply gone off somewhere,
without any plotters tagging to his heel, and that he will present himself
in due course with the claim still in his possession. It is best, though, to
put the worst construction on his absence; then, if my last theory proves
correct, we shall all be happily disappointed."
Frank drew a deep breath.

"I haven't felt like butting into the prof's affairs too much," said he,
"until I hear from dad."
"I think you're amply warranted in going ahead and looking for him,"
said Bradlaugh.
"Sure.