HEADED WEST.
When he made this alluring offer Hiram Nelson was astonished to see Rob
turn toward Andy, and that the pair of them actually laughed. Quite
indignant at such a showing of skepticism, Hiram hastened to say:
“Don’t believe a word of what I’m saying, p’raps now? Well, seeing that
your dad reckoned this little paper was worth every cent it called for,
suppose you take a squint at the same, Rob. You, too, Andy, and then
you’ll laugh on the other side of your mouth, I shouldn’t wonder.”
He flourished the bank draft in front of their eyes, so that both scouts
could see the amount it called for in cash, and that it bore all the
marks of being genuine.
“Oh! neither of us is doubting anything you say, Hiram,” explained Andy
effusively. “The only thing is that Rob here can’t accept your generous
offer, that’s all.”
“Can’t accept?” gasped the other, looking terribly disappointed. “Why
not, I’d like to know; and me countin’ on having him along to advise me,
and keep me from being caught napping, or robbed of my valuable papers on
the road.”
“I’ll tell you why he isn’t able to take the trip to California at your
expense, Hiram,” said Andy solemnly. “It’s because he’s already pledged
himself to go with someone else. Fact is, Hiram, I’m the one who holds
Rob’s word.”
“You—agoin’ to California, Andy Bowles?” exclaimed the astonished Hiram;
and his incredulous manner told that he doubted the truth of the
assertion, for where could the son of the liveryman of Hampton get all
the money to cover the double expense of such a lengthy trip; certainly
not through any invention _his_ brain had ever conceived; and no boy
could ever hope to save enough out of his spending money for that.
“Yes, we’ve just made all arrangements for a month at the Exposition,”
said the Bowles boy; “that is, we have to run over to Judge Collins’
place again after supper to-night, and complete the details. We expect to
pull out day after to-morrow, and take a through limited train for New
Orleans first, then across the plains of Texas, and the deserts of New
Mexico and Arizona to Los Angeles.”
Hiram sat there as though changed into stone. He hardly knew whether Andy
was trying to hoodwink him or not; for the other had something of a
reputation as a joker.
Rob took pity on the poor fellow.
“It’s just as Andy says, Hiram,” he observed seriously. “We’ve had a
wonderful experience when out on the bay. A fire happened aboard old
Captain Jerry’s _Sea Gull_ on account of a passenger dropping a lighted
match, so that it caused something of an explosion. The two men, somewhat
scorched, tumbled overboard. We were close at hand, and by using that
fire-extinguishing torch of mine managed to put out the flames before
they’d done much damage. We also hauled Captain Jerry and his passenger
aboard.”
“Well, of all things!” gasped Hiram. “If it don’t take you to do wonders,
Rob Blake. Go on and tell me the rest, please. My yarn isn’t in the same
class with yours, it strikes me.”
Rob quickly put him in possession of the facts that followed fast on the
heels of the rescue, and their reaching the Castle of Judge Collins.
Hiram continued to shake his head, and draw in long breaths as though
almost overcome with astonishment.
“The Arabian Nights never was in it with the things that happen to you,
Rob,” he exclaimed, when the story was complete. “And so both of you are
expecting to start overland to California right away? Well, I’ve got
plenty of money right here, and what’s to hinder our making it a party of
three?”
“That strikes me as a good thing, Hiram,” said Rob. “We’re all scouts and
comrades, after all; and you say you are afraid you’ll need advice sooner
or later in dealing with the manufacturers. We’ll stand by you, Hiram,
and there’s my hand on it!”
“Bully for you, Rob!” cried the delighted inventor, whose dejected
countenance immediately lighted up. “I was mighty afraid you meant to
leave me out of the excursion party. Stand by me, and I’ll do everything
I can to help you. Three ought to be even better than just two, when it
comes to counting noses.”
“You made a remark just now that struck me as queer,” said Rob.
“Tell me what it was, then, and I’ll try to explain,” Hiram ventured.
“Well, you spoke of wanting a companion along to keep you from being
caught napping, or robbed of valuable papers on the way; what did you
mean by the last part of that sentence? Have you any idea anyone covets
your papers, and might make an attempt to rob you when you were far away
from home?”
“Rob, p’raps I’m silly to think that way, but I can’t help it,” Hiram
confessed. “You see, one of the companies I corresponded with was in New
York. They even sent an agent down here to interview me, and see what I
had got. I never liked that man the least bit. He struck me as a sneak,
and I made up my mind the company was what you might call a snide
one—wanting to steal ideas if they could. I declined to have any dealings
with them, and their agent went away as mad as a hornet, even threatening
that he’d get the better of me by hook or crook.”
“You don’t say!” ejaculated Andy. “Then, you must have squeezed his toes,
Hiram; you made him squeal, and show his true colors. I give you credit
for that.”
“Have you heard anything from the company since?” asked Rob, hardly
knowing whether to treat the implied threat seriously, or only as the
ugly remark of a disappointed man who had found that Hiram was too smart
for him.
“Why, every week I get a few lines from this Marsters, the man who came
to see me, asking if I’m ready to do business with him. There’s no threat
in the letter, but there’s always something to imply that he’s keeping
track of what I’m doing, and expects sooner or later I’ll be glad to turn
to him for a sale.”
“And you are afraid that he even knows of your dealings with this Golden
Gate Company out on the Coast, is that it, Hiram?” continued the scout
leader.
“I don’t know what to think,” admitted Hiram. “One letter came that I
know had been tampered with. It may be he’s got somebody in our
postoffice in his pay.”
“That would be a serious thing if true,” Rob told him.
“It’s lucky they didn’t keep out the letter that had the bank draft in
it,” suggested Andy.
“They might have done it,” Hiram said, “only the company was smart enough
to register that, and it got to me safe and sound. But, Rob, after all
this might only be a big bluff Marsters is putting up. He may never
bother his head about me starting off on this trip, even if he hears
about it through any paid spy in Hampton. And if I’ve got two good chums
along with me, who’s afraid?”
“All the same,” advised Rob, “you’d better keep this thing a dead secret.
We’ll agree not to say a word about it to anyone. They can know how Andy
and myself have been lucky enough to get a chance to see the Exposition;
and let people figure you’re in the deal, too. We’ll do nothing to make
it seem contrary, remember that, Andy!”
“I’m on, all right, Rob,” the other hastened to assure him.
“First of all,” continued Rob, “be careful with that draft. If I were you
I’d hand it over to my father, and then when you want the money he’ll
give it to you. Did you think to ask him not to mention it?”
“Yes, and he said he wouldn’t, after I’d shown him the letter. He shook
hands with me, Rob, and said he was as pleased as pie about it—leastways
not in just those words, you know, but it meant the same thing. I’ll go
up right away and ask him to take charge of it for fear I may lose the
paper.”
After making arrangements to meet again in the afternoon so as to talk
matters over and lay their plans for starting, the boys went home for
lunch. All of them, of course, were fairly bubbling over with excitement;
and when the story was told of what had happened on the bay, as well as
the wonderful thing that came of the rescue, in at least two Hampton
homes there were proud parents.
Of course, no one put the least objection in the way of Rob and Andy
taking that wonderful trip. They were thought to be the luckiest boys in
all Hampton; and when the news leaked out every fellow in town flocked
around to hear the particulars.
That night after supper Rob and Andy rowed over to Judge Collins’ and
spent a very pleasant evening with Judge Collins and his distinguished
guest. Professor McEwen went into matters with a thoroughness that spoke
well for his business ability, in spite of the fact of his being a
scientist.
In the end it was all arranged. Rob and Andy understood just what they
were expected to do in order to carry out the instructions of the
Scottish professor.
“Come over to-morrow afternoon, lads, and everything will be here ready
for you to take charge of,” the satisfied gentleman told them as they
were saying good-night. “The Judge ha’e kindly promised to see to things,
sinc’ I’m muckle sore, and hardly in condition to show myself in public.
What I am giving into your charge can be handily carried in your grip;
only I ken ye will want to be chained fast to the same all o’ the time
fra start to feenish.”
Since there are so many things waiting to be told that befell the boys
later on, there is really little need of our lingering any longer at this
point than is absolutely necessary.
On the following afternoon Rob and Andy paid their last visit to the
Point, and when they came away they carried a packet with them which they
seemed to guard most carefully.
Besides this Rob had in his possession plenty of money to see them out to
the Coast, as well as a letter of credit on a San Francisco bank that
would insure a future supply.
“And if you should need even more,” Judge Collins told Rob in parting,
“wire to me of your necessities and it will be forthcoming, because we
are both determined that you brave lads shall have the time of your lives
while out there.”
The boys made all their arrangements, and when the second morning rolled
around there was quite a host at the station to see them take the morning
train to New York, where they expected to start upon the real journey.
Sleeping-car berths had been secured in advance to New Orleans, and which
would in fact carry them all the way through, since it was not their
intention to stop over anywhere _en route_.
Among the relatives and friends who had assembled to see the three scouts
leave for the far-distant Pacific Coast, were numerous members of the
Hampton Troop. Like Rob and Andy and Hiram, these boys wore their khaki
suits, and seemed proud of the badges and medals they had won the
permission to sport.
Thanks to the caution suggested by Rob, no one appeared to know just how
Hiram came to be in the fortunate bunch. Some accounts coupled his name
with the rescue of the famous scientist who was visiting Judge Collins;
while others were just as firmly convinced that there were only two on
board the _Tramp_ at the time.
In the end it was set down as something of a mystery which might not be
cleared up until the return of the travelers. They knew that Hiram was a
very secretive sort of fellow, and that even if he accomplished something
calculated to fetch him in money, he would not tell of it until he chose.
The train drew in at the station, and the three scouts got aboard amidst
a perfect clamor of shouts, above which could be heard the well-known
scout salute. As the conductor gave the signal for them to pull out there
was a scene such as had seldom been witnessed at Hampton; which proved
just how much Rob Blake, the leader of the scouts, was appreciated in his
home town.
Hardly had they left the outskirts of the town behind when Hiram, who was
sitting just behind Rob and Andy, leaned forward and said in a low tone:
“I’m not dead sure about it, Rob, but there was a man got aboard this
train that looked a whole lot like that tricky agent I told you about,
Marsters!”