my
does. You won't have so many fellows to compete with as I shall,"
said Dick.

"I'll have twice as many---three times as many," flared Darrin.
"The Naval Academy is the only real and popular school in the
United Service."

"Well, we won't quarrel," laughed young Prescott. "When the time
comes we'll probably find smarter young fellows ahead of us, headed
for both academies."

"If you do fail on West Point-----?" quizzed Dave.

"_If_ I do," declared Dick, with a very wistful emphasis on that
"if," "then, after getting through High School I'll probably try
to put in a year or two of hard work on 'The Blade,' to help my
parents put me through college. They're anxious to make me a
college man, and they'd work and save hard for it, but I wouldn't
be much good if I didn't try to earn a lot of the expense money.
One thing I'm resolved upon---I'm not going to go through life
as a half-educated man. It is becoming more true, every year,
that there's little show for the man with only the half-formed
mind."

Then the two turned back to the subject that had brought them
out on this September night---the disappearance of Banker Theodore
Dodge.

"In a minute or two we'll be in sight of the river bend," announced
Darrin.

"There it is, now," nodded Dick, slowing down the horse and gazing
over yonder. "Some one is there, and looking hard for something."

"Yes; I make out a couple of lanterns," assented Dave. "Well"---as
Dick pulled in the horse---"aren't you going to drive over there?"

"That's what I want to think about," declared young Prescott.
"I want to go at the job the right way---the way that real newspapermen
would use."

CHAPTER III

DICK STUMBLES ON SOMETHING

A few moments later Dick Prescott guided the horse down a shaded
lane. "Whoa!" he called, and got out.

"What, now?" questioned Darrin, as his chum began to hitch the
horse to a tree.

"I'm going to prowl over by the bend, and see who's there and
what they are doing."

Having tied the horse, Dick turned and nodded to his friend to
walk along with him.

"You know Bradley told us," Prescott explained, "that the police
do not know that Dodge's disappearance has leaked out to the press.
Most folks in Gridley know that I write for 'The Blade.' So I'm
in no hurry to show up among the searchers. I intend, instead,
to see what they're doing. By going quietly we can approach,
through that wood, and get close enough to see and hear wit