. Melton," explained Bert, "saying he's on his way
East, and is going to visit us here. What do you know about that, eh?"

"Great!" exclaimed Dick and Tom in chorus, and Dick asked, "When does he
say he'll get here?"

"Monday or Tuesday of next week," replied Bert, consulting the letter.
"Either Monday afternoon or Tuesday morning. He's going to stop at the
'Royal,' and wants us to be on hand to meet him. He says in all
probability he'll arrive on the 7:45 Monday evening. And just make out
we won't be on hand to give him a rousing welcome, what?"

"I rather guess we will," said Tom, "and then some. I move that we hire
a brass band and do the thing up right."

"That's a good idea all right," laughed Bert, "but I rather think Mr.
Melton would prefer to dispense with the brass band. But we'll manage to
make him know he's welcome, I have no doubt of that."

"I'd deserve to be hung, drawn, and quartered if _I_ didn't," said Dick
with feeling. "He was certainly a friend in need if there ever was one."

Dick alluded to a never-to-be-forgotten time when Mr. Melton had, at the
risk of his own life, rendered timely aid to Bert and Tom in rescuing
Dick from a band of Mexican outlaws. The three comrades were not ones to
forget such a service, and from that time on Mr. Melton had always
occupied a warm place in their regard. In addition to his personal
bravery he was genial and good natured, with a heart as big as himself.
He had taken part in many enterprises, but was now a prosperous rancher
in the Northwest, calling many a fertile acre his own.

He had traveled extensively and knew much of the world. His stock of
experiences and anecdote seemed inexhaustible, and he was never at a
loss for some tale of adventure when called upon to tell one. His bluff,
hearty manner gained him friends wherever he went, and it was with
feelings of the keenest anticipation that the three comrades looked
forward to his coming. It was only Wednesday when Bert received the
letter announcing his coming, so they had several days of inevitable
waiting.

However, "all things come to him who waits," and the day to which the
boys looked forward with so much anticipation was no exception to the
rule. They were at the station long before the train was due, and it
seemed hours to them before they heard its whistle in the distance.

"The chances are though," said Tom pessimistically, "that something has
happened to delay him and he won't be on this tra