tendance
who supplied the information that Mr. Gordon had gone to New York, and
would not be back for two days.

"Stumped again," murmured Randy, dismally. "Did you ever see such luck!"

"Never give up," answered Earl, as cheerfully as he could. "I wonder if
Mrs. Gordon lives in town."

"What if she does?"

"I'd call on her, and perhaps she can help us out. She used to know me."

From the clerks in the store they received the Gordons' home address.
It was a fine place on the Back Bay, and it was nightfall by the time
the boys reached it. They were ushered into the waiting-hall by a
servant, who immediately went off to notify her mistress, who was at
dinner.

From the dining-room came a murmur of talking, and one of the voices
sounded strangely familiar to Earl. "Hark, Randy," he whispered. "Isn't
that Squire Dobson speaking?"

"It is!" ejaculated Randy. "We are saved at last!"

Mrs. Gordon came to them a minute later, having excused herself to her
guest. The boys' mission was soon explained, Earl at the same time
offering an excuse for calling at the meal hour. He mentioned Squire
Dobson, and that individual was called from the table.

"Well, well!" exclaimed the squire of Basco, a short, stout, and rather
jolly type of a country official. "I didn't expect to see you in Boston,
although I heard yesterday that you were bound for Alaska or some such
place. Mrs. Gordon, these are Daniel Portney's boys,--you must remember
Daniel Portney,--the one who lost his life in that dreadful forest fire
up our way some years ago."

Mrs. Gordon did remember, and she gave both lads a warm greeting. It was
several minutes before Earl could get down to business, and then the
matter of identification was left to Squire Dobson, who said he would
see them through in the morning, as soon as the Bartwell & Stone offices
were open.

"I don't know them," he said, "but I know some bankers on the same
block, and we can introduce each other."

Mrs. Gordon was glad enough to see some folks from the district which
had once been her home, and asked the brothers to partake of dinner with
the squire and her family of boys and girls. After some hesitation, the
invitation was accepted, and two hours were spent at the mansion.

During the course of this time it was learned by Earl and Randy that
Squire Dobson had come down from Maine in search of his son, a
happy-go-lucky lad, who had run away from home, as previously mentioned.
The squire