en. Now he's shaved off de whiskers an' colored his
moustache, but I knowed him de minute I set me peepers on him. I seen
his mug in de papers lots of times. Youse wants to be on lookout fer him
or he'll put de bank on de blink. He's a gold-brick swindler, an' I
guess up to any other woozy game he can make pay!"

"Bond Broker Bill! William Jackson! Colonel Dendon!" murmured Dick, in a
daze. "No wonder I thought I had seen Mr. Vanderhoof before. It was in
the New York hotel, where he tried to swindle me! And he sold dad and me
some gold mining stock! I must tell dad right away!"

Dick looked after the retreating form of Mr. Vanderhoof. Then turning to
Tim, who had made the startling disclosure, he said:

"Wait here for me! I must see my father at once," and getting out of the
auto he hurried into the bank.

CHAPTER XXI

IN WHICH MR. VANDERHOOF VANISHES

Dick found his father busy, looking over some books and papers. He
waited until the millionaire had finished and looked up, remarking:

"Well, Dick, what is it now? Some more of the fresh-air kids outside?"

"Yes, dad, but I've got something more important to tell you than about
them. Was Mr. Vanderhoof just in here?"

"He was, and I took some more stock in the Hop Toad Mine. I had an
additional report from the government assayer at Yazoo City, and the ore
is richer than ever."

"You bought more stock, dad?"

"Yes. Why?"

"Because that man is a swindler! I just learned of it! His name is not
Vanderhoof at all. He's the same man who tried to swindle me in New
York. He goes by the name of Colonel Dendon. I thought there was
something familiar about him the first day I saw him in here, but I
couldn't place him on account of his dyed moustache. He's a swindler!"

"Who told you so?"

"Tim Muldoon, one of the fresh-air children. He saw him under arrest in
New York. Probably he got out on bail. Oh, dad, I'm afraid we've both
been swindled!"

"Well, don't get excited," counseled Mr. Hamilton, who was used to
facing business troubles. "He may be a swindler, but I think our mining
stock is good. The reports of it are all from reliable men. But I'll
make an investigation at once."

"What will you do?"

"I think I'll send for Mr. Vanderhoof and ask him to explain. We'll have
your friend Tim in here. No doubt it is all a mistake. I wouldn't place
too much faith in what a boy says."

"You don't know Tim," responded Dick. "He's as bright as they make 'em.