and I don't see how I am going to get out of it," grumbled the
money-lender's son.

"Maybe we can give you a lift, Nat," said Dave, and got out of the
automobile, followed by Ben. "Here, I'll hold the horse while you get
out."

"Be careful. He's mighty skittish," warned the other. "If he gets to
kicking he'll smash the buggy into kindling-wood."

"I'm not afraid of him," answered Dave, and took a firm hold on the
horse's bridle. Then Nat leaped from the buggy, and he and Ben took hold
of the wheels and pushed, while Dave led the horse forward. By this
means, in a minute more, the turnout was safe in the middle of the
roadway.

"Much obliged to you fellows for this," remarked the money-lender's son,
when all danger seemed past.

"Don't mention it, Nat. I am glad to help you," returned Dave, quickly.

"And so am I," added Ben.

"Funny thing," went on the money-lender's son. "I was coming around to
your house to see you," and he glanced quickly at our hero.

"Well, you'll have to come, Nat, some time when I am home," answered
Dave. "We are going off on another trip next Monday."

"Is that so? Then I'm glad I met you as I did, because I wanted to see
you before you went away. I've got some strange news to tell you."

"What is it?"

"Link Merwell is alive. He wasn't killed in that landslide at all," was
Nat Poole's astonishing reply.

CHAPTER VI

NEWS OF IMPORTANCE

"Link Merwell!"

"Nat, you must be fooling!" put in Ben.

"Why, we couldn't find a single trace of him after that awful
landslide!" went on Dave. "We made a thorough search, too."

"I don't know anything about that," returned the money-lender's son.
"But I know Link Merwell is alive. I got a letter from him yesterday."

"Are you sure that it was not an old letter delayed in delivery?"
queried Ben.

"No, it was not an old letter. It was dated only a few days ago. It was
sent to me from Boston."

"Boston!" cried Laura. "Then he must not only be alive, but he must have
followed us East."

"Did he say anything about Job Haskers?" queried our hero.

"He said he didn't know what had become of Haskers. He said they had
separated a short while before the big landslide struck them. He was
pretty well bruised up, and had to rest in a little mining camp up in
the mountains for two weeks."

"This is certainly the strangest news yet," was Dave's comment. "I
thought sure that he and Haskers had been swallowed up in that
landslide, along