d
foiled their designs.

Presently a third man, a fellow named Larry Jaley, joined the others.
All were very bitter against Abe Blower, and each vowed that he would
"git square" with the old prospector sooner or later. From their talk
the boys learned that the men, along with some others of the crowd, were
stopping in Butte at the Solid Comfort House, a place that, so they
afterwards learned, bore a very shady reputation. Nothing was said about
where Abe Blower was stopping, and the youths did not dare to inquire,
for fear of making the men suspicious.

"They might think we were friends of Blower sent to spy on them," said
Phil. "They must know we have heard some of their talk."

"If Abe Blower is so well known in Butte it ought to be an easy matter
to find him," returned Dave. "We can look for him in the directory and
the telephone book, and ask for him at the hotels and mining offices."

"And remember, I have one of his old addresses," said Roger. "Maybe the
folks at that place know where he has gone."

It was dark when they rolled into the railroad station at Butte, a
typical western mining city, with a population of about thirty-five
thousand souls.

"No use in trying to do anything to-night," said Roger, who was tired
and knew his chums must be the same. "We'll go to some first-class hotel
and start on our hunt for Blower in the morning."

"Yes, I'm dead tired," answered Phil, who had been yawning for the last
hour.

The boys had the address of a good hotel, and were soon on the way to
the place. They saw the man called Sol Blugg start off down a side
street with his companions.

"I wish we would run into Link Merwell and Job Haskers," remarked Dave,
as they hurried towards the hotel.

"What good would that do?" demanded the senator's son.

"Then I'd know they hadn't left Butte to look for that lost mine."

"Humph! you don't suppose they are going to find it all in a minute, do
you, Dave?" asked Phil.

"No, but an idea just struck me."

"What?" asked both of the others.

"Supposing Merwell and Haskers should hunt up Blower and see what he had
to say about the lost mine."

"Phew!" cried Roger. "Do you think they'd dare?"

"They might. They have done some pretty bold things lately. Link is real
reckless."

Roger came to a halt on the pavement.

"Maybe we had better hunt for Abe Blower right away," he declared.

"Oh, come on, and get to bed," yawned Phil. "Where are you going to look
for him