When a week had pa.s.sed Frank and his friends began to feel that all their troubles were over, for the time being, at least. Old Joe Crowfoot, who had been scouting in the vicinity, reported that he found no signs of probable marauders and himself settled down contentedly to smoke and loaf in the warm sunshine of the valley. With d.i.c.k and Felicia near, where he could watch them occasionally or hear their voices, the peaceful happiness of the old fellow seemed complete.

Cap'n Wiley likewise loafed to his heart's content And if ever a person could make a whole-souled and hearty success of loafing it was the cap'n. He became so friendly with Crowfoot that old Joe even permitted him sometimes to smoke his pipe.

One beautiful morning the entire party was gathered in front of Merriwell's cabin talking things over.

"There seems nothing now, Frank, to prevent us from securing miners and opening up this new claim," said Hodge. "Macklyn Morgan seems to have disappeared off the face of the earth."

"Perhaps he has learned that it is dangerous for a man like him to attempt dealing with the ruffians of this part of the country," put in d.i.c.k. "It seems certain now that he was actually carried into captivity by the very gang he employed to seize these mines."

"But he will get free all right," declared Frank. "He will turn up again sometime."

"If they don't kill him any," said Buckhart.

"They won't do that," a.s.serted Merriwell. "They can make nothing out of him in that fashion; but they might make a good thing by forcing him to pay a large sum for his liberty."

"Well, now that everything seems all right here, Frank," said d.i.c.k, "I suppose Brad and I will have to light out for the East and old Fardale."

"Waugh! That certain is right!" exclaimed the Texan. "We must be on hand, pard, when Fardale gets into gear for baseball this spring."

"Baseball!" cried Wiley, giving a great start. "Why, that word thrills my palpitating bosom. Baseball! Why, I will be in great shape for the game this season! My arm is like iron. Never had such a fine arm on me before. Speed! Why, I will put 'um over the plate like peas! Curves!

Why, my curves will paralyze 'um this year!"

"Ugh!" grunted old Joe. "Wind-in-the-head blow a heap. Him talk a lot with him jaw. Mebbe him jaw git tired sometime."

"Look here, Joseph," expostulated Wiley, "I don't like sarcasm. If I didn't love you as a brother, I might resent it."

"Great horn spoon!" cried Buckhart, scratching vigorously. "These fleas are the biggest and worst I ever saw. You hear me murmur!"

"What, these?" squealed Wiley, in derision. "Why, these little creatures are nothing at all--nothing at all. They just tickle a fellow up a bit.

Fleas! Say, mates, you should have seen the fleas I have beheld in my tempestuous career. You should have seen the fleas I met up with in the heart of darkest Africa. Those were the real thing. Don't 'spose I ever told you about those fleas?"

And he told them a long and wonderful story about African fleas.

"Ugh!" grunted the old Indian, when Wiley had finished.

"Wind-in-the-head biggest blame liar old Joe ebber see."

Some days later, with the exception of Hodge and Crowfoot, Frank and the rest of his party arrived in Prescott. Hodge and the aged redskin were left, together with one of Pete Curry's men, to guard the valley after a fashion. Besides going to Prescott for the purpose of seeing his brother and Buckhart off, Frank had several other objects in view. With him he brought considerable ore, taken from the quartz vein they had located in the valley, and also a small leather pouch that was nearly filled with dull yellow grains and particles washed from the placer mine. With these specimens Frank proceeded direct to an a.s.sayer, who was instructed to make an a.s.say and give a report.

Following this, Frank set about picking up some genuine miners who knew their business and who could be relied on. It was his purpose to keep a few men at work on the claims while he completed the plans talked over by himself and Hodge and arrange for the transportation to the valley of such machinery as they needed to work the mines. As far as the placer was concerned, this was not such a difficult problem. With the quartz mine, however, it was quite a serious matter, as the valley was far from any railroad and extremely difficult of access.

Frank knew very well that it would cost a big sum of money to begin practical operations on the quartz claim, and already, for a young man of his years, he had his hands pretty full. Hodge, however, had been enthusiastic, and Merry felt that Bart would, with the greatest readiness and satisfaction, remain where he could oversee everything and carry all plans out successfully.

Merry felt that he was greatly indebted to Wiley, and he saw that the sailor had one of the best rooms in the best hotel of Prescott and was provided with every comfort the house could afford. This was not the only way in which Frank intended to reward the captain.

Wiley himself was somewhat "sore" because he had declined to accompany Frank and Bart at the time they had returned to the valley and successfully located Benson Clark's lost mines.

"'Tis ever thus," he sighed wearily, when the matter was spoken of. "I will bet eleventeen thousand dollars that I have lost more than a barrel of good opportunities to become rotten with wealth during my sinuous career. Not that I haven't felt the salubrious touch of real money to an extensive extent, for sometimes I have been so loaded down with it that it rattled out of my clothes every step I took. When I sauntered carelessly along the street in days past I have shed doubloons, and picaroons, and silver shekels at every step, and I have often been followed by a tumultuous throng, who fought among themselves over the coin that rained from my radiant person. Still to-day here I am broke, busted, while the world jogs on just the same, and n.o.body seems to care a ripityrap. Excuse these few lamentations and wails of woe. By and by I will take a little medicine for my nerves and feel a great deal better."

"Don't worry over it, Wiley," said Frank, laughing. "It will all come out in the wash. I don't think you will die in the poorhouse."

"Not on your tintype!" cried the sailor. "I propose to shuffle off this mortal coil in a palace."

"Wiley," cried Frank, "I believe you would joke in the face of old Death himself!"

"Why not? I regard life as a joke, and I don't propose to show the white feather when my time comes. I will have no mourning at my funeral. I propose to have my funeral the gayest one on record. Everybody shall dress in their best, and the band shall play quicksteps and ragtime on the way to the silent tomb. And then I shall warn them in advance to be careful, if they want to finish the job, not to pa.s.s a baseball ground where a game is going on, for just as sure as such a thing happened I'll kick off the lid, rise up, and prance out onto the diamond and git into the game."

"Don't you worry about what will become of you, cap'n," advised Merry.

"For all that you failed to stick by us in relocating those claims, I fancy we shall be able to make some provisions for you."

"That's charity!" shouted Wiley. "I will have none of it! I want you to understand that little Walter is well able to hustle for himself and reap his daily bread. Not even my best friend can make me a pauper by giving me alms."

"Oh, all right, my obstinate young tar," smiled Merry. "Have your own way. Go your own course."

"Of course, of course," nodded Wiley. "I always have, and I always will.

Now leave me to my brooding thoughts, and I will evolve some sort of a scheme to make a few million dollars before sundown."

Wiley's schemes, however, did not seem to pan out, although his brain was full of them, and he had a new one every day, and sometimes a new one every hour of the day. Knowing they were soon to be separated again, d.i.c.k and Felicia spent much of their time together. It was Merriwell's plan, of which he had spoken, to take Felicia to Denver and find her a home there where she could attend school.

The a.s.say of the quartz Merry had brought to Prescott showed that the mine was marvelously rich. Beyond question it would prove a good thing, for all of the great expense that must be entailed in working it. On the day following the report of the a.s.sayer, Merry was writing letters in the little room of the hotel provided for such use when a man entered, approached him, and addressed him.

"Excuse me," said this man, who was middle-aged and looked like a business man from the ground up. "I suppose you are Mr. Frank Merriwell?"

"That's my name."

"Well, my name is Kensington--Thomas Kensington. Perhaps you have not heard of me?"

"On the contrary, I have heard of you, Mr. Kensington. I believe you have a mine in this vicinity?"

"Yes, and another in Colorado. I hear that you have lately located a promising quartz claim. I understand that the a.s.say indicates it is a valuable find."

"Perhaps that's right," admitted Merry; "but I am at a loss just how you acquired the information."

"My eyes and ears are open for such things. I am in Prescott to have a little a.s.saying done myself, and I happened, by the merest chance, to hear Mr. Given, the a.s.sayist, speaking with an a.s.sistant about the result of his investigation of your specimens. You understand that it was barely a chance."

"I presume so," said Merry. "I don't suppose that Given would talk of such matters publicly."

"And he did not, sir--he did not. I a.s.sure you of that. I have also learned, Mr. Merriwell, that you have other mines?"

"Yes, sir."

"And this new claim of yours is inconveniently located at a distance from any railway town?"

"That is correct."

"Now, I am a man of business, Mr. Merriwell, and if you care to have me do so, I would like to investigate your property with the possibility of purchasing this new mine of yours."

Frank was somewhat surprised.

"I am not at all certain, Mr. Kensington, that I wish to sell. Besides that, I have a partner who would have to be consulted in the matter."