Benjamin Bolton was sitting in the public-room of the hotel an hour later, smoking a cigar, and from time to time looking toward the door. Presently Clarence entered. "Have you got it?" asked Bolton eagerly. "Yes," nodded Clarence. He took a piece of paper from his vest pocket and handed it to Bolton. It read thus: "Ernest Ray, Oak Forks, Iowa." "How did you get it?" asked Bolton. "I found a letter in pa's desk from an old man named Peter Brant, asking pa for some money for the boy, who was living with him." "When was that letter written?" "About two years ago." "Thank you. This gives me a clue. Come out of doors and I will give you what I promised. It isn't best that anyone should think we had dealings together." Five minutes later Clarence started for home, happy in the possession of a five-dollar bill. "I never paid any money more cheerfully in my life," mused Bolton. "Now I must find the boy!" CHAPTER XXVII OREVILLE When Ernest and Luke Robbins started for California, they had no very definite plans as to the future. But they found among their fellow passengers a man who was just returning from the East, where he had been to visit his family. He was a practical and successful miner, and was by no means reluctant to speak of his success. "When I landed in 'Frisco," he said, "two years ago, I had just forty dollars left after paying the expenses of my trip. I couldn't find anything to do in the city, so I set out for the mines." "Where did you go?" asked Luke, becoming interested. "To Oreville. At least, that's what they call it now. Then it didn't have a name." "I hope you prospered," said Ernest. "Well, not just at first, but luck came after a while. When I reached the mines I was dead broke, and went to work for somebody else. After a while I staked out a claim for myself. Well, I won't go into particulars, but I've got six thousand dollars salted down with a trust company in 'Frisco, and I've got a few hundred dollars about my clothes besides." "That's the place for us, Ernest," said Luke. "So I think," answered Ernest. "Do you want to go to the mines?" asked the miner. "Yes; we have our fortunes to make, and are willing to work." "Then go out to Oreville with me. Have you got any money?" "We have enough to get there, and perhaps a little over." "That will do. I'll set you to work on one of my claims. We will share and share alike. How will that suit you?" "It seems fair. Do you think we can make enough to live upon?" "That depends partly on yourselves and partly upon luck." "At any rate, we are willing to work," said Ernest. "Then I'm your friend, and will help you," said the miner heartily. "Tom Ashton never goes back on his friends."