“Well,” laughed Clif, “what I want to know is do we dare josh him. Fact is, Loring, I find our friend Wattles a bit aweing, and I don’t suppose I’d have the courage to――” “For the love of limes,” protested Tom, “don’t spoil it by letting him know we’re on! If we make fun of him he’s sure to quit. Keep mum, I say, and some day we’ll have a chance of seeing him in action. After that I shan’t care what Fate hands me, fellows. I shall have had my Great Moment.” “I guess Tom’s right,” said Loring to Clif. “I dare say Wattles is getting quite a kick out of it, and it would be a low-down trick to spoil his fun. He’s a good sort, old Wattles.” “None better,” agreed Tom feelingly. “Gentlemen, a toast! I give you Wattles and His Majesty the King!” Loring laughed, but he said: “Wattles wouldn’t appreciate that joke, Tom. He wants you to thoroughly understand that he’s an American. He’s the only one I ever heard of who can recite the Declaration of Independence and make you weep!” They discussed Mr. Cooper’s absence presently, Tom pessimistically offering his theory to the effect that the entertaining gentleman had gone his way. “He never did say why he was here or how long he meant to stay,” said Tom. “I guess he got bored and beat it back to civilization――or Timbuctoo.” “He wouldn’t go without saying good-by to us,” declared Loring firmly. “Probably he’s just off for a few days. He’s bound to show up again.” “Well, if he doesn’t, what of it?” asked Tom. “He’s all right, but we’d manage somehow without him, I guess.” “He may be sick or something,” suggested Clif. “How would it do to ’phone over to the Inn and find out if he’s still there?” “Oh, forget it,” said Tom. “You fellows take on about that guy as if he was a long-lost uncle or something. What’s the idea? Heck, you don’t even know who he is. For all you know he may be a bootlegger or a――a confidence man!” “Oh, come on down, Tom! You know you like him just as well as Loring and I do. If he’s a confidence man you’re Babe Ruth!” “Is that _so_? Well, let me tell you that I may not be batting as well as Babe Ruth does just now, but I’m right after that guy. Yes, sir! And the last picture I saw of him showed him looking mighty worried, too!” The subject of Mr. Cooper was not revived that evening, and the plan of telephoning to the Inn was not pursued. But the next morning Tom made a visit to the Inn.