"Never mind about that!" interposed Job Haskers, hastily. He jammed the paper and his fountain pen in his pocket. "You can't make a fool of me! You have been following me up, and you mean to--to--do what you can to--er--get me into trouble." He backed towards the doorway. "What is your hurry, sir?" asked Mr. Passmore, and he quietly placed himself in front of the door. "Let me pass! Let me pass!" shrilled Job Haskers, and now he looked thoroughly scared. "Don't you wish to talk this matter over?" questioned Mr. Fordham, wonderingly. "No, sir. I am not going to stay here to be made a fool of!" cried the former instructor. "Let me pass, I demand it!" he added, to Bert's father. "Oh, all right, if you insist," answered Mr. Passmore, and stepped aside. At once Job Haskers threw the door open and retreated to the hallway. "Just wait, you young scamps! I'll get even with you for this!" he exclaimed, shaking a long finger at Dave, Roger, and Phil. "I'll show you yet! You just wait!" And with that threat he literally ran down the hallway and down the stairs and out of the hotel. "Say, he's some mad, believe me!" was Roger's grim comment. "I think he is more scared than anything else," returned Dave. "He acted as if he thought we had trapped him in some way." "Just how it struck me," put in Phil. "He certainly didn't lose any time in getting away, did he?" and the shipowner's son grinned broadly. "He had a guilty conscience," was Mr. Passmore's comment. "Mr. Fordham, I think you can congratulate yourself that he has left." "I think so myself, sir," replied the old gentleman. He looked kindly at Dave and his chums. "It looks to me as if you had saved me from being swindled," he continued. "If he had a fair sort of a proposition I think he would have stayed." "I think so myself," added Mr. Passmore. "Just the same, supposing I look into this Sunset Company for you?" "As you please, Mr. Passmore. But I doubt if I care to invest--after what I have heard and seen of this fellow, Haskers," answered the old gentleman. The matter was talked over a little more and then the boys and Bert's father departed, first, however, receiving the warm thanks of Mr. Fordham for what they had done. In the foyer of the hotel the chums fell in with Bert. "Say, I saw that Haskers fellow shoot out of the hotel in a mighty hurry," he said. "You must have made it hot for him." "We did," answered Dave. "Where did he go?" "Up the lake road, as fast as he could walk." "I wonder where he is stopping?" mused Phil. "We might take the auto and follow him?" suggested the senator's son. "There is no hurry about our getting home." "Let's do it!" cried Dave, for he was as curious as the others concerning the former teacher of Oak Hall. "If you don't mind I'll go along," said Bert. So it was arranged, and letting Mr. Passmore know of their plans they soon got ready for the trip.