"Never mind those hotels now!" cried Dave, as he slipped off one shoe after another. "It's get to bed now and an early start in the morning to see if we can't catch Blower, Haskers, and--Morr!" and he grinned. "The cheek of Link Merwell using my name!" murmured the senator's son. "I'll--I'll knock him down for that, if I get the chance!" And his eyes blazed for the moment. Soon the boys were abed and it did not take them long to drop into profound slumber. In the next room was Tom Dillon, also sleeping peacefully. Dave was the first to awaken and he slid off of his cot to look out of the window, to see what kind of weather it was. The window had been left wide open, to let in the fresh air, and as our hero stuck out his head and glanced down in the alleyway leading to the stables, he uttered an exclamation of surprise. "What is it?" questioned Roger, rousing up, followed by Phil. "Those men!" murmured Dave. "Look, fellows!" The others came to his side and looked out of the window. Just emerging from the alleyway were three men on horseback, all equipped for camping out. The three men were Blugg, Jaley, and Staver. "Well, I declare! What are those fellows doing here?" cried the senator's son. "Can they be following us?" questioned Phil. "I don't know. They came from the stables," answered our hero. "Most likely they had their horses there over night. We can find out when we go down." "Where are they going?" asked the shipowner's son. All watched for a minute or two and saw the Blugg crowd pass down the main street of the camp and around a warehouse corner. Then they were lost to view. Tom Dillon had heard the boys rising and was now up himself and getting dressed. He listened with interest to what they had to relate. "It's queer that crowd should be here, after what happened in Butte," he said. "I'll ask Dick Logan about 'em, when we go to breakfast." When questioned, the proprietor of the place stated that Blugg and the others had come in late, after the Morr party were abed. As the place was full they had accepted a room in the building across the street, but had put up their horses in the Logan stable. They had paid in advance, stating they were going to leave at daybreak. "Let us ask the stable man about this," suggested Dave, in a whisper, to his chums, and as soon as breakfast was over, they went out and hunted up that individual. "Nobody teched your outfit, I dun see to that," said the colored man. "I slept right by your hosses an' things." "Did you talk to those men who came in late last night?" asked Dave. "They did most of the talkin', boss. They wanted to know all about your party--whar you was a-gwine, an' all that. But I didn't give 'em no satisfaction, I didn't. Boss Dillon tole me las' night to keep my trap-doah closed, an' when Boss Dillon sez a thing I dun know he means it,--so I didn't tell 'em nuffin'." "Good for Mr. Dillon!" cried Roger. "They didn't say what brought them here?"