"They wanted to locate the lost mine before I got here, that was their game. What they intended to do later I don't know, but probably Job Haskers was going to cook up some deal whereby our family could be kept out of the property. He is a rascal----" "See here, Morr, I won't--er--have you--ahem!--talk about me in this----" commenced the former teacher. "But I will talk about you!" interrupted Roger. "You are a rascal, almost as bad as Merwell here, and you know it." "Yes, and we know it, don't we, Phil?" cried another voice, and Dave and Phil stepped into view. "Porter--and Lawrence!" faltered the former teacher of Oak Hall, and he looked almost ready to drop. "I--I----" He did not know how to finish. "Say, I want to git the straight o' this!" burst out Abe Blower. "This young man is givin' it to you straight, Abe," replied Tom Dillon, pointing to Roger. "And these are his friends--all true blue to the core. These other fellers are first-class swindlers. They took you in good an' proper." "If they did, they shall suffer fer it!" roared the other miner. "Do you know, I kinder suspected somethin' was wrong. They didn't act as open as honest folks should. An' they was in an all-fired hurry to git away from Butte and from Black Cat Camp." "Because they knew we were following them," explained Dave. "Link, I guess you had better admit that the game is up," he went on, turning to his former schoolmate. "Is it up?" sneered Link Merwell. "Well, I don't know, Dave Porter. We have as much right to hunt for that lost mine as you have." "Oh, so that's the game, eh?" burst out Roger. "You had no right to impersonate Roger," asserted our hero. "He can have you arrested for that." "Huh, that was--er--only done for--er--fun," faltered Link Merwell. "And as for your old suit-case, it's on check at the Glenrose Hotel in Butte, and there's the check for it," and he drew the brass disc from his pocket and passed it over to the senator's son. "Why did you take my suit-case?" "Oh, for fun." "He took it thinking he was going to get your map!" cried Dave. "Link, what makes you act as you do?" went on our hero, earnestly. "When I helped you on Cave Island you promised that you were going to reform." "What's the use of reforming?" burst out the other. "Everybody in this world is down on me! I don't dare to show my face wherever I am known! There is a warrant out for my arrest!" And Link Merwell's face showed his bitterness. While the boys were talking Abe Blower and Tom Dillon had been conversing together. Job Haskers was left in the cold, and he looked much disturbed. Evidently he was thinking how foolish he had been to come to Montana with Merwell. "So this is the trick yer played on me, consarn ye!" cried Abe Blower, coming from the other miner to Haskers. "I've a good mind to take it out of yer hide!" And he shook his fist in the former teacher's face.