"Do you know that man?" asked Mark. "Never clapped eyes on him until this morning," answered the other boy. "He said he would show me the way to Hopeville, but I guess he wanted to get me in some lonely spot and then rob me. You two came up in the nick of time,--and I'm mighty glad of it!" He gave Mark and Jed Dickson a grateful look. "Where did you come from?" asked Dickson. "From Philadelphia. You see, I'm just ashore from a whaling voyage," was the answer. "I got tired of the sea and thought I'd try it on land for a spell. I've got an old aunt living at Hopeville and I allowed I'd pay her a visit. My name is Bob Billings. Who are you?" "I am Mark Radley." "And I am Jed Dickson. Don't you want to go after that rascal?" "I don't reckon we can catch him, for he'll do his best to keep out of sight," answered Bob Billings. "I was a fool to let him know what money I was carrying with me. I got paid off four days ago, and I thought if my aunt needed anything I'd let her have some of the cash. She's the only relative I've got in the world." CHAPTER IV MARK MAKES A FRIEND Mark soon discovered that Bob Billings was a light-hearted chap who took matters as they came, without making much fuss about things. "I should have been mad if that man had robbed me," said the sailor boy. "But as he didn't get my money I'm going to drop the matter. But if I ever meet him again I'll give him a black eye, or else my name isn't Bob!" "Hopeville is on the road we want to take," said Jed Dickson. "An' such bein' the case, we may as well travel together for a spell;" and so it was agreed. As they journeyed along Bob Billings told much about himself. His parents had died while he was young, and he had been turned over to the care of an old sea captain who had taken him on several trips to Cuba and Porto Rico. Then the captain had died and Bob had shipped for the whaling voyage just mentioned. But whaling had not suited him and he said he was now going to stay ashore for some time and perhaps for good. "Sailoring isn't what it is cracked up to be," said he. "The grub is poor and the hands are sometimes treated like dogs. I'll have to get the fever pretty bad before I go to sea again." "I never had any desire to go to sea," said Mark. "I'd rather make my fortune on land." "Where are you bound?" "I've got a notion to strike out for California. But it's a long journey." "You're right there. Heard about the gold, I suppose?" "Yes." "I heard about that myself. I met one man in Philadelphia who was crazy on the subject. He sold almost the shirt off his back to get money enough to buy a ticket on a steamer for Panama." "I'd rather go overland--I think it would be more fun." "You'll have the Rocky Mountains to climb," put in Jed Dickson. "Won't be no fun in that--especially if you're out there in the winter time!" "Oh, I don't mind the cold so much."