“Telephone message for you last night, Mr. Durham,” he said. “It came about ten o’clock and as it was not urgent and I did not wish to disturb you, I thought I would keep it until this morning.” The speaker handed a memorandum slip to Frank. It read: “Attorney William Slade, on request of Mrs. Carrington, would like to see you in the morning.” Frank showed the memorandum to Randy and Pep. The chums at once realized what it meant. It evinced the determination of the strong-willed Mrs. Carrington to have her own way. In fact the boys had come to the conclusion that she should do so. With Ben Jolly, up in their room after their visitors had departed, they had gone over the entire proposition in detail. “You would be foolish to allow this chance to get the capital you need in this business go by,” advised Jolly. “Putting aside the fact that this lady feels indebted to you, her offer is fair, square and business-like.” Frank thought over the affair in its every phase long after Randy and Pep had gone to sleep. Jolly and Vincent had gotten a free shelter for their rig and left the hotel to sleep in the wagon. “Used to that, you know--the only way in the world to live,” asserted Jolly, and then they made an arrangement to meet in the morning. The ’phone message at once set things in motion. The chums had breakfast, Frank learned the address of Mr. Slade, and about nine o’clock started for his office, which was located over the bank of the town. “You had better meet Mr. Jolly, as we agreed,” directed Frank to his companions. “Where will you pick us up again?” questioned Randy. “Why, I think I shall not be with this Mr. Slade more than an hour,” explained Frank. “Say, then,” suggested Pep, “suppose we go over to the empty store you’re thinking of turning into a motion picture show and hang around there?” “That empty store has a remarkable fascination for you, Pep,” smiled Frank. “You bet it has,” confessed Pep. “Mr. Jolly is just as wild over it. I shouldn’t wonder if he was looking it over carefully the first thing this morning.” “Very well,” said Frank, “we will all meet there say at eleven o’clock.” Then Frank had gone on his way to report at the empty store half an hour earlier than he expected. He found his chums and Ben Jolly anxiously awaiting him. Vincent had remained with the horse and wagon at the barn. There were some old chairs at the rear of the vacant building, and Mr. Morton invited them to make free use of them. It was quite a business conclave that grouped together while Frank told his story. It was clear and simple. Mrs. Carrington had instructed her attorney to advance up to one thousand dollars to Frank and his friends as needed.