The Palace of the West reached, Wumble pushed his way into the smoke-laden office and to the desk. "Say, is there a man named Jack Wumble stopping here?" he demanded. "Jack Wumble," repeated the clerk slowly. "That's what I said." "There is a Jack Wimple stopping here--but he is out--gone to St. Louis." "Jack Wimple? He's not the man," and the old miner fell back and repeated what had been said to the three boys. "Perhaps Bradner made a mistake," suggested Tom. "But I don't believe it." "He tried to make us believe this hotel and the Western Palace were one and the same," put in Sam. "He's sharp, I tell you," declared Jack Wumble. "Just wait till I get on his trail, I'll make him tell us the truth. More than likely he wanted to clean you boys out." They waited around for the best part of an hour, but Henry Bradner failed to return, and at last they gave up looking for him, and the boys went back to where they had hired a room for the night, promising to rejoin Jack Wumble early in the morning, when the whole party would take a train for Denver, where Wumble wished to transact a little business before starting out for Larkspur Creek. The boys had not slept very well on the train, so they were thoroughly tired out. They were on the point of retiring when a bell-boy came up stating that their friend wished to see Dick for a few minutes. "Wumble must have forgotten something," said Dick. "I'll see what it is," and he took the elevator to the ground floor. To his surprise it was not Wumble who wished to see him, but Henry Bradner. "What, you!" cried the youth. "I thought you had skipped out." "Skipped out?" queried the burly man in pretended surprise. "Why should I skip out?" "Don't you know that we have found you out?" "Found me out? You are talking in riddles, young man." And the stranger drew himself up proudly. "We have found Mr. Jack Wumble, and he tells us that he never stopped at the Palace of the West in his life." "Mr. Jack Wimple, you mean. Why, he is certainly at the hotel--or was." "We were looking for Mr. Wumble--and you know it. I care nothing for your Mr. Wimple. And besides, you told us that the Western Palace and the Palace of the West were one and the same. That was a deliberate falsehood." Bradner turned pale, and looked as if he wished to catch Dick by the throat. "Have a care, young man!" he hissed. "I am not a man to be trifled with. I tried to do you a good turn, but I see I have put my foot into it. Henceforth you can take care of yourself." So speaking, Henry Bradner turned on his heel and strode off, a look of baffled rage in his eyes. Instantly Dick turned to a bell-boy. "Run up to room 233 and tell Tom Rover to come down at once and follow his brother," he said hurriedly. "I can't go up--I want to watch that man, for he's a crook."