"I mean that my chums and I are going to take a tour to California. I can combine business with pleasure, and file those papers for you. If I can do it in time, you'll get a chance to recover your fortune." "And will you do that for me?" "I certainly will!" Mr. Wardell clasped Dick's hand in a hearty grasp. "Look here, old man," he said feelingly, "you've done too much for me already." "Oh, pshaw! I haven't done anything worth mentioning!" exclaimed Dick, who disliked having a fuss made over him. "I bought your car as much for myself as to help you out of a hole." "Oh, it isn't that I mean!" cried Mr. Wardell, quickly. "Dick, I've a confession to make. You may not know it, but you saved my life that day on the railroad tracks." "Saved your life?" "Yes, I was down and out! I didn't see a thing to live for, and I wasn't going to look for a reason. I was going to cash in when you and your chum came along, and I didn't have the nerve to do what I was going to do--shuffle off this mortal coil. You saved my life, Dick Hamilton, and now you are going to save my fortune for me. You're doing too much!" and the visitor seemed much affected. CHAPTER XI OFF ON THE TRIP "That's all right now, Mr. Wardell," said Dick, after a rather painful pause. "I'm sure I'm only too glad that I can do something for you. It isn't going to be any trouble--filing this paper, as it's on my way. And, as for saving your life----" "Oh, you did it--there's no question about that!" interrupted the other. "I was miserable enough to do anything rash, but the kind way in which you spoke to me, and the cheerfulness of yourself, and your chum, made me ashamed to do what I had contemplated. It started me on a new road, thinking of you, and I made up my mind I'd begin over again. "Now it might seem to you that I ought to look after this matter myself--going out there and filing this paper--but the truth of the matter is that I'm quite disgusted with myself--not knowing enough to take care of my money when I had it. I deserve to lose it. But if you can save it I'm willing to give you whatever share your lawyer thinks fair." "I'm not doing it for that," declared Dick. "I'm doing it for--well, I'll tell you later," he finished. But to himself he said: "I'm doing this for the honor of my family. If he ever finds out it was my uncle who ruined him he'll not think much of my father and myself, even if I was instrumental in saving his life. No, I've got to keep still about that part of it, and save _his_ fortune for the honor of _our_ family. And I'll do it, too, in spite of Uncle Ezra!" "Well, it's awfully good of you," went on Mr. Wardell, after a pause. "Now I'll see our old family lawyer, Mr. William Tunison, and have him arrange with you. You say the papers have to be filed on a certain date?" "Yes." "Then why can't they be sent out there, and held until it is time to present them to the court?"