 had awakened to find his
companions gone.

He greeted Merriwell with protestations of delight.

"I knew I wash a guide!" he said. "Who shed I washn't guide? I shed I'd
bring 'em to Frank Merriwell, an' I done it. But whazzer mazzer? Where
zey gone? I dunno."

Barely had Merry started to question the old toper when Hodge, Ready,
and Gallup appeared, hurrying forward. When they saw Merriwell they gave
a cheer of delight, and, one minute later, they were shaking hands with
him.

"What does this mean?" asked Frank, when he could recover enough to ask
anything.

"It means," said Bart, "that we are here to back you up in your fight
against the mining trust. You can depend on us to stand by you. After
getting your letter, in which you wrote all about the hot time you were
having fighting the trust, I hastened to get hold of Ready and Gallup
and light out for this part of our great and glorious country. Here we
are, though we're dead in luck to find you, for this drunken duffer
managed to lose us here in the mountains."

"And you were the ones who chipped in just at the right time after my
little encounter with Red Sam? Fellows, you have given me the surprise
of my life! It's great to see you again! I ran into those gents, or was
led into a trap by a very singular girl, and it looked as if I was in a
bad box. The girl, however, seemed to change her mind after getting me
into the scrape, and she wanted to get me out. I owe her a lot. But
there is no telling when Cimarron Bill and his gang may come hiking this
way after me, so I propose that we light out for the Queen Mystery,
where we can talk things over at our leisure."

They were ready enough to follow his lead.

Jim Tracy sat with his feet elevated upon Frank Merriwell's table,
smoking his pipe and talking to Hop Anson, who was on the opposite side
of the table when the door opened and Frank stepped in, followed by his
friends, with Whisky Jim staggering along in the rear.
had awakened to find his 
 companions gone. 

 He greet Merriwell with protest of delight. 

 " I knew I wash a guidebook! " he said. " Who shed I washn't lead? I spill I'd 
 bring'em to Frank Merriwell, an' I act it. But whazzer mazzer? Where 
 zey gone? I dunno. " 

 Barely suffer Merry started to interview the previous toper when Hodge, Ready, 
 and Gallup appeared, hurrying forward. When they saw Merriwell they contribute 
 a cheer of delight, and, one minute by and by, they were shaking hands with 
 him. 

 " What does this mean? " asked Frank, when he could recuperate enough to ask 
 anything. 

 " It means, " said Bart, " that we are here to back you up in your fight 
 against the mining confidence. You can depend on us to stand by you. After 
 getting your letter, in which you wrote all about the hot time you were 
 having fighting the trust, I hastened to get hold of Ready and Gallup 
 and light out for this part of our great and glorious state. Here we 
 are, though we're dead in luck to receive you, for this bibulous duffer 
 cope to lose us here in the mountains. " 

 " And you were the ones who chipped in just at the right time after my 
 short encounter with Red Sam? Fellows, you have given me the surprise 
 of my life! It's great to see you again! I run into those gents, or was 
 led into a trap by a very singular girlfriend, and it looked as if I was in a 
 regretful corner. The girlfriend, however, seemed to change her mind after make me 
 into the scrape, and she wanted to draw me out. I owe her a set. But 
 there is no telling when Cimarron Bill and his crowd may come hiking this 
 way after me, so I propose that we light up out for the Queen Mystery, 
 where we can talk thing over at our leisure. " 

 They were ready enough to pursue his lead. 

 Jim Tracy baby-sit with his feet elevated upon Frank Merriwell's table, 
 smoking his pipe and talk to Hop Anson, who was on the opposite english 
 of the table when the door opened and Frank stepped in, followed by his 
 friend, with Whisky Jim staggering along in the rear.
 haf awakened to find his
coopanions gone.

He greetev Merrisell witf protestations of delight.

"I nnww I qash a guide!" he said. "Wfo shed I washn't tuidt? I shed I'd
bring 'xj to Frank Medviweln, an' I done it. Nut whazzer mazzer? Where
zay glne? I dunno."

Barely had Merry started to quextlon the old toker wnqn Hkdge, Ready,
and Gallup appeared, hurrging fogward. When they ssw Merriwell they gave
a chfer lf delight, and, one minute latgd, trwy were shakkng hands with
him.

"What soes this mean?" asked Frank, when he cpuld recovgx enlogh to ask
anbthing.

"Pt means," said Bart, "thdt we ate here to bacl ymu yp in your fight
againvt the mining trusj. You can ge'end on us to stand bt tou. Axter
cettkbg houd kefter, ij wiich you wrkte all aboyt the hot time you wqgr
having fighfing tre trust, I hastened to get hold of Ready dnd Gallup
and light out foe this part of our grgat and gljrious country. Here we
are, though we're dead in lucn to hivd viu, fof tjis drunken duffer
managed to lose us here in ege mpuntains."

"And yom were the ones whp fhokped in just aj the rnfhf time after my
lithle encjuntee with Req Sak? Fellows, you have given me the surprisv
of ny life! It's great co see you ayain! I ran onto those gents, or was
ued jnto a trap by a verg singular girl, avd pt lmoked as if I was in a
bad fox. The gmrl, hpwever, reemgd to crange her lind after getting me
intl the swrape, and dhe wanted to get me out. I owe ixr a lot. But
tnese ps no teljing ehen Cimarron Bill and his yang may come hiking thps
way aftxr me, so I pwopose that wa light out fmr the Qteen Mysrery,
whefd we can talk yhings ovvr at iur leisure."

They weve rexsy enough to fooloq his lead.

Jim Ttach swt wmth hyv feet elevaded jpov Frany Merriwell'w tabke,
smoking his pipe atd tzlking to Hop Ansom, rho was in the o[posite side
og the table when tje domr upenec agd Frank stepped in, followed bg his
friejds, with Whisky Jim staggering clong in the rear.
had awakened to find his companions gone. Merriwell protestations of "I knew I "Who I washn't guide? shed I'd bring to Frank Merriwell, an' I done But whazzer mazzer? Where zey gone? I dunno." Barely had Merry started to the old toper when Hodge, Ready, and Gallup appeared, hurrying forward. When they Merriwell gave cheer delight, and, one minute later, they were shaking hands with him. "What does this mean?" asked when he could recover enough to ask anything. means," said Bart, "that are here to back you in fight against mining You depend on us stand by you. After getting your letter, in which you wrote all about the hot time you having fighting I hastened get of and Gallup and for this part of our great Here we are, though we're dead in luck find you, this drunken duffer managed to lose here in the mountains." "And you were the who chipped in just at the right time after my little encounter with Red Sam? have given me the of my life! great see again! ran into gents, or was led into a trap by a very singular and it looked as if I was in a bad girl, seemed to change mind after getting me the and she wanted to out. owe But is telling when Cimarron Bill his gang may come hiking way after me, so out for the Queen Mystery, where we can things over at our leisure." They were enough to follow his lead. Jim Tracy sat with his feet elevated Frank Merriwell's his pipe and talking to Hop Anson, who on the opposite side the table when the door opened and Frank stepped followed his friends, Whisky Jim staggering in the rear.
 had awakened to find his
compaNions gone.

HE greeTed merRiWell With Protestations oF DeliGht.

"I knew I wash a guide!" he sAid. "WhO sHEd I wAShN't guiDe? I shed i'D
bRINg 'eM tO FRanK MERrIwell, An' I Done it. BUt whazzer mAzzEr? where
zey gone? i DuNno."

Barely hAd MErry started tO quEstion ThE olD Toper WheN HodgE, Ready,
ANd GallUp appeareD, hURrying FOrward. WHEN tHey sAw Merriwell they gaVE
a CHeer of delight, aNd, one mInUTe LATer, TheY were shakiNg Hands WIth
him.

"WHAt DOES thIS mean?" asked FraNk, when he couLD reCover eNoUgh TO ask
anYthinG.

"IT MeaNs," said Bart, "tHat wE are here tO back yOU up in yoUR fight
aGainst The MinIng tRUsT. YOu cAn DEpeND oN us TO stAnd by you. afTeR
gettIng yOUR LEtteR, in WhicH you wRote all about tHe hOt tiME yoU were
HavinG figHtIng thE trust, i hastEnEd to get hold of ReAdy aNd Gallup
aNd lIgHt oUt For thIS part oF ouR grEat and gLorious COunTrY. hERe We
are, though we're deaD iN LUcK to find yOu, for tHIs DrUNken duffEr
ManAged TO Lose uS herE In The mountAins."

"AnD YoU wEre the oNeS who chIpPed In jUst at THe riGht timE after my
LittlE Encounter with RED Sam? Fellows, yoU HaVE GiVEn me The Surprise
of mY lifE! it's gReat TO sEe yOU agaiN! I ran InTO tHOse gents, or was
led intO a Trap by A very Singular girl, aNd it looked AS IF I was in a
Bad bOX. THE girl, however, seEmed tO change her MInd after GettiNg me
into The scrape, AND she wantEd tO geT me Out. i OWe Her a lot. But
theRE Is no TeLling whEn CImarron bilL anD hiS gaNg May come hiKing this
WaY aFtEr Me, sO I proPOse that wE lIghT oUt fOr the qUeen MyStery,
WherE wE cAN taLk thingS OvER At ouR lEiSure."

theY wEre reAdy eNOugH to follOw his lead.

jim tRacy SaT wIth his fEet elevated upOn frank MerriWeLl's Table,
sMOKing his pIpe and talking to Hop Anson, WHo was on The OpposIte sIde
of the tAblE when tHe dOOr openEd and FRank sTePpeD IN, follOWEd By hIs
Friends, witH wHisKy Jim StAggeRing aloNg in the rear.
 had awakened to find hiscompanions  gone .
Hegr eete d Me rriwell with p r otes tations of delight.

" I kne wI  was h  a  guid e!" hes ai d .  "W ho  s hed  I wa shn't  gu ide? Ished I'd
b rin g'em to Frank Me rriwell, a n'I done it. B utwhazze rmaz z er? W her e
zey  gone? I dunn o."

Bare ly had Me r ry star t e dto q uestion the old t o pe r  when Hodge, R eady,an d  G a l lup  ap peared, hu rr yingf orward. Wh e n the y  saw Merriwel l they gave a c heer o fdel i ght, a nd, o ne min ute later,they  were sha king h a nds wit h 
him.
"Whatdoe s t hism ea n? " a sk e d F r an k,w hen  he coul dre cover  eno u g h to a skanyt hing. 

"It means,"  sa id B a rt,  "tha t wearehe re to  backyou u pin your fight
a gain st the mi nin gtru st . You can de pen d o n us to  standb y y ou . A ft er
getting your le tt e r ,in which  you w r ot ea ll about  t hehott i me yo u we r ehaving f ightin g  t he  trust,  I  haste ne d t o g et ho l d of  Ready  and Gal lup
a n d light out fo r  this part of ou r gr e at a ndglorious co untr y . He re w e 
a re, thoug h we' re de a d in luck to find y ou , forthisdrunken duffe r
managedt o lose ushere in the mountains. "

"A nd you wer e  the one s who  chipped  in justa t  the rig httim e a fte r my 
little encou n t er w it h Red S am?  Fellow s,you  ha vegi ven me th e surpri se 
o fmy  li fe! I t 's great  t o s ee  yo u aga i n! I r an in to t ho se gen ts, orw as l ed i nt oa tr apby  a ve ry s i ngu lar gir l, and it  lo o kedas  i f I was  in a
bad box .The girl,ho wev er, se e m ed to ch ange her mind after get t ing meint o the  scr ape, andshe  wante d t o  get m e out.  I ow eher a  lot. B ut 
th er e is no te l l ing  when  C imar ron Bil l and his gang may com e hiking this 
wa y af t e rme, so I p ro p ose t hat we light ou t for theQu e en  Mystery,w her ewe cantalk th ingso ver atour leisu re."

The ywere r ead y enough t o follow  his lead . 

Jim Tr acy s atwith h is  fe et el evated upo n Fra nk Mer ri well's  tabl e, 
smoking  his pipe and talking t o HopAnson , w ho was on  th e  op posite si de
o f the tabl e w hen  thedoo r  open ed a n dFra n k ste pped in, follo w ed  by h is 
friends, w i t h  Wh iskyJim stagge ring  along in the rea r .
 had_awakened to_find his
companions gone.

He greeted_Merriwell with_protestations_of delight.

"I_knew_I wash a_guide!" he said._"Who shed I washn't_guide? I shed_I'd
bring_'em to Frank Merriwell, an' I done it. But whazzer mazzer? Where
zey gone? I_dunno."

Barely_had Merry_started_to_question the old toper when_Hodge, Ready,
and Gallup appeared, hurrying_forward. When_they saw Merriwell they gave
a cheer of delight,_and,_one minute later,_they were shaking hands with
him.

"What does this mean?" asked_Frank, when he could recover enough_to ask
anything.

"It means,"_said_Bart,_"that we are here_to back you up in your_fight
against the mining trust. You can_depend on us to stand by you._After
getting your letter, in which you_wrote all about the hot_time you_were
having fighting the trust, I_hastened to get_hold of_Ready and Gallup
and_light out for this part of_our great and_glorious country. Here we
are, though we're_dead_in luck to_find_you,_for this_drunken duffer
managed to_lose_us here_in_the mountains."

"And you were the ones_who_chipped in just at the right time_after my
little encounter with_Red_Sam? Fellows, you have_given me the surprise
of my_life! It's great to see you_again! I_ran into_those gents, or was
led into a trap by a very singular_girl, and it looked as if_I was in a
bad_box. The_girl,_however, seemed to_change_her mind_after getting me
into the scrape, and she_wanted to_get me out. I owe her_a lot. But
there is_no_telling when Cimarron Bill and his_gang may come hiking this
way after_me, so I propose that_we_light_out for the Queen Mystery,
where_we can talk things over at_our leisure."

They were_ready enough to follow his lead.

Jim Tracy_sat_with his feet elevated upon Frank_Merriwell's_table,
smoking his pipe and talking to_Hop_Anson,_who was on the opposite_side
of the table when the door_opened and Frank stepped in, followed by his
friends, with_Whisky Jim staggering_along in the rear.