I can make out the land must be nigh to
the city of Sacramento."

"And the property belongs to you?" cried Jerry.

"No, I can't say that exactly. As near as I can figure it, your uncle
Charley owned an interest in it. The property was in the hands of a land
boomer named Alexander Slocum, and there was a letter in the trunk from
this Alexander Slocum which was dated from New York. I think this boomer
holds other papers relating to the land, and I was thinking of making a
trip to New York and hunting him up, if he is still there."

"Why not let me go to New York in your place," suggested Jerry, quickly.
It had always been the ambition of his life to pay a visit to the great
metropolis.

"Well, I was kind of thinking of that, son," returned the sick man,
slowly. "I'll see about it in a day or two."

CHAPTER XXIII.

JERRY STARTS ON A JOURNEY.

Now that the matter had once been talked over, the young oarsman was very
anxious to know all about the property in California, and his mother
brought forth the deeds and other papers found in the old trunk.

The boy studied the documents with care. He knew but little of the law,
yet he felt that if the land mentioned in the papers was valuable his
father's share, as heir to his uncle, must be considerable.

"I would like to ask Mr. Parker about this," he said to his folks, but Mr.
Upton shook his head. He was a very retired man and never brought his
affairs to the ears of any outsider.

"The whole thing might prove worthless," he said, "and then we would be
laughed at by our neighbors."

"I'd risk it," said Jerry, but his father only shook his head again.

Nevertheless Mr. Upton appeared to be favorably impressed with the idea of
Jerry's going to New York to hunt up Alexander Slocum.

"It won't do any harm," he said to his wife. "I have money for the fare in
the house, and it will give Jerry a chance to see a bit of the world."

Mrs. Upton was doubtful, but when Jerry begged to go she finally
consented. Long talks about the western land and Alexander Slocum
followed, and the youth prevailed upon his folks to let him take the deeds
and papers with him, promising that he would take the best of care of
them.

"And while I'm in New York I'm going to look around for a situation, and
earn a little money," said Jerry. "Who knows but what I may strike even a
better opening than that Mr. Parker has promised me at his shoe factory."

"It's not likely a lad off the fa