Will suggested. "He's in no shape to take a long trip into the
mountains."

"And still," George began, "we haven't any idea where to look for his
father. And the boy may have a very clear notion as to where to look
first. I guess, after all, we'll have to take him with us!"

"I suppose so," Will agreed, "but I tell you what we can do. We can get
him to tell us what he knows about his father's habits and inclinations,
and then ask him to rest up while we investigate some of the points
suggested. Perhaps he'll do that."

"I guess he'll have to!" smiled George. "He's so sound asleep now that
we could carry him bodily into the tent and he'd never know it!"

It was quite a difficult task to wake the boy, but at last when he sat
up rubbing his eyes he pretended, as all boys will, that he had just
dozed off for a minute.

"I was pretty tired," he declared, "and I guess the supper I ate made me
a little bit sleepy."

"Well," Will said, "we may as well be on our way. I suppose you'll take
us first to the place where you and your father have been hiding."

"That was my intention."

The sky was clearing now, and the light of the stars made it possible
for the boys to walk at a swift pace over the level valley and up the
easy slope which led to the top of a low and rocky range of hills lying
at the western foot of Atlantic peak.

When the boys finally reached the summit of the ridge, Chester led the
way down an incline facing the east to a gulch which ran in between the
great mountain and the lower range.

"Here's where we've been stopping," he said, pointing to what is known
in that part of the country as a limestone cave. "It's quite comfortable
in there if you have a fire near the entrance, and no one can see the
blaze from the valley, so it's reasonably safe."

The boys stepped into the cavern and looked around. A rude couch had
been made of the boughs of spruce and white pine, and saplings had been
roughly hewn into a table and two chairs.

"You must have been here some time?" asked Will, pointing to the skins
on the floor.

"Several long, dreary weeks," was the reply.

"Did you come here with your father?"

"Yes, we came together."

"Were you with him in Chicago just before he left for Wyoming?"

The boy opened his eyes wider.

"How did you know we were ever in Chicago?" he asked.

"We know more about your father and yourself than you think we do."

"Perhaps," said the boy suspiciously, "I have done