emarked Jack, as if the thought
had not been in his mind from the first.

"A sensible plan!" repeated the enthusiastic Fred, "it is the _only_
plan; nothing else can make it sure that he is not being swindled out of
a big fortune."

Jack was silent a moment, while he looked steadily into the brown eyes
of his chum, who half-smilingly met the scrutiny. Then the whole scheme
burst forth.

"And whom can your father trust before _us_? He must see that the best
thing he can do is to send us out there to make a full investigation. We
won't charge him anything like what he would have to pay other folks."

"Of course not; only our travelling expenses and supplies."

"What do you mean by supplies?"

"Say a Winchester rifle and a revolver apiece, with the proper
ammunition; what sort of supplies did you think I meant?"

"I thought it was food, while we were out hunting."

Jack turned up his nose.

"If we can't keep ourselves supplied with food, when we are in a country
that has the finest game in the world, we deserve to starve."

"My sentiments exactly;" and as if the coincidence required something in
the nature of a compact, the boys shook hands over it.

"What a splendid treat it would be for us to spend some weeks out in
Wyoming!" exclaimed Jack Dudley, his eyes sparkling and his cheeks
glowing; "it looks as if it were providential that father got hold of
that ranch."

"There can't be any doubt about it; but how much more providential it
will be if we are sent to learn all that should be learned about it! I
wonder if that can be brought about?"

Enough has been told for the reader to understand the plot formed by
these two youths. There could be no question of the grand treat it would
prove to both, provided their parents could be persuaded to take the
same view of the matter; _there_ was the rub.

Jack crossed his legs and thoughtfully scratched his head. Unconsciously
Fred did the same.

"It's a tougher problem than we ever attacked in Euclid," remarked the
younger. Then a bright thought struck him.

"Don't I look a little pale, Jack?"

"You look as if a month's vacation in the autumn would be acceptable;
but the fact is, Fred, I never saw you look better than you do this
minute."

Fred sighed.

"I am afraid I can't work that on father. He's too good a doctor for me
to worry him about my health."

"How about _me_?"

Fred shook his head.

"You look as strong as an oak knot, and you are, too; no,