you must
promise me to get back soon."

Of course they all promised, and after leaving their friend to the
tender mercies of the hotel clerk, hastened back to their Alma Mater.

They were just in time for dinner, but in their excitement and hurry to
get back to the hotel ate less than usual. In reply to Reddy's query as
to "what was up," they told him of Mr. Melton's arrival. Reddy had heard
of the Mexican adventure and spoke accordingly. "He must be a good man
to know," he opined, "and I'd like to meet him. Go ahead an' make your
call now, but don't get back late. I guess, from what I hear of this
Melton that he'll see that you leave in time anyway."

"No, he's not the kind to persuade people to forget their obligations,"
said Dick. "In fact, he's just the opposite. But of course our own
well-known principles would make it impossible for us to be late," with
a grin.

"Yes, I know all about that sort of stuff," said Reddy. "See if for once
you can live up to your own 'rep.'"

"All you got to do is keep your eyes peeled, and you'll see us piking in
here right on the dot," laughed Tom. "Come on, fellows. The sooner we
get started the sooner we'll get back."

"Right you are," agreed Bert, and the three comrades swung into a brisk
stride. A twenty-minute walk brought them to the "Royal," and they were
immediately ushered up to Mr. Melton's room. In answer to their knock a
hearty voice bade them "come in," and as they opened the door Mr. Melton
met them with outstretched hand.

"Come in and make yourselves at home," he said genially. "If you want
anything and don't see it, ask for it."

"You seem to be pretty well fixed with about everything that anybody
could want, now," commented Bert, glancing about the luxuriously
appointed room. "This place certainly looks as though it had had some
thought and money expended on it."

"Yes," admitted the Westerner, "it reminds me of the so-called 'hotels'
we used to have out West in the early days--it's so different. The
height of luxury there was in having a room all to yourself. As a rule
you had to bunk in with at least two or three others. O yes, this is
quite an improvement on one of those old shacks. I remember one of the
pioneer towns where there was a fierce rivalry between the proprietors
of the only two hotels in town. They were each trying to get the better
of the other by adding some improvement, real or fancied. First the
owner of the 'Palace' had his shack painte