and Sam thought almost as much
of them as Dick did of Dora.

"To be sure she did," replied Dick. "But I guess it's--well, it's a
secret."

"A secret!" shouted Sam. "Not much, Dick! Let us in on it at once!"

"Yes, do!" put in Tom.

"But it may prove a disappointment."

"We'll chance it," returned Tom.

"Well then, Dora wrote that if she and her mother could find a nice
cottage at Los Angeles or Santa Barbara they were going to invite
Nellie and Grace to come out and keep house with them for six months
or so."

"Hurrah!" cried Sam enthusiastically. "I hope they come. If they do,
won't the six of us just have boss times!" And his face glowed with
anticipation.

"We can certainly have good times if Mrs. Stanhope's health will
permit," said Dick. "Here we are at the hotel."

He uttered the last words as the carriage came to a stop at the curb.
He leaped out and so did the others; and a few minutes later found
them safe and sound in the hotel. They were assigned to a large room
on the third floor, and hither they made their way, followed by their
trunks, and then began to wash and dress up, preparatory to going
down to the dining room, for the journeying around since breakfast
had made them hungry.

"I think I am going to like San Francisco," said Tom, as he was
adjusting a fresh collar and gazing out of the window at the same
time. "Everything looks so bright and clean."

"They have some pretty tall buildings here, the same as in Chicago
and New York," came from Dick, as he, too, gazed out of the window.

"Oh, all the big cities are a good deal alike," put in Sam, who was
drying his face on a towel.

"San Francisco is a mighty rich place," continued Tom. "They are too
rich even to use pennies. It's five cents here, or a bit there, or
two bits for this and two bits for that. I never heard a quarter
called two bits in New York."

"I've been told that is a Southern expression, and one used in the
West Indies," said Dick. "The early Californians--My gracious!"

Dick broke off short and leaned far out of the window, which they
had opened to let in the fresh spring air.

"What's up?" queried Tom. "Don't fall out." And he caught his elder
brother by the arm.

"I must have been mistaken. But it did look like him," said Dick slowly.

"Look like whom?" asked Sam, joining the pair.

"Dan Baxter."

"Dan Baxter! Here?" shouted the others.

"I am pretty sure it was Dan Baxter."

"Where is he?" asked Tom.