e," said Tom Rover, and off they started
for the mountains, and did locate it at last, but not before Dan
Baxter had done everything in his power to locate it ahead of them.
When they finally outwitted their enemy, Dan Baxter had disappeared,
and that was the last they had seen of him for some time.

The Rover boys had expected to return to Putnam Hall and their studies
immediately after the winter outing in the Adirondacks, but an
unexpected happening at the institution of learning made them change
their plans. Three pupils were taken down with scarlet fever, and
rather than run the risk of having more taken sick, Captain Victor
Putnam had closed up the Academy for the time being, and sent the
pupils to their homes.

"The boys will have to go to some other school," their Aunt Martha
had said, but one and another had murmured at this, for they loved
Captain Putnam too well to desert him so quickly.

"Let us wait a few months," had been Dick's suggestion.

"Let us study at home," had come from Sam.

"Let us travel," Tom had put in. "Travel broadens the mind." He loved
to be "on the go" all the time.

The matter was talked over for several days, and Tom begged that they
might take a trip across the continent and back, using some of the
money derived from the old treasure. At last Anderson Rover consented;
and two days later the three boys were off, going by way of New York
City, on the Chicago Limited. They had spent two days in the great
city by the lakes, and then come direct to the Golden Gate city.

"I wonder if we will meet anybody we know while we are out here,"
said Tom, as the carriage continued on its way.

"If we get down to Santa Barbara I think we'll meet somebody," answered
Dick, and he blushed just a trifle. "I got a letter in Chicago, as
you know. It was from Dora Stanhope, and she said that she and her
mother were traveling again and expected to go either to Santa Barbara
or Los Angeles. Her mother is not well again, and the doctor thought
the air on the Pacific coast might benefit her."

"Oh, my, but won't Dick have an elegant time, if he falls in with
Dora!" cried Sam. "Tom, we won't be in it."

"Now don't you start to tease me," returned Dick, his face redder
than ever. "I guess Dora always gave you a good time, too."

"That's right, she did," said Tom. And then he added: "Did she say
anything about the Lanings?" For the Laning girls, Nellie and Grace,
were cousins to Dora Stanhope, and Tom