deed! Thornton wrote particularly that everything was all right.
He was Johnson's assistant, and he ought to know. Besides, he has been
with us a long time, and is thoroughly familiar with every part of the
work."

"Maybe it's a joke," ventured Donald.

"It would be a stupid sort of joke to get me from Boston to Idaho on a
wild-goose chase. No, there is no joke about this," went on Mr. Clark,
rising and pacing the floor. "Sandy McCulloch is real, and he has some
real reason for wanting me to go to Crescent Ranch. I think I shall take
his advice and go."

Donald was astounded. His father never left home.

"And the office?"

"Uncle Harold will have to do double duty while I am gone."

"And--and--I?" inquired the boy hesitatingly.

Idaho seemed very far away--quite at the other end of the world.

"You? Oh, you'll have to go along too! I shall need you."

Donald drew a long breath.

"Let me see," continued his father, "this is the end of March, isn't it?
Your spring term is about over. I happen to know you are well up in your
work, for I met Mr. Hurlbert, the high school principal, only yesterday.
I am sure that if you fall behind by going on this trip you will study
all the harder to make up the work when you get back, won't you?"

"Yes, sir!" was the emphatic promise.

"You see I've no idea how long I shall be detained out West, therefore I
have no mind to leave you here. You might be ill. Besides, I should miss
you, Don."

"I'd much rather go with you, father."

A quick light of pleasure flashed in the father's eyes.

"Then that's settled," he exclaimed decisively. "Now I'll tell you what I
mean to do. I am not going to wire Crescent Ranch that we are coming.
Instead we will drop down and surprise them. It won't take long to see
how things are running, and even if it proves that everything is all
right I shall not begrudge the trip, for I have felt for some time that
I ought to go. Clark & Sons have owned that ranch for thirty years, and
yet I have never been near it. It certainly is time I went."

"How did it happen you never did go, father?"

"Well, during your grandfather's life an old Scotchman managed the ranch
and attended to shipping the wool. As we had nothing to do but to sell
it, we did not bother much about the place, for we had perfect
confidence in Old Angus, the manager. After your grandfather died, Uncle
Harold and I had all we could do to attend to the business here. It grew
so rapidl