ther said."

"Wouldn't it be funny, Willis, if we should find that old cabin of your
father's?" asked Mr. Allen. Ideas came thick and fast. Even "Sleepy"
Smith woke up to the fact that something unusual was going on, and roused
himself so as not to miss it. After an hour's planning and discussion
they decided what to do. A route was to be laid out and an investigation
trip made under the direction of Mr. Allen. The party was to be limited
to six fellows: Ham, Phil, Fat, Chuck, and Willis were the ones chosen to
go. Definite plans were laid out, and the following Tuesday set as the
day for starting.

As Willis was explaining the plans to his mother the next morning his
Uncle Joe came into the room. He had seen an article in the morning paper
to the effect that the Y.M.C.A. boys were to build a cabin, including the
names and the probable route to be taken by the investigating party.

"What's all this nonsense about a cabin in the mountains, Willis? I saw
an article in the _Gazette_ this morning concerning it. Now listen to me,
boy. I don't want any relation of mine getting mixed up in any such a
crazy, wild-goose chase. Do you hear? About the first thing you kids will
do is to trespass on some one's mining claims, and then you'll be getting
yourselves and some of the rest of us into trouble. It's a lot of foolish
nonsense, such doings, anyway. Isn't home good enough for you?"

"Well, it seems to me you're kind of mad about nothing, Uncle. We're not
going to carry off any one's gold mines," replied Willis. "Have you a few
you are afraid we will steal?"

Mr. Williams flew into a fit of anger, saying something about, "If he was
mine, I'll bet I'd see if he'd insult his superiors in that way. The next
thing we know you will be off on a mountain picnic on Sunday, bringing
disgrace on your respectable relatives," snapped Mr. Williams. "There are
enough enemies now to a man's good name, without adding any more by
foolish kids like you, with heads full of nonsense."

Mr. Williams stalked angrily out of the room, slamming the door behind
him.

"Of all the strange men on earth, I think he is the strangest of them
all," remarked Mrs. Thornton. "Something has upset him, and he has an
ugly streak to-day. I heard him at the telephone, storming about some old
prospector that has come back to the city to make life miserable for him.
He had seen him on the street, talking with a man he said was a
detective. Lucy told me just the ot