vain to answer satisfactorily as the boys sat at
dinner. And if one, or both, had or had not really gone for good, was also
an inquiry, the answer to which could not be discovered.

Paul Jones proposed that a visit be made to the den Murky had made for
himself. Slider could show the way. Approaching carefully, it might be
quite easy to discover the tramp's presence or absence without danger of
being seen by him. Billy Worth interposed with the suggestion that a trip
to Staretta was more important. Provisions were needed, there would surely
be some mail at the office and the letters written yesterday should be
posted.

"Yes, and stop at Anderson's, too!" put in MacLester. "I'm mighty
suspicious of that individual, _myself_,--'specially after Jonesy's
experience!"

With these good reasons for going to town confronting them, together with
the fact that the use of their car was always a source of keen enjoyment
to the Auto Boys, it seems quite needless to state what they decided to do.

Paul inspected the gasoline supply and added the contents of a ten gallon
can kept as a reserve, not forgetting to put the now empty can in the
tonneau to be refilled at Staretta. Dave looked to the quantity of oil
in the reservoir and decided none was needed. Phil in the meantime
was examining nuts and bolts with a practiced eye--a hardly necessary
proceeding for every part of the beloved machine had been put in the
pink of order on Saturday afternoon.

"Worth's turn to drive," said Jones. "So go on, Bill. I'll wash dishes.
Gee whiz! If there's anything I'd rather do than wash dishes--"

"Yes, the list would fill a book!" Worth broke in. "You go ahead, Paul,
I'm going to stay in camp. Going to cook up a little stuff and all I ask
of you fellows is to bring these things from Fraley's."

Worth passed over a list he had been writing and, with a show of an
extreme reluctance he did not feel, Paul climbed up to the driver's seat.
Phil Way meantime was protesting that he would remain to guard camp.
Billy would not listen, but said in an undertone that Way must go along
to make Chip feel comfortable and contented.

For Slider had shown for Way a fondness that was both beautiful and
pathetic. It was as if he realized that he had truly found the answer
to the musing questions of his lifetime at last. This was true with
regard to all four of the chums but most especially was Chip already
devoted to Phil.

With MacLester up beside Paul, and