shed and that made her look prettier than
ever, if such a thing were possible.

Dave's father and Mr. Wadsworth had come in, and both were glad to see
the boy back. Soon dinner was announced, and all sat down to the long
table, Dave between his sister and Jessie. It was old Professor Potts
who asked grace; and then some rapid-fire conversation followed, the
girls and the others demanding to know all about what had happened at
Senator Morr's home, and about the lost mine.

"It certainly sounds like a romance!" declared Dave's father, referring
to the lost mine.

"But I have heard of such things before," answered his brother. "I know
of several valuable mines in South America that were lost through
earthquakes. Landslides have not only buried mines, they have buried
cities as well."

"Oh, Dave, supposing you went to look for that mine and there was
another landslide!" gasped Jessie, and turned pale.

"That's a risk we'd have to run," was his answer. "But I'd be very
careful as to where I went, Jessie."

"I don't know about this," put in Mr. David Porter, with a grave shake
of his head. "Better take the trip through Yellowstone Park, Dave, and
let the Landslide Mine slide," and he smiled, faintly.

"Oh, I promised Roger that I'd go with him,--and Phil is going, too!"
pleaded Dave. "We'll be very careful."

"I might go with you myself, only I think I ought to stay with the party
to go through the Park," said Dunston Porter.

"Yes, we want you with us!" cried Laura.

"I don't like this at all!" pouted Jessie, and looked somewhat
reproachfully at Dave.

"Oh, you mustn't take it that way!" cried the youth. "Why, we'll be with
you on the trip to the Park, and then we'll join you on the tour a
little later. You are to stay at least four weeks, remember. Well, if we
spent two or even three weeks looking for that mine we'd still have a
week in the Park--and one can go through in six days, so the circular
says."

After that the talk became general, Dave learning more concerning the
tour and who from Crumville and vicinity had signed to go, and the
others asking for the details concerning the mine, and about the doings
of Job Haskers and Link Merwell.

"You steer clear of that rascally teacher and young Merwell," advised
Dave's father. "They are a bad lot."

"I'll steer clear if I can," answered Dave. "But if I catch them in any
wrongdoing and I can manage it, I am going to have both of them
arrested."

"I'd not