to stand up in the aisle. A number of the men
were smoking and they continued to do so, even though it was against the
rules.

"Pretty rough-looking crowd," whispered Phil, after the train had
started.

"Not all bad," was Dave's comment. "But some of them are certainly the
limit," and he nodded towards one crowd that were talking loudly and
using language that was anything but choice. In this crowd one fellow in
particular, a tall, thin, leathery individual, called by the others Sol
Blugg, seemed to be a leading spirit.

About half an hour had passed, and the conductor had just gone through
collecting tickets, when the man called Blugg pushed up alongside
another man who sat on the arm of a rear seat.

"Say, do you know what Staver jest told me?" he exclaimed.

"No, what?" demanded the other man.

"He says as how he is almost sure Abe Blower put this crimp in our land
deal," responded the man called Blugg.

"Abe Blower!" exclaimed the other. "Say, maybe thet's right. Blower
ain't got no use fer our crowd. Well, if he did it, he better look
out!"

CHAPTER XIV

IN BUTTE

Dave overheard the conversation between the two rough-looking men in the
crowded car, and so did Phil and Roger. All glanced at each other
suggestively.

"Do you think they are talking about the Abe Blower we want to find?"
asked Roger of Dave, in a whisper.

"More than likely, Roger," was the answer. "It is not likely that there
are two Abe Blowers in this part of the country. It's not a common name,
like Smith."

"Listen," whispered Phil, for the two men had begun to talk again.

"I lost a lot of money by havin' thet land deal fall through," growled
the fellow called Blugg.

"So did I," responded the man on the arm of the car seat. "We all did."

"If Abe Blower knows we are on his trail he'll keep out o' sight."

"Maybe; although Blower wa'n't never the fellow to take backwater,"
responded the other, doubtfully.

"We'll git him yet; see if we don't," was the savage response. And then
followed some conversation in such a low tone that the boys could not
hear what was said.

But it was easy to surmise one thing, which was that these men hated Abe
Blower most cordially. And because of this, and because they had heard
that Blower was a strictly upright, honest man, the chums concluded that
these fellows in the car had been trying in some manner to put through
some land deal that was not strictly fair, and that Abe Blower ha