Roger, and
maybe some of her friends. The big car will hold seven, you know."

"Sure, if mom will go," and the youth looked at his mother with a smile.

"I might go and take Mrs. Gray and Mrs. Morse," said Mrs. Morr. "They
both love music, and since the Grays lost their money, Mrs. Gray doesn't
get out very much. I'll call them up on the telephone and find out,
Roger;" and so it was settled.

But the other ladies could not go, and in the end Mrs. Morr decided to
remain home also. So it was left, the next morning, for the three boys
to go alone.

"I'll take the little four-passenger car," said Roger. "No use in having
the big car for only three."

"Boys, Roger tells me you think of going West," remarked Senator Morr,
who stood near. He was a big man, with a round, florid face and a heavy
but pleasant voice. "Think of trying to locate that lost mine! Is there
anything you lads wouldn't try to do?" And the big man laughed in his
bluff, hearty manner.

"Well, it won't hurt to try it, Senator," replied Dave.

"Not if you keep out of trouble. But I don't want you boys to go to that
neighborhood and get caught in another landslide--not for all the gold
in Montana," and the senator shook his head decidedly.

"Oh, we'll be careful, Dad," burst out Roger. "You know we are always
careful."

"I don't know about that, Roger. Boys are apt to get reckless
sometimes--I used to be a bit that way myself. We'll have to talk this
over again--before it's settled," and then the senator hurried off to
keep his appointment with the other politicians.

In anticipation of the trip, Roger had had the paid chauffeur of the
family go over the four-passenger touring-car with care, to see that
everything was in shape for the run to Lake Sargola. The lake was a
beautiful sheet of water, some eight miles long and half a mile wide,
and at the upper end were located several fine hotels and numerous
private residences.

The boys had decided to go to the lake by a roundabout way, covering a
distance of about forty miles. They left at a little after ten o'clock,
calculating to get to the lake in time for lunch. They would attend the
afternoon concert, take Roger's chum out for a short ride around the
lake road, and then return to Hemson in time for the evening meal.

Roger was at the wheel and it was decided that Dave and Phil should ride
on the back seat, so as to be company for each other. Mrs. Morr came
out on the veranda of the mansion to