here--at least I can't!" he whispered, hoarsely. "I am
going to dust!" And out of the reading-room he glided, and Job Haskers
followed him.

"Where shall we go?" asked the former teacher, his shaking voice showing
how much he was disturbed.

"I don't know--but I won't stay here," returned Merwell. "Have you much
baggage? I have only a Gladstone bag."

"I have a suit-case, that is all."

"Then let us pack up and get out by the back way. We can pay our bills
later. Come on, there is no time to spare!"

CHAPTER VII

A GATHERING OF OAK HALL BOYS

"Well, they are gone, that's certain!"

"Yes, and there is no telling where they went to."

"Must have slipped out by a back way."

"They sure are a slick pair."

It was some time later, and Dave and the other boys stood on the broad
piazza of the hotel discussing the situation.

Following the talk with the observation car agent they had looked into
the reading-room only to discover that Job Haskers and Link Merwell had
vanished. At once they had rushed into the building, looking through the
hallways and other rooms that were open to the general public. Not a
trace of the two evildoers was to be found anywhere. Then they had
consulted the clerk at the desk, and through him had learned that only
Job Haskers was stopping at the place.

"But he has a young friend here, a Mr. Smith--Jackson Smith," the clerk
had told them. And then he had described the fellow called Jackson
Smith, and Dave and his chums had felt assured that it was Link Merwell
under an assumed name. Finally a visit had been paid to the rooms
Haskers and Merwell had occupied, and both had been found vacated, with
the keys sticking in the locks.

"And neither of 'em stopped to pay his bill," the clerk had told them,
mournfully.

"I am not surprised," Dave had answered. "They are a bad pair."

The clerk had wanted to know the particulars, and the boys had told him
as much as they deemed necessary. Then they had come out on the piazza
of the hostelry, wondering what they ought to do next.

"I don't think it is worth while trying to follow them up," said the
senator's son. "If you caught Merwell you would have to appear in court
against him, and you know what a lot of trouble you had appearing
against Jasniff;" and this statement was true.

"Oh, let them go!" cried Phil. "Say," he added, "did you hear what Link
said about bleeding his dad for money? Isn't he the limit!"

"That proves he isn