ached a point that he
could ignore such things, there must surely be a great transformation
taking place in his make-up.

He was brim-full of questions now, eager to learn the thousand-and-one
wrinkles of woodcraft, and expressing his determination to accomplish
wonderful things before many months had passed.

And Thad knew that Smithy would prove a sad disappointment to all
those thirty-seven old maid aunts and cousins who had spoiled him in
the past; for he had suddenly discovered that he had the red blood of
his father running in his veins; and the lure of all outdoors was
beginning to take hold of him. Never again would that boy be satisfied
to sit at the feet of an old lady, and learn how to make fancy-work;
oh! no, after this, the baseball and football fields would claim a
goodly share of his attention; for Smithy was bent on making himself
_manly_, a credit to the father whose name he bore, and who he knew
had once dearly loved to hunt, and fish, and spend his vacations in
the woods, close to Nature, as do all men who are worthy of the name.

Before the time limit which Thad and his chums had set for their stay
in the haunts of the Rockies had fully expired, Aleck and the sheriff,
accompanied by Toby Smathers, and several gentlemen who looked like
financiers, came back. They had no sooner examined the mine than
arrangements were immediately made for forming a company to open it.
There was even talk about running a railroad spur up the valley from
the nearest connection, so that the rich ore might be taken to a
smelter, and stamping mills; though possibly it would be decided as an
easier proposition to bring these things to the mine.

And so, one fine day, the Silver Fox Patrol of Cranford Troop of Boy
Scouts said good-bye to Aleck and several others who had become their
friends since arriving in that region, where the massive Rockies
reared their snow-capped heads toward the blue skies, far outreaching
the clouds at times.

Toby Smathers was to go back with them as far as the nearest town on
the railroad; and then he expected to return to the mine, having been
offered a splendid position by the company. Aleck meant to go down and
see his mother and sisters presently, when he could keep away no
longer; and pour into their laps some of the first proceeds from the
now newly-discovered, but long-hidden silver mine.

And later on Thad had long letters from the Western boy, in which he
fully described the happin