“Oh, Dad!” cried Ned, his eyes shining as he hurriedly arose from his chair. “Let the sleuth go! As for the stealing of your cattle, we’ll stop it!”
“Who’ll stop it?” repeated Mr. Slade, as if in a daze.
“We’ll stop it, Dad! We were just wondering where we’d spend our summer vacation and now we know. It will be out on your Square Z ranch solving the mystery of the cattle thieves among the cowboys! Hurrah, fellows! Off for the West once again!”
[CHAPTER V]
LAST DAYS AT BOXWOOD
Mr. Slade glanced across the room at his friend Mr. Baker. The latter returned the look, and, had one observed carefully, he might have seen the shadow of a wink pass between the two men. Then Mr. Slade slowly, but with an evident air of firmness, shook his head.
“What is it?” asked his son.
“I’m sorry, Ned; but we can’t consider your proposition—not for an instant.”
“You mean you won’t let us go out to the ranch to try our luck at discovering the cattle rustlers?”