“We’d like to have you come,” said Jerry, “but your folks said you could go no farther, and we have agreed to leave you here and take Mr. Nestor. So we have to keep our word.”
Andy agreed that this was right, but the galvanic youth certainly did hate to part from his friends. The three chums put up at the Grand Hotel, and Mr. Wakefield, after some parting words of advice, left them, as he had some business to transact. He said he did not expect to see them again before he returned to Cresville, and wished them all sorts of good luck.
“What’s the first thing to do?” asked Bob, when the boys found themselves alone in their hotel rooms.
“Wire home that we are safe and ask if we can go farther West,” suggested Jerry. “But don’t say anything about the miner. He may not show up, and they’ll laugh at us if they find that we have been fooled.”
The wires were soon busy with messages from each of the three boys.
A day of anxious waiting ensued. Then, on the second afternoon the bellboy brought three yellow envelopes to their rooms. With trembling fingers the boys tore the missives open.
“Hurrah! I can go!” cried Jerry.
“So can I!” exclaimed Ned.
“Me, too!” put in Bob.
The boys executed an impromptu war-dance in their delight.