"Oh, but won't we have the grand times when we get out West!" he said to her.
"I hope so, Dave," she answered. "But——"
"But what, Jessie?" he questioned, as he saw her hesitate.
"I—I can't get that Link Merwell out of my head. I am so sorry his father's ranch is next to that we are going to visit."
"Oh, don't worry. We'll make Link keep his distance," he returned, lightly. Yet it must be confessed that he was just a bit worried himself.
Among the first boys to arrive was Ben Basswood, and he lost no time in calling Phil and Roger aside.
"I don't want to worry Dave or the others," said Ben. "But I think somebody ought to be told."
"Told what?" asked the senator's son.
"About Nat Poole. I got the word from a friend of mine, Joe Devine. Joe was talking with Nat Poole, and he said Nat was very angry at all of us, and angry because Mrs. Wadsworth was giving us the party, especially as he wasn't invited. Joe said Nat intimated that he was going to make the affair turn out a fizzle."
"A fizzle?" queried Phil. "How?"