Thereupon the four men took a rickety elevator to the fourth floor of the hotel. They entered one of the rooms they had engaged and all sat down to hear what Brooks had to say.
“They’re going straight to Maporah first,” said the young man. “From there they are to take horses to Gold Hill Falls. After that the boys expect to have a good time on Sunset Trail. They did not know exactly where they would stay, but thought it would be in some place engaged by a miner named Lew Billings.”
“Lew Billings!” exclaimed one of the other men. “I know him, all right enough!”
“He’s one of the foremen at the Rolling Thunder mine, isn’t he, Tate?” questioned Davenport.
“Yes,” answered Tate.
“We know all about Sunset Trail,” put in the other man of the party. “Tate and I have gone over it many a time.”
“Well, that ought to help a whole lot, Jackson,” returned Davenport, with satisfaction. “It’s just the place to put through a deal like we have in mind, isn’t it?”
“Sure thing!” answered Jackson. “Couldn’t be better. Let us once lay our hands on those kids, and I’ll defy anybody to get ’em away from us.”
“The main thing is to keep out of their sight until our trap is sprung,” went on Carson Davenport. “We mustn’t let them know what we’re doing. But once let me get my hands on those boys, and I’ll guarantee that I’ll make their fathers pony up good and plenty,” he added, his eyes gleaming wickedly.