What made the letter of especial interest to the professor was the fact that it gave the location of a ledge of gold, not far from the old Happenchance placerings.
A bee began buzzing in the professor's bonnet.

It was this: He would get out of the world; in the old, lost camp he would recover his health by living the primitive life.

Also, being next of kin to his late nephew, he would find and possess himself of the ledge of gold.
Some months after Professor Borrodaile had put his plan into execution, young Merriwell received a letter from his father, in Bloomfield, rather mysteriously requesting him to pay a visit to the lost town of the Picket Posts and to report at length upon anything he might find in the only habitable building of the camp.

Aided by a prospector named Nick Porter, Frank and his chums visited Happenchance and there found the professor.

They had adventures in helping the professor get his location notice on file, and only Merry's fleetness of foot and good judgment saved a prospective bonanza mine for Borrodaile.
Very strangely the professor had left Ophir for Gold Hill not many hours after he had come with Frank and his friends from Gold Hill to Ophir.
The youngsters were not his guardians, however, and did not feel authorized to interfere too much in his affairs.