Merry thought it best to go slow in the matter until a reply had been received to the report which he had sent to his father.

Six days or a week would be required in forwarding a letter to Bloomfield and receiving a letter in reply.
Meanwhile four days had elapsed, and Borrodaile had dropped completely out of sight.
Knowing the professor to be inexperienced in business affairs, Merriwell had begun to worry about him.

There were unscrupulous men in plenty who would not hesitate to take advantage of him with the idea of securing his very valuable mining claim.

The telephone message from Mr.
Bradlaugh, therefore, was quite disturbing.
"Ah, ha!" exclaimed Ballard, when Merriwell reported the professor missing from Gold Hill, "so you think there's nothing in that dream of mine, eh?
This news from Gold Hill shows that it amounts to something." "What the mischief do you think is going on, Chip ?" asked Clancy.
"I'm up in the air and haven't an idea," replied Frank.
"Mr.Bradlaugh asked me to come over to his office in town for a conference." "We'll have to hit the golden trail," declared Ballard, "and run it out to a finish.

We've got to be mighty quick about it, too, or there's no telling what will happen to the old prof." "Show us your nuggets as big as washtubs, Pink," grinned Clancy, "and I'm willing to begin to sprint." "The dream was only a warning.