"Why, did he know anything of your father's affairs?" exclaimed
Frank Harrington, in astonishment.

"I think so. You see, Arnold Baxter tried to defraud my father
out of some western mining property, and this Buddy Girk was
mixed up in the affair -- how, I don't exactly know."

"I see. By the way, Tom, have you heard anything of your father
yet?"

"Not a word," and Tom's face grew sober. "It does beat all what
has become of him, doesn't it?" he added.

"I should think you would want to go and hunt him up."

"We've talked about that already, but Uncle Randolph, who is our
guardian, thinks it would prove a wild-goose chase. He says the
interior of Africa is a big place to hunt any man in."

"He's right there. But still I would want to hunt for him, even
if I had to go into the very jungles to do it."

"We'll go some day -- unless father turns up," put in Dick
decidedly. "If Uncle Randolph won't go, we'll go alone. But I
would like to meet this Buddy Girk," he continued, after a brief
pause.

The boys had to walk to the corner of the block to get aboard of
a street car, and while waiting there, somewhat in the shadow,
Sam pulled Dick by the coat sleeve.