"Oh!" uttered Frank vaguely.

"If you hadn't acted so sensible and handsomely," proceeded Dan, "I
wouldn't talk with you at all. You've got me sort of chummy, though. I like
you. I don't suppose there's any harm in telling you that it's a lawyer
you're going to see. He'll explain the business to you."

"What is the business?" persisted Frank.

"Bless me if I know," declared Dan. "We were to do something--get you. We
were to take you somewhere--we do it. After that we're paid off, and that's
our end of it."

Frank did some thinking and surmising; but he could only theorize. He saw
that now he was in the mix-up he must see it through.

How far they traveled in the next eight hours he could only guess at. The
vehicle had two horses attached; they were pretty good travelers, and the
road was a smooth and level one and in excellent condition.

A little after dark the team halted, and Jem went to some place near by and
bought some doughnuts. He gave them to Dan, who divided up with Frank. Then
Frank went to sleep, awoke, and went to sleep again on the heap of blankets
in the bottom of the wagon, to be aroused by Dan shaking his arm vigorously
and saying:

"Wake up, youngster."

"What time is it?" inquired Frank.