A term at school had been followed by an exciting chase on the ocean, and then by a trip through the jungle of Africa, whence the Rover boys had gone to find their long-lost father. After this the boys made a trip West to establish their parent's claim to the gold mine just mentioned, and this was followed by a grand trip on the Great Lakes in which the boys suffered not a little at the hands of the Baxters. On an island on one of the lakes the Rover boys found a curious casket and this, on being opened, proved to contain some directions for locating a treasure secreted in the heart of the Adirondack Mountains.
"We must locate that treasure," said Tom Rover, and off they started for the mountains, and did locate it at last, but not before Dan Baxter had done everything in his power to locate it ahead of them. When they finally outwitted their enemy, Dan Baxter had disappeared, and that was the last they had seen of him for some time.
The Rover boys had expected to return to Putnam Hall and their studies immediately after the winter outing in the Adirondacks, but an unexpected happening at the institution of learning made them change their plans. Three pupils were taken down with scarlet fever, and rather than run the risk of having more taken sick, Captain Victor Putnam had closed up the Academy for the time being, and sent the pupils to their homes.
"The boys will have to go to some other school," their Aunt Martha had said, but one and another had murmured at this, for they loved Captain Putnam too well to desert him so quickly.
"Let us wait a few months," had been Dick's suggestion.
"Let us study at home," had come from Sam.
"Let us travel," Tom had put in. "Travel broadens the mind." He loved to be "on the go" all the time.
The matter was talked over for several days, and Tom begged that they might take a trip across the continent and back, using some of the money derived from the old treasure. At last Anderson Rover consented; and two days later the three boys were off, going by way of New York City, on the Chicago Limited. They had spent two days in the great city by the lakes, and then come direct to the Golden Gate city.
"I wonder if we will meet anybody we know while we are out here," said Tom, as the carriage continued on its way.
"If we get down to Santa Barbara I think we'll meet somebody," answered Dick, and he blushed just a trifle. "I got a letter in Chicago, as you know. It was from Dora Stanhope, and she said that she and her mother were traveling again and expected to go either to Santa Barbara or Los Angeles. Her mother is not well again, and the doctor thought the air on the Pacific coast might benefit her."
"Oh, my, but won't Dick have an elegant time, if he falls in with Dora!" cried Sam. "Tom, we won't be in it."
"Now don't you start to tease me," returned Dick, his face redder than ever. "I guess Dora always gave you a good time, too."
"That's right, she did," said Tom. And then he added: "Did she say anything about the Lanings?" For the Laning girls, Nellie and Grace, were cousins to Dora Stanhope, and Tom and Sam thought almost as much of them as Dick did of Dora.
"To be sure she did," replied Dick. "But I guess it's — well, it's a secret."
"A secret!" shouted Sam. "Not much, Dick! Let us in on it at once!"
"Yes, do!" put in Tom.
"But it may prove a disappointment."
"We'll chance it," returned Tom.
"Well then, Dora wrote that if she and her mother could find a nice cottage at Los Angeles or Santa Barbara they were going to invite Nellie and Grace to come out and keep house with them for six months or so."
"Hurrah!" cried Sam enthusiastically. "I hope they come. If they do, won't the six of us just have boss times!" And his face glowed with anticipation.
"We can certainly have good times if Mrs. Stanhope's health will permit," said Dick. "Here we are at the hotel."
He uttered the last words as the carriage came to a stop at the curb. He leaped out and so did the others; and a few minutes later found them safe and sound in the hotel. They were assigned to a large room on the third floor, and hither they made their way, followed by their trunks, and then began to wash and dress up, preparatory to going down to the dining room, for the journeying around since breakfast had made them hungry.
"I think I am going to like San Francisco," said Tom, as he was adjusting a fresh collar and gazing out of the window at the same time. "Everything looks so bright and clean."
"They have some pretty tall buildings here, the same as in Chicago and New York," came from Dick, as he, too, gazed out of the window.
"Oh, all the big cities are a good deal alike," put in Sam, who was drying his face on a towel.
"San Francisco is a mighty rich place," continued Tom. "They are too rich even to use pennies. It's five cents here, or a bit there, or two bits for this and two bits for that. I never heard a quarter called two bits in New York."
"I've been told that is a Southern expression, and one used in the West Indies," said Dick. "The early Californians —— My gracious!"
Dick broke off short and leaned far out of the window, which they had opened to let in the fresh spring air.
"What's up?" queried Tom. "Don't fall out." And he caught his elder brother by the arm.
"I must have been mistaken. But it did look like him," said Dick slowly.
"Look like whom?" asked Sam, joining the pair.
"Dan Baxter."
"Dan Baxter! Here?" shouted the others.
"I am pretty sure it was Dan Baxter."
"Where is he?" asked Tom.
"He is gone now — he just disappeared around the hotel corner."
"Well, if it really was Dan Baxter, we want to keep our eyes open," was Sam's comment.
CHAPTER II
THE TURNING UP OF DAN BAXTER
The boys were very curious concerning their old enemy, and on going below took a walk around several squares in the vicinity, in the hope of meeting the individual who had attracted Dick's attention.
But the search proved unsuccessful, and they returned to the hotel and went to dinner, with a larger appetite than ever.
"It would be queer if we met Dan Baxter out here," said Tom, while they were eating. "He seems to get on our heels, no matter where we go."
"If he came to San Francisco first, he'll think we have been following him up," said Sam.
"He must have come here before we did," said Dick. "Our arrival dates back but three hours," and he grinned.
The meal over the boys took it easy for a couple of hours, and then prepared to go out and visit half a dozen points of interest and also purchase tickets for a performance at one of the leading theaters in the evening.
As they crossed the lobby of the hotel they al most ran into a big, burly young fellow who was coming in the opposite direction.
"Dan Baxter!" ejaculated Dick. "Then I was right after all."
The burly young fellow stared first at Dick and then the others in blank amazement. He carried a dress-suit case, and this dropped from his hand to the floor.
"Whe — where did yo — you come from?" he stammered at last.
"I guess we can ask the same question," said Tom coldly.
"Been following me, have you?" sneered Dan Baxter, making an effort to recover his self-possession.
"No, we haven't been following you," said Sam.
"Supposing you tell us how it happens that you are here?"