“You must also be careful to whom you speak on the train.  Under no conditions mention anything about the money you have with you.  A lot of people, when they have any substantial sum, either like to show it In some way or to talk about it, and then, if they happen to be robbed of it, they wonder.  Remember you can’t recognize a thief by his clothes, and lots of the slickest of them travel about the country.”

With this and other advice Mr. Alden counseled his sons, and so interested did they become in what he told them about the country of which they were soon to have their first glimpse that they were in Olmsted almost before they knew it.

Going first to the bank, Mr. Alden drew out the money for his sons, obtained a letter of credit for himself and then arranged to purchase his steamship tickets in Pittsburg, whither all four travelers were going together.

When they reached home Mrs. Alden had finished her packing and all was practically ready for the start on the morrow.

After supper the farmer and his wife drove to Bramley to say good-by to their friends, but the two chums decided to stay at home.

Eager to be on their way, it seemed to Larry and Tom that the hours never passed so slowly.  They tried to read, but in place of the print on the pages pictures of cowboys and bucking bronchos danced before their eyes, and they soon shut their books.

“Wish we’d gone with father and mother,” exclaimed Tom.  “It’s more stupid here than saying good-by.”

But scarcely were the words out of his mouth when the door opened and in came an old friend named Silas Haskins, a former gold miner.

“I got to go to Husted to-morrow, so I came over to-night to say ‘so long,’” he said in explanation of his call.

Cordially the boys made him welcome, and the time passed quickly when they had led Silas round to talking about his adventures in the far West.

When at last the gold miner rose to go he said: 

“I brung some presents for you.  They’ll be useful in the West.”

And from his pockets Silas drew forth two fine big jackknives and two long pieces of thong.

“They’re both the same, so you won’t need to quarrel about ’em,” he smiled as he handed their presents to each.

The boys were deeply touched by such evidence of friendship from their aged friend and were profuse in their thanks when he again put his hands in his pockets and produced two little bags made of buckskin and attached to a stout strip of the same strong material.

“I don’t know how you’re intending to carry your money,” he began, “but——­”

“Why in our pockets,” interrupted Larry.

“That’s just what I supposed,” grunted the old gold miner.  “Now I want you to put it in these two bags and hang ’em round your necks.  There can’t no one get to ’em without waking you up nor take ’em without giving you a chance to fight.”