At the jail, the forged deed and other papers that were to be used in stealing John Ford’s ranch away from him were found on the prisoners and were filed away to be used against them at the trial.

To one or two of his firm friends, the ranchman introduced Bob, and sincere were their expressions of delight both at meeting him and in knowing that he was to come into his own.  Ford, however, swore them to silence, for there were some of the townsfolk who had supported Dardus in his lawsuit, and neither the ranchman nor Bob wished a word of his presence to leak out till they had perfected their plans for bringing the dishonest guardian to book.

“But your boys know it, John, and so do the prisoners,” asserted one of these friends.

“My boys won’t talk about it,” declared the ranchman.  “I’ll see to that.  If the prisoners do, you all can say the story is absurd, probably another of their plots to steal another ranch.”

This decided, the grizzled plainsman summoned his cowboys, explained the situation briefly, and offered them a year’s wages for their silence, which they promised when Bob added his entreaties.

But to prevent any possible miscarriage of their plans, Bob wrote his discoveries to Mr. Nichols, mailing the letter before he left Red Top.  These details attended to, Ford borrowed a horse for Bob, and they set out for the home ranch, which they reached in due course.

Leaving Merry Dick on Bob’s station, Ford and Bob rode on to Fairfax, where they held a long consultation with the station agent, at which it was decided that Bob and the ranchman should both go on to New York to obtain restitution from Len Dardus.  And, with much hurrying, they prepared to leave Fairfax the next night.

Thomas asked and obtained permission from Mr. Nichols for the east-bound limited to stop at the way-station, and when Higgins and the others saw the ranchman and Bob on the platform, they were consumed with curiosity.

“Kidnappin’ John?” asked Higgins of Bob.

But no satisfaction did he receive, the boy replying: 

“My sentiments about answering questions haven’t changed since the first morning we met, Mr. Higgins.”

And while the others were laughing at their crony’s discomfiture, the train arrived and the two travelers boarded it, with the well wishes of the agent ringing in their ears.

At Kansas City Mr. Nichols joined them, saying he had decided to go on to New York, where they would meet Mr. Perkins, both being determined to bring Bob into his own.

A happy party they made, Bob recounting his experiences, Ford adding his dry comments, and Mr. Nichols enjoying the boy’s development and manliness.

As they were rehearsing the story for the twentieth time, Mr. Nichols asked: 

“Have you learned, Bob, who the man with the scar is?”

“What sort of a scar?” demanded the ranchman, before the boy could answer.  And as Bob described it, he exclaimed: