CHAPTER II
THE TURNING UP OF DAN BAXTER
The boys were very curious concerning their old enemy, and on goingbelow took a walk around several squares in the vicinity, in the hopeof meeting the individual who had attracted Dick's attention.
But the search proved unsuccessful, and they returned to the hoteland went to dinner, with a larger appetite than ever.
"It would be queer if we met Dan Baxter out here," said Tom, whilethey 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 followinghim up," said Sam.
"He must have come here before we did," said Dick. "Our arrivaldates back but three hours," and he grinned.
The meal over the boys took it easy for a couple of hours, and thenprepared to go out and visit half a dozen points of interest and alsopurchase tickets for a performance at one of the leading theaters inthe evening.
As they crossed the lobby of the hotel they almost 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 inblank amazement. He carried a dress-suit case, and this dropped fromhis 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 effortto recover his self-possession.
"No, we haven't been following you," said Sam.
"Supposing you tell us how it happens that you are here?"
"Suppose you tell us how it happens that you are here," came from Dick.
"That is my business."
"Our business is our own, too, Dan Baxter."
"You followed me," growled the big bully, his face darkening. "I knowyou and don't you forget it."
"Why should we follow you?" said Tom. "We got the best of you overthat treasure in the Adirondacks."
"Oh, you needn't blow. Remember the old saying, 'He laughs best wholaughs last.' I aint done with you yet--not by a long shot."
"Well, let me warn you to keep your distance," said Dick sternly."If you don't, you'll regret it. We have been very easy with you inthe past, but if you go too far, I, for one, will be for putting youwhere your father is, in prison."
"And I say the same," said Tom.
"Ditto here," came from Sam.
At these words a look of bitter hatred crossed Dan Baxter's face. Heclenched his fists and breathed hard.
"You can brag when you are three to one," he cried fiercely. "Butwait, that's all. My father would be a free man if it wasn't for you.Wait, and see what I do!"
And so speaking he caught up his dress-suit case, swung around onhis heel, and left the hotel before anybody could stop him.
"He's the same old Baxter," said Tom, with a long sigh. "Always goingto square up."
"I think he is more vindictive than he used to be," observed Sam."When Dick spoke about his father being in prison he looked as if hewould like to strangle the lot of us."
"Well, I admit it would be rough on any ordinary boy to mention thefact that his father was in prison," said Dick. "But we all know,and Dan Baxter himself knows, that one is about as wicked as theother. The only thing that makes Arnold Baxter's case worse is thathe is old enough to know better."
"So is Dan old enough to know better," was Tom's comment.
"I believe he was coming here to get accommodations," said Dick.
"If he was, that would tend to prove that he had just arrived in SanFrancisco, Dick."
"True. But he may have been in this vicinity, perhaps in Oakland,Alameda, or some other nearby town."
"What do you suppose could have brought him here?"
"That's a conundrum. Maybe he thought the East was getting too hotto hold him."
"I wish we knew where he was going."
"Let us see if we can follow him up."
But to follow Dan Baxter up was out of the question, as they speedilydiscovered when they stepped out on the sidewalk. People were hurryingin all directions, and the bully had been completely swallowed up inthe crowd.
"We must watch out," said Dick. "Now he knows we are here he willtry to do us harm, mark my words."
The walk that afternoon proved full of interest, and in the eveningthey went to see a performance of a light opera at the ColumbiaTheater. The performance gave them a good deal of pleasure.
"Quarter past eleven!" exclaimed Dick, when they were coming away."That's the time we got our money's worth."
"I thought it must be late," said Tom. "I was getting hungry. Let usget a bite of something before we go back to the hotel."
The others were willing, and they entered a nearby restaurant andseated themselves at one of the tables. As they did this, a personwho had been following them stopped at the door to peer in afterthem. The person was Dan Baxter.
"They are going to dine before retiring," he muttered to himself."The Old Nick take the luck! They have all the good times, while Ihave only the bad!"
Dan Baxter had followed the boys from the hotel to the theater andhad also waited around for them to come out. He wanted to "squareup" with them, but had no definite plan of action, and was trustingto luck for something to turn up in his favor.
He had drifted to the West for a double reason. The one was, as theboys had surmised, because the East seemed to be getting too hot tohold him. His second reason was that he hoped to get passage on somevessel bound for Sydney, Australia. He had a distant relative inAustralia, and thought that if he could only see that relativepersonally he might be able to get some money. He was nearly out offunds, and so far the relative, although rich, had refused to sendany money by mail or express.
"They have everything they want, while I have nothing," he went onsavagely. "And they don't deserve it, either. Oh, how I wish I couldwring their necks for 'em!"
Suddenly an idea struck him and without waiting for the boys to comeout of the restaurant he hopped on board of a street car running inthe direction of the Oakland House. Entering the hotel office heasked to look at the register.
"Room 324," he said to himself. "That is on the third floor, I suppose,since they generally start a new hundred for every floor. Wonder ifI can get up without being noticed?"
He watched his chance, and slipping past the bell boys, made his wayup the stairs, which, on account of the elevators, were but littleused. In a few minutes he was in front of the door to Room 324. Hetried it cautiously, to find it locked.
"Now if only the keys will work," he muttered, breathing hard, andtaking a bunch of keys from his pocket he tried them, one after another.
He had tried four keys without success, when he saw a waiter approachingwith a trayful of good things for a late supper in a nearby apartment.At once he moved away down the hallway and did not return until theservant had disappeared from view.
He had five other keys and the third fitted the lock, although rathercrudely; so crudely in fact that once the lock bolt was turned thekey could not be withdrawn.
"That's bad," he thought. "But as it cannot be helped I'll have tomake the best of it. I mustn't stay here too long," and going intothe room he closed the door after him.
There was a faint light burning at one of the gas jets and this heturned up, and pulled down the shades of the windows. Then he gazedswiftly around the large room, noting the boys' trunks and travelingbags and several articles of wearing apparel scattered about.
"Oh, if only I can find what I am after," he muttered. "But more thanlikely they carry their money with them, or else they left it at thehotel office."
All of the trunks and traveling bags were locked, and to force thetrunks open seemed at first impossible. One of the traveling bagswas slit open with a sharp pocket-knife the bully carried and thecontents emptied on one of the beds.
"Not much that I want," muttered
Dan Baxter, as he gazed at thecollection. Then a jewel case caught his eye and he opened it. "Adiamond stud and a diamond scarf pin! Not so bad, after all!" And hetransferred the jewelry to his pocket.
A second later he came upon a bunch of keys. They proved to belongto the trunks and bags, and soon he had the trunks open and thecontents scattered in all directions. Then he went down on his knees,examining everything brought to light.
It must be confessed that he was in a fever of excitement. The Roverboys might return at any moment, and he knew full well that to becaught would mean a term in prison. He kept his ears on the alertwhile his heart thumped loudly within his bosom.
"A pocketbook at last!" he cried softly, and snatched it up. One lookshowed him a, small pile of five and ten-dollar bills, exactly twohundred and seventy-five dollars in all. Then he found another jewelcase, and from it extracted a second diamond stud and a pair of veryfine cuff buttons.
"That is all I guess I can get," he muttered, as he stood up. "ButI might as well take a new outfit while I am at it," he added, andpicked up several articles of wearing apparel. These he stuffed inone of the bags which had not been cut, and around it put a small strap.
Tiptoeing his way to the door, he opened it and listened. Nobody waswithin hearing or sight. But as he stepped out, the waiter he hadbefore seen came once more into view, this time carrying a tray withsome bottles and a box of cigars. The waiter eyed him curiously again,but said nothing.
"Too bad he saw me, but it can't be helped," thought Dan Baxter, andmade his way downstairs with all possible speed. Once in the lowerhall he lost no time in gaining the street. In another moment he wasswallowed up in the darkness of the night.