“Any old place I hang my hat is home sweet home to me,” was the answer.
“Have you enough to pay for your lodging to-night?”
“Sure thing. You can’t reward me, my boy, for a little favor. I’ll see you at the game to-morrer. Good night and pleasant dreams.”
Then, although they called to him, the singular tramp hurried away and quickly disappeared in the darkness.
CHAPTER V
THE DOPE WORKS.
In Rockford the dinner hour came at midday, and the island boys ate heartily, all being in good spirits, for they believed, with Dick on the slab, there was an excellent prospect of defeating the locals that day. Being permitted to gorge himself with custard pie, Obediah Tubbs was unusually jolly and chipper.
An hour later, as Dick was donning his uniform in his room, Buckhart appeared, having already changed his clothes.
“Pard,” said the Westerner, as he came in and dropped limply on a chair, “there sure is something the matter with me. Never before felt so blamed lifeless and inert in all my career.”
“Perhaps you ate too much,” suggested Dick.