“Though it might be to any other station that happened to enter his head,” chuckled Jerry to his chums.
However, they found that for once, at least, Uriah Snodgrass had had his wits about him, and the trunk was waiting for him. Engaging an expressman to take it to Jerry’s house, the boys found themselves without any special plan in view until supper time. Jerry had invited Ned and Bob to eat supper with him, when they could again meet their friend, the scientist.
“What say we go out to the place where the farmhouse was on fire?” suggested Ned, as they walked along. “I’d like to see that old miner again. We can tell him we’re about ready to go out West ourselves, and as he said he was going back, we might meet him out in Montana.”
“Yes,” agreed Jerry, “we might. Let’s go.”
They were not far from Ned’s house, and as he owned a small car they piled into that and were soon approaching the burned house. Carpenters were at work repairing the damages of the fire, and limping about in the yard, watching them, was Bill Cromley.
“Hello, boys!” he cordially greeted them as they alighted. “Glad to see you! Just had some friends of yours here about an hour ago.”
“Friends of ours?” asked Ned, wondering whether Professor Snodgrass had been out after bugs.
“Yes. In fact, I think they’re here yet. They came to get some potatoes of my sister. She’s having one of the men dig them. Yes, there they are! They came in an auto, same as you did.”
Bill Cromley pointed down a lane that bordered a potato field in which a man was digging. Standing near the fence, alongside of which a car was drawn up, were two lads. At the sight of them the Motor Boys uttered exclamations of surprise, and Jerry said: