“Oh, no, my dear! Never mind! Bring me some soft-boiled eggs!”
With a look of relief on her face at having received an order which she could understand, the girl hastened toward the kitchen, followed by the smiles of the boys.
“I’ll say you picked a good one, Chunky,” remarked Jerry, after a most bounteous breakfast. “Best little waitress we ever struck.”
“I’m coming here again on our way back,” Bob said. “She gave me more maple syrup than I ever had with cakes before.”
“Yes, and you’ve got a generous sample of it on your face now!” teased Ned, as the fat lad made hasty use of his napkin.
They settled their bill at the hotel and were again on their way. Inquiry gave them information about concrete roads where they could make good time and not be in danger of being mired because of the mud.
There was no trace of the Nixon crowd, and for this the boys were glad, though Jerry said no one could tell when the bully might bob up on their trail.
The plan of the Motor Boys was to proceed to Albany, and then take the Mohawk Valley trail to Buffalo. From there they would go to Cleveland and so to Chicago.
This program was followed, and aside from the usual incidents and accidents of travel—once getting a puncture and again getting on the wrong road—little of moment occurred until they reached Buffalo. There Jerry found something wrong with the motor of his car, and they had to lay over a day until repairs could be made.
It was in Buffalo that they again got a trace of Noddy Nixon. They stopped at the Statler Hotel and, as a special favor, Professor Snodgrass promised not to ask the waitresses or waiters about any strange specimens he might desire.