"Oh, we'll attend to him, never fear," answered Roger Morr.
"Has anybody heard from Plum?" questioned Sam, during a lull in the conversation.
"I got a letter from him," answered Dave, seeing that nobody else replied. "He is afraid he is going to have a hard time of it to reform. I hope you fellows will treat him as well as you can."
"I shall," said the senator's son, and several nodded.
"I think I have always treated him better than he deserved," said Shadow Hamilton. He could not forget what serious trouble the former bully of Oak Hall had once caused him, when Doctor Clay's valuable collection of postage stamps had disappeared.
It had been snowing slightly since morning, and now the flakes began to come down thicker than ever. As a consequence the engineer of the train could not see the signals ahead and had to run slowly, so that when the Junction was gained, where the boys had to change for Oakdale, they were half an hour late.
"We've missed the connection and must remain here for just an hour and a quarter," declared Dave, after questioning the station master. "We can't get to Oak Hall until after dark."
"I move we have something to eat," said Roger. "A sandwich, a piece of mince-pie, and a cup of hot chocolate wouldn't go bad."
"Second the commotion!" cried Ben. "All in favor raise their left ear."
"Which puts me in mind of a story," said Shadow. "Two men went to a restaurant and ordered——"