“I’m afraid you do not care much to have Master Hockley along,” he said, slowly.
“Oh, I reckon we can get along,” answered Darry, after the others had failed to speak.
“It is unfortunate that you are not all the best of friends. But Hockley asked me about the trip a long while ago and when it came to the point I could not see how I could refuse him. Besides that, I was thinking that perhaps the trip would do him good. I trust you will treat him fairly.”
“Of course we’ll do that,” said Mark, slowly.
“I guess there won’t be any trouble,” said Frank, but deep in his heart he feared otherwise.
“Hockley has not had the benefits of much traveling,” continued the professor. “And traveling broadens the mind. The trip will do us all good.”
They were soon on their way to Fourteenth Street, and then Broadway, and at several stores the professor purchased the articles he had put down on his list. The boys all helped to carry these back to the hotel. On arriving they found Jake Hockley sitting in the reception room awaiting them.
The face of the lank youth fell when he saw that they had been out on a tour without him. “I’d been up earlier if you had sent me word,” he said to the professor. “I suppose I’ve got to get a lot of things myself, haven’t I?”
“You have your clothing, haven’t you?—I mean the list I sent to you?”
“Yes, sir.”