CHAPTER XXV
PROFESSOR DUKE’S SECRET
The girls had already returned from the woods and met Uncle Hans, as they called him.
“I got somet’ing by mine trunk in for you young ladies,” said Hans Mueller, with a broad smile. And later on when his trunk arrived he presented each of them with a bottle of the highest grade of olives. He also had some olives for Mrs. Powell, for use on the table.
“I import dem olives myself alreatty yet,” he vouchsafed. “Nopody by Chicago has olives half so goot.”
“I knew you’d be surprised to see Uncle Hans here,” declared Songbird Powell. “And I knew an outing on the ranch would do him a world of good. He has been confining himself too closely to business since he got back from the war.”
“It was grand of you, Uncle Hans, to fight for Uncle Sam,” declared Martha.
“And vhy, I like to know?” demanded Hans Mueller. “Since I come by der United States over I been just such a goot American like anypody.”
“That’s the way to talk, Uncle Hans!” cried Jack, and slapped him on the shoulder.
The next day the young folks took great pleasure in showing Hans Mueller around the place.