"I've been promising myself right along that I'd come and see you fellows," said John Franklin. "But somehow I couldn't get around to it. But now that my son and I are going back to Texas I felt I'd have at least to say good-bye and thank you once again for what you fellows did for us."
"And as my father wasn't able to reward you, I thought maybe you wouldn't mind if I made each of you something out of wood with my jackknife," put in Phil Franklin, somewhat awkwardly. "You know, handling a jackknife is one of my specialties," he added, with a grin. "So please accept these with our compliments. You can divide them up to suit yourselves."
He handed over a package done up in a newspaper, and, unfolding this, the Rovers found four articles carved out of hard wood. One was an inkstand, another a miniature canoe, a third an elaborate napkin ring, and the fourth a tray for holding pins and collar buttons.
"Why, those are real fine, Phil," said Jack, as he looked the articles over.
"You don't mean to say you did all of this work with a knife?" questioned Andy admiringly.
"Every bit of it," was the reply.
"They are beautiful," was Randy's comment, after an inspection.
"Better than you could buy in the stores," added Fred.
"I'm pleased to know that you like my son's handiwork," said John Franklin.
"They are real good," said Jack. "But we don't feel like taking these things without giving you something in return," he added hastily.