“I can’t say that I like that train particularly,” Andy heard Brooks remark to the second clerk after their own business was concluded. “I traveled on it once and the accommodations were punk. I think I’ll ask one of my friends what train he took. He said he had the finest accommodations he had ever struck.”
With the railroad tickets and the sleeping car coupons in an envelope in his pocket, Jack and his cousins prepared to leave the agency. As they did this, Joe Brooks turned to shake hands, smiling as he did so.
“I’m very glad to have met you,” he said. “I’ll mention it to Fatty Hendry when I see him this fall. I suppose you know Fatty has gone up into Canada.”
“Yes, I know that,” answered Jack.
“Hope you’ll have a nice trip when you do go to Chicago,” put in Fred, who felt that he ought to be nice to any friend of Fatty’s, who had always been a good chum.
“Oh, it’s only a business trip. I sha’n’t be in Chicago very long. I’ve got to come back to Buffalo and then go to Toronto,” answered Brooks, and then, bowing and smiling, he walked off and disappeared into the crowd.
“It’s the funniest thing, but I can’t remember that fellow at all,” remarked Jack.
“I remember the fellow who was at the football game—the chap with the stiff neck,” said Andy. “But, somehow, this fellow doesn’t look exactly like he did. That fellow had more of a round face.”
“Well, he seemed to know us all right enough—and he certainly must know Fatty and Ned Lowe,” remarked Randy.