“Look! Look!” cried Fred. “See that man with the big panama hat? Am I mistaken or is that really Uncle Hans Mueller?”
Jack gave a quick look and so did the others, including Tom Rover.
“Gee, it’s Uncle Hans, all right enough!” exclaimed Andy. He rapped on the window. “Hello there!” he called out through the screen. “Hello there, Uncle Hans!”
The man on the platform started and turned around in bewilderment.
“Hello there, Uncle Hans! Don’t you see us?” broke in Fred, knocking on another window.
“Py chimminy Christmas!” gasped Hans Mueller, for it was really he. “If it don’t be dem Rofer poys! What do you know apout dat!”
“Are you going to take this train?” questioned Tom.
“Hello der, Dom! You der too, eh? Yes, I was going to takes dis train by Chicago on. I was waiting till dey start already. Dey got five minutes here. But now I comes on board quick right avay,” went on Hans Mueller, and then disappeared in the direction of a spot where the door to the steps of one of the vestibules of the cars was open.
As my old readers know, Hans Mueller had been a chum of the older Rovers when they had attended Putnam Hall. He was of German extraction, but during the World War had proven his American patriotism in a marked degree. After leaving school he had settled in Chicago, and was now the owner of a chain of well-known delicatessen stores. He was without family, and had always insisted that the Rover boys and girls call him uncle.