"That is true. Perhaps we can get cut-rate tickets to Buffalo or Cleveland, and then get a cheap lake trip to Detroit. We can find out about that matter after the letter is written."
The communication to John Hoover was prepared the next morning, immediately after breakfast. Owen insisted that Dale help on the letter, and the result was that Dale wrote one sheet while his chum wrote another. Owen told his uncle what a close friend Dale was, and that they meant to work together in the future. He added that both had worked for Mr. Paxton, and that that lumberman had been equally satisfied with their labors. Dale's letter was more in the nature of an application, and he referred John Hoover to John Larson, Peter Odell, and several others by whom he had been employed.
As the letter was an important one to them, the young lumbermen did not drop it into a box, but took it direct to the post-office. They were just coming from the building when they came face to face with Mrs. Wilbur and her husband.
"Oh, Jefferson, there they are now!" cried Mrs. Wilbur. "How fortunate we are to meet them!"
She caught Dale by the arm and brought him and Owen to a halt, and introduced them. In a minute more Jefferson Wilbur was shaking each by the hand.
"We were trying to hunt you up," said the lumber merchant. "Have you an hour to spare? If you have, I'd like both of you to come over to our hotel with us. I want to talk to you."
"We can spare you all the time you wish," said Owen, with a laugh. "We are out of work just now, so time is no object."
"Yes, I heard Paxton had closed down," replied Jefferson Wilbur. "So you are out, eh? I thought you used to work in one of the sawmills?"
"We did, but they are all full now," said Dale.
The young lumbermen walked to the hotel with the merchant, while Mrs. Wilbur left the party to do a little shopping. The merchant occupied a fine apartment on the second floor front.