“I think traveling around has done us both a deal of good, Matt. I feel stronger than I have in years, and you look the picture of health, barring those bruises you received from Barberry and his companions.”
“Oh, I feel fine! Outdoor life always did agree with me. When I was in Fenton’s offices I felt very much like a prisoner in a jail. I wouldn’t go back to that life again for the world!”
Thus the talk ran on, from one subject to another. Andy had given his young partner the full particulars of his own roving life, and in return Matt had related everything concerning himself, and the two felt as if they had known each other for years; in fact, as Matt once stated later on, they were more like brothers than mere partners in business.
Andy was deeply interested in the fact of Mr. Lincoln’s disappearance, and he wondered nearly as much as did Matt himself if the unfortunate man would ever turn up again.
As for the boy, he could not bring himself to believe that his parent was dead, and although he rarely mentioned his father’s name, he was constantly on the watch for him, and often when they were stopping at a place he would go off on what he termed a “still hunt,” hoping thereby to pick up a stray bit of information which would put him on the right track to learn of his father’s whereabouts.
The drive up through Walnut Port to Lehigh Gap was very nice. At the latter place they stopped over night, and then pushed on to Lehighton, sometimes along the river, and then by way of a road through and around the mountains.
“This scenery is just grand!” cried Matt, as they were driving on about ten o’clock in the forenoon. 243 “Just look at that mountain over yonder! And see how the river winds along through the valley below here!”
“It is very fine, indeed!” returned Andy. “But I’ll tell you what: I would rather be on horseback than in the wagon. It seems to me that some of the bends around the mountain side are positively dangerous.”
“Oh, I guess not, Andy. Why, look, there is a regular wagon road. If other wagons can pass along here, I fancy we can do so, too.”