At Lehighton, where they stopped for dinner, they determined to drive right through to Mauch Chunk, four miles further on. Many people from the former place did their trading at Mauch Chunk, and the young auctioneers thought they would catch just as much trade by not stopping on the way.
At Mauch Chunk a stop was made for three days, and during that time there were several excursions to the place from New York and Philadelphia, the city folks coming up to see the autumnal beauties of Glen Onoko and the various mountains through which the Switchback gravity road runs. These crowds helped business some, and the stay proved nearly as profitable as the one at Easton had been.
On the first day at Mauch Chunk Matt procured the money order of which he had spoken, and sent 248 it to Ida Bartlett, with a long letter, in which he thanked her for her kindness, and gave her an account of the trip since leaving the metropolis. He stated that if she wished to write to him within the week to address the letter to Wilkesbarre, or, on the following week to Scranton, as they were bound for both places.
During their spare hours both Andy and Matt took the ride on the gravity road and enjoyed it very much. The rhododendrons were out in full bloom, and Matt wished he could send Ida Bartlett a bunch of the beautiful flowers.
They were soon once again on the road. But Billy’s shoes had been carefully attended to, and now they were very careful whenever they came to a spot that looked at all dangerous.
“One scare is enough,” was the way Andy put it, and Matt thoroughly agreed with him.
After leaving Mauch Chunk they passed through Penn Haven and Leslie Run, and so on to White Haven. At the latter place they stopped for two days, but found it very unprofitable, as there was little or no money afloat.
“Well, we have to take the bad with the good,” said Andy, in reply to Matt’s remark concerning the dullness of trade. “We cannot expect to make money wherever we go. If that was to be done, I 249 reckon there would be many other auctioneers in the field.”
“That reminds me: I wonder what has become of those auctioneers we heard of in Bethlehem?”
“I’m sure I don’t know. But it is likely that we will hear from them again, sooner or later.”