Eddie Rowland did not mind that at all. He was willing to go half way, and able to go the rest of the way if necessary. A stranger to Eddie meant a territory to explore, a new country to travel. So he proceeded to explore Marion, to that young man’s great surprise. He liked it. He liked the way Eddie scorned the name Marion and called him Dee, introducing him as such to the other fellows in the neighborhood. He liked the incidental way in which Eddie treated Marion’s halting excuses for not asking any of the boys to his great gloomy house.
“I should worry!” said Eddie airily. “Beats the deuce how a fellow’s folks cut up sometimes! Wish you could have seen my father once when I brought home a goat. Dandy little one, just a baby. I was going to feed it with a bottle. I only paid a quarter for it, and a dime for the bottle. I got the bottle cheap off Skinny Tweeters. It was one their baby had, but Skinny said she had two, three other ones, so he let me have it cheap. Well, say, Dee, you would have thought I had brought an elephant the way dad cut up! I had to give it away, and lost the quarter, and Skinny wouldn’t take the bottle back either. Said their baby wouldn’t eat after a goat. Such airs! What would she know about it? Huh? Gee, I think you are lucky, myself, to get out all you want to except being home to take your dad out for a walk. Just you come along with me, and you will get to know all the fellows in two shakes. It’s a dandy crowd up here on Confederate Place. Why, trouble is the boys think you are proud.”
“Proud!” said Dee with a groan. “Why, Rowland, I am crazy to know the fellows.”
“Then that’s all there is about it,” said Eddie. “Can you play tennis?”
Dee could and would play tennis, and showed himself such a general good sort that Eddie sang his praises loudly.
It was nearly supper time on the great day of the founding of the Wireless Club before Eddie had time to go down to Dee’s house and whistle. Dee came out immediately, cap and slicker in hand.
“That’s right!” Eddie sang out. “Got something important to tell you.” He hurried him up the street to Bill’s and they went running up to the club room, looking better than ever in the fading light. Dee was crazy over the idea.
“What are you going to do for lights?” he asked.
“Don’t know,” said Bill. “I suppose we will have to meet in the house at night, because I don’t think dad will like the idea of a coal oil lamp.”
“Well, here is where I come in,” said Dee with a sigh of genuine pleasure. “If there is one thing I can do, it is wire for electricity. In Chicago I had a license.”