Nelse seemed not averse to accommodating the boys but Jake suggested:
“Mr. Mackworth don’t get up very early and breakfast will be late. If you young gentlemen will go into the end room, I’ll bring you some coffee in a few minutes. And how would you like your eggs?”
It was apparent that Jake knew what he and Nelse were engaged to do. While the boys were at their coffee the train drew out of the southern suburbs and, after skirting the blue waters of Lake Michigan for twenty minutes, came to a grinding stop in a big open train shed. Mr. Mackworth, yet in his pajamas, appeared almost at once.
“Well, boys,” he exclaimed, “I see you have a good start on us. We’ll be in Chicago until ten o’clock to-night. You can take the day to do as you like. The car will be in this depot until six o’clock this evening when it will be switched around the city to the Union Station. After six thirty this evening you’ll find the car there. In the meantime you can amuse yourselves. Captain Ludington, Lord Pelton and I will be at the Blackstone Hotel all day and dine there to-night. If you want a little shore fare you can join us at any time. Or, if you prefer, you can have your meals on the car. By the way, is there anything you want? That reminds me,” he went on, dismissing Jake under the pretext of bringing him a cup of coffee, “I may as well advance you some money. What are you young men going to charge me for your services?”
“I’m not going to charge anything,” exclaimed Phil. “I’m overpaid already.”
“He wants a gun,” broke in Frank. “Father told me if I let you give me a cent he’d lick me when I got back.”
“How much of a licking could you stand for, say, three hundred dollars?” asked Mr. Mackworth chuckling, “for I think that’ll be about the figure—one hundred dollars a week.”
“Well,” answered Frank with a grin. “I’ve stood a good many for nothin’ and I ought to stand a dandy for three hundred dollars, but I guess I won’t take any pay. Say,” he added in a whisper, “give it all to Phil. He can use it and I don’t need it.”
“Phil,” he said, “you’ll have to accept wages or leave us. I can’t let you quit your work for nothing.”
“I get eighteen dollars a week when I’m at work,” answered Phil. “If I have to take anything that’ll be enough.”