"Mebbe dad and ma may need me and my money a lot; but Janice is going to need me first—of course she is. She can't go clear 'way down there to Mexico alone." Which shows that Marty shared the general masculine feeling that, being "only a girl," Janice could not really carry out her intention. "She's got to have a man along whether she thinks she needs one or not. And, hi tunket! I'm going to be it."
Marty, however, was not altogether visionary. He had made it his business to find out about what it would cost to get to the Border, and he realized he must have money for other expenses besides his car fare.
On returning the motorcycle to the civil engineer he took his courage in both hands and said:
"Mr. Bowman, would you do me a great favor?"
"I think so, Marty. What is it?" returned Frank, smiling into the freckled, perspiring face of the boy. "Want to borrow my dress suit or a hundred dollars?"
"The hundred dollars," Marty told him gaspingly.
"You don't mean it!"
"Yes, sir; I do. And I can't tell you what I want it for, nor for how long I'm going to need it. But I'll pay it back."
"Marty," said his friend, "I've got only seventy-five dollars handy. Will that do?"
"It'll haf to."