"Hello, young man! Want a ride?"
Then the boy saw that the man was his uncle's neighbor, Enberry Took. Up to that minute Roger had not the remotest idea of taking a ride, but for some reason he could not explain, he resolved to get into the wagon. He wanted time to think of some new plan. So he nodded in answer to Mr. Took's invitation.
"Whoa, Kate!" called Enberry to his mare, and pulled up opposite Professor Bailey's gate. Roger climbed to the seat, having first wrapped his precious crystals in a piece of paper before placing them in an inside pocket.
"G'lang!" shouted Mr. Took to Kate in a loud voice. "She's a little deef," the driver explained, indicating his mare. "Gittin' wuss, too. Hev t' git her a ear trumpet soon, ef it keeps on. Look kinder queer, wouldn't it, a mare 'ith a ear trumpet?"
"I think it would," replied Roger, smiling at the idea.
"G'lang!" shouted Mr. Took again, and this time the mare started off at a slow pace.
The two rode for a few minutes in silence.
"Nice day," ventured Enberry at length.
"Fine," assented Roger.
"Goin' fer?" went on Mr. Took, flicking a fly from the mare's back.