“I promise you that, Andy, because I know you too well to believe there could be any peace until you have had your way. Yes, and I admit that I can get a lot of enjoyment out of seeing all those foreign things, as well as the more important exhibits in Machinery Hall and such places.”
“Sure thing,” said Andy, with an assumption of great sagacity. “In one case we are shown wonderful development in the world’s progress along the lines of science and commerce; while in the Zone you can see man himself as he appears all over this ball, how he lives, what his forefathers have done for ages and ages in the past, and in fact study human nature. To me that is better than gaping at some machine I never could understand in a lifetime.”
By this time they had reached the shop where arrangements had been made with the obliging proprietor to act as a medium of exchange between the three scouts during their stay. The empty suitcase was disposed of and once more the boys started out to gaze upon some of the myriad strange sights that were to be met with on every hand.
Doubtless Rob took a considerably greater amount of interest in what they viewed during those several hours than did his companion, though now and then Andy managed to display more or less enthusiasm.
It would be utterly impossible to mention the things they saw as they wandered hither and thither about that section of the grounds. Even a guide-book of the Exposition would have to skim over the details, such were the numberless attractions on every hand.
“Getting on toward noon, Rob!” suggested Andy, finally, as he laid a hand on his stomach, as if to call attention to the fact that it was unusually flat.
“And there’s Hiram coming this way, too, as if he was beginning to remember his promise to meet us for lunch. I wonder if we can keep him with us the rest of the day?”
“Not unless you get a rope and tie him,” chuckled Andy, “for he’s clean gone daffy over the line of exhibits he fancies most, and will haunt that part of the Exposition nearly all the time we’re here.”
Hiram caught sight of them about that moment, and hurried over.
“Just on the way to the meeting-place,” he announced. “Knew it was near grub time and wanted to get it over with. Say, they’ve got the greatest lot of things worth while on exhibition over there in the building devoted to inventions you ever saw. And the aviation field is a peach. My stars! but they’re a busy bunch of willing, hustling workers there.”