It was all very interesting to Tubby, who asked many questions when he thought Rob was holding back certain facts that had a direct bearing on the narrative.
“You see, my uncle has gone up to Portland for a week or more on business,” Tubby told them. “He left me to enjoy myself at the Exposition as I pleased. I’m not going around in my scout clothes, but I’ve got the khaki suit at the hotel; and now that I’ve met you fellows, of course, I mean to wear it right along, even if I astonish the natives.”
“Oh, boys wearing khaki are such a common sight these days!” Rob told him in a consoling way, “that you’d not be apt to attract any person’s attention, even if you are stouter than any other scout going.”
“Yes, I’ve met quite a few of the boys and chatted with them, too,” admitted Tubby. “You see, I always make it a point to wear my badges under my coat even if I am in mufti—is that what they call it, Rob, when a military officer dresses in civilian garb? Yes, the scouts are everywhere, and it doesn’t surprise you one bit when you see a couple of them taking part in a camel race, as I did.”
Having finished their explanations, and urged on by the impatient Andy, the little party began to make the rounds of the amusement zone. It was laid out on such an extensive scale that one could hardly expect to do it justice in one afternoon; indeed, Andy announced that he anticipated putting in a full week there, taking in the sights, and feasting his eyes on the wonders that had been collected from the four corners of the earth for this special occasion.
“Here’s where we can see in miniature what some of us have actually looked on before when building—the working of the great Panama Canal,” announced Tubby, as they arrived at the panorama section. “Shall we pay and take chairs on the moving platform for a trip around?”
Of course there was not a dissenting voice, for they were boys, and had plenty of spare change and wanted to see all the sights, at least once.
After that nothing would do for Andy but that they must embark on the train for a trip through the Grand Canyon of the Colorado, which was well executed with regard to color effects so as to excite their ardent admiration.
“I was sorely tempted to take that side trip on the way here,” Rob confessed. “We could have done it easily enough, but you see I didn’t know what to do with that priceless stuff we had charge of for Professor McEwen. I couldn’t carry it on mule back, and didn’t dare leave it behind at the hotel. Besides, we promised him we wouldn’t linger on the way going, but do all our sight-seeing coming back.”
“I’m going to fix it with uncle,” asserted Tubby eagerly, “so that I can hold on with you fellows if he has to return sooner, or by another route. I believe I’d enjoy seeing the Selkirks up in Canada first-rate, ’cause I’ve heard a lot about that wonderful scenery.”