"I was having quite an argument with him," said Mr. Switzer, speaking "United States," as he walked back to the station with Paul.
"Wouldn't he let you go on board?"
"No. Took me for an English spy, I guess. But I know one of der officers, and I thought I'd have time for a chat with him."
"Mr. Pertell is in a hurry," said the young actor.
"Well, if we miss this train there's another."
"Not until to-morrow, and he wants to start the rehearsals the first thing in the morning."
"Ach! Den dat's differunt alretty yet again, wasn't it so?" and Mr. Switzer winked at the admiring newsboy, and tossed him a quarter, with the advice to get a pretzel and use it for a watch charm. Whereat the boy went into convulsive laughter again.
"What do you mean, Switzer, by going off just at train time?" demanded the indignant director and manager.
"Train time is der time to go off—so long as you don't go off der track!" declared the German. "But I vanted to go on—not go off—I vanted to go on der ships only dey vouldn't let me. However, better late than be a miss vot's like a bird in der hand," and with a shrug of his shoulders and a last wink at the newsboy, Mr. Switzer went out to the waiting train with the others.
It was a long and rather tedious ride to Oak Farm, which lay some miles back in the hills from the railroad station, and it was late afternoon when the company of moving picture actors and actresses arrived, to be greeted by Sandy Apgar and his father and his mother.