John tugged at Betty's dress and said "Come on," urgingly; but the man was already letting down two slip-rails a little way from the crazy gate, and his eyes rested on the second barefooted imp.
"Hullo!" he exclaimed, "An' how's this any'ow?"
John, who had a greater dread of capture than Betty, inquired innocently if there were any wild flowers up this way.
The man drew his hand across his eyes to banish sleep inclinations. "Not many now, I reckon," he said. "There might be a few sprigs of 'eath an' the flannel flowers ain't all done yet. Goin' to town?"
Betty nodded, and John said,—
"Yes—we'll be gettin' back 'ome" in a fair imitation of his questioner's voice.
"I'll be goin' as far as the markets," said the man "an' I don't mind givin' you a lift ef you like."
John's eyes brightened, for he was longing for the centre of the city, and he had felt they were covering ground very slowly. And Betty's brightened because she thought she would soon coax the man into letting her drive.
So the fortune seekers made their entry into town in a fruit cart.