“That you, Jack?”
“No one else; and what’s going on over at your house?” Jack replied. “I thought for sure you’d have been across before now, if only to learn how I came out with that Donohue trouble.”
“Oh! I would have been starting you up at daybreak this morning, Jack, only it happens that I learned the good news last night.”
“How was that?” demanded the other; “did you walk over to their place to ask Alec about it?”
“I went over to offer Mr. Donohue a job in the Cameron mill tending a plane, only to have him tell me with a happy look in his eyes that he had already taken a position as night watchman with the foundry and rolling mill people, meaning Mr. Taft, your special friend and backer. So I knew you had been busy as well as myself. But you can tell me all about it, and what the Donohues said, when you join me inside of five minutes; because I’m coming over in our tin-Lizzie to take you on a little jaunt with me.”
“But I don’t believe I ought to go off just now,” expostulated Jack; “because I’ve got a number of things to see to; and besides, we must be out to practice again this afternoon.”
“Rats! you’ve got plenty of time for all that,” snorted Toby, who evidently would not take no for an answer when once his heart was set on a thing. “And, besides, it happens that I’m heading for Harmony this time, on some business for dad. We can come back by the road that finally skirts the lake shore. I heard some of the fellows say they meant to go swimming this morning, and we’ll like as not come across them in the act, perhaps have a dip ourselves for diversion. Say you’ll go, Jack?”
It was a very alluring programme for a boy who loved the open as much as Jack did. His scruples vanished like the mist before the morning sun.
“All right, then, Toby,” he went on to say; “I’ll go with you, because we can kill two birds with one stone. It happens that I’d like to have a chat with Martin, the Harmony captain. There are several things we ought to settle before we meet on the diamond Saturday afternoon. I’ll be ready for you when you come around with your antique chariot.”
“It isn’t good taste to look a gift-horse in the mouth, Jack; and you ought to know that same flivver can show her heels to many a more pretentious car when on the road. So-long, then. See you in five minutes!”