“Oh, that’s why I didn’t see it. Back home we generally put them on the rear of the train.”
“You can find it easily enough,” said Jimmy meaningly. “Don’t let us keep you.”
The boy smiled amusedly. “Thanks, Harold, I won’t. But I guess——”
Jimmy tried to stand up, but the confusion of legs and a sudden lurch of the car defeated his purpose and his protest lost effect. “Cut that out, Fresh!” he said angrily. “You do it just once more and I’ll punch your head.”
“My, but you fellows in the East are a hair-trigger lot,” said the other, shaking his head sadly. “Maybe you’d better tell me your name so I won’t get in trouble. Mine’s Crail.”
“I don’t care what it is,” growled Jimmy, observing the other darkly. “You’re too flip.”
The boy opposite raised a broad and capable-looking hand in front of him and observed it sorrowfully. “Monty,” he said severely, “didn’t I tell you before you left home you were to behave yourself? Didn’t I?” The fingers crooked affirmatively. “Sure I did! I told you folks where you were going mightn’t understand your playful ways, didn’t I?” Again the fingers agreed, in unison. “Well, then, why don’t you act like a gentleman? Want folks to think you aren’t more’n half broke?” The fingers moved agitatedly from side to side. “You don’t?” The fingers signaled “No!” earnestly. “Then you’d better behave yourself, Monty,” concluded the boy sternly. “No sense in getting in wrong right from the start. Going to be good now?” The fingers nodded vehemently, and the boy took the offending right hand in his left and placed it in his pocket. “We’ll see,” he said, with intense dignity.
By that time Dud was laughing and the corners of Jimmy’s mouth were trembling. The stranger raised a pair of serious brown eyes to Jimmy as he said gravely: “I have to be awfully strict with him.”
Jimmy’s mouth curved and a choking gurgle of laughter broke forth. “Gee, you’re an awful fool, aren’t you?” he chuckled. “Where do you come from?”