"I'm fine," said John. "Why don't you ask me where I have been and how I came to Albany?"
"You're in Albany and that is enough to satisfy all the curiosity we have," said Grant.
"It doesn't satisfy me," said John. "When three fellows run away from you and leave you high and dry in a city like Poughkeepsie why all I can say is that--"
"That's enough to say, Johnnie. That will do," interrupted George, waving his right hand at his friend.
"You are simply mistaken," said John, the grin appearing on his face once more. "I want to tell you that whether you want it or not you are going to hear from me and in more ways than one."
"'Threatened people live long,'" spoke up Fred. "At the same time, String, you'll have to own up that we waited for you as long as we thought we could before we started for Albany. I didn't want to be out after dark in the Black Growler."
"I appreciate all your kind feelings," laughed John. "Now I want you to sympathize with me. I had gone to half a dozen different places doing my best to select certain good things for our luncheon. I had a choice assortment too, let me tell you. Why Pop's eyes would have popped out if he had seen what I had obtained, but alas when I came down to the dock I saw the Growler running up the river as if she was trying to get away from me."
"Did you come up by train?" inquired Fred.
"I did not come up by train," retorted John, speaking deliberately.
"How did you come?" asked George, interested now in spite of his effort to appear indifferent.