"Vas you in some drouples, too, miss?" he asked. "Oof you vas, den ve ought to be some pooty goot gompany. Misery lofes gompany, dey say, und I vas so full oof misery as I can't dell."
The girl stared at him wonderingly for a moment.
"Are you acquainted with the country around here?" she asked. "I ought to know it, but I never came into South Chicago before by this road."
"Vell, I know somet'ing aboudt it," replied Carl. "For vy do you make dose inkviries?"
"I'm looking for the balloon house where they keep the air ship called the Hawk," was the astounding reply.
Carl leaped off the stone as though he had been touched by a live wire.
"Sure I know dot!" he cried. "Vat for do you vant to know?"
"I must hurry and get there," answered the girl. "I've walked a long ways, and I'm pretty tired, but I've got to reach the balloon house."
"Der Hawk don'd vas dere any more," said Carl.
The girl clasped her hands.