“Simply a side line,” replied Jolly, in a gay, offhand manner.
“But where did you ever pick up that rig and that lot of odd truck?” challenged Pep.
“I picked up better than that,” retorted Jolly, cheerily. “I ran across the finest advance agent in the business—and here he comes. You knew him once, but under his stage name of Hal Pope. He’s Mr. Hal Vincent now.”
At that moment the whistler came into view, having circled the block. As he approached, Frank’s face expressed pleased surprise.
“Why,” exclaimed Pep, “it’s our friend the ventriloquist.”
“So it is,” echoed Randy.
“Glad to meet you again,” said Hal Vincent, and there was an all-around handshaking. “You’re all looking fine and I hear you’re prosperous.”
“Not so much so that we could afford to hire you for our programme at Fairlands, as we would like to do, Mr. Vincent,” replied Frank, with a smile.
Pep began to grin as he looked at Vincent, and the memory of their first meeting was reviewed. Then he chuckled and finally he broke out into a ringing guffaw.
“Thinking of my first and only appearance at that auction where you bought your movies outfit?” inquired Vincent, with a smile.