"Come on, fellows," said Dave; "I'm hungry as a bear."
The stout boy jumped off the platform and began striding across the road. They toiled up a gentle incline, trudging in the middle of the highway. Once at the top, they saw a long descent. A flagpole was visible, rising above the crest of another hill.
"Where there's a flagpole, there's a house," observed Hackett.
His long steps soon put him in the lead.
"Oh, I say, hold on, 'Hatchet,'" puffed little Tommy Clifton; "this isn't a race."
"You want to hurry and grow a bit, Tommy," laughed John.
At length they began the ascent of the hill. The ruts in the road made walking difficult, and all breathed a sigh of relief when they reached the top. As they did so, the peaked roof of a building came into view, rising higher and higher until the entire structure was visible. It proved to be a long, two-story building, painted a dingy gray.
But what interested the boys most of all was an inscription across the front that read:
Roadside House
Hiram Sladder, Proprietor
Accommodation for man and beast
"Hurrah!" cried Bob. "Now for something to eat!"