Thad was at home and up to his eyes in rewinding a fishing-rod that
needed attention. When Hugh burst in upon him with such a glow in
his face and a light in his eyes, Thad knew that something bordering
on the wonderful must have occurred.

Singular to say, his first remark was pretty near a bull's-eye, showing
that he must have been thinking about the ex-hobo as he wound the
waxed red silk around the guides of his fishing-rod.

"What's happened, Hugh? Oh! have you found a way we can get rid of
that sticker of a Brother Lu? Something seems to whisper to me
you've struck a scheme. Pitch right in and tell me all about it, Hugh."

"There has a way come up, sure enough," said Hugh, beaming on his
chum, as well might the bearer of such glorious news. "After today
that tramp will never eat another mouthful of food at the expense of
his poor sister and brother-in-law!"

"Then he's going to skip out, is he?" burst from the delighted Thad.
"Bully for that! However did it happen, Hugh; and what sort of a
hand in it did you have?"

"I don't claim the least credit for it," he was firmly told; "and
for that matter Mr.---I mean Brother Lu, isn't going to shake the
dust of Scranton off his feet, yet awhile at least. Something else
has happened to bring about the change. Here, I just can't hold
the wonderful news in any longer, Thad. Listen!"

Accordingly Hugh started to pour out the story. He had Thad sitting