And so they started forth, chatting, and so far as appearances went,
quite happy. Thad was in a fever of suppressed excitement. He felt
certain that that splendid car would come into the little drama
somehow or other; and for once he guessed aright.

"There's a car on the side of the road that has stopped to let the
driver do a little repairing, I guess," remarked Brother Lu, quite
innocently. "And say, I know that man right well. We've talked
several times when I was roving around seeing what the country
surrounding Scranton looked like. He even calls me Lu and I know him
as Jerry. He's a pretty decent sort of fellow in the bargain. Why,
he even said that sometime when he didn't have the boss along with him,
he'd like to give all of us a little joy ride. Tilly here told me
only yesterday she never had been out in a car except once in a
little broken-down flivver; and then she had to walk back home,
nearly three miles. I wonder if Jerry wouldn't pick us up and take
us over to the Hoover place right now. I've a good mind to ask him.
Would you like it, Tilly?"

Would she? Matilda's sparkling eyes proclaimed that it would give
her infinite delight; and so Brother Lu, with the assurance that
every ex-tramp possesses in abundance, stepped up to the man who was
putting his tools away in the chest where they belonged.

Jerry made an involuntary gesture with his right hand. He had been
about to touch his cap respectfully, but caught himself just in time.

"Hello, Jerry!" sang out the breezy one, giving the chauffeur a
hearty slap on the shoulder that must have somewhat astonished him;
"you told me you'd be right glad to give my folks a little joy ride