confessed.

"Of course, you know just where Matilda lives in Scranton," observed
the man, insidiously; "and mebbe now you wouldn't mind if I walked
along with so you point out her home to me when we get near it?"

"Ought we do it, Hugh?" flashed Thad, turning toward his chum.

"What's the harm?" asked the other, instantly. "He can soon find it
by asking at some house, whether we help him or not. Why, yes, we'll
accommodate you, Lu; but I wouldn't be too hopeful if I were you,
about their asking you to stay over, because the times are out of
joint nowadays, food getting higher every day, and money hard to pick
up, since Uncle Sam's just jumped into the big war game."

"But my sister Matilda she always did have a tender heart, and wouldn't
see a poor stray cat go hungry if so be she had a bite of food,"
the tramp went on to say in the most unblushing way possible. "Unless
she's changed a heap she'll let me stay a while with her anyhow.
Mebbe I'll pick up some if I get good care, and can go on the road
again if the worst comes. But I'm much obliged to you for saying as
how you'd show me her humble home. It'll be mighty fine for a poor
old rolling stone like me to get under the roof of a blood relative,
which ain't been my luck for over twenty years."

He hastened to gather his scanty belongings together. When the pack
was complete be slung it across his back, and gave Hugh a nod.
Somehow even this tramp seemed to understand that Hugh Morgan was
the leader among his mates; perhaps it was his expression of firmness
that told the story, for there was certainly nothing of the "boss"