"I'd like to know who had a better right to haul me out of the
ditch?" he said sneeringly.

Jack, with the twins, had run on. As Walter started Cora's machine
off again, they saw a man coming out of the smithy. He helped Sid
push the car in, and then stood talking with him in a friendly sort
of fashion. The man's clothing was unkempt, and his general
appearance anything but prepossessing.

"Who's that?" asked Cora.

"Him, you mean?" inquired Walter. "Oh, that's Lem Gildy. Or just
plain Lem, if you like that better."

"What does he do?"

"Nothing. Easily said. Yet I've heard it remarked that he'd do
anything for money."

"Curious that Sid should be on such friendly terms with such a
character."

"Rather," remarked Walter, and he turned to see Sid pointing at the
big car, while Lem Gildy was nodding his head as if assenting to
something.




CHAPTER VII