Part 21 (1/2)
”Here she comes!” cried Sam, as the distant whistle of the locomotive reached their ears. Then the train hove in sight and they saw Fred's head sticking out of one window and Hans' head, out of another.
”h.e.l.lo, Fred! How are you, Hans!” was the cry.
”Say, is this really the station?” asked Fred, with a grin. ”I've been watching milk depots for the last hour.”
”This is really and truly the metropolis of Oak Run!” sang out Tom. ”Move lively now, or you'll be carried further.”
The two young travelers alighted, each with two suit-cases. In addition Fred carried a fis.h.i.+ng rod. Hans was loaded down with a fis.h.i.+ng rod, a shotgun, a big box camera, and a bundle done up in a steamer robe.
”h.e.l.lo, Hans, did you just come across the Atlantic?” questioned d.i.c.k, as the boys shook hands all around.
”Atlantic?” repeated Hans Mueller. ”Not much I didn't, d.i.c.k; I come from home, chust so straight like der railroad runs alretty.”
”You brought a few things along I see.”
”Sure I did. Vy not, of ve go camping by der voods? I got my fis.h.i.+ng shtick, and my gun, and a planket, and a camera to took vild animals.”
”Going to take their pictures first and then slay 'em, eh?” remarked Tom.
”Dot's it.”
”Got your license, I suppose.”
”License. Vot license?”
”To snap-shot the lions and tigers and bears, Hans. It costs two dollars and ten cents to snap-shot a bear now, and lions and tigers are a dollar and forty-five.”
”Vot?” gasped the German boy. ”Do da make you bay to took pictures?”
”Why, didn't you know that? I thought you read the new patent and copyright laws.”
”No, I got somet'ing else to do, Dom. By chiminy! Of da charge so much as dot I ton't took no bictures, not much!”
”Well, maybe we can fix it so you won't have to pay any license,”
returned Tom, calmly. ”But jump in-dinner is waiting for us at home.”
”Say, what a dandy car!” cried Fred. ”I've been anxious to see it ever since you wrote about it.”
”Tell us all about dear old Putnam Hall,” said Sam to Hans, when the crowd were on the way to the farm, and the German boy told them all the news. Then Fred told about himself, and how he was thinking of going into business with his uncle.
”Where are you going to camp?” asked Fred, just before the farm was reached.
”We thought of going up the Swift river,” said d.i.c.k. ”But maybe we'll go over to Lake Nasco. There is a fine spot up there for camping, and we can have the use of a small sailboat.”
”That would be fine, d.i.c.k!”
”We'll talk it over tonight-after you have had supper.”
Fred and Hans had been at the farm before and the old folks greeted them warmly. As usual, Mrs. Rover had a substantial meal prepared, and it did her good to see how both Hans and Fred relished the things provided. The German youth especially had a good appet.i.te, and he stowed away so much it looked as if he would burst.