road; but it's true. I remember him
well. We first met riding on the rods of a freight car out on the
Santa Fe road. You see, some rich fellow took a fancy to Malcolm,
and gave him a chance to make good; and I reckon he's a-doing that
same, all right."

He greeted the other familiarly as "Mal," and having been drilled in
his part, the manager of the place called him "Wandering Lu," as
though he could not dissociate the other from the roving life of
the past. The boys, keenly watching, could see that he quickly
turned his eyes on Matilda and Andrew when introduced by Brother
Lu; and also that there was a light in their depths that told how
he appreciated this little surprise which the other was playing.

So they started to see first of all the grounds, which consisted
of many acres, all in a high state of cultivation, and with flower
gardens, vegetable ditto, and all manner of fine fruits, such as
a rich man loves to grow on his own country place. There were even
Jersey cows, and fowls of various breeds, as well as a flock of
pigeons that gave Matilda more delight than anything else; for secretly
it had always been a pet wish of hers to some day have a flock of
doves fluttering around her head, just as she had seen the tame
ones of St. Mark's in Venice do---in pictures, of course, because
Matilda had never been abroad---as yet.

Had either of them been in the least suspicious they might have
wondered just why Jerry, for instance, had taken the big car over
to the garage and started to clean it as though it really belonged
there. The boys saw this, but not Matilda or Andrew, who were in
a seventh heaven of rapture, and not walking on earth.

Then they went to the house, where a matronly woman met them. Brother
Lu, more than ever like a magician of the first water, seemed to
be friendly with the housekeeper also, for he introduced his sister
and the others to Mrs. Husted. She took her cue from Mr. Billings,
who was also present, and tried to act as though she were condescending
to agree to show these strangers through the beautiful house; but
it was an exceedingly hard task for her, because she knew that with
the wave of the wizard's wand this lady would henceforth become her
mistress.

Thad, lingering behind, could hardly contain himself. He would
again and again manage to give Hugh a knock with his elbow, and
gurgle something half under his breath, only to have the other shake
a finger at him, and add a