s his turn to go under. He has
tried to work a number of times, but fainted at his bench in the
shop from sheer weakness."

"Gee! I'm sorry to hear that," muttered the other, shrugging his
broad shoulders as he spoke, and shaking his head from side to side,
as though he feared some hope he had been cherishing was on the
point of vanishing. "But then mebbe Andrew he may get better again,
and be able to work at his trade, because if I really got consumption
there ain't any chance for me to be doin' in this world."

Thad showed signs of growing angry, but pinched his arm, and muttered
in his ear:

"Just hold your horses, Thad. We can't stop him, if he's set on
seeing his sister, you know. And besides, perhaps they'll turn him
away from the door. He's a queer sort of a chap, and I just can't
quite make out whether he's a scamp or a big joke. Let's keep
quiet, and see which way the cat jumps."

Thad heaved a sigh, but did not say anything to the tramp that he may
have had in his mind, and which possibly Wandering Lu might have
resented. The man had continued his meal and was in something of a
reflective frame of mind apparently. Hugh supposed he was wondering
what he was going to do after coming so far in hopes of finding a
snug nest for the remainder of his idle days, and meeting with a
possible disappointment.

"Say, young fellers, I'm going to ask a favor of you," he suddenly
remarked, as he brushed the back of his hand across his mouth,
signifying that he had finished his meal, and did this in lieu of
using a napkin.

"What is it you want?" asked Thad, a bit ungraciously, it must be
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