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"
air about the boy to indicate as much.

"I'm all ready, if you are, younkers," the tramp said.

"Then we'll be off," remarked Hugh, Putting his words into action.

Thad began to wonder what any of their acquaintances would say should
they happen to see them in company with Wandering Lu. The tramp
looked so utterly disreputable that Thad disliked being discovered
with him; and yet Hugh, who looked deeper than his companion, was
surprised to notice that this dirt had the appearance of being rather
new and fresh. The fact caused him to take further notice of the man,
about whom he felt there rested quite a little air of mystery.

As they walked along the road headed for town, Thad's curiosity got
the better of his dislike and suspicion.

"In all this twenty years of knocking about, ail over the world, as
you claim, I suppose now there have been times when you've struck
pay dirt--what I mean is that I sort of think you haven't always been
what you are now, just a tramp? How about that, Wandering Lu?"

"What, me?" chuckled the other. "Say, I've dug gold in Alaska,
hunted pearls down near Ceylon, been at work in the diamond fields
out in South Africa, and in lots of other places in the world took
my turn at playing for high stakes with old Dame Fortune. Why,
younkers, I've had fortunes several times, and let the same slip
out of my hands. Some time, mebbe, if so be, I conclude to stay
around this section of country, which pleases me a heap as far as
I've seen the same, why I'd like to spin you a yarn or two that'd
make your eyes look as big as them there individual butter plates
they use in restaurants. I've run up against heaps and heaps of
queer a