e wondering why the train doesn't show up?" said Herb.
"We could have left the bungalows ten minutes later and still caught the
train. I don't enjoy riding on a train unless I've had to run to get it,
anyway."

"If this train had been on time, you would have had a fast run to get it,
I can tell you," said Amy, Agnes' younger sister. "It was about fifteen
minutes late, and that's the only reason you got it at all."

"Oh, we could run almost as fast as this train goes, anyway," boasted her
brother. "And speaking of slow trains, that reminds me of a good story I
read the other day."

"Oh, please tell us about it," said Agnes, with mock enthusiasm. "You know
we always love to hear your jokes, brother dear."

Herb glanced suspiciously at her, but was too glad of an opportunity to
tell his story to inquire into her sincerity.

"It seems there was a man traveling on a southern railroad----" he began,
but Jimmy interrupted him.

"Which railroad?" he inquired.

"It doesn't matter which railroad," said Herb, glaring at his friend. "It
was a railroad, anyway, and a slow one, too. Well, this man was in a
hurry, it seems, and kept fidgeting around and looking at his watch.
Finally the train stopped altogether, and a moment later the conductor
came through the car.

"'What's the matter, Conductor?' asked the traveler.

"'There's a cow on the track,' answered the conductor.

"Well, pretty soon the train started on again, but it hadn't gone very far
before it stopped once more. 'Say, Conductor, why in blazes have we
stopped again?' asked the traveler. 'Seems to me this is the slowest train
I ever rode on.'

"'It can't be helped, sir,' answered the conductor. 'We've caught up with
that pesky cow again.'"

They all laughed at this anecdote, which pleased Herb immensely.

"I know lots more, any time you want to hear them," he ventured,
hopefully.

"Better not take a chance on spoiling that one, Herb," advised Joe. "That
was unusually good for you, I must admit."

"Herb's jokes wouldn't be so bad if he'd stick to regular ones," said Bob.
"It's only when he starts making them up himself that they get so
terrible."

"Yes, and just think of his poor sisters," sighed Agnes. "In the summer it
isn't quite so bad, because he's out of the house most of the time, but in
winter it's simply terrible."

"Well, this winter I won't have much time to waste on you and Amy, trying
to develop a sense of humor in you," said Herb. "I'm g