more of cattle being driven into the slaughter pens at
the stockyards," said Button.

"There is something fascinating about watching those big logs being
carried silently up into the mill to be turned into shingles, flooring
and boards of various lengths to be made into furniture," remarked
Billy.

"There surely is. But we can't stand here all day or we won't get far
on our journey."

The three had just started on a run again when they heard a big voice
which they recognized as Mr. Noland's calling to them. He stood on a
tramway that ran from the mill to the boat landing.

"Here, you rascals, where are you going? And what are you doing so far
from home? You'll get lost one of these days if you don't stop
wandering around in a strange town the way you do. Here, come back, I
say! Don't you hear me calling you? I just bet this old mill makes
such a noise they don't hear me!" and he put his hands up to his mouth
and tried to make a megaphone out of them, but it was of no avail. The
Chums kept on at their rapid pace and turned neither to the right nor
to the left, pretending they did not hear him.

After they were out of sight and sound of the mill, they stopped to
rest and to get their breath for they had been running fast.

"I did not know Mr. Noland owned a mill, did you?" Billy asked.

"No. But he seems to own or at least have a hand in everything in that
town, I have observed," said Button.

"I really think they will be sorry when they find we don't come back,"
said Stubby. "One could never find nicer people to live with. But we
are too old travelers to settle down in any one place, no matter how
nice it is. The wanderlust has surely got us by the throat."

"Billy," said Button, "you should go on a lecture tour through the
U.S.A. and relate the different exciting experiences you have had in
the many different countries you have visited."

"How about you and Stubby doing the same thing? You have been with me
nearly everywhere I have been."

"I know, but you have so much more presence than we have and your
voice carries so much further when talking than ours do," said Stubby.

"Just for sport I am going to enumerate some of the things that you
could make into a dandy lecture," said Button. "You could begin with
your experiences in the circus when you were young and before you were
married. Then when you were hunting for the Kids the time they ran
away and were carried off to Constantinople and you thought t