NEW HOPE
"I told Larry to come on the twelve-fifty train to-morrow," said Bob. "We
can get together when we come out of church, and we'll have plenty of time
then to walk to the station. We don't want to take any chances of Larry's
getting in without any one to meet him."
"Not on your life," agreed Joe, emphatically. "But how are we going to get
him to the hotel, Bob? I know we can't get dad's car. He's too awfully
busy just now. It isn't much of a walk from the station, but it's too far
for Larry just yet, isn't it?"
"Let's all chip in and hire a taxi," proposed Bob. "It won't cost us much,
and I guess we can all squeeze into one easily enough."
"I'm game," said Joe. "I can hang onto the spare tire if there isn't room
enough inside."
"I guess that won't be necessary," laughed Bob. "Of course, Jimmy takes up
a little extra room, but then Herb brings it back to average again."
It was agreed that they should hire a taxicab according to Bob's
suggestion, and then the boys said "so-long" and dispersed to their
homes.
The following day they met at the church door, as they had agreed, and
walked rapidly down to the station. It was a glorious day, with just a
hint of frost in the air, and all the boys were in high spirits. They
found it hard to remember that it was Sunday and that they must act
accordingly, but managed to get to the station with a due amount of
decorum.
The train was a few minutes late, but the time did not seem long to
them. They hired a taxicab in advance, and by the time that
transaction was finished they could see the train in the distance. As it
drew into the station, they eagerly scanned the alighting passengers.
Larry was one of the last to alight, and the boys were almost beginning
to fear that he was not on the train when they spied him on the last car.
With one accord they rushed in that direction, and in a few seconds Larry
found himself on the platform, with the boys bombarding him with
questions and congratulations.
"How did it seem to be performing for the benefit of about half a million
people at one time?" inquired Joe.
"Not very different from performing for only a few," laughed Larry. "I
wasn't worrying much about the half million. What was bothering me was to
please just one--Mr. Allard."
"I suppose that's about the size of it," agreed Bob, as they started
toward the taxicab. "I guess he was satisfied, though, wasn't he?"
"Well, he didn't say much directly, but he took me on permanently, and is
going to pay me almost twice as much as Chasson did; so I guess that's a
pretty good indication that he likes the act," replied Larry. "But where
are you Indians taking me to, anyway?"
"Don't ask questions, but just come along," said Bob. "We've got a taxi
waiting here, and Mr. Brandon has hired a room for you at his hotel, so
you see you've got nothing to worry about."
"It certainly looks that way," agreed Larry. "Well, I'm in the hands of my
friends. I'll be good and do as I'm told."
"You'd better, until you get your strength back," threatened Bob. "We can
lick you easily now, you know, so you'd better speak nicely to us."
"Well, when people treat me to a ride in a taxicab, I speak nicely to them
anyway, so that they'll be encouraged to do it again," said Larry. "So,
you see, I have a double incentive."
"You'd better make the most of this ride," laughed Joe. "When you begin
to get your pay checks, we'll expect you to hire the taxicabs, shan't we,
fellows?"
"You bet we will," said Jimmy. "This is the life! Taxicabs must have been
made especially for me, I like to ride in them so."
"It's too bad Tim can't be with us now," said Bob. "Have you heard how he
is getting along lately, Larry?"
"Oh, that reminds me!" exclaimed Larry. "You can bet your bottom dollar
I've heard from him lately. Not an hour after I had gone through my act
last night I got a telegram from him congratulating me. It seems that he
was listening in at a radio set somewhere, and I guess it must have pretty
nearly knocked him off his pins when he heard the announcer give my name.
As soon as I finished he must have rushed out and sent the telegram. Here
it is, and you can read it for yourselves."
He fished through his pockets, and at last produced the crumpled slip of
yellow paper.
Bob took it up and read aloud.
"Fine work, old man. Keep it up. Have got engagement, too. More by
letter. Tim."
"Good for him!" exclaimed Bob. "We were speaking about him last night,
and wondering how he was making out. I'm mighty glad to hear that he has
landed an engagement."
"So am I," said Larry. "Although, now that I've got one, he would have had
half of what I made until he did drop into something. It's always been
share and share alike with us."
By this time the taxicab had reached the hotel, and the boys helped Larry
out. He was regaining his strength rapidly now, and his friends were
delighted to note the improvement in him.
"You won't need that crutch much longer, Larry, I can see that," Bob told
him.
"I hope not," responded Larry. "And won't it be a happy day when I can
throw it into the discard? Believe me, it's a terrible thing to have to
rely on one."
"I hope we never have to make the experiment," said Bob, soberly. "But
you're mighty lucky to be getting along the way you are. When they first
took you to the hospital, the doctor didn't think you'd pull through. He
didn't say so in so many words, but we could see that he thought it."
"I don't doubt it," said Larry, as they slowly mounted the steps leading
to the lobby. "You can believe that I felt as though the roof had caved in
on top of me."
At that moment a tall boy passed them rapidly, going out of the door into
the street. It was Buck Looker, and he had passed the others without
recognizing them.
"Did you ever hear any more from Buck?" questioned Bob of Larry.
"No," and Larry's face clouded. "But I suppose he still thinks me guilty
of that robbery."
"Forget Buck!" cried Joe. "He isn't worth worrying about."
"Perhaps not. Just the same, I wish that matter was cleared up. I hate to
have a cloud over my name," answered Larry seriously.