When Mike Murphy hurried off the opposite end of the porch of the , his single purpose was to rid himself of Hoke Butler, who had set his heart upon keeping him company for the day. It was a happy thought thus to send the youth to collect an imaginary debt from Alvin Landon, and it would seem could scarcely fail of accomplishing the end in view.  
“The spalpeen can thravel a good deal faster then mesilf, owing to the lingth of his legs, but I’ve got too good a start for him to find me among the traas.”
 
Mike still walked fast, often glancing behind and more and more relieved that he failed to gain sight of a living person, or rather of him whom he to see.
 
“Hello, Mike, where are you?”
 
The youth appealed to almost leaped from the ground, for the familiar voice sounded much too near for comfort.
 
“I’m here just now,” muttered Mike, “but I don’t intind to stay. Worrah, worrah, is there no way of shaking ye loose?”
 
The shout was repeated twice and then ceased. It looked as if Hoke believed he was too far separated from his friend to reach him by calling, though he was not likely to give up the search for some time to come. Mike changed his course and in doing so came near losing himself. It was impossible in the circumstances to go far astray, but he was likely to waste a good deal of time.
 
Coming to a halt he took his bearings. He knew he was well to the of the bungalow and not far from the lake. He was sure also, after noting the position of the sun, of the course he should follow to reach the body of water. His plan was to keep along shore until he came to the western end of the lake, around which he would make his way if necessary, returning by the northern bank which would take him past the home of Dr. Spellman. The 128conviction, however, was strong with the young man that he would not be called upon to travel that far before gaining the knowledge which was drawing him as the steel draws the magnet.
 
When he had traveled far enough to bring him to the lake and still failed to catch the gleam of its surface, he halted once more and stared around.
 
“If I’m lost agin I’ll hire some of the byes to lead me about by the hand, fur I ain’t fit to travel alone—hello! there’s one of ’em, that I’ll question without letting him know I’m a stray lamb.”
 
He had a glimpse of a moving body almost directly ahead, and knowing it was one of the he called:
 
“I wish to remark, me friend, that it’s a foine day; if ye agraa wid me I shall be plaised to have ye signerfy the same.”
 
“Why, Mike, I’m so glad to see you again; you ain’t mad because I got lost?”
 
“Oh, not a bit, as Jim O’Toole said whin the sheriff apologized for shooting him on the wing.”
 
And Mike extended his hand to Hoke Butler as he came grinningly forward.
 
“How was it ye missed me?” asked Mike innocently.
 
“I’ll be hanged if I can tell; I hurried back after talking to Alvin and ought to have found you, but somehow or other I didn’t.”
 
“Why didn’t ye holler?”
 
“I nearly split my throat calling to you.”
 
“Strange! I wonder if I’m getting deaf.”
 
“Gracious! I hope not; don’t say that or you’ll worry me .”
 
“Did Alvin hand ye the five dollars?”
 
“Not a bit of it. Say, Mike, they must be blamed poor, for they had only a Canadian quarter between them. I don’t think they amount to much.”
 
Mike couldn’t stand this upon his chums.
 
“Let me tell ye something that will make ye open yer eyes. Alvin Landon’s father is one of the richest men in New York, and Chester’s is almost as wealthy. They are worth millions upon millions of dollars, and the byes have all the money they want, but they are not such fules as you and me and don’t throw it away, though they give a good deal of it to poor folks. So ye may rist aisy on that score, friend Hoke.”
 
“Gee! I never suspected that. They don’t put on any more airs than the poorest of the Boy Scouts.”
 
“Which the same shows their sinse; they’ve always been that way and always will be. But this isn’t tending to bus’ness. Do ye wish to keep company wid me till night?”
 
“You bet! I’m going to stick to you like a burr; I hope you haven’t any hard feelings on account of my losing you for a little while. I really didn’t mean it.”
 
“It’s mesilf that has no hard feelings, but I was thinking that if we don’t get back to the clubhouse till night ye will be obliged to lose your dinner.”
 
“I don’t like that much, but I’ll stand it for your sake. I’ll even things up at the supper table. A Boy should learn to suffer when it can’t be helped.”
 
“I’ve found out the same,” replied Mike with a sig............