There were tears in his eyes as the train rolled away. He had said
good-by to all of them--to Joey and Ruby and Casey, and they had
wished him good luck with that complaisant philosophy which was theirs
by nature.
Some one sat down beside him in the seat. He looked up.
"I guess I'll go part ways with you," said Artful Dick Cronk
comfortably. "I want you to do me a favor. Take this money and step
into the little inn there in your town and pay the woman what I owe
her. I forgot to settle when I left. She was a very good woman. I
never trim a woman, good or bad."
Primarily, Dick Cronk was traveling with David because his brother had
disappeared from the snack stand early in the evening. The watchful
pickpocket scented trouble. Before joining David in the coach, he
traversed the length of the train to assure himself that Ernie had not
slipped aboard in the darkness for the purpose of doing evil to the
Virginia boy when least expected. He was satisfied that Ernie was not
aboard, but it was now necessary for him to go on to the next station
before leaving the train.
"I owe her five dollars and sixty cents.
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