“Bet your life I’m going to Montana; yop, soon as I get the price. And believe me, I know where I’m going to get it.” “You seem to be sure of everything,” said the stranger. “I’m going to collop it,” said Hervey. “That might be interesting if I knew what it meant,” his companion observed. “You don’t know what collop means?” “I must confess I don’t.” “Good night!” ejaculated Hervey. “You know what bandits are, don’t you?” “You mean to be a bandit?” “Jiminetty, they’re not so bad. Look at Robin Hood; don’t they write poems and operas about him and everything? You’re supposed to know all about music, gee williger!” This deft reasoning which seemed in a way to place music lovers in the category with outlaws did reach the young fellow’s limited sense of humor and he smiled. “Well, you’re certainly a queer youngster,” said he. Pity the boy of twenty who calls another boy a youngster! “How much do I have to have to go to Montana?” Hervey demanded. “Well, you have to have considerable.” “A hundred bucks?” “At least.” “That’s me, all right,” said Hervey. It was characteristic of him that his resolution to go to Montana had originated at the moment of his noticing the stranger’s suitcase. It was also characteristic of him to say that he knew how he was to obtain the money to go there, when in fact he had no such knowledge. Yet it was not exactly an untruth since he had many singular plans for earning money. Did not he intend to join a circus? Moreover, it was characteristic of him that he did not linger in the seat. Soon the train entered another curve and that was his cue to depart almost as unceremoniously as he had arrived, leaving the strange young fellow staring after him rather curiously. Hervey’s second attempt was no more successful than his first. He would not check his staggering progress by using his hands because of a rhymed couplet which was part of his creed: Try a stunt and make a rule, Break it and you’re one big fool. Again he went sprawling, this time upon the lap of a kindly old gentleman, who smiled upon him and made a place for him on the seat. “Maybe you think that’s easy,” said Hervey. CHAPTER V CHANCE ACQUAINTANCE When Hervey told the councilor at Temple Camp that he had a stepfather, he told something less than the whole story. He had both a stepfather and a stepmother. His father had died when he was very young and his mother had married a man named Walton who had been not only a good guardian but a very patient guardian to Hervey. Then, when he was old enough to feel a bereavement more keenly his mother had died, and after several years his stepfather had taken a second wife who had always been an affectionate stepmother to the twice orphaned boy.