And Mr. Hastings caught up valise, bundle, umbrella, cane, and vanished--all those, but the fur-lined cloak lay innocently cuddled in a warm heap on the seat. Tode seized upon it in an instant and hugged it close. "Oh, Wolfie, Wolfie!" he chuckled, "You're the best friend I got in the world. You went and got left on my account, didn't you?" It was but the work of a moment to hustle himself and his prize into the train--_not_ into the car that Mr. Hastings had taken--and once more they were off. When they were fairly under way he presented himself before the astonished eyes of Mr. Hastings with this brief sentence: "Here he is, sir, safe and sound." "Here who is?" "Wolfie, sir. You left him lying on a seat in Syracuse, and I got him and jumped on." "Why, is it possible I left my cloak? Why, bless me! I never did such a careless thing before in my life; and so you jumped on, and have got carried off by the means. Well, sir, you're an honest boy; and now what shall I give you to make it all right?" "I want to get to Buffalo like sixty," answered Tode, meekly. "And I haven't a cent to my name." "You do, eh? And you would like to have me pay your fare? Well, that's not an unreasonable demand, seeing this is a very valuable cloak." And Mr. Hastings counted out the fare to Buffalo and a few pennies over; and Tode thankfully received it, and went out and sat down in a corner and whistled. Imagine Mr. Hastings' astonishment when, soon after he had made his last change of cars and was speeding homeward on the Lake Shore Road, Tode appeared to him. "Well!" was his exclamation, "what are you doing here? This isn't Buffalo." "No, sir; but a fellow sometimes has to get to Buffalo before he can get to Cleveland, you know." "Oh, you're bound for Cleveland, are you? And who pays your way this time?" "Well, sir," said Tode, gravely, "I'm traveling with you." "What?" "I _am_. I've been from Albany to New York with you, and I left you at the hotel, and I came after you on Friday, and carried your valise and things to the cars, and came up to Albany with you, and waited for you until the midnight train, and came on to Syracuse with you, and waited while you got your breakfast--and here I am." Unbounded amazement kept Mr. Hastings silent. Presently he asked, incredulously: "Who paid your fare all this time?" "Wolfie, principally." "Who?" "Wolfie," pointing to the cloak. "I hid under him, and cuddled up, and he made it all right with the conductor." Mr. Hastings' face was a study--astonishment, indignation and fun each struggling for the mastery. At last his face broadened, and his eyes twinkled, and he leaned back in his seat and indulged in a long, loud, hearty laugh. Tode's eyes twinkled, but he waited decorously for the laugh to subside. "This is the most ridiculous thing I ever heard of in my life," began the gentleman when he could speak.