Here was his sensitiveness that was always cropping out. He was afraid they had eschewed this preferable way of travel because they did not want to go in his company. “No, they go all kinds of ways. Some of them hike part way, some of them go by boat, some of them go by train. Wig Weigand wanted to go along with us but I told him no. I want to have a chance to talk things over with you, Billy; two’s a company, huh?” “He knew I was going?” Wilfred asked. “Sure, he did; that’s why he wanted to go along.” “That’s the fellow that wears a book-strap for a belt?” “That’s him; he’s a shark on signaling. You got a radio?” Wilfred was glad that there was one of the Bridgeboro sojourners who seemed favorably disposed to him. “No, I haven’t got much of anything,” he said, feeling a bit more comfortable on account of this trifling knowledge concerning Wig-wag Weigand. “I wanted to go to work when we moved here; I thought as long as I was leaving one school I might as well not start in another. We’ve had some job getting along as far back as I can remember; my dad didn’t leave much. As long as Sis is going to business school I thought I might as well get a start. I don’t know, I think I’d rather have a bicycle than a radio. Guess I’ll never have either.” “They pass out some pretty nifty prizes in camp along about Labor Day,” Tom said. “You never can tell.” “August first is my big day,” Wilfred laughed ruefully. “Go-to-the-doctor day, huh?” Tom chuckled. “We have mother’s day, and go-to-church day, and clean-up day, and safety-first day, and watch your-step day— Well, you’ll have the whole of August to make a stab for honors and things.” “Guess I won’t need a freight car to send home the prizes,” said Wilfred. “The best thing that’s happened to me so far is the way you call me Billy; Sis says she likes to hear you, you’re so fresh.” “Yes?” laughed Tom. “Well, you and I and the doc beat your mother to it, didn’t we? Leave it to us. You went after something and got it. And I went after something and got it. We’re a couple of go-getters. Didn’t you mix in much with the fellows up in Connecticut?” “There weren’t any fellows near us,” Wilfred said. “We lived a hundred miles from nowhere. I suppose that’s why Sis and I are such good friends.” “You look enough alike,” said Tom. “Well, you are going where there are fellows enough now, I’ll hope to tell you.” “I wanted to go in for scouting a year ago,” Wilfred said, “but there weren’t any scouts to join. Now I feel kind of—I feel sort of—funny—sort of as if it was just before promotion or something.” Tom glanced at his protege sideways, captivated by the boy’s sensitiveness and guileless honesty. “I’m glad it’s a long ride there,” Wilfred added. “Any one would think you were on your way to the electric chair,” laughed Tom. And Wilfred laughed too. “Will they all be at the entrance?” the boy asked, visibly amused at his own diffidence.