He was not much interested as he passed, with a nod to the man, who looked around at his approach, save to notice that the car was a pretty fine one, and which he remembered seeing once or twice in Scranton, always empty save for the driver.

Hugh had just turned a bend lying a little away from the car when he distinctly saw some one hastily jump aside, and disappear amidst a screen of bushes growing along the road.

“Now, that was queer,” Hugh told himself; “whoever that fellow could be he didn’t want me to see him, it looked like.  And by the same token there was something familiar about him, though I only had a faint glimpse, he jumped so fast.”

As he slowly rode past the bushes he heard no sound.  Hugh considered it good policy not to betray the fact that he had noticed anything out of the way; he did not as much as turn in the saddle, but continued to look straight ahead along the dusty white road.

There was another bend a short distance away.  No sooner had he turned this than Hugh was off his wheel like lightning, and running back to take a look, as though his curiosity might have been aroused.

What he saw caused him to give a low whistle.  Out of the bushes came a form he recognized.  It was a rather compact figure upon which he gazed, and the clothes greatly resembled Brother-in-law Andrew’s Sunday-best.  Yes, Hugh no longer had any doubts, for the man was no other than the reformed hobo.

“I’ve known that Brother Lu had taken to tramping about the country latterly,” he muttered to himself, as he watched the other going off, apparently laughing as though greatly amused, “for a number of people have told me as much.  That’s all right, but why should he want to hide from me?  I’ve got a good notion to chase after him, once he turns that other bend, and see what it all means.”

The idea must have appealed more and more strongly to Hugh then, for two minutes afterwards, when the form of the tramp could no longer be seen ahead, he went back to his wheel, mounted, and retraced his course until he arrived at the second abrupt curve.

Again he dismounted and crept forward to see what he might discover.  Strange to say, Hugh, usually steady-going Hugh, now found himself trembling all over, just as though he anticipated making a startling discovery.

Well, he did.

Brother Lu was in plain sight.  He was just approaching the stalled car that stood at the side of the road.  Watching, Hugh saw the chauffeur jump from his seat, and he plainly saluted the other most respectfully.  Hugh paid particular attention to that part of the affair, because any pedestrian might have stopped to pass a few words with a car driver, or ask a question; but the pilot would hardly have made that positive sign unless there was a reason for his action.

Now they seemed to be talking earnestly.  Brother Lu made gestures, and Hugh took notice of the fact that he seemed to be speaking with authority, because the chauffeur constantly nodded his bead, as if to say that he understood.