“Why, you’ve done me lots of good,” exclaimed Roy.  “I should never have thought of looking at things that way.  So you’ve lived in Europe?  Rex only wants to travel there.”

“He’s your twin brother, you say?  Does he look like you?”

“No; only the least bit.  He is the good looking member of the family.  There he goes now on his wheel.  Would you like to meet him?”

“Indeed I should,” replied Mr. Keeler heartily.  “It would seem exactly like a character out of a story.”

Roy put his fingers between his lips and gave a peculiar whistle, composed of three distinct notes.  Rex, who was just passing under the trestle, turned around in his saddle, and when he saw some one beside his brother on the tree trunk, he made a half circle in the road and came scudding back on his machine.

He ran this in a little distance among the trees, left it leaning against one of them and then came on foot to the edge of the creek.  His bicycle suit was very becoming to him.  Roy watched Mr. Keeler’s face and saw that he was favorably impressed at once.

He accomplished the introduction, mentioning the book both boys had read.  Rex seemed immensely pleased at meeting the author, and put on his most charming manner.

“Won’t you come over to the house, Mr. Keeler?” he said.  “We can give you some lemonade and I’d like you to see the view of the trestle from our piazza.”

“You are very kind,” returned the young man, looking at his watch, “but I am afraid I shall not have time.  I had planned to take the next train in to town.  I have only about twenty minutes in which to catch it now.”

“Stay to tea then and go up some time this evening,” went on Rex.  “I am sure our mother would be delighted to meet you, and so would the girls.  Wouldn’t they, Roy?”

“Yes, indeed, please stay, Mr. Keeler.”

Roy would not have dared to make this request if he had been left to himself.  That was the difference in character of the two brothers.  One was impulsive, ready to do anything on the spur of the moment:  the other cautious, shrinking sometimes.  He was just as anxious as Rex to extend the hospitality of the Pellery to their new acquaintance, but felt that he had not known the other long enough to warrant him in doing so.

Mr. Keeler hesitated.  He was in his element now in the society of two boys of such contrasted temperaments, making admirable studies.

“I was going back to New York to-night,” he said.  “But I suppose I could put it off till morning.”

“Do; then you can stay to tea at the Pellery,” exclaimed Rex.  “That’s what we call our house.  It makes it seem like a nest, you know.  If you don’t mind I’ll mount my wheel and run on ahead to tell them you are coming, so that we can receive you in proper state.”

There was no opportunity given Mr. Keeler to decline.  Rex rushed ahead, mounted his wheel and was off before he could answer.