The Chums of Scranton High Out for the Pennant | Page 9

to be well taken care of for a time.
But then surely Matilda would soon be able to tell, when she got to
talking of their childhood days. A thousand things were apt to come up,
and even a cunning schemer could not help betraying his vast ignorance
along such lines.
About this time Brother Lu seemed to have one of his periodical
outbursts of violent coughing. Indeed, he rather outdid himself on this
occasion, as though determined to make a good showing before his
newly-found relatives, and thus enlist their full-fledged sympathy in the
start.

Matilda seemed fairly shocked as he strained, and writhed, and almost
burst a blood vessel with his efforts. Thad stood and watched, his lip
curling as though he could no longer be deceived. To him the whole
thing was now very much in the nature of a fraud, a delusion, and a
snare. He did not doubt the identity of Brother Lu, but as to the genuine
nature of his malady, that was another question entirely, and Thad
could not be impressed again. He fully believed the man was faking
sickness just to gain the sympathy of these simple people, and work out
the game he had in view, which Thad was convinced was to make a
snug nest for himself during the rest of the summer, perhaps for all
time.
"Let's be going along, Hugh," he said, as he wheeled on his chum, the
light of honest indignation glowing in his eyes; "this thing is making
me feel sick, and I can't stand much more of it!"
Hugh himself was agreeable. He intended, however, to see
considerably more of Brother Lu in the immediate future, and expected
to be able to gauge the fellow for what he really was. If he felt positive
that there was a chance of his being an impostor, Hugh would consider
it his duty to warn Mr. Hosmer, so that with the help of his wife they
might catch the fellow in some sort of trap and expose him. Even
though he did turn out to be the genuine article, Hugh felt that it would
be a shame to have him hanging on the poor couple, and causing
Matilda to work harder than ever to provide food, while possibly this
able bodied tramp led a lazy sort of an existence.
Accordingly the two boys strolled on, not having far to go in order to
reach Hugh's home, where he could deliver the "sweet butter" he had
gone out to the farm after. Just as Hugh anticipated, Thad "boiled over"
as soon as they were out of earshot of the Hosmer cottage. Turning to
look back he had seen the wretched hobo being tenderly escorted into
the little dwelling, hardly more than a dove-cote in point of size,
Matilda on one side, and her husband on the other; and the sight caused
Thad to grit his teeth savagely.
"I tell you it's a burning shame for that husky fraud to impose himself
on that poor old couple the way he has done," grumbled Thad. "He's no

more sick than I am. Didn't you see how he devoured all that food at a
sitting? No man wasting away with consumption could stuff like that.
And see how fat he is in the bargain; why, he'd make two of old Mr.
Hosmer. Yet they are ready to take him in, feed him three meals a day,
give him the best bed in the house, most likely, and for an indefinite
time. Uh! thunder! it makes me furious just to think of it."
Hugh was amused at seeing Thad act in this way, because it was so
unlike his usual cool demeanor. Undoubtedly he was, as he had said,
indignant from the crown of his head to the soles of his feet.
"We'll both of us keep an eye on Brother Lu," remarked Hugh, "and try
to learn his little game. You know he asked us to come over and see
him, when he would keep his promise to tell us some thrilling yarns
about his adventures in many lands."
"Oh! I've no doubt the fellow has a slick tongue in his mouth, and can
spin stories that haven't a particle of foundation except in his brain.
He's no ignoramus, that's sure, and if he hasn't traveled in all those
countries he's read about the same, and can talk everlastingly about
things he imagines he's seen."
"But all the while we'll be watching to trip him up, don't you see?" the
other continued. "I'll set Matilda to fixing a trap or two that will settle
the question about his being the man he says he is."
"Oh! I'm not thinking so much about that!" burst out Thad, "even if he
is Luther Corbley, her