The Rover Boys on Treasure Isle | Page 7

widow's home ahead of him. He
washed up and donned his clothing with rapidity, and never noticed
that anything was wrong with the coat.
"Now, Sam, you fix his necktie for him," whispered Tom, who, with
his younger brother, was lying in wait outside the house. "Tell him it
doesn't set just straight."

Sam understood, and as soon as Aleck appeared he sauntered up side
by side with Tom.
"Hullo, Aleck, going to see your best girl?" he said pleasantly.
"I'se gwine to make a little call, dat's all."
"He's after the widow Taylor," put in Tom. "He knows she's got ten
thousand or so in the bank."
"Massa Tom, you dun quit yo' foolin'," expostulated Aleck.
"If you are going to make a society call you want your necktie on
straight," said Sam. "It's a fine tie, but it's no good the way you have it
tied. Here, let me fix it," and he pulled the tie loose.
"I did hab a lot ob trubble wid dat tie," agreed the colored man.
"It's too far around," went on Sam, and gave the tie a jerk, first one way
and another. Then he began to tie it, shoving Aleck again as he did so.
In the meantime Tom had gotten behind the colored man and was
blowing up the rubber rabbit. As the rubber expanded Aleck's coat went
up with it, until it looked as if the man was humpbacked. Then Tom
fastened the hose, so the wind could not get out of it. Next the youth
brought out a bit of chalk and in big letters wrote on the black coat as
follows:
I have got to HUMP to catch the widow.
"Now your tie is something like," declared Sam, after a wink from Tom.
"It outshines everything I ever saw."
"I'se got to be a-going," answered Aleck. "Much obliged."
"Now, Aleck, hump yourself and you'll get the widow sure--along with
her fourteen children."
"She ain't got but two children," returned the colored man, and hurried

away. His appearance, with the hump on his back and the sign, caused
both the Rovers to burst out laughing.
"Come on, I've got to see the end of this," said Tom, and led the way by
a side path to the Widow Taylor's cottage. This was a short cut, but
Aleck would not take it, because of the briar bushes and the dust. As
the boys were in their knockaround suits they did not mind this.
The widow's cottage was a tumbled-down affair on a side street of
Dexter's Corners. A stovepipe stuck out of a back window, and the
front door lacked the lower hinge. In the front yard the weeds were
several feet high.
"I don't see why Aleck wants to come and see such a person as this,"
observed Sam. "She may be pretty, as colored widows go, but she is
certainly lazy and shiftless."
"Yes, and she has more than two children and I know it. Why, once I
came past here and I saw her with at least seven or eight."
When the boys came up they saw several colored children hurrying
away from the house. As they did this the widow came to the door and
called after them:
"Now, Arabella, go to the cemetery, jest as I tole yo', an' stay thar!"
"I ain't gwine to stay long," answered Arabella.
"You stay an hour or two," answered the widow. "To-morrow, I'll give
yo' money fer lolly-pops."
"What is she sending the children to the cemetery for?" asked Tom, in a
whisper.
"Maybe to keep 'em quiet," answered Sam, with a grin.
"Must be wanting to keep them out of Aleck's way."
At that moment the figure of a tall, lanky colored man came down a

side street. The man entered the widow's cottage and received a warm
welcome.
"Glad to see you, Mistah Thomas. Hopes yo' is feelin' fine this ebenin',"
said the widow graciously.
"I'se come fo' to make yo' an offah," said Mr. Thomas. "Yo' said yo'
would mahrry me soon as I had a job. Well, I'se got de job now."
"Is it a steady job?"
"Yes, at de stone quarry--dribin' a stone wagon."
"How much yo' gits a week, Peter?"
"Twelve dollahs," was the proud answer.
"Den I closes wid you," said the widow, and allowed the suitor to
embrace her.
Just then Aleck came in sight. As he saw the couple through the open
door he straightened up.
"Maybe yo' didn't look fo' me around, Mrs. Taylor," he said, stiffly.
"Oh, yes, I did, Mistah Pop," she said, sweetly. "But yo' see--I--dat
is----" She stopped short. "Wot's dat?" she cried.
"Wot?"
"Dat hump on yo' back?"
"Ain't no hump on my back," answered Aleck.
"Suah da is."
"He's got a sign on, too,"