Downstairs, however, he found the clerk sweeping out the office. The clerk looked up with a cheery greeting and a wide grin, for Chip was already a popular hero in Carsonville, after the game of the day before.
“Too fine a morning to sleep,” said Chip. “What’s that machine I heard buzzing around?”
“The garage is down the street a ways,” explained the clerk, leaning on his broom. “They’ve got one machine there for hire. Want to get it?”
“No, thanks,” and Frank laughed. “I was only mildly curious. Clancy’s car is all right?”
“Sure, I seen it out in the back yard only just now.”
Merry nodded and passed on to the veranda. At sight of the upturned chairs he was attacked by sudden laziness, and with a yawn turned over one of the chairs and seated himself, drinking in the clear air greedily.
“Mornings like this make life worth living,” he reflected contentedly. “I’ll wager that if folks knew how good these early spring mornings were, they’d go to bed earlier and get up earlier. It’s worth all the rest of the day!”
He sprawled out comfortably. He was still weary with his stiff game of the previous afternoon, and his long evening following, and soon realized that if he sat here very long he would be fast asleep once more. So, after five minutes, he forced himself to rise.
“I never thought I’d be getting lazy!” he murmured. “Well, down to the river and have a quick dip, then a rest on the long grass, and back to rout Clan out in time for breakfast.”
He paused as he reached the steps, for he caught sight of a solitary figure that seemed to be approaching the Morton House.
The figure was that of a farmer, but this signified nothing in Carsonville, where every one owned farms or orchards, or else worked in them. The man was tall, round-shouldered, and his face was decorated with a yellowish wisp of beard. He seemed to be a powerful fellow, Chip thought.
As he approached the hotel, Merry caught sight of the man’s face. It was not exactly a pleasant one, for the eyes were very close set, and there was a general look of shrewd cunning about the man which was not reassuring.
Frank would not have noticed him, had the man not been inspecting him rather closely as he drew near. It occurred to Merry that the fellow might be looking for him.