The four chums talked of nothing but camp on the way to the station, and, as for Jed, he was so occupied in watching for signs and omens, good and bad, that he was not a brilliant conversationalist. Just as they approached the depot the driver pulled sharply to the right, turned out of the main road, and urged his horses in a circle around the standpipe of the water tank that supplied the locomotive tenders. Then he swung the team up to the platform.
"Why did you do that?" asked Ned, in curiosity.
"For good luck," replied Jed. "Nothing better for good luck than going around in a circle just before you start off on a journey. It's sure to bring you back safe, and I want to see you lads again."
"How do you make it out that a circle will bring any one back safe?" inquired Frank.
"Because, it stands to reason, don't it?" asked Jed, with conviction. "A circle's round, ain't it? Very well, bein' round it hasn't got any end, nor yet any beginnin'. That means you've got to come back to the place where you started. I know a circle always brings good luck when you're goin' on a journey. I know it for sure. Once I went over to Hampton Junction without goin' around in a circle before I started. What was the result? A feller stole my pocketbook that had a dollar an' nineteen cents in it. Don't tell me there's nothing in signs."
The boys laughed, and Jed did not seem to mind. They leaped out on the station platform, and paid the teamster, who wished them all sorts of good luck, in addition to having worked the "circle degree" on them, as Ned expressed it.
"Here!" exclaimed Jed suddenly, as the chums were about to go and purchase their tickets, and he held out a black object to Bart.
"That black, lucky stone I picked up when the horse stumbled. Take it along. It will keep you from having an accident, Bart." The youth was about to refuse, but not wishing to hurt Jed's feelings he put the rock in his pocket.
A little later the train pulled in, and, getting aboard, the four chums waved a farewell to Jed, who could be observed standing up in his sled, making some queer signs, evidently with the idea of bringing more good luck.
"Well, we're off at last," remarked Ned, as the train gathered speed, "and some of Jed's signs seem to be coming true."