Page:The fighting scrub, (IA fightingscrub00barb).pdf/131

 and passed the Inn, before which several visiting automobiles were parked. His thoughts went back to a week ago, and his father's visit, and the drive to Cotterville, and he was almost to State Street, beyond which, on the other side of Oak, "Poppy's" combined fruit, candy, and news emporium stood, when something claimed his interest, and brought his thoughts back to the present.

The something was a wheel chair which was being slowly propelled along the sidewalk by its occupant. At the distance of half a block Loring Deane was easily recognizable and Clif wondered at finding the boy alone so far from the school. Evidently he, too, had been to "Poppy's" for the sunlight shone garishly on the colored outer section of the paper in his lap. Approaching, although on the opposite side of Oak Street, Clif considered offering his assistance again. It was a long way back to school, and he didn't see how Deane could manage the curbings. But he did see a moment later, for the wheel chair came to a place where the sidewalk sloped to meet the street level at the entrance of a narrow alley, and the occupant turned his vehicle to the right, eased it down the short descent, and headed obliquely toward the State Street intersection and Clif.

"I guess I'll offer to push him back," thought Clif. "He won't mind waiting while I get my paper." He had already started to put the thought to action when an automobile came charging eastward through State Street. Involuntarily Clif drew back from the curb