me time to try to hobo some passing train, but as none
of them stopped or slowed up sufficiently for them to risk swinging onto
it, when the dinner hour drew near, Slippery visited a nearby country
store and soon returned carrying canned foods and other material from
which they could prepare a substantial "Mulligan", which is made by
stewing in a large tin can almost everything edible over a slow fire.
They collected some castaway tin cans and then went to a thicket by the
side of a rippling brook, where they built a roaring fire and when the
embers began to form they placed upon the glowing coals the tin can
containing the "mulligan".

Then all repaired to the side of the brook to scour the cans and make
their own dinner toilets, and here, while the twins washed their faces,
their pals noticed for the first time the singular white hair-growths
upon the backs of their heads, their inheritance from their forefathers.
Joe explained to their wondering companions that these streaks of white
hair were their birth-marks, but Slippery, afraid that these conspicuous
freaks of nature would draw too much attention to their young comrades,
collected some sprigs of sage, and after he had pounded the same to a
pulp between some stones, rubbed it into the white hair upon the boy's
heads, with the result that within a few moments they were dyed to
almost the same shade as the rest of their scalps.

By this time the "mulligan" was ready to serve and they dined upon the
savory hobo-stew, and after they had filled their inner selves,
according to hobo usage they stretched themselves in the shade of the
trees to take their after-dinner rest. Unused to the ways of the road,
yet pleased with the fate that had brought them into the partnership of
men who at least provided them with substantial meals, soon the
satisfied snores that emanated from their throats proved to the others
that the twins had landed in dreamland.

The moment Kansas Shorty, who had anxiously waited for this chance, had
assured himself that the lads were soundly sleeping, he beckoned to his
pal and both moved beyond the earshot of the sleepers. "Slippery,"
Kansas Shorty addressed his pal, "what do you think of our lucky catch
in the 'Road Kid Line'? Don't you think that we are the luckiest tramps
that ever rambled over any railroad to make a catch of two healthy and
good-looking lads as these two are?" And then after he had permitted his
cunning eyes to wander back over