Matt was much pleased. Leaving Andy in charge of the store, he went out to dinner, taking Tom Inwold along with him. After the meal the wearing apparel was purchased and donned, and then they made their way to the depot. Here a ticket for Plainfield was procured, and the young auctioneer saw to it that the boy boarded the proper train.
"I'll never forget you, never," said Tom Inwold on parting, and he never has, nor has Mrs. Inwold, who was grateful to the last degree for what Matt had been instrumental in doing for her.
On the following morning, on going down to the store to open up, Andy and Matt saw that the entire stock of the store adjoining had been removed during the night. Gissem had been fearful of trouble, despite what Andy had promised, and had taken time by the forelock, and left for parts unknown. The young auctioneers never met him or his partner again.
By having the entire field to themselves the young auctioneers did a splendid business, and when they were ready to pack up and start for Scranton they found that they had cleared nearly ninety dollars by their stay in Wilkes-Barre.
In the meantime the weather had been growing steadily colder, and they found it necessary to invest in a second-hand robe to keep them warm when driving.
"It looks a bit like snow," remarked Andy, as they drove out of the city one morning. "I hope we don't catch it before we reach where we are going to. A snowstorm in the mountains is not a very pleasant thing to encounter."
"We must run our chances," returned Matt, and Billy was urged forward, and soon the city outskirts were left far behind.
The sun had shone for awhile, but about nine o'clock it went under a heavy cloud. Then it began to get slightly warmer, and Andy was certain that snow was coming.
His prediction was fulfilled. By ten o'clock it was snowing furiously, and by eleven the ground was covered to the depth of half a foot.
"That settles it; we can't make Scranton to-day, nor even Pittston," said Matt. "We had better hunt up some sort of a house with a barn attached, where we can put up."
But Andy was for continuing the journey, so onward they went, until at last, just before the noon hour, they found the road getting too heavy for Billy. They went down into a hollow which the falling snow had covered, and there the wagon remained, despite every effort to budge it.