So when Percy invited him to spend the summer at his home 'in the West', John accepted at once.
He wanted to find out more about his new friends.
It was only when they were in the train that Percy began to talk about his family. He suddenly said, 'My father is by far the richest man in the world.'
'Oh,' said john politely. 'I like very rich people. I visited the Schnlitzer-Murphys last summer, and they had diamonds as big as golf balls-'
That is nothing,' Percy dropped his voice to a whisper. 'My father has a diamond as big as the Ritz Hotel.'
At seven o'clock in the evening they arrived at a small station, where a carriage was waiting for them.
After driving for half an hour in the carriage, they stopped next to the largest, most beautiful car John had ever seen.
It was made of a shiny metal like silver, and its wheels were covered in jewels.
Two servants put the boys' luggage in the car.
'Get in,' said Percy to his friend. 'Sorry we had to use the carriage, but we can't let people at the station see this car.'