CHAPTER XXI. THE RUNAWAYS.
During the afternoon Leon was so nervous and uneasy that he could scarcely keep his seat.
There were two ways now in which he could be detected. His mother might go to the bureau-drawer and find that the bank-book was missing, or the cashier might casually ask Mr. Parker, if the latter had occasion to enter the bank, if his son had an idea of going into business.
A question like that would, of course, excite the lawyer's curiosity, and might lead to inquiries on his part that would bring the whole plot to light.
It was only by neglecting his books entirely, and dwelling upon the joys of a hunter's life, that Leon could keep up his courage.
He failed completely in every one of his recitations, and his teacher, losing all patience at last, informed him that if those lessons were not fully mastered by the next time he came into the class-room, he would have the privilege of studying them after school.
"Not much I won't study those lessons after school!" said Leon to himself, as he returned to his seat. "I have been kept as a delinquent for the last time. I hope that after to-day I shall never see a school-book."
When the cousins started for home that night, the fears that had haunted them all the day long increased tenfold.
Leon did not want to face his father and mother after what he had done, and he took good care to keep out of their way until supper-time.
It was a wonder that Mr. and Mrs. Parker did not suspect the boys of some wrong-doing, for their agitation, when they came downstairs in response to the call of the bell, was almost too palpable to escape notice.
They arose from the table after making a very light supper, and started for their room.
That was the last time Leon expected to see his father and mother that night, and perhaps forever; and he was already telling himself that all danger of discovery was past, when his father suddenly called to him.
The boy's heart almost came up into his mouth as he turned about and went back into the dining room.
"Why, Leon!" exclaimed Mr. Parker, now for the first time noticing the boy's pale face and trembling hands, "what is the matter with you? Are you ill?"
"No, sir," stammered Leon; "I am not sick, but I haven't felt like myself to-day. And that is the honest truth," he added mentally. "I have been so upset by excitement and suspense that I have scarcely realized what was going on around me. I couldn't stand another day like this."
"I am sorry to hear it," said Mr. Parker. "I wish you had spoken of it this morning. I don't want you to go to school if you don't feel well, for of course you can't study. Would you like to go to the concert with us to-night?"
"No, I thank you, sir," replied Leon. "I would rather stay at home."
"Well, ask Frank if he wants to go. I have tickets and seats for all of us."
Leon went out again, but instead of going toward the hall, he turned into the sitting room. The door of the library was open, and Leon paused in front of it just long enough to take one look at the bookcase. Then he went up to his room, where he found Frank pacing back and forth in a state of great excitement. He was afraid that everything had been discovered, but one glance at his cousin's face reassured him.
"What did your father say to you?" he inquired, as soon as Leon had closed the door.
"He asked me if I was sick. My gracious! my face is white, isn't it?" said Leon, as he glanced into the mirror; "and wanted to know if I felt like going to the concert to-night. I replied that I would rather stay at home, and he told me to ask if you would like to go."
"Good!" exclaimed Frank, bringing his hands together with aloud slap. "As soon as they start, we'll start!"
"I looked into the library before I came up," continued Leon, "and I saw that the key of the bookcase is in one of the doors."
"Isn't that lucky?" cried Frank, who was almost ready to dance with delight. "Everything seems to be working in our favor. Now, in order to save time, we had better pack our valises."
The manner in which the two boys went at this work showed that they were in earnest about it, and that neither of them had the least idea of backing out.
They had already selected the clothing they intended to take with them, and in half an hour after that the valises were packed and placed in the closet out of sight.
This done, the boys sat down to talk about the glorious life upon which they were so soon to enter, and to wait until the time came to leave the house, which would be when Leon's father and mother had started for the concert.
Darkness came on apace, and presently the boys heard Mr. Parker calling from the foot of the stairs, whereupon Leon went out into the hall and looked over the balusters.
"Does Frank want to go with us?" asked the lawyer.
"No, sir," shouted Frank, from his seat in the window. "I'll stay with Leon."
"Very well. Now, Leon, don't go away to-night."
The boy made no reply.
"Do you understand me?" asked his father.
"Yes, sir," said Leon.
Mr. Parker, being satisfied with the answer, followed his wife out of the front door, and the boys stood at the window and saw them go out of the gate and turn down the street.
When they were out of sight, Leon sprang into the middle of the room and made an awkward attempt to dance a hornpipe.
"I didn't promise him that I wouldn't go away to-night, did I?" said he gleefully. "I simply told him that I understood his order. If he thinks that a boy of my age is going to be confined in a gloomy school-room all day, and then shut up in the yard at night, as if he were an unruly dog, he will find he has made a big mistake. Now, I'll go down and get my gun the first thing I do."
"Don't be in a hurry," said the cautious Frank. "Something might happen to bring your father back here, and if he should chance to go to that drawer, our cake would be all dough. Don't touch the gun until we are ready to start. It would never do for us to be caught now, after we have carried out all our plans so nicely."
"Shall we leave a note, telling them why we ran away?" asked Leon.
"No, sir. If they are anxious to know, all they have to do is to think of the manner in which they have treated us. I wish it would hurry up and grow dark."
The impatient boys spent another half-hour in walking up and down their room, and then Leon declared he would wait no longer.
At his suggestion, Frank went out to the gate to reconnoitre, and when he had satisfied himself that the coast was clear, and that there was no danger of interruption, he announced the fact by a shrill whistle and walked slowly toward the house. When he entered the hall, Leon was ascending the stairs, with his recovered gun in his hands.
"I feel as though I had found a long-lost friend," said he, as he flourished the weapon over his head. "There'll be some astonished people in this house to-morrow."
The boys went back to their room, and when Leon's gun had been placed in its case, and the powder-flask and shot-pouch belonging to it had been packed away in one of the valises, they picked up their baggage, took their weapons under their arms, and went down the stairs.
They paused a moment on the threshold of the front door to make sure that there was no one passing along the street, and then, without a single feeling of regret, they turned their backs upon their home and upon the friends they never expected or even wished to see again, and hurried away.
The little town of Franklin, toward which they bent their steps, was situated on the railroad, seven miles west of Eaton. It was there that they intended to purchase tickets and board the cars. By this piece of strategy they hoped to avoid meeting anybody who might recognize them.
The platform of the depot in Eaton was always crowded at "train time," and if they had been seen loitering about there with their guns and valises in their hands, they might have been asked some questions that they did not care to answer.
Leon led the way, avoiding the principal streets as much as he could, and at the end of an hour the runaways struck the main road, about two miles above the village.
Settling down into a steady walk, they moved briskly along toward Franklin, but before they had gone many rods they heard a wagon coming up behind them.
"Let's wait and ask him to give us a ride," said Frank. "He is going our way."
"Not by a long shot," answered Leon quickly. "I am acquainted with almost everybody about here, and I won't take the risk. This man might know me. Let's hide and wait until he goes by."
Suiting the action to the word, Leon sprang into the bushes that lined the nearest fence and crouched down among them, his example being promptly followed by his cousin.
In a few minutes the wagon came up and passed their hiding-place, but not so the dog which trotted along a little distance in the rear, industriously exploring the bushes on each side of the road.
His sharp nose quickly revealed to him the presence of the runaways, and, bounding toward the thicket in which they were concealed, he set up a terrific yelping.
"Get out there!" said Frank, in a savage whisper, lifting his rifle above his head.
The dog saw the motion and beat a hasty retreat; but he went no farther than the middle of the road, where he stopped and barked furiously.