The day finally came when Mr. Holwell had to leave the boys. He showed that he disliked doing so very much. He had so heartily enjoyed himself while among them that he felt keenly the severance of those friendly ties that bound him to his boys.
In fact everybody was more or less subdued, and no one displayed any ambition to do anything until after Mr. Holwell had said good-bye.
CHAPTER XXX
BREAKING CAMP—CONCLUSION
Dick chanced to be talking with Mr. Holwell on the morning of departure, asking his advice regarding several things that might arise later on, when Asa Gardner approached.
Seeing the boy hesitate the minister smiled, and beckoned to him.
“I’m glad you’re having such a good time up here, Asa,” he said in his kindly fashion, as his strong hand grasped that of the boy in whom he felt such a deep interest.
“Oh! I certainly am feeling splendid just now,” Asa told him, brightening up. “I was worried for a while, as Dick knows, sir, because I had begun to be afraid that in spite of all I could do my old trouble was getting the better of me. But when we found out about that gorilla, why, of course, I just knew it couldn’t be so.”
“Take my advice, Asa,” said Mr. Holwell, steadily, “and never allow yourself to believe for even a minute that you can go back to the old ways again. That weakness is dead, I tell you! It lost its grip when you gave your dear mother that solemn promise. I knew you would win out, and redeem the past; and I’m proud of the way you’re doing it, son.”
Asa should have beamed with pleasure on hearing this, but then he was an odd sort of boy, Dick knew. He was therefore not much surprised to hear him give a big sigh, and then go on to say with a whimsical smile:
“Sometimes I do feel that I’ve done pretty well, sir; and then I think of the story I once heard you tell at a meeting of boys.”