CHAPTER XV
DAN TELLS SOME WHOLESOME TRUTHS
“How is Humbert Loft getting on with the rest of the boys?” asked Mr. Holwell, glancing over to where the lad in question was talking earnestly with Dan, who had changed his mind about going with the “foraging party,” on account of a bruised heel, caused by a shoe that chafed him.
Dick shook his head as though he rather despaired of weaning the nephew of the town librarian from his stilted and unpleasant ways.
“He’s been well drilled at his home, sir, I’m afraid,” he went on to say, “by that uncle of his who knows about as much about real boys as he does of Egyptian mummies, and perhaps a good deal less. I’ve talked with him a number of times, but everything he says is just an echo of what Mr. Loft has been telling us right along.”
“Then you don’t really believe these lofty ideas are his own, but acquired from association with older people?” asked the minister, looking amused, for he personally had no sympathy with the principles of the pedantic librarian.
“Why, Mr. Holwell, it’s impossible for a boy to think as he claims to do, unless he was brought up among a lot of stuffy people who filled him with their ideas. A boy to be natural is just bound to want to read stories that are full of action. We all think that the writer who can give us healthy adventure, and perhaps put some good, strong traits into his characters, is doing us all the good we’ll stand for.”
“My opinion exactly,” said the minister, heartily.
“Still,” went on Dick, “Humbert has waked up some and is taking to the water and to swimming like a fish; so, you see, there may be hope for him in other things as well.”
“Let us hope so,” the minister said with a smile.
“I hope you have told Mr. Loft how we boys feel about our reading, sir,” ventured Dick, boldly.