“You’re coming around to my way of thinking, I guess, Asa?” he remarked.
Asa turned his eyes up toward Dick.
“Yes,” he said, softly, “I believe it’s going to come out all right now, Dick, for my dear mother came to me in my dreams last night, and she told me I would win the fight! Oh! I’m so glad, so glad, and I owe a heap to you, that’s right!”
CHAPTER XX
A MISSION OF MERCY
To some of the boys the day seemed unusually long. Their restless spirits chaffed under the strain of doing nothing save looking after the fire, lying around talking, roaming through the woods at that end of the island, reading, and at noon eating the meal that had been prepared.
Possibly except for the restraining influence of Mr. Holwell and Mr. Bartlett and the knowledge that they would forfeit certain privileges if they broke the posted rules of the camp, Eddie Grant and the two other mill boys, perhaps Nat Silmore and his chums also, might have gone off in one of the boats to fish.
But to Dick and some of the others that was a day long to be remembered. Mr. Holwell talked more about his early struggles and difficulties than they had ever heard him do before. They learned that he had had a most adventurous career up to the time he decided to follow the ministry for a calling.
It was about three in the afternoon, and some of the boys were sighing over the fact that the day still had several more hours to run, when there came a sudden interruption of the Sunday quiet that enveloped the camp.
“Listen!” exclaimed Dan Fenwick, jumping up. “Some one’s coming through the brush back yonder. Lickety-split, too!”
All could hear the noise made by the hurried passage of some body; and more than one boyish face lost much of its usual color as the lads exchanged uneasy glances.