The boys crowded around the two, and waited anxiously for Will’s next words.
“First,” began the lad, who had acted so strangely, “let me introduce to you my uncle, Mr. Andrew Swaim.”
“Your uncle!” exclaimed Jack.
“Your uncle!” echoed Sam, Bony and Nat.
“That’s right. My uncle, whom I ran away from home to seek,” went on Will. “I never expected to find him here.”
“Nor I to see my nephew,” explained Mr. Swaim. “I was never more surprised in my life than when he ran to me in the shed. After he had called me by name, he fainted dead away. He has been unconscious all night, and only a few minutes ago did he come to his senses. I remained at his bedside all the while. As soon as he roused, and felt better, he told me about coming here with you boys, and insisted that I come out to look for you. That was the first I knew you were still in my camp. I hope you haven’t suffered any inconvenience. I saw you as I was about to open the shed doors, but I supposed my men warned you away. I hope you are not angry.”
“Not much,” replied Jack with a smile. “And so Will fainted as soon as he greeted you?”
“Yes. He explained later that he got a blow on the head, and that, together with the thrilling ride down the mountain, on top of the worry he had sustained in searching for me, and other hardships he had undergone, made him go temporarily out of his mind. But he is all right now, he says.”
“Yes, that’s what I am,” said Will. “All my troubles are over, now that I’ve found my uncle. What did you think, when I ran away?”
“We didn’t know what to think,” replied Jack. “Especially when you didn’t come back.”