"I couldn't stay away another minute. I had to know what the old Captain said and did when the flying-machine came to Hempfield"

"David," he said, "I couldn't stay away another minute. I had to know what the old Captain said and did when the flying-machine came to Hempfield."

"Is that all you came back for?"

"May I come in?" And with that he climbed in at the window. I took him by both his shoulders and looked him in the eye. I had a curious sense of gladness in having him once more under my hand.

"You look thin, Nort, but I haven't any pity or sympathy for you. What have you been up to now?"

We both forgot all about the flying-machine.

"Well, David," said he, "I've been finding out some things I didn't know before—some things I can't do."

He was in a mood wholly unfamiliar to me, a sort of restrained, sad, philosophical mood.