"For my own part, I feel confoundedly put out about it. I shall be as dull as ditch-water for days. As for the ladies, they'll miss him horribly."
Dick's reply was monosyllabic, and its tone fell distinctly short of sympathy.
"He was such a good fellow!"
The Colonel said this regretfully, and waited for some echo. But Dick could have said nothing without the whole truth bursting out, so he merely asked:
"When did he go?"
"About nine—as soon as he could pack up his things, in fact. Alice was not down to say good-bye to him."
Dick's eyes glittered.
"He will be back to say it, though?" he asked suspiciously.
"No, I fear not; he will probably have to start at once; at least, so his agent told him—the fellow who came down last night, and robbed us of him for half the evening. By-the-bye, we missed you too; did you go home?"
"Yes." Dick faltered a little.