Weary, and sore, and disappointed, Jack did not easily get to sleep himself after his cheerful speech to his mother. He lay awake long, making boy’s plans for his future. He would go and collect money by some hook or crook from the rascally Gray; he would make a great invention; he would discover a gold mine; he would find some rich cousin who would send him through college; he would——, but just then he grew more wakeful and realized that all his plans had no foundation of probability.
CHAPTER XI
COLUMBUS AND HIS FRIENDS
When he waked up in the morning, Jack remembered that he had not seen Columbus Risdale go past the door after his cow the evening before, and he was afraid that he might be ill. Why had he not thought to go down and drive up the cow himself? It was yet early, and he arose and went down to the little rusty, brown, unpainted house in which the Risdales, who were poor people, had their home. Just as he pushed open the gate, Bob Holliday came out of the door, looking tired and sleepy.
“Hello, Bob!” said Jack. “How’s Columbus? Is he sick?”
“Awful sick,” said Bob. “Clean out of his head all night.”
“Have you been here all night?”
“Yes, I heerd he was sick last night, and I come over and sot up with him.”