“But how long must we wait, I wonder?” replied Gerald, tremulously. “O, Philip, it seems to me every thing gets into a worse muddle each minute. You’re trying to hide it from me. When will they get word from us?”
“By to-morrow we shall hear from them, depend on it. Perhaps in the forenoon. I don’t know what you can think I’m hiding, you lost Gerald Saxton, you! It’s all a queer jumble.”
His effort at cheerfulness failed.
“I’m sick of it all! so sick!” exclaimed Gerald. “We’re in a fix, a regular fix! I believe it will get worse instead of better. What did you and Mr. Banger have to say that took so terribly long—without me?”
“Well, I had to explain all our story to him, you know. I was sorry to leave you alone. Come, now, don’t be down-hearted! There’s nothing for you to be afraid of. I think the adventure is very funny, take it all in all. It’s a little tiresome now, but we shall laugh over it next week—you and your father and Mr. Marcy and I. Don’t you think Halifax is a small sort of a country city?” And he pointed, laughing, at Knoxport’s main street and tiny green square, with its black-painted anchors and chains.
“Yes,” Gerald answered, without a smile. “Poor papa!” he went on, presently. “How strange it will seem to him! He will be so glad to hear!”
Touchtone thought this opportunity not bad for bringing truth home.
“Glad? In spite of all the nonsense that you’ve talked now and then about his being so cool and careless toward you? Now you can’t help seeing what stuff that’s been, and I hope you wont ever think it again. Why, he’ll be the happiest man in the world when he gets that message.”
“I shall be the happiest boy to get his.”
They did not see much of Mr. Banger on their return to the Kossuth House. He was engaged with some business matters, and merely called out, “Did you send them off all right?” to Philip, as they walked through the office. They had supper. Philip was anxious to escape unnecessary observation. There were not many guests; but two or three, as well as some of the towns-people, tried to engage him in chat without success.