"Quarter to ten. I wonder when I can get a train?" he cried.
A consultation of a time-table showed that no train for Mossvale could be had until nine-thirty the next morning.
"It's too bad!" he groaned. "I could have taken one just an hour ago if I had known."
There was nothing to do, however, but wait, and so Richard retired with the rest.
He passed a sleepless night, thinking over what had happened, and trying to form some plan for the future. But he could arrive at no conclusion, and found that he must wait until he had talked the matter over with the others.
He was the first one up in the morning, and, having over three hours yet to wait, took a walk around to the store to see what Phil was doing.
"There is a telegram for you; just came," said the boy, and he handed it over.
"More news from home," thought Richard. "But we have no telegraph office. Wonder what it means?"
And he tore the telegram open.
It ran as follows: