“Anyt’ing I can do fo’ yo’ young gen’men?” asked a voice from the doorway, and Aleck Pop showed himself, his mouth on a grin from ear to ear. Indeed Aleck had not stopped grinning since the boys had appeared.
“Not that I know of, Aleck,” answered Dick. “How have you been since we went away?”
“I ain’t been well, sah,” answered the colored man, and his face fell for a moment. “It’s been dat awful lonesome lik I thinks I was a gwine to die sometimes.”
“Never mind, Aleck, we’ll cheer you up some day,” came from Tom.
“I guess I ought to be at a boahdin’ school, or a collidge,” went on Aleck. “Perhaps I’ll go back to Putnam Hall—if de cap’n will take me.”
“Oh, he’ll take you back fast enough,” answered Sam. “But why not try for a place at Brill?”
“Yo’ collidge? Would da hab me dar, yo’ t’ink?”
“Perhaps. They have some colored help.”
“Den say, won’t you put in a good word fo’ me, all ob yo’?” asked Aleck, earnestly. “I’d gib most anyt’ing fo’ to be wid yo’, ’deed I would!” and his eyes rolled from one lad to another.
“We’ll keep that in mind, Aleck,” answered Dick. “But you can be with us this summer—at least part of the time.”