[ CHAPTER XVIII]
CHANGES
Thus passed the days in Beaufort; very good days they were, too, taking them all in all. But they could not go on forever; in human experience nothing—not even eleven loads of wood—lasts forever, and suddenly Ned found himself on the brink of a change greater than his other greatest one: the loss of Bob, now a year back.
For some time it had seemed to him that his father and mother were sharing a secret between them, and keeping him out in the cold. They would be talking, and when he drew near they would stop, with a glance from one to the other that said: “Look out!” If he hung around for quite a while after he had made them do this, he would be sent off on an errand; and once his father had even said, frankly: “Ned, boy, run away. Your mother and I want to talk about something.”
The idea!
It could not be about Christmas, for Christmas was eight months ahead. And it could not be about his birthday, for his birthday had just been. And it could not be about another dog, for he would not have another dog—ever! Then what was it about? He felt abused, as well as excited.
“Ned, how would you like to leave Beaufort?” asked his father, abruptly, one evening, at the supper-table.
“Leave Beaufort!” repeated Ned, astonished.
“Yes,” said his mother. “Move away, you know.”
“For good? Where to?” demanded Ned, eagerly.